Gayle Harvey Real Estate – Page 9 – Charlottesville VA Real Estate & Luxury Home Living

How These Fluvanna Communities Got Their Names

Fluvanna County is east of Charlottesville land, with a county of over 25,000 people. It’s conveniently located between Cville and Richmond, two distinct hubs of culture and commerce. Present day Fluvanna’s land was part of Henrico County. In 1727, Henrico split and the land became part of Goochland. It was then passed on to Albemarle County in the wake of another split, and finally became Fluvanna County in 1777 during a pivotal time in U.S. history, just a year after the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. “Fluvanna” is the name given to the James River once it’s west of the city Columbia. It means “Anne’s River”; its namesake is Queen Anne of England. The Rivanna River also flows through the county. Here’s a little bit about some of Fluvanna’s communities.

Bremo Bluff

Sitting on the northern bank of the James River, Bremo Bluff was established by the Cocke family all the way back in 1636! At least, that’s when Richard Cocke received a land patent for 3,000 acres along the James. He named it Bremo Bluff in honor of Braemore, the family’s historical home in the United Kingdom. Confederate General Robert E. Lee visited the community during the Civil War; his wife Mary Custis Lee would stay there occasionally, eager to leave the stressful environment of wartime Richmond.

Columbia

At one time it was the last independent town entirely on Fluvanna County land. Columbia dates back to at least 1788, when it was a stagecoach road situated between the cities of Staunton and Richmond. It’s at the confluence of the Rivanna and the James Rivers. Once called Point of Fork, it was the site of a small battle during the Revolutionary War. It was an incorporated community with a mayor until 2015, when it was deincorporated and reabsorbed by Fluvanna County.

Fork Union

Although Columbia is closer to the titular fork, the name of this town is likely a reference to the point at which the Rivanna and the James meet. It’s known for having the only Presbyterian congregation in Fluvanna, and one of the last remaining drive-in theaters in the entire state. It’s also home to Fork Union Military Academy, a private, all-male military boarding school with Baptist affiliation.

Kents Store

We can’t say for sure, but if we had to guess…there was a guy named Kent. He probably owned a store.

Lake Monticello

This is by far the most populous locale in Fluvanna County, with a population of over 9,000. It’s essentially a commuter town for the nearby city of Charlottesville on land 15 miles southeast of the hub. To a lesser extent, it serves the same purpose for Richmond. There’s also a significant part of the population that is retirement age. It’s centered on a lake of the same name.

Palmyra

On the eastern bank of the Rivanna, Fluvanna’s county seat is Palmyra. Its population was only 104 in the 2010 census, but its postal area, the “Greater Palmyra area” is much more populous as it includes the Lake Monticello community. Palmyra was once owned by the Timberlake family. In 1814, Rev. Timberlake had a five-story brick grist mill built, and he it called Palmyra Mills, hence the name. The mill was burned by Union troops in 1865. The Timberlake family and their relatives the Shepard family owned all but four acres of Palmyra until 1854. They leased the 41 other residences, and only they were allowed to own property in a bizarre, quasi-feudal experiment.

Scottsville

Last but definitely not least is Scottsville, the only independent town in Fluvanna. Technically, Scottsville is on land in Fluvanna County and on land in Albemarle County. Early on, in the 18th century it was the westernmost extension of Virginia trade and government, situated on the James River at a point when rivers were the most efficient way to travel long distances. It was originally called Scott’s Landing, and we can only assume someone named Scott landed, or something. Scottsville was very much in the mix when it came to culture and commerce in central Virginia after the Civil War; lots of money from the Shenandoah Valley was coming in, because of a wagon road which linked the town Staunton, and because of its prime location just 19 miles south of Charlottesville land. At one point it was the largest grain market in the state of Virginia. Its proximity to the James is both a blessing and a curse: Scottsville has flooded 21 times since 1870!

How These Six Nelson County Towns Got Their Names

NelsonCountyCourthouse — Nelson County Courthouse

Nelson County makes its home in the Greater Charlottesville area, which means it has access to most of Cville’s metropolitan pursuits, including big-ticket sporting events, world class food, state-of-the-art movie theatres, and high profile concerts. But you won’t need it, because this almost 500 sq mi of land southwest of Albemarle County is one of the most beautiful places in America, with some truly awe-inspiring, unencumbered views of the vast and mighty Blue Ridge Mountains. Nelson County was founded over 200 years ago, in 1807. It was named for Thomas Nelson, Jr., a Founding Father, member of the Continental Congress, governor of Virginia, and founder of the Declaration of Independence. Technically there are no cities or incorporated towns in Nelson, only unincorporated communities. We’ll tell you about some of them here, and explain the stories behind their names.

Afton

Afton is a beautiful stretch of land on the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its history likely dates back to the 19th century, when Claudius Crozet (namesake of the central Virginia town) built a series of tunnels to get a railroad line through the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap. The largest of these tunnels was the 4,723 foot long Blue Ridge Tunnel, an engineering marvel that was the longest tunnel in America at the time. Afton is very near the east end of that tunnel, and local legend holds that Crozet himself suggested the name to railroad officials, probably getting inspiration from Little Afton, a stream in his home of Brooksville. Blue Mountain Brewery is one of Afton’s mainstays, a testament to homegrown, local food and drink, and an example of Charlottesville’s farm-to-table aesthetic at work.

Arrington

This small community is probably most celebrated for hosting the Lockn’ Music Festival every fall on the Oak Ridge estate. Its etymology was a little tough to pin down, but we have a pretty good guess: There appear to have been several people named Arrington in Virginia in the 18th century, many of whom lived and died in Campbell, VA (on Albemarle County land). Perhaps the name of this small village has something to do with them.

Lovingston

Founded in 1807 along with Nelson itself, this community of just over 500 people
has been the county seat since 1809, when the courthouse was built. By the way, that courthouse is still in use today, and its original jailhouse was designed by Thomas Jefferson himself. A 30-acre piece of land was given to the Lovings, an influential family in the area; in turn they gave their name to the community.

Massie’s Mill

Likely named for Revolutionary War Veteran Thomas Massie or one of his descendants, possibly William Massie, whose well-preserved personal letters are the subject of much historical inquiry. Thomas Massie moved to Nelson County in the early 19th century, and his records indicate he “held sway over a diversified system of grain milling and plantation operations that grew into a substantial operation under the management of William Massie” (Stampp 2). It was at ground zero for the devastating Hurricane Camille, considered one of the worst natural disasters to hit the Commonwealth. All of Nelson County was affected, but Massie’s Mill was among the most affected communities.

Nellysford

The Wintergreen Resort on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains makes its home in Nelson County, in this community. The legend goes that a woman named Nelly drowned trying to cross (or “ford”) a stream somewhere in the Rockfish Valley area. Now it’s home to some of the more popular breweries in central Virginia; Bold Rock Hard Cider, Devils Backbone, and Wild Wolf Brewery.

Schuyler

Originally called Walker’s Mill, the little village was renamed Schuyler in 1882; both names were in honor of Schuyler George Walker, a miller and the town’s first postmaster. Towards the end of the 19th century, Schuyler was known for its stone cutting plant, which milled soapstone from nearby quarries on behalf of the Alberene Stone Company. It was hit by the Great Depression and this industry was decimated. This is also the birthplace of Earl Hammer, Jr. a writer who based the CBS television show The Waltons on his experiences growing up in Depression-era Schuyler.

Works Cited

Stampp, Kenneth M., ed. “Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War.” The Journal of American History Series G: Selections from the Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin, Part II 76.4 (1990): 1342. University Publications of America. Web.

Barracks Road in Charlottesville VA

Albemarle Barracks: A Piece of the Revolution Lives in Charlottesville

Ever wonder how Barracks Road got it’s name? Now home to grocery stores, restaurants, and houses, the area was once home to an army barracks. It used to house prisoners of war during the American Revolution. British General John Burgoyne suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of American soldiers in the Battle of Saratoga (1777). In the aftermath of the battle, the colonies took 4,000 prisoners (2,000 British soldiers, 1,900 Hessian (German mercenary) soldiers and 300 women and children.) The original plan was to house them in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but the Continental Congress decided to send them south instead. One of the Congressmen, Colonel John Harvie/Harvey had property in Albemarle County, on land north of Charlottesville, and he offered it up.

In Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War, author Michael Kranish writes about the barracks in some detail. Thomas Jefferson believed that the influx of these soldiers would bolster the city’s economy, and he had high hopes for the cultural offerings of the British and Hessian officers. In addition to a great many talents, Jefferson was an avid violinist, and in the prisoners, he hoped to find some musical peers. Despite good intentions, the encampment was ill-equipped to handle 4,000 new people. Morale was already low among the prisoners after a long, exhausting journey south, and seeing the condition of the barracks didn’t help. However, the British and Hessian soldiers made a home in Charlottesville, fixing up the embankment, raising livestock, building a store, a cafe, bar, church, and even a theater! They essentially assimilated to the idyllic nature of life in Charlottesville.

In the Hessians, Jefferson finally found musicians with whom he could play. He also formed friendships with the German Baron Frederick von Riedesel and British General William Phillips, commanding officers of the defeated troops. And he estimated that the city was generating the modern-day equivalent of $300,000 a week because the prisoners were being housed in Charlottesville. However the embankment was not well-equipped. Most of the improvements were made by the prisoners themselves, and they had no real incentive to make the place secure. They were treated well by Jefferson and his men, but the barracks were infamous for allowing prisoners to escape. Prisoners were even allowed to go into the city, developing a familiarity with the surroundings that could have been advantageous in a British attack on the city. Eventually Jefferson received an angry correspondence from General George Washington, who claimed that several British and Hessian soldiers were simply walking around the streets unguarded, making themselves at home in Charlottesville. Many Hessian soldiers simply left the embankment, found American jobs and wives, and settled down. In 1779, Jefferson had become governor of Virginia, and so Washington held him directly responsible. Eventually General Phillips and Baron von Frederick were exchanged for two American officers. The following year, Jefferson closed the barracks. The remaining prisoners were sent north to Frederick Maryland, or Winchester. In 1781, Phillips returned to Virginia with the traitor Benedict Arnold to capture Jefferson. TJ narrowly escaped Richmond as it burned.
Today, the original site of the barracks is located on private property north of Charlottesville. It’s recognized by a Virginia state historical marker. In 1983, the Albemarle County Historical Society built a plaque commemorating the barracks. To see the marker, head west of town on Barracks Road to Barracks Farm Road. The marker is a little north of Ivy Farm Drive.

5 Smart Home Gadgets You Never Knew You Needed

In this day and age, anything is possible. We’re talking hoverboards, self-driving cars, and virtual reality video games. Why shouldn’t your home keep up? Many homes in Charlottesville are equipped with smart home technology, and some of these products can go a long way towards making your life easier.

Nest Learning Thermostat ~$245.00

If you live in Charlottesville, you’re no stranger to the mid-Atlantic temperature flux. After a long day at work, the first few moments you spend in your home will often set the tone for the rest of your evening. It’s nice to walk into a house that’s exactly as warm or cool as you want it, and the Nest Learning Thermostat is quick to pick up on your habits. After an easy installation, you can start controlling the temperature remotely via Wi-Fi and a free app (which is available on multiple devices). The cool thing about this device is that over time, it becomes accustomed to your preferences without manual input. If you like it at 68 during the daytime and a little warmer at night, it’ll pick up on that. Eventually it becomes sensitive to the hours when the house is empty, and will adjust temperature to save power. It can differentiate between weekday and weekend preferences with just as much ease. It even takes your home’s heating system into account. If, for example, your forced-air radiant system takes 30 minutes to reach your desired temperature, it’ll start 30 minutes before you get home, but if it takes 10 minutes to get your furnace going, it’ll start 10 minutes before. Sometimes we think it knows us better than we know ourselves.

iRobot Roomba 980 ~$899.99

The Roomba has been around for a while; it’s the little vacuum cleaner that could. If it has to take a break to charge its batteries (which it does automatically), it’ll pick up exactly where it left off. The AeroForce Cling System with Carpet Boost uses 10 times the power on carpets and rugs to get a really deep clean. It also features tangle-free extensions to prevent clogging from hair and debris. The iAdapt Response Navigation system imbues the Roomba with an almost eerie sense of self-awareness, helping it avoid (but not climb) stairs. Like many of these smart home products, it comes with an app that allows you to program a schedule, so you can get your vacuuming done when no one’s home, at night, or on the way home (but will you beat your in-laws there?) The 980 literally creates a virtual map of the area as it goes, and refers back to it. It’s also cordless and bagless, so it really can go anywhere…except stairs. They haven’t gotten there yet.

tattletale Security Device Model #CU Kit 2 ~$558.00

Okay, if you’re reading this, you probably live in Charlottesville, or are thinking about buying a home in the Charlottesville area. Crime is everywhere today. And it only takes one incident to change your life completely, so there is absolutely no harm in being prepared. Enter the tattletale, possibly the most thorough smart home security system on the market today. This completely wireless, portable alarm system comes with three sensors (though you can add an additional 47). Its 20-hour backup battery will keep you safe even in the midst of a power outage. The military-grade plastics make this system tamper proof. Each sensor has a built-in motion sensor that scans 90 degrees around and up to 300 ft. away. The pet mode lets your pets wander and roam without triggering the alarm. If something does trip the system, it emits sirens and strobe lights to let you know; often, those features alone are enough to frighten potential intruders. The emergency response is activated in 6/10ths of a second, and unlike most systems, it’s not reliant on a phone line, so you’ll be assured that help is on the way. Add all this to a touchscreen and intuitive user interface, and the tattletale definitely ranks as one of the finest home security systems on the market.

Sonos Play: 5 ~$499.99

Awesome, high-quality tunes in every room? This is every music lover’s perfect gadget. We’re fully willing to admit that you can see great local, regional, and nationally touring acts live in Charlottesville every weekend, but sometimes you want crisp, clear, high-fidelity sounds right in your living room (or kitchen, or bathroom, or laundry room). Enter the Sonos Play: 5, one of the company’s most sophisticated systems yet. You control the music completely through the phone, tablet, or device of your choosing, so once the speakers are installed, they stay there, and you can add as many Sonos speakers as you want. The material is humidity resistant, so you can finally sing along to your favorite songs in the shower. Sonos’ technology is perfect for a house divided, and let’s face it…there’s a good chance that your kids hate your music. Eventually they’ll come to realize how great Johnny Cash is, but until they do, each speaker has the capability to play something different. If everyone’s on the same page, the system can play the same music throughout the house; it’s completely up to you. The software updates automatically, and with six synchronized drivers, you’re not compromising quality for convenience. The music sounds as good as it does anywhere else, and with zero audible distortion, you can crank it up LOUD!

Toto MS982CUMG-12 Neorest 550H ~$3,520.99

We’ve arrived at our final smart home product. We know you’re excited to see what could compare to robots that take care of the vacuuming or thermostats that predict your temperature preferences. Well you better be sitting down for this one…because it’s a toilet. Not just any toilet. This porcelain throne comes with a ton of features to optimize the Sacred Ritual. The cyclone siphon jet flushing system is incredibly energy efficient. The surfaces are coated in SanaGloss ceramic glaze, which prevents mold and debris from sticking, keeping your toilet clean with fewer chemicals and less water. It’s also essentially hands-free, with auto-flush technology and motion sensors that open and close the lid for you. In true Japanese style, it’s got washlet cleansing features. It also comes with a remote control and dock, and the heated seat is adjustable, so you can cultivate the perfect experience. The built-in air purifier actually kind of works, and the nightlight makes it helpful during the potty-training period.

And with that we wrap up the five best smart gadgets that we’ve seen!

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.

