Bombs away

Ace: I was tooling around on Water Street the other day when I noticed a sign for a fallout shelter on the back of the Bank of America building. What’s up with that? Part of our homeland security strategy?—Ducken Cover Ducken: Wait, we have a homeland security strategy? Ace thought the government was just engaged […]

VIRGINIA’S NEWEST BATTLEGROUND

David Toscano is in for a change of pace. Until now, the former City mayor has mastered the art of compromise in Charlottesville, Virginia’s haven for left-leaning, latté-drinking, Volvo-driving Democratic voters. This week, however, the new 57th District delegate is one of 140 legislators in Virginia’s General Assembly. While the General Assembly is in session […]

Eye cannondy

Hey Ace: What, in your opinion, transpired to make patrons of the Court Square Tavern the focus of the cannon in front of the courthouse? Don’t mean to stir up any trouble, but it does seem to be rather odd that a Southern city would have its courthouse cannon facing south. Is there something we […]

Brokeback Mountain

 Based on a short story by E. Annie Proulx (she of The Shipping News fame), screenwritten by Larry McMurtry (The Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment, “Lonesome Dove”) and directed by Ang Lee (The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Brokeback arrives on the big screen with the sort of pedigree that all but […]

Finding Nirvana

Dear Ace: Soon after I moved to Charlottesville in 1988 or ’89 I went to eat at an Indian restaurant on the Downtown Mall called Nirvana. I am having a debate with a friend about the location. We both remember that it was in a basement. I clearly remember it being under the Jefferson Theater. […]

Something for nothing

O.K., so you\’re broke. It doesn\’t matter why. Maybe you make minimum wage putting those infernal plastic seals on CD cases, or maybe you\’re too busy writing experimental theater pieces to go to work. What\’s important is that you live in Charlottesville, one of the pricier small cities in America, and you\’re tired of seeing the horse farmers and pop-music moguls have all the fun.

Resolution revolution

As it’s only the first week of January, Turnopher, Ace’s resolve remains with him, firm as Clark Kent’s handshake. The real question is, Where will it go?  Ace has little in common with his fellow man, but sadly one of the few qualities he shares with the average schlub is an inability to stick to […]

Pucker up, glamour puss –

There’s that moment, right around 11:55pm on every December 31, when the partner-deficient, which of course does not include either Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, start to panic. In five minutes that gaudy twinkling ball will drop in Times Square, people will start singing that stupid song they don’t really know, and you’re supposed to […]

CHEAP SHOTS ’05

As the year draws to a close, at C-VILLE we find ourselves with a queasy feeling. At first we just thought someone spiked our egg-nog, but no. Our sick feeling is something media types know as a “news hangover.”    We’ve spent the past year covering the absurdity, scandal, crime and shameless self-promotion that goes on […]

Further notes on Trey

Dear Ace: Are you whack? What was all that crap last week about Dave Matthews and Trey Anastasio and Red Light? Every-body knows that Phish broke up because the band had lost its scales…—Sumthin’ Smelz Phunnie Let us take your questions in order, Smelz, as Ace is a rational fellow and likes nothing so much […]