Month: August 2009

Categories
Arts

Shorts: Bigger than you'd expect

You might say that writer-producer-director-cinematographer-co-editor-composer-visual-effects-supervisor-re-recording-mixer Robert Rodriguez has a lot of energy when it comes to making movies. You might use words other than “restrained” to describe him. And if you already figured there’s a special place in the Spy Kids superintendent’s heart for tales of children who find themselves unbuckled from reality and tossed around on special effects-intensive thrill rides, well, the new Rodriguez film, Shorts, isn’t about to tell you you’re wrong.

Kids wish for the darnedest things! Child’s play runs wild in the latest Robert Rodriguez flick, Shorts. (Warning: Not for fans of Rodriguez’s From Dusk ’til Dawn, sadly.)

Starring Jon Cryer, Kat Dennings, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann and James Spader, along with several thrill-seeking kids, Shorts is a zippy, slapsticky comedy about a suburban company town going bonkers when a wish-granting, rainbow-colored rock falls out of the sky. Importantly, it’s a town of technology-dependent dullards who aren’t exactly the best parents ever, and a company presided over by a ruthless techno-gadget tycoon. There is the sense that mayhem was just waiting to ensue.

One of the kids, played by Jimmy Bennett, is the movie’s narrator, whose enthusiasm for getting the story out sometimes gets in the way of getting it straight. Undaunted, he’ll just pause, rewind and fast-forward around to ferret out the best bits. That spastic nonlinearity has its charms, as do the bits themselves. A wife and husband become conjoined. Crocodiles walk upright and sail through the air. A huge, kid-eating booger attacks a small, booger-eating kid. An absentee boyfriend is forced to grow up, but not in a good way. Germs spread. Someone turns into a dung beetle. An infant becomes omniscient. Buildings get smashed. Power corrupts. And all of this goes unnoticed by a brother and sister who’ve locked each other into a staring contest for several days.

Shorts updates the antics of the Little Rascals with more volume, color, awkward acting, nudging music, improbabilities of character motivation, tedium, a girl (Jolie Vanier) who inevitably will be called “the next Christina Ricci,” some delightful hints of the giddy grotesquery Rodriguez brought to Planet Terror, and the most gratuitous candy-company product placement since E.T. (Not surprisingly, it’s the same candy company.)

Also, Shorts would like to stress the importance of good oral hygiene. And to suggest that, once in a while, you really ought to put away your mobile communication device and kiss your husband or wife. In fact, good oral hygiene will come in handy for that. But don’t worry so much about germs that you let life pass you by. Oh, and for the love of rainbow-colored rocks from space, be careful what you wish for.

So you can see how such an outing would require an indefatigable filmmaker. And perhaps an indefatigable audience.

Categories
Living

Make mine a cold one

A wine teacher of mine once said that every wine would be a red wine if it could be. I don’t necessarily agree with him, but then again, I tend to like appetizers better than main courses, sunrises better than sunsets, and kissing better than, well, you get the drift.

However, for those of you saying hallelujah! to my teacher’s sentiment, spring and summer may represent a reluctant hibernation for the wine lover in you. Your turtleneck sweaters, short ribs and Gigondas snooze away while you impatiently await the first autumn leaf to change its hue and drop to the ground. But don’t wish these carefree days of summer away, and most importantly, don’t spend them without wine; rather, slip on some shorts, fire up the grill, and throw your red wine on ice!

Ideal chilled red temperature is between 55 and 60 degrees.

Ironically, there are still a few rules to this seemingly unruly idea, and the first relates to temperature. Ideal chilled red temperature is between 55 and 60 degrees. Too much above 60 degrees and you won’t be refreshed and too much below 55 degrees and you won’t taste a thing. Chilling wine hides a multitude of sins in a bad wine, but will, conversely, hide a multitude of graces in a good wine. Too cold and a red wine loses its fruit and flaunts its tannins, which is just not the point of this little experiment. Not sure you are in the zone? Plunge the red into an ice bucket for 15 minutes or keep it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes. 

