C-VILLE Weekly | December 13 - 19, 2023

Albemarle schools' teachers and staff union still negotiating with school board PAGE 11 Family-run Chang Thai draws from decades of international culinary experience PAGE 25

SEASON OF SHAR IN

G

See our Holid ay Gift Guide PAGE 28

Hospice of the Piedmont's volunteer death doulas help people pass away with dignity EZE AMOS

DECEMBER 13 – 19, 2023 CHARLOTTESVILLE’S NEWS AND ARTS WEEKLY C-VILLE.COM FREE

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This Holiday Season

4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

V.35, No. 50

Charlottesville’s News & Arts Weekly CIRCULATION: 20,000 WEEKLY

FEATURE 14

P.O. Box 119 Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

A good death

Facebook: facebook.com/cville.weekly Twitter: @cville_weekly, @cville_culture Instagram: @cvilleweekly

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard DiCicco richard@c-ville.com CULTURE EDITOR Tami Keaveny tami@c-ville.com NEWS REPORTER Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com COPY EDITOR Susan Sorensen EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Maeve Hayden

EZE AMOS

Hospice of the Piedmont’s end-of-life doulas provide comfort and support.

www.c-ville.com

INTERN Faith Goalder MAGAZINE EDITOR Caite Hamilton

NEWS

9

27 The Working Pour: Virginia wineries are expecting 2023 to be a banner year.

17 Real Estate Weekly: Albemarle supes get update on Rivanna Station land study.

33 Crossword

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Brezsny, Matt Dhillon, Carol Diggs, Brielle Entzminger, Mary Esselman, Shea Gibbs, Mary Jane Gore, Will Ham, Erika Howsare, Justin Humphreys, Kristin O’Donoghue, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Courteney Stuart, Paul Ting, Sean Tubbs, David Levinson Wilk

34 Free Will Astrology

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

CULTURE

CLASSIFIED 35

11 The latest on collective bargaining at ACPS.

23

25 All You Can Eat: Chang Thai’s tasty mix of authentic cuisine and experience.

26 Small Bites: Happy holidays at area eateries and bars.

32 Sudoku

P.S.

38

Question of the Week What’s your favorite local seasonal treat or sip?

ART DIRECTOR Max March max@c-ville.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tracy Federico designer@c-ville.com

ADVERTISING advertising@c-ville.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Gabby Kirk (434) 373-2136 gabby@c-ville.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Brittany Keller brittany@c-ville.com Sarah Smith sarah@c-ville.com

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THIS WEEK

Hello, Charlottesville! Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly. In the grand scheme of things, our lives are relatively short. Whether we die young or make it to 100, the span of a human life is pretty small. Death, as we all know, is inevitable, and during the holidays we sometimes reflect on the lives that have ended, especially as we celebrate the season without loved ones and friends who have passed.

To paraphrase Hospice of the Piedmont’s Beth Eck, our culture is often more committed to beating death than coping with its reality. Eck speaks to this in our latest feature on HOP’s end-of-life doulas, the volunteers who tend to people who are getting ready to pass away (p. 14). Death doulas comfort and support individuals approaching the end of their lives, and Carol Diggs spoke with four who help HOP residents find peace, or some semblance of it, before they go. Doulas play important roles that require compassion and empathy, and you’ll find that each of the volunteers Diggs interviewed has drawn from their own personal and professional backgrounds in their work at the hospice.

Death is mysterious and sometimes frightening, but we all face it down eventually, which helps me make my own peace with it. It’s reassuring to know there are people who are committed to ensuring no one has to go through it alone.—Richard DiCicco

12.13.23

PAWS and December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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“Excited is an understatement. I have had knots in my stomach, good knots, since I knew this was finalized.”

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—Krystal Churchman, a member of the 2001 state title-winning CHS women’s basketball team, which finally received their championship rings on December 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

Let's make a deal PAGE 11

SANJAY SUCHAK

Draft season

M

ore than 100 community members showed up to speak during a December 5 public hearing on Charlottesville’s proposed draft zoning ordinance. When space ran out in crowded City Council chambers, attendees were directed to overflow seating at CitySpace.

Residents remain divided on the draft, though the number of speakers in favor of the proposed ordinance outnumbered opponents. Those who

supported the ordinance largely did so with some reservations, but noted the potential for the new zoning code to increase the amount of affordable housing. Concerns brought up by attendees included the city’s failure to conduct a traffic study, potential parking problems, density, the tree canopy, displacement, upzoning, and if the plan will effectively increase affordable housing.

Many of these worries were brought up at previous City Council and Planning

Commission meetings, as well as at other public hearings about the draft zoning ordinance.

The city has long indicated that a vote on the draft zoning ordinance would occur before the end of the year, but some attendees called on council to delay its vote. Deliberations on the ordinance will continue on December 13, when council will either vote on the ordinance or further extend the consideration process.

Residents remain divided on the draft, though the number of speakers in favor of the proposed ordinance outnumbered opponents.

DAN ADDISON

University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill has resigned following national backlash for statements made while testifying at a congressional hearing about antisemitism on college campuses. Prior to being named Penn’s president, Magill served as the executive vice president and provost at the University of Virginia from 2019 to 2022. She graduated from UVA Law in 1995.

Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, antisemitism has reportedly been on the rise at universities in the United States. Magill was called to testify before Congress on December 5, alongside the presidents of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Liz Magill

When asked by New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik if “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate Penn’s student code of conduct, Magill responded it would be “context-dependent” and “if the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment.”

Magill’s statements prompted massive public backlash, including condemnation by the White House and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

Magill apologized for her remarks in a video posted to the @Penn Twitter/X account on December 6, before resigning on December 9.

Magill will continue to serve as Penn’s president until an interim leader is selected, and will retain her position as a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law.

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Penned out

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Restaurateur Wilson “Will” Richey died in a single-car accident in the early morning of Tuesday, December 12, according to a statement from the Albemarle County Police Department. First responders were dispatched to the 1300 block of Owensville Road at approximately 1:21am, and Richey, 47, was pronounced dead at the scene.

For decades, Richey was an influential member of the Charlottesville culinary scene.

He started his career in the wine business before venturing into food. After buying local staple Revolutionary Soup in 2005, Richey went on to form his own restaurant group, Ten Course Hospitality, which was instrumental in the launch of The Whiskey Jar, The Alley Light, The Bebedero, The Pie Chest, and Brasserie Saison, among others.

Richey was known for his industry partnerships. His most recent ventures included Café Frank with renowned chef José DeBrito, and Högwaller Brewing, with a group of friends that includes his Ten Course Hospitality partner Jonathan Corey.

Thanks to his various collaborations and founding of the Charlottesville Wine Guild and Red Row Farm, Richey had a deep impact on the local culinary scene.

CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE

Loss of local culinary leader

10

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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NEWS 11

Deal or no deal The path forward is uncertain for Albemarle teachers union negotiations

By Sofia Heartney

O. GEHO

T

Albemarle Education Association members attended a September school board meeting during a pause in collective bargaining negotiations. Talks between the union and the school board began in June, but were suspended for weeks for reasons neither side agrees on.

“This is the most productive path to what both sides desire—an agreement acceptable to both parties, in the interests of the school division and concluded as soon as possible.”

PHIL GIARAMITA, ACPS SPOKESPERSON

tion, AEA negotiators read a statement and left the meeting. In doing so, they broke the agreed-upon protocol.”

Phil Giaramita, ACPS spokesperson, said in an email that the protocol “proved useful” up until the September 7 meeting, “as some 70 items were satisfied.”

The AEA also says that such a protocol was not as clear-cut as the school board portrays. “Their protocol doesn’t specify when [points they disagreed on] get addressed,” says Liechti, “and so we didn’t really receive any clarity on that.”

According to Liechti, there were a few aspects of the resolution that made it “antithetical to bargaining.” He says the AEA wanted to negotiate three main provisions before continuing.

The first provision would “[allow] the school board to change a contract at any time. If specifically they declare an emergency, or whenever they decide to change a policy,” says Liechti.

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June negotiations between the AEA and the school board.

Beyond the standard benefits of collective bargaining, McIntyre says there are other reasons an agreement is important for ACPS: being able “to retain the staff we have and to recruit high quality staff constantly … [allowing] the people who are in the trenches doing the work with the students every single day a voice in the biggest decisions that affect student outcomes,” including budgetary, scheduling, and curriculum decisions, which she argues will benefit the children of Albemarle County.

In an emailed response to questions, Judy Le, Albemarle County School Board chair, wrote that she does support collective bargaining efforts, pointing to how she has previously voted “twice in support of the Board negotiating a resolution with the AEA.” After the weeks-long September pause in negotiations, the AEA returned to the negotiating table on October 17—but the two sides disagree on the cause of the initial negotiations pause.

The school board and district say that talks were stopped by the AEA when the union broke agreed-upon protocol and left the meeting. Le says, “When the AEA and the school board negotiation teams began meeting in June, both sides agreed to a protocol that dictated that the draft resolution would be addressed item by item, with points of contention tabled to be revisited later. … Midway through the September 7 meeting, without tabling a point of conten-

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

he Albemarle Education Association, the union for Albemarle County teachers and staff, has been negotiating for a collective bargaining agreement with the school board since June.

Teachers have expressed frustration over being tied to contracts that can be “changed at a whim,” says Vernon Liechti, AEA president and a teacher at Albemarle High School. “What’s frustrating to a lot of employees is that when they’re given specific new responsibilities … [they are] not really given necessarily the time, training, or resources to do that particular stuff.”

Mary McIntyre understands how vital the presence of a union can be. A teacher at Journey Middle School and the vice president of the AEA, she’s helping organize and gain support for the Albemarle teachers’ union and putting pressure on the county school board to pass a collective bargaining agreement.

