By Ken Wilson – It’s no novelty anymore, no curiosity, no fledgling with promise. Virginia wine—more than 6.6 million bottles in 2016—has found its identity and found its fans. It may have taken a few decades—or a couple of centuries counting Jefferson’s aborted attempts—but the local vino is making us proud, and making the state […]
By Ken Wilson – It’s no novelty anymore, no curiosity, no fledgling with promise. Virginia wine—more than 6.6 million bottles in 2016—has found its identity and found its fans. It may have taken a few decades—or a couple of centuries counting Jefferson’s aborted attempts—but the local vino is making us proud, and making the state […]
By Ken Wilson – It was a staple of the Colonial diet, the most common drink in 18th and early 19th century America. Thomas Jefferson grew two varieties of apples, Hewes’ Crab and Taliaferro, especially suited for making it, and served it with the main course. And then, on American shores, it all but disappeared. […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Horse lovers, from weekend trail riders to fox hunting, racing and dressage enthusiasts, all appreciate what the Charlottesville area offers them and their animals. Some come to participate in or watch races and other events, spend their money and go home. Others fall in love with the mountains and beautiful […]
By Ken Wilson – The Dave Matthews Band played it. So did Corey Harris, and so did Sons of Bill. The hometown crowd heard these future stars, and heard them for free, at Fridays After Five, the April to September concert series set to begin its 30th season. Fridays from April 14 to September 8, […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Comfortable rural living where you can see the stars at night is one way people describe life in Louisa County located just to the east of Albemarle. Others point to its vibrant economy and central location with easy access to the three major urban centers of Charlottesville, Richmond and Fredericksburg. […]
By Marilyn Pribus – “It’s critically important to have a house show well when it’s time to sell,” declares REALTOR® Byrd Abbott, an associate broker with Roy Wheeler Realty Co. “Some tweaking and paring down often needs to be done because it’s so much easier to present a staged home.” What Exactly Is Staging? Often […]
By Ken Wilson – “Gardens above all else are for sharing.” – Emily Whaley Would any gardener beg to differ? Emily Whaley knows: after all the planning and the plotting, and the digging and mulching and watering and tending have done their work comes a garden’s finest hour, when gardener and friends stroll through, approving […]
By Marilyn Pribus – “I can’t believe we’ve already had the AC on and it’s only April,” laments a Lake Monticello resident. “I don’t even want to think about our electric bill this summer.” She’s not alone. Air conditioning soaks up about five percent of all the electricity produced in our country, approaching $30 billion annually. […]
By Ken Wilson – Although it’s hard to say when exactly it happened this year, spring has sprung, and with it the hundred ways we show it. Whether it’s to make us parade down Market, run along the Rivanna, or jog up a mountain, spring energizes us all. Here are a few of the many […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – A big concern for home buyers is finding the right mortgage program, one they can live with for many years, and this decision is especially important for those who have limited funds for a down payment. Many move-up buyers have more than enough cash from selling their previous home to […]