Between Shenandoah National Park, Ivy Creek and Ragged Mountain (among others), there are (seemingly) more than enough natural attractions in our area. But we can’t overlook Charlottesville’s proximity to other noteworthy nature spots. Here are three we’re crossing off our list this season. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden 1800 Lakeside Ave. (Richmond) This living museum offers […]
Game plan: At play on the fields (and courts) of the University of Virginia
Ralph Sampson, Dawn Staley. Malcolm Brogdon, Tiki Barber. Leah Smith. It’s no secret that many storied athletes have graduated from the University of Virginia. What may not be as well-known, though, is that athletes (of both the varsity and casual variety) don’t spend all their time at venues like Scott Stadium, the John Paul Jones […]
For all to see: Robert Llewellyn brings the natural world into view
The photographer Robert Llewellyn looks at things differently than you and I. While we might point out the colorful crocuses that dot the snow-covered front lawn of his Earlysville home, Llewellyn really sees them. And he wants to be certain a visitor does too, bending down to point out the particulars of yellow stamens and […]
Suit up: Yama Mountain brings the gear here
Born from conversations with hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2006, local gear company Yama Mountain combines founder Gen Shimizu’s love of designing and making with his appreciation for the outdoors. “Yama is the result of those passions coming together,” he says. The company’s products, which range from tarps and tents to rain mitts […]
Runner’s world: A budding athlete discovers a new hobby
When Randi Rod says she completed a couch-to-10-mile running program, she means it. She was sitting on her couch when her friend, Holly Herring, called last fall to ask her to run the Charlottesville Ten Miler with her. Rod, 53, who hadn’t exercised much while raising her three children (her youngest is 16), laughed at […]
Into the wild: Learn to eat from the garden that grows itself
Some folks think of “greens” as the contents of a plastic bag in the produce section; others grow lettuce and spinach in their home gardens. There’s another vegetable paradigm, though, and it’s lurking right outside your back door. Welcome to the world of wild edibles. To walk through an ordinary backyard with Kate Knott or […]