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Hello, Charlottesville.
Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.
One of my first major assignments as a young C-VILLE Weekly employee was in 2009: a blog focusing on the rebricking of the Downtown Mall. C-VILLE’s intern and I covered everything from the significant (budget, timeline) to the silly (a brick fashion show, inspired by the ramps the city installed for retailers, which we—a stretch, perhaps, but it was a slow news day—thought resembled runways) and, in the process, took a completely undeserved but totally genuine sense of ownership of the Mall.
In truth, I have no more claim over the Mall than you do, but that’s part of why the place feels special: No one person owns it, but so many of us feel invested in it. We want it to succeed.
As CM Turner’s cover story (p.19) reveals, the Mall’s designers envisioned more than a shopping district. They imagined a place where people could gather, linger, interact, and help shape the experience of being downtown.
Moreover, they understood something that still feels true today: Places shape people, but people shape places, too. The Downtown Mall’s next 50 years will depend on how well we remember that. Even on the slow news days.
This week’s contributors
CM Turner brings nearly 20 years of experience working in galleries, museums, studios, and schools to bear in his efforts to expand appreciation for and understanding of contemporary art and culture. His work has been published by AEQAI, Report Magazine, and Undermain. Read his work on page 19.
Sarah Lawson is a writer and visual artist living in Nelson County. The child of two librarians, Lawson has always loved books of all kinds. They write about local authors and books that have a connection to the Charlottesville community. Read their work on page 39.
Hey, thanks! These generous benefactors of C-VILLE have supported our work through our (now tax-deductible!) Save the Free Word campaign. To contribute, follow the QR code.
Towns Ackerman
Susan Albert
Mary Allen
Pat Allinson
Catherine Anninos
Elaine Attridge
Jim & Gwen Baber
Lori Balaban
Timothy Bambury
Catherine Barnes
Julie Basic
Susan Battani
John & Nancy Baum
Josh Baumann
Jennifer Beachley
Mayanna Bean
Terry Belanger
Susan Bender
Denise Benson
Anne Bergamesca
Rebecca Berlin
Kim Biasiolli
Patrick Bird
Diane Bisgaier
Mary Ann Bournos
Paddy Bowman
Olivia Branch
Paul Brewer
Susan Brickman
Christine Bridge
Claudia Murray
Brindle
Colette Brown
David Brown
Dee Brown
Jack Brown
Sumner Brown
Kate Buford
Cathleen Burgess
Carol Burger
Patricia Burkett
David Calhoun
Michael Callahan
Linda & Pat
Canzanelli-Dantona
Brian Carlton
Helen Cathro
Janelle Catlett
James Clark Jr.
Diane Cluck
Karen Collins
Lorraine Collins
Todd Cristian
Beth Croghan
Margaret Crone
Emily Currier
Genny Dalton
Maria-Eugenia
Dalton
Charles Dassance
Lynne DeCora
Pam & Peter Dennison
Nancy Dettor
Martha Donnelly
Helene Downs
Vincent Draddy
Charlotte Drummond
Louise Dudley
Lee Elberson
Jane Elmore
Karen Emmitt
Ken Engebretson
Elizabeth Engle
Rosa Ellen English
Gail Esterman
Joe Ethier
Barbara Febey
Tom & Anna Ferrell
M. Fife
Jon Fink
Lavonne Fitts
Kevin Foley
Barbara Fornoff
Joan Forrest
Amy Gardner
Georgia Garrett
Thomas Garrison
Greg Gelburd
Gerald Giammatteo
David & Janna Gies
Karen Goertler
Donna Goings
Stephanie Goodwin
Evie Gorman
Trice Gravatte
Andrew Greeley
Jennifer Grover
Cara Hall
Kendra Hall
Jeremy HarrisMcDonnell
Wiliam Harvey
Madeleine Hawks
Ann Marie Haynes
Mary Haynes
Elain Heffelfinger
Chris Hellings
Ted Heneberry
Stephen Herrick
John Heyser
Ezra Hitzeman
Katherine Hoffman
JoAnn Hofheimer
Lisa Hogan
Gina Hogue
Laura Horn
Christina Horton
Robert Inlow
Deb Jackson
Garth Jensen
Nina Johnston
Nicole Jones
Diane Jones
Janet Jospe
Jane Kamensky
Marina Kelley
Brian Kelly
Trish Kenney
Tom & Sue Kirk
Kathryn Kluge
Julie Lacy
Marcia Langsam
Jacalyn LaPierre
Aaron Lawrence
Eric & Diane Lawson
Elizabeth Lawson
Frances Lee-Vandell
David Lemon
Linda Lester
Sean Libberton
Angeline Lillard
Peppy Linden
Jessica Lino
D. Little
Phillip Long
Rob Lynch
Catherine Maguire
Greg Mallard
James Mandell
Jeff Martin
Virginia Masterson
Jeanne & Bob
Maushammer
Erin Mayer
Grant McDowell
Kieran Mcdowell
Mary McIntyre
Gretchen McKee
John McLaulin
Ruth McWilliams
James Mernin
Nicolas Mestre
Pat Meyer-Peterson
Tim Michel
Parthy Monagan
Linda Monahan
Vic Monti
Hilary Moorman
Michael Morency
Harold E. Morgan
Michael Moriarty
Catherine Moynihan
Jim Mummery
Karen Myers
Sara Myers
Monica Newby
Jennifer Newell
Sandy Newhouse
Scott & Chris
Newsham
Kathy O’Connell
Dennis O’Connor
Diane Ober
Cynthia Van Osch
Annette Osso
Laila Ouhamou
Annette Owens
Timothy Palmer
Michael Pantano
Dashton Parham
Beale Payne
Susan Payne
Amanda Peacock
Peacock
Perdue
Pevsner
Pudhorodsky
Pugh
Quenichet
Tim Ryan Carol Gilbert Sacks
Audrey Sarate
Dennis Scannell Claudia Scenna
Joan Schatzman Sandra Schmidt
Schultz
Karen Schuyler Wendy Seay
Seitz Angilee Shah
Chuck Shelton
Paul Shettel
Vaden Shields
Jeanne Siler
John Smith
Kristina Smith
Rod Smith
Meredith Smoot
Diane Snustad
Mickey Speck
Maria Spence
Jim Spencer
David Stackhouse
Mariah Steele
Rod Stoner
Robert Strickland
Jeff Strider
Deborah Strong
Nichole Taylor
Tim Taylor
William Terrell
Emily Thiede
Reid Thompson
W. McIlwaine Thompson Jr. Prue Thorner
John Titus
Jessica Tobin
Erica Toy
Rose Trapnell
Jill Trischman-Marks
Susan Uland
Darlene VanEvery Rick Vergot
Christina Walker
Leslie Walker
Steven Ward
David Waters
Chris Waugaman
Phoebe Weseley
Kelly West
Gary & Anne Westmoreland
Richard Wiedemann
John Whitlow
Stephen Whitman Jay Wildermann
Marcia Wilds
Andrew Wolf
Natalie Yancey
Suzanne Yeaman
Nura Yingling
Kelly Zalewski
Kathleen Zenker
IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURE 20
Forward motion
How dance shaped the creation of the Downtown Mall 50 years ago.
NEWS 9
9 City addresses sanitation concerns at unhoused encampment
12 Are local regs slowing construction of ADUs?
13 Atlanta has its own Dewberry problem
15 Real Estate: Dominion wants to increase power line height
CULTURE
33 : Babe en brings high-energy punk : Lara Call Gastinger’s
Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, Matt Jones, Sarah Lawson, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Jake Solyst,
46 Sudoku 47 Crossword 51 Free Will Astrology
P.S. 54
Writer Andrew Moore in The HotSeat
Thank you to Tim Hess of Oak Valley Custom Hardscapes for helping us get our hands on the Downtown Mall bricks that we used for this week’s cover image.
CONTACT US: P.O. Box 119, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
JULY 18: Alison Krauss & Union Station ft. Jerry Douglas with Special Guest Theo Lawrence
JULY 26: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Benefiting the Charlottesville Free Clinic
Aug 19: Dominic Fike
SEPT 5: WNRN Presents: Charley Crockett Age of the Ram Tour with Nat Myers
SEPTEMBER 8: Sierra Ferrell A WNRN 30th Anniversary show Support from The Brudi Brothers
SEPTEMBER 22: Rainbow Kitten Surprise
SEPTEMBER 24: Sam Barber
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
Mary Jae Abbitt
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ENVIRONMENT NEWS
As the unhoused encampment by the Rivanna River near Free Bridge grows, so have community concerns about sanitation—even though recent tests show very low levels of harmful bacteria in the water downstream. New temporary facilities provided by the city could help both the river and its new residents until Charlottesville can find a better solution.
The city has placed two portable toilets, two handwashing stations, and a large garbage container on city-owned land leased by the Rivanna River Company south of Free Bridge, between the northern and southern portions of the encampment.
Gabe Silver, Rivanna River Co. cofounder, says the new amenities started arriving June 17. His company’s part of a public spaces working group, along with other local advocates, who’ve been working with the city for four months to add portable toilets. Silver says the toilets will be checked, cleaned, and restocked three times a week.
“I think the growth of the encampments on the Rivanna River are definitely giving people pause, and definitely hurting the brand of the Rivanna River, in terms of a pleasant recreational resource,” Silver says. “We’d love to see much better outcomes for the folks that are living down here and much better outcomes for the riverfront in general.”
City Parks & Recreation staff emptying garbage cans and cleaning up debris near the bridge say that trash there gets picked up daily. The city’s also set up sharps disposal boxes for used needles, but one Parks & Rec employee says he’s still finding needles bagged up and thrown in the garbage.
As of June 19, several encampment residents C-VILLE spoke to hadn’t yet heard of the new facilities. “That’s nice to know,” says Jerry Gentry, who installed gutters before drug use derailed his career. At his neat, well-kept tent, with a stone-lined path cleared through the encampment’s high summer weeds, Gentry says he’s mostly
“We’d love to see much better outcomes for the folks that are living down here and much better outcomes for the riverfront in general,” says Rivanna River Co. co-founder Gabe Silver.
been using the bathroom at local businesses, and bathing in the river.
On the south end of the encampment, Dontae Jones says having accessible bathrooms close by is more convenient than his previous routine. “I would go to The Haven or something up the street,” says Jones, who’s been living at the encampment for nearly a year. “The Haven or any establishment that’s gonna allow a person to come in and use the bathroom, as long as you keep it clean and stuff, like, clean up after yourself.”
Though Silver says his staff have found more debris in the river since the encampment began, its presence doesn’t seem to be hurting the river’s water quality. For a decade now, “my staff, our tens of thousands of customers, my children, my children’s friends— we have all used the Rivanna River,” he says. “So we’re running this experiment of, is this healthy water to swim in, and we have never had someone get sick from the river.”
The nonprofit Rivanna Conservation Alliance regularly tests water samples from 21 sites along the Rivanna and its tributaries.
IN BRIEF
All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)
The nearest testing site downstream from the encampment, at Riverview Park, found approximately 73.3 counts of E. coli bacteria per 100 mL of water on June 18, well below Virginia’s water quality standard for recreation (410 counts per 100 mL).
The current drought may explain those healthy readings. “It is usually only when we have heavy rainfall that E. coli levels become temporarily elevated in the Rivanna River,” says Lisa Wittenborn, the alliance’s executive director. Rain and runoff can flush animal waste from surrounding land, or human waste from leaking sewer pipes, into the river, driving bacteria levels up.