According to the union, collective bargaining will help the district recruit teachers amid a nationwide shortage. “All the school divisions are competing for the same people,” says McIntyre. “You need to have something that you can offer them that your next-door neighbors can’t.”

Though negotiations paused for several weeks in September, the AEA and the school board have resumed talks. The AEA objects to three provisions in the draft agreement: that the school board is able to change contracts at any time, that the AEA must provide new union authorization cards, and a 66-percent participation threshold for union elections.

Including these provisions would strip any potential collective bargaining agreement of its power, according to the union.

The school board, however, says the only way it is willing to negotiate is by using its previously agreed upon protocol, and that continuing negotiations is the only way to achieve an agreement.

Collective bargaining by public entities became legal in Virginia in May 2021, after a bill allowing it was passed by the state legislature in 2020. ACPS workers then began organizing to reach a collective bargaining agreement.

In spring 2022, the AEA submitted a resolution for collective bargaining to the school board, but the board rejected that resolution, primarily due to concerns that there was not yet a clear path forward. The group then submitted another resolution in February 2023, which Liechti says “was very similar to the one that the Charlottesville City Schools had just approved.”

The county school board, however, drafted its own resolution using outside counsel, then created a committee consisting of members from both the school board and AEA to negotiate terms. This began the

The second deals with union authorization cards, which are signed by employees to indicate their interest in being part of the bargaining unit. The AEA collected cards during its first attempt to reach an agreement on collective bargaining in 2022. When it tried to use those cards again, Liechti says the school board said the cards were “stale” and that it didn’t “trust” the cards.

The third and final provision that caused intense disagreement was the 66 percent participation threshold for electing a bargaining representative.

To the AEA, these provisions were nonstarters, and it felt the negotiations could not move forward.

Liechti says if any of those three provisions remained in the final collective bargaining resolution, “it guts the whole point of collective bargaining. … It demonstrates the fundamental lack of trust in the workers of Albemarle County Public Schools.”

In response, Le wrote “When AEA negotiators asked about the school board’s position on some unresolved issues, school board negotiators indicated that its position had not changed since the last meeting. The school board negotiators expected that these matters … would be tabled until the parties had addressed all the remaining provisions in the draft resolution.”

The school board and district did not comment on other specifics of the bargaining process, including the three provisions the AEA would like movement on.

“Publicly talking about concessions, outside the confidentiality of the negotiations themselves, would violate the protocol both parties said would govern the talks,” says Giaramita. He added in a later statement to C-VILLE, “This is the most productive path to what both sides desire—an agreement acceptable to both parties, in the interests of the school division and concluded as soon as possible.”

The AEA says it would like the process to be more transparent, and claims it was the school board that wanted confidentiality.

Liechti says the AEA is now focused on gaining more attention on collective bargaining, as “these are things the public should want to know.”

McIntyre sees the need for collective bargaining as something that affects the entire community, reflected by the broad support she’s seen for the AEA. “[The community views] us—their children’s teachers, their children’s bus drivers, their children’s cafeteria, and building staff—as doing really, really important work,” she says. “And they want us to be here doing that work. And so they want this to pass, because they know that that is how they’re going to keep high quality people in their schools.”

School board officials and the AEA have returned to the bargaining table, with meetings planned for December 12 and January 17.

12

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14

Helping hands in hospice

I

t’s a conversation starter you might throw out with a group of friends hanging out at a winery, or after a large informal family supper: “What would you like to do before you die?”

The answers are probably interesting, intriguing, even surprising. The discussion could inspire someone in the group to make those dreams happen.

But for Beth Eck, director of end-of-life doula services for Hospice of the Piedmont, the real question is: “Have you said what needs to be said?”

The term birth doula (a person trained to provide non-medical services, support, and

advocacy for women through pregnancy and birth) is pretty well known, and their services are increasingly popular. But fewer people have heard of death (or end-of-life) doulas—those who are trained and prepared to provide non-medical services, support, and comfort through life’s last and most mysterious transition.

Eck became interested in questions of death and dying during a 25-year career as a sociology professor at James Madison University. Reading Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End “changed my life,” she says. “I thought, ‘I need to be doing something [in this field].’”

Having experienced the deaths of friends, she saw how modern medical care has become focused on beating death, what she calls “a cure model rather than a care model. We’ve taken life events and made them medical—but people still want their autonomy, their dignity.”

Eck began volunteering for Hospice of the Piedmont, where colleagues asked if she had considered becoming a death doula. She went through training programs offered by the International End of Life Doula Association and by an organization called Going With Grace, and keeps up with the field through continuing educa-

tion geared toward end-of-life care in a hospice/palliative care setting.

In 2021, Hospice of the Piedmont hired Eck to launch its end-of-life doula program, which now has two dozen volunteers. Those who want to take on the role have to complete the 16 hours of HOP’s regular hospice volunteer training, and additional doula preparation designed by Eck. Over the training period, she develops a sense of the assets and style of each volunteer, pairs them with the right patients, and mentors their work.

I had the opportunity to sit down with four members of Eck’s team, and found that while all of them have worked as hospice

“We’ve taken life events and made them medical— but people still want their autonomy, their dignity.”

15

BETH ECK, DIRECTOR OF END-OF-LIFE DOULA SERVICES, HOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT

Aurora DeMarco, Jennifer McLaughlin, Kate Adamson, Beth Eck, and Laura DeVault are volunteer end-of-life doulas at Hospice of the Piedmont. If their patients “don’t accept that they are dying,” says McLaughlin, “you just help them get to a place of peace for them.”

EZE AMOS

important … profound … intimate.” (She is also INELDA trained, and, in addition to volunteering with HOP, she supports individual clients for a fee.)

Kate Adamson, 44, works as an on-call hospital chaplain. In that position, she says, “I’m called in for acute help; I’m unlikely to see the patient again. I came to volunteer at hospice because I wanted a more ongoing relationship with the people I was serving.”

Jennifer McLaughlin, 40, a nursing assistant for more than 20 years, works mostly with geriatric patients, and is often present with patients as they die. “I wanted to get more training on how to help them with

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volunteers, they each came to be doulas for their own unique reasons.

Aurora DeMarco, 60, a massage therapist, worked as a bereavement counselor. “I had lost my mother and several friends,” she recalls, “and I felt called to do this work.

Grieving is a time when people want to talk, to have real conversations.”

Laura DeVault, 67, had been a pediatric nurse, then a stay-at-home mother, then a bookstore owner. (“I’ve spent my whole life preparing myself for my next stage,” she says.) Having gone through the passing of parents and close friends, “I’m comfortable with those conversations. This work feels

tion, that I’m there for them,” Adamson says.

In these situations, “just being present is a baseline nourishing.”

Death doulas also see advocacy as part of their role. They will alert the hospice care team if they see the family needs help with end-of-life planning, financial issues, or grief counseling. “Sometimes I am advocating for the patient to herself,” Adamson says. “That’s one way the doulas can serve—[helping the patient] consider their legacy, how they want to say goodbye.”

DeMarco, who has volunteered in hospice settings for more than a decade, says, “Even the patients have their hesitations. They may still want curative care. Or they may feel like people around them are thinking, ‘Hurry up and die already.’”

These volunteers describe their work as important and fulfilling, but all agree it can be intense and draining. Self-care is critical.

“When I’m off the clock, then I’m off the clock,” says McLaughlin. “I turn my phone off, and put myself in a place of peace.”

“I just started taking Mondays off and setting some limits,” Adamson says. “I tell people I’ll answer emails Tuesdays and Thursdays. You really have to be intentional about taking care of yourself.” She recharges by going paddle boarding (out of reach of email or cell phone).

DeVault goes for long walks in the woods, and says meditation—and humor—helps.

But the best self-care is understanding the death doula’s role: to support the individual’s own choices about how they want to navigate the end of their life. “It’s the patient’s work to do, it’s their death,” says Eck. Adamson describes this as “being connected without being attached. I’m completely there with them when I’m with them, but when I leave, I am not attached.”

As a self-described “introvert who hates small talk,” DeMarco says that being a doula is for her a way to be with people and have conversations that really matter—to them, and to her. She has a client whom she’s been serving for over a year, “and it’s going to be hard when she dies. But I think, ‘Aren’t I lucky, to have had this connection?’”

“It’s given me a perspective on what’s important,” says Adamson. “I have a curiosity [about the end-of-life transition], rather than being fearful.” For DeVault, being a witness to the process of dying “has made me want to have more important conversations. These are the big questions, the big mysteries.” For DeMarco, it’s about “the missing of all these people whose lives and deaths I’ve been part of.”

Their teacher and mentor, Beth Eck, says that for her, being a death doula “is such a privilege, to be asked into their lives at the end.”

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Meet the volunteers known as death doulas who serve those at the end of their lives BY CAROL DIGGS

that transition,” she says. “Sometimes they need the extra comfort, supporting them, listening to them, not trying to give them answers. As a caregiver, you have to let go the desire to fix things.”

The other three nod in agreement. It’s a central tenet of their end-of-life training—to be, in DeMarco’s words, “someone with no agenda. That way, we can be with the patient in a way that’s not stressful for them.” DeVault says with emphasis, “It’s not my job to get the patient to accept their diagnosis. My role is to be with the client, as they are, in their process.”

McLaughlin agrees: “If they don’t accept that they are dying, you just help them get to a place of peace for them. I know when I see peace, when they have a strength that they didn’t have when I walked in.”

One of her patients, DeMarco recalls, “kept thinking there was something she could do. She kept talking about her frustration [that she was dying].” As a death doula, DeMarco saw her role as sitting with the patient in that emotion, being someone, perhaps the only one, to whom the dying woman felt safe expressing those feelings.

“This is highly intuitive work,” says Eck when explaining the role of doula. “We are here to listen, to be present, to be still—witnessing, not giving advice. We’re saying [without words], ‘You don’t have to perform for me. I am here for who you are today.’”

Often, she says, “we’re the only ones around them who are not afraid.”

She describes this attitude as “a constant practice,” and the volunteers agree. “I can’t do this work for more than an hour at a time,” says DeMarco. “You’re really zeroing in, and it’s hard not to talk about yourself!” The others laugh knowingly.

Each end-of-life doula is assigned one or two patients at a time, and will work with those individuals through their passing, whether that comes in weeks or months. Not all hospice patients have or ask for doulas.

Sometimes, the hospice team (which includes a doctor, a nurse, a care assistant, a social worker, and occasionally a chaplain) will recommend a doula for added support for the patient, or for the family as well. Because the role isn’t subject to regulatory constraints, doulas have a greater degree of flexibility in deciding how long their sessions are or how often they meet with a patient or family.

A death doula will also provide respite care, a chance for a family member to take a break without leaving their loved one alone.

Sometimes the patient has dementia or is unaware of their surroundings. “It’s harder with Alzheimer’s patients, who may have no idea I’m there, but whether they can feel my presence [or not], it’s more about the inten-

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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17

Real Estate Weekly Featuring properties for sale and rent in and around Charlottesville as well as Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange and Augusta counties

New Larger Homesites Just Released Backing to Trees!

Semi- Custom Homes starting from $599,900 Decorated Model Home Open Daily 12-5pm

Tour our Newest Model Homes and Old Trail Village our Tour our our Newest Newest Model Model Homes Homes inin Belvedere inBelvedere Belvedere and and Old Old Trail Trail Village Village

OPEN DAILY 12-5 | (434) 218-2352 urrituck Model in Belvedere | 905 Belvedere Blvd, Charlottesville, 22901 tuck Currituck Model Model in Belvedere in Belvedere | 905 |Belvedere 905 Belvedere Blvd, Blvd, Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VAVA 22901 VA 22901 NorthPointe@craigbuilders.com | craigbuilders.com/northpointe lla Model in Old Trail Village | 406 Astel Crozet, 22932 Model Villa Model in Old inTrail Old Village Trail Village | 406 |Astel 406 Astel St, St, Crozet, St, Crozet, VAVA 22932 VA 22932

ODEL HOMES OPEN DAILY 12-5 | design 434-973-3362 | craigbuilders.com EL MODEL HOMES HOMES OPEN OPEN DAILY DAILY 12-5Pricing | 12-5 434-973-3362 | 434-973-3362 | craigbuilders.com | craigbuilders.com Conceptual images shown. and subject to change

Quick Move-In Available!

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Mountain View Homesites Available from the $600’s New Homesites Featuring One Level Living Homes!

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Main Level Living Homes Available with or without Basement!

REAL ESTATE WEEKLY

18

EAN FAULCONER INC. MCLFarm, Estate and Residential Brokers Farm, Estate and Residential Brokers 503 Faulconer Drive ∙ Charlottesville ∙ VA ∙ 22903

MONTE SERENO SUBDIVISION

LAND

FOX RUN

Keswick Farm Exquisite Albemarle County Country Estate set on 20 acres. Gracious Manor Home offers peace and quiet! Home features 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, multiple wood burning fireplaces and a spacious 2.5 car garage. Fabulous kitchen features custom Jaeger & Ernst cabinets, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, expansive island, corner wet bar and a built-in Miele coffee maker. Beautiful primary suite with granite fireplace, custom walk-in closet and en-suite spa bathroom with a walk-in shower and marble tile floor with radiant heat. Extensive outdoor living area; gated courtyard, patio with wood burning fireplace and a 30’x15’ screened in porch with audio/visual hookup. Property features a stunning heated pool, 10 stall stable and a 2 bedroom cottage $2,600,000

CALL SHARON

Over 25 years of Real Estate experience. email: callsharon.today@yahoo.com cell: 434.981.7200 WWW.MCLEANFAULCONER.COM

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Annie Gould Gallery

A unique art gallery located in the heart of historic Gordonsville.

109 S. Main Street, Gordonsville, VA • (540) 832-6352 anniegouldgallery

LINE AND GRADE

13.68 ACRE PARCEL. Five approved lots ranging from 2 to 51/2 acres. All surveying, engineering, plots, and paved road completed.

Stunning Blue Ridge views to the west. Far reaching vistas define this property, Monte Sereno. Perfect for building a spectacular estate home on a total of 13.68 acres or a unique subdivision, with your own covenants and restrictions. High speed internet available. Located in Northern Albemarle. Less than 10 minutes to all conveniences.

One owner is a Virginia licensed real estate broker. $1,500,00

The map above shows the scope of the due diligence study by Line and Grade. The pink sections indicate about 77 acres of land that is considered unsolicited, meaning it was not originally for sale.

Due diligence Albemarle reviews land for defense sector campus

By Sean Tubbs

O

n Wednesday, December 13, Albemarle supervisors will get an update on a study of the 462 acres near Rivanna Station that the county wants to preserve for a major employer.

The defense sector is the number-two industry in Albemarle, Charlottesville, and Greene, with a $1.2 billion a year impact, according to a report from the Weldon Cooper Center released in May. That’s in part due to the presence of the National Ground Intelligence Center and other military assets at Rivanna Station. And Albemarle hopes to grow that impact on the area through the creation of the Intelligence and National Security Innovation Acceleration Campus.

A study overseen by civil engineering firm Line and Grade has informed a proposed adjustment to the boundaries of the 462 acres that Albemarle will purchase from Next Generation LLC, a firm associated with developer Wendell Wood. This could adjust the final purchase price of a reported $58 million.

Supervisors agreed to purchase the land on May 24.

About 77 acres of the land is considered unsolicited, meaning it was not originally for sale. The purpose of this additional land is to “ensure a natural buffer around the proposed development to prevent the encroachment by incompatible land uses and bad actors.”

The buffer will also include land that is outside of the county’s development area.

The Line and Grade study sets out how the land will need to be rezoned to light industrial, or perhaps to a new zoning category for defense or government facilities.

Line and Grade also recommends a master plan be created for the new development, a plan that could help Albemarle County prepare the site under the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s business readiness program. Such a master plan would build on a 2017 concept commissioned by the Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs.

That concept called for a future road network through the area, which would utilize a property on U.S. 29 at Austin Drive that Albemarle bought in 2018 for $250,000. Line and Grade note that a special use permit would be required because a portion of Boulders Road Extended is in a flood plain.

Rivanna Station is within a stretch of U.S. 29 where the Virginia Department of Transportation wants to limit additional traffic signals. The report also indicates that the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority does not currently have water and sewer capacity to support expansion, so planning should begin for that.

The due diligence study included a preliminary but informal National Environmental Policy Act review, including a check on endangered species and an inventory of waterways. There’s also a review of cultural resources and recommendations to protect two cemeteries, as well as instructions on what the county will need to do to manage dams on the property.

Albemarle hopes to grow [the defense sector’s] impact on the area through the creation of the Intelligence and National Security Innovation Acceleration Campus.

19

EAN FAULCONER INC. MCLFarm, Estate and Residential Brokers

HIGHER GROUND

27 acre estate, mountaintop retreat with 11,400 sf., 8-BR, 6.5-BA residence with many outside terraces, decks and unsurpassed panoramic mountain views! 10 miles to famed Omni Homestead Resort, 2 miles to the airport. www.highergroundva.org Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

MILL HOUSE

Former house of noted local architect Floyd E. Johnson, on the banks of Totier Creek. Thoughtfully renovated and expanded, 5-BR, 3 full and 2 half BA. Guest house, 2-bay garage, pool, equipment shed plus 130 acres of open and wooded land. MLS#639196 $2,475,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

ARDWOOD ROAD

FREE UNION PARCEL

42 acre tract on Wesley Chapel Road with the right to be divided into two 21 acre parcels. Big views with clearing towards the Blue Ridge. Stream frontage on Burruss Branch. Old logging road recently cleared for easy access. MLS#647055 $899,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

FRAYS GRANT

This 21 acre lot is situated at the end of a culde-sac that provides privacy and a quite setting among towering hardwoods, and is convenient to CHO airport and ample shopping of various kinds. MLS#640231 $269,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

GREEN ACRES

Pastoral views from this 3-bedroom brick home set on over 159 acres in Southern Albemarle. Ideal for farming with fenced pastures and ample water sources. Property is not under easement and has 4 division rights. MLS#630428 $1,550,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

WEST MAIN STREET CORRIDOR

Investment/Assemblage opportunity between University of Virginia and Charlottesville’s dynamic Downtown Mall. Property is being targeted to be classified to RX-5 in the new city zoning ordinance. MLS#30850340 $875,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

SIMMONS GAP/ESTES RIDGE

10 acres of mature woods. Property has long road frontage and consists of two parcels being combined and sold as one. No homeowners association!

Design and build your dream residence on this very well-priced parcel. MLS#621178 $189,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

503 Faulconer Drive| Charlottesville | VA 22903 | office: 434.295.1131 | email: homes@mcleanfaulconer.com

WWW.MCLEANFAULCONER.COM

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Well constructed home just four miles north of the City. Set on 1.45 acres - great outdoor space for gardens. Home is in need of some renovation, but given quality construction & excellent location, it’s worthy of the investment. MLS#638788 $495,000 Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

DOWNTOWN PENTHOUSE

This 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath condo features extra high ceilings, a modern and open floor plan with huge windows and doors, and a large rooftop terrace with views of the Downtown Mall all the way around to Monticello. MLS#634149 $1,690,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

LAFAYETTE

Beautifully appointed Keswick estate on 92 private acres with first floor suite and five additional bedrooms. Gourmet kitchen, great room, home theater, and covered porch with fireplace. Oversized garage with guest suite. MLS#643578 $2,895,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

DAIRY ROAD

Expansive upgraded brick mid-century modern home. Convenient, desirable City neighborhood.

Main house and lower level include 5-BR, 4.5-BA featuring spacious cook’s kitchen and flexible open living areas. Private rear yard retreat. MLS#647657 $1,100,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

MEADOWLARK FARM

22-acre equestrian property, 12 miles from Charlottesville, features renovated residence nestled on a knoll overlooking the pool and the Mechums River and captures a magnificent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. MLS#640137 $3,195,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

20

A DREAM HOME IS GREAT, BUT THE RIGHT ONE IS BETTER. Let an agent who knows guide you.

CHARLOTTESVILLE

$949,900

Bev Nash 434-981-5560 • Meet with European Homes to discuss our custom finishes!

• 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath home on 1.5 wooded acres • Paved drive, 2 car garage, stainless appliances Granite counters and beautiful wood floors.

• 2,057 sf on the main level plus 1,454 in the walk out terrace level.

239 JEFFERSON DR $399,000

Lake Monticello

$389,900

GREENE COUNTY GEM

Ruth Guss 434-960-0414 • Beautiful lakefront home on 1/2 acre • Community beach and Blue Ridge views • 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,028 finished sq. ft • In-law apartment, garage, patio, shed • Aggregate driveway, mature timber

A SPRING CREEK BEAUTY!

$664,900

Bev Nash 434-981-5560 • Over 5,000 sf of quality living space • 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, sunroom • Cul de sac location backing up to a fairway • Granite and Cherry kitchen, stainless appliances • Hardwood floors, jetted tub, fireplace Basement, garage, home theater

Advertise your listing here!

1105 CARLTON AVE

GOLF COURSE... ON THE 15TH GREEN

Dan Corbin

434-531-6155

Rachel Burns

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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• 2250 sq ft - One Level Living • 3 Bd, 2.5 Ba - Great Floorplan • Gas F/P, Sunroom with Sweet Views • Owner’s Suite, Soaker Tub, Access to Deck • Large Kitchen, 1 Car Garage, Conditioned Crawl • A $10,000 Credit at Closing for Purchase Assist • Lake Living - Call For Personal Tour - MLS 644919

434 760-4778

• Commercial property in the heart of Belmont. Property consists of three city lots, .31 acres with a 3420 sq ft commercial building on lots 1 and 2. Zoned B-3 currently, slated as CX-3 in the draft of the new city zoning ordinance. There is three phase electricity to the building. The main level is currently a workshop and storage space. The second floor has been finished with a kitchenette, conference space and office.

SERVING CENTRAL VA

0 IRISH ROAD ALBEMARLE

$69,000

REDUCED

Lori Click Dan Corbin 434-531-6155 MOVE IN READY INVENTORY RESALE HOMES - BUY AND SELL CUSTOM HOME PLANS & BUILDERS WATERFRONT, GOLF, RECREATIONAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES & RENTALS 20 Years A Realtor Call Dan Corbin

434.985.0021 410 West Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 Downtown

434-326-7593

• Very nice nearly flat land with a gentle rolling area, including some wooded area with a creek.

• Approximately 3.83 acres combined ready for you to dream of building a home.

Advertise your listing here!

434.974.1500 943 Glenwood Station Ln Suite 203 Charlottesville VA 22901

21

Your Place. Our Purpose.

1400 River Rd | Charlottesville

1088 Killdeer Ln | Crozet

Spacious home on 2 acres in small neighborhood with plenty of privacy & easy access to shops, restaurants & schools! A gorgeous kitchen renovation was completed this year. 4 beds, 3½ baths, 2 car garage and fully fenced yard!

Walk to the downtown mall from this 3 BR Brick Ranch w/sunroom, large deck, finished basement & large private backyard. Includes additional 1-BR, full-bath Cottage with kitchen/living room as a Rental. Off street parking!

This charming 5 BR, 3 full BA home offers an exceptional opportunity to create your dream home in a tranquil and private setting but right next door to Old Trail. The WIDE AND DEEP FRONT PORCH is the perfect place to relax.

$759,000 | montaguemiller.com/647994 Laurel Smith | 808.280.6431

$569,900 | montaguemiller.com/646821 Doug Burke | 434.996.6791

$639,000 | montaguemiller.com/646082 Gaffney Saadut Team | 434.981.9968

537 Pine Trail | Lovingston

1704 Old Brook Rd | Charlottesville

431 Coyote Run | Broadway

Welcome to Earthsong, a 4-acre wooded sanctuary in the heart of Nelson County. At the center of the property sits a uniquely designed & well-maintained 3 BR, 2 BA stucco sided home w/an open floor plan & plenty of natural light.

Two older homes on this lot. Property is Developable.

7.92 acres zoned R-2 Residential. Beautiful, flat to sloping terrain, mostly wooded with some steep slopes. A Builder and Developer will create something special here.

Built by Ray Guthrie in 2015 with a very desirable one level floor plan w/lots of light. 3 BR, 2½ BA. Large primary suite w/attached bath & walk-in closet. Kitchen w/pantry and an 18x10 deck off dining area. Play set & fire pit convey.

$395,000 | CarterMontague.com/646083 Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

$2,000,000 | montaguemiller.com/646888 Gaffney Saadut Team | 434.760.2160

$379,900 | montaguemiller.com/647203 Pam Drumheller | 434.951.7139

0 Rising Sun Rd | Palmyra

0 Cresent Farm Ln | Shipman

2 Heards Mountain Rd | Covesville

131 acres of timberland, well-located in central Fluvanna County only 5 minutes from Palmyra, easily commutable to Charlottesville. Great hunting/recreation land, longterm investment, or build your dream home/farm.

192 acre timber/recreation tract in central Nelson County, very close to Shipman and 10 mins to Lovingston/ Rt 29.Very private but not remote, property consists of 4 tax parcels & spans southeastern slopes of Naked Mountain.

15 acre lot with gorgeous views, surrounded by mountains in southern Albemarle, 15 minutes south of Charlottesville.

Rolling pasture, driveway already in place, soil testing done.

Subject to County approval, division process underway.

$324,900 | CarterMontague.com/643297 Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

$480,000 | CarterMontague.com/639070 Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

$345,000 | CarterMontague.com/646225 Carter Montague | 434.962.3419 Meet Our Agents

Meet Our Agents

With deep roots in Central Virginia, we’ve been a part of the region’s evolution and growth. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, locally or globally, or just have questions, we’re here to help!

MONTAGUEMILLER.COM | 434.973.5393 | CHARLOTTESVILLE | MADISON | ORANGE | AMHERST/NELSON

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Montague, Miller & Co., is celebrating 75 years of service in Charlottesville and the surrounding communities!

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

1036 Susan Dr | Earlysville

22

downtown charlottesville condo

Say “mmm.”

Lewis & Clark 5th floor 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with a wonderful urban view and far-reaching panoramic mountain views and a premier location near the west end of the Downtown Mall. This light-filled condo offers a wall of windows providing fantastic natural light. Freshly painted but in need of updating. Offered well below city assessment. A wonderful opportunity to live in the heart of the best Charlottesville has to offer. No dogs allowed in this building. Owner financing available. $395,000

Life Is A Team Sport.

Life Is A Team Sport.

WINTER 2023-24

OUR CUP RUNNETH OVER

Taste is everything.

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STACK ’EM UP

OUR FAVORITE LOCAL DINERS ARE STILL SERVING IT UP OLD SCHOOL

IMBIBE!

LET THESE MOCKTAILS QUENCH YOU THRU DRY JANUARY

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

70+ wineries, breweries, and cideries to fill 'er up P.36

You don’t even have to choose sides.

You don’t even have to choose sides.

But you should try to surround yourself with as much talent as possible on the field...and in your neighborhood. Encouraging and accepting diversity in your community But you should try to surround yourself with as much will promote a greater sense of engagement, better prepare your talent as possible on the field...and in your neighborhood. Enchildren for the global community they will inhabit... couraging and accepting diversity in your community give us all a richer life. To better understand how neighborhood diwill promote a greater sense of engagement, better prepare your versity will benefit you and your family, please log onto children for the global community they will inhabit... www.ARicherLife.org. give us all a richer life. To better understand how neighborhood di-

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act

versity will benefit you and your family, please log onto www.ARicherLife.org.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act

MANGEZ!

GORDONSVILLE'S GOT A NEW HUB FOR FRENCH CUISINE

CHEW!

TWO SCRUMMY SANDO SPOTS AND A Q&A WITH THE KING

When it comes to area eats, we let our cravings guide us. And in this quarterly magazine, you’ll find everything from a stack of pancakes to a plate of filet mignon. Each issue of Knife & Fork introduces readers to chefs, food trends, recipes, and, most importantly, the best meals around.

ON STANDS SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER

CULTURE

23

THURSDAY 12/14– SUNDAY 12/17

HOLIDAY HIJINKS Someone ate the cookies meant for the reindeer while rockin’ too hard around the Christmas tree, and who was that kissing Santa Claus? Storytelling meets improv at Hamner Theater’s Holiday Stories Playback.

Come prepared with a true holiday-themed story or story fragment, and the company of actors will perform it for the audience with humor and heart.

Led by Artistic Director Boomie Pederson, the troupe consists of a varying group of actors, including Kristen Atkins, Katrien Vance, Larry Goldstein, and Abena Foreman-Trice. Free, times very. Crozet Arts, 1408 Crozet Ave., Crozet. facebook. com/hamnertheater

86 REASONS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE PAGE 24

FILE PHOTO

SON OF A NUTCRACKER SATURDAY 12/16

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Caroling goes next level at Christmas at the Paramount, the Oratorio Society of Virginia’s annual holiday show. Music Director Michael Slon and over 80 community singers perform choral arrangements of traditional favorites and holiday classics, including “The First Nowell,” “Jingle Bells,” and pieces from The Nutcracker and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The show climaxes with John Rutter’s spirited “Gloria,” accompanied by a brass ensemble. $10–54, 2:30 and 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall, and online. theparamount.net

SUPPLIED PHOTO

GREAT HEIGHTS

Elves and cotton-headed ninnymuggins alike are invited to hit the town for the Brew & Buddy Run. Your adventure begins at The Paramount Theater, then you’ll journey through the seven layers of the Candy Cane Forest and the Sea of Swirly Twirly Gum Drops as you make stops at Three Notch’d and Kardinal Hall for a refreshing pour. The evening wraps with a jolly screening of Elf. $8–25, 4pm.

The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

SUNDAY 12/17

CULTURE THIS WEEK

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Wednesday 12/13 music Beleza Duo. Funkalicious samba soul. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com Hard Swimmin’ Fish. Twisted vintage roots and blues. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Improve your language skills with Speak!

Jim & Juice. Country tunes with Jim Waive and Jen Fleisher. Free, 7pm. Blue Moon Diner, 606 W. Main St. bluemoondiner.net John Doyle & Mick McAuley Christmas Concert. An Irish music concert. $20–25, 7pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Speak! specializes in customized individual and semi-private courses in 22 languages, including ESL. Tailored to your schedule, goals and learning style, these lessons save you time by cutting to the conversation!

Karaoke. A weekly song party hosted

by Jen DeVille. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com Open Mic Night. Charlottesville’s longestrunning open mic night. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234–4436 Songwriter Open Mic. Original music from area singer-songwriters. Free, 5:30pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

Online and In-person Gift certificates available for the language lover in your world!

outside

Register Now:

Balloon Glow. Grounded hot air balloons light up like light bulbs. Free, 5pm. Foxfield Racing, 2215 Foxfield Track. foxfield races.com Winter Wander. An illuminated lakeside stroll. $10–20, times vary. Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winterwander.com

Questions?

434-245-8255

etc.

Batman Returns. It’s Christmastime in Gotham City, but Batman is not feeling festive as the Penguin and Catwoman terrorize the town. $10, 7pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

DISCOVER HIGHLAND

Trivia. Show off your trivia knowledge and win prizes, including gift cards, merch, and free drinks. Free, 7pm. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

Thursday 12/14 music The Sixteenth Annual Xmas Jam. Featuring local musicians, including members of Ebony Groove, Chamomile & Whiskey, John D’earth, Travis Elliott, and many more. $15– 48, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com Berto & Vincent. Good times and tunes.

Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com Jesse’s House. Jesse Fiske and friends bring their jam session to you. Free, 6pm. Blue Moon Diner, 606 W. Main St. bluemoondiner.net Karaoke. With DJ Ricky. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com South of Heaven. With Ekktoplasm, Kim Dylla, Wolf Legion, Diseased Earth. $10, 8:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com The Cows. Rock as reggae, reggae as ska, and ska as rock. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com Tina & Her Pony. Folk and Americana. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

classes Botanical Cookie Decorating. Decorate an assortment of shortbread cookies with edible flowers, pressed herbs, glazes, and botanical accents. $30, 4pm. Cake Bloom, 705 W. Main St. cakebloom.com Candle Making Night. Make your own seven-ounce holiday candle with Mapleranda Candle. $35, 6pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com

PURCHASE TICKETS AT HIGHLAND.ORG

2050 James Monroe Parkway Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-293-8000

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December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker

Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 | Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center

CULTURE ALL YOU CAN EAT 25

Veritas Illuminated. A half-mile walking trail with twinkling light installations, tunnels, and more. $10–15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

Friday 12/15 music 14 £bs. A four-piece rock ‘n’ roll outfit. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com The 45’s Live Band Honky-tonk Karaoke.

Sing a song with the band. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436 A Case of the Blues for Christmas. With Johnny King and Friends. Free, 7pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com Caligula Blushed. Authentic renditions of The Smiths and Morrissey songs. Free, 7pm.

Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com Lenny Burridge. Rock, folk, Irish tunes, country, and jazz, and more. Free, 5pm.

Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com Odie Leigh. Music guided by the classic folk, blues, and country music that floods the Southern soundscape. $15–18, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com Silas Frayser Quartet. A pop-up jam. Free, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com The Wavelength. Vintage rock and jazzy bluesy vibrations. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

dance

outside Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Thursday, December 14. $10–15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

etc.

Trivia Night. Put your thinking caps on and play trivia with local school teacher John Daniels. Free, 6:15pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraft cider.com C O NT I N UE D ON PAGE 2 6

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I

n a location on Emmet Street that has seen many iterations over the years, Chang Thai restaurant may be the newest occupant, but the team inside, and the food they’re preparing, is a time-tested combination of experience and loyalty. A family-run business that puts an emphasis on authentic cuisine, Chang Thai’s menu is a reflection of decades of experience gained in kitchens both in the U.S. and Thailand.

Since opening last year, Chang Thai has quickly grown in popularity, with help from an existing loyal customer base that followed the family from the now-shuttered Tara Thai that was in the Barracks Road Shopping Center.

The brother and sister team at the front of house, Boyd and Benny Phuangsub, have enjoyed seeing the newest chapter in their restaurateur careers take root in the community. Boyd says that as soon as the sign went up, people were anxious for the doors to open, frequently popping in to check on the renovations and permit-approval progress as the family prepared to launch. The initial enthusiasm hasn’t waned—regulars often wait in Chang Thai’s parking lot with takeout orders already printed and clipped before the open light is switched on.

A family affair steered under the watchful eyes of Boyd and Benny’s parents, the restaurant’s operations flow easier due to being interconnected with family life. “When you have members of your family responsible for getting things done, everyone is more invested because it’s about more than just a business,” says Boyd. “There is a lot of pride that we have in doing this together.”

Boyd explains that cooking has run in the Phuangsub family for generations. Their father learned how to run a kitchen from his own mother while growing up in central Thailand.

She was responsible for preparing all the meals for the workers in their village’s timber industry. Bringing his experience stateside in 2007, and enlisting more and more members of the family into the businesses didn’t mean it was time to relax on the details.

Boyd and Benny say their parents are still running things in the kitchen. Days off together aren’t a frequent occurrence, with one or both of the spouses in the kitchen for every service. Building their staff with careful guidance has been a crucial part of the restaurant’s success, according to the siblings. “Our dad doesn’t let anyone prepare a dish until he is certain they have it right,” says Boyd.

Attention to detail extends to the Chang Thai logo, created from a place of connection, and designed by a close friend in Thailand.

The family wanted to incorporate the ele-

The arkannay noodle dish at Chang Thai.

Chang Thai, a family-run establishment that serves authentic cuisine and sources fresh, high-quality ingredients, is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

phant, the national animal of Thailand, but in a way that blended seamlessly with their name. The eye-catching design scrolled across the exterior of the building has proven to be a helpful draw, standing out on a busy stretch of the city.

When it comes to sourcing ingredients, a task that has gotten significantly easier in recent years, even the chili peppers are brought in fresh and then roasted and dried to ensure the optimal flavor and aroma. Benny says that process is most notable in their chili oil and chili flakes. The family, which makes all its sauces from scratch, believes this is a crucial component to their dishes’ authenticity and flavors.

Describing central Thai cuisine as the great culinary unifier of the country, Boyd explains

that there is a holy culinary trinity of sweet, salt, and sour, which is approachable and consumed by residents across the country, where more regional specialties can be divisive when it comes to appealing to the masses. This has helped secure central Thailand’s crowd-pleasing cuisine as a staple throughout the United States. When asked about the most popular dishes, it was no surprise that pad Thai is Chang Thai’s most frequent order.

While pad Thai is the quintessential dish when it comes to the American consumer, several other dishes hold a place in the hearts and stomachs of Chang Thai patrons. Citing the drunken noodle, crispy chicken with cashew, and the Panang curry as consistent favorites, Benny says the crispy pork belly is an underrated menu item that wins over diners whenever she recommends it.

The kanom jeeb appetizer, unknown to this writer before seeing it on the menu, brought out a spark of pride with the siblings. These dumplings are a specialty that is far less likely to make an appearance on Thai menus in the states. A key selling point for this dish: They’re using real crab meat. Another sleeper not to be overlooked, according to the family, is the arkannay noodle dish, a wide-noodle stir fry that also incorporates the crab.

Those who have dietary concerns and restrictions have numerous options. Diners can request that fish sauce (a common ingredient in Thai cooking) be left out of certain dishes, and Thai cuisine rarely involves the use of dairy.

The family has found a foothold in Charlottesville that they are excited to grow, but they aren’t stopping with Virginia: 2024 plans include an expansion to Boise, Idaho. It will mean a lot of travel back and forth between the two cities, but Boyd smiles and says he’s certain the family is up to the challenge.

“Our dad doesn’t let anyone prepare a dish until he is certain they have it right.”

BOYD PHUANGSUB

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Holiday Evening Tours. Experience Monticello after dark, decorated with the style of holiday greenery found during Jefferson’s era. $95, 5pm. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

By Carrie Meslar

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. The holiday classic is revitalized as a new, contemporary version with intricate sets and local dancers. $18–24, 6pm. Waynesboro High School, 1200 W. Main St., Waynesboro. abtdance.org

A legacy of cooking fuels the bustling Chang Thai

TRISTAN WILLIAMS

outside

Family style

TRISTAN WILLIAMS

Handmade Book and Card Making. A paper-based workshop with exhibiting artist Akemi Ohira. $10–15, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. second streetgallery.org

CULTURE SMALL BITES

26

With a side of toffee sauce, please

C ONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

Saturday 12/16 music Berto. Enjoy the sounds of Brazil, Spain, and Latin America. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com Disco Risqué’s Family Xmas with Shagwüf. High-energy rock for the holidays. $12–80, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com Dogwood Tales / Adam’s Plastic Pond.

Pocket grooves and driving melodies. $12–40, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

COMMON HOUSE

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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Try this

For cozy mountain vibes, head to The Matterhorn, a tented alpine ski-bar atop Common House. The festive decor, crackling fireplaces, and themed cocktails will have you feeling like you’re sitting slope side.

Hunker down with the Matador, a warm concoction of hot chocolate, reposado, and ancho chile liqueur topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, or get wild and throw back a couple of shotskis.

The halls are decked with tinsel and lights galore at the Jingle Bell Bar. Located inside Quirk Hotel’s Bobboo Bar, the holiday popup includes a special drink menu and decadent charcuterie boards. The Vixon, Comet & Cupid or John McClane is sure to wet the whistle of any whiskey lover.

At The Forum Hotel, sit down for breakfast with Santa Claus at Birch & Bloom, or head over to The Case Study Chalet & Lounge for warm fondue and grown-up bevvies. Dip your choice of fresh fruits, sweets cakes, or crisp veggies in bubbling chocolate or cheese, and grab a specialty cocktail crafted by the bartender, Eric.

Don your ugly sweaters or best Clark Griswold cosplay for a funky family Christmas at Flying Fox Winery and Vineyard.

The tasting room is transformed with floorto-ceiling wrapping paper, ornaments, and cheeky cocktails and mocktails.

Sleigh sips

Get your nog fix at The Alley Light. Bartender Micah LeMon has been whipping up batch-

es of the French eatery’s famous eggnog spiked with Jamaican rum, which you can score by the glass or in a limited run of 10 quarts.

We’re dreaming of Zocalo’s White Xmas Margarita, a frosty mixture of tequila, triple sec, coconut milk, lime simple, cranberries, and rosemary. The downtown joint’s wintery mixed-drink menu offers four cocktails and two mocktails, including the decadent Chocolate Strawberry Martini, with crème de cacao, rumchata, Baileys, vodka, and strawberry purée.

Warm up your grinchy heart with some hot mulled cider. Potter’s Craft Cider’s packs a flavorful punch with fortified cider, fresh apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, clove, and ginger.

Something sweet

Make a date with MarieBette’s sticky toffee date pudding—it’s seriously one of the best bites in town. Moist sponge cake envelopes layers of finely chopped dates, all smothered in a rich toffee sauce. The bakery’s freezers are also stocked with ice cream cakes as part of a new cold collab with SugarBear. Snag an eggnog, gingerbread, or peppermint stick cake, and keep on the lookout for new flavors later.

Christmas-day dessert is easy with Albemarle Baking Company’s holiday menu.

Stock up on the rich but airy panettone, a sugar-covered loaf of stollen, a box of traditional läckerli, or an assortment of gingerbread people.

Iron Paffle’s crispy latke waffles are here for a limited time, and can be made vegan or gluten free.—Maeve Hayden

Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Thursday, December 14. $10–15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

etc.

Elf Movie Party. Don’t be a cotton-headed ninnymuggins this holiday season. $13, 11am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Side Hustle. The jam band blends blues, classic rock, and power pop. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

Farmers Market at Ix. Shop a range of products. Free, 8am. Ix Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org

The Oratorio Society of Virginia: Christmas at the Paramount. Music Director Michael Slon and 85 community singers perform holiday favorites. $10–54, 2:30 and 7:30pm.

The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Our local eateries and bakeries are going all out for the holidays. Here are a few of our favorite cozy spots, jolly eats, and festive treats.

Little Naturalist Program. Explore nature with the kiddos. Free, 10am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

FarAway Songs. Enjoy live tunes with your wine, cider, and beer. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. east woodfarmandwinery.com

The Michael Elswick Gathering. Jazz, blues, ballads, and Latin tunes. Free, 1pm.

Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Sip on bevvies like the Nor’Easter, Taugwalder, and Five Golden Rings at The Matterhorn Alpine Ski-Bar.

Holly Trolley. Cruise down the mall on a festive train. Free, 10am. Central Place, 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. friendsofcville.org

Timothy Seaman. Enjoy the soothing sounds of the hammered dulcimer. Free, noon. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org Will Evans and Angelica X. A night of indie jazz. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

dance Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. See listing for Friday, December 15. $18–24, 2pm. Waynesboro High School, 1200 W. Main St., Waynesboro. abtdance.org Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

The beloved holiday tradition returns with live orchestra. $25, 11:30am and 3:30pm.

Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center, 1400 Melbourne Rd. charlottesville ballet.org

Holiday Evening Tours. See listing for Friday, December 15. $95, 5pm. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org Ninth Annual Wassail. A day and night filled with live music, mulled cider, fire pits, and sing-alongs. $10, all day. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potters craftcider.com Selfies with Santa. Snap a photo for your holiday card. Free, 10am. Central Place, 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. friends ofcville.org

Sunday 12/17 music Beleza Duo. With Madeline Holly-Sales on vocals and keys and Berto Sales on guitar, voice and loops. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

dance Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

See listing for Saturday, December 16. $25, 12:30am and 4:30pm. Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center, 1400 Melbourne Rd. charlottesvilleballet.org

words

classes

Artists in Conversation. Clay Witt and Kristen Chiacchia discuss Witt’s solo exhibition, “The Labyrinth.” Free, 11am. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. second streetgallery.org

Paint & Sip: Frosted Pines. Make your own holiday painting. $35, 2pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Storytime. Readings of recent favorites and classics. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

classes Bengali Cooking Class Fundraiser. Join Mahabuba and Heidi, along with fellow cooking enthusiasts, in The Haven kitchen to learn to prepare an authentic Indo-Bengali meal and then enjoy lunch together. $30, 11:30am.

The Haven, 112 W. Market St. thehaven.org Meat Preservation Workshop. Learn the basics of pressure canning and dehydration in this hands-on class. Free, 10am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

outside Evening Bird Hike. Find some woodpeckers, kinglets, jays, sparrows, and more.

Free, 3:30pm. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

outside Seventh Annual Brew & Buddy Run and Elf. Run through downtown, grab a few drinks, and enjoy a movie screening. $8–25, 4pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Thursday, December 14. $10–15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

etc.

Elf Movie Party. See listing for Saturday, December 16. $13, 2pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com Holiday Evening Tours. See listing for Friday, December 15. $95, 5pm. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

CULTURE THE WORKING POUR 27

Holly Trolley. Cruise down the mall on a festive train. Free, 10am. Central Place, 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. friendsofcville.org National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie Party. With special props like pine tree air fresheners, yellow glow sticks, and ugly neckties, it’ll be more fun than a membership to the Jelly of the Month. $13, 6pm.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Monday 12/18 music Berto & Vincent. Fiesta. Free, 7pm. South and Central Latin Grill, Dairy Market. south andcentralgrill.com Gin & Jazz. The Brian Caputo Trio performs in the Château Lobby Bar. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Inn, 100 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com

words Storytime. Songs, movement, and bubbles.

Free, 10:30am. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

outside Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

etc.

Holiday Evening Tours. See listing for Friday, December 15. $95, 5pm. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

Tuesday 12/19 music Karaoke Night with DJ Azazil. Cold drinks, hot pizza, water pong, and karaoke. Free, 9pm. Crozet Pizza at Buddhist Biker Bar, 20 Elliewood Ave. crozetpizzacville.com Thunder Music Karaoke. Show off your singing skills or just enjoy the show. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436

Vinyl Night. BYO record to play and get $1 off pints. Free, 4pm. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. dairymarketcville.com

outside Three Notch’d Run Club. Log some miles and enjoy a $5 post-run beer. Free, 6pm.

Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com Winter Wander. See listing for Wednesday, December 13. $10–20, times vary.

Boar’s Head Resort, 200 Ednam Dr. winter wander.com

etc.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night. Teams of two to six people play for prizes and bragging rights. Free, 8pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie Party. See listing for Monday, December 18. $13, 7pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

By Paul H. Ting

Early Mountain Vineyards’ Maya Hood White maintains that every year in Virginia is unique, but she feels 2023 has “aspects of 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2019,” other vintages considered excellent in Virginia. “The lack of rainfall led to early ripening and an overall low incidence of disease pressure afforded us the luxury of flexibility in when to pick,” says Hood White. Expanding on the factors that made this year special, she mentions early bud break combined with most vineyards being minimally affected by early season frosts.

“Quality was outstanding,” says Matthieu Finot, winemaker at King Family Vineyards.

“I feel like all the reds outperformed. I had some cabernet franc with color so deep that it looks like petit verdot … and [there is] great acid on the whites.”

Unsurprisingly, multiple winemakers mention cabernet franc as a star in 2023.

Ben Jordan, who has been a winemaker in Virginia since 2012 and last year co-founded the Common Wealth Crush venture, says, “I love how the cabernet francs have varietal aromatics and flavors alongside richness and ripe tannins.”

Benoit Pineau, winemaker at Pollak Vineyards, says “Cabernet franc, as usual,” but also highlights merlot, a variety that often receives less attention, as exceptional in this vintage.

In fact, Busching, Hood White, and Jordan are all enthusiastic about this year’s merlot.

Jordan goes as far as to say, “definitely the best Merlot vintage I have seen in the state.”

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M

ost of us check the weather forecast to decide how to dress, or evaluate the impact it has on our travel or events. For farmers who grow grapes and winemakers whose craft is innately tied to the whims and blessings of Mother Nature, the weather report is even more crucial.

Vintage variation, the impact of year-toyear weather differences on wine’s aroma, flavor, and overall quality, is an inherent part of winemaking. While all wine regions experience this phenomenon to some extent, vintage variation in Virginia can be quite dramatic, and poses significant challenges to local winemakers.

An extreme example occurred in 2018, when record amounts of rainfall plagued the region, leading to difficulty ripening fruit, a dilution of sugar and flavor in grapes, and increased disease from fungus. Some producers even abstained from producing red wine that year, due to subpar fruit quality.

Two years later, in 2020, another challenge presented itself: Frost alerts in April and May, capped off by record-setting freezing temperatures on Mother’s Day, damaged grapes and led to severely reduced crop yields. Without ample grapes to work with, winemaking can be an impossible task.

This year, however, the local wine industry was blessed with exceptionally favorable weather conditions for grape cultivation.

The resulting fruit quality has local winemakers smiling, and wine enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the release of the 2023 wines.

Jake Busching, who makes limited-production wines under his Jake Busching Wines label, and was recently named winemaker at Eastwood Farm and Winery, has been growing and making wine in Virginia since 1997. He lauds 2023 as one of the best vintages that he has worked with. “While 2009 will remain as the ‘best’ vintage, this one outranks most others,” says Busching.

“While the year was dry, it wasn’t very hot, and that is what makes the difference in Virginia. Low water uptake and lower heat at night makes for amazing wine here.”

The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures is known as diurnal variation. A large diurnal variation means grapes benefit from warmer daytime temperatures for ripening but maintain acidity due to cooler temperatures overnight. Emily Hodson, winemaker at Veritas Vineyards and Winery, also compares this growing season to the best ones. “The most important part, or the magic of the vintage, was the acid retention from having relatively cool nights compared to other vintages,” Hodson says. “Reminds me the most of 2009, which is one of my favorite vintages on record.”

Pineau brings up a second variety not usually in the spotlight: cabernet sauvignon.

Chelsey Blevins, winemaker at Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard, echoes this sentiment.

Asked what was most impressive this year, she responds, “Our 2023 cabernet sauvignon, which came on to the crush pad in near perfect condition with some of the best numbers I have ever seen. … Getting cabernet sauvignon ripe in Virginia is a feat in and of itself. ... So far, the wine is turning out to be a cellar favorite.”

In addition to excellent quality, there are other interesting projects coming out of the 2023 vintage. Several winemakers are continuing to expand their use of different winemaking techniques. Finot is increasing his use of whole cluster inclusion in fermentation and Hood White is expanding the co-fermentation projects at Early Mountain.

Blevins is experimenting with a dessert wine made in the ice wine style. This utilizes the cryoextraction technique, removing water from grapes by freezing, resulting in a higher concentration of sugar and flavor.

Others are excited to be working with grape varieties less commonly seen in Virginia. Pineau will release the first nebbiolo from Pollak, produced entirely from grapes grown by Pollak. Hodson is also working with two varieties new to her, tannat and sauvignon gris. Jordan promises a sparkling chenin blanc, produced with the same techniques used to make Champagne.

Winemakers like Chelsey Blevins of Fifty-third Winery and Vineyard are enthusiastic about the recent harvest. “2023 gave us some of the best fruit I’ve ever seen,” she says. “I believe this will be a benchmark year for Virginia.”

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Family Game Night. Games for all ages, including corn hole, Jenga, and board games.

Free, 5pm. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

The 2023 vintage looks to be an outstanding year for Virginia wine

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Vincent Zorn. Olé. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. the bebedero.com

Growing excitement

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Holiday Horse. An outdoor holiday shopping bazaar. Free, 10am. Foxfield Racing, 2215 Foxfield Track. foxfieldraces.com

28

Holiday Gift Guide It’s All About the

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Artisan Jewelry Hats Gloves Scarves Wood Boxes Whimsical Socks and Gifts for Men & Women

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Give the gift of classic clothing and stylish accessories for the men & boys in your life!

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On the Historic Downtown Mall

There’s something for everyone on your shopping list!

114 East Main Street Downtown Mall • Charlottesville VA Ph: 434-293-2410

OPEN MONDAY - SUNDAY (or visit us in Williamsburg, VA)

@QuiltsUnlimited

@j.fenton_gallery

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“Never to too late for Engraved Items”

Tuel Jewelers 319 E. Main St. Historic Downtown Mall

434-295-4258 F REE E NGR AVING Name, Intials or date...

“Your Friendly Jewelry Store Since 1945”

withBulova item purchased.

The Clock The Bulova Clock Engraving done on premise.

Free Gift Wrapping

Sterling • Pewter • Silverplated Christmas Bells Jewelry • Watches • Charms Cufflinks • Earrings Jefferson & Virginia Cups Authorized University of Virginia items Bridesmaids & Groomsman Gifts

We offer watch and jewelry repair – on the downtown mall – 319 east main street

“Never to too late for Engraved Items” We offer watch and Store jewelry repair “Your Friendly Jewelry Since 1945” – on the downtown mall – 319 434-295-4258 east main street

“Your Friendly Jewelry Store Since 1945”

434-295-4258

Buy One…we Gift You One!

Ask us about our new membership specials for the holidays!

Call the Spa now: 434-984-5046

our gift cards are always the right size

Terms & Conditions: Only 100 available, first come first serve! One purchase per person, and one treatment per person.

Visit our new location!

313 2nd St SE Suite 102 Charlottesville VA 22902 lovefacebodyspa_va www.lovefacebodyspa.com

605 WEST MAIN STREET CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22903 434.977.7455

www.silkybottom.com

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LOVEfacebody

bra fittings and intimate apparel

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Treat yourself and someone else the gift of relaxation! Buy any 60 or 90 minute massage or facial for yourself, and receive a second one for a friend on US!

30

Holiday Gift Guide Give the Gift of Imagination!

12 PASSENGER TRANSIT LIMOUSINE

TINKERTARS 47–55 PASSENGER MOTOR COACH

HYDRAULIC BOXING BOTS

25 PASSENGER MINI BUS

Call Us at:

(434) 973-5466 (888) 725-5466 (LIMO)

RUNNER UP

www.ambassadorlimos.com

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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My books make great stocking stuffers!

SOLD AT:

Local Author William A. James, Sr.

Call or Write, William A. James, Sr. 434-985-8987 PO Box 6991, Charlottesville, VA 22906 Wjpublications@aol.com

The University of Virginia Bookstore 400 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (on UVA Grounds) Patsy Goolsby, Manager, 434-924-1075 bookshop@virginia.edu 2nd Act Books 214 East Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 Daphne Spain, Owner, 434-202-0754 daphnespain@gmail.com

601 West Main Street (434) 295-4797 www.SHENANIGANS.toys Mon-Sat 10-6 • Sun 12-5

31

A&W Collectables Antique Mall

Over 60 Booths and Furniture Warehouse

Unique gifts for the holidays and everyday!

Gift Certificates Unique Gifts Antiques MidCentury Jewelry Furniture

Artwork Home Decor Garden Art Cottage Chic Seasonal Decor

SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS:

Starting 12/13 open everyday until Christmas.

Christmas Eve 9:30 - 3:00 Christmas Day - closed

3714 Richmond Rd, Keswick • 434-984-0820 Open Wed-Sun 9:30-5:30 6 miles east of Charlottesville •

AWCollectables

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY SEASON S e e o u r h o l i d a y d e a l s o n l i n e o r i n q u i r e i n o u r Ta s t i n g R o o m .

@veritaswinery | 151 Veritas Lane, Afton, Virginia 22920

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540.456.8000 | veritaswines.com |

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

WITH YOUR FAVORITE VIRGINIA WINES

32

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December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

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CROSSWORD

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Osiris 1. Puppy’s barks 49. Full of dirt roads, say 20. Flatten, as a fly 2. “Don’t have ____, man!”

50. Night before 21. Destiny 3. Last name of father51. Gradually slid (into) and-son NFL coaches 22. Stubborn sorts 52. Radar screen spot 4. Working without ____ 23. Transportation alterna(taking risks) 53. Uncommon tives to gondolas 5. Alphabet trio 55. Gaelic language 26. Health insurance giant 6. D.C.-to-Boston train 56. Inconveniences for 30. They’re issued by the 7. Aware of olive eaters Bureau of Consular Affairs 8. Clickable address 57. NASDAQ debuts 33. Tumult 9. “The Matrix” hero 58. “Teach Your Children” group, familiarly 35. “Super Mario Galaxy” 10. Skating great Yamaguchi console 60. County fair animal 11. Minimalist’s maxim 36. Dallas hoopster, briefly 61. United 12. Close-knit, in French 37. 1940 Crosby/Lamour/ 62. 2022 Cate Blanchett film 13. What might surround a Hope comedy trunk 41. “Sorry, am ____ your 18. Janitorial tool way?”

ANSWERS 12/6/23 22. Off-road wheels, for short 42. Google Maps marker 23. Like a trivia expert’s 43. Wrinkle-resistant, as a knowledge shirt A R M A G E R E S K I M O 24. Downfall 44. Young person with unJ O V E L Y N D O N T E A 25.

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December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

1

34 By Rob Brezsny

Capricorn

(Dec. 22–Jan. 19): Screenwriter John Patrick Shanley writes, “Life holds its miracles, good erupting from darkness chief among them.”

I predict a comparable miracle for you, Capricorn, though I suspect it will arise out of confusion or inertia rather than darkness.

My advice: Don’t be so bogged down in the muddle that you miss the signs that a great awakening is nigh. Start rehearsing how you will feel when deliverance arrives.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20–Feb. 18): Before he reached the height of fame as a novelist, Aquarian Charles Dickens experienced financial instability. When he was 31, the situation got desperate, and he resolved to take extreme measures. For six weeks, beginning in October 1843, he obsessively worked on writing A Christmas Carol. It was published on December 19 and sold out in a few days. Within a year, 13 editions were released. Dickens’ economic worries were over. Dear Aquarius, I think the near future will be a favorable time for you too to take dramatic, focused action to fix a problem you’re having.

