Month: July 2007

Fiona Apple and Nickel Creek? Seductive songstress and sweet ‘n’ proper newgrass? Really? That’s what we thought when we saw the bill for the Pavilion‘s August 4 show. But Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins tells Feedback that when Fiona began sitting in on the weekly gig that he and his sister have at LA’s Largo, they quickly hit it off. "She’s one of my favorite musicians and singers," he says. "She’s really willing to take a chance." The collaboration went so swimmingly that the two acts decided to join up on tour.

"Why not?" Watkins asks. "We’ve got nothing to lose." True, as the band will go on hiatus after this 2007 fall jaunt, appropriately dubbed the "Farewell (For Now) Tour."

Apple-picking: Nickel Creek celebrate their last hurrah (for now) and invite Fiona along for the ride.

Feedback is excited for the Apple-Creek collaboration, but we’re also eager to see what cover songs the band has in store. In the past they’ve pulled out everything from Britney Spears’ "Toxic" to Pavement’s "Spit on a Stranger." Maybe some Kelly Clarkson? Bowie? Our fingers are crossed.

When Starr Hill closed, the remaining music hall shows moved to Satellite Ballroom. But what happened, Feedback wondered, to the cocktail lounge shows? Whether packed in like a sardine for Sarah White‘s amazing CD release party or sipping a Jomo and watching Adam Smith and the Invisible Hand, we loved the lounge’s vibe, so we asked Jeyon Falsini, who had been booking those shows, what’s up.

It was tough, he says, since the venue’s closing orphaned about 20 confirmed dates (and left him jobless), but Falsini has valiantly found new homes for most of those gigs at Outback Lodge, Miller’s and Mono Loco. With booking as a full-time commitment, he plans on setting up more shows at those venues and possibly others.

Seeing Falsini carry on without missing a beat warms our music-loving hearts, but what’s his inspiration? Awesome live shows, of course. Some of his favorite memories include RPG while he was bartending at Atomic ("It took a few tries to remove the footprints off the ceiling"), the late great Phil Gianniny keeping his cool amidst more Atomic chaos ("Have you seen those Westerns where the piano player keeps playing during an all-out bar brawl?") and up-and-comers The Business of Flies rocking the cocktail lounge.

Shawn Decker is all over the place. In a good way. He’s an author, traveling AIDS awareness speaker and vocalist for local synth pop duo Synthetic Division. Feedback met him for a late breakfast to talk about the group’s debut full length, Get with the Programs, and their August 4th CD release show at Outback Lodge. Everything is set for the gig, except maybe the t-shirts. "Hopefully they’ll come in time," Decker says, laughing. "The CDs will be there, though."

T-shirts or not, Synthetic Division (Decker and Richmond-based beat-master Kyle Wiggins) will get you moving. Feedback is really into our copy of the album. It’s got a heavy Depeche Mode vibe (we dig) and includes a Tori Amos cover and a guest appearance by In Tenebris‘ Christina Fleming ("We were inspired by Lauren Hoffman‘s vocals on Bella Morte‘s record," Decker says). The CD even comes with Synthetic Division condoms, a nod to Decker’s HIV education advocacy, but also, we think, to the fact that the tunes are quite sexy.

Nelson County blues prodigy Eli Cook just keeps sizzling. He’s featured in the latest issue of Guitar Player magazine and has landed another gig with B.B. King at Portsmouth’s Ntelos Pavilion on August 10 (he opened for the "King of Blues" back in February at the Paramount).

Charlottesville’s Ryan Adams craving has only grown since his July 10 show fell through, so much so that Starr Hill Presents has added a second Paramount show on September 14, the day after the rescheduled gig. Tickets go on sale August 3 at 10am.

Got news, comments or, ahem, feedback? Write to feedback@c-ville.com

It’s getting so that we actually have to look where we’re going when we walk along the Downtown Mall. No more staring at our shoes hoping to avoid tripping over the grout-thirsty uneven bricks. The bigger danger these days is walking smack into the chained-off alfresco dining area of one of the Mall’s many restaurants or colliding with one of the many servers who themselves are nervously teetering across the bumpy bricks to the patio seats with trays of drinks and piping hot food in hand. Restaurantarama now counts 27 dining establishments with outside seating either in front of their doors or along the middle of the Mall or both. And it’s no wonder the restaurant folks are carving up the pedestrian thoroughfare with metal tables and chairs—we in Charlottesville just love to fancy ourselves Mr. Jefferson’s children with our European-style cosmopolitan airs and our love of café chowing and piazza people watching. Of course, open-air dining comes with its own dangers. Rarely do we sit down for a tasty meal in the Mall sunshine without catching a very irresponsible dog owner leaving a very unsavory pile of dog doo in our midst, and God help your appetite if you end up across from the busking flute player.

