There are those of us for whom food will never be just fuel. Whether you call us connoisseurs, food snobs, epicureans, gourmets, or foodies, we scorn these terms that belittle our passion and preoccupation with what passes our discerning lips. We’re always on the prowl, hunting for that morsel, meal, or glass that will blow [...]
Pass the syrup Don’t bother tailgating before UVA’s home football game on Saturday, October 20—just head to the Lawn between 9am and 2pm for the ninth annual Pancakes for Parkinson’s fundraiser. Enjoy free pancakes in an unbeatable setting and help the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds Parkinson’s research and awareness, exceed last year’s $40,000 [...]
Afton Mountain Our tasting room is open year-round. Here you can taste our wines with our friendly and knowledgeable tasting room staff, enjoy a glass or bottle of our wine on our patio with beautiful panoramic views, or relax at a picnic table in the grass or at the Pavilion surrounded by the beauty of [...]
05/24/2013 9:30 pm Eli Cook Band Durty Nelly’s, Charlottesville VA
There are enough people in this town whose lives revolve around wine that there’s no excuse for buying without an expert’s opinion. ’Tis a new season and and even wine-colored denim is in. Here’s a shopping list built by the professionals for when it’s time to refresh your cellar. The sommeliers Andrew Cole, tavola Frecciarossa [...]
In what is still a buyers’ market, folks selling their homes are looking for tried and true as well as innovative ways to bring in offers on their property. One traditional method of inviting interest in your home is to have your agent host an open house. But are open houses really an effective tool [...]
The combination of buttered bread with melted cheese goes far beyond its simple ingredients. Once grilled (and dipped into a steaming bowl of tomato soup), it delivers instant comfort. The illustrious sandwich has grown up since its Campbell’s days and these local examples highlight the icon in all its gooey glory. There’s a lot on [...]
In the age of instant communication, everyone is busy. I get that. I am busy too. As a single mom who works two jobs, exercises regularly, has an active social life, attends many cultural events, pursues a few hobbies (salsa dancing, hiking, cooking, “Downton Abbey”), is heading up a major fundraising event, and raising a [...]
Libra (September 23-October 22): “Hello Dear Sir: I would like to place a large order for yellow chicken curry, cherry cream cheese cupcakes, and sour, malty Belgian golden ale. It’s for my birthday party this Saturday, and will need to serve exactly 152 people. My agent will pick it up at 11am. Please have it [...]
Liquid inspiration The written word can be better appreciated with a glass of wine in hand. On Sunday, October 14 from 2-5pm, WriterHouse hosts its third annual Words and Wine fundraiser at Glass House Winery. Tickets, purchased in advance at writerhouse.org or at the door, cost $30 and include a tasting of Jeff and Michelle [...]
The Nissleys’ family room is brightly decorated with long strands of paper leaves and several cheerful, cut-out owls. Maria Nissley, 19, recently celebrated her high-school graduation and the décor is in her honor. Her youngest sibling, Anna, 16, helped make the whimsical garlands and critters and has decided, informally, to leave them up for awhile [...]
Working out before the sun comes up is never easy. But it helps to have the support of some like-minded friends. That’s the attitude of the members of the Charlottesville Track Club, who meet every Wednesday morning at 5:30 for group speed workouts at the University of Virginia’s Lannigan Field Track. It’s just one of [...]
Potatoes don’t get much starring glory in the culinary world. Mashed, roasted, hashed, caked, or baked, the humble spud is usually the sideshow of the plate. Versatility’s a virtue, though, and these dishes raise the lowly tuber to holy heights. At Brookville Restaurant, the loaded baked potato goes gourmet: crinkly, roasted fingerlings get topped with [...]
For the creative woman, the lines between work and life are often blurred. Inspiration can strike at any moment, and having a space nearby that’s conducive to realizing a vision can be crucial. Being surrounded by objects, treasures, natural curiosities and sentimental items can provide an extra spark when you need one. But navigating a [...]
Gigantic news flash: I have met someone I really like and they like me back! Yep. After three years of agonizing outings and close-but-no-cigar adventures, a man has come along who piques my interest enough to pursue a relationship that is more than just friends. I promise not to make you ill with all the [...]
Libra (September 23-October 22): “Hello Dear Sir: I would like to place a large order for yellow chicken curry, cherry cream cheese cupcakes, and sour, malty Belgian golden ale. It’s for my birthday party this Saturday, and will need to serve exactly 152 people. My agent will pick it up at 11 a.m. Please have [...]
The closest I ever came to getting a tattoo was when my girlfriend offered to put up $500 for one, so long as it had her name in it. Long before that, I’d sailed the oceans with the U.S. Navy and spent many an hour waiting in alleys of “gut” districts in the sooty port [...]
Afton Mountain Garlic Festival at Rebec Vineyards October 13-14 (540) 456-8667 www.aftonmountainvineyards.com Barboursville Vineyard Palladio Cooking Class Tuesday, October 9 The Art of Charcuterie & Wine Pairing $120 All cooking classes begin at 6:30pm and last approximately 3½ hours. The classes are “participation” classes, so dress accordingly – no high heels, please. Participants will receive [...]
The third annual Top of the Hops Beer Festival took place last Saturday, September 22, and a record crowd descended on the Downtown Mall, packing the walkways and breaking a new record by selling out the Ntelos Wireless Pavilion. Lines wrapped around the mall, heading east and west trying to get everyone inside the door. Once inside, festival goers [...]
We’re fifth in the nation for wine production and are one of the Travel Channel’s Top 7 beer destinations in North America, so it only makes sense that Virginia’s jumping on the craft distillery bandwagon. And it’s moving at a pretty good clip considering that America went from having 14,000 distilleries at the start of [...]
There are those salads that make you feel deprived the minute you order them. And then there are those salads that make no apologies, satisfying like a steak and potatoes. They’re of generous size and chock full of delicious (and not necessarily healthy) ingredients. We call them Big Ass Salads and we love them. These [...]
The hills are alive Enjoy a four-course family-style dinner paired with Barboursville wines amidst the vineyards’ very vines on Sunday, September 30 at 5pm. Palladio’s Melissa Close-Hart teams up with chef husband, Matthew Hart from The Local, at this $100 dinner organized by Hill & Holler. Visit hillandholler.org/events.php to reserve. Proceeds benefit the Scottsville Center of Arts [...]
Summer’s on its way out and with it go the breezy drinks that require little more thought than “what time is it anyway?” Let’s brush up a bit on the beverage that makes adulthood and the return to routine much more bearable. 1. What are the by-products of wine’s fermentation process? a) Sugar and vinegar [...]