Spring is done. She has said farewell to us for the year and her hussy sister, summer, has come for the duration. But there’s one way to beat the heat: Sipping on summer drinks. When it’s 100 degrees out and the sun is beating down on our porch umbrellas, sweat is dripping and sliding from […]
Some say it’s the journey that matters, not the destination. At C-VILLE, we spend a lot of time saying just the opposite. In fact, it seems like we’re always professing our affection for Destination: Charlottesville—whether with our annual Food & Drink issue, this year’s list of the area’s 25 coolest places, the Summer Guide, or […]
The Local, located in Belmont, has been constantly expanding to meet business demands since it opened in 2008. Word on the street is it may be stretching across Hinton Avenue, as restaurant owner Adam Frazier recently put a bid on the last remaining commercial building available in the neighborhood. You’ve probably noticed it on the […]
12/12/2013 9:00 pm The Michael Elswick Gathering Fellini’s #9, Charlottesville VA
Hot weather screams for cold drinks, and in the summertime, nothing wets the whistle faster than chilled white wine. There are plenty of “patio pounders” on the market, meaning an inexpensive bottle of easily quaffable wine that takes little to no effort for the brain to compute, while delivering a much-needed respite from the heat. […]
Our small city has hundreds of places to eat, and when Charlottesville Restaurant Week kicks off next Monday, thousands of people will descend on its eateries both to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Charlottesville and to soak in a culinary culture that’s exploded over the past decade. With just shy of […]
Having a storied and prolific history of grape production doesn’t guarantee a winery’s success, and to suggest so is unfair to the vintners and vineyard managers who have labored to perfect their crafts. But starting a winery at a farm that already boasts some of the oldest and most vigorous vines in the region can […]
In the vast and varied repertory of Italian cuisine, one dish stands above all others for its versatility and humble beginnings (in my Italian eyes at least). Risotto is the quintessential fare of la cucina povera, or the poor man’s meal. All you really need is rice and some sort of liquid and together they […]
Fleas are completely awful. I try to reserve some respect for nature, and I suppose fleas must have their place, but they aren’t the sort of thing that inclines a person to wax poetic about the circle of life. They are ugly, itchy, and can multiply from one to thousands in a few weeks. They […]
The heat has arrived and the legs are out, making it time to bring out one of my favorite warm weather staples: the shift dress. Popular since the 1960s, this comfortable dress traditionally hangs loose from the shoulders with very little or no definition in the waist, making it a hit for women of all different […]
On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Brooks Tanner, who recently rejoined chef Craig Hartman at Barbecue Exchange, after previous stints with him at Fossett’s restaurant and The Statler Hotel. Tanner’s picks: 1) Sunday Brunch at Hamiltons’. “Chef Curtis Shaver and his kitchen ninjas reinstated an […]
Historic moments in the Charlottesville food scene are rare. They’re not really our thing. But, if ever a date qualified as “historic” for Charlottesville restaurants, June 4 sure did. That was when Dave Simpson completed the sale of his legendary C&O Restaurant to chef Dean Maupin. The transition had been in the works for months, […]
Normally I try to avoid pigeonholing and categorizing wine too intensely; the thing about winemaking and viticulture is that they’re seemingly built to buck trends, to defy the accepted knowledge, to alter the industry’s trajectory one barrel at a time. And yet, one of the most overused categorizations in the wine world, “old world/new world,” […]
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 chart, […]
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, July 13 starting at 6pm. Tickets are $100 per person, or […]
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 drug that could improve social interaction and communication skills. ConnectMe is […]
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 that were not covered […]
“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 by uncovering the foundation gardens,” she […]
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 squeezing out of a dying breed—a […]
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, paintings, dishes, and assorted tchotchkes) and a custom made second sink by […]
Jeff Saine has worked with wood for as long as he can remember. In high school, he spent most of his time in the wood shop and even helped his English teacher build a Japanese-style house on Lopez Island in his native Washington his senior year. After graduating from college with a degree in anthropology […]
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: low-tech craftsmanship and natural materials. When they built […]