“When this happens, E. coli levels generally return to baseline within 48 to 72 hours,” she says. “No samples taken at Riverview in 2026 have reached or exceeded the water quality standard, likely due to the very dry weather conditions we are experiencing.”
“That being said, we’re sort of sitting in that position on the Rivanna riverfront right now where a flood would be really problematic environmentally and potentially tragic on a human scale, depending on its intensity,” Silver says.
“The Rivanna is a small river close to a mountain range, and so it rises quickly,” he says. “It would typically crest within 24 hours of a rain event, sometimes much quicker than that. In 2018, we saw the river rise to a point where it would have swept away most of the encampments that are here. It rose probably in eight hours to that level overnight.”
Wittenborn agrees, citing floods at or above the encampment’s current elevation in 2024 and 2025. In addition to the human toll, such flooding could sweep garbage from the camp into the river. “Once things get washed into the river,” Wittenborn says, cleaning it up “gets much more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.”
Encampment residents didn’t seem to have solid plans for what they’d do if the river rose, beyond hoping it wouldn’t. Asked what he’ll do if a flood hits, camper Forrest Jarred says simply, “I’ll float away.”
Chilling effect Witnesses report Greene County sheriff’s deputies and ICE personnel making mass arrests in Ruckersville June 23, despite new state laws forbidding most cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. Plaque removal Court Square Enslavement Memorial group asks City Council to restore a marker, removed in 2002, denoting where the city once auctioned off enslaved people. Heil damage Vandals break a window and post flyers at the Tesla dealership in Stonefield, in apparent protest of openly white supremacist Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Job posting With full- and part-time positions open, the U.S. Postal Service will hold a job fair at Northside Library at 1pm on June 25. Your stop? If the mail’s not your style, consider getting behind the wheel of a city bus at Charlottesville Area Transit’s hiring open house July 11. Power hungry UVA’s planned-for-2029 data center at Fontaine Research Park swells to three floors, adding $30 million to its previous $72 million price tag. Safe ’crackers Please, please, the Charlottesville Fire Department reminds residents, do not set off fireworks within city limits, especially during a severe drought, because that is dangerous and illegal
NEWS HOUSING Built in
ADUs: what they are, what they cost, and how to get them built BY
For years, discussions of zoning and affordable housing in Charlottesville have invariably thrown around the acronym “ADU.” Part of the abbreviation, “dwelling unit,” is generally agreed upon. There is decidedly less consensus about what the “A” stands for: additional, accessory, or affordable.
ADU generally refers to an additional or accessory unit built on a property that already has at least one dwelling. Charlottesville’s latest zoning code allows for many residentially zoned lots to add more units than previously allowed. Those units can then be rented for additional income, or used by the property owners as an additional space.
The reality of building additional or accessory units on an already occupied lot is more expensive than many homeowners expect, says Chris LeBlanc, owner of NOLA Builds. “When you’re talking about building something outside of footprint, you’re practically just building a house. Except you’re going to do it in somebody’s backyard, usually while they live there,” he says. “We have to be pricing it not like a new construction, but more like a remodel.”
Homeowners looking to add another unit onto their property often endure sticker shock, according to LeBlanc and NOLA Builds COO Andrew Baxter. In the last 1218 months, the company has had 10 project leads on additional dwelling units. Three of those leads have resulted in contracts, ranging in cost from $280,000 to $400,000.
Allowing for more density is a key part of the city’s effort to increase affordable housing supply. While building new dwellings adds to the supply of homes, it is not itself affordable, says Baxter.
“Charlottesville is 10.4 square miles, [you’re] not getting any more land in the city, so it’s either going to go up or get more dense, or both,” says Baxter. “You can make the argument that maybe those ADUs are part of the missing middle, and I think
CATIE RATLIFF
that’s a valid argument to pursue. It is more housing … But is it super affordable? No.”
Beyond the cost of construction and logistical challenges, LeBlanc and Baxter say the permitting and inspection process in Charlottesville can be a roadblock when building additional dwelling units.
On its end, the city has reportedly been working to streamline the process for smaller residential projects, according to Development Planning Manager Matthew Alfele.
Alfele primarily deals with larger development projects that require more meetings with city officials, but estimates there are approximately seven applications for residential construction of additional units every month.
“If you’re building a unit in your backyard, you don’t have to go through development review. For up to two units, you can go straight to building permit, but we do our zoning check at building permit,” he says.
After an application for a building permit is submitted, it is reviewed by the city planner, then goes for a technical review. There are more permits and inspections required down the line, but Alfele says that roughly six months from initial application to certificate of occupancy is the norm.
Both the city and NOLA Builds report steady, but modest, interest in ADUs of all forms. Looking forward, LeBlanc and Baxter see opportunities to further simplify the process, and in turn reduce costs and timelines for construction, by creating preapproved plans in the city, or by taking a more modular approach to the building process.
“Just in the last 18 months, we’ve learned a lot from the projects that we’ve done, and so we’re getting better at helping people navigate that [ADU] space,” says Baxter. “I’m sure the localities will get better at it … but none of the elements of what we’ve seen in terms of planning and development in our area in the last few years is a magic bullet, and the same thing is true of ADUs.”
Back to the polls!
Early in-person voting for both party primaries is underway in Virginia through August 1.
In Charlottesville, votes can be cast on weekdays between 8:30am and 4:30pm. at the Office of Voter Registration, located on the first floor of City Hall Annex at 120 Seventh St. NE. Sunday voting runs from noon to 5pm on July 19 and 26.
Saturday voting in both Charlottesville and Albemarle is available from 8:30am to 5pm on July 25 and August 1. Both localities will be closed Friday, July 3.
Albemarle County residents can cast an early in-person ballot at the Fifth Street County Office Building from 8:30am to 5pm Monday through Friday. Sunday voting for the county will be held July 19 and 26 from 11am to 4pm.
More information on voting is available at elections.virginia.gov. The deadline to register to vote is July 24. Primary election day is August 4.—Catie Ratliff
Haas officially out
Former superintendent Matthew Haas is out at Albemarle County Public Schools, with his resignation effective June 20.
In a press release announcing his exit, ACPS said Haas will receive his salary and benefits through June 2027—including a previously approved raise and an $800 bonus. The 3.75 percent raise goes into effect on July 1, bringing his salary to $257,165.67.
Haas’ contract with the county included severance pay and benefits to be made available “in the event of resignation or termination without cause.”
Before Haas officially left, ACPS nominated Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Chandra Hayes to serve as acting superintendent on June 17. Her appointment to the temporary role is contingent upon a vote by the school board.—CR
Blight flight
Atlanta City Council agrees to impose heavy tax penalty on unfinished Dewberry office building BY SEAN TUBBS
More than 17 years have passed since construction stopped on a luxury hotel in the middle of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall—and there are no active initiatives to move the project forward or move on.
“The building is currently being marketed for sale by commercial brokers on behalf of the owner,” said Charlottesville Economic Development Director Chris Engel in an emailed response to a question about the property’s status.
A development group led by Halsey Minor broke ground on the project in March 2008 but lost financing during the economic downtown of that year. The unfinished project was sold at auction in August 2012.
Atlanta-based John Dewberry purchased the incomplete skeleton and a quarter acre of land through a subsidiary for $6.25 million. At the time he said he would turn his attention to Charlottesville after completing a similar project in Charleston, South Carolina.
Dewberry lived up to that promise and submitted new plans to the Board of Architectural Review in 2017 that sought to add another story to the top. That March, City Council voted 4-1 to provide assistance to get the project unstuck by providing parking spaces and incentives. Engel and others worked to give a property tax rebate, but Council voted 3-2 against that idea in December. There’s been nothing official since then.
The inaction might sound familiar to nearby residents of a Dewberry-owned office building in midtown Atlanta, who have organized a petition demanding action.
“The abandoned high-rise construction site at Peachtree and 14th streets in Midtown Atlanta, including the longidle tower crane and exposed structure, has remained a visible concern for years in the center of one of Atlanta’s busiest and most densely populated districts,” reads the petition on change.org that has over 2,700 signatures.
The 22-story building was originally opened in 1987 and Dewberry began a renovation in 2019 that stalled a year later. A safety inspection in March found several violations, which were addressed by the company. But Atlanta City Council took notice and agreed unanimously on June 15 to impose a severe penalty authorized by an ordinance adopted in 2024.
“A blight tax can be applied to properties that remain in a blighted condition for an extended amount of time, equivalent to twentyfive (25) times the current City general operating levy millage rate,” reads the resolution.
How the process in Atlanta will work out remains to be seen, as this is the first time the blight ordinance has been imposed.
This option does not really exist in Virginia, according to Senator Creigh Deeds, who called the project a public nuisance that should be condemned.
“At least steps to stay condemnation would bring the owner to the table,” Deeds said in an email.
Meanwhile, the city appears satisfied that the long-unfinished building is not a threat to the public at 201 E. Water St.
“We have a structural study dated March 2017 that states the structure is in good condition,” Engel said in an email on June 5.
The Downtown Mall’s long-unfinished Dewberry Hotel “is currently being marketed for sale by commercial brokers on behalf of the owner,” said Chris Engel, director of economic development.
REAL ESTATE NEWS
Power play
Objections to increasing height of 20-mile
Charlottesville-Gordonsville line BY SEAN TUBBS
Aproposal to build a new electric transmission line between Campbell and Culpeper counties has prompted elected officials in both Fluvanna and Louisa to take steps to oppose its construction, including setting aside money for a potential legal battle.
Now the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has taken a step to allow residents along the route of an existing power line an additional opportunity to object to its expansion.
“Dominion is proposing to the State Corporation Commission to rebuild to double and triple the sizes of the current power lines that go through Hollymead, the Forest Lakes area, through Pantops, all the way up to Gordonsville, through Keswick,” said Supervisor Bea LaPisto-Kirtley at the June 15 Board meeting.
According to a fact sheet for the project published in February, an existing 20-mile line between Charlottesville and Gordonsville would be rebuilt from a 230-kilovolt, to add a second circuit that would double capacity to meet additional demand.
“Your area, as well as other communities throughout Virginia, is experiencing growing energy needs,” reads the fact sheet. “This updated proposal utilizes the existing right of way as much as possible and uses advanced conductors on the new structures.”
However, the new towers will have an average height of 116 feet, much taller than the current average height of 56 feet. Dominion filed its proposal with the SCC on April 23, which gave localities and adjacent landowners until Monday to ask for a public hear-
ing on the matter. Otherwise state regulators will just accept written comments by July 8.
According to a timetable on the website of the Pantops Coalition, Dominion wants an answer from the SCC by January 31.
LaPisto-Kirtley introduced a resolution to request a hearing, and for Albemarle County to participate in the case. A current search of the docket indicates many comments to date, with some asking Dominion to place the line underground instead.
One group of wealthy landowners has sought to block the entire proceedings. On June 2, a coalition called Historic Keswick Properties filed a motion arguing that Dominion does not have the right to conduct the rebuild.
“Dominion’s Project … is not permitted within the scope of Dominion’s existing transmission line easements on the Historic Keswick Properties,” reads the complaint.
That complaint has been echoed by the Piedmont Environmental Council, a Warrenton-based nonprofit that is organizing opposition to data centers across the region. It filed a notice of participation on May 29.
“PEC has a unique interest in this case among environmental and consumer advocates in that the proliferation of data centers—and the associated transmission expansion projects—in Dominion’s northern Virginia service territory has resulted in particular adverse impacts to natural and historic resources in the Virginia Piedmont region,” reads that notice.
As of Monday, the SCC had not received any correspondence from Albemarle County.
Annie Gould Gallery
Jim Faulconer 434.981.0076 jfaulconer@mcleanfaulconer.com
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59 FOX TROT LANE
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3721 SEDGEWICK LN
Experience the ideal blend of low-maintenance living, modern comfort, and unbeatable convenience in one of the Charlottesville area’s mostdesirable communities. The stone exterior creates beautiful curb appeal and welcomes you home. Inside, a gracious foyer opens to a spacious family/rec room perfectfor movie nights, game days, or a relaxing lounge space. A private bedroom and full bath on this level offer the flexibility for guests, a home office, or multigenerationalliving. Upstairs, the open-concept main level is filled with natural light thanks to the added windows only an end-unit townhome provides. The upgraded kitchen isdesigned for both everyday living and entertaining, flowing seamlessly into the dining area and out to the rear deck for easy indoor-outdoor gatherings. Retreat to thetop floor where the spacious primary suite features a large walk-in closet and a spa-like bath with dual vanities, a relaxing soaking tub, and separate shower. Twoadditional bedrooms, a full bath, and laundry complete the level. All this in Rivanna Village, just minutes from I-64, Pantops, Downtown Charlottesville, and UVA. Comesee your new home! MLS# 677456 $459,900
2048 AVINITY LOOP
How postmodern dance molded the Downtown Mall
BY CM Turner
Movers and shapers
For the past 50 years, Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall has been a site in and of transition. The blocking off and bricking up of East Main Street, completed on July 3, 1976, converted the city’s main drag into a pedestrian promenade and central business district that aimed to keep consumers and community members in place. But the origins of the Downtown Mall’s design engaged the concept of movement from the outset.
In the 1950s and ’60s, the City of Charlottesville spent more than a decade engaging in “urban renewal” projects to address increasing automobile traffic and declining economic activity downtown. Recommendations from the planning firm Harold Bartholomew & Associates resulted in the destruction of Black neighborhoods at Vinegar Hill and Garrett Street, displacing residents and uprooting communities as the city took space for new roadways—and commercial builds that never materialized. By the late 1960s, growing resistance to HBA’s master plan for downtown had reached a tipping point, and the city planning department pivoted. Maintaining an interest in a pedestrian-friendly downtown, officials contacted Lawrence Halprin & Associates in 1972, setting in motion a process that would result in the realization of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
Overture
Planning, development, and embodied being
Lawrence Halprin is recognized as one of the most influential landscape architects of the 20th century. His studies at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design were deeply influenced by the Bauhaus and the philosophical belief that form should follow function while pursuing unity between every artistic and design discipline.
Alison B. Hirsch—a socially and politically engaged scholar working across landscape architecture, cultural landscape studies, and landscape history— has published numerous works related to Halprin and his shaping of urban spaces. In “Scoring the Participatory City: Lawrence (& Anna) Halprin’s Take Part Process,” published in the Journal of Architectural Education, she argues Halprin’s success “depended on collaboration, and particularly the artistic symbiosis that existed between him and
his wife, the avant-garde dancer and choreographer Anna Halprin.”
The 1950s and ’60s saw a progressive shift toward active participation on the part of artistic audiences, influenced by forms of social protest including marches, sit-ins, and riots. Anna Halprin and her San Francisco Dancers’ Workshop directly advanced this change, giving au-
diences a stake in how performances were formed through a democratized mode of collaborative creation. Anna Halprin organized interactive dance and movement events where environmental conditions and general actions were choreographed, or “scored,” but the final performances were left open-ended and completed through audience participation. Lawrence Halprin applied this notion to his work by designing open spaces as scores—choreographed by purposefully placing architectural elements—with the intention to elicit embodied awareness, giving individuals flexibility in choosing direction and pace as they navigated their way through the city. Furthermore, he used the loose type of guidelines related to time and situation, something Anna Halprin had developed in performances, to organize public-participation workshops called Taking Part. These Taking Part workshops were meant to channel what the Halprins called “collective creativity.’’ As Hirsch explains, “The collaborative process was supposed to maximize the participants’ diversity as a creative force.” LHA employed the technique in its planning process for Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall in March of 1973.
LHA selected 32 residents to represent the “microcosm of Charlottesville’’ within the Take Part workshop, which Hirsch called “fairly diverse.” The group included representatives from city government and local businesses, Black and white private citizens, male and female students, and at least one retiree and one “housewife.” Drewary Brown, a leader of the Neighborhood Youth Corps, acted as an advocate for the marginalized Black community within the workshop. Brown worked with LHA to understand issues and tensions related to power dynamics between different groups within the city, which ultimately helped the firm in the development of its Master Score—a schedule of choreographed activities, exercises, and sharing sessions—that guided the Charlottesville Take Part workshop.
Over the course of three days, the participants followed a number of smaller scores meant to increase awareness of their city—its current design, communities, and needs—and prompt de-centered, democratized views of how the redesign of Charlottesville’s downtown should take shape. Participants were asked to navigate the city by both foot and automobile, to observe from various vantage points, to draw and write out what they noticed, and to roleplay as residents of other communities. “The entirety of the score emphasized relationships, where the choreographed movement from one node to the next would reveal links and interconnections
and force participants to consider their optimization,” Hirsch explains. What emerged from the workshop was a final report from LHA outlining 16 consensus items that the community determined the firm would employ in its planning and design process. The items emphasized pedestrian-only areas, a diversity of things to do downtown for a variety of age groups, mixed-use buildings, and urban amenities comparable to the suburban shopping center at Barracks Road.
Choreographing the Downtown Mall
Bodies in motion
With the 16 consensus items driving the redesign of Charlottesville’s downtown, LHA focused on both the aesthetic and humanistic needs of the city when designing the Downtown Mall. Elements repeated in the Mall’s paving built a framework of interconnected outdoor rooms, where the red bricks in herringbone pattern that act as the thoroughfare were offset by gray granite. This patterning was intended to both influence pedestrian movement and create spaces for rest and social interaction up and down East Main Street. To promote and facilitate that rest and social exchange, LHA planned to include 150 custom-designed movable benches measuring three-anda-half-feet wide, as well as four fountains, meant to provide occasions to pause and gather. The moveable seating also allowed citizens to redefine public space, creating places for retreat or engagement through improvisational arrangement. Stands of trees referred to as bosques, which were placed to influence movement and eventually provide shade canopy, became one of the defining features of the Downtown Mall. The spaces between bosques were intentionally varied in size, with the locations strategically weighted on either side of the Mall’s center line to encourage meandering and lateral movement toward open spaces. Planters, bollards, kiosks, and lighting were all employed to further define the Downtown Mall as a series of interconnected “rooms” while influencing pedestrian movement.
In a 2022 survey of the Downtown Mall commissioned by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the City of Charlottesville, the authors state that “the primary purpose of the Mall as designed by LHA—as a gathering place for residents and visitors to restore economic vitality—has not changed.” But many changes have indeed occurred over the Downtown Mall’s 50 years, changes
Lawrence Halprin, whose firm Lawrence Halprin & Associates designed the Downtown Mall, is considered one of the most influential landscape architects of the 20th century.
Choreographer and dancer Anna Halprin’s revolutionary practice influenced her husband Lawerence’s work as a landscape architect, fostering collaboration and artistic symbiosis.
that have eroded the actions—and potentially the ethos—aimed at achieving that stated purpose.
Dynamic tension
Commerce, community, and creativity
LHA’s plan for the Downtown Mall entailed organizing space and influencing movement, and within those frameworks, mixed-use buildings and urban amenities including residential, shopping, entertainment, and dining spaces.
“The Downtown Mall’s strength has always been its ability to serve multiple purposes at once. It is a place where people gather, celebrate, connect with one another, and support local businesses, and those goals are complementary rather than competing,” says Ellen Joy, the City’s Parks & Recreation Department special events coordinator.
Chris Punt, principal landscape architect at Research and Design Studio and a Charlottesville-area resident for the past nine years, agrees that the social and commercial aspects of the Mall are both important and benefit from each other. Punt, who has worked with communities to reimagine and revitalize public space throughout New Zealand and the United States, says “It’s hard to get the balance right as cities and towns grow and communities
change over time. It does feel like the Downtown Mall is prioritizing commercial space leading to what might feel like an imbalance.”
Most of the bosque areas on the Downtown Mall—locations originally intended as spaces for movable benches where pedestrians could rest or socialize—are now occupied by outdoor dining areas for restaurants. Three of the four fountains LHA designed to invite opportunities for pause and interaction during movement along the Mall have also been restricted by dining area enclosures. All of the original LHA-designed benches have been removed, replaced by off-the-
shelf seating bolted into place. Instead of the 150 proposed benches, the Downtown Mall has fewer than 35 seats freely available for pedestrians.
This absorption of formerly public space—and the imbalance of commercial and social concerns Punt references— seems to undermine the intentions originally embodied in Anna and Lawrence Halprin’s approach. Without the ample spaces envisioned for residents and visitors to make their own way and simply enjoy public space comfortably, there is a dissonance between form and function.
“It was designed first and foremost to be a dynamic public space for people to meet, to share physical time and space,” says Katie Schetlick, a dance artist and professor in UVA’s Department of Drama. Schetlick, who centers embodied learning, collaboration, and active reimagining through praxis in her creative work and teaching, has done extensive research into Anna Halprin’s practice and legacy—including her influence on LHA’s plan for the Downtown Mall.
In 2013, Schetlick and Veronica Piller, founder and director of concorDance contemporary and artistic director of Albemarle Ballet Theatre, devised “A Dance Score for the Downtown Mall” with musician Sam Cushman. “The path we took reflected some of the original paths of the original scores in the Charlottesville Take Part workshop from 1973. But when we approached the project again in 2014 we wanted the scoring pro-
cess to be more reflective of the Halprins’ collective creativity approach,” Schetlick says.
When the group performed the work again for Tom Tom Festival in 2014, scores developed by various community members were collected, and organized dancers interpreted and enacted those scores, as they moved along the Downtown Mall with students from UVA’s Dance program, local dance artists, and the passing public. The experience had a profound effect on Schetlick. “Many of my previous understandings of the town were challenged and expanded,” she says.
“I met city administrators, artists, and longtime residents with deep historical knowledge of Charlottesville and its complex makeup beyond its center of tourism and commerce. I began to see the way the design of the Downtown Mall was meant to highlight these complexities through the way it connects the landscape and reaches out beyond the central pedestrian thoroughfare.”
In 2016, Schetlick partnered with UVA landscape architecture professor and design theorist Beth Meyer to offer a tour of the Downtown Mall that explored the history and significance of the Halprins’ contributions. At the time, she says, “There was—and continues to be—concern about the privatization of the Mall that was initially designed to be a public and social space available for anyone to enjoy.”
National Poetry Series winner MaKshya Tolbert, who practices placemaking in Charlottesville, recently published her debut work Shade is a place Through lyric walking poems and Bashōstyle travelogues, Shade is a place wanders east-west along the Downtown Mall, seeking “a Black sense of place.” Tolbert, who served four years on the city’s Tree Commission, including a year as the commission’s chair in 2024–25, led numerous “shade walks” for the public on the Mall as part of the Shade is a place project. While the main focus of these participatory walks was placed on the canopy ecology of the Mall’s iconic willow oak trees and the social exchange of being together, the entire project encompassed relationships between place, property, and urban planning in Charlottesville.
“My experience of the Mall is full of awe and plenty of frustration—which seems fair for a public space layered over what has been a crucial corridor for movement, whether as an old Monacan footpath, a drivable road connecting Richmond to the Shenandoah, or as what we call the Downtown Mall,” Tolbert says. Her research into the origins of the Mall and its initial design revealed a perspective that is not always acknowledged by local history. “‘Place’ is as entangled as it is enchanting: Studying the Halprins
Community members representing the “microcosm of Charlottesville” participated in a three-day Take Part workshop to guide the redesign of the city’s downtown in March of 1973.
Lawrence Halprin & Associates instructed Take Part workshop participants to follow a “walking score” that emphasized interconnections and raised awareness of the city’s design, communities, and needs.
and their embodied design processes against the backdrop of Jim Crow’s aftermath meant taking a sharper and more attentive look at atmospheric and social tensions in our cities and communities,” Tolbert says.
In addressing the balance between commercial and community concerns as related to the current state of the Mall, Tolbert doesn’t mince words. “The tension is so palpable that I couldn’t help but locate and immerse Shade is a place into the density of the Downtown Mall. You’d have to train yourself not to see it to not see it. Which even I did, for a while,” she says. “Part of the intention behind ‘shade walks’ was to begin to open up my own and each other’s attention, and to see if I could incite a deeper curiosity about the needs of the Mall people, trees, infrastructure, all of it.”
Moving forward
Energy flows where attention goes
One reason the tension between the commercial and community facets of the Downtown Mall may feel so pronounced relates directly to Lawrence Halprin’s practice as a landscape architect. “Halprin’s work has a richer dimensionality, as he was not only interested in the urban organizational scale, but also the human scale. His scores choreographed the body to respond to the ‘sensuous environment’ with heightened perceptual awareness,” Hirsch points out.
That awareness of the sensuous environment—what we see, hear, and feel as we occupy and move through space—impacts how we experience the Downtown Mall, individually and collectively.
“From a distance it is charming, lively, and cherished,” says Punt. “I quickly learned that the Downtown Mall functions like a street where people are squeezed to the edges dodging sandwich boards, safety chains, and other ‘stuff’ added slowly over time and most seating has a paywall in the form of a black railing.” Punt adds that these conditions are “anathema to the spirit of public space.”
Yet by many metrics, the Mall can be viewed as a massive achievement in urban design. Roughly 89 percent of the hundreds of outdoor pedestrian malls built in the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s failed, with many of those sites reopening to vehicular traffic or being otherwise repurposed. “When so many pedestrian malls failed, the Charlot-
tesville Downtown Mall is already a success,” says Greer Achenbach, executive director of Friends of Cville Downtown, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created in 2021. Its mission is to make Charlottesville a more inclusive place by working with city government and the community to craft strategies and programs that stimulate downtown social and economic vitality. “However, in order to reach its full potential [the Downtown Mall] needs constant investment, a strategic plan, and clear leadership,” Achenbach says.
Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2024, so it’s highly unlikely it will suffer the same fate as so many other defunct pedestrian spaces. But for the Mall to be continually upheld as a locus of both social and economic vitality—a truly inclusive and equitable site—steps will need to be taken to address current tensions.
For Schetlick, that means the Mall must remain a public space, “a site of interaction, unexpected movement, a site that reflects the multiplicity of place opposed to the staging/performing of a clean harmony,” as she puts it. “I think re-enlivening some aspects of the Halprins’ approach might be useful in understanding which publics the Downtown Mall is not currently
movement and rest seriously. Put more chairs down that you don’t have to pay to sit in. Practice ‘placekeeping’ in service of everyone on the Mall, not just its paid visitors,” she says. “People really want more seating on the Mall [that] they don’t have to pay for. That particular feedback [from ‘shade walk’ participants] transcended income brackets.”
For its part, the city is invested in maintaining the Mall as a site that serves the broader community more holistically. Joy’s position as the Parks & Recreation Department’s special events coordinator underscores this commitment. “I stepped into this role at the end of last year. It’s actually a newly created position, born directly out of community feedback identifying expanded special event programming and cultural events as a priority for the city. That origin matters to me, because it means the work I’m doing is grounded in what the community said they wanted,” she says.
serving as a public outdoor space, and in what capacity this public space should be sustained.”
Punt urges going back to basics and remembering the role and value public space has in the community. “Clear out the fences and barriers added to partition and restrict access and movement. Prioritize public seating and elements that promote social interaction and expression for all people regardless of background and economic status in the spirit of public space,” he says.
Tolbert echoes this sentiment. “At the level of the City of Charlottesville, take the wider public’s needs for
“From a special events perspective, continued success means keeping the Downtown Mall active, welcoming, and engaging for residents and visitors alike. Events help bring people together, create memorable experiences, and encourage people to spend time downtown. The more opportunities we can create for people to connect with the Mall through community events, arts, culture, and celebrations, the stronger and more vibrant the Downtown Mall will continue to be,” Joy says. “Free and inclusive experiences are a cornerstone of what public parks and recreation departments exist to provide.”
Achenbach notes that Friends of Cville Downtown also continues to hear a desire for more interactive experiences on the Downtown Mall.
“More thoughtful planning and communication in experience design could more effectively help the Mall serve everyone’s needs,” she says.
Thoughtful planning, increased communication, and expanded free and inclusive events are all steps in the right direction to ensure the Downtown Mall thrives in its next 50 years, steps that should be choreographed in concert with a reattunement toward the principles embodied in the Halprins’ initial vision of dynamic public space. While a certain amount of tension between commercial and community needs may persist, Charlottesville’s pedestrian mall remains a beloved and historic site worth celebrating 50 years after its dedication, as Tolbert acknowledges: “I really do love the Mall—the way I love anything fragile, fraught, and necessary.”
Katie Schetlick, a dance artist and professor in UVA’s Department of Drama, has led several activations and tours on the Downtown Mall.
National Poetry Series winner MaKshya Tolbert’s debut work Shade is a place explores relationships between place, property, and urban planning around the Downtown Mall.
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JUNE 28
1.776 Montalto Challenge
This popular 1.776-mile race up Montalto mountain features steep climbs and scenic views. Presented in partnership with Ragged Mountain Running & Walking Shop.
JULY 2
Culinary Diplomacy Project: Dinner with Cristeta Comerford
Join the former White House Executive Chef to explore how food bridges cultures, fostering understanding and connection.
JULY 4
Independence Day at Monticello
There’s no better place to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence than Monticello on July 4! Ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Family-friendly activities all afternoon.
monticello.org/civic
CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA TRANSIT
THURSDAY 6/25
RAGANSONICS
With punk rock bona fides running through his veins, Chuck Ragan brings forward a gritty brand of Americana music. Known as one of the distinctive voices co-fronting Hot Water Music, Ragan infuses folky rhythms with rock riffs and working-class ethos, creating a harder-edged sound than the plucky bluegrass acts that usually come through town. The raw energy Ragan carries into heartfelt tracks exploring themes of family, loss, and resilience infuses his music with relatable honesty. Kai Crowe-Getty and Woody Woodworth open in support. $32.70, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
CULTURE TO-DO LIST
Wednesday 6/24 music
Babe Haven. Queer punk band known for its riot grrrl attitude and nu-metal edge. With Slow Funeral. $19, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Holly’s Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.
Mood Ring: Queer and Trans Open Mic Night. Share your original music. Mic, speakers, and keyboard provided, please bring other instruments. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com
stage
Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure. Holmes and his trusty sidekick Watson are on the case when an investigation into the Bohemian king’s stolen letters cascades into an international mystery filled with spies, blackmail, and intrigue. $15–40, 7:30pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org
words Artists in Conversation: “HOT PINK” Artist Panel. Hear from exhibiting artists Ambrose Hernandez Godoy, Alexandra McGowan, and MECOO about their works on view and the ethos behind the exhibition. Registration required. Free, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St SE. second streetgallery.org classes
Paint + Sip: Tropical Twilight. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $36–40, 6pm. Patch Brewing Co., 10271 Gordon Ave., Gordonsville. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Rapture Karaoke. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
Teen Writers Club. Teens ages 14–18 are invited for an hour of writing, collaborative editing, and optional writing challenges in the company of other creative, writerly teens. Snacks provided. Free, 4pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org
FRIDAY 6/26 & SATURDAY 6/27
SUMMER SHAKES
Celebrating the culmination of Shakespeare Production Camp from DMR Adventures, the Bard’s fast-paced comedy full of love triangles, mistaken identities, and practical jokes comes to the stage. Twelfth Night follows a shipwrecked set of twins who each think the other has drowned. Courtesan drama unfolds, centered on disguises and a lovelorn duke. Set to a soundtrack of pop love songs, director Claire Chandler’s adaptation plays up the humor and drama for a fun summer show that leans into “Love Island” vibes. $12–25, times vary. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd., Ste. 3. dmradventures.com
Thursday 6/25 music
Berto and Vincent. A night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com
CE Walton. Arbiter of simulacra. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com
Chuck Ragan. Ragan approaches everything with a level of honesty and integrity that can’t be faked. $32, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Gary Hawthorne. Classic and modern rock covers. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
Ron Gentry. Solo acoustic singer-songwriter stylings on the porch. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmand winery.com
Sunny War. Mesmerizing folk-punk pioneer returns to Charlottesville. $25–30, 8pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com stage
Ked Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure See listing for Wednesday, June 24. $15–40, 7:30pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org
Our Town. Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is one of the most cherished in American theater, not because of spectacle, but because of its simplicity. $40–75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com words
Artist Talk: Jabari Jefferson. An engaging conversation with the artist as he discusses his latest work, “Who Is Edith Hern Fossett?” Moderated by Auriana Woods. $10–15, 6pm. Monticello, 1050 Monticello Loop. monticello.org classes
Mend & Mingle. Practice and learn visible and invisible mending techniques. Ages 18+. Free, 6:30pm. Hello Again Consignment, 5792 Three Notch’d Rd. Lower Level, Crozet. helloagaincrozet.com
Paint + Sip: Cliffside Paradise. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials provided. $39, 6pm. Virginia Wine Collective, 1585 Avon St. Ext. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. An escape room meets a pub crawl. Visit the Preston Avenue breweries, crack codes, unravel riddles, and sample Charlottesville’s best brews. Players get $1 off pints at each brewery. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Trivia Night with Mike & Miranda. Play alone, or bring a team of up to six members and let the good times roll with five rounds of brain-teasing trivia. Free, 6:15pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. Like an escape room but at a winery. Crack codes and unravel riddles while sampling Charlottesville’s best wine, beer, and cider. Play when you want and go at your own pace. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Friday 6/26
music
Blake Hunter & The Gatherers. An intoxicating blend of melodic and polyrhythmic bliss. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
CRITICAL CONDITION CULTURE
Bob Bennetta Trio. Live jazz. Free, 6:30pm. Afghan Kabob House, 200 Market St. afghankabobhouse.com
Chickenhead Blues Band. New Orleans boogiewoogie, upbeat, rhythm and blues sounds. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com
Fridays After Five: James Tamelcoff. Neo-traditional country and honky-tonk. With Gia Ray. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com
Gina Sobel. Sobel is a natural improviser bringing together elements of funk, jazz, and American folk music into a fresh and compelling sound. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com
Josiah and the Bonnevilles: The Redline North American Tour 2026. Singer-songwriter originally from Morristown, Tennessee. $33, 7pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
Nirvani: A Nirvana Tribute Experience. An authentic and electrifying tribute to the legendary grunge pioneers. $21, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Sue Harlow. Americana-folk singer-songwriter whose haunting vocals delve into the depths of what makes people real. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com
stage
Charlottesville Opera Presents: Cinderella Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved work will have the whole family believing in fairy godmothers all over again. $12–98, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure See listing for Wednesday, June 24. $15–40, 7:30pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org
Our Town. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $40–75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com
Twelfth Night. A fast-paced comedy full of love triangles, mistaken identities, and practical jokes set to a soundtrack of pop love songs. $18–25, 6pm. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd. Ste. 3. dmradventures.com
words
Author Event: Andrew Moore. Moore speaks about his new book, The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness. A conversation with Nell Boeschenstein Yager follows. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com classes
Lantern Making Workshop. Celebrate the Downtown Mall’s 50th anniversary this summer by making a fun lantern to fly during the parade scheduled for July 3. Open to all ages with an adult. Free with museum admission, 4pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org
Paint + Sip: Sunset Silhouette. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $36–40, 6pm. Hazy Mountain Vineyard & Brewery, 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Fun Fridays. Teens ages 15–18 are invited to finish the week with a fun new experience. Registration required. This week: murder mystery party. Free, 2pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org
Babe Haven with Slow Funeral
When I was in college in the early 1990s, I got swept up in the Riot Grrrl music movement despite the fact that I wasn’t female, Queer, or even female-presenting. Sure, I wore a skirt and a shit-ton of makeup to go out—but this was New York City and I was at my gothiest with nothing to lose outside of an occasional beat down after drunkenly mouthing off.
A close friend of mine, a women’s studies major, was all up in it, making fanzines, connecting with the bands’ biggest names and I was right there with her up at the stage’s edge. So while we were seeing Bratmobile and Bikini Kill in tiny rooms with sometimes scant crowds, the feeling that something big was about to happen permeated the scene. Did anything happen? Hard to say for sure, because if it did, the hard pushback of a society not in college towns and urban centers met every advancement with an equally closed-minded shove back. I sense the legacy of Riot Grrrl continues in a
whole wave of up-and-coming U.S.-based musical acts resisting oppression by having their voices heard. That defiant take is necessary and noble. Does it make for good songs? It depends on your tastes, obviously.
A band like Boone, North Carolina’s Babe Haven differs from the originators of their niche in that it leans harder into a post-metal sludge taken up by other early ’90s grunge successes. And though Babe Haven also uses that signature penchant for distorted lyrical threats, it’s grown to be much heavier, faster, tighter, and more rhythmically varied on its second record Nuisance (2024), eschewing the about-to-fall-apart performances that hindered its earliest singles.
The Southern Café & Music Hall
Wednesday 6/24
Opener Slow Funeral, a four-piece platform for Spartanburg, South Carolina’s Mary Norris, steers a bit more pop-friendly but no less dangerous. See if the “Freak Bitch” (2025) or “Hanging” (2024) singles do it for you since their presence should make for a complementary, satisfying ticket.—CM Gorey
CAUTION: The writer’s unrestrained cynicism and unresolved issues shape the writing of this opinion column. Results may vary.
Jefferson Vineyards Trivia Night. Gather your team and bring your curiosity for a lively evening of history and friendly competition. Free, 5:30pm. Jefferson Vineyards, 1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. jeffersonvineyards.com
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Saturday 6/27 music
Back Porch Exchange. Dara James, Stuart Holme, and Wynton Davis perform blues, rock, funk, and soul. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
John Kelly. Singer-songwriter with more than two decades of solo acoustic performing experience. Free, 5pm. Bottle House, 608 W. Main St. bottlehouse.net
Lenny Burridge. Playing a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from blues and jazz standards to current radio hits and alternative. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Live Band Bingo. Enjoy the best modern pop and classic rock from Cake Fight, grab a bingo card, and play along to win prizes. Free, 1pm. Southwest Mountains Vineyards, 5185 Stony Point Pass, Keswick. smvwines.com
PAGES TO-DO LIST
FRIDAY 6/26 THROUGH SUNDAY 6/28
GODMOTHER KNOWS BEST
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s enchanting musical comes alive in Charlottesville Opera’s take on Cinderella. Experience the magic of the classic fairy tale scored by a live orchestra, with incredible costumes and stunning sets inspired by the romantic 1965 made-for-TV production. Fit for the entire family, the show plays up the most memorable beats of the story, following the heroine’s journey from familial servitude to literal royalty, glass slipper and all. $12.50–98.25, times vary. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Saturday 6/27 CONTINUED FROM
Mojo Pie. Susan Munson and Frank Bechter bring harmonies to the orchard. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com
Mo & Mary Mac. Talented singer-songwriters. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com
Robert Jospé Trio. High-energy world-class jazz. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com
Roughshod. Alternative rock from RVA. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com
South River Strings with Oyster Catcher Sea Farms. A four-piece string band produces an eclectic mix of rock, blues, and bluegrass. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com
stage
As You Like It. The noble Orlando wins a court wrestling match—and Rosalind’s heart—but before their love can take root, she’s banished from court. $40–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com
Charlottesville Opera Presents: Cinderella See listing for Friday, June 26. $12–98, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Ked Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure. See listing for Wednesday, June 24. $15–40, 2pm and 7:30pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org
Our Town. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $40–75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com
The Southern Drag Show: Pride Month Edition. Hosted by Jackie of All Trades and Darling Nikki, and featuring Tiffani Hunter-Monique, Beau Tox, and Shoujo-a-go-go. $19, 9pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com
Twelfth Night. See listing for Friday, June 26. $18–25, 3pm and 6pm. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd. Ste. 3. dmradventures.com
words
Lara Call Gastinger: A Perpetual Journal Practice. The artist and author speaks about her new book, A Perpetual Journal Practice: Building a Connection with Nature through Art. Free, 7pm. CODE Building Irving Theater, 225 W. Water St. ndbookshop.com
New Dominion Storytime. Readings from recent storybooks and the classics kids know and love. Rain or shine. All ages welcome. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com classes
Crochet for Beginners. Learn the basics of crochet. Leave with a crochet hook and a small crocheted washcloth. Ages 12+. $35, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Felt Lavender. Learn how to make beautiful sprigs of lavender out of felt and florist supplies with the help of hot glue guns. Ages 16+. $35, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappy elephant.com
Garden Basics: Herb Gardening. Explore the current culinary use of herbs, as well as their historic use in medicine and cooking in Virginia, and gain skills for planning and planting an herb garden in ground or in a container. Free, 10am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org
Super Saturday in the Garden: America the Beautiful. Honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary and the incredible beauty of native plants with family-friendly activities including poetry, painting, live music, and botanical events. Registration required. Free, 8am. Botanical Garden of the Piedmont, 950 Melbourne Rd. piedmontgarden.org
Thunder Music Karaoke. Weekend edition with Jen DeVille. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Women’s Empowerment Day. A morning full of motivational speakers, roundtable discussion, community wellness exercises, women-owned vendors, food, music, and more. Registration required. Free, 8am. Jefferson School City Center, 233 Fourth St. NW. jeffersoncitycenter.com
Sunday 6/28 music
GootGenuG. Exploring the improvisational stratosphere through jazz fusion. $10, 1pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com
Jon Spear. A solo acoustic performance of folk, oldies, and more. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshouse winery.com
Ken Matthews. Saxophone and clarinet-focused jazz from the 1930s-40s, with a nod to New Orleans. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com
Michael Elswick Gathering Sunday Session. Jazz, blues, Latin, swing, ballads, and of course, Cambodian surf rock. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com
Mojo Pie. Susan Munson and Frank Bechter play fun-filled originals and eclectic covers. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com stage
As You Like It. See listing for Saturday, June 27. $40–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com
Charlottesville Opera Presents: Cinderella. See listing for Friday, June 26. $12–98, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Spafford. Known for astonishing improvisational ability and off-the-cuff extended jams. $35, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
The Design Quartet with Jen Tal. Music to dance to. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
The Oversteppers. Hometown reggae band joined by eclectic opener Driftwood Radio. $17–20, 6:30pm. Rivanna River Company, 1520 E. High St. frontporchcville.org
The Shacktones. Playing mostly blues and bluesrock covers. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com
dance
USA Dance Charlottesville Summer Showcase. See performances by Charlottesville’s talented ballroom dancers, with open social dancing between the choreographed routines. $5–15, 7pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org
Learn to Knit. Learn the basics of knitting. No experience needed. Leave with a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it. Ages 12+. $35, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Needle Felted Succulent Series: Bunny Ear Cactus. Needle felt a bunny ear cactus using a specialized notched needle to sculpt dyed wool, and plant the cacti in real mini terra cotta pots. Beginner and intermediate students welcome. Ages 12+. $35, 12:30pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Charlottesville City Market. Explore fresh produce, local foods, and handmade goods from 100+ local vendors. Free, 9am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov
Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure See listing for Wednesday, June 24. $15–40, 2pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org words
Historic James River Lecture. Horace Scruggs III speaks about the watermen of the James River and “How the River Shaped the Land & How the Land Shaped the Man: The Origins of AfricanAmerican Communities in South.” Free, 2:30pm. SCAN Gallery, 460 Valley St., Scottsville. svillearts andnature.org
classes
Beginning and Intermediate Gelli Printmaking. Learn a quick and easy method of printing that uses a gelli plate, paint, and paper to easily create monoprints. $30, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Downtown Lantern Making Workshop. Create your own lantern for the community lantern parade scheduled on July 3 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Downtown Mall. Ages 13+. $25, 1pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. downtowncville.com
Morse Coded Messages in Style. Create a stylish Morse-coded bracelet or necklace that will say either F@CK TRUMP or F@CK Cancer. Ages 18+. $50, 11am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Paint + Sip: Blissful Beach Day. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, noon. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Music Bingo. Listen to your favorite music, match the songs to the titles on your music bingo cards, and win great prizes. Free, 2pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com
Silent Book Club. Read in quiet camaraderie. No assigned reading, no obligations. Bring your own book of choice. Free, 12:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 25. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Monday 6/29
music
Ramona Martinez. Local favorite serenades with her signature mix of country western and mariachi. Free, 5:30pm. The Fitzroy, 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. thefitzroycville.com
words
VDM Storytime. A magical storytime adventure where the pages come alive and imagination knows no bounds. Free with museum admission. Free, 10:30am. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org
Tuesday 6/30
music
Open Jam with Jeff Massanari & Friends. Bring your instrument and join the core of players with other area musicians. Free, 6:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
Sally Flynn. Local singer-songwriter takes the stage. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com stage
Drafting the Declaration with Thomas Jefferson. Join Thomas Jefferson, as portrayed by historical interpreter Bill Barker, as he takes you back to the turbulent times of America’s founding. Free with museum admission, 11:30am. Monticello, 1050 Monticello Loop. monticello.org
etc.
Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people compete to win prizes like gift certificates and pint glasses, plus bragging rights. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com
Paramount On Screen: National Theatre Live in HD—The Playboy of the Western World Nicola Coughlan joins Éanna Hardwicke and Siobhán McSweeney in John Millington Synge’s riveting play of youth and self-discovery. $14–20, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Teen Space Tuesdays. Teens ages 11–18 are invited to drop in to the Teen Space each week to discover a different craft or activity: This week: doodle weaving. Free, 1pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org
Being curious
PAGES CULTURE
Lara Call Gastinger’s guide to viewing nature BY SARAH LAWSON
As an artist and botanical illustrator, Lara Call Gastinger’s work reflects our local environment, detailing native plants near her Charlottesville home and in the nearby mountains. She was the chief illustrator for the Flora of Virginia Project, a botanical reference book and app cataloging the rich biodiversity of our Commonwealth, and she is also widely known for her perpetual journals, which detail the natural world across all four seasons and over multiple years. Her new book, A Perpetual Journal Practice: Building a Connection with Nature through Art, is an accessible and inspirational guide for those interested in starting their own.