The next rule pertains to type. Not just any red is suitable for chilling—let’s start with what will work. France’s Loire Valley and Beaujolais regions are a good first stop. Loire’s Sancerre Rouge (made from Pinot Noir grapes), Chinon (made from Cabernet Franc grapes), and Côtes Roannaise (made from Gamay grapes); and Beaujolais’ Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, or Beaujolais crus (made from Gamay grapes) all benefit from a dip in the ice bucket. Italy boasts chill-worthy reds from all over its sunny peninsula. My favorites include Piedmont’s Grignolino, Veneto’s Bardolino, and Sicily’s Frappato. The key is a young, fruit-forward wine with light structure and lower alcohol. Chilled reds are like cranberry juice with a sprig of mint and a cocktail umbrella. 

Four ways to chill out:

Domaine Robert Sérol Les Vieilles Vignes Côtes Roannaise 2008. Wine Warehouse, $14.99

Vincent Pinard Sancerre Rouge 2006. Tastings of Charlottesville, $36.99

Corte Gardoni Bardolino 2007. Market Street Wineshop, $15.99

Crivelli Grignolino 2008. Special order from your favorite local wine retailer, $14.99

Wondering if any of your beloved Cabs, Syrahs and Nebbiolos can wake from their long summer’s rest? I would let these sleeping bears lie—their big, brawny tannins are liable to clobber you in the mouth. Besides, what will you have to look forward to during the doldrums of winter when you haven’t seen sunlight in 12 days straight? 

Other candidates with chilling potential (and conveniently all perfect pairings with summer’s grilled goodies) are Oregon Pinot Noirs, Spanish Grenaches, and California Zinfandels, though remember that cold temperatures also mask alcohol. Bear that in mind before slurping down that whole water-beaded bottle of 15.5 percent alcohol Zin with your organic beef hotdog (or three). I don’t want to be to blame when you suggest naked slip-n-slide or wake up face down in the kid’s turtle-shaped sandbox.

Not that I would judge you if did either though, because that’s what summer is for—having fun and keeping cool with minimal clothing, cheap thrills, and a cold beverage in your Bordeaux glass.

Categories
Arts

Movies playing in town this week

(500) Days of Summer (PG-13, 95 minutes) Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are a starry-eyed odd couple who go through a narratively chopped break-up. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Bandslam (PG, 111 minutes) High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens stars in a teen comedy-drama about musical high schoolers—who, in this case, have dueling rock bands. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4

District 9 (R, 113 minutes) Peter Jackson produces South African native director Neill Blomkamp’s science-fiction parable of extra-terrestrial refugees quarantined in Apartheid-era Johannesburg. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4

Funny People (R, 140 minutes) Less funny than you might expect but—for a movie about a stand-up comedian (Adam Sandler) and his Nick Carroway-esque protégé, Seth Rogen—pretty darned funny. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

G-Force (PG, 90 minutes) In this Disney adventure, a special-ops team of guinea pigs saves the world. Yes, that’s right: rodent commandoes. Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Kelli Garner and Bill Nighy, among others, supply their voices. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (PG-13, 118 minutes) Director Stephen Sommers of the Mummy movies tackles this summer’s second Hasbro-toy-based action film, this one about the benevolent paramilitary “Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity” and its sinister serpentine enemies. Dennis Quaid, Christopher Eccleston, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sienna Miller and others star. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Goods (R, 90 minutes) Don Ready (Jeremy Piven) is the fastest used car slinger in the biz, but needs to ramp up his game to save the dealership. Ed Helms, Will Ferrell, Ving Rhames, Kathryn Hahn, Rob Riggle and Alan Thicke also star. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

The Hangover (R, 105 minutes) From the director of Old School, a comedy about some dudes (Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha) who go to Vegas for a bachelor party and get into all kinds of trouble but don’t remember any of it. Read C-VILLE’s full review here. Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG, 153 minutes) Apparently there is series of books about a schoolboy who is also a young wizard. This film is said to be adapted from the sixth of those books. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson star, along with other, less famous but more established actors, and David Yates directs. Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

The Hurt Locker (R, 131 minutes) A bomb disposal unit in Iraq goes a bit haywire and members start squabbling. With explosives. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG, 94 minutes) Same frosty critters, served with a dinosaur twist! Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

