The mother of all garden parties
www.vagardenweek.org
Grab your bonnet and bug spray. The oldest and largest statewide home and garden tour in the nation, Virginia’s Historic Garden Week, is back for its 74th season, April 21-28. To say that the tour is extensive would be shortchanging it; statewide, there are three dozen different tours featuring over 250 of Virginia’s finest properties and most vibrant gardens. Guests on the tours can expect to see horticultural marvels as well as beautifully restored historic landmarks. The tours expose guests to a myriad of garden types, with everything from formal gardens to cottage gardens to even (gasp) secret gardens. You don’t have to travel far, since there are plenty of tours scheduled right in our area. Tickets require even less travel: Just cruise over to the website.—Stephanie Woods
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A-Z antiques
www.1stdibs.com
1stDibs.com is like the U.N. of antique shopping, without all the bitching and red tape. Not only does the site feature quality antiques from all parts of the globe, it also boasts the world’s largest resource for 18th, 19th, and 20th century designs. This cleverly designed site guides you through thousands of antique goods, including everything from Murano glass chandeliers to stately Dutch cabinets. Items are organized by function and type, as well as by their city or country of origin. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the country you desire on the short list featured on the homepage. We typed in “Thailand” in the keyword search at the top and were rewarded with more Buddha figurines than you can shake a stick at. Unfortunately, 1stDibs is only a database of antique items and does not sell the items themselves, so viewing individual prices can be tough. However, the site does an excellent job of providing extensive contact information and links to other dealers’ websites.—S.W.
A trip over memory lane
www.fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/maps/sanborn
On the University of Virginia Library’s Geostat Center website you can view digital maps of Charlottesville dating back to 1917 and 1920. The Sanborn Map Company originally created these fire insurance maps to assess the risk of fire and insurance costs in the city. Today these maps have been transferred online and can be used to view your neighborhood as it looked almost a century ago. We suggest browsing the individual Sanborn maps, as this will allow you to zoom in much farther on the houses and streets than the other maps allowed. Although the maps may seem vague and indistinct at first, you’ll learn from the symbols page that the colors and code used on the map indicate different structures and building materials. While the concept of viewing a Charlottesville of yesteryear is certainly an exciting idea, you’ll find the maps hard to view if you’re looking for lots of detail; they’re best as an overview of your neighborhood.—S.W.
Recipes for the rogue chef
www.101cookbooks.com
With the proliferation of generic recipes online, finding a unique dish can be as difficult as getting Martha Stewart to enter a wet T-shirt contest. That is, until we discovered 101Cookbooks, a health-conscious food blog that provides tasty and inventive treats for the everyday chef. Despite its generic sounding name, 101Cookbooks is a far cry from other catchall cooking sites. You’ll find offbeat recipes like chocolate zucchini cupcakes and lemon thyme grilled pizzas. Those in search of cheeseburgers be warned: The site does not feature many basic recipes and the lack of red meat is enough to make a NASCAR dad cry. However, 101 Cookbooks does provide extensive meal options for vegans, vegetarians, health nuts, and anyone else who is adventurous in the kitchen. Perhaps the site’s greatest appeal is the personal commentary by 101 Cookbooks creator, culinary goddess Heidi Swanson. Heidi not only gives you a kick-ass green curry recipe, but also shares how she found this recipe on her recent trip to Thailand.—S.W.
