Water of Life

Sea anemones provide shelter and protection for clownfish; in turn, clownfish keep predators away from the anemones and stir up nutrients nearby. Red-billed oxpeckers eat pesky bugs off of rhinoceros’ backs. Nature is full of examples of symbiosis—two organisms living together in a mutually beneficial way. For a while, Charlottesville had its own example, down […]

PICK: Cocoa & Spice

Spirited move: Vitae Spirits sweetens its tasting experience with a Valentine’s Day cocktail and chocolate pairing at the distillery’s new downtown location. In a collaboration with the chocolatiers at Cocoa & Spice, the event includes three specially made drinks, served with truffles that incorporate some of Vitae’s modern-flavored liquors. Sunday 2/14, $20, 4-9pm. Seating is […]

Share the (common)wealth: A guide to local gourmet gifts

Many of us are eagerly anticipating the chance to turn the page on what has been a unique and challenging year. However, at least one challenge remains before we can put 2020 behind us—shopping for holiday gifts.  There is perhaps no better time to shop local. Not only can you avoid possible shipping delays, but […]

Style points: Vitae Spirits scores design award

Vitae Spirits just added another accolade to its pile of awards, but this one is for its design, not for its excellent craft liquors. A converted schoolhouse, Vitae’s tasting room and production facility on Henry Street is half laboratory and half chic cocktail lounge. This combination earned Vitae’s design/build contractor, Charlottesville’s Alloy Workshop, the award […]

Winter pairing: wine and fire

Whether it’s bitterly cold or just damp and dreary, one of the best places to wait out winter is beside a roaring fire (preferably with a glass of wine). Luckily, plenty of area wineries fit the bill, with cozy couches and toasty fireplaces to sit beside while you sip. “We go for a living-room kind […]

Freeze frame: Local treats to help you play it cool

Summer in Charlottesville can be brutal, and this year is no exception (our car’s temperature display read 104 degrees last week!). Relief comes in many forms, but, let’s be honest, an icy, frozen treat on a scorching day is the ultimate refresher. Whether it’s a guacamole sundae at La Flor Michoacana or a boozy “poptail” […]

Vitae Spirits opens for sales and tastings

For Ian Glomski, 2012 was a watershed year. He turned 40 and narrowly escaped a massive wildfire while on a birthday fly-fishing trip in Wyoming. He served as a juror for the George Huguely trial and fought cancer for the first time. “All of that added up,” he says, and with mortality on the mind, […]