I am a bit of a restaurant freak. Or at least, I used to be. I’ve eaten off of the whole spectrum of flatware, from the greasiest spoon to some of the finest dessert forks. I go out of my way to be a gracious guest—I ask the server’s name, I try to express my pleasure […]
Teri Kent runs Charlottesville’s Better World Betty, a non-profit organization and online resource for locals looking to shrink their impact on the environment. Every month, Betty—Kent’s ’50s-housewife-meets-earth-goddess alter ego—answers the most burning eco-questions from our readers about energy use, water, waste and recycling, transportation, and green buying. The majority of my junk mail is credit […]
Charlottesville’s Tom Tom Founders Festival kicked off its third year of music, art, and innovation events on Friday, April 11 at the McGuffey Block Party, which doubled as C-VILLE’s 25th birthday party. Entertainment ranged from a capella from the Hullabahoos to performances by fire dancers, and an audience of all ages spent the evening chowing […]
It’s called the Grills. Then, below that highly nondescript moniker on The White Spot’s menu, it says “with ice cream.” It’s not clear whether you have a choice between with or without. Regardless, you want it with. I’ve only been to The White Spot a couple of times, and I know that. For fans, it’s […]
Starr Hill unveils new tasting room For weeks beer lovers have been peering into the windows of Starr Hill Brewery’s Crozet tasting room, anxiously awaiting its reopening. It’s been nearly two months since the doors closed to make way for a substantial facelift, but the newly renovated tasting room is finally up and running, and […]
There’s not much more disheartening than returning home from vacation, especially when you realize after that cruise or European excursion the clothes you worked so hard to fit into before the trip are a little more snug than you’d like. As someone whose family trips have always revolved around grub—all-day beach snacking, bottomless crab legs, […]
There are few experiences in life that elicit both excitement and distress like moving into a new home, so just imagine how it must feel for our four-legged friends. After years of a comfy, stable routine, the entire world is instantaneously upended for no apparent reason at all. Nothing is where it used to be. […]
A few years ago, after a friend had recounted a particularly less-than-desirable day, he followed up the story with a bright spot: “But my favorite tree in town is finally blooming,” he said. I never let that “regal, purple, perfect” tree on 29S (right at the 250 overpass) go unnoticed after that. If this tree […]
When a sign advertising CUPS Frozen Yogurt, with two perky little containers of yogurt and the slogan “That’s hot,” went up in Barracks Road Shopping Center a few months ago, it didn’t go unnoticed by parents concerned about serving their kids a helping of sexual suggestions along with their sweet treats. After all, last spring, […]
Free money! April 7-14, restaurants of the Charlottesville Restaurant Group are offering $50 gift certificates for just $25 each, with all proceeds going to the care of Wes Chang, Ten chef Pei Chang’s infant son who is undergoing treatment for stage IV neuroblastoma. Purchase yours at MAS, Mono Loco, Blue Light Grill, TEN Sushi, and Three Notch’d Grill. Or, contribute […]
Why do crabs have shells? I’m no scientist, but I’m guessing it’s because their flesh is so effing delicious. If there were nothing hard and spiny to protect that sweet, briny, creamy white meat, crabs surely would have been eaten into extinction long ago. Which is not to say we humans haven’t come up with […]
Several years ago I received an e-mail from a mother who was putting together an end-of-season celebration for my youngest daughter’s soccer team. In addition to party details, the message requested money to buy trophies for the players. Trophies? For a team that had just gone 0-8? Ridiculous, I thought. But I didn’t want to […]
Tucked away at the end of a windy dirt road at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mountfair Vineyards is not a spot that you’re likely to just stumble upon. The tasting room is modest, both in size and décor, making it clear that the emphasis is on the wines, not the show. The […]
On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. This week’s picks come from Emily Pelton, Winemaker at Veritas Vineyards and Winery, who next week, on March 31, will be part of a very special event at Clifton Inn: the Women in Wine Dinner. It will feature six courses of chef Tucker Yoder’s food […]
Having a pet go missing is anguishing. Posters go up and APBs are phoned in to local shelters and veterinary clinics, but so many cases go unresolved. Proper identification is the easiest way to make sure that your wayward pet comes back home. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones, and that’s the case […]
Ever wonder what exactly goes into sausage casings at your favorite butcher shop? On Sunday, April 6, the guys from JM Stock Provisions & Supply are teaming up with Blenheim Vineyards to share their secrets. The sausage-making class begins at 3pm at Blenheim, and the cost is $90 per person ($85 for wine club members). […]
Maybe you’ve heard of umami, the elusive concept that’s been popping up in the food world the last couple of years. Umami is the mysterious taste that gives your favorite dishes that rich, deep flavor you can’t quite put your finger on. But what about wine? As someone who often analyzes both what’s on my […]
The Shack is all the rage. In the short time since its late-January opening, chef Ian Boden’s tiny Staunton dive has already won raves from Esquire magazine and The Washington Post, among others. The Esquire article was titled: “Found: The Incredible Restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere that Nobody Knows About.” Staunton residents might be […]
What is the meaning of life? What is art? What is curry? These are the questions that have plagued society’s greatest thinkers for centuries. Rest assured, life and art will be addressed at length in future C-VILLE Weekly issues. As for curry, the dish really can be a lot of things, as long as it […]
The rate of eating disorders among college students has risen to nearly 20 percent of women, and up to 10 percent of men. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) reports that full-blown eating disorders usually develop between the ages of 18 and 21, and 35 percent of “normal” eaters progress to pathological dieting. To raise […]
A local beer from 2013 is back on the market, but grab it while it’s cold, because it’s only available for a limited time. Starr Hill Brewery master brewer Mark Thompson teamed up with Floyd-based Red Rooster Coffee Roaster owner Haden Polseno-Hensley last year to create the Little Red RooStarr Coffee Cream Stout, which was […]
James River Brewing Company is not an urban legend. I promise. If you’ve never been down to Scottsville, you might find it hard to confirm the place exists. You haven’t seen the brewery’s beers on tap around town, and if you’ve come across a James River bottle somewhere, a Sasquatch hunter you are indeed. But […]
I’ll just come right out and say it: I’m an oyster snob. Born to parents who lived in Charleston, South Carolina for a decade, I tried my first chewy, salty, slightly slimy mollusc—lightly roasted, served on a Saltine cracker with a dollop of homemade cocktail sauce—around age 10, and I never looked back. So when […]