I finally got to check out the Hogwaller Ramblers at Fellini's, and I think you should make an effort to do the same! They play Sunday nights at 10-ish, no cover.
Check out my Tumblr for an audio clip.
Recent Posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Charlottesville Hikes: Observatory Hill
I wanted a hike today, but didn't want to drive hours to get to one. So what's available in town? We've found one we really like: Observatory Hill. Tucked in the middle of UVa, the McCormick Observatory is the pinnacle and loops of trails surround it. I'm terrible at technical details like mileage, but you could do a leisurely hour roaming around back there, with very little ascent/descent. Fair warning, though: mountain bikers like it, so keep your eyes and ears open!
There isn't too terribly much of a view to speak of, but the fallen, crunchy leaves and the naked trees (this time of year, of course) are beautiful. I've never run into more than 2 or 3 people up here, and you can let dogs off the leash.
Today I took a different trail and found a gem:
This bench was dedicated to Howard and Peter, Observatory Hill's "beloved dog walkers." (See here for more info.) Sitting directly across from this bench is a little birdhouse-looking-thingy. Inside (yes, I open things when I think I can get away with it - including your medicine cabinet) are dog treats, people treats, and a book of poetry. Reynolds was very pleased with the dog treat scenario and I'm sure she would've liked Howard and Peter very much.
There isn't too terribly much of a view to speak of, but the fallen, crunchy leaves and the naked trees (this time of year, of course) are beautiful. I've never run into more than 2 or 3 people up here, and you can let dogs off the leash.
Today I took a different trail and found a gem:
This bench was dedicated to Howard and Peter, Observatory Hill's "beloved dog walkers." (See here for more info.) Sitting directly across from this bench is a little birdhouse-looking-thingy. Inside (yes, I open things when I think I can get away with it - including your medicine cabinet) are dog treats, people treats, and a book of poetry. Reynolds was very pleased with the dog treat scenario and I'm sure she would've liked Howard and Peter very much.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Mudhouse Coffee - Crozet
With the weather actually finally feeling like winter, I wanted something warm today - and I'd been hearing about Mudhouse Coffee since we moved to Charlottesville, so I decided today was the day.
Yes, Mudhouse has locations all over (including in Charlottesville), but the Crozet location was where I wanted to be. Why? Tough to say. Maybe it's just how damn charming Crozet's downtown is. Maybe it was a subconscious urge for Crozet Pizza, right across the street. Who knows. My mind is a mysterious thing.
Mudhouse was officially founded in 1995 after the owners operated a coffee cart for a little over a year. They wanted to create a true community coffeehouse - and the location in Crozet is exactly that. It's a big, warm, open room finished in exposed brick, wooden floors and giant drapes. Students, couples, students-becoming-couples, and regular old folks sit in padded leather chairs or at the coffee bar. Giant windows let lots of light in. It's very pleasant.
I ordered a glass of their regular roast (they get their beans from Lexington Coffee Roasting Company) and a slice of their vegan ginger applesauce cake (highly recommend) They make all their food and baked goods by hand on location, which is cool. I ran into a friend. I wrote this blog post using their free wifi. I was successfully coffee-housed.
Yes, Mudhouse has locations all over (including in Charlottesville), but the Crozet location was where I wanted to be. Why? Tough to say. Maybe it's just how damn charming Crozet's downtown is. Maybe it was a subconscious urge for Crozet Pizza, right across the street. Who knows. My mind is a mysterious thing.
Mudhouse was officially founded in 1995 after the owners operated a coffee cart for a little over a year. They wanted to create a true community coffeehouse - and the location in Crozet is exactly that. It's a big, warm, open room finished in exposed brick, wooden floors and giant drapes. Students, couples, students-becoming-couples, and regular old folks sit in padded leather chairs or at the coffee bar. Giant windows let lots of light in. It's very pleasant.
I ordered a glass of their regular roast (they get their beans from Lexington Coffee Roasting Company) and a slice of their vegan ginger applesauce cake (highly recommend) They make all their food and baked goods by hand on location, which is cool. I ran into a friend. I wrote this blog post using their free wifi. I was successfully coffee-housed.
Mudhouse Crozet
5793 The Square
Crozet, VA 22932
Crozet, VA 22932
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Not Entirely Legal But Entirely Delicious: Bread and Salt
This post isn't really fair, because I'm telling you about something you might not be able to enjoy. Oh, don't get me wrong: you'd enjoy it - you just might not be physically able to do it.
Last night, I got to enjoy a super-secret birthday dinner for our friend Jen. Why was it super secret? It was run out of someone's home...which isn't entirely legal.
Bread and Salt has been running for just over a year in Gary's* home. I have no earthly idea how you get to go to this thing, other than to know someone who knows someone, which is how I found myself seated at Gary's long wooden dining room table last night. You pay $35/person, bring a beverage of choice, and let Gary do his thing. Because that's what Gary does. We coaxed him out of the kitchen near the end of the meal and peppered him with questions (like my food analogy? eh? eh??) about how he came to this strange and fabulous career, and the one theme that came up over and over is that Gary does things Gary's way. At one point he ran an espresso bar and it sounds like his customer service may have been...lacking. So allowing him creative control over your meal is not only the safest way to go - it's also the smartest, because he's friggin amazing.
For us (and it's different every time), Gary made the following:
- Scugnili salad, which was conch lightly salted and oiled, with olives and loaves of Gary's thick, darkly crusted bread on the side
- Squash spaghetti, which was so creamy you'd swear it was swimming in butter and cream - but it wasn't; a Gary trick
- Potatoes, flavored with olives and garlic
- Pork shoulder, melting in your mouth
- Spicy baked cabbage and carrots
- Salad with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper dressing
- Canoli flavored with orange blossom water
His philosophy is to use really simple food and prepare it in a way that lets its natural flavors come through. He doesn't like working with tons of ingredients. He's always asking himself how he can show off quality ingredients, simply. And this meal was a whopper. I've never experienced some of those flavors.
Gary does meals like this 2-3 times a week, and that's enough for him to live on. We had a group of 10 and filled the table completely, but Gary says it's more typical for him to take small reservations of 2-3 and make them all sit together. That's the other thing Gary likes to have control over - the mechanics of his dinner table. If you come for a romantic meal, expect top be split up from your partner. While this sounds slightly terrifying for this introvert, I imagine it would be a great wray to meet new people if you're in the right mood.
I truly hope you have the pleasure of experiencing a meal at Bread and Salt some day. Maybe start hanging around La Michoacana (Gary's favorite Charlottesville restaurant) and clandestinely inquiring after not-strictly-legal supper clubs in town.
*names have been changed to protect the Garys.
Last night, I got to enjoy a super-secret birthday dinner for our friend Jen. Why was it super secret? It was run out of someone's home...which isn't entirely legal.
Bread and Salt has been running for just over a year in Gary's* home. I have no earthly idea how you get to go to this thing, other than to know someone who knows someone, which is how I found myself seated at Gary's long wooden dining room table last night. You pay $35/person, bring a beverage of choice, and let Gary do his thing. Because that's what Gary does. We coaxed him out of the kitchen near the end of the meal and peppered him with questions (like my food analogy? eh? eh??) about how he came to this strange and fabulous career, and the one theme that came up over and over is that Gary does things Gary's way. At one point he ran an espresso bar and it sounds like his customer service may have been...lacking. So allowing him creative control over your meal is not only the safest way to go - it's also the smartest, because he's friggin amazing.
