5 Reasons Living in Belmont is Amazing

Belmont Belmont is a popular Charlottesville, VA neighborhood, located right off the downtown pedestrian mall, and steeped in culture, history, beauty, and modern convenience.

Here’s a little history on the early growth of Belmont: Belmont, the neighborhood, was born when the Belmont Land Company purchased the remaining property of the late Slaughter W. Ficklin, owner of the Belle-Mont estate. James H. Buck Jr. shares in Belmont: The History of a Neighborhood that the other main influences that led to the establishment of Belmont were: “the old Three Notched or Three Chopt Road that connected Charlottesville with Richmond…the old Scottsville Road (presently Sixth Street in Charlottesville)…[and] the flourishing of railroad activity in the late 1800s.”

Through the decades Belmont evolved and grew, and with its central location and a variety of places to eat, hear music, shop, play, and live, it is truly at the heart of Charlottesville, and a beautiful place to call home. Here are 5 reasons why living in Belmont today is amazing:

1. The Plentiful Food and Drink

Belmont is full of wonderful places to eat, drink, and be merry. In downtown Belmont, the area closest to the downtown mall, restaurants, art galleries, and convenience stores are conveniently interspersed among the residential streets. Belmont offers a variety of choices, ranging from the delicious locally sourced meals available at The Local to the incredible, award-winning beer selection and organic fare at Beer Run. When you’re in Belmont, any palette or preference can be pleased somewhere nearby. Here are a few highlights in available fare:

Tavola Restaurant, offers upscale and exquisite Italian fare. It’s a perfect choice for an intimate and truly decadent night out (try the gnocchi!).
Mas, just a few doors down from Tavola, offers a fun and fresh atmosphere serving an inspired (and ever changing) tapas menu.
Lampo, a small and intimate space serving delicious wood-fired pizzas and other locally sourced entrees. Best part is the pizza scissors to cut your own slice!
Spudnuts was opened in 1969 by Richard Wingfield. His daughter, Lori, runs it today and continues to keep Charlottesville residents happy with their fabulous potato based donuts. If you’ve never had a spudnut, you really must try a classic glazed spudnut as well as the blueberry cake variety. They often sell out by noon so plan on a morning visit.

2. Proximity to Downtown Charlottesville and Music Venues

The Pavilion: This large venue adjacent to the Belmont Bridge brings nationally and even internationally known and celebrated musical artists of every genre to Charlottesville. This outdoor arena with both a covered and grassy area also hosts the free weekly concert series, Fridays after 5, from April to September.
The Jefferson Theater, built in 1912 and renovated in 2006, is a historic, indoor theatre on the downtown mall that currently thrives as a popular music venue.
The Paramount Theater, originally built in 1931 as a movie theatre, was fully renovated in 2004 and now is a successful community performing arts venue. In 2015 they even re-illuminated their historic, massive blade sign with retro blinking lights.
The Restaurants and Shops Downtown range from hotdog stands, an elegant movie theatre with a built in restaurant (The Violet Crown) to a selection of award winning international cuisine. Also keep in mind a visit to the Virginia Discovery Museum, the various art galleries, and The McGuffey Art Center.

3. The Views

The Views from Belmont Park: This hilltop park, completed in 1915, offers 360 degree panoramic views of Charlottesville and the Blue Bridge Mountains to the west. With benches, a picnic shelter, playground, basketball court, and water play area, it’s a peaceful and fun place for community members to gather.
The Views from the Belmont Bridge: The current version of the Belmont Bridge was built in 1961 to connect Ninth St. and Avon St. Belmont residents enjoy crossing this bridge by car or foot to easily reach downtown. When you walk over the bridge, I highly recommend pausing as the bridge goes over the train tracks; you will see a unique view of Charlottesville’s downtown stretching before you that is particularly charming at sunset.
The Belmont neighborhood also went through a beautification between 1996 and 1999, which entailed the addition of new paved crosswalks, trees, and planters throughout downtown Belmont.

4. The Art and Culture

Belmont, like Charlottesville as a whole, blooms with culture and artistic expression.

The Bridge PAI (progressive arts initiative) is a local gallery and community organization that focuses on authentic art projects that include, invigorate, and express the local community. This art center is located next to the Belmont Bridge (across from Spudnuts).
The nearby IX Art Park on 2nd St. offers outdoor food truck catered concerts, art openings, flea markets, drawing parties, and a variety of other fun activities for young and old.
The Innovative Tom Tom Festival’s Belmont Block party is a free yearly celebration that brings the neighborhood together for music, food, and even collaborative street art.

5. Convenience and Accessibility

While Belmont is an active, engaging, and fulfilling place to live all on its own, it also offers convenient access to other popular and useful parts of town. These include:

Pantops, an area offering additional shopping and eating options, accessible via High St. and Route 250.
Interstate 64, which links to Richmond, Waynesboro, and beyond, via Monticello Ave. or 5th Street.
Scottsville, a lovely small town to the south along the James River, well worth a visit, accessible via Route 20.
UVA, the acclaimed educational institution and cultural center designed by Thomas Jefferson, reachable from Belmont via Cherry Ave.

Belmont offers its community members enjoyable activities, charming residential neighborhoods, and convenience. It is located near the intersections of several major travel routes yet remains local, welcoming, and friendly. It is an amazing place to live for the reasons listed above, and offers unique access to many of Charlottesville’s cultural delights.

Source:
Buck, James H., Jr. “Belmont: The History of a Neighborhood.” Web. 7 Mar. 2016. Published May, 1980 in Charlottesville, VA

Buying homes in the Charlottesville area

sidewalk-cafe-53318_1280 The city of Charlottesville itself is a thriving mid-Atlantic hub with the charm of a small town and the amenities of a major city. The surrounding locations are close enough for you to enjoy Charlottesville’s various offerings but far enough to have developed their own identities. Gayle Harvey Real Estate has tons of properties in the counties surrounding the city. Together we’ll take a look at a few of the neighborhoods that comprise the “Greater Charlottesville Area.”

Crozet

An unincorporated, census-designated place, Crozet is roughly 20 miles west of Charlottesville. It is situated on the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and, consequently boats some truly breathtaking scenery. Places like Mint Springs, (with its 502 acres, three lakes, and “artificial beach,”) or Beaver Creek (with .42km²of water, teeming with sunfish, channel catfish, and largemouth bass) make the most of a beautiful natural environment. Crozet’s gentle, rolling uplands also make it an ideal setting for many breweries and vineyards, including: Starr Hill, King Family Vineyards, Stinson Vineyards, White Hall Vineyards, and many others. Crozet has seen some increased development, evidenced by an influx of members into the community. Despite this, it’s still a close-knit rural town at heart. There’s an annual 4th of July celebration complete with a downtown parade, a carnival, and fireworks. Every Mother’s Day, the Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival brings live music and barbecue to the people. Events like this are what make this town great.

