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Say my name: When kids get to dub the family pet
This was his first visit after being adopted from the SPCA over the weekend. He was a bit pudgy at 40 pounds—a middle-aged Beagle mix with a lazy demeanor and drooping ears. He was adorable, but with his squat legs and lumbering gait, I could never describe him as dynamic. I glanced at his
Overheard on the restaurant scene… This week’s restaurant news (June 18)
All good things come in pairs…er, pairs of pairs. Celebrate the fourth anniversary of tavola restaurant with Quattro: Four Courses and Four Arias. Tavola’s skilled chefs will prepare a four course pre-fixe dinner accompanied by performances from Ash Lawn Opera’s La Boheme on Saturday,
Connecting the dots: UVA takes part in a nationwide autism study
Eight local autistic children are participating in a nationwide study that could change the way developmental disorders are perceived and treated. Most existing autism medications only treat the irritability and aggressive aspects of the disorder, and for the first time, doctors are testing a
Enemy at the baby gate: When grandparents go bad
As a new father with no significant prior experience with small children, I worry I’ve missed something big and obvious about infant care. I’ve taken classes and read a little bit here and there, but there’s no substitute for experience. I have a gnawing suspicion there are things I should know
The manor reborn: Belle Haven blooms through the seasons
“It hadn’t been touched for 50 years and was a beautiful disaster.” That was Belle Haven, Jan Glennie-Smith’s historic Scottsville estate, when she moved there 22 years ago. The house, built around 1880, overlooks the James River and anchors a sweeping tract of woods and fields. “I started just
Star of the show: Now 20, l’étoile keeps shining
Gourmet food is moving downscale. The work of talented chefs is increasingly available to diners who don’t wish to dress up or pay a small fortune for a good meal. While the proliferation of inexpensive, casual, high quality restaurants has generally been a good thing, one downside is the
Inside, out: A Belmont home boasts two kinds of kitchens
Bill and Jessica Norton’s Belmont home boasts two kitchens. The first, at the rear informal entrance to their home, is a warm, welcoming space with built-in seating, a vintage porcelain sink picked up on their honeymoon, concrete and copper countertops, chicken-themed everything (upholstery,
You don’t know Jack: Debunking the myths of an oft-overlooked summer spirit
My love affair with all things drinkable began in scotch and evolved to bourbon. Kind of backwards, I know, but it conjures up memories of friends gathered next to a fire in early spring, sitting on the porch sipping Mint Juleps in the dead heat of summer, and a clear change in how and what [...]
Material world: A Valley house tells stories in wood
Behind Kelley and Susan Blanton’s home, outside Staunton, is a symbol of its new-meets-old spirit. In a juxtaposition of technologies from different eras, a large array of solar panels, propped on an angle, shelters a stack of firewood. The Blantons have a deep appreciation for what’s old:
Overheard on the restaurant scene… This week’s restaurant news
Now open in Scottsville: Baine’s Books & Coffee, just steps away from the James River Brewing Company. It’s a full-service espresso bar, sourcing coffee beans roasted by Lexington Coffee Roasters and prepared in a variety of styles. Baine’s also brews its own Chai from scratch with a
Jolly good fellows: Meet four of Charlottesville’s best dads
We asked you to nominate the coolest dads around these parts and, boy, did you come through. We heard from wives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, all bragging about the best dad they know. It wasn’t a contest, but we thought these next four men stood out—from a single father raising his
Some like it hot: Thai ’99′s chicken pad ped combines spice and tradition
Having grown up in smaller cities during the pre-culinary America era, the last few decades, for me at least, have been a psychedelic deliverance from the doldrums of Big Boy, Sizzler, egg foo young, and cardboard pizza. The accompanying historical landscape of the period —colored by preemptive
Everything’s coming up rosés: Use this versatile wine to usher in summertime
When faced with the decision of what to drink with dinner (or while cooking dinner), when a white just isn’t enough and a red is too much, rosé bridges the gap of indecision. Possessing a lovely pinkish hue and noticeable tannins, a rosé is extremely food-friendly, while also drinkable on its
20+ ways to make the most of summer in Charlottesville
Consider this your summertime bucket list. With only 93 days to enjoy the heat and fend off the cicadas, you’d better get started. Here are our suggestions, from driving a convertible and grilling the perfect steak to indulging in homemade peach ice cream and taking a dip au naturale. Whatever
Best of C-VILLE 2013: Vote for your favorites!
These are your finalists! You nominated more than 480 of your favorite people, places, and things in Charlottesvile in the Best of C-VILLE Primaries. Now, vote the best of the best into the winners’ circle. Vote now until midnight on Sunday, June 30. Best of C-VILLE 2013 hits stands Tuesday,
Second time around: A North Garden winery gets a new name and new pours
Once you manage to traverse the winding, narrow gravel road that could just as easily be mistaken for somebody’s driveway, and approach the converted farmhouse that serves as the new tasting room for Wisdom Oak Winery, you instantly start to understand why owner Jerry Bias chose this small
Overheard on the restaurant scene… This week’s restaurant news
Topeka’s Steakhouse is now open at 1791 Richmond Rd., offering a restaurant and butcher shop. The latter is a concept unique to Topeka’s, and gives the option of full-service steak cutting so you can take home the same cut you ate at the table, “just like having your own personal butcher,” says
Five Finds on Friday: Matthew Hart of The Local
On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Matthew Hart, chef of The Local. In last week’s Five Finds on Friday, his wife Melissa Close Hart of Palladio included one of his dishes among her picks. This week, Hart sensibly returns
The cellar of your dreams (Or, just a nice collection of wine, stored well)
The first thing that pops into your mind as an everyday wine drinker who’s looking to start laying down a few bottles is, inevitably: “Don’t I need a big temperature-and-humidity-controlled dungeon, replete with rustic stone walls, candles, and old first-growth Bordeaux?” The answer is “No.”
Overheard on the restaurant scene… This week’s restaurant news
Now open in the former Pita Pit space on 14th Street: Onyx Lounge, a crêperie, sandwich shop, and hookah bar. It’s open until 4am Thursday-Saturday, giving Littlejohn’s a little competish on the late-night scene. Also open? The C’ville Cheese Store on Fifth Street SE in the former Downtown Deli



















