Restoration effort: The rebirth of the American chestnut
Nestled in Nelson County’s Lovingston hill country lie the orchards of one of the East Coast’s newest nut-growing operations, Virginia Chestnuts. Spanning 45 acres, the farmstead rests at the end of an isolated stretch of unpaved backroads that culminate in a steeply winding mile-long gravel driveway. Overlooking a series of knolls carved into the mountainside […]
Dose of the future: Cale Elementary’s dual language program leads students into the 21st century
Five years ago, Cale Elementary School principal Lisa Jones instituted a Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools program for her incoming class of kindergarteners and rising first- and second-graders. For three years, offerings featured typical FLES programming—that is, 120 minutes a week of instruction in Spanish. However, as Jones saw it, that wasn’t enough. “By […]
Adventure underground: Winter is prime time for spelunking
As winter sets in caves offer surprisingly balmy family adventures. With temperatures hovering around 53 degrees, a subterranean visit provides hours of active outdoor fun sans the cold. From paved walking tours to rigorous guided explorations through wild caverns, the following resources will help you take advantage of the region’s many spelunking opportunities. Luray Caverns […]
From the top: A new construction springs from the hillside
Perched high in the surrounding mountains of Crozet is the stunning and solitudinous modern home of Rod and Maggie Walker. Located in Albemarle County and overlooking the Sugar Hollow Reservoir, the 1,500-acre property is accessed by way of a lengthy country road that, after winding through forested hills and over single-lane bridges, arrives at the […]
Operation flagship: Three Notch’d Brewing Company makes a new home at IX
In August of 2016, Three Notch’d Brewing Company turned three years old. At the time, it had already established three taprooms, including its original 10,000-barrel brewing facility on Grady Avenue, plus locations in Richmond and Harrisonburg. It was around then that Three Notch’d announced plans to build a fourth restaurant and brew pub at the […]
The Charlottesville area is gaining traction as a premier mountain biking destination
As an avid mountain biker, Dave Stackhouse immediately started looking for like-minded riders when he relocated from Maine to Charlottesville in 2007. The search quickly led the 68-year-old veteran mountain biker to what was then a relatively new area organization, the Charlottesville Area Mountain Biking Club. “The club had been formed in 2003 out of […]
Not just for kids: Beleza’s children’s album is fun for the whole family
If you’re looking for a spicy night of dancing, not much beats Beleza. With a sound rooted in Latin- American and Spanish flamenco traditions—including lyrics sung in Portuguese, Spanish and English—the group performs either as a duo or a full band, and serves as the vehicle for the creative musings of husband and wife, Humberto […]
The great outdoors: Four fall family-friendly adventures in and around Charlottesville
As temperatures drop and water attractions become less appealing, don’t let that keep you from venturing outdoors. Whether it’s soaring through a Shenandoah Valley forest, soaking up Blue Ridge Mountain views or exploring area biking trails, these four family-friendly activities will get you and the fam out of the house and exploring. HIKE Shenandoah National […]
Local businesses are at the forefront of the developing robotics world
For years, Charlottesville has been quietly becoming a leading tech hub in Virginia and on the East Coast. Meet three of the businesses and programs that are spearheading the charge into the growing field of robotics. Perrone Robotics Crozet residents are aware that big things are happening in their town. Foremost among these has been […]
Sister cities, brotherly love
Little more than 40 years ago, former Charlottesville mayor Nancy O’Brien received an unexpected letter. Sent from Poggio a Caiano, a tiny, two-square-mile municipality in the Italian province of Prato, the epistle recounted the tale of a very special—and very old—friendship. “We were preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and […]
Summer VILLAGE: RiverBluff rallies around neighborhood tree house
After a decade spent living with a hand-me-down outdoor playhouse, Charlottesville’s RiverBluff community decided to do its children a favor and upgrade. “Originally, the community was designed with a small private playground in mind,” says RiverBluff resident Janet Evergreen, who helped spearhead the project. “So when we held our annual homeowners association potluck [in 2015], […]
From forage to feast, the morel of the story
For going on a week-and-a-half we’ve been waiting, watching the weather, hoping for the perfect combination of conditions that will spark an explosion of hidden life bursting from the forest floor. “Morel mushrooms are notoriously fickle,” explains 33-year-old Loren Mendosa, Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria chef-co-owner and local morel hunting guru. “They’re kind of like the baby […]
Faulkner left his mark on UVA
Sixty years ago, on February 15, 1957, Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner arrived at the University of Virginia to assume his role as the first Balch Writer In Residence. Strolling through the Academical Village in his patent overcoat and collegiate tweed suit, the Mississippi gentleman smiled quietly at the throng of officials, cameramen and students, […]
Local author Anne Marie Pace gets a nod from Disney
For the past 15 years, Charlottesville children’s book author Anne Marie Pace’s life has been marked by a series of leaps. First, she made the move to leave her job as a high school English teacher and become a full-time mom for the first of her three children. Then, in 2001, after her husband had […]
Summer smarts: Nine educational camps your kids shouldn’t miss
When school lets out, capitalize on Charlottesville’s amazing camp offerings to make this summer one your kids will remember. From outdoor survival to modern dance to computer programming, the following camps are guaranteed wins. Nature and outdoors Triple C Camp An area favorite for 25 years, TCC has options for day and overnight campers ranging […]
Trombone Shorty kicks it into high gear
On December 29, New Orleans native Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty appears at the Jefferson Theater with his group Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Named by OffBeat Magazine as the New Orleans musical icon for the millennial generation, Andrews’s groundbreaking fusion of jazz, funk, blues, rock and hip-hop has been compared with the innovations of other Big Easy greats […]
Head of class: Mountaintop Montessori’s newest addition
Mountaintop Montessori’s new head of school, Patricia Colby, has spent most of her adult life working in education. From South America to California to New York, Colby’s journey to Charlottesville has been long and fascinating. After completing her undergrad work at the University of Houston, the Venezuela native pursued a doctoral degree in social psychology […]