Pisces

(Feb. 19–March 20): Many religious people believe God can hear their prayers and intervene in worldly affairs. Other religious folks think God can hear their prayers but may not intervene. Then there are the non-religious folks who don’t believe in God and think praying is useless. Wherever you might be on the spectrum, Pisces, I’m pleased to reveal that you will have extra access to support and benefaction in the coming weeks—whether that’s from God, fate, nature, or other humans. So seek out blessings and assistance with alacrity.

Be receptive to all potential helpers, even unlikely ones.

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Aries

(March 21–April 19): In 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped from enslavement on a plantation in Maryland. She could have enjoyed her new freedom in peace, but instead resolved to liberate others. During 13 bold forays into enemy territory, she rescued 70 enslaved people and ushered them to safety. She testified that she relied on her dreams and visions to help her carry out her heroic acts. They revealed to her the best escape routes to take, the best times

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun died over 3,300 years ago. When his mournful entourage placed him in his tomb, the treasures they left included a pot of honey, which was meant to sweeten his travels in the afterlife. In the early 20th century, archaeologists excavated the ancient site. They dared to sample the honey, finding it as tasty and fresh as if it had just been made. Amazingly, this same longevity is a characteristic of most honey. I propose we use this as a metaphor for your life. What old resources or experiences from your past might be as pure and nurturing as they were originally? And could they be of value now?

to proceed, and information about how to avoid the fiendish “slave catchers.” In alignment with astrological omens, I invite you to be like Tubman and seek practical guidance from your dreams in the coming weeks—to solve problems or seek bliss.

Taurus

(April 20–May 20): Jack Nicholson has often played mavericks and anti-heroes in his movies. His life away from the silver screen has also been less than steady and predictable.

For example, he has fathered six children with five different women. His fellow actor, Carrie Fisher, said Jack was “fun because he doesn’t make sense.” A person with casual knowledge of astrology might be surprised that Nicholson is a Taurus. Your tribe isn’t typically renowned for high eccentricity. But in his natal chart, Nicholson has the brash planet Uranus near his sun in Taurus, indicating he’s quirky. Aside from that, I have known plenty of Tauruses whose commitment to being uniquely themselves makes them idiosyncratic. These themes will be in play for you during the coming weeks. (PS: Taurus musician David Byrne starred in the concert film, Stop Making Sense.)

Gemini

(May 21–June 20): The platitude says that if life gives us lemons, we should make lemonade. I’ve got a variation on this theme. Consider the Neva River in northwestern Russia.

It freezes every winter. During the frigid months of 1739-1740, Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered her workers to cut huge blocks of ice and use them to construct a magnificent palace on the riverbank. She filled the place with furniture and art, making it a hub of festivities celebrating Russia’s triumph over the Ottoman Empire. I bring these themes to your attention, Gemini, because I suspect that in the coming weeks, you

will have substantial redemptive power.

Whether you make lemonade from lemons or a palace from a frozen river is up to you.

Cancer

(June 21–July 22): “If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy,” wrote Cancerian author E. B. White. “If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” According to my astrological analysis, your fate in recent weeks has been more challenging than seductive. You’ve been pressed to work on dilemmas and make adjustments more than you might like. But this rhythm is about to change. Up ahead, life is seductive, welcoming, and appealing. Are you prepared to drop any unconscious attachment you have to your interesting discomfort so you can smoothly make the transition to more ease?

Leo

(July 23–Aug. 22): I want to prepare you for the delights of the coming days. I want to make sure you are fully alert for them and primed to appreciate them. So I give you the thoughts of Leo psychologist Carl Jung. “It is important to have a secret, a premonition of things unknown,” he said. “We must sense that we live in a mysterious world—that things happen and can be experienced that remain inexplicable; that not everything can be anticipated; that the unexpected and incredible belong in this world. Only then is life whole.”

Virgo

(Aug. 23–Sept. 22): Have you taken a refreshing break lately? Maybe even a soothing sabbatical? Have you treated yourself to a respite from the gritty grind? If not, please

do so soon. And while you are recharging your psychic batteries, I ask you to give your fantasy life ample room to wander wildly and freely. In my astrological opinion, your imagination needs to be fed and fed with gourmet food for thought. For the sake of your soul’s health, I hope you dream up fantastic, unruly, even outrageous possibilities.

Libra

(Sept. 23–Oct. 22): My Uncle Ned advised me, “The best gift you can compel your ego to accept is to make it your servant instead of your master.” An early Buddhist teacher sounded a related theme when she told me, “The best things in life are most likely to come your way if you periodically shed all hope and practice being completely empty.” The girlfriend I had when I was 23 confided, “You may get more enjoyment from the witty ways I confound you if you don’t try to understand them.” I offer these three ideas to you, Libra, because you’re in a phase when the moral of your story is that there is no apparent moral to your story—at least until you surrender your notions of what the moral of your story is.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I believe you Scorpios are the zodiac sign most likely to benefit from being empathetic. By that I mean you have substantial power to thrive by reading other people’s moods and feelings. You are often able to figure out angles that enable you to gather what you want while helping others to gather what they want. You are potentially a genius at doing what’s best for everyone and getting paid and rewarded for it. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, this knack of yours will soon be operating at peak levels.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

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LEGALS

MEJICALI

852 W MAIN ST, STE 110, Charlottesville, VA 22902

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

John Ornelas, Owner NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be Submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

VITA NOVA PIZZA & PASTA BAR 321 E. Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a beer and wine on and off premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be Submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

DSTLD BRANDS LLC, DBA GUAJIROS

Harvey Mayorga, Owner NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be Submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION OF ESTATE It appearing that a report of the accounts of Mark W. Dahl, Executor of the Estate of David C. Butler, deceased, and of the debts and demands against the Estate has been filed in the Clerk’s Office, and it further appearing that more than six (6) months have elapsed since the qualification of the Executor.

On motion of the Executor, it is ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate, do show cause, if any they can, on the 5th day of January, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. before this Court at its courtroom, against the payment and delivery of the assets of the Estate to its beneficiaries, without requiring refunding bonds.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the paragraph immediately above be published once a week for two successive weeks in C-ville, a newspaper of general circulation in this jurisdiction.

ENTER: Cheryl Higgins, Judge DATE: 11/17/2023 I ask for this: Kathy D. Abell, Esq., VSB No. 37184 McCallum & Kudravetz, P.C. 250 East High Street Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-293-8191 kabell@mkpc.com Counsel for Petitioner

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114 Tenth St, NW, Charlottesville, VA 22903 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a retail, restaurant, off premise license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

IN RE: ESTATE OF DAVID C. BUTLER, DECEASED

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

Giovanni Sestito, Owner

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

your comfort…

36

ESTATE OF ERIC JOHN WANNINGER

NOTICE OF TAKING OF DEBTS AND DEMANDS

At the request of the Administrator, I appoint Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., as the time and my office at 420 Park Street, Charlottesville, Virginia, as the place for receiving proof of debts and demands against the decedent or his estate.

Edward H. Bain, Jr. Commissioner of Accounts Circuit Court for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia

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ESTATE OF ANTHEA De FOREST MELLON

NOTICE OF TAKING OF DEBTS AND DEMANDS

Upon request of the Administrator, c.t.a., I will be conducting a hearing for receiving proof of debts and demands against the decedent or the decedent’s estate on February 1, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., at the law office of Scott Kroner, PLC, 418 E. Water Street, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Rebecca C. Hryvniak Commissioner of Accounts

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FIT TO EAT ALL THE NEWS THAT’S

December 13 - 19, 2023 c-ville.com

This is our town.

.com

facebook.com/cville.weekly

Whether it’s with our online restaurant listings, our weekly coverage of the local dining scene or Knife & Fork, our quarterly food and drink publication, C-VILLE’s always serving up a heaping helping of the best in local food. Get your fill every Wednesday in print or at c-ville.com/living, where the kitchen’s always open.

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P.S. Q&A

What’s your favorite local seasonal treat or sip?

Anything from Cou Cou Rachou, but I had a divine treat with pear, cranberry, and custard before Thanksgiving!

CHERRY STEWART/FACEBOOK

MarieBette Café’s choc almond croissant.

A hot chocolate affogato at Splendora’s.

Cranberry ginger muffins at Atlas Coffee!

The heat miser cocktail at Jingle Bell Bar!

@JOUALT/INSTAGRAM

@FITZPATRICKMIMI/INSTAGRAM

@HANNAHSOUTHERNBELLE/ INSTAGRAM

The Poinsettia Mojito from Mas.

Abuelita’s hot coco at Tonic! And their mac and cheese.

@CVILLEFOODI/INSTAGRAM

Alley Light’s eggnog. @KITKATY731/INSTAGRAM

@MACNCHEEZ997/INSTAGRAM

Tonic’s hot buttered rum.

Wegmans’ pumpkin roll, tho it seemed better in earlier years.

Glühwein (aka mulled wine).

Stollen and panettone from Albemarle Baking Company, and Pie Chest pies—lemon specifically.

@HAPPYYBARTENDER/INSTAGRAM

JOHN GRIMES/FACEBOOK

@LOMEIN0420/INSTAGRAM

@PATTIEDSON/INSTAGRAM

@BRIOFALLTRADES/INSTAGRAM

Short-term Training = A Great Job in Months!

December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

facebook.com/cville.weekly

• Gain new skills. Increase your earnings.

• Get quality training for the job you want.

• Costs could be covered in full.

PVCC is for YOU! Change your future today. Start here.

pvcc.edu/short-term-training

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December 13 – 19, 2023 c-ville.com

facebook.com/cville.weekly

O U R TA S T I N G R O O M I S

Closed for the Season O r d e r o n l i n e a t c a s t l e h i l l c i d e r. c o m @CASTLEHILLCIDER on Facebook & Instagram

Text/Call 434.365.9429 CASTLEHILLCIDER.COM

See you in the Spring!