Month: December 2012

Categories
Arts

Ringing in the new: The Infamous Stringdusters’ Andy Falco looks to the future

The Infamous Stringdusters made Charlottesville a place to call home in 2012, among other fine achievements. Image:Tom Daly

The Infamous Stringdusters are closing out a monumental year. The upcoming New Year’s Eve gig at the Jefferson will top off 2012’s release of the band’s fourth studio album, Silver Sky, its own imprint, High Country Recordings. The video for the album’s first single, “The Place That I Call Home,” debuted nationally on CMT this fall, and The Festy, which the band curates along with its local management firm The Artist Farm and Cerberus Productions, was bigger and better than ever, drawing crowds with notable acts like Rubblebucket, Trampled by Turtles and the suddenly everywhere Lake Street Dive.

The Infamous Stringdusters is a band set smack in the middle of the new bluegrass crusade. Active curators of the genre and tireless, intrepid meddlers, playing the spirit of the music however it manifests, and damn the math. Surgeons of the genre, helping to save it by cutting it open and expertly futzing with the innards. And they want to make our corner of the world into a Mecca for the likeminded, fostering a community of explorers, and providing a soundtrack as well. C-VILLE spoke to guitarist Andy Falco by phone about what the new year holds.

C-VILLE Weekly: What’s been unique about this year? What are you guys celebrating on New Year’s Eve?

Andy Falco: “Well, I think that every year has its own sort of thing. This year, you know, we feel like we’ve grown as a band, as songwriters. The live show has grown quite a bit this year. We’ve focused a lot on developing the production and we’re really excited about that.”

You guys have a reputation for pushing into new boundaries with each album. What’s new about Silver Sky, and why did you want to do this particular album at this particular time?

“Silver Sky is the first album we’ve worked on with producer Billy Hume, who’s better known for doing rap records and hip hop. He’s a majorly creative guy without any sort of expectations of what bluegrass should sound like, or acoustic instruments should sound like, he just knows what great, powerful records are supposed to sound like. He worked with us on the live release (We’ll Do It Live) before that, but this was the first bit of studio time we could get with Billy.”

“Also, when we released it, we didn’t do any distribution on it at first but at the back half of this year, we released both albums together in a deluxe edition, where we had the We’ll Do It Live record packaged with Silver Sky, but we bridged it with a…sort of a track that wasn’t really intended to be released in the beginning, it was just sort of a jam in the studio. So there were a few different things with this record.”

Speaking of High Country Recordings, The Stringdusters have a reputation for taking the reins, so to speak, with your own record label and music festival. What kind of freedoms does that afford the band that you otherwise wouldn’t have?

“It allows you to sort of control the experience. You know, as far as The Festy goes, we’re able to envision what the experience will be for the audience and the campers, etc. And the same thing for the record, you’re able to really put your own vision into it.”

“With your own label, you know, the music is never affected by how and when you release it and what you can do with your live recordings. Labels get real restrictive on what they’ll allow you to put out and when, and sometimes you’re just like, ‘Hey man, I just want to put this stuff out.’”

“We want to make that live music, we want to make it available for our fans. Which is what we do now, we have a thing called The Show Hive on our website, where you can go to the site, click on the Show Hive and watch the shows. Our magnificent live sound engineer Drew Becker works really hard to get those recordings up, usually by the next day they’re on our website. Things like that, that we wanted to do, that the traditional record label mentality sort of shies away from, they’re so concerned about it taking away from CD sales, but seriously, what are CD sales? Get the music out to the people, you know?”

So, where’s the music heading? What’s next?

“Well, we’re about to go in to make a new record, which will probably be done somewhere in the first quarter of next year. We’re taking the songs to pre-production right after New Year’s. But, you know, we’re going to try to find what the next thing is.”

“Oftentimes we get together and start showing each other songs, it starts turning into a record and that’s what we focus on. It’s the early stages but so far, we’ve done a little bit of getting together and show-and-tell, we’ve worked on a few of the songs and, honestly, I’m really excited about it. On this next record, I think everybody has grown a lot as songwriters, and I think that this next record is going to reflect that. I can’t wait to get back in the studio.”

Did you see an Infamous Stringdusters show in 2012? Tell us about it below.

The Infamous Stringdusters/December 31 at 7:30pm/The Jefferson Theater

 

Categories
Arts

Closing credits: Can the Sneak Reviews faithful revive the dying film rental business?

Sneak Reviews has been catering to area film enthusiasts since 1993. If it closes in 2013, the movie rental shop may need to disburse more than 32,000 titles. Image: John Robinson

“There was a time, 25 years ago, when there were video stores all over the place,” said Mark Tramontin. “Every time you turned around, there was another one.” When Tramontin, owner of Sneak Reviews, bought the business in 1993, “Everyone asked if we were worried about competition. There was another video store right down the street [in the Ivy Square Shopping Center]. But I told people, ‘Go to your regular video store and look at the selection there, we have everything they don’t have.’ A place like a Blockbuster, they carry 150 copies of the same title. I’d rather have one copy of 150 different ones.”

Sneak Reviews carries 32,000 titles, organized by country and director rather than genre, packed floor-to-ceiling on narrow shelves that have expanded to take up two floors of its Ivy Road location. And while current hits like The Hunger Games and “Downton Abbey” are easy enough to find, one of the joys of being a Sneak Reviews customer is the experience of getting lost among the store’s upstairs area, which boasts categories as specific as British Television Comedy, Additional Iranian Directors, and Godzilla. “It’s a little like a library,” said Tramontin. “We don’t ever get rid of any title. There’s people who have been with us for 20 years, who will happily spend an hour upstairs in the store, browsing for one or two things to rent for the weekend.”

The video market has undergone changes over the years, and Tramontin has had to constantly tweak his strategies to keep up. With the Blockbuster and Hollywood video chains closing, and Crozet’s mom-and-pop video store shuttering its doors last year, Sneak Reviews is now one of only three video stores in the area. With online streaming and downloading becoming more popular every year, the store is in a precarious position. Two weeks ago, Tramontin announced that if business didn’t improve over the holidays, Sneak Reviews may have to close in January.

The store’s first location was in a small shopping center near Emmet Street, but after two years they relocated to Ivy Road. Initially the store occupied only the top floor, forcing customers to climb the steep stone steps outside the building, and then another flight of stairs to reach the store. “Remember the basket?” Tramontin asked. “We had a basket on a pulley system, with a little bell on it, so people could return their videos without having to hike all the way upstairs.”

Many of the current releases are on Blu-Ray. But the store still carries thousands of titles on VHS tapes, many of which are films that are still unavailable on DVD. “We work on upgrading the catalog, but a lot of those older films still aren’t out on DVD,” Tramontin said. The store used to carry LaserDiscs. “We were starting to get some really beautiful stuff,” he said. “As soon as we bought a second shelf for them, they announced that DVDs were going to come out.”

Video advances in technology have meant that formats may become outdated in less than a decade. “It’s painful for ,” Tramontin said, “because you just have to keep buying the same product again and again, from Beta, to VHS, to Laser, to DVD.” Still, the allure of seeing a high-definition transfer of a film that you’ve only ever watched on grainy, warbly VHS does bring in a certain category of film enthusiast. “If you haven’t seen Casablanca on a Blu-Ray, you haven’t seen it,” said Tramontin. “For people who have the high-def T.V.s, there’s always going to be that interest.”

Another major shift in recent years has been the popularity of T.V. shows like “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad.” Tramontin points out that it’s a tricky investment for the store—buying an entire series at wholesale price is a lot more expensive than a single DVD title.

For younger viewers, renting a video may seem like a thing of the past whereas watching a movie at home is synonymous with one word: Netflix. Initially launched as an Internet-based mail-order service, Netflix has led the industry in recent years with its streaming service, eliminating the need for a physical disc altogether.

“I never saw it coming,” Tramontin said. “Young people who watch everything on a 5×5 screen. For someone my age, it’s kind of a joke. That was the size T.V.s were in the ’50s, when we couldn’t wait to get something better. I don’t particularly want to watch Lawrence of Arabia on my phone.”

Sneak Reviews may be facing tough competition from Netflix, but Tramontin says news of its recent trouble has led to a significant upturn in rentals. “There’s not much of a budget for advertising,” he said, “so it’s mostly word-of-mouth. But we’re starting to find that…people have really met the challenge by telling their friends and co-workers.”

“There’s a photo of [Roger] Ebert, when he visited here,” said Tramontin. “He said he thought it was one of the most amazing places he had ever seen. He bought a tape from us, a copy of a film he had written, that he had never seen a copy of anywhere else.”

Sneak Reviews is located at 2244 Ivy Rd. Hours and catalog info can be found at sneak reviews.com.

Have you rented a film at Sneak Reviews recently?  Post your answer below.

 

 

 

Categories
News

Project underway to add Claudius Crozet’s Blue Ridge Tunnel to National Register of Historic Places

The Blue Ridge Tunnel opened in 1858, and now a nonprofit organization and a class of UVA students are working to bring national attention to the historic tunnel. Photo: 1916 postcard

When the Blue Ridge Tunnel opened in 1858, its narrow 4,273′ passage through the mountains near Rockfish Gap created a corridor connecting Richmond to the Shenandoah Valley. Engineered by French civil engineer Claudius Crozet, it was a feat at the time, constructed in the most difficult stretch of the Virginia railroads—a very steep, craggy passage—and was the longest tunnel in the country. Now, the tunnel, an acclaimed Historic National Civil Engineering Landmark, is an echoey cavern beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Skyline Drive, and a home to roosting bats and crumbling walls covered in graffiti. But after nearly 70 years of abandonment, new life is being breathed into the Blue Ridge Tunnel.

Clann Móhr, an nonprofit organization dedicated to studying the history of the 17-mile Blue Ridge Railroad, is working with the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation to have the tunnel listed on the National Register of Historic Places, shining a spotlight on not only the tunnel’s architectural grandeur, but the history surrounding its construction. This “Rails-to-Trails” project would reopen the historic tunnel near Afton Mountain to hikers and bikers, and put it on the map as a tourist attraction for both Nelson and Augusta counties.

If the Blue Ridge Tunnel is listed as a landmark, it will be the first tunnel listed in Virginia, said Clann Móhr’s Dan Burke, who is also a tunnel foundation board member. “The Blue Ridge Tunnel, while long abandoned, is still the epitome of [a] tremendous effort that took place in our state’s history. Sitting very quiet for too long, it has a wonderful story yet to tell.”

According to the tunnel foundation, the planning and design processes for the tunnel preservation have been completed, but the tunnel foundation is waiting on additional funding and the settlement of property easements. A formal application will be submitted to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to be reviewed for a listing on the state register, and if it meets requirements it will then be sent to federal offices for review for that National Register of Historic Places, Burke said.

Clann Móhr’s efforts to educate the community have gone beyond the interested citizens who are a part of the tunnel foundation. Members of the organization have been auditing University of Virginia Professor Richard Collins’ architectural preservation class, and also educating his students about the history behind the Blue Ridge Railroad’s construction and builders, while the students piece together how they can help preserve and protect the tunnel.

Collins, who has taught preservation planning classes since 1975 and is a faculty member in the department of urban and environmental planning at UVA’s Architecture School, learned about the Blue Ridge Tunnel through the Virginia Endowment for the Humanities, which supported research on the tunnel. After meeting Clann Móhr members at a Rotunda event in 2011 he decided the Blue Ridge Tunnel would be the perfect project for his students to take on.

“I thought it would be an interesting topic to highlight cultural landscapes,” Collins said. “Not just the structure [and] engineering, but the story and narrative of the Irish workers and their sometime fellow workers, black slaves leased to [Claudius] Crozet from local owners.”

His students’ project included mapping technologies and 3D models of the tunnel site to address aspects of the planning process of preserving and protecting the tunnel as a landmark. His students even worked on the nomination application to have the tunnel listed on the historic register.

While Collins taught his students about preservation framework and how it relates to planning with legal and policy guidelines for the tunnel, Clann Móhr shared its cultural and historical research on the Blue Ridge Railroad with the students.

“I think the most valuable thing we learned from Clann Móhr is that a small group of people passionately interested in a place are an unstoppable force,” said Madeleine Hawks, an urban and environmental planning Master’s student. “I am impressed by their persistence and I hope that their research and planning transforms the tunnel soon so that others can enjoy the place and stories as much as they do.”

Claudius Crozet and his engineering accomplishments are well recognized in Central Virginia—from founding Virginia Military Institute to working with the state’s railroad—but the history surrounding the Irish workers and slaves who constructed Crozet’s railroad and tunnels is a bit hazy.

“While we have seen the books about the brilliant Claudius Crozet and have read the very dull reports about the railroad, our interest was in the many Irish immigrants and local slaves who actually did all the work in building the railroad up and through the mountains,” Burke said. “Our research interests have grown to include the local community that existed in this particular part of Central Virginia during the decade of the 1850s when the railroad construction took place.”

The organization has studied old courthouse records of local landowners who lived near the railroad in Albemarle, Nelson, and Augusta counties, as well as census records from Irish immigrants and other documents, such as railroad payroll ledgers. So far, Clann Móhr has collected the names of more than 1,900 workers and their families and 100 slaves who were involved in the railroad construction.

Efforts to bring the tunnel back to life are gaining more and more momentum. Two documentary filmmakers—The Stone Carvers director Paul Wagner and his wife Ellen—attended a tunnel presentation by the UVA students in December, and were so inspired by the preservation project and by Clann Móhr’s research that they have decided to pursue a film about the Blue Ridge Tunnel and the push to open it to the public as a hiking and heritage trail.

“This effort is obviously at the earliest planning stage, but as you can imagine, Clann Mhór is simply over the moon with the prospects,” Burke said.

Categories
Arts

A quick guide to New Year’s Eve in Charlottesville

Whether you decide to spend your New Year’s Eve with talented student filmmakers, passionate performing artists, or rocking out to big band sounds, you’re guaranteed to ring in 2013 with a newfound love of Charlottesville’s arts scene. First Night is an annual “celebration of the arts” that began in Charlottesville in 1983 with dozens of family-friendly happenings Downtown. If you decide to forgo these events, you’ll still have plenty of art to choose from—galleries, theaters and venues across town are showcasing art of their own. Here’s our round-up of events to kick off your countdown with creativity.

MUSIC

With sounds ranging from Tycho’s ambient melodies to Bruce Springsteen’s anthemic war cries, Charlottesville’s music scene rocked in 2012. New Year’s Eve will be no exception.

In Vivo String Quartet


3PM & 4:15PM, CitySpace | Part of First Night
If string’s your thing, check out the four talented Charlottesville High School students that comprise In Vivo String Quartet. The award-winning teenagers—a cellist, violinist, and two violists—will perform a variety of classic and contemporary arrangements as well as more festive tunes.

Skyline Harmony Chorus
3PM & 4:15, The Haven | Part of First Night
Ever heard a barbershop chorus comprised entirely of women? Hailing from the greater Charlottersville area, this multi-generational group of ladies will sing your favorite numbers in close harmony a cappella.

Drum Workshop
3PM & 4:15, Omni Hotel Ashlawn-Highlands| Part of First Night
A master African drummer, Darryl Rose has performed his rhythmic art with great artists including Dave Matthews Band. In this special performance, he offers hands-on lessons to kids and adults alike.

Willow Branch
3PM & 4:15, | Part of First Night
Rhythmic harmonies and skilled instrumentation characterize the work of the four band members of this traditional bluegrass group.

The Two Timers
3PM & 4:15, First Methodist Untied Church – Main Sanctuary | Part of First Night
This pair of students from Charlottesville High School groove with blues, jazz, and a lot of talent.

Ban Caribe


6:15 & 7:30, Christ Church – Meade Hall | Part of First Night
Inspired by the rhythm and song of African chants, Ban Caribe’s music blends Afro-Cuban, Latin, Caribbean and Rhythm & Blues into a soulful performance.

Barb Martin
6:15 & 7:30, Grace Covenant Church | Part of First Night
Solo performance artist Barb Martin writes and performs her jazz and blues songs with wit and authenticity.

CVHAM Blues Review
6:15 & 7:30, Main Street Arena Upper Level | Part of First Night
The Central Virginia Health Alliance for Musicians raises awareness and funds through pure entertainment. Watch Sonshine Rivers and the gang sing the blues for a great cause.

Dr. Levine & the Dreaded Blues Lady
6:15 & 8:45, The Haven | Part of First Night
Acoustic blues from the ‘20s and ‘30s take center stage with the energetic performance of this eclectic duo.

Greg Howard Uptet
7:30 & 8:45, United Methodist Church – Main Sanctuary | Part of First Night
This fun and funky jazz band includes Charlottesville favorites trumpeter John D’Earth, African percