El Fin De Semana de Mayo

This year my Cinco de Mayo celebrations seemed to last the whole week.... and I had no problem with that! Celebration #1 took place on the 5th of May when we went to La Cocina del Sol in Crozet. It was the perfect place to spend the holiday, enjoying fajitas and lime margaritas!

 

The Crozet area is simplistic. With a few restaurants, a barber shop, and other little odds and ends the neighborhood is quite sleepy by 10pm! La Cocina del Sol seemed to be the happening spot for Cinco de Mayo.... all of the outside tables were occupied and groups of friends enjoyed good Mexican food and fun colorful drinks.

 

Be sure to check out the Crozet area, located close to C'ville, this summer! The quiet atmosphere and empty streets are a nice break from the busy city life. 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday...and check back soon!

Doobie Brothers at the Downtown Pavlion

Thursday night my best friend and I went Downtown to see the Doobie Brothers live! We are so lucky to have such a great concert setting outside AND Downtown. The nTelos Wireless Pavilion is located at the end of the mall, and is equip with covered seating and a great large lawn.

 

The venue is wonderful, especially during the late Spring and into the early Fall when the nights are warm and the crowds are big. With the purchase of a general admission ticket (usually the lowest priced tickets) you can plop down on the large green grass lawn with a blanket or lawn chair. Guests are welcome to bring along a cooler of snacks for the night... but all drinks must be purchased at the event, drink tickets are sold for $5. The staff are always welcoming and helpful...last night the man selling drink tickets even let me try on his 'beer case' hat! 

 

The Charlottesville Pavilion opened in July of 2005 and since that date has been a place guests seem to gather! The space offers a wide variety of entertainment throughout the night of a concert. From a man making children's balloons to hot dog and doughnut stand there are lots of activities surrounding the venue! (Red- Carpe Donut, Yellow- Last Call Hotdogs... does anyone know about this green one? Maybe Kettle Corn?)

Bessie and I decided to sit on the grass and enjoy the Doobie Brothers together! It was so great being surrounded by many people out enjoying the beautiful night and music together. From older couples sitting in lawn chairs to kids of all ages running about, the crowd contained a wide range of ages all out having a great time. 

I hope you can make it out to the Charlottesville Pavilion this Spring! Check out their site for the upcoming summer line-up. Also make sure to make it down to Fridays After Five....a wonderful and free concert series for the C'ville community presented by Bud Light. Every Friday from now until September 9 a local or regional band will take the stage and perform. 

Have a Super Sunday...and check back soon!

Blue Mountain Brewery

The Beauty of Virginia. The Bounty of Nature. The Art of Brewing. 

Blue Mountain Brewery is located on Route 151 in Afton, Virginia. Just a short fifteen to twenty minute drive from Charlottesville.... located in the heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The Brewery and Restaurant are open 7 days a week until 10 pm (9pm on Sundays) perfect for a day of beer tasting or that late night dinner.

 

All of the Blue Mountain Brewery beers and lagers are produced onsite in a 15x30 barell Premier Stainless brewing system. They usually craft 2,500 barrels per year! The water used at the brewery is sourced from a 300-foot well that is from the area. Blue Mountain Brewery is even part of the Virginia Green program, working in collaboration with other Virginians to help the local environment by using water efficiently, conserving energy, and reducing waste. 

Blue Mountain Brewery offers a wide selection of their homemade beers. I would have to say my favorite is the Kolsch 151 (a light German-style ale indigenous to Cologne) or second best the Full Nelson (local hop flavor, the flagship Virginia Pale Ale). The best way to decided what you are in the mood for is to do the beer tasting. Then you can choose after tasting a sampling of each beer in season. My friends and I have fun making one another guess which beer they are tasting after reading through the list and their personalized descriptions. Blue Mountain crafts about 20 seasonal draft-only offerings. Make sure to check their website to figure out what they are currently selling. On draft now: Classic Lager, Kolsch 151, Full Nelson, Afton Amber, Evil 8, and Dark Hollow #13.

Along with their beers, Blue Mountain Brewery offers a wide range of food items on their menu. From soft pretzels to gourmet pizzas, their menu is sure to have something that pleases your taste. One of their most popular dishes is the Bratwurst Pizza with apples and onions: Topped with bratwurst form the Double H Farm ( locally produced in Nelson County) with caramelized onions, apples, mozzarella, and fresh marinara and a balsamic reduction. Yum!

 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday...and check back soon!

Skylight Studio

Tuesday night my friends and I bundled up in our raincoats and headed Downtown to Skylight Studios for a night of painting and wine! The founders, Kate and Erin, opened "Lush" with the concept of offering woman (and men too!) a fun night out on the town with an artistic twist!

With no previous painting experience necessary, Lush is the perfect way to get your feet wet and express your creative side. Groups are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks to the studio as well! My friends and I set up the table with all kinds of goodies. From hummus to a wonderful cheese platter (thank you Kate!) we snacked on yummy snacks and drank wine while painting.

Together Kate and Erin formed Lush for the Charlottesville community...and aren't we lucky! Kate came to C'ville in 2006 from South Carolina. Soon after her move she opened Skylight Studios, an art gallery and shared studio space! Kate wished to open a studio that would "promote art and creative living".  Erin grew up in North Georgia and moved to Charlottesville last Fall. She loves being creative and having a fun while doing so.

Lush takes place on Tuesday and Thursday nights and must be planned in advance. Each group must have a minimum of six people and a max of ten and Kate and Erin can travel to you or groups can come to the studio space. I really enjoyed painting in the studio because the space was light and perfect for painting!

Each painter gets a 16 x 20 canvas and lots of colorful paint! Together the group decides on what they want to paint and Kate takes charge and leads the way! Step by step we followed her lead and eventually we all created similar versions of the same 'masterpiece'! My friends and I decided to go with the fun and youthful peacock...with a variety of blues, greens, and yellows they actually turned out pretty well. We were all so surprised how great they looked!

Our session was held from 7-10 and in three hours not only had we finished our paintings, but we had all had a fun night out together... eating, drinking, and most importantly spending time together in a unique and different setting. Lush would be such a fun idea for bridal parties, birthday parties, church outings, and mother/daughter nights out!

We just had the best time and are already planning our second night out at Skylight Studios.... we need artwork for our new apartments next year, but more importantly we want to spend another night together painting! Check out Skylight Studios and reserve your spot for a Lush night out. Kate and Erin were such a pleasure to work with and we all upped our creative ability a smidge. 

Have a Fantastic Friday...and check back soon! 

First Fridays: Second Street Gallery

This past Friday was First Fridays on the Downtown Mall. Over the course of the next few days I want to share some fun photos from a few of my favorite galleries down there! We had such a great time wandering from gallery to gallery checking out the artwork and surrounding ourselves with the C'ville community. Our first stop on Friday evening was Second Street Gallery, located on Second Street SE right off the mall.

 

The Gallery is located in a fun and modern space, perfect for the style of artwork inside the building... contemorpary and cutting edge!  Second Street Gallery held an early opening reception for their donors and members from 5-6 and opened their doors to the public at 6:30. We made our way into the Gallery around 7:00 and wandered the Gallery for nearly 30 minutes, sipping a glass of wine. One word of advice: get there right at 6:30 if you want to nibble on the hors d'oeuvres We missed the boat on that one... they had been catered by Mona Lisa Pasta!

Second Street was very crowded, a popular place to go during First Fridays. The Main Gallery space held a preview of the artwork that will be part of the 2011 Benefit Art Auction, taking place this Friday.  The auction will follow a 3 course dinner at X lounge and will take place in the gallery... tickets are available online. The pieces were just wonderful! People from all over Charlottesville visited Second Street as a 'teaser' for the main event... getting an idea of what artwork will be auctioned off this weekend.

I loved these two pieces. Second Street works to bring the public many mediums of art, from sculpture to acrylics, to mixed media the Gallery sure does covers a lot of ground!

 

Something really fun that took place at Second Street this Friday was the New Collector's Silent Auction! Affordable art was being offered through the form of a silent auction. Sheets of paper were placed next to the art and bids could be made until a certain hour of the night. Fun pieces were sold to locals for reasonable prices...what a fun way to get a new piece of artwork for your apartment! 

First Fridays promotes a strong sense of community within Charlottesville. We are so lucky to have an event like this on the first Friday of every month. Anyone and everyone is welcome ( even the dogs!) into Second Street Gallery on First Fridays to view wonderful art and submerge themselves within the C'ville community.

Have a Super Sunday...and check back soon!

Staunton Restaurant Week

Monday thru Sunday is restaurant week in Staunton, VA... only a 45 minute drive from C'ville! It's the perfect way to taste the wonderful foods Staunton has to offer without emptying your wallet on a nice night out. As long as you are willing to plan ahead you and a date can have a fun night out filled with new and unique atmopsheres and wonderful food.

$25 ZYNODOA 

" Inspired Southern Cuisine"

(540) 885-7775

Located in the heart of Downtown Staunton, Zynodoa is the perfect place to dine this restaurant week. Chef James Harris believes in using local ingredients and his dished always reflect the use of the best foods that are available locally and seasonally. For $25 guests choose one starter plate, one entree plate, and one dessert plate. My personal selection....Starter: Wades Mill Grit Croquettes (surryano ham, gruyere, and bacon mayonnaise), Entree: Steak Frites (grilled ribeye steak, crispy yukon wedges, horseradish aioli), Dessert: Cofee and Roasted Hazelnut Cheesecake. 

$25 BYERS ST. BISTRO

" Eat. Drink. Live"

(540) 887-6100

Chef Stephen Thackers favorite spring ingredient is the Soft Shell Crab! " They can be grilled, sauteed, or fried and all they need is salt, pepper, and lemon to make their true flavor come through" His laid back, simple idea sounds like just the Chef I want to be cooking my next dinner! Personal pick for restaurant week at Byers St. Bistro...1st course: Prince Edward Island Mussels (garlic/fennel/white wine and cream/fresh herbs/grilled focaccia), 2nd course: Sunflower Pappardelle (spring vegetables/hand cut pasta/basil sunflower seed pesto/asiago cheese), 3rd course: Chocolate Peanut Butter Roulade (dark chocolate cake/peanut butter mousse/chocolate sauce/creme anglaise) YUM!

There are many more options for Staunton's Restaurant Week 2011 running now thru Sunday. Make sure to call ahead and make a reservation... this is not something you want to miss out on! 

Have a Terrific Tuesday...and check back soon!

The Hill and Wood

Last night I traveled to Staunton, Virginia to hear The Hill and Wood perform at the Mockingbird. What a fun night!

The Hill and Wood band came together in C'ville and continues to play around the area. I have now been fortunate enough to see them play two times! Lead singer, Sam Bush, attended the University of Virginia and now works for Christ Church and runs The Garage downtown. I am lucky to hear him play every Sunday at 5:00 so It was really special to see him and his band performing all together in Staunton last night.  The Hill and Wood's genre is classified as Folk/Indie/Rock. 

The Mockingbird was a great venue for the show. Located in historic downtown Staunton, the Mockingbird offers a dinning room setting as well as a live music hall. The owners inspired to create a " unpretentious gathering place where one can experience and enjoy authentic local food and traditionally-inspired acoustic music". Along with the show we had some amazing dinner... including sweet potato fries with 3 different sauces. 

The music hall at the Mockingbird has a special feeling... complete with little tables located close to the stage, creating an intimate feeling with the band. The "listening room" environment that takes place in the music hall makes music the central feature, but works to bring the audience into the show! 

Hopefully The Hill and Wood will be performing again soon! I will be sure to keep my readers updated...

Have a great night... and check back soon!

Best of C-Ville 2010!

What we have all been waiting for... well at least I know I have! C'ville online ( a great Charlotteville resource on all the latest art and news) has released the list. This list includes the winner and runner up of many categories around the area. For those living in C'ville or planning a visit the list is a great way to plan your next meal or activity around town. Locals participated in voting for their favorite place to grab a bite, see a movie, or even visit a local doctor.  Votes were counted and the winners were released! 

There are a total of 128 winners so I won't bore you by spitting it all back out onto this page... but I will choose some of my favorites! 

Food and Drink personal favorite picks....

Both Restaurant and Date Spot... Winner: Mas, Runner-up: C&O Restaurant 

Greasy Spoon... Winner: Blue Moon Diner, Runner-up: Riverside Lunch

Breakfast... Winner: Bluegrass Grill and Bakery, Runner-up: Bodos

French... Winner: Fleurie, Runner-up: Petit Pois 

Recreation and Fitness personal favorite picks...

Place to Hike... Winner: Humpback Rocks, Runner-up: Sugar Hallow

Place to Run... Winner: Rivanna Trails, Runner-up: UVa Grounds

Retail personal favorite picks...

Vintage clothing store... Winner: Antics, Runner-up: Bittersweet

Place for a party dress....Winner: Eloise, Runner-up: Jean Theory 

Place to buy running gear... Winner: Ragged Mountain Running Shop, Runner-up: Charlottesville Running Company 

Place for used books... Winner: Daedalus Books, Runner-up: Blue Whale Books

Place for greeting cards.... Winner: Rock Paper Scissors, Runner-up: O'Suzannah

Service personal favorite picks...

Architect... Winner: Bob Anderson, Runner-up: VMDO Architects

Taxi Service... Winner: Wahooptie, Runner-up: Access Taxi

Entertainment personal favorite picks....

Place to look at art... Winner: McGuffey Art Center, Runner-up: Second Street Gallery

Annual Music Event... Winner: Fridays after 5, Runner-up: Crozet Music Festival  

Movie Theater... Winner: Vinegar Hill Theatre, Runner-up: Regal Downtown Mall 6 

Small Venue... Winner: The Jefferson Theater, Runner-up: The Southern Cafe and Music Hall

Musical Group... Winner: William Walker & Co., Runner-up: Sons of Bill

And these are just a few of the many awesome "best of cville" 2010 winners. Check out Cville online to view all 128 winners. This is a wonderful resource right at our fingertips and we should totally take advantage! You might even see some palces you don't recognize at all... how fun is that! We all have so much to expore around the Charlottesville area. 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday... and check back soon!

C'ville Coffee

C'ville Coffee is simply fun and wonderful... and a great addition to the coffee shop scene in Charlottesville! Located close to the downtown area on Harris Road, you can easily drive and find plenty of room to park your car nearby.

The coffee is delicious. Whether you decide to grab a to-go cup or stay for a while and sip your coffee in a mug, it's great either way you choose!  I love the atmosphere created in the coffee bar room, complete with hanging mugs and red ribbons... how perfect for a coffee house.

C'ville Coffee has a large menu served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... great when you are planning to work on a paper ALL day long.  From granola to salads, all dishes are cooked in house and are prepared with fresh meats, cheeses, and local Albemarle Baking Company breads. How about a chocolate hazelnut and whipped cream crepe... served all day long?

C'ville Coffee even has a community board.I love this idea. Promoting the local festivals, shows, art openings, ect... anyone can post! Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday around 8:30 PM C'ville Coffee hosts  " The Stage Cafe" where local artists entertain guests in a quiet setting. Musicians recieve 100% of the cover charge ( which is placed at a low rate for those who attend!) An ala carte menu is presented as well as a wine list... sounds like a fun night to me!

My friends and I love to go and spend time together at C'ville Coffee because there is lots of room to spread out and you rarely ever find yourself without a seat... which can be quite common in other smaller shops around the area. There are three main sitting areas within the coffee shop, the adult 'work' space, the louder middle room, and a children section... complete with a colorful wall mural and huge play turtle!

Whether you wish to sip your coffee and enjoy a book alone or have lunch with a group of friends, C'ville Coffee is the place to be. Oh... and don't forget to try their famous honey-bunch. Completly delicious!

 

Have a Thrilling Tuesday... and check back soon!

Music and Drinks at C&O

C &O restaurant is located right off the downtown mall and is open for dinner and late night treats! Established in 1976 ( originally a railroad bunkhouse!) , it has been a part of C'ville's culture and night life for and while now and people keep going back! Composed of six different dining spaces, they are sure to meet your needs... whether it's a date night or big 21st birthday party! They food menu is just wonderful. Rich, strong flavors made from local ingredients found all around the Charlottesville area. Personally my favorite is the Steak Chinoise( marinated grilled flank steak, served with tamari-ginger cream sauce and local scallions) If your mouth is not watering then.... I can't really help you out there. 

A few nights ago my friends and I headed down to C&O for drinks and local music. The atmosphere was so festive and cozy... we felt like we were in an old mountain lodge with the dark wooden walls and dim lighting. 

The staff of C&O had decorated the space for the holidays. I recommend going soon... it will really put you in that Christmas mood!

We settled on some hard cider ( pear for me) and enjoyed the company of friends and great local guitar music. The three man band even serenaded us with well known Christmas tunes. 

Take some time to visit C&O this winter... promise it will be worth it! 

Have a Fun Friday... and check back soon!