In the Loop (NR, 106 minutes) A comedy from across the pond about a man working on international development for Britain (Tom Hollander) who mistakenly voices support for war and tries to finagle his way out of a fix with the British and American governments, using hilarity. Playing at Vinegar Hill Theatre

Inglourious Basterds (R, 153 minutes) Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and a band of Jewish military renegades (including Eli Roth, B.J. Novak and Samm Levine) put a pretty gruesome hurting on Nazis. Read C-VILLE’s full review here. Opening Friday

Julie & Julia (PG-13, 123 minutes) A movie about a cookbook and a memoir. Like, totally metatextual! Amy Adams and Meryl Streep star, Nora Ephron directs…do they cook? Playing at Carmike Cinema 6

Paper Heart (PG-13, 88 minutes) Romantic skeptic Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera travel across the country to make a documentary about love. Playing at Vinegar Hill Theatre

A Perfect Getaway (R, 98 minutes) Newlyweds Milla Jovovich and Steve Zahn go for a hike in an amazing tropical paradise—where newlyweds apparently tend to get horrifically murdered. No, not so perfect after all. Another couple, played by Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez, doesn’t help. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Ponyo (G, 101 minutes) Disney presents Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki’s take on the Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Little Mermaid, in which a goldfish wants to be human. Voice talent includes Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman and Liam Neeson. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Post Grad (PG-13, 89 minutes) Ah, the comedy of recession! Alexis Bledel plays a bright young woman coming out of college with an English degree, big plans for her future, and a bubble just waiting to be burst. Before she knows it, she’s forced to move back in with mom (Jane Lynch), dad (Michael Keaton) and wacky grandma (Carol Burnett). Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

Shorts (PG, 89 minutes) In this goofy family-friendly comedy from Spy Kids director Robert Rodgriguez, a small suburban town goes bonkers when a wish-granting rock falls out of the sky. John Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann and James Spader star, along with several thrill-seeking kids. Read C-VILLE’s full review here. Opening Friday

The Time Traveler’s Wife (PG-13, 108 minutes) Eric Bana is a time traveler and Rachel McAdams is his wife, trying to make their marriage work even as he uncontrollably flits back and forth through his own lifespan. Adapted from the Audrey Niffenegger bestseller by Bruce Joel Rubin, who wrote Ghost and therefore probably has a handle on the whole romance/sci-fi hybrid thing. Playing at Regal Seminole 4

The Ugly Truth (R, 95 minutes) Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler play a pair of feuding morning TV show producers with opposing viewpoints about romance. Playing at Regal Downtown Mall 6

X Games 3D: The Movie (PG, 92 minutes) For stunt fans, by stunt fans, with an added dimension for thrills. Seems simple enough! Playing at Regal Seminole Square 4

Categories
Living

August 2009: We Caught You Looking Sweet

Rosa San Miguel

Occupation: Salon Manager at Salon Cielo
Where we spotted her: Barracks Road Shopping Center
Style sense: Taking a cue from various magazines—which she says influence her style the most—Rosa wears an all-black outfit with a pop of color. She found her shirt at Wet Seal, her shorts at Express and she picked up her bright yellow BCBG heels at Macy’s. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hobby Sherman

Occupation: Interior designer
Where we spotted her: On the Downtown Mall
Style sense: Hobby loves color, especially those found in nature. When we spotted her, she had on a Nanette Lepore dress, yellow Christian Louboutin flats, a Poiray watch, an Ipa-Nima bag, Christian Louboutin sunglasses and Italian earrings she found at a gallery in Richmond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalie Fehlmer

Occupation: “Elmo” and “Cadabi” (a pink fairy monster) at Busch Gardens
Where we spotted her: On the Downtown Mall
Style sense: A graduate of CNU’s Musical Theater School, Natalie is naturally very self-expressive. She enjoys high fashion and likes to explore what the Europeans are wearing, but she always tries to be herself. Accordingly, she mixes items from many different places. She’s wearing a grey dress from Wet Seal, a vest from Urban Outfitters, earrings from a Downtown Mall vendor, a purse from Belk and glasses from Target.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophia Li

Occupation: Virginia Commonwealth University Student
Where we spotted her: Barracks Road Shopping Center
Style sense: Because you never know what might work together, Sophia recommends never shopping at one place. Instead, mix and match designer pieces with secondhand clothes for a more unexpected look. Sophia wears a shirt from a small boutique (she couldn’t remember its name), shoes from Rack Room, a belt from Banana Republic. And her skirt? She picked that up on a recent visit to China.

 

Categories
The Editor's Desk

Readers respond to previous issues

Must love dogs

Thanks to Chiara for her little piece on (from?) the Landmark Hotel [“Best fail,” Features, August 11]. Amusing and well written, more from her please.
Love the dogs.
W/R/T the bit on Wood Grill, it’s “retch” —not wretch.
Nice “Best Of” issue, especially the C-Ville Sit, Stay picks. It’s the best of your “best of” issues so far.

Catherine Potter
Albemarle County

Know your food

Thank you, C-VILLE, for providing a much needed lesson in food reality [“There will be bacon,” Features, August 18]. Richard Bean and Jean Rinaldi are masters of good meat.Our family has had the pleasure of preparing and consuming meals with food raised on Double H Farm and know the difference between store-bought and farm raised/butchered pork. The savory result of a grilled chop or baked loin is far worth the cost (and occasional wait) for a good plate of food. While I am sure the story turns the stomachs of some animal lovers and vegans, this story does more to demonstrate the value of the animal than protests or meat deprivation. To realize the time and effort Bean puts into his craft, helps the reader to value the sacrifice of the animal itself. If only we could recognize the sacrifice made to feed our greedy bellies rice, corn, wheat and other staples as well. The industrialization of food has distanced consumers from the natural value of these basic necesities. Thank you for bringing into focus the care, dedication and time it takes to provide good food for our family’s hungry mouths.
 
The Rojas Family
Charlottesville

Categories
Living

Gallery Listings

BozArt 211 W. Main St. Wednesday-Thursday, 3-9pm; Friday-Saturday, noon-9pm; Sunday, 1-4pm. 296-3919. www.bozartgallery.com. Through August 31: Works from associate members of the gallery.

C’ville Arts 118 East Main St. Monday-Thursday, 10am-6pm; Friday, 10am-9pm; Saturday, 10am-8pm; Sunday, noon-6pm. 972-9500. www.charlottesvillearts.com. Through August 31: “Let the Games Begin,” intricate chess sets and other one-of-a-kind bead creations by the Bead Brothers, Steve and Lisa Cunningham.

Flying Pig Art Center 561 Valley St., Scottsville. Thursday, 9am-3pm; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-1:30pm. 996-7388. flyingpigartcenter.com. Through August 31: “Debris: Paintings by Chris Noel.” Also offers weekly classes in a variety of media.

The Gallery at Fifth and Water 107 Fifth St. SE. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 979-9825. Through August 28: “A Life in the Country,” recent paintings by Tina Wade.

The Garage 250 N. First St. By appointment; contact Greg Antrim Kelly at 242-0905. thegarage-cville.com. Through August 31: “The Suitcase Show,” hundreds of works culled from three years of drawing parties, featuring countless local artists.

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection 400 Worrell Dr. Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. 244-0234. Through December 20: “What Will Last Beyond Today: John W. Kluge’s Collection of Australian Aboriginal Art.” An opening reception is scheduled for August 28, 5:30-7:30pm.

La Galeria 218 W. Main St. Call for hours. 293-7003. Through August 31: “A Walk Through UVA,” a collection of works by various artists in multiple media.

Les Yeux du Monde 841 Wolf Trap Rd. By appointment only. 973-5566. Through August 29: A collection of vintage prints from John Grant.

PVCC 501 College Dr. Monday-Thursday, 9am-10pm; Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 1-5pm. 961-5202. Through August 27: The annual student art exhibition.

Ruffin Gallery 179 Culbreth Rd. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Call for special hours. 924-6123. August 28-September 18: The first UVA faculty art exhibit in the newest exhibition space on Grounds, featuring work by Dean Dass, Clay Witt, Kevin Everson, Amy Chan and more.

Sage Moon Gallery, LLC Located at Siips, 212 E. Main St. Call for business hours. 977-9997. Through August 31: “Lands and Ladies,” oil paintings of landscapes and figures by Sarah Park.

Other exhibits

Restaurants, retailers and public spaces that host regular art events

Angelo 220 E. Main St. Monday-Friday, 11am-6pm; Saturday, 11am-5pm. 971-9256. Through August 31: “Out to Pasture,” pastoral paintings by Nancy Bass.

Black Rock Gallery Mountain Inn, Wintergreen. Call for hours. 325-7700. Through November 2: Mixed-media prints by Ted Pfaltz.

Blue Ridge Beads and Glass 1724 Allied St. Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5:30pm. 293-2876. www.blueridgebeads-glass.com. Ongoing: Glass pieces, paintings and instruments by Jerry O’Dell.

C&O Gallery 515 E. Water St. Sunday-Thursday, 5-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 5-11pm; or by appointment. 971-7044. Through August 31: Paintings by Edward Thomas.

Café Cubano 112 W. Main St. Call for hours. 971-8743. Through August 31: “Transformation,” recent works by Flame Bilyue.

Charlottesville Community Design Center 100 Fifth St. NE. 984-2232. Through August 31: “(In) Play: Green Spaces Competition,” featuring entries from the James River Green Building Council’s annual sustainable design competition.

Fellini’s #9 200 W. Market St. Call for hours. 979-4279. Through August 31: “Ntombazana: A Story of an African Elephant Family,” by Michael Garstang.

Jefferson Library 1329 Kenwood Farm Ln. Call for hours. 964-7540. Through November 12: “Lucy Meriwether Lewis Marks: A Biographical and Botanical Art Exhibit.”

The Local 824 Hinton Ave. Call for hours. 984-9749. Through August 31: “Still Preoccupied,” mosaics by Angel LaCanfora.

Newcomb Hall Art Gallery On the UVA Grounds. Call for hours. 249-2354. Through September 3: “Water & Health: Photovoice,” a cooperative photography project between the University of Virginia and the University of Venda in Limpopo, South Africa.

Paintings & Prose 406 E. Main St. Call for hours. 220-3490. Through September 4: “Assemblages,” featuring works by Richard J. Bay, Jay Hall, Carla Paynter, and curated by Dorothy Palanza.

Shenandoah National Park Trust 414 E. Market St. Call for hours. 293-2728. Ongoing: Original prints by Hullihen Williams Moore.

South Street Brewery 106 W. South St. Daily 4:30pm-close. 960-9352. Through August 31: A collection of paintings by Janet Pearlman.

Speak! Language Center 313 Second St. SE, suite 109. Weekdays, 9am-2:30pm and 5:30-8pm; Saturday, 9am-noon. 245-TALK. speaklanguagecenter.com. Through September 1: “Hadrian’s Coffee: Ancient Images of Contemporary Italy,” photos by Richard Robinson.

Spring Street Boutique 107 W. Main St., on the Downtown Mall. Call for hours. 975-1200. Through August 31: “Metal Wall Sculptures,” by Holly Olinger & Hurricane Art.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church 717 Rugby Rd. 293-8179. Sunday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Through September 6: A retrospective of work by painter Marie W.B. Brodhead.

Categories
Living

August 2009: The Sex Files

Why is it that so many women are unhappy with their bodies? How many girlfriends do you have who are on a diet right now? A few weeks ago, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about cankles, fat or swollen ankles that merge with the calf without a clear demarcation between the two.

 

These are the latest body parts that have become the focus of attack in specially designed gym classes, diets, and by plastic surgeons. Some even use Preparation H (a hemorrhoid cream that is designed to shrink hemorrhoidal tissue) for instant overnight shrinking of their swollen ankles, to make them appear slimmer. How far have we come?
 
And what about vaginal rejuvenation surgeries? They were up by 30 percent, from 793 in 2005 to 1,030 in 2006 (statistics are not available for later years). Just to be clear, these vaginal surgeries are not medically indicated, but performed only for one reason: to make your genitals look more aesthetically pleasing.

Who determines what’s beautiful, anyway? The photo editors at men’s magazines who Photoshop all images of women’s genitals before publishing? Let me tell you, real vulvas (the part of a woman’s genitals that is visible on the outside, while the vagina is inside the body) come in all sizes and shapes, just like the peppers in your garden often don’t look as ‘perfect’ as the ones you can buy at the grocery store.

Real vulvas are often asymmetrical, the inner lips can be longer than the outer ones (or vice versa), the clitoris can be hidden or it may be protruding. There are simply no limits to the variety that exists. For a fascinating display of the wide range, go to this webpage: http://www.scarleteen.com/resource/advice/betty_dodsons_vulva_illustrations.

Of course, vaginal rejuvenation surgeries are an extreme example of what a few people go through in order to adapt their various body parts to some arbitrary definitions of beauty. Nevertheless, a lot of men and women are unhappy with some aspect of their body. And a lot of times, these insecurities about body image play out in the bedroom.

How can you relax and be comfortable being undressed with a partner if you worry too much about the imperfections of your body? Keeping the lights off, staying under cover, or partially dressed might help, but how much fun is that? Perhaps it’s time to consider whether you really want to hang onto your negative body image.

The book Becoming Orgasmic by Heiman and LoPiccolo has a great section on body image and these authors ask you (among a lot of other things) to consider these questions:

How do you stress the things about your body that you’re proud of? How do you try to hide the things about your body you dislike?

What are the things you don’t like about your body? Are these things you genuinely don’t like or have you accepted the judgment or opinion of another person? If so, who are the people whose opinion of your body concerns you? Do they tend to be men or women?

Where did you get your ideas of what is attractive—your mother, men, yourself, television, magazines?

Have you ever been satisfied with how your body looks? How does or did that influence how you feel about your sexuality?

A woman who is comfortable in her own body is a sexy woman, no matter what size she is. Don’t get hung up on an extra inch here or there. At least, don’t let that stop you from enjoying sex.

One exception, though: If you are overweight to the point that your health is affected (diabetes, heart disease, elevated cholesterol, etc.), of course changing your eating habits and dieting is the right thing to do.

And a final word to mothers of daughters: Think hard about what messages about body image you want to send to your daughter. Does she constantly see you on a diet and complaining about your appearance? Or does she see you feeling good about yourself and the way you look? How you perceive your own body and how you express this will have a huge impact on how she is going to view her own body, now and in the future.

Charlottesville’s Annette Owens, MD, Ph.D., is certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. She has co-edited the four-volume book, Sexual Health (Praeger).

Categories
Living

Scottsville's Dewdrops drop in for a pair of gigs

When you’re a wanderer, each infrequent stop is a precious one. Since The Honey Dewdrops’ first-place win on A Prairie Home Companion’s “People in their Twenties Talent Show” in 2008, the Scottsville duo—Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish—has been in nearly constant motion. Earlier this year, the ’Drops released an 11-song debut album, If the Sun Will Shine, with a June 18 gig at Is, then promptly set off for a 15-state tour through house concert venues, coffee shops and any spots that offered Wortman and Parrish organic, locally grown grub. Not that we mind sharing our local Honeys; we’d just like ’em in our town for a bit.

Honey, where you been? Scottsville duo The Honey Dewdrops returns for a pair of local gigs and a sweet new album, If the Sun Will Shine.

This weekend, however, the Dewdrops wander back for a pair of gigs—a free Friday night set at the Charlottesville Pavilion with Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees, and a Saturday “In the Cabaret” gig at the Hamner Theater. (See calendar, page 24, for details.) For folks that missed the gig at Is—or the pair’s Last Waltz-y moment alongside Sons of Bill at The Paramount Theater for “Long Black Veil” —the pair of shows presents two fine chances to hear the Dewdrops’ new material before they wander off again, on an East Coast tour that runs through the end of the year.

The wanderlust theme runs thick throughout If the Sun Will Shine, in songs like “Fly Away Free” and “Wandering Boy,” and in the pair’s broken handhold harmonies in “Stomping Ground.” (“Love, like a sun/ behind the clouds and rain./ When you see her going/ she’s coming back again.”) But, musically, the band doesn’t stray too far from the contemporary take on Appalachian folk that musicians like Gillian Welch pursue.

The best instruments the pair has to offer—Wortman’s unblemished, Natalie Merchant vocals and Parrish’s long, restless fingers on the fretboard of anything stringed —are finely tuned, and the Dewdrops’ songcraft is consistent without being pushy. Parrish solos, and Wortman calls him home; she lyrically longs, and he restrains her with a mandolin fill here, a guitar riff there. Rather than ambitious in a modern sense, the songs on If the Sun Will Shine strive for the country-folk canon—traditional accuracy that, occasionally, strays to show the strengths of the two musicians. And, much like the Dewdrops’ weekend gigs, each return to simple songs feels like a welcome one.

Speaking of returns…

I can practically smell the scalp aftershave now! Chris Daughtry, Fluvanna County’s one-time “American Idol” contestant and leader of the multi-platinum-selling rock band Daughtry, will return to Charlottesville for his first gig since his sold-out set at The Paramount Theater in 2008. This time, Daughtry (the man) and Daughtry (the band) will see if they can fill a bigger room—the John Paul Jones Arena, on Friday, November 20. According to DaughtryOfficial.com, tickets for the gig go on-sale on Saturday, September 19. I bet that a few local musicians—Daughtry semi-mentor Andy Waldeck, and semi-protégé Will Thomas—may be in the audience, along with a few thousand “Idol” fans.

Feedback announced the Daughtry news on Twitter (twitter.com/cvillefeedback) and on the Feedback blog last week, alongside a few other bits of information—a September 17 concert by Chick Tragic and the Roosters at The Southern, and quick exchange between Feedback and local “Make Me a Supermodel” contestant Colin Steers (twitter.com/colinsteers) about…cat massages. If that’s not enough to get you folks following Feedback on the Internet, I don’t know what will do the trick.

Anyone following the blog also knows that Feedback recently sat down with local portrait artist Eliza Evans during our annual Best of C-VILLE party and came away with a new look for his old mug. To read about the experience, head to c-ville.com for a peek at Evans’ portrait process.

Charlottesville Tomorrow and Daily Progress announce partnership

The local nonprofit Charlottesville Tomorrow and the Daily Progress announced over the weekend that they have formed a partnership.

Charlottesville Tomorrow staff members will see their stories in the print edition of the local newspaper.

“The Daily Progress is really thinking creatively about how to deliver more in-depth news to its readers,” said Charlottesville Tomorrow executive director Brian Wheeler in the announcement. “This is one of the first such media partnerships in the United States between a local daily paper and a local nonprofit, both deeply committed to bearing witness to the work of our government and to delivering that reporting and analysis broadly to the public.”

Charlottesville Tomorrow is known for its in-depth coverage of local politics and has closely followed transportation issues, water issues, and land-use issues, among others.

 

Children are the secret weapons of green

This weekend, we were on a camping trip in West Virginia’s Dolly Sods Scenic Area. As you can gather from this website, Dolly Sods is a so-called "wilderness area" that’s actually been heavily impacted by humans over the years. It’s a beautiful place and an unusual environment for this part of the country, with its tundra-like ecosystems. 

One of the best things about the trip was seeing my old college friend James and his family. He and his wife Lisa have two kids, five-year-old Lucas and one-year-old Violet. They’re lovely to be around for many reasons, but the relevant point here is that James and Lisa have already made an environmentalist out of their son.

Lucas knows what a skink is, wants his parents to get an electric car, and can identify invasive weeds. We were hanging out and my husband pointed out a bumblebee gathering pollen from a flower. Lucas agreed with him that this was a wonderful sight. Then he talked about a little girl he knows who saw a bumblebee and stomped on it.

"Why would she do that?" my husband asked.

"I don’t know. And the thing that gets me is, she really likes honey."

I am sure that the reason this kid is a budding greenie is that his parents have been actively teaching him about the natural world, and the human place in it, since he was born. I bet they started by letting him splash around in creeks, as they did with Violet this weekend. They’ve continued by looking for opportunities big and small, as when they were at a bird banding station Saturday morning and a volunteer let Lucas release a veery.

I don’t have kids and am not especially well tuned into the local resources for parents who want to give their children a clue about the environment. I know some of you are, though. Want to chime in with your suggestions? What places, events, and people have helped your kids understand the issue?