You’ve been warned: Hamiltons’ at First & Main’s General Manager Daniel Page says he keeps a watchful eye on the forecast and discourages the use of its outdoor Mall space if rain is predicted.

But the real hazard out there this time of year is the sudden summer storm. Just the other day while traipsing along the Mall after a downpour, negotiating the ragged road underfoot, the landmines of metal furniture and the dog piles, we noticed the folks at Hamiltons’ at First & Main cleaning up a table that had overturned in the storm, breaking a set of their signature blue glasses in the process. That made us wonder: Just how do restaurants reconcile outdoor seating and inclement weather? We checked in with Hamilton’s for some insight:

Daniel Page, Hamilton’s general manager, tells us he tries to be proactive about the weather, but that scrambling in the rain is just part of serving on the Mall (he says they lost an umbrella half way down the block in the last storm). He does carefully watch the forecast, however, and discourages folks from sitting outdoors if rain is predicted. And he never take reservations for the patio even when the sun is shining. "We are responsible for their dining experience, and we just can’t take a chance," he says. But not seating the patio has got to hurt the bottom line, right?  Revenue is definitely impacted, he says—the patio adds space for 32 more diners (the inside dining room seats 60). And rain means a lot fewer mouths to feed. In fact, Page spoke to Restaurantarama just after calling to give his patio server the night off—with a thundercloud overhead, it just wasn’t worth having her come to work.

On deck

Undeterred by stories of broken glass and wayward umbrellas, the folks at the Clifton Inn just added their own outdoor dining area this month. And manager Depne Candir says Clifton’s back deck already has become the most popular spot to enjoy its signature gourmet fare, thanks to the mountain views and sounds of nature in Clifton’s secluded surroundings. Hey, it’s no busking banjo player, but we imagine that chirping birds and crickets must be a decent meal soundtrack too.

Cooks in the kitchen

We are a little disappointed to inform you that one of our superstar chefs, Blue Light Grill‘s Reed Anderson, is leaving our little Charlottesville nest for his next culinary adventure: a chance to cook at Arnolfo, a Michelin-rated-two-star restaurant outside of Tuscany. Anderson’s last day at Blue Light is August 4. And just who will next oversee Blue Light’s Southeast Asian-inspired seafood fare? It’s a mystery. Michael Keaveny, director of operations for Coran Capshaw‘s Central Restaurant Group, tells us they are still looking for Anderson’s replacement. Anderson does inform us, however, that the new guy or gal likely will come from outside Charlottesville. We will keep you posted.

Got some restaurant scoop? Send tips to restaurantarama@c-ville.com.

Chapter 1: Suspended Adam Jones. Chapter 2: Suspended Tank Johnson. Chapter 3: Watched Michael Vick be indicted by a federal Grand Jury.  Chapter 4: Vomited. Chapter 5: Bought stock in Pepto Bismol.

Last Friday, somewhere in this crazy world Roger Goodell should have been smiling. The NFL commissioner should have felt like a principal on the first day of school as he watched rookies and veterans report for training camp.

Instead, the expression on Goodell’s face arose from the image of Michael Vick making his first appearance in a federal court the previous day.

There was one of the poster boys of Goodell’s $1 billion product starting his journey through the judicial system because of his indictment by a federal grand jury on multiple charges related to an alleged dog-fighting ring in Virginia.

Goodell wishes today that we were pondering whether the Redskins would rise out of the basement on the arm of Jason Campbell or whether the Patriots would just dominate the league on the field the way they did in free agency.

Goodell wants people filling his training camp with jerseys and big foamy No. 1 fingers (not that finger, you sicko), but instead he has PETA and enraged Atlanta Falcons season-ticket holders with dogs at the gates.

The $1 billion question: Will Michael Vick wear Falcons red and black in ’08 or correctional facility fluorescent orange?

Goodell groans as the dominant preseason question in sports bars remains: Will Vick wear Falcons red and black in ’08 or correctional facility fluorescent orange?

All this has been just one of the stories of Roger Goodell’s summer.  His June and July were dog days (no pun intended), as he had to sit down "Pacman Jones" for the upcoming year, and then Tank Johnson for half, and finally fold a developmental league in NFL Europa.

Goodell, who is different in many ways from his predecessor Paul Tagliabue, does share a belief that no one player is bigger than the league.

Sadly, just when the commish thought he was turning the corner to a season where the fans and media talked actual football, the Feds come a-knocking for Vick.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback produced by ESPN.com.

Only a few months after the truth was revealed about the Duke lacrosse scandal, which gave many in the media red faces for jumping the gun and landed a former district attorney in the unemployment line for jumping the law, Goodell, while still in a dilemma, has acted swiftly and intelligently.

Like him or not, this is America and Vick is innocent until proven guilty.  This case will not be decided on a radio sports talk show, newspaper column or even a football field. It will be decided in a federal courtroom.

Unfortunately, the Falcons don’t have the luxury of time. With or without Vick, the first day of camp had to start. Now first-year head coach Bobby Petrino must look to an average-at-best Joey Harrington as Vick’s replacement.

Goodell and the NFL still are left with numerous dilemmas, none of which involve a pigskin or a punt but rather penalty flags off the field.

Wes McElroy hosts "The Final Round" Monday-Friday 4pm-6pm on ESPN AM840.

We love The Flat. How could we not? It’s just so cute, and the spot—a diminutive brick box tacked on the back of the Jefferson Theater—seems so perfectly suited to what’s served: a simple menu of fluffy warm crêpes folded into fan shapes and served in no-frills napkins. We had ours with tomato, feta and avocado, which was basic and savory and way more filling than its slim profile would suggest. We ended up needing a fork to finish it, indicating a lack of crêpe-noshing skills that shamed us. Perhaps we’re just not French enough?

Sorelle Williams

Occupation: Third-year economics major at UVA

Where we spotted her: UVA Grounds

Style sense: Sorelle loves fashion and often buys cute, preppy items when she is on vacation. She picked her Lulu Lame dress from a boutique in Concord for its fun sailor pattern and springtime feel. Her versatile Jack Rodgers shoes are from Scarpa. Her dad bought her orange Longchamp bag in Boston as a UVA-themed gift, as well as her family crest ring. Her Mikimoto Pearl earrings were also a gift, this time bought in New York. Her sunglasses, also bought in New York, are Marc Jacobs.

Donna Clarke

Occupation: Cardiac nurse at VCU Medical Center

Where we spotted her: Barracks Road Shopping Center

Style sense: As a clothes and shoes lover, Donna likes to wear bright colors and comfortable styles. She bought her flashy Nicole Miller dress for its unique and exciting pattern as well as its relaxed cut. Usually a contact lens wearer, her stylish light-frame glasses are from Prada. Her matching necklace and earrings are David Yurman. Her gold bag is Michael Kors and her silver shoes are Cole Haan.

But in the case of Whitley’s Garden Gate Farm subdivision in North Garden, the statement’s not just a throwaway. That’s because along with the three-car garage, vinyl siding and first-floor master suite that comes with your neo-colonial on Garden Gate Court, you get a warm and friendly pseudo-grandpa. That would be Whitley, who lives with his wife Marilyn just up the hill on the site of the old farm house.

"I don’t build houses, I build homes," says 80-year-old Earl Whitley. Typically, a statement like that coming from the mouth of a developer is groan-inducing.

Whitley purchased the 115-acre farm site in 1993, looking to retire from development work in Northern Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland. He subdivided the land in 1996 and built one house a year for a total of eight. He dedicated the remaining 97 acres to rural preservation land where he and Marilyn refurbished the existing double-wide into a modest Cape Cod and turned the site, with its stunning views of Gay Mountain and lovely little pond, into a family compound for their six children and nine grandchildren—complete with a playground of walking trails for the subdivision’s residents. The pond, near a scenic sitting spot that Marilyn has dubbed "kissing rock" (for the obvious reasons, as Earl’s blushing at this utterance reveals) is open for frolicking to the neighborhood’s kids and dogs, all of whom often can be seen taking nightly strolls around the Whitleys’ property.

And if that doesn’t make you feel all warm and fuzzy about shelling out more than half a million dollars to live 16 miles south of Charlottesville, the fact that the Whitleys "pray over each house" and welcome the neighbors to regular picnics, traveling dinner parties and a monthly Bible study just might make you believe that real country living with all its good neighborliness is possible in North Garden—even without back-breaking country-type work (the Whitleys say all of Garden Gate Farm’s residents are employed in Charlottesville.)

The farm culture of rural Albemarle persists in North Garden; not coincidentally, homes for sale there are scarce.

Not that actual agrarian labor doesn’t still exist in North Garden. In fact, Garden Gate Farm is one of only two existing suburban subdivisions in this community. Southern Hills is the other and has similar 2,000-2,500-square-foot houses with farmhouse-type front porches to play up the rural character of the modern homes and blend in with the rusty grain silos that dot the village’s landscape. Most of the rest of North Garden comprises large actual farms (including Kathryn Russell’s Majesty Farm, which C-VILLE profiled in "Food fights," July 10, 2007) and small, very modest ranch houses, many of whose inhabitants likely work at those farms. After all, North Garden is the annual home to the Albemarle County Fair (this year, July 31-August 5), which is the ultimate celebration of all things rural in this part of Central Virginia: veggies, livestock and beauty pageants. And North Garden is also home to Bundoran Farm, a unique 2,300-acre piece of land on which the Qroe Farm and Preservation Development company plans to develop residential homesites while preserving 80 percent of the land for rural and agricultural use.

Owing to North Garden not being designated in Albemarle County’s growth area, the town’s provincial character, sparse population and sprawling mountain vistas likely will remain for the foreseeable future. In other words, you need not worry about escaping to North Garden only to discover that a Home Depot and some super-dense tract housing has followed you there. Earl guesses that part of the reason North Garden will remain rural and free of crowded commercial and residential development is that water is very difficult to access in this part of the county.

The quintessential country store

Almost by law every picturesque rural town in America has a quirky local market that sells the necessities to townsfolk who otherwise have to drive miles and miles to the big city for supplies. In the case of the Crossroads Store on Plank Road, North Garden’s necessities definitely are covered: Gas, deli grub and homemade apple butter and fudge are easy grabs at the local shop that also serves as a welcome pit stop for travelers on the somewhat lonely stretch of Route 29S heading toward Lynchburg.

The Crossroads Store is aptly named; every North Gardener passes through it at one time or another.0

Though it’s gotten a decidedly spiffed-up look in the last 10 or so years (Marilyn Whitley remembers that you used to almost hit the store’s ice machine when you took the corner from Plank Road onto Route 29S), a stop in the store (which opened its original doors in 1820) is like a North Garden history lesson. The walls of the café are lined with old photos of Red Hill High School graduates from the 1950s and other old-time images as well as a yellowing 1997 Daily Progress article on John Grisham that is autographed by the man himself—Grisham owns a residence somewhere nearby.  

The rub

Before you start saying to yourself, "If it’s good enough for Grisham, it’s good enough for me," take note: The downside to North Garden—aside from being 20 minutes from the nearest movie theater or fine dining establishment (unless you count Dr Ho’s Humble Pie pizza shop, which you just might if you’re a North Gardener)—is that property is rarely for sale in this town, says RE/MAX Assured Properties broker Judy Savage. Savage has been selling real estate throughout Central Virginia for the last 20 years, and yet, she’s currently listing her first house in North Garden—the last home in the Garden Gate Farm subdivision.

If you are lucky enough to find a place to plant your roots in North Garden, however, make sure to say hi to Grandpa Earl Whitley, who is destined to become North Garden’s first mayor. And wish him well on his next birthday. You’ll know the date because he’ll do what he did last year: carve the number of his years on earth into his hillside with a zero-turn lawn mower. Now that’s something you won’t see in Belmont.

At a glance

Distance from Downtown: 16 miles

Distance from UVA Hospital: 14 miles

Elementary School: Red Hill   

Middle School: Walton   

High School: Monticello

Number of homes currently on market: 9

Price range of houses currently on market: $172,900-$1.4 million

Source: Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors