Pippin Hill Photo Shoot

Sadly I was still away during this shoot...but can we talk about how great Pippin Hill looks and how cute their little model is?? A few weeks ago Jen Fariello held a photo workshop for aspiring photographers from around the area. What better place to take pictures than Pippin Hill...inside and out! 

Have a Tremendous Thursday...and check back soon!

Sneak Peek:Pippin Hill

Today Pippin Hill opens the doors (quite BIG doors I might add!) to the first bride and groom to walk the aisle and celebrate their marriage with friends and family. I can't believe the day is here...how exciting! A big job well done and congrats to Dean, Whitney, Amalia, and Melissa and all of the crew behind the scenes.

Last night a group of us from Pippin Hill and Easton Events had the opportunity to help add some final touches. It has been so much fun seeing the space transform from a construction site to the beautiful vineyard it is today....and as the summer progresses even more changes will occur!

With the help of JohnSarahJohn, a local creative firm, and a collection of amazing decorative pieces from around the globe the space is really coming together! There is a sense of fine detail and connectivity between all of the rooms and smaller spaces. 

Mimi helped decorate the Bridal Suite with her creative eye. The room came together so nicely and will be a great place for the bride and her bridesmaids to spend time before the big event! 

I am loving the hints of blues and greens throughout the space...even in the kitchen!

I am so excited that the doors are open! Tonight is going to be a huge hit, and I can't wait to watch it all take place. As the summer ripens more changes will occur and Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards will be up and running for events and tastings. Come on out!

Have a Fantastic Friday...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!

wedding fun

What a wonderful night last night for an Easton wedding. While the weather was not particularly beautiful, King Family Vineyard looked amazing. From the outside ceremony with a fog filled skyline to a simplistic yet vintage vibe the wedding was a hit. I want to share some images from the night... sorry for the lousy IPhone quality! 

The ceremony could not have been more beautiful, despite the soft misty rain, the view was incredible and we could not have planned it any better... 5 minutes into the Sermon a gathering of horses began to graze around in the neighboring lawn! 

 

The escort table was so very fun! I loved the use of an old window frame.... the board was constructed by stringing pieces of rope across the frame and clipping the escort cards to the rope. The bride's grandmother constructed the cards. Each one had a colorful button and a little bow, growing up the bride collected buttons so her grandmother thought it would be a sweet little touch.

The florals were done by Hedge! I loved the use of two antique doors to frame the ceremony area which was located on the grass of King Family. Each door was adorned with a floral wreath... the yellow really popped within a green filled background! The mist.... how incredible.

The bridal bouquet and centerpieces were simple yet had a variety of color as well as a wide range of florals used in each bouquet. I liked the use of a tiny chalk board to identify each table number... this really added to the simple and rustic feel of the wedding reception. 

The reception was held indoors at King Family Vineyards. The dining room was filled with circular tables with the exception of one rectangular table for the bride, groom, and their family. I love the display of wine barrels within this space! Wasn't her dress wonderful?

An extra special addition to the wedding was Carpe Dounut! With their apple cider donuts and locally roasted organic coffee they were a HUGE hit. Matt and Matt (brother in laws) travel around with their donut stand to events and festivals within the C'ville area. After arriving around 7:30 they were open for buisness by 8:45...luring guests to their stand with that amazing cinnamon sugar smell. 

After loading in the stand is so cozy and fun feeling... whenever I could slip away I would go and talk to the Matt's about their business around Charlottesville.  What a great addition to the wedding reception!

The wedding was a total hit! Everyone danced the night away... and not one single guest opted for the early shuttle. The bride and groom finished the night off with "Shout" followed by a sparkler departure and a get-away sedan! 

Have a Marvelous Monday... and check back soon!

It's Thursday!

YAY! It's almost the weekend....

image!

What are your plans for this wonderful C'ville weekend?

Spending the day hiking Old Rag Mountain

Wine tasting at King Family Vineyards

A night out at the Paramount Theater to hear Booker T

A simple afternoon reading and catching up on work at Shenandoah Joes

Whatever you choose this weekend, I hope it's a great one! 

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

Taking The Back Roads

There are so many beautiful spaces around Charlottesville! If you have the opportunity take time to travel the back roads while driving. Just the other afternoon my family and I made a detour into town and it made for some amazing photo opportunities.

We drove down Cub Creek Road and traveled from Rockfish Valley to the Tye River Valley within Nelson County. Cutting around the corner of the Three Ridges Mountain we took Route 56 and ended up in the town of Tyro before making our way back into C'ville. 


Enjoy!

 

 

 

How wonderful are these landscapes right near our town of Charlottesville! Take the time to travel around the area and take back roads when possible. The dirt roads make for fun adventures and you can see the natural landscapes that make C'ville and the surrounding area so amazing and unique! 

Have a Magnificent Monday... and check back soon!

C'ville Wedding Planner Magazine

Getting married... know a friend who is... or do you just love beautiful things??  The Charlottesville Wedding Planner Magazine recently hit local stores, and YOU need a copy! As an intern with Easton Events I had the awesome opportunity of being able to watch this magazine turn from a simple idea all the way to the beautiful magazine it is today. Lynn Easton Andrews took on the job of Creative Director/ Editor for this project early in the fall and now after many days and nights of creative brainpower the magazine is here! 

This free publication is a wonderful resource for those who are planning a wedding anywhere! While there are great local adds for venues, caterers, florists, and more the information and suggestions printed can be applied to a wedding in any location you choose! The Easton Events team worked hard to compile colorful, informative, and inspiring pages to perk your interest and help those who are interested in planning their wedding! Here are a few pages, as a sample, to get you EXCITED for what lies ahead...

The Charlottesville Wedding Planner Magazine is an ideal resource as well as a fun magazine to flip through. With beautiful and creative inspiration these pages are the perfect thing to parooze when you have some free time. 

Make sure you get your hands on the Charlottesville Wedding Planner Magazine! I can assure you, whether you are getting married or just enjoy beautiful things, this is not something you want to miss out on. 

Have a Wonderful Wedding ( inspired) Wednesday... and check back soon! 

Charlottesville Wine Vineyards

When my parents come into town during the fall months, I love taking them wine tasting. Charlottesville has so many great vineyards; it can be hard just to choose which one to visit for the afternoon! This year we decided to go to Kings Family Vineyard… and what a beautiful day it turned out to be for my family and me!

My second year at the University of Virginia, I was so excited for my parents to come into town I packed way too many activities in for one afternoon. By early evening, my parents had to head back to their hotel completely wiped out from the day. When my third year rolled around, I decided to go the wine tasting route… and this went much better! We had the chance to taste great Virginia wines as well as relax and spend quality time together outside on a patio with tables, chairs, and great company.

About a month ago my mom called me on the phone and said,  “ Libby please tell me we are going wine tasting again this year!”…. and that was that… wine tasting it was! I talked to some of my close friends and we decided to spend the afternoon at Kings Family. 

Charlottesville has many options when it comes to choosing a wine vineyard. Once we turned twenty-one, my friends and I began exploring the world of wineries around Charlottesville, and have yet to try them all…maybe we should add that to our “list” of things to do before we graduate this May!  If you are interested in trying some out while you explore the C’ville area here are a few recommendations:

1.     Afton Mountain Vineyards

2.     Flying Fox Vineyards

3.     Jefferson vineyards

4.     Keswick Hall

5.     Kings family vineyards

6.     Kluge Estate Winery

7.     Mountfair Vineyards

8.     Veritas Vineyard and Winery

9.     White Hall Vineyards

     This Spring Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards will open its “barn” doors for business! I am SO VERY excited about this new vineyard that is coming to our area. Pippin Hill will not only offer a unique and cozy space to sit and enjoy Virginia wine with friends and family, but the vineyard is being designed as “ the region’s premiere event venue for destination weddings, social celebrations and corporate entertaining.” Ground has been broken and construction is underway! Stay tuned and I will keep you updated on Pippin Hills progress throughout the winter months…<http://www.pippinhillfarm.com/>

     As the fall comes to a close, I encourage all of my readers to jump in their cars and head out to one of Charlottesvilles wine vineyards! As the leaves are changing and the air is brisk this is the perfect time of the year to enjoy C'ville's wineries. 

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