By Celeste M. Smucker – Looking for a relaxed, country lifestyle but hate long commutes? Move to Greene County north of Albemarle for terrific views from your reasonably priced home. Then enjoy the easy, scenic commute to town. A host of outdoor and recreational activities including hiking, camping, fishing and golfing are a big part […]
By Marilyn Pribus – “I used to ask my students where their food came from,” says North Garden Farmers Market Manager Kathy Zentgraf. “’The grocery store,’ they’d reply, so I’d explain to them about where their meat and produce came from before it got to the grocery store.” Farmers markets, she notes, are a great […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Enjoying a waterfront lifestyle is high on the list of many home buyers searching for the perfect place to live. Fortunately, in our area, they have plenty to choose from ranging from a house on a local lake, to a home on the James River, to a rural property with […]
By Ken Wilson – The air is hot, but the water is not. Paddle it, ski it, plunge a line into or just plain jump in—the cool, cooling water of our lakes and streams and rivers refreshes our bodies and our minds in the always, shall we say, atmospherically challenging Virginia summertime. Here are just […]
By Ken Wilson – Tired of London? Sick of Paris? If a European vacation is unappealing (see your doctor) or out of reach, stick around and look around. It’s a truism that locals neglect what tourists take pains to visit, and Central Virginia is full of tourist destinations, not to mention lesser known historic and […]
by Ken Wilson – The Wizard of IX can help your dreams come true. Independent filmmaker Brian Wimer was first the “instigator” of the IX Art Park, nestled between Monticello and Elliot Avenues in Charlottesville, then he was its “executive director,” and now he’s officially its “Wizard.” And why not? As Wimer notes with the […]
By Ken Wilson – An Albemarle County landowner named Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. James Monroe, had a place just up the road and James Madison, mentored by Jefferson and hailed as “the father of the Constitution” settled in nearby Orange County. These men made history—our American history—and their […]
By Marilyn Pribus – These days, people shopping for a new abode often have “walkability” close to the top of their list of wants. Especially as gas prices are again on the rise, the thought of not having to get out the car keys to go places you want to go is appealing. Walkability basically […]
By Ken Wilson – They flock to the Blue Ridge Mountains every summer and they coalesce into something extraordinary. Experienced professional and aspiring student musicians join discerning music lovers at Wintergreen for four stimulating weeks of classical music, with a little bluegrass, Broadway, and what-have-you on the side. The resulting festival, says Artistic Director Erin […]
By Marilyn Pribus – Even when you’re moving to a wonderful new abode, the mechanics of getting your belongings from the old place to the new can be confusing, even overwhelming. Fortunately, practicalities have improved since our ancestors trundled belongings from one cave to the next. Unless it’s a do-it-yourself move, the place to start […]