Charlottesville lost a rising food industry star when Polina Chesnakova moved away in 2017. The accomplished baker, chef, and blogger suffered a devastating car accident while driving to work at Greenwood Gourmet Grocery in December 2016. Most of the functionality in her left hand was gone after the crash, and she moved back to her […]
“There’s blood on the ceiling,” says my frazzled client as her retriever thumps his massive tail against the wall in joyful appreciation of nothing in particular. The metronomic sound is only slightly muffled by a makeshift bandage cobbled together from a T-shirt and some masking tape. Spots of blood are soaked through the material and […]
Art smarts: Calling all Picasso, Harry Potter, and Bob the Builder fans who want to explore their creative potential at IX Art Park’s Creature Builder Collective camps. Dedicated teaching artists will engage imaginative 6-12-year-old minds in art workshops that offer everything from sculpture and painting, to puppet and stop-motion animation. Campers learn the technical skills […]
Sip ‘n’ sizzle: Looking for a good way to celebrate America on July 4? How about listening to some Americana at Keswick Vineyards’ Reds, Whites, and Bluegrass, a socially distanced, in-person gathering, with tunes provided by the Tara Mills Band. Playing her self-described “original Blue Ridge mountain folk,” Mills and company will provide relaxing melodies […]
To win the Food Network show “Guy’s Grocery Games,” you need two skills: cooking and grocery shopping. Fortunately for former Duner’s executive chef Laura Fonner, she frequents her Crozet Harris Teeter so often that employees greet her by name. Still, it’s tough to completely prepare for the fast-paced competition hosted by Guy Fieri. In a […]
There is an unexpected silver lining to the current pandemic for those seeking locally farmed produce and meats in the Charlottesville area: Due to the radical change in business practices of area growers and restaurants, customers can now access an abundance of farmers’ offerings on an almost daily basis. But this has also created a […]
Wineries everywhere are facing unprecedented challenges as they have been forced to adapt business models and get creative during the COVID-19 outbreak. Local wineries were presented with an additional threat in the form of weather. A warmer than average winter brought early grape budding. This can be good, because it provides more time for ripening […]
Teaching Treat: Budin de Pan, a sweet bread pudding and a popular breakfast offering in many places around the world, isn’t something you’ll find on most American tables. But now, with the help of The Happy Cook’s online cooking series and chef Soledad Liendo, a graduate of the International Institute of Culinary Arts in Buenos […]
As lockdowns hit the area this spring, it seemed like everyone and their mother broke out the sourdough starter—professional chefs included. Travis Burgess, co-owner and chef at Bang!, Bizou, and the new pasta-to-go spot Luce, experimented at home with a cast-iron sourdough focaccia that only an enviable few will ever get to try. He admits […]
Wine online: Missing summer socials? Wintergreen Music and Veritas Vineyard & Winery are coming together to bring you an evening of virtual wine tasting with musical accompaniment for each sip. Artistic Director Erin Freeman chooses the perfect tunes to match winemaker Emily Hodson’s rosé & petit verdot. Seat yourself outside, chat with other attendees, and […]
While many diagnostic tests require that a patient be physically present, it is not uncommon for a veterinarian to ask pet owners to collect samples like urine or stool at home. While the request seems simple enough, we often forget that people don’t necessarily know how to go about it or what we really do […]
Planting seeds: Montpelier, the home of President James Madison, and later, the duPont family, is a former plantation dedicated to historical preservation and education, but its events are not just about the past. Montpelier’s Horticultural History offers an exploration of the evolving and very much alive ornamental gardens of the great house. Virtually explore the lush, verdant […]
It’s a steamy 88 degrees, on average, in Charlottesville in July, and that’s not factoring in the humidity—making it vital to have spots to cool off outdoors. But as summer approaches and many businesses reopen, swimming options remain few and far between. Here’s our guide to where you can (and can’t) hit the water, and […]
Outdoor options may be limited this summer, but gardening is definitely having a moment. Whether you’re a veteran dirt-lover or a total beginner, there’s never been a better time to dive in and cultivate some earth (or even a window box) near your home. Here are some ideas to spur you along. Dig in: Tips […]
It’s to be expected that one’s wedding day will include a few stressors—the guest shuttle didn’t arrive on time, there’s a stain on the bride’s veil, the band left a crucial instrument behind. What’s less predictable: A global pandemic shuts down the wedding altogether. Here are three local couples embracing the change. May the 4th […]
Frontline feeding Restaurants throughout the area continue to band together to nourish health care workers and other community members in need. Corner Juice is making bi-weekly drops of immunity-boosting juices to various UVA hospital departments. A $60 donation equals a case of juice for health care workers. Those in a position to give can do […]
Standing in the Chimm dining room, Jay Pun felt a sense of unease. It was the weekend of March 7, and the tables were full of diners noshing on Thai and southeast Asian street food dishes. “This is really starting to freak me out,” said one of Pun’s employees, who was also surveying the scene. […]
For an at-home twist to our annual design issue, we asked a handful of local artists, architects, and designers where they’re spending the most time these days, and what spaces or objects are bringing them joy. Here’s what they had to share. This space has become increasingly multipurpose. It used to be a guest room […]
Two years ago, I visited the northeast corner of McIntire Park for the first time, when reporting a story for this paper about the future McIntire Botanical Garden. The reporting was all about potential: the vision of this 8.5-acre piece of land as a place transformed. As the garden’s board and boosters see it, it’s […]
Farewells and silver linings The Rooftop in Crozet has shut its doors. The news came in a statement earlier this month from owners Kelley Tripp and Justin Van der Linde, who also own Smoked Kitchen & Tap. They announced that the restaurant—known for its Blue Ridge views, Parmesan fries, and an all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch—was closed […]
From bagels to biscuits to burritos, we dig in to the best meal of the day (and where to find it around town). BY: Brielle Entzminger, Ben Hitchcock, Laura Longhine, and Erin O’Hare Best in biscuits Biscuits are a breakfast staple around here-—but which one is the best? We rounded up our favorites (with top […]
By Eileen Abbott When her physician husband lost his life to suicide in February 2011, “there were days it took everything in me just to breathe,” says Jocelynn Crum Helmbrecht, a Charlottesville resident and mom of three. “It felt like everything was broken—my heart…my children’s hearts, my entire world,” she wrote in a blog documenting […]
We’ll admit it, February isn’t the most exciting month of the year. Cabin fever has set in and the anticipation of spring is running high. Enter MarieBette Café & Bakery, with its fourth annual hot chocolate month. Both locations will offer a special hot chocolate flavor each day from Saturday, February 1, through Saturday, February […]