By Ken Wilson – Before there were pumpkin spice lattes and before we were old enough for apple brandy, there were pumpkin pies and apple crisps, cold cider on Indian Summer days and hot cider around the winter fireplace. Even more exciting, for a country boy or an outdoorsy girl, were the pumpkins ripening on […]
By Ken Wilson – Before there were pumpkin spice lattes and before we were old enough for apple brandy, there were pumpkin pies and apple crisps, cold cider on Indian Summer days and hot cider around the winter fireplace. Even more exciting, for a country boy or an outdoorsy girl, were the pumpkins ripening on […]
By Marilyn Pribus – Central Virginia is widely recognized as a home to wineries and, more recently, craft breweries and cideries. Less well known, but increasing in popularity, are local distilleries that produce hard alcohol like gin, vodka, rum, liqueurs, whisky, and whiskey. What? No, that’s not a typo. While the Scottish spelling is whisky, […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Do you long for a quiet, laid-back place loaded with unique amenities that is still near enough to Charlottesville to allow an easy commute? If so, the town of Scottsville, a diverse and scenic community a few miles south of town on Route 20, may be just the thing. Located […]
By Marilyn Pribus – Most people want The Perfect Home. Admittedly this is pretty much impossible since perfection is the enemy of the good. Often attributed to Voltaire, that aphorism holds a lot of truth, so let’s settle for nearly perfect. It may be that your home has many great qualities but there are still […]
By Ken Wilson – A person could spend all day poring over online menus, but a friend’s testimony that “I’m never eating anywhere else” is worth any number of five star reviews on Yelp. When the elated friend (“I could taste the butter!”) has just eaten a “Feuillete chicken”—tarragon chicken baked in puff pastry—at Patisserie […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – If you are dreaming about fabulous renovations for your home, you may also wonder how much they will add to its value when it’s time to sell. While economic factors are not the only reason to renovate, they are a good place to start. Once you know how much of […]
By Ken Wilson – Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C major, D. 956 is one of the greatest works of the art form called chamber music, sorrowful but sublime, “a stirring paean to the indomitability of the human spirit” composed shortly before the Austrian master’s death in 1828. John Adams’ whimsically titled Road Movies for […]
By Marilyn Pribus – Hard to believe, but some trees are actually starting to lose their leaves for winter. You should be thinking about getting ready, too. Here are some pointers to prep your property for cold weather. Don’t wait for winter storm warnings. Outdoors Inspect the outside of your property, looking for cracks in […]
By Celeste M. Smucker– Commercial real estate is still a hot commodity in both Charlottesville and the Shenandoah Valley. Agents report the phone is ringing and they are cautiously optimistic that the upward trend will continue. A recent article in Forbes magazine expressed similar confidence in the national market stating: “the industry is expected to […]
By Ken Wilson– Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival is what’s it’s called, but there are so many different tastes to try as you stroll down Main in the beautiful and historic town of Madison. You could start with the barbeque from Pig ‘N Steak, real pit-cooked, hickory smoked pork and ham the locals […]