Earlysville

Earlysville is nine miles north of Charlottesville, towards the CHO airport. It’s been around since 1822, when its namesake John Early bought nearly 1000 acres that now comprise a part of the town. It’s a quiet place, and great for families, but you don’t have to give up the live music, high-profile sporting events, and stellar restaurants that are intertwined with city life, because Charlottesville is such a quick and easy drive south. As far as Earlysville itself is concerned, there will be plenty of room to spread your legs in this charming, rural area. That’s not to say Earlysville is without its resources; there’s a central business plaza with retail stores, groceries, a dentist, daycare, and mechanic…all the essentials.

Keswick

If you like horses, this is the place to be. Keswick is yet another unincorporated community, located six miles east of town. It’s mostly residential, full of farms and estates. The spirit of foxhunting is alive and well in Keswick. The Keswick Hunt Club works to promote foxhunting by leading hunts around the community from November through March. It’s conveniently situated next to Belcourt and Bridlespur, two big Albemarle County horse farms. It is also across the street from Keswick Hall, a country club with great amenities like an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a full spa! Keswick is one of the most beautiful places in the state. It doesn’t have a central business center and is pretty sparse when it comes to development (there’s a blacksmith, a post office, and a handful of other offerings), but who needs it, with all these bucolic Southwest Mountain visages? The drive through Keswick has been cited as “one of the most scenic in America” according to the New York Times. The Albemarle County government is pretty discerning when it comes to adding infrastructure to the community, in part because there is so much natural beauty to maintain.

Glenmore

Glenmore is a gated community near Keswick, just east of Cville. A suburban development/country club, Glenmore has a wide breadth of amenities and luxuries all its own. You’ll be able to enjoy golf on 18-holes, horseback riding and other equestrian activities, tennis and basketball courts, premier swimming, and a host of other activities. It’s also a family-friendly community with clinics in tennis and golf, bicycle lanes, and so much more.

Afton

Afton is spread between Albemarle and Nelson counties. It’s a little over 20 miles west of Charlottesville, and driving out there will afford you some of the most objectively beautiful sights you can imagine, bursting with lush greens and deep, contemplative blues all over the skyline. Maybe it’s just the elevation, but one can’t help but feel uplifted here. Afton has a strong brewery/vineyard presence, with Blue Mountain Brewery at the helm of the beer scene in the area and both Afton Mountain Vineyards and Veritas Vineyards proving that Charlottesville terroir is a force to be reckoned with. Afton is sparsely populated, but there’s quite a close community nestled in the mountains.

There are many communities in the Greater Charlottesville area that perfect for enjoying the city from a distance. Friendly, close-knit communities, beautiful views, and plenty of breathing room. Visit www.CentralVaProperties.com or get in touch with Gayle Harvey Real Estate to learn more about these and other areas today!

Historic Homes in Virginia

As the first of England’s colonies in the world, the state of Virginia essentially represents the beginning of the British Empire, and its legacy is consequently inextricable from that of the early United States. As such, it is home to a number of historical sites that represent British imperialism, American independence, and so much more.

Jeffersonian Architecture

Thomas Jefferson was America’s first Secretary of State, Virginia’s second governor, and the third President of the United States. He was a voracious reader, elite musician, legendary statesmen, and overall polymath. As such, it is difficult to overstate his influence in a number of areas, not least architecture. His architectural sensibilities were derived in large part from the work of Venetian architect Andrea Palladio, who himself drew from a variety of Hellenistic influences. The symmetry and perspective of Ancient Greek and Roman buildings inspired Palladio’s approach to architecture, and as such, buildings designed by Jefferson retain certain core values…certain ideas inherited from Ancient Greek and Roman temples. This structural approach, this Neoclassical interpretation can be seen in a variety of buildings around Virginia, most notably Jefferson’s plantation Monticello and the Rotunda at his University of Virginia. Jefferson helped conceive the original design for the Virginia State House.

Jefferson designed/influenced several other buildings, for example, Poplar Forest, located very close to Lynchburg….they say he built it as a refuge from the hordes of admirers that flocked to Monticello. Like much of Palladio’s work, it is an octagon house, built on an estate of about 4,800 acres. This architectural tradition prizes symmetry, so there is a cube room in the center (20 ft. to a side, so 400 square feet), and porticos off to each side. It received National Historic Landmark status in 1970. There are many other central Virginia sites that serve to illustrate the state’s rich history:

Oak Grove was once part of the vast Mount Airy plantation on the James River, and was occupied by Union General Sheridan’s troops in the Civil War. Built about 1854, Oak Grove is today a tasteful composite of vintage quality and modern comfort, with the original brick home in front, a three-story addition in back. It’s a three bay, two-story house, conceived in the Greek Revival style with front porch Doric columns. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Ash Lawn-Highland, the old home of fifth President of the United States is in Albemarle County. He and his family lived there for 24 years, eventually selling the plantation in 1825. He was inspired by Monticello, which is very close by. The estate changed hands a few times until it was sold for the last time in the 1930s. When the owner died, he willed it to the College of William and Mary, Monroe’s alma mater. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The Faulkner House, which houses the Miller Center for Public Affairs and is also known as Old Ivy Inn, Seymour (and various others), was named in honor of novelist William Faulkner who taught at UVa. Built between 1855 and 1856 and remodeled in the early 20th century in the Colonial Revival style, it was influenced in part by Jeffersonian architectural inclinations. Originally a two-story brick building with hipped roof. Temporary headquarters for Union General Thomas Devin. On Old Ivy Road. It was bought by UVa in 1963 and added to the NHRP in 1984.

Farmington is a country club near UVa, in Charlottesville. It was designed and built before the 19th century, but in 1803, Thomas Jefferson added an east wing, later dubbed “the Jefferson room.” It features trademark Jeffersonian concepts, most notably the octagonal structure. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Bellair Farm is an 853-acre farm south of Charlottesville, on land near the North Garden area. It’s been an important part of Albemarle County’s history since it first started operations in the 17th century. The main house was built in the late 19th/early 20th century by Reverend Charles Wingfield, Jr. So great was Wingfield’s reputation that Jefferson personally asked him to officiate the funeral of his sister. Further structural additions were made to the main house in the Colonial Revival style (including some Palladian windows). The house overlooks the Hardware River and the Green Mountains, a beautiful sight. The farm is still in operation today, and its owner Ms. Cynnie Davis is an outspoken proponent of community-supported agriculture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Michie Tavern was originally on land in Earlysville, Virginia, just north of Charlottesville. It was built in 1784 by Scotsman Willie Michie and remained in the family until the early 20th century. The tavern was a community meeting place, popular among travelers. It was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1993 and the NRHP in 1986, though it’s since been withdrawn from the latter.

McCormick Observatory was a donation to UVa from Leander McCormick, whose family invented and patented the mechanical reaper. In 1878, McCormick donated the telescope (at the time the equal largest telescope in the country) and funds to build a 45-foot dome. It’s just outside Charlottesville, in Albemarle County on the summit of Mt. Jefferson (also known as Observatory Hill). Joined the ranks of the NRHP in 2004 and was soon upgraded from state to national significance.

Cobham Park is one of many historic estates in Keswick, just east of Charlottesville. The estate’s mansion was built in 1856, and unlike many of the surrounding buildings of similar historical stature, it was built in the Georgian style, with Doric porches supported by Ionic columns. It’s a five bay, two-and-a-half story building with a hipped roof. It was added to the NHRP in 1974.

Nelson County, in the Greater Charlottesville area, is also rife with historical significance. It’s known for its snow resort Wintergreen, a plethora of successful vineyards, craft breweries, the Lockn’ Music Festival, and many testaments to its natural beauty including part of the George Washington National Forest. It’s also home to:

Swannanoa is Virginia’s answer to the Taj Mahal, a luxurious, ornate manifestation of love. The difference is that when philanthropist James H. Dooley built it, his wife was still alive. Tiffany windows, Georgian marble, gold plumbing fixtures, and 300 artisans working for over eight years…we’d say that Swannanoa is worth a look. It sits on 590 acres of land in Nelson/Augusta Counties, but it’s partially modeled after buildings in the Villa Medici, in Rome. Calvin Coolidge famously ate Thanksgiving dinner here. Anyone can arrange for a tour of the estate…check the events calendar at http://nelsoncounty.com NHRP in 1969.

Nelson County’s Courthouse, opened in 1810 and has been the judicial center of Lovingston, VA ever since. This two-story building was built just two or three years after the town itself was established. For years, rumor had it that Jefferson designed the building, but this myth was dispelled by an architectural survey as part of the county’s bid for National Historic Register designation. However, it was discovered that Jefferson had designed a jail, which is now the present-day Sheriff’s Office. Many 18-22-year-olds in central Virginia view it as a smaller, more efficient version of his most famous jailhouse, the University of Virginia…but only during Exams Week. The courthouse was listed on the NHRP in 1973.

Bon Aire is yet another historic home in Nelson, located in the city of Shipman. It was built in the Federal style and as such is characterized by the simple, relatively unadorned surfaces and smooth facades of early U.S. buildings whose architects were influenced by the Roman aesthetics very much in vogue after the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum were discovered. It was built in 1812 on a steep hill overlooking the James River. It was added to the NHRP in 1980.

Orange County was founded in 1734, over forty years before the Declaration of Independence was even a gleam in young Jefferson’s eye! It’s best known as the home of fourth President of the United States, James Madison.

Montpelier. We may as well start with James Madison’s sprawling, 2,700-acre plantation. Madison inherited the original building from his father, who built it around 1764; two stories of brick, laid in the Flemish bond pattern. It had many resources, i.e. smithy and tobacco crops. Madison was especially proud of the estate and added extensions to it throughout his life, including a Tuscan portico and single-story flat-roofed extensions to create separate living quarters. Madison died in 1836, and he is still buried in the family cemetery. Montpelier was owned by the Du Pont family for most of the 20th century. In 1984, the National Trust for Historic Preservation took over, aiming to restore/recreate the site’s 19th-century conditions, when James and Dolley Madison owned it. This is the result of a $25 million restoration effort. Montpelier is a National Historic Landmark and became an entry on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Barboursville (also known as the Barboursville Ruins), is famous for being the only building in Orange County designed by Thomas Jefferson himself. There are hallmarks of his Palladian instincts, as they were quite fashionable at the time (1822). The house had eight huge rooms, including an octagonal drawing room reminiscent of Monticello. He envisioned a projecting Doric tetrastyle portico which covered a recessed front wall at the entry hall. Ol’ TJ had designed it for his friend James Barbour, a famous former Senator, Secretary of War, and VA Governor who had ostensibly planned to live in the mansion for the rest of his days. Unfortunately, the entire estate burned in a fire on Christmas Day in 1824. Everything except for the exterior walls, some partitions, and the portico columns was consumed in the blaze. Now the ruins are part of the property owned by Barboursville Vineyards, and you can see the old mansion from the vineyards. Barboursville Vineyards is widely considered the poster-child for Virginia’s burgeoning viticultural reputation. The terroir in the Piedmont region is similar to places in southern Italy, but Gianni Zonin (the resident winemaker) is so far the only person to successfully plant the common grape vine in central VA since Jefferson famously failed years ago. NHRP in 1969, due in large part to Jefferson’s role in designing the ruin.

Grelen is one of the youngest buildings in the area to be considered a National Historic Place (1998). The five bay, two-and-a-half story building was built between 1935 and 1936 in the Georgian style. It’s topped by a hipped roof made of slate and flanked by one-and-a-half story wings (also brick).

The centuries before this digital age, were not as kind to mankind’s memory. Landmarks and historic sites were more than a few clicks away; they could be miles, sometimes oceans removed from your perspective. For many, these ornate monuments bridged a gap in America’s collective unconscious, provided a tangible link between the struggles and triumphs of a young nation and the distant legends of antiquity. A journey across the Atlantic to see the hallowed relics of Greek and Roman societies is not necessarily a viable option for everyone in today’s America; so one can imagine the significance of buildings in which the spirit, tradition, and aesthetic of antiquity are preserved imparted. These larger-than-life buildings were and are mirrors to the past; more so than any film or photograph could ever be. This is only the surface of Virginia’s rich history. If you’re interested in living a part of this history, visit www.CharlottesvilleHistoricHomes.com or contact Gayle Harvey Real Estate today!

Crozet and Jefferson-Madison Regional Libraries

Every city needs a good library; these days it’s less about getting your hands on a certain book and more about learning in a communal center, or being exposed to new ideas, perspectives, and viewpoints. To that end, the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library is a valuable resource. Central Virginia libraries are informed by an important precedent; the large, extensive private collections owned by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The JMRL was formed in 1972 by the City of Charlottesville, and the Counties of Albemarle, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson, but the history of libraries in the Piedmont region is far more rich.

The Charlottesville JMRL is considered the Central branch, and for good reason. Its location on Market Street is flanked by office buildings, law offices, and homes in downtown Charlottesville. It’s very accessible to anyone in the general area, and they do a great job with outreach and enlightening community programs. The Central branch plays an important role in the Virginia Festival of the Book, which comes to Charlottesville every spring. The reference staff is happy to provide face-to-face tutorials on basic computer skills, and they have a documentary film series on the 4th Thursday of every month. Then there’s the Black Authors Reading Group which has recently gone digital, and Books on Tap series every first Thursday of the month down at Champion Brewery.

Crozet’s incarnation of the JMRL underwent significant renovations in 2013. They relocated from what was originally an old railroad depot to a brand new space, a cavernous, LEED^{^[1]} certified building on 18,300 square feet. The library’s grand opening was September 28, 2013, at which point community members and fundraisers had generated over a million dollars in donations, state grants, and other contributions, including the handmade circulation desk, made locally in Crozet. The new library is a sight to behold, a beautiful building with vaulted ceilings, stone columns, and 360 degrees of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The library has had a marked impact on Crozet, in part because tremendous community effort required to manifest the vision. In fact, Crozet’s local newspaper The Crozet Gazette estimated that library use almost doubled after the new library opened. And utilized for more than just book housing, Crozet’s location hosts awesome events and exhibitions, like local historian Col. Edwin Dooley’s exhibit about the town’s namesake, Col. Claudius Crozet, or the in-depth display of Old Downtown Crozet. The library proves that Crozet is more than just land west of Charlottesville…it’s a thriving, active community in its own right.

^{^[1]} Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, one of the more ubiquitous green energy certification programs in the world.

Charlottesville VA Airport

Take Off From the Charlottesville Airport

Charlottesville VA AIrport If we’re being honest with ourselves, no one actually likes flying. Or at least, no one actually likes the process of flying. Once you get up into the air it’s all gravy, but this writer has never been a fan of the hustle and bustle of the terminal, the anxiety that stems from baggage claim, or the Greek tragedy that is terminal parking. The good news is that seven-odd miles north of the city, the Charlottesville Airport (CHO) makes travel convenient. Celebrating its 60th anniversary less than a year ago, this relatively small public-use airport has been operating commercial flights since 1955. It generally has about 46 non-stop flights every day, to six major cities. The period between August 2014 and July 2015 saw the airport handle an estimated 261,050 passengers (or enplanements), up from 197,776 in 2010…and this is just with one runway! Though Charlottesville is still fairly convenient to major airports like Richmond and Dulles, there’s nothing like flying into your home in Charlottesville and getting a quick ride up or down 29, especially after a long journey.

There are three airlines which operate out of CHO: American Eagle (which will take you to Charlotte, Philadelphia, O’Hare in Chicago, LaGuardia in New York), Delta (Atlanta and LaGuardia), and United Express (Dulles Airport). Of these, Charlotte and Atlanta are by far the most popular destinations, serving as touchstones for connecting flights. Most of the traffic is from general aviation, with nearly 25% coming from air taxi services and a small percentage for military flights.

The terminal (about 60,000 ft2) is currently being renovated. They’ve introduced a business lounge area and a new retail store. Over the summer, they added fresh, hot food options, served by a speedy restaurant aptly named the Turbo Grill. It features products from local farms and businesses that call Charlottesville home. Look out for other terminal and restroom renovations too.

Operations at CHO are not just limited to commercial flights. If you have an aircraft or pilot’s license, general aviation at the airport is handled through Landmark Aviation. As the Fixed Base Operator for the airport, LA offers support 24 hours a day. Their services include ground handling up to B-757, a pilot’s lounge, and a conference room. If this is something to which you aspire, consider contacting the Charlottesville Flight Center. For 10 years they’ve offered flight lessons, aircraft rentals, and aerial sightseeing. So there you have it. In many ways, CHO is an ideal representation of life in Charlottesville: big city resources with a small-town feel. Book a flight and take to the skies!

Local Food from Afar in Charlottesville, Virginia

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,” wrote the American poet Emma Lazarus late in the 19th century. Long before these words were immortalized in the lower level of the Statue of Liberty, America had become a cultural epicenter, a place where nationalities converge to create something much greater than the sum of its parts. While this may be a lofty introduction, we believe it applies to food, and especially to food in Charlottesville. To this end, we’ve compiled a handful of categories loosely based on regional origin and selected our favorite spot for each one. And speaking of community, most of these restaurants use locally-sourced ingredients from just around the way, so where applicable, we will be giving shout-outs to the central Virginia farms that made these meals possible!

French: Petit Pois
For a small mid-Atlantic town, Charlottesville sure does have its fair share of French restaurants. This charming bistro is right off the pedestrian Downtown Mall, and you couldn’t ask for a better location. On a good day, patio dining is a must. From escargot to trout amandine to steak tartare…Petit Pois serves up authentic French cuisine with aplomb. This writer’s favorite meal is probably the confit duck leg, served with roasted Brussels sprouts, panisse, and apple cider gastrique…yum. Every bite is deliberate and delectable, with well-balanced flavors and thoughtful wine/cocktail pairings. The wait staff is cheerful, attentive, and extremely responsive. In addition to a slew of delicious offerings, there is also an extensive wine selection. And Petit Pois has fairly affordable fare, especially considering where the ingredients come from. The connection with farms in the Greater Charlottesville is especially encouraging. The folks at Petit source their food from several different central Virginia farms: chicken from Polyface Farm, beef from Wolf Creek Farm, beautiful cheeses from Caromont Farm…the list goes on.

Italian: Lampo
Lampo is Italian for “lightning,” and what is more Italian than authentic Neapolitan pizza fresh from a 1000-degree wood-fired oven? Located in a neighborhood in Charlottesville (the Belmont area near downtown), Lampo’s quick-fired pies are usually ready in a matter of minutes. Don’t limit yourself to the classic margherita pizza, no matter how enticing the thin, buttery crust and the gooey combination of San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Shop around…the menu has something for everyone. We heartily recommend the polpettine…with pecorino cheese, basil, and organic pork and beef, it’s probably the classiest interpretation of a meatball sub we’ve ever seen, much less devoured in two bites. Beautiful, refreshing wines and cocktails to go with any meal. Supplied by JM Stock and Provisions, Down Branch Farm in Albemarle, Caromont, a dairy farm in Esmont, and countless others. Check out their website for a full list.

Mexican: Al Carbon
This Peruvian-inspired Mexican joint wins points for uniqueness. Everyone’s done the taco shop and the burrito bar. We think it’s fair to say that chips and salsa have become appropriated into the continuum of standard American snack fare. But the sight of Al Carbon’s mouth-watering whole chickens as they rotate inside a coal-fired broiler is something you just don’t get to see every day. This is street food, plain and simple. This is especially true for the giant rotisserie ovens, which you are far more likely to find on the sidewalk in Mexico City than in a person’s home. These juicy, flavorful birds are carved up into quarters and halves and served up with spicy, savory, and creamy sauces on the side. And the array of side dishes includes everything from the usual suspects like tortillas, rice and beans, and guacamole but also yucca, plantain, and, the piece du resistance….deep-fried churros filled with Bavarian cream and topped with ice cream. Okay, that’s less a side and more a dessert but you get the idea. Head chef and owner Myriam Hernandez hails from Mexico, but she gets her chickens fresh-never-frozen from a farm in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Indian: Milan
No town is complete without a good Indian lunch buffet, and Charlottesville is lucky to have a handful of options. Milan stands out for its sophisticated aesthetic and measured, down-tempo ambiance, as well as its deviation from standard Anglo-Indian cuisine. That’s not to say you can’t get a piping hot bowl of chicken tikka masala and some charred, buttery garlic naan. These Punjabi classics are among the most recognizable to Americans. Head chef and owner Charanjeet Ghotra hails from this region, so you know there will be food you love on this menu. Milan (like most Indian and Thai restaurants) is a great place to bring vegetarian or vegan friends. The scallop patia features sweet and sour curried mangoes and ginger; the khumbh til ka paneer features creamy chunks of paneer and shiitake mushrooms simmered in curry and sesame seeds; or the lasooni gobhi, an appetizer of crispy cauliflower sauteed with garlic in a tomato-based sauce. A great lunch or dinner spot, for sure.

Chinese: Peter Chang’s
So much has been said and written about chef Peter Chang that it’s difficult to know where fact ends and fable begins. But there are a couple of things we do know about the legendary chef. He specializes in Szechuan cuisine, was trained in China before moving to D.C. to cook at the Chinese embassy, and he’s opened up a slew of Peter Chang restaurants in various Virginia cities. Szechwan cuisine is characterized by liberal use of garlic, chili pepper, star anise, and broad chili paste. Legend has it that at any given night, Chang is cooking at one of the Virginia locations, and there is a legion of fans dedicated to tracking him down. Needless to say, the food is awesome. The scallion pancakes–big as dodgeballs and barely able to sit comfortably on a plate–are a great way to start off a meal. The dry-fried eggplant, stir-fried with scallions and cilantro? The mouthwatering lamb chops, marinated to perfection and pan-seared with chili powder and cumin seed? Has a single meal ever reduced you to asking a series of rhetorical questions while your stomach rumbles? Has it ever brought you to tears? We don’t even want to mention the fact that you can get a meal for under $20, because price shouldn’t be a consideration when it comes to food this good.

Thai: Pad Thai
Thai food appears to be experiencing a surge in popularity in recent times; the fear is that Thai chefs will alter their cooking to suit Western palates, but in an age where “authentic” cooking can mean many things (and, consequently, nothing) chefs Santi and Utaiwan Ouypron are serving up delicious “home-style” cooking straight from their kitchen. This was literally the case a few years ago, when the Ouyprons operated an eatery out of their home in Bangkok, Thailand and it’s the case now, at their restaurant Pad Thai on Carlton Avenue, not far from downtown Charlottesville. They have offerings you don’t typically see on Thai menus, which tend to serve up variations on pad Thai, drunken noodles, pineapple-fried rice, and a great many curries. Compare that with the litany of brothy noodle bowls, the Chinese broccoli sauteed with shrimp or roasted pork belly, or the Grandpa’s favorite (green curry-fried rice, beneath a curried seafood roll, a Thai omelet, and fried catfish chunks, wow) and you’ll wonder what all the other guys are doing. The Ouyprons don’t really source much from the local farms, but they do use local eggs, chilies, basil, lime leaves, lemongrass, mint and some bell peppers.

Burgers: Citizen Burger Bar
The modern burger is as American as the assembly line, and don’t let anyone from Hamburg tell you different. Our list of celebrated ethnic foods wouldn’t be complete without something homegrown, and for that we come to Citizen Burger Bar, one of the heartiest, tastiest burgers in town. Go try the Southern, a giant half-pound burger with pimento cheese, yellow mustard, iceberg lettuce and tomato. Eat your fill and take the rest home, or stay and try to wash it down with the bevy of local beers on tap. The place is not strictly a burger joint; they have other fare like chicken, salads, grilled cheeses, truffle fries, and a genuinely delicious vegan burger made from quinoa, millet, and beets. The meats and cheese are locally sourced from Timbercreek Organic farm in Albemarle County and Mountain View Farm in Fairfield respectively. Grass-fed beef and free-range chicken make for a good meal every time.

And there you have it…our take on Charlottesville and its diverse culinary offerings. Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ethnic food around here, so don’t just take our word for it. Get out there and eat!

Eclectic Spaces in Charlottesville

Charlottesville IX Art When we think of living in Charlottesville, our minds tend to conjure up of images of vineyards, breweries, restaurants, sporting events, and high-profile concerts. But there are a few unconventional, out-of-the-way places that have found a home in Charlottesville. We’ll share our favorites here.

Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar

Known affectionately as “The Tea House,” this place and its many hats have been around since 2002. They probably have the city’s biggest selection of tea, a seasonal selection of about 40 different teas from all over the world. It’s also Charlottesville’s only hookah bar, and you’ll probably catch a whiff of traditional Turkish tobacco or a house blend on your way to the bathroom or the back patio. The space and atmosphere are carefully cultivated, whether it be the array of comfy armchairs, the floating wire baskets of fruit, or the “tree,” whose titular, twisted, papier mache branches house stone statuettes, ancient teapots, and books (many about tea). With the exception of one item, their menu is completely vegetarian, with a slew of delicious vegan options as well. And on many nights, expect to catch some live music from some of the most substantive and original underground musicians on the scene–anything punk to hip-hop to indie.

IX Art Park

Charlottesville IX Art Park
Pronounced “-icks,” not “nine,” the IX art park is quite unlike anything else the city has to offer. It’s located in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlottesville (considered the “Brooklyn of Cville” by many), and accessible to anyone from dawn to dusk. Nearly everything you encounter is an exhibit, from the sweeping, variegated murals, to the lifesize windchimes, to the stairs painted like black and white piano keys. At its best, IX is home to a community-minded aesthetic that positions the artist and the audience in the same space. The actual park is outdoors, but it’s flanked by a handful of other shops: a taco joint, a bike shop, and Henley’s auction. The latter deserves its own mention, for having one of the most diverse, far-flung, and at times bizarre collection of antiques, doo-hickeys, knick-knacks, and doo-dads in town, and for having killer electronic/DJ shows on the weekends.

The Bridge PAI

The Bridge Public Arts Initiative began as an ideal, an attempt to marry the ideas of art, expression, creativity with community and civic engagement. They do this by hosting studio art exhibitions, spoken word and poetry performances, and live music out of an awesome space in Belmont. It was founded in 2004 and received non-profit status in 2010. Currently on display: Beyond the Single Story: Using Analog Hypertext to Explore Multiple Perspectives in an Object Study Gallery, an exhibit which displays audience commentary (most often via Post-it note) alongside pieces of art…on display until January 23. The goal is to foster civic relationships through art (any medium). Pretty cool idea.

The Alley Light

Okay, so we did explicitly mention that ideas of living in Charlottesville are inexorably linked to vineyards, breweries, and class bar/restaurants (like this one). So it feels slightly hypocritical to include the Alley Light on this list, but this out-of-the-way place earns a spot due to the fact that it’s virtually hidden. Right next to Revolutionary Soup on 2nd street, off the pedestrian downtown mall, and through (you guessed it) a dimly lit alley, this location cultivates the atmosphere of a 1920s speakeasy, due in part to the soft lighting and down-tempo jazz music. There is something exclusive (but not exclusionary) about a bar whose entrance is concealed…even though anyone can go, it feels like you’re complicit in something slightly mischievous. Enjoy some tasty French cuisine and one of their trademark Mary Lou Mules, a Southern twist on the Moscow Mule cocktail, complete with a copper mug.

Gorilla Theater

Live theater is a lost art, a voice long-since drowned out by the roar of television, the Internet, and Hollywood. But there is no substitute for the spontaneous, improvisatory nature of the stage; being privy to real humans emoting and expressing, mere feet away…it’s a beautiful thing. This small, DIY theater is on Allied St., close to the 250 bypass. The actors, actresses, and directors make little money (and are usually volunteers) who want only to hone their craft and share their gifts with others. These are folks who take chances on original material, people whose gratification comes more from developing a quality performance and less from having people “appreciate” that performance via social media outlets. The shows are a good time, with cheap wine and snacks, and since half the audience ends up being actors/crew, you can get up close and personal after the final act. Speaking of which…the next performance is a stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, playing the last two weekends of this month. Check it out!

Low

Low might be one of the coolest parts about living in Charlottesville. As a consignment shop, its offerings toe the line between quirky and compelling threads you’d never seen before, and reasonably-priced, extremely fashionable stuff you could wear anywhere. As a record store, it’s got some of the most obscure titles you’ve ever seen, little-known gems from forgotten eras, and some roughed-up, original pressings of some of your favorites. We all know that maintaining a record store is a difficult and rarely profitable venture, especially with old releases that aren’t as commercially viable, so seeing people doing it (and doing it so well) gives us hope.

Atlas Comics

BOOM! BZZRRT! KA-POW! Walking into Atlas, the first thing you’ll see is an array of blown-up onomatopoeias on the wall. They lend themselves to what ends up being a pretty immersive comic book experience. This store is for anyone who laments the death of the graphic novel. You’ll quickly see why the art is alive and thriving, with modern-day imaginings of all your old favorite DC and Marvel characters and universes, alongside new heroes and worlds. We even checked out a newer title called Darth Vader and Friends, and it was hilarious. Atlas has been around for a while, and they’ll be here for much longer, albeit at a new location.

Great Activities for Kids in Charlottesville, Virginia

Regardless of if you land in Charlottesville while passing through or if Central Virginia is your home, Charlottesville offers a lot for the young and the young at heart. In this post, we take a look at some fun stuff to do with kids of various ages.

Virginia Discovery Museum
Age range: 1-10
This one is definitely meant for the young ones, but it’s a fun and informative way to spend an afternoon. Since 1986, the Virginia Discovery Museum has been a fixture…from its beginnings in a two-story home near UVa to its current home on the pedestrian walking mall. It’s a non-profit children’s museum with creative programs and exhibits that cover ground in the arts, humanities, sciences, and the outdoors. It’s one floor with two galleries of exhibits connected by a hallway. There are a multitude of attractions:

Keva planks (similar to Jenga) that let kids act out architectural fantasies
A nautical-themed toddler room with a “sunken” pirate ship and puzzles
The kiddie carousel, located on the mall outside of the museum…our personal favorite
VA heritage area; an authentic replica of a central Virginia farm from the 18th century, complete w/ toy stables
Open art studio
Play post office and firehouse

And a rotating cast of other exhibits. Depending on the day you choose to go, you may be privy to such offerings as pay-what-you-will day (every 1st Wednesday), poetry club (every Tuesday), and various December dates featuring some guy called Santa Claus. If Old St. Nick likes the place, it must be pretty great!

Fridays After Five
Age Range: All ages
A few paces from the Virginia Discovery Museum, the nTelos Wireless Pavilion is a haven for local, regional, and nationally-touring bands. In the summer, you can expect a free show every Friday afternoon complete with food, beer, and wine trucks (not free). The concert series boasts an eclectic mix of genres, usually regional bands from the Greater Charlottesville area or bands with some local following. It’s an awesome way for parents and kids to spend quality time together after a long week. It even works for those moody, eye-rolling teenagers; the Downtown Mall is big enough for them to slink away with their friends while you enjoy a glass of wine from one of the vendors. There is no real typical age for this one; some of the people you’ll see are local adults overjoyed at the prospect of a few days off. Some are music nerds, bearing cameras around their necks, notepads in hands, and probably wearing glasses. You can get something called a “Fro-dough” from the Carpe Donut truck…it’s a heaping scoop of frozen yogurt between a donut sliced horizontally. Yes, it is delicious. The music usually goes for a couple of hours and after that, you will find yourselves on a bustling downtown strip with arts and crafts merchants, ice cream, movies, record stores, pawn shops…a pretty solid way to start the weekend.

Main Street Arena
Age Range: 3+
Lumbering on a corner of Water Street in downtown Charlottesville, the Main Street Arena is nearly 40,000 sq ft., centered around a huge ice rink, surely the biggest in the city, probably the biggest in the Greater Charlottesville area. It’s a versatile space, and you can even rent it out for private events when available. The ice skating school will take participants as old as three years of age…it could be the place your toddlers embark on a lifelong journey of grace, athleticism, and icy fulfillment. Of course, they could also fall on their diapers a bunch of times and give up skates forever. But hey, at least they’ll have known it wasn’t meant to be, right? The ice skating instructor is Susan Tuck, a 38-year veteran on the ice. That’s 38 years teaching, mind you. She’s a passionate, dedicated instructor who works with people of all ages, from young children up to adults. It’s probably also worth mentioning that the school is United States Figure Skating Certified, which means it meets national standards for instruction. The arena will indulge practically any sport requiring large amounts of flat ice…we’re talking hockey and curling here; there are options to take lessons in both (and the age range is pretty wide). There are also seasonal camps and clinics and a sports TV room for you to wait for your little ones to finish up. If you’re feeling brave, you can even lace up the skates yourself.

Walnut Creek
Age Range: 7+
A full day at Walnut Creek promises enough adventure to satisfy kids of any age. We encourage you take your chances on this sprawling, 525 acre outdoor paradise…any time from mid-spring to early fall will do. The park is located on land in Albemarle County, just outside Charlottesville. The 45 acre lake is perfect for swimming, canoeing, or fishing (the lakes are stocked with channel catfish, sunfish, and largemouth bass). There are also 15 miles of bike trails which range from beginner to advanced and are a good workout for any young athlete. We hear that kids like frisbees…Walnut Creek offers an 18-hole disc golf course. The park is also rife with amenities like picnic tables and shelters and has some really pretty hiking trails…perfect for tiring out even the most energetic young ones. By the way, we strongly suggest keeping an extra-close eye on the kids when you’re on the trails or near the lakes.

Jump Cville
Age Range: 3+
Trampolines are inherently fun. We don’t think you have to be a kid in order to enjoy the admittedly repetitive activity…if it were feasible, we would have been more than happy to write this entire piece on a trampoline. Alas, physics. Seriously though, this place is great. It has 8,000 square feet with 50 trampolines, angled wall trampolines, foam blocks, basketball hoops, and a dodgeball court. There are designated “open jump” times during the weekends and special periods like “college night” on Wednesday (for the bigger kids). They have a family “power hour” Tuesday and Wednesday from 5-8. We’ve often heard it said that any serious discussions you need to have with your kids go over better when both parties are mid-air half the time. But don’t just take our word for it. By the way, if your kids are under 13, you’ll need to accompany them, and regardless of age, everyone who wants to jump needs to sign a waiver. If you’re a little skeptical about the idea of throwing your younger ones in with a bunch of teens, never fear; the Jumping Beans timeslot is dedicated to kids ages six and under.

Music Resource Center
Age Range: 7th-12th Grade
The MRC has been around since 1995, providing angsty young teenagers with cathartic byways to self-expression that are crucial to that age. It’s a recording studio and practice space with more equipment than you could shake a stick at and a team of industry professionals who know how to use it. More importantly, it’s a place for teens to play music that is objectively bad. Everyone needs a place to sound terrible on his or her instrument, and not all of us are lucky enough to have sound-proof garages or family members who are hard of hearing. The MRC is completely free to all students in the area…all you have to do is drop them off. They can have their band practices there in the studio or work on electronic music using a variety of samplers, sequencers, mixers, etc. Give your kids a few weeks and they’ll be producing music that is objectively not bad, or at least less bad.

IX Art Park
Age Range: All ages
The IX Art Park is like something out of a dream, a kaleidoscopic melange of two and three-dimensional structures. This open air sensory oasis is rife with sculptures, murals, gardens, exhibitions, and eye-catching crafts. Some are solo exhibitions, some group efforts, and some works were spontaneously created in fleeting moments of inspiration. While you may not have much luck explaining the “underlying aesthetic” to your kids, it is a testament to the spirit of community that Charlottesville has cultivated. This one is hard to describe with words…you’ve just got to go into downtown Belmont and see for yourself. It’s free to walk around, open all hours and all days, and is a great place to bring kids. There are also a few shops that surround the park, including a well-known taco shop called Brazos, a bike shop and an awesome auction house.

The University of Virginia
Age Range: All ages
We’ll try to be quick with this one…we almost left it off this list altogether, because it seems almost unnecessary. It goes without saying that a huge, publicly-funded university is going to have something to offer the young ones, so we’ll keep this brief. There’s the McIntire Music Department which puts on a variety of musical performances throughout the year; from jazz to klezmer music, string quartets, electronica and everything in between. There are all the sporting events, giving kids early exposure to NCAA-level athleticism and marrying the idea of community to sports culture. Culbreth Theater and the drama department provide access to some great live theatre, and the 3D/studio art programs are able to bring innovative, interesting exhibits to the Fralin Art Museum and a few other great venues. There’s Morven, a central Virginia farm owned by UVa that features plenty of open-air activities. Trick-or-treating on the Lawn is always a ton of fun; doe-eyed toddlers dressed as Batman standing in awe of the Jeffersonian architecture (and/or the college students). Lighting of the Lawn is another special event at UVa…22,000 lightbulbs are hung up around the university and lit amidst a cappella Christmas carols, poetry recitation, and general holiday cheer. Bring em around here often enough and maybe they’ll want to enroll.

Charlottesville has lots to offer, regardless of whether you are a kid or a kid at heart.

Watch Some UVA Basketball

If you find yourself in Charlottesville between the months of November and March and don’t have tickets to the game at John Paul Jones Arena, you should definitely check out the game somewhere in town.

Champion Brewery, located pretty close to the nTelos Wireless Pavilion, is the old standby for this author, but there are several places to go depending on the type of atmosphere you want. Of course the UVA Corner (which is located right across from Grounds) has a dozen different places to watch the game: Boylan Heights is probably one of the more popular spots. It’s huge, capable of comfortably housing hundreds of basketball fans with (relative) comfort. They’ve got great burgers! The TVs are huge and they play the games with the sound on.

Places like that are popular destinations for the college crowd, but I prefer to be on the Downtown Mall. Citizen Burger Bar serves up huge, half-pound burgers locally sourced from Timbercreek Farm, an organic farm in Charlottesville (notice a burger trend yet?) It doesn’t matter if you’re not a huge fan.

Even folks from the outer reaches of Albemarle, Nelson and other parts of the Greater Charlottesville come out in droves to support UVA. There’s just something so invigorating about UVA’s playing in recent years. It’s a refreshing take on basketball and in many ways it’s what makes college ball so different from the NBA. These are kids…they haven’t lost their passion, they’re still coming into their own.

The defense is exhilarating to watch; guard Malcolm Brogdon’s tenacious man-to-man coverage, center Mike Tobey’s explosive rebounds, or the look in Justin Anderson’s eye when he “turns on” and morphs surreally into a true playmaker. The team hasn’t been this good in a very long time… the last time was in 1981 for Pete’s sake! And the difference among the community is palpable. The air is thick with inflated expectations,dashed hopes and wide-eyed longings.

Check out the 2015/2015 Schedule for game times.

Charlottesville Star Power, Part II

We’re doing it again…if you live in Charlottesville, you probably know (and have likely seen) some of these familiar faces. But if you’re thinking about moving here and buying a home in Charlottesville, it’s only fitting you get to know some of your neighbors. Without further ado, here’s another list of famous faces ‘round the way.

John Grisham, Author, philanthropist
If you didn’t know, you’d hardly expect it out of the private, reserved Grisham, but he is one of the best-selling authors of his generation, alongside people like Agatha Christie, Dan Brown, and J.K. Rowling. Many of his works have been adapted for screens big and small, most notably The Pelican Brief, The Firm, and his first novel, A Time to Kill. He started out as a small-time lawyer in Mississippi but found a true calling in his thrilling legal dramas. He’s also a mainstay at the Virginia Festival of the Book, which comes to Charlottesville in March every year. Grisham is also a philanthropist and activist, sitting on the board of directors for the Innocence Project, donating a million annually to his alma mater Ole Miss, and, in recent years between $1 and $2 million annually through his charity, Oakwood Foundation. That is, by the way named after Oakwood, his farm in Albemarle County, in Covesville. It’s a majestic, 240-acre central Virginia estate with a horse farm and several gardens. He also owns another farm in central Virginia called Riverside. And, in the tradition of Faulkner, he is a former resident of Oxford, Mississippi who now lives in Charlottesville.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Actor, wrestler
A farm in central Virginia…not quite the place you’d expect a multimillion dollar wrestler-turned Hollywood action hero to inhabit. But if you can smell what the Rock is cookin’, it’s probably because you’re in Fluvanna, near his sprawling property east of Charlottesville. Little is known about this domicile, because years of living in the public eye has given Johnson a good idea of how to avoid it. A legion of kids grew up watching the Rock on World Wrestling Entertainment, and in addition to making him the most successful performer in that business, it helped him get the highest salary for a first-time actor in The Scorpion King. From there he was king of the The Fast and the Furious franchise, a bonafide blockbuster series in its time. Since then, the Rock has won over all the hearts that weren’t beating inside the chests of wide-eyed, angst-ridden young boys with their own TVs. He’s done this with a series of roles, some comedy, some action. We can’t tell you what the Rock really does on his Charlottesville farm, but we can tell you that he’s been spotted a few times at Gold’s Gym by various giddy locals, all of whom now have a story about how they beat the Rock in a pickup basketball game. Yea right buddy…us too.

John Kluge, Businessman, philanthropist
It’s difficult to drive through Charlottesville without seeing the Kluge brand somewhere in town. As a philanthropist and entrepreneur, John Kluge gave a lot to this city. He hailed from Chemnitz, Germany and studied economics up at Columbia University. He made most of his money in media and broadcasting, selling the television stations of his Metromedia company in 1986; these went on to form the core of Fox’s television programming. He is remembered today as a philanthropist, giving over $510 million to his alma mater. Most of that money goes to financial aid for underprivileged students, as he was once the beneficiary of scholarships. In Charlottesville, his presence is felt across a broad spectrum of public works. In 2001, he donated his 7,378 acre rural estate in Albemarle County to the University of Virginia. It remains the largest gift ever given to the university. UVa uses Morven Farm to hold classes and seminars, making the most of an opportunity to have agricultural instruction there. As an avid collector of indigenous Australian art, he helped found the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum at UVa. It’s considered one of the finest indigenous Australian collections in the world, even rivaling some in Australia itself. There’s also the Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center (the facilities of which were recently moved by UVa and renamed the Battle Building), and the Kluge Vineyard and Estates, primarily run by his ex-wife and widow Patricia Kluge until it was bought by Donald Trump a few years ago and renamed Trump Vineyards.

Jessica Lange, Actress
Jessica Lange is routinely acknowledged as one of the finest actresses of her generation. She started out in a 1976 remake of King Kong, putting on a string of powerful performances that reinterpreted the role of the damsel-in-distress, the victimized heroine in film. She brought depth to these characters and in many cases restored a sense of autonomy that was rare in the male gaze-ridden Hollywood of the 70s and 80s. In 1982, she became the first performer (male or female) in 40 years to win two Oscar nominations in one year, for Best Actress in a Lead Role (for her portrayal of Hollywood actress Frances Farmer in Frances) and Best Supporting Actress (for her role in Tootsie). After several film roles, she made her Broadway debut playing Blanche DuBois in the Tennessee Williams magnum opus A Streetcar Named Desire. She and actor husband Sam Shepard settled down on a huge Charlottesville farm, raising their children for ten years before moving up to her native Minnesota. They also grew chickens and veggies.

Edgar Allen Poe, Author, poet
Charlottesville’s most famous dropout, Edgar Allen Poe was a master of the macabre in literature, captivating audiences with thrilling, gripping short works wherein the familiar becomes strange and uncanny shapes and characters create a distorted version of reality. Poe is widely considered to have invented the “detective mystery” genre, so someone call John Grisham and tell him to pay homage. His work is dark Romanticism, a response to the burgeoning transcendentalist aesthetic of the time; let’s just say Poe was not making any trips to Walden anytime soon. The poem “The Raven” is probably his most notable piece of work; it tells of a sentient raven and his conversation with a man in distress over unrequited love. These common themes unravel as the poem details the man’s slow descent into madness. The young Poe was orphaned early in life and bounced around places in Virginia before matriculating at UVa in 1826. He was unable to afford tuition and left after a year. There is some speculation as to where exactly his dorm at UVa was located, but most agree it was at 13 West Range. It has been preserved, and its upkeep is seen to by a collection of faculty and students known as the Raven Society. Unlike many of the members on this list (most of whom own Charlottesville farms) Poe died penniless and alone in Baltimore; the life of an avant garde artist.

Eduardo Montes-Bradley, Director, photographer, author
Now a long-time resident of the Ville, award-winning documentarian Eduardo Montes-Bradley grew up in Argentina amidst the political turmoil of the 60s and early 70s before relocating to the U.S. when he was 16. He uses various pen names for different projects. Montes-Bradley dabbled a bit in fiction in the 90s, publishing his last film in that style in 1995 and returning to documentaries in 1997 with a biographical sketch of Osvaldo Soriano, an Argentine journalist and novelist who was exiled from his home country. This eventually grew to become his signature style; indeed Montes-Bradley has crafted many of these biographical profiles, covering a wide range of figures in different fields. He’s lived in Charlottesville for a few years now and is at the helm of the Heritage Film Project at UVa. The Heritage Film Project features biographical essays of varying lengths, all about humanists, scientists, and places at the university. The most recent entry in this series is Monroe Hill, a film which traces the historical context of James Monroe’s first home on land in Albemarle County, and the thirty-year overhaul which led to the estate becoming the center of UVa. It premiered at the Virginia Film Festival earlier this year. He also did a profile of another member on this list, the poet Rita Dove entitled Rita Dove: An American Poet. It talks about the poet’s formative years and details her career in eleven parts including a “prologue” and “epilogue.” This is similar to the formal structure that Dove prefers, evident in her later works. He also contributes heavily to the Writers Made in Brazil series which profiles Brazilian authors, and the Argentine Writers Collection which does the same for Argentine authors. Of these, his film Harto the Borges is quite notable. It’s a documentary on the poet Jorge Luis Borges and includes a rare TV interview with the author. Eduardo Montes-Bradley’s work is also consistently featured in the Virginia Film Festival. Doing Cville proud, to be sure.

Rita Dove, Poet
Rita Dove is deft and versatile. Besides the throwaway designation of “contemporary poetry,” her work really does defy categorization with its breadth and scope. She writes on a variety of topics, some historical, some related to the black experience, some transcendent ideas of maternity, family, the human memory, and love. She is the first African-American Poet Laureate (Robert Hayden held the title before they changed the name), and she’s also a Pulitzer Prize winner and Poet Laureate of Virginia. Her work is very aware and definitely addresses subjects that aren’t very easy to discuss, like bodies and body image. As far as Charlottesville goes, she started teaching here in 1993 and has held the chair of the Commonwealth Professor of English since then. On Grounds (the Charlottesville word for “campus”) she is known for being friendly and approachable, especially with regards to English students, to whom she gives thoughtful, constructive advice. She and her husband Fred Viebahn, a German writer live together outside Charlottesville, on land in Albemarle County.

Chris Long, Pro NFL Defensive End
It was tough to decide between writing about pro Hall of Famer Howie Long or his son Chris, but only one of these men has a Little John’s sub which bears his name, and upon that consideration, the choice was much easier. Chris had some big shoes to fill, but he appears to be doing just fine as the second overall draft pick for the St. Louis Rams in the 2008 NFL Draft. He attended St. Anne’s-Belfield, an independent K-12 day school on 49 acres of land in Charlottesville. In addition to football, he played basketball, lacrosse, and baseball. He matriculated at UVa in 2004 and quickly matured into one of the premier defensive forces in the country, ending his college career all-ACC honors, as team captain, and with 8.3 tackles per game…did we mention they named a sandwich after him? On the Rams, his sheer athleticism is utilized as both defensive end and linebacker, and he got his first sack ever against N.Y. Giants QB Eli Manning. To our knowledge, Eli Manning does not have a sandwich named after him. Manning could not be reached for further comment.

Rob Lowe, Actor
Rob Lowe is a Charlottesville native, born here while his father was attending UVa’s law school. From there it was Dayton, Ohio, Malibu, California, and the life of an actor. His breakout role was in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders, and he went on to cultivate a pretty successful career on both screens. Everyone remembers his role in The West Wing; he played Deputy White House Communications Director Sam Seaborn, who starts out as the main protagonist of the series for the first few seasons until Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet character took over the focus of the show. He was also in Brothers and Sisters, and more recently he’s enjoyed a resurgence of popularity after being cast as the high-energy Chris Traeger in NBC’s hit show Parks and Recreations. Not bad for a guy who spent his early years crawling around Charlottesville in his poopy diapers.