Perpetual journals are intended to be an inviting and forgiving method for artists but also gardeners, hikers, and anyone else interested in native plants. There’s no need to already know the names of the plants one observes or to be skilled at drawing or illustration.
The framework for the perpetual journal is elegantly simple: Set up a blank book so that each two-page spread is dedicated to a week in the year, then make one entry per week and return year after year to add more observations. Each entry can be a simple written observation, a drawing of something in the natural world, or a more intricate rendering, depending on the person doing the journaling. “Over time, the spreads became layered … built up slowly and incrementally over the years,” writes Gastinger, reflecting on her own experience of perpetual journaling. “Some drawings were simple, some were very detailed or in full color.”
Gastinger assuages common fears that keep people from drawing by sharing examples of her own learning process and stressing that the quality of art created is less important than the curiosity and openness to learning that is inherent to the practice. “You can always just write notes or do little stick drawings of little flowers,” instructs Gastinger. “It can start really basic.” The process is one of developing skills as a naturalist and an artist—either as a beginner or with an eye toward honing specific knowledge areas or techniques.
The idea started in 2001, inspired by a project Gastinger completed with a local couple who hired her to create an illustrated journal of the changing seasons on their property. “That was such a rewarding experience,” she says. “I wanted to embody it into a regular practice that wasn’t hard to maintain. This is a format that’s set up in bite-size drawings on a weekly basis, which works well. … Once you set up the book and the dates, it’s okay if you miss a week or a
month or even a year because you will go back one day.”
She adds, “Right now, there’s a lot of interest in nature sketching … just being out in nature and getting away from your screens—I think all of this is really good. But you can’t just draw. … You have to have a format and a structure or else it’s not going to proceed. This perpetual journal practice helps instill that, with a little bit of a framework.”
The pages of the book detail this framework alongside advice on specific drawing techniques, tips on maintaining the pace, and recommendations for selecting a journal, pens, watercolors and brushes, and other supplies, including snacks. The book also features Gastinger’s precise and lush illustrations, including one of her journals that is reproduced in full for the reader to page through and reference.
Gastinger highlights others’ work as well, featuring excerpts from journalers around the world who she connected with on social media. She started hosting live drawing sessions on Instagram, where viewers could see her artwork come to life on the page, early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Six years later, she continues to maintain a schedule of weekly sessions—monthly in the summer—which attract between 100 and 200 viewers on average.
These drawing sessions are interactive, offering participants the chance to chime in with what they’ve been adding to their perpetual journals, representing different regions, seasons, and types of native plants. “The world feels hopeful when a small community is created through a shared passion like that of the perpetual journal,” writes Gastinger. In the book, Gastinger also addresses how perpetual journaling can provide insights into the impacts of the climate crisis, globally and locally, describing changes that she’s noticed through her own journals. She reflects, “It becomes a record. It’s exciting. But climate change has changed it dramatically. Things are two to three weeks earlier than when I started. It just makes you feel like the climate crisis is happening here, everywhere. Everyone is being impacted.” Addressing widespread plant blindness, in which many people don’t know the flora and fauna they live alongside, Gastinger suggests that noticing is a way to motivate steps to address these impacts of climate change in our own region. “Directing your focus toward finding something new each week will open your eyes to overlooked things in nature. … Being curious, asking questions, describing details, and wondering are the first steps.”
New Dominion Bookshop will host a book talk and signing with Lara Call Gastinger on June 27 at the Irving Theater in the CODE Building.
THE WINE DOWN
WHAT’S DELISH AT LOCAL WINERIES?
53RD WINERY AND VINEYARD
A note from Winegrower and Owner, Dave Drillock
Our Wine of the month is the release of our 2025 Quintessential Rose! This dry, Provence style rose has aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries and melon with a hint of pink grapefruit at the finish. It was awarded a gold medal at the recent American Wine Society Wine Competition along with our Gentile Press Rose.
We invite you to visit our serene, meadow-like location in rural Louisa County. We pride ourselves on being genuine and approachable, eager to share our passion for wine without any scripted lines or memorized facts, just a warm and welcome atmosphere.
We are a Winery that just wants to be a Winery! And……
Thank You for Voting! We’re thrilled to share that we won Best Winery, Best Winemaker, and Best Wine Selection in the Best of Lake Anna Readers’ Choice Awards!
Upcoming Events
June 27th: Live Music: The very popular Scuffletown 1-4pm
July 5th: Continue the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our great country! Join us at the production facility for a guided tasting with our winemaker, Chelsey Blevins, featuring Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Franc dominant blends from multiple vintages, along with light fare.
For more details, please check our website at www.53rdwinery.com or call us at 540-894-1536.
Cheers!
Open 7 days a week, 11 am – 5 pm Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm 13372 Shannon Hill Rd Louisa, VA 23093 (540) 894-5474 • 53rdwinery.com
DUCARD VINEYARDS
2024 Black Bear
Black Bear is a red wine blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Tannat that is a complement to our Shenandoah white wine. Both celebrate the treasure that is our National Park that borders us just out our back lawns. Named one of VinePair’s The 30 Best Red Blends for 2026
We are open 7 days a week throughout the month of June with live music every weekend. Visit our website and our social media pages for the most up to date listings of our upcoming live music and events!
Saturdays & Sundays- Live music every Saturday and Sunday
through the month! Come to DuCard for the afternoon with family and friends and enjoy a variety of live music (no cover). Bring a picnic or select some local fare from our lite noshing menu to pair with our awardwinning wine for a fun afternoon in our amazing mountain setting.
July 4th – British Invasion with music by AbbeyRoad: What would be more appropriate for America’s 250th anniversary than…. A British Invasion (again).This time with tunes from AbbeyRoad – the Ultimate Beatles Party Band, playing the hits from The Beatles, “all day and all of the night’ – until it’s time for fireworks down the street. We’ll also have grills for you to bring along and burn your own hot dogs and burgers. Appropriately, we are charging a TARIFF of $12 per person in advance and $20 at the gate. You’ll receive a souvenir DuCard logo wine glass to take home. WC member tickets are complimentary! Reserve your advance tickets from our website!
Open daily
Mon-Thurs. 12-5 pm Fri. 12-9 pm Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm
40 Gibson Hollow Ln Etlan, VA 22719 (540) 923-4206 www.ducardvineyards.com
EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
At Early Mountain, our world class wines are featured in a restaurant grounded in the same sense of place. Reserve your table for indoor or outdoor seating and enjoy our latest releases alongside an à la carte menu or seasonal wine-paired prix fixe. The Meadow is open for the season! We’re offering a casual picnic-style menu, paired with
wines by the bottle, glass, or flight. No reservation needed, weather dependent.
Tasting Room Hours
Thursday–Monday: 11:00 AM–5:30 PM
Fridays: 11:00 AM–8:00PM
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Upcoming Events & Experiences
Lunch in the Vineyard with Maya Hood White & Jon Ruel
June 27, 2026 | 11:00 AM–1:30 PM
A rare opportunity to spend the afternoon in the vineyard with Maya Hood White and Jon Ruel.
Walk the vines overlooking the estate as conversations unfold around the decisions that shape what ends up in the glass. Then take your place at a table set among the vines for an open-air, familystyle lunch with wines selected for the season.
Summer Supper Somm
July 11, 2026 | 6:00–9:00 PM
Our second annual Summer Supper Somm returns following a sold-out debut and one of last year’s most talked-about events.
This five-course, wine-paired dinner highlights peak-season heirloom tomatoes from Village Garden RVA, brought to life through Chef Tim Moore’s artful and expressive approach.
Later evenings invite you to enjoy seasonal dishes on the patio or in the Tasting Room as the sun sets. The Chef’s Table experience offers an intimate, seven-course menu paired with select wines.
Seats are limited. Scan to plan your visit.
6109 Wolftown-Hood Rd, Madison, VA 22727 (540) 948-9005 www.earlymountain.com
EASTWOOD FARM AND WINERY
Celebrate the season with a glass of award-winning Rosé and oysters every Friday night! Salty Bottom Blue will be here every Friday night serving their delicious raw and grilled oysters, which pair beautifully with a glass of our gold medal Sparkling Blanc de Blancs or 2025 Rosé. Eastwood’s full menu will also be available for you to enjoy a toasty seasonal flatbread, a grilled turkey sandwich, crab dip, or one of your other favorite items. Upcoming at the Winery: Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration | Every Friday Enjoy our Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration every Friday night this Spring! The oysters are prepared by Salty Bottom Blue. Enjoy them in a relaxed, fun atmosphere with live
music from 5-8pm on the stage in our tasting room.
Porch Nights | Every Thursday (NEW!)
There’s something about a porch at golden hour that makes the world slow down in the best possible way. At Eastwood Farm and Winery, we’re leaning into that feeling all season long with Porch Nights — our weekly Thursday gathering featuring outdoor live music and an easygoing atmosphere. Grab a seat on our covered veranda or at one of our many picnic tables, relax with the sparkly lights overhead, fireflies in the fields, and a glass of porch-sipping wine in hand - join us for your new favorite Thursday tradition. Bring the family, the dog, a few friends, or just yourself. No reservations, no cover — just good music, good company, and spring evenings done right.
Wine Slushies are Back! Cheers to the beautiful weather with a refreshing wine slushie:)
Music Bingo | Sunday, June 28th, July 12th and 26th 2-4PM (open 12-5PM)
Everyone loves singing along with their favorite songs and who doesn’t love a competitive game of Bingo? Music Bingo brings together the best of both worlds for a high energy game that is fun for everyone. Simply listen to the music, match the songs to the titles on your music bingo cards, and win great prizes!
Paint & Sip | Sunday, June 28th and July 26th 12-2PM (open 125PM)
Grab a glass of wine (or your favorite drink!) and let your creativity flow in our relaxed and fun Paint & Sip classes. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a first-time painter, the talented instructors of Blue Ridge Brushes will walk you through the painting process as you create your own masterpiece. Ticketed Event - Reserve Your Spot On Our Website
July 4th Weekend and Wings over Wine Country 250th Celebration | Thursday, July 2Sunday, July 5th Celebrate Independence Day weekend with great food, wine, beer & cider, good friends, live music and free tastings of Eastwood’s VA250 celebration wines all weekend long! On Saturday July 4th we have a special treat in store with a visit from Buddy the Bald Eagle and the Wildlife Center of Virginia
Thursday, July 2: Porch NightsLive Music by Ty Burkhardt 5-8PM (Open 12-8)
Friday, July 3: Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration 5-8PM, Live Music by John Kelly 5-8PM (Open 12-8)
Saturday, July 4: Celebrate the 250th with Wings over Wine Country (1-3PM). Meet amazing
animal ambassadors from the Wildlife Center of Virginia - including animals like eagles, hawks, opossums, and reptiles and enjoy Eastwood’s new VA250 wines featuring Buddy the Eagle! While there will definitely be animal ambassadors to meet, which specific animals, including Buddy, are always subject to the health and welfare of the animals on the day of the event.
Live Music 12:30 to 3:30PM; Zuzus Hot 5 from 5-8PM (Open 12-8) Sunday, July 5: Live Music by Brian Franke 1-4PM
Summer Maker’s Market & Blueberry Food and Beverage Celebration, Sunday July 19 Summer is Blueberry Season at Eastwood! Join us Sunday, July 19 for free tastings, including of our blueberry wheat beer and blueberry cider as well as a local maker’s market. In addition to the popular blueberry lemonade wine slushies for adults, we will also be featuring a special nonalcoholic blueberry slushie for the kids (for one day only)! Eastwood’s full menu will also be available, including many delectable blueberry-inspired specials. Open 12-5 PM, with live music 1-4 PM
MUSIC AT EASTWOOD!
Join us for the popular Porch Nights every Thursday with live music on the veranda and Eastwood After Dark on Saturdays featuring upbeat, danceable music from 5-8pm (in addition to our more mellow Saturday afternoon music program). Eastwood also hosts a range of live performances by talented local and regional musicians every Friday night and Sunday afternoons. See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.
Every Thursday (open 12-8PM): Porch Nights Live Music on the Veranda 5-8PM
Every Friday (open 12-8 PM): Live Music and Virginia Oyster & Wine Celebration, every Friday 5-8PM Every Saturday (open 12-8 PM): Live Music 12:30-3:30PM + Eastwood After Dark with Live Music 5-8PM
Every Sunday (open 12-5 PM):
Live Music or Music Bingo (See the Winery Calendar on our website for details.)
Also Open Monday through Wednesday 12-5 PM and Thursday 12-8PM
What about the kids?
Kids can share in the experience with their own juice tasting flights and cheese boards!
We look forward to welcoming you to our tasting room, seven days a
week. Join us for award-winning wines, beer, and cider, as well as a delicious lunch/dinner menu. Escape to Virginia Wine Country, only five miles from Downtown Charlottesville. Open year-round, seven days a week.
Pet friendly and large groups are welcome. Ample indoor and outdoor seating.
Rt 20 near the intersection with Avon Extended (5 mi from Downtown Mall) Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 264-6727 www.eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
HARDWARE HILLS VINEYARD
2025 Chardonnay
June is wine club release month and our loyal members are in for a treat! Locally sourced Monticello AVA fruit has given way to a delightfully lightly oaked and crisp Chardonnay that we just released! This newly bottled wine is flying off the shelves! If you love your chard with a little oak but not overpowering butter, this could be the wine for you. Consider becoming a member of the club for bottle discounts, but surely stop in to try this new gem.
Have you checked out our Social Media yet? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise a few laughs!
June 26th - 5:30 p.m. Live Music with the Kevin McMahon. A Lake Monticello favorite and all around great guy. Come sip and sing along to your favorite tunes.
June 27th - 5:30 p.m. KARAOKE NIGHT at the Hills! DJ Next2None will take all your requests and get you on the mic. This night is a blast
and we can’t wait for you to join us.
Hours- New Saturday Summer hours! Open late all summer until 8 p.m.
5199 W River Rd, Scottsville, VA 434.286.4710 • www.hardwarehills.com
KESWICK VINEYARDS
June at Keswick Vineyards! June is one of the most beautiful times of year at Keswick Vineyards. The vines are waking up, the views are lush and green, and there’s no better time to settle in with a glass of wine and enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Live Music Every Saturday | 12–4 PM
Spend your Saturdays enjoying
great wine, live local music, and beautiful vineyard views.
Wine Down Wednesday | Every Wednesday | 5:30–8:30 PM
Unwind midweek with live music, great food, and your favorite Keswick wines.
Enjoy handcrafted bites perfectly paired with your favorite wines. Last food orders taken 30 minutes before closing.
Virginia’s Most Rewarding Wine Club—Now Even Better! Our wine club is now fully customizable while still offering all the benefits you love: exclusive events, incredible savings, and first access to new releases. There’s something special about May in the vineyard, and we’d love to share it with you. Come sip, savor, and make the most of the season with us!
Hours:
Open 7 Days a Week
Sunday–Tuesday & Thursday | 10 AM–5 PM Wednesday | 10 AM–8:30 PM Friday–Saturday | 10 AM–6 PM Food, flights, and open bottle service end 30 minutes prior to closing daily
We’re thrilled to present our 2024 Petit Verdot — a bold red that thrives in Virginia’s unique climate and soils. This exceptional vintage
received special treatment: over a year of French oak barrel aging followed by additional bottle rest to marry the flavors. On the nose and palate, it opens with concentrated dark stewed fruits — black cherry and plum — that segue into an earthy, savory midpalate. Gentle waves of toasted French oak lend soft vanilla and a whisper of baking spice, while fine-grained tannins and a lingering blackpepper finish give structure and length. Rich and complex now, this Petit Verdot will continue to develop gracefully over the next decade.
Friday Sundowner’s Free Music Series - every Friday from 5:308:30pm, May through October. Friday night we love to create a family friendly atmosphere, supporting local up and coming musicians from all over Virginia, offering a full food menu, and our award winning wines while enjoying the beautiful sunset over our western facing vines and music from our talented artists.
Sundays Blues and Jazz-1:004:00pm every Sunday, May through
October, featuring the best local Jazz and blues musicians, the perfect way finish the weekend relaxing on our patio with wine and great company.
594 Merrie Mill Farm Keswick, VA 22947 (434) 365-3006 www.merriemillfarm.com
PRINCE MICHEL VINEYARDS
June is the perfect time to slow down, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy the fresh flavors of the season—and Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery is the perfect place to do just that. Nestled in the heart of Virginia Wine Country
and proudly woman-owned, Prince Michel combines rich winemaking tradition with a warm, welcoming atmosphere that invites you to relax, reconnect, and savor every sip.
This month, we’re featuring our Rapidan River Semi-Sweet Rosé, a light-bodied, beautifully balanced wine that captures the essence of summer. Crisp and refreshing, it opens with aromas of fresh strawberry, watermelon, and rose petal, finishing with a soft lingering note of red berries. Its clean, fruitforward character makes it an easy favorite for warm afternoons, outdoor gatherings, and casual celebrations.
Perfect for warm-weather entertaining, Rapidan River SemiSweet Rosé pairs beautifully with the flavors of summer. Enjoy it alongside picnic favorites such as chicken salad croissants, fresh fruit and cheese boards, grilled seafood, garden salads, and light pasta dishes. Its subtle sweetness and bright berry character also make it an excellent match for watermelon, strawberries, prosciutto, and soft
cheeses. From casual weeknight suppers to weekend gatherings, this rosé is a refreshing companion for the season’s best moments.
Beyond the bottle, Prince Michel offers more than just exceptional wine. From guided tastings and scenic vineyard views to delicious dining options and craft beer at Tap 29 Brew Pub, every visit is designed to create memorable experiences. Celebrate summer all June long with Rapidan River Semi-Sweet Rosé, our Wine of the Month. Club members save 20%, and nonmembers save 15%, throughout June.
Upcoming Events & Weekly Specials
Live Music every Friday–Sunday (lineup available on our website) Trivia every Monday, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Tuesday Beer & Wings Specials
Happy Hour every Thursday, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Open 7 days a week starting at 11:00 a.m.
154 Winery Lane, Leon, VA 22725 (540) 547-3707
www.princemichel.com
A Woman-Owned Business
VIRGINIA WINE COLLECTIVE
Expanded Hours, Wine, Beer and Pizza
Join us at Eastwood Farm and Winery’s new production facility and downtown bar and lounge featuring a pizza shop menu, beer on tap, and winemaker wine flights. The Collective is now open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5-10PM with revamped loft and shuffleboard.
Upcoming at the Collective: Winemaker Pop-Ups | Select Fridays 6-8PM (Open 5-10PM)
Enjoy free samples and tour the facility with some of our independent winemakers on Fridays! Check out events on our website: (https:// eastwoodfarmandwinery.com/ virginia-wine-collective/) and Facebook page as we will be adding more dates.
June 26th: Josh Cataldo - Cataldo’s Perfezione
July 10th: Jake Busching - Jake Busching Wines
July 17th: Tasha Durrett - ZC Wines
July 31st: Josh Cataldo - Cataldo’s Perfezione
Winemaker Karaoke | Every Other Wednesday, June 24, July 8 and 22, August 5 and 19 from 7-9PM (karaoke is only upstairs; downstairs bar and dining room still open as usual 5-10PM)
Join us up in the loft at the Collective every other Wednesday evening. No cover required.
Paint & Sip | Thursdays July 9th (5-7PM) and 30th (6-8PM) (Open 5-10PM)
Grab a glass of wine (or your favorite drink!) and let your creativity flow in this relaxed and fun class. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a first-time painter, the talented instructors of Blue Ridge Brushes will walk you through the painting process as you create your own masterpiece. Ticketed EventsReserve Your Spot On the Virginia Wine Collective Facebook Page or the Eastwood Website.
Mahjong with Mountain Mahj: Open Play | Thursday, July 23rd 6-8:30PM (open 5-10PM)
Details to be announced On the Virginia Wine Collective Facebook Page and the Eastwood Website or contact gabrielle@ eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Closed July 1-3 for summer break
Please note that the Virginia Wine Collective will be closed from July 1-3 for summer break. The main Eastwood tasting room will remain open 7 days a week with special programming throughout the holiday.
Production Tours and Guided Tastings
We look forward to welcoming guests to the Virginia Wine Collective for tours and guided tastings. Please email our Wine Collective Coordinator, Gabrielle Thomas, if you would like to schedule a tour or guided tasting. She may be reached at gabrielle@ eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Large Party Reservations
Interested in making a large party reservation for your group? Reach out to mary@eastwoodfarmandwinery. com to book.
About the Collective Eastwood designed the Virginia Wine Collective to include nine winemaker suites and an incubator alongside the main production area. The suites provide a space where independent winemakers can anchor a license and make their wines. The Collective has been designed to reduce the costs associated with independent winemaking, and thereby support further innovation and talent in the Monticello AVA.
Over 21 Policy
You must be over 21 to visit the bar, lounge and dining room at the Collective.
Current Winery Hours Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 5-10PM
1585 Avon Street Extended Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 264-6727
1. One on the floor? 6. Woolly mom 9. Overpriced 13. “In ___” (Nir vana album) 14. Situated over
Mughal Empire’s capital, once 16. Wand-waving result 17. Prawn breath freshener? 19. Clone of a corn salsa bit?
21. Rapper ___ Yachty
22. Lee who cameoed in Marvel movies
23. Claire of “The Crown”
24. Went over, as a time limit 26. Take in
30. The whole thing
31. Flowery keepsake
32. Pick up and go
33. Beefsteak photo as a desktop backdrop?
38. Tied
39. Grab hold of
40. Part of REM
41. “Law & Order” pros
42. Roll layer
43. Fatigued
47. TV chef Fieri
48. Satisfy
49. “Ben-___” (Best Picture at the 1960 Oscars)
50. Where Grover and The Count can check out books?
53. Southern Hemisphere species marketed as Chilean sea bass
55. “Well, golly!”
56. Theater sign
57. “La Bamba” actor Morales
58. “Freaks and ___” (NBC one-season wonder)
59. “Holy ___!”
60. “The Phoenician Scheme” director Anderson
61. Upper house of France’s Parliament
DOWN
1. Microblogging site
2. Firenze’s locale
3. Titles on state records
4. “All By Myself” singer Carmen
5. Winter ice melter
6. Hawke of “The Lowdown”
7. Tattered
8. Blunder of all blunders
9. Grumpy companion
10. Rapper A zalea
11. “Minions: The Rise of ___”
12. Smithfield product
14. Words after “have” or “take”
18. Beside the point
20. Army group?
25. Prepare for action
26. Wriggling critter
27. Capital ser ved by one end of the ÿresund Bridge
28. Mass ___ (MIT’s addr.)
29. As directed by
31. Experiment site
32. Cutting-in question
33. Poet Hughes
34. Eggs, in science
35. Not many
36. Passage
37. Irish fuel sources
6/17/26
#5
By Rob Brezsny
Leo
(July 23-Aug. 22): If you happen to be swallowed whole by a dragon or whale sometime soon, don’t freak out. It’s far preferable to being chomped into bits first, which absolutely won’t happen. You may indeed spend a brief spell inside the creature’s dark belly, but I confidently predict you will ultimately be deposited on the outside in one intact piece, after which you will only need to find your meandering way back home. The whole episode may be confounding or humbling, but I bet it will also scrub you free of a load of old karma.
Virgo
(Aug. 22-Sept. 22): Bees perform what scientists call a “waggle dance” to communicate the location of flowers to their hive-mates. But the directions are sometimes imprecise, and the apparent sloppiness actually helps the hive. It forces other bees to explore more broadly, discovering new food sources that the original bee missed. Perfect information would make them too efficient to be adaptable. Your precision is one of your gifts, Virgo, but right now I think you need strategic vagueness and fuzzy logic. Leave some directions unclear. Mistakes and misunderstandings might lead to discoveries that your perfect plans would have eliminated.
Libra
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In ancient Greek thought, kairos referred to the opportune moment. It meant the right timing, when circumstances aligned for action to be most effective. The term chronos, on the other hand, was about sequential time, which blindly marched forward without any regard for special moments or auspiciousness. Most of us are more or less hypnotized by chronos-consciousness. We measure our lives by calendar dates and external schedules. But in the coming weeks, Libra, I recommend you stay on high alert for kairos-rich pivots. For now, suspend inquiries like “Am I on schedule?” and ask, “Are the circumstances ripe?”
Scorpio
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Ravens are strongly motivated to engage in elaborate play: aerial acrobatics, complex games, sliding down snowbanks, and sharing food with nonrelatives. These behaviors lack an immediate payoff, yet support learning, motor skill development, and social relationships. They seem to be both emotionally rewarding and indirectly advantageous for survival and success over the long term. Let’s apply this to you, Scorpio. Let’s conclude that delight isn’t wastefully frivolous and that pleasure doesn’t need to justify itself through productivity. In the coming weeks, you may face pressure to explain or defend your joy, as if to prove it’s worth it in some utilitarian way. Refuse. Like the ravens, engage in purposeless beauty and fun simply because it feels so good.
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN
(June 21-July 22): Now is an auspicious time to declare a sweeping amnesty and observe a personal season of pardon. To the best of your ability, release your clenched feelings about people who have caused you pain. Banish blame! Purge any lingering resentment and regret that has curdled into self‑reproach.
Celebrate atonement and absolution! Most vital of all, exonerate yourself. Shed the guilt you’ve carried for missteps and missed chances. And please offer yourself a sweet gift: a ritual of renewal.
Sagittarius
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Glaciologists studying ice cores can read Earth’s climate history going back 800,000 years. Each layer contains trapped air bubbles. These are time capsules that preserve the atmospheric composition of each moment. The ice remembers everything. You accumulate similar records, Sagittarius. Each of your experiences leaves its trace. And in the coming weeks, you will have extra access to these archived layers of your own history. Memories and patterns you thought were lost will surface with intriguing clarity. I hope you study these revelations to glean insight about your long-term patterns and cycles. It’s time to see the Big Picture.
Capricorn
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Many people forget, but you know: Structure is the foundation for freedom, not a suppression of it. While others fantasize about escaping responsibility, you know that mastery is key to every emancipation. When properly practiced, your flair for discipline adds vigor as well as rigor. More than any other sign of the zodiac, you are adept at using limits to give unlimited possibilities their specific shape. I trust you will express all these Capricornian powers to the max in the coming weeks. People in your life need them even more than usual.
Aquarius
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Horticulturists practice “deadheading.” They remove spent flowers from plants to encourage new vitality. Faded flowers drain energy that could go toward fresh growth. Plants that have been deadheaded produce more abundant blooms than those left to manage their
own decay. I recommend a metaphorical version of this practice to you, Aquarius. You’ll be wise to deadhead your emotional garden. Certain attachments, once vibrant and nourishing, have expired. They’re not evil or wrong; they’re simply finished. It’s best not to keep directing precious energy toward maintaining their faded forms. With gratitude for the old beauty, clear the way for new beauty.
Pisces
(Feb. 19-March 20): For maximum safety, be as uninteresting as possible. Shun risks that might shake up your beliefs and avoid adventures that could expose you to people who aren’t similar to you. If you really want to be certain about preserving your security and stability, as I’m recommending, the surest method is to retreat to your power spot and do nothing at all. Wait! Stop! Dear Pisces, everything I just said was pure misdirection! I was joking! In fact, the opposite is true. The true way to nurture genuine safety and security is to pursue what sparks your curiosity and lights up your zeal. And the coming days are likely to provide you with plenty of chances to do exactly that.
Aries
(March 21-April 19): The interesting struggles you’ll wage in the coming weeks will require your vulnerability: showing up exactly as you are when you might rather fight or escape. Your warrior nature probably prefers a clear enemy or a definable problem you can confront, but the truer conquest will come from laying down your weaponry. I suggest you meet aggression with curiosity and engage chaos with receptive stillness. At least for now, your greatest strength will be to remain
undominated by your own reactive impulses. Think of it as an advanced martial art.
Taurus
(April 20-May 20): In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to be inspired by this wisdom from artist Pablo Picasso: “I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it.” He’s proposing that we treat a lack of expertise not as an embarrassment, but as a doorway. Instead of waiting until we feel ready, trained, and confident, he suggests we head into territory where we fumble, guess, and feel awkward. Our discomfort may lead to gratifying growth. So I dare you to ask yourself whether there’s a capacity or skill you’d love to add to your repertoire but are too shy or timid to try. Then take small, imperfect steps toward it, trusting that each move will teach you how to do what once felt impossible.
Gemini
(May 21-June 21): Hummingbirds keep track of every flower they visit and know how long it will take each one to replenish its nectar. They maintain mental maps of many feeding sites and visit them on precise schedules. To ensure their survival, they can’t waste energy on flowers that aren’t ready yet. Your mind could work like this if you want it to, Gemini. Which people, places, and projects need time to refill before you visit them again? Who have you been approaching too frequently, seeking their nectar before it has had time to regenerate? In the coming weeks, practice strategic patience with your resources. In your secret conversations with yourself, call yourself “Hummingbird.” Expanded
CLASSIFIEDS
ORDER
It appearing that a report of the accounts of Julia Chadwell, personal representative of the estate of Martha M. Kilbane, deceased, and of the debts and demands against her estate, has been filed in the Clerk’s Office, and that six months have elapsed since the qualification of the personal representative, on motion of Julia Chadwell personal representative; IT IS ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the estate do show cause, if any they can, on the 6th day of July, 2026, 9:00am, before this Court at its courtroom, against the payment and delivery of the Estate of Martha M. Kilbane, deceased, to the distributees, with or without refunding bonds as the Court prescribes.
I ASK FOR THIS:
April R. Fletcher
Virginia State Bar No. 35649
April R. Fletcher, PLC 215 Wayles Lane, Suite 125, Charlottesville, Virginia 22911 (434) 293 – 9241 aprilfletcher@aprilfletcherlaw.com
Counsel for Julia Chadwell, Administrator, c.t.a. of the Estate of Martha M. Kilbane
P.S. THE HOTSEAT
Moore information
Writer, journalist, and public speaker Andrew Moore returns to town for a reading at New Dominion Bookshop, followed by a conversation with local writer and cultural landscape historian Nell Boeschenstein Yager. Moore’s new book, The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness, about reintroducing large animals to the eastern United States—including elk in western Virginia and the endangered red wolf in northeast North Carolina adjacent to Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp—published earlier this month. Ahead of his visit, we put Moore in The HotSeat.
Name: Andrew Moore
Age: 41
Pronouns: He/him
Hometown: I grew up in Lake Wales, Florida, but the Northside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been my home for the past 17 years.
Job(s): Writer
What’s something about your job that people would be surprised to learn? Although my new book is about wildlife and the outdoors, I would guess that 95 percent of the work is spent indoors at a desk.
Why is it important to support environmental journalism? I think environmental journalism has a unique responsibility: Although human societies depend upon the health of functioning ecosystems, we are also capable of inflicting great harm upon the natural world, and when that is taken to the extreme, it can result in not just damaged natural areas, but eventually widespread local extinctions. Plants and animals don’t have any way to advocate for themselves—and so if we’re not telling stories about our
wondrous and diverse world, we risk losing our connection to wildlife, and losing species, forever.
How does the progression of time factor into your writing? How are past and present represented in your work? Most of our modern landscapes in the East are the result of human choices, for better and for worse: We are living in natural worlds that were set on a specific course by human hands decades and centuries ago. And so it’s like Faulkner said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
What are you working on right now? I’ve been investigating the existence of a globally rare hawthorn (Crataegus pennsylvanica), the Pennsylvania hawthorn, that occurs in relative abundance in the city of Pittsburgh. And I’m working on a natural history of a place much, much closer to home.
Best advice you ever got: Best (writing) advice I ever got came from a friend when I was starting out as a freelance writer in Miami, Florida. I was traveling to investigate some story I have since forgotten, but the friend told me to go there, to this place,
and to not worry if I didn’t find what I was originally looking for. Even if you don’t find the specific thing, you will have a story—tell it. Best part of visiting here: My standout memory of Charlottesville is of the open-air, Saturday farmers’ market—it’s got to be one of the best markets in the country!
If you could be reincarnated as a person or thing, what would you be? I recently watched a video of Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs center who is at least 7'4", where he was asked if he could talk to his 10-year-old self, what would he say? “Nothing,” he said. “I wouldn’t talk to him because I don’t want to change, in any way, the way things went.” I feel a similar way about this question: I’m not sure I’d want to live the life of any other person. That said, I suppose it would be really cool to fly like a peregrine falcon, run like a cheetah … or even dunk a basketball like Victor Wembanyama.
Are there any superstitions you abide by? Growing up in Florida, I learned to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, and that it was bad luck to do laundry on January 1—so I make sure I get my laundry done in December ... and then eat my peas!
Favorite movie: I can’t pick an all-time favorite, but the movie I have most recommended over the past decade is Bacurau, written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles.
Favorite book: Again, too hard to pick a favorite, but when I first read Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, I wondered why my friends and teachers hadn’t already sat me down and instructed me to read this masterpiece immediately. Dillard’s curiosity, her observational powers, and her gift with language, is unmatched.
Go-to karaoke song: “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” by UGK or “Surfin’ Bird” by The Trashmen.
What’s your comfort food/ meal? I like comfort, and I like food, and I’ll take all I can get of both. But I think I’m happiest with a plate of sweet plantains, garlic-stuffed mofongo, and no matter the time of day, café con leche.
Subject that causes you to rant: How Erie, Pennsylvania, is America’s best beach town.
Hottest take/most unpopular opinion: That Erie, Pennsylvania, is America’s best beach town!