Shenandoah Valley Farm Wins Big

Shenandoah Valley Farm Wins Wall Street Journal House of the Weel Our listing, Still Ridge Farm in the Shenandoah Valley, was selected as the Wall Street Journal’s House of the Day last Thursday. On Friday, it was put up for public vote against some very stiff competition as the Wall Street Journal’s House of the Week. The competitors were a triplex with a rooftop terrace overlooking Paris, an architecturally designed townhome in Manhattan and a retreat overlooking the Pacific Ocean in New Zealand. Still Ridge beat out the competition! This is the type of marketing and exposure we like to produce for our seller clients. Selling Virginia Farms with Great Marketing is what sets Gayle Harvey Real Estate apart from the competition.

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.

Winter Worsts: Frozen Pipes are No Fun

The cold, hard reality is that winter will soon descend onto the land in the Greater Charlottesville area. And the Virginia winters of late have been unpredictable, the weather shifting from benign to blizzardous in the blink of an eye. With winter approaching, anyone who owns property in Charlottesville should be thinking about their pipes. Most houses with pipes that freeze tend to be of new construction but older homes with little insulation have their share of frozen pipes as well.So we know that pipes freeze and burst because of the weather, at the simplest explanation. Ice forms along the pipe, expanding. Water is a generally incompressible substance and so when the ice starts to expand, pressure builds up in the pipes and this causes the pipes to rupture. It all has to do with increasing water pressure in a confined location. So we know we want to keep the water away from its freezing point. How do we do this?

You want to leave the pipe exposed to the warmth from inside the house, usually by placing the pipe in interior walls. If the pipe is in an exterior wall, builders should try to position it between a warm room and some insulation; it’s cooler than the room but still above freezing in most cases. You or your builder may have to resort to using heat trace on your pipes. Heat trace is a resistance heating tape that gets wrapped directly around the pipe. It’s pretty pricy and requires electricity, so if the storm that hits is so bad it cuts the power off, the trace won’t be of much use.

Then there’s always insulating the pipe. It’s something you always want to do, and tend to do to varying degrees based on how cold you expect your house to get. Prevent freezing by slowing conduction (cooling coming directly from the walls) and convection (cooling coming from the cold air). The “wind-chill effect” from the convection of cold air is usually mitigated if insulation is present. For most wintry climates, inexpensive foam insulation will suffice…although there is always the heat trace for extra protection. Insulated materials are rated by their “R-value”: resistance to heat flow. There’s also K-value, a measure of conductivity/inch of material. If you’re really looking to secure your pipes this winter, think about molded fiberglass insulation with a plastic outer wrapping.

There’s also a device called a water shut off valve that senses leaks and cuts off the water main when detected. There are also air chambers; if measured and distributed effectively along the length of the pipe, they can handle the elevated fluid pressure caused by freezing. The air chambers have a reservoir of highly compressible gas which creates a cushioning effect, counteracting the elevated water pressure that causes pipes to burst.

Pipe Materials

Pipes are made from many different materials, all of which have positive and negative attributes. Here’s our brief breakdown.

Copper: Copper is king of pipe material. It’s been used as the standard for piping in the U.S. for 80 years, and many of those pipes are still going strong today. Copper is a very good conductor, so it’s likely to benefit from warm interior conditions and any residual heat, but it can also get cold very quickly if exposed to cold air. Insulation can sometimes block the pipes from getting heat quickly, or if there are gaps in the length of insulation, the heat will flow to those cold areas. But the longevity of copper can’t be disputed. It’s also the most expensive option.

Pex: Crosslinked polyethylene is a pretty flexible material that usually runs from fixture to source in a single straight line. Since it’s so flexible, it has the potential to freeze and thaw without the pipes ever rupturing, making it a good choice for cold climates.

PVC: These are firm pipes, whose walls are thicker than copper. They are poor conductors, and so tend to be more resistant to fluxes in temperature, even with insulation flaws. They can definitely expand a bit with increased fluid pressure, but don’t have as much flex as pex (ha). Also, the colder it gets, the more brittle this material becomes, so it’s not bulletproof.

You know the old saying. “An ounce of prevention…”