For us (and it's different every time), Gary made the following:
- Scugnili salad, which was conch lightly salted and oiled, with olives and loaves of Gary's thick, darkly crusted bread on the side
- Squash spaghetti, which was so creamy you'd swear it was swimming in butter and cream - but it wasn't; a Gary trick
- Potatoes, flavored with olives and garlic
- Pork shoulder, melting in your mouth
- Spicy baked cabbage and carrots
- Salad with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper dressing
- Canoli flavored with orange blossom water
His philosophy is to use really simple food and prepare it in a way that lets its natural flavors come through. He doesn't like working with tons of ingredients. He's always asking himself how he can show off quality ingredients, simply. And this meal was a whopper. I've never experienced some of those flavors.
Gary does meals like this 2-3 times a week, and that's enough for him to live on. We had a group of 10 and filled the table completely, but Gary says it's more typical for him to take small reservations of 2-3 and make them all sit together. That's the other thing Gary likes to have control over - the mechanics of his dinner table. If you come for a romantic meal, expect top be split up from your partner. While this sounds slightly terrifying for this introvert, I imagine it would be a great wray to meet new people if you're in the right mood.
I truly hope you have the pleasure of experiencing a meal at Bread and Salt some day. Maybe start hanging around La Michoacana (Gary's favorite Charlottesville restaurant) and clandestinely inquiring after not-strictly-legal supper clubs in town.
*names have been changed to protect the Garys.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Charlottesville Holiday Lights 2011
Looking for holiday lights? Look no further.
Last night, Tim and I poured a little hot chocolate into our commuter mugs, put a Christmas sweater on Reynolds, and drove over to Mountainview Street on a tip from a friend...where we found this:
Holy bejeez, people, this guy is SERIOUS. Here's what you need to know: Santa on Mountainview Street is open from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas day, and Santa is there from 6-10 pm every night. It doesn't cost anything to park your car and walk into this slightly insane winter wonderland, but the owner, Jeff Norford (dressed as Rudolph the night we went), asks for a small donation to help pay for his electricity bill.
Jeff has been doing this for 14 years. He started when his stepkids asked for lights, and it got more and more elaborate every year as they insisted on more and more holiday spirit. Today, he has over 80 inflatables and lines of cars that stretch miles to see his display. We even met a neighbor who was begrudgingly setting up his display, seemingly out of peer pressure.
Santa on Mountainview Street is held in memory of Jeff's stepdad. You can even visit them on Facebook.
What other Charlottesville spots have good holiday lights?
Last night, Tim and I poured a little hot chocolate into our commuter mugs, put a Christmas sweater on Reynolds, and drove over to Mountainview Street on a tip from a friend...where we found this:
Holy bejeez, people, this guy is SERIOUS. Here's what you need to know: Santa on Mountainview Street is open from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas day, and Santa is there from 6-10 pm every night. It doesn't cost anything to park your car and walk into this slightly insane winter wonderland, but the owner, Jeff Norford (dressed as Rudolph the night we went), asks for a small donation to help pay for his electricity bill.
Jeff has been doing this for 14 years. He started when his stepkids asked for lights, and it got more and more elaborate every year as they insisted on more and more holiday spirit. Today, he has over 80 inflatables and lines of cars that stretch miles to see his display. We even met a neighbor who was begrudgingly setting up his display, seemingly out of peer pressure.
Santa on Mountainview Street is held in memory of Jeff's stepdad. You can even visit them on Facebook.
What other Charlottesville spots have good holiday lights?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Crabtree Falls
One of my absolute favorite things to do in Charlottesville is - well, drive OUT of Charlottesville, and hike! A few weekends ago, Tim and I drove out to Crabtree Falls. The drive took about 2 hours and put us very near Spy Rock. What I'd been hoping for was a relatively rugged path, with some difficult ascents and beautiful views - some place we could let Reynolds off the leash, some place where we could feel like we were in the middle of nowhere.
Crabtree Falls was not that hike.
To be clear, it IS beautiful. The falls are impressive. The general grade is relatively challenging. But it's much more of a whole-family-and-grandma hike than it is two-youngish-people-and-their-dog kind of hike. The path is very well maintained all the way up with switchbacks, wooden stairs, and guard rails
The leaves were amazing, though:
Crabtree Falls was not that hike.
To be clear, it IS beautiful. The falls are impressive. The general grade is relatively challenging. But it's much more of a whole-family-and-grandma hike than it is two-youngish-people-and-their-dog kind of hike. The path is very well maintained all the way up with switchbacks, wooden stairs, and guard rails
The leaves were amazing, though:
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| (Don't judge us for the "leash." We forgot the real one and had to fashion it out of rope.) |
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Crime Report
There were a lot of thefts in this week's crime report. A cell phone, a jacket, another cell phone, and...this one:
11/11 3 PM 13XX Lee Street
Theft of steel pipe.
...WTF?
Guard your valuables (and steel pipes), Charlottesville! Crime reports of your very own available here.
11/11 3 PM 13XX Lee Street
Theft of steel pipe.
...WTF?
Guard your valuables (and steel pipes), Charlottesville! Crime reports of your very own available here.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving, Charlottesville! I have tons of stuff(ing) to be thankful for about living here, but here are just five:
1. Four seasons. When you've lived in LA, four seasons feel like a miracle. My favorite so far has been fall. I mean, c'mon: LA's got NOTHIN' on this:
2. I walk to work. That walk takes 12 minutes. Seven minutes if I bike it. And a portion of it is along the Downtown Mall.
3. The music scene. I could see live music every night of the week if I wanted. Some of my favorites are the Cville Song/Writers nights on Monday at The Local, anything at The Southern, and The Hogwaller Ramblers. Okay, I haven't actually seen The Hogwaller Ramblers play yet, but I know I'll love them.
4. Hiking. It is just too friggin' easy to throw the Schnoodle into the back of the Subaru, drive 40 minutes, and be in a different world. Some hikes we've done so far are Crabtree Falls, Spy Rock, and Blue Hole.
5. Potter's Craft Cider. It's the reason we moved here, and it's going well. On draft at The Local, Blue Mountain Brewery, and Whole Foods.
What are you thankful for?
1. Four seasons. When you've lived in LA, four seasons feel like a miracle. My favorite so far has been fall. I mean, c'mon: LA's got NOTHIN' on this:
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| Via. |
2. I walk to work. That walk takes 12 minutes. Seven minutes if I bike it. And a portion of it is along the Downtown Mall.
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| Via. |
4. Hiking. It is just too friggin' easy to throw the Schnoodle into the back of the Subaru, drive 40 minutes, and be in a different world. Some hikes we've done so far are Crabtree Falls, Spy Rock, and Blue Hole.
5. Potter's Craft Cider. It's the reason we moved here, and it's going well. On draft at The Local, Blue Mountain Brewery, and Whole Foods.
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Crime Report
Here's the latest from the Charlottesville crime desk:
11/24 12 AM Downtown Mall
An evening out turned violent for a couple on Charlottesville's downtown mall early Monday morning. According to police, a boyfriend and girlfriend got into an argument with another man at a bar on the mall. Then later in front of Rapture, the male suspect reportedly pulled a knife on the woman. Her boyfriend wrestled the suspect to the ground.
11/13 9 PM 6XX Prospect Ave
Charlottesville police are investigating a strong armed robbery. It happened around 9:00 Sunday night in the 600 block of Prospect Avenue. A food delivery driver was dropping off an order at a home and as he approached the front door, three men came from around the house. The driver was knocked to the ground and punched. The suspects stole the food and tried to steal cash. Police say that anyone making deliveries should trust their intuition while on the job. "I'd suggest to any delivery person is to be conscious of your surroundings at all times, especially when you pull up to a house and there's no lights on and nobody's waiting for you. At that point and then, you see that there's no exterior light on either to help you get up onto the porch area," advised Lieutenant Ronnie Roberts of the Charlottesville Police Department. Police say there have been two or three instances in the past year when people delivering food to homes in Charlottesville were robbed. No one is in custody yet for this crime. Police said the three men, who are in their mid-20s fled from the scene on foot. If you have any information, give Crimestoppers a call at 434-977-4000.
...the level of detail on these is amazing! My theory is that this cop is an aspiring novelist. Look at the intro on that first entry!
If you'd like to receive these crime updates, you can do so here. Stay safe, Charlottesville!
11/24 12 AM Downtown Mall
An evening out turned violent for a couple on Charlottesville's downtown mall early Monday morning. According to police, a boyfriend and girlfriend got into an argument with another man at a bar on the mall. Then later in front of Rapture, the male suspect reportedly pulled a knife on the woman. Her boyfriend wrestled the suspect to the ground.
11/13 9 PM 6XX Prospect Ave
Charlottesville police are investigating a strong armed robbery. It happened around 9:00 Sunday night in the 600 block of Prospect Avenue. A food delivery driver was dropping off an order at a home and as he approached the front door, three men came from around the house. The driver was knocked to the ground and punched. The suspects stole the food and tried to steal cash. Police say that anyone making deliveries should trust their intuition while on the job. "I'd suggest to any delivery person is to be conscious of your surroundings at all times, especially when you pull up to a house and there's no lights on and nobody's waiting for you. At that point and then, you see that there's no exterior light on either to help you get up onto the porch area," advised Lieutenant Ronnie Roberts of the Charlottesville Police Department. Police say there have been two or three instances in the past year when people delivering food to homes in Charlottesville were robbed. No one is in custody yet for this crime. Police said the three men, who are in their mid-20s fled from the scene on foot. If you have any information, give Crimestoppers a call at 434-977-4000.
...the level of detail on these is amazing! My theory is that this cop is an aspiring novelist. Look at the intro on that first entry!
If you'd like to receive these crime updates, you can do so here. Stay safe, Charlottesville!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
When yer mom visits...
Mom came to town this past weekend, and we DID IT UP. She hadn't been to Charlottesville in decades (my great aunt and uncle used to live off Hydraulic) so we had to get her all caught up. Here's the run down on what we did:
Downtown Mall - of course. This is stop numero uno for any out-of-towners. We strolled in and out of shops, checked out First Fridays at Chroma Gallery, and she enjoyed a waffle at The Nook.
Blue Mountain Brewery - not just for the Potter's Craft Cider, I swear. They also have killer pizza and killer views!
Day trip to DC - it's only 2 1/2 hours away, so we went up and back in one day (not recommended for the faint-of-heart) to see friends and check out the new MLK memorial.
House party in the woods - Seriously. Make a friend who lives out of town.
Day trip to Petersburg Battlefield - my mom is a history nerd, and don't let her sweet looks deceive you - she's really into warfare. The crater was pretty impressive (learn about it!), and at only 2 hours away, it was a very easy trip. Bonus: they're dog-friendly, so Rennie got her share of history too!
Dinner at Mono Loco - holy crap y'all this place is delish! I'd characterize it as nuevo Mexicano. I had the pork tamales with creme fraiche and it was sublime.
Downtown Mall - of course. This is stop numero uno for any out-of-towners. We strolled in and out of shops, checked out First Fridays at Chroma Gallery, and she enjoyed a waffle at The Nook.
 |
| Via. |
Blue Mountain Brewery - not just for the Potter's Craft Cider, I swear. They also have killer pizza and killer views!
 |
| Via. |
Day trip to DC - it's only 2 1/2 hours away, so we went up and back in one day (not recommended for the faint-of-heart) to see friends and check out the new MLK memorial.
 |
| Via. |
House party in the woods - Seriously. Make a friend who lives out of town.
Day trip to Petersburg Battlefield - my mom is a history nerd, and don't let her sweet looks deceive you - she's really into warfare. The crater was pretty impressive (learn about it!), and at only 2 hours away, it was a very easy trip. Bonus: they're dog-friendly, so Rennie got her share of history too!
Dinner at Mono Loco - holy crap y'all this place is delish! I'd characterize it as nuevo Mexicano. I had the pork tamales with creme fraiche and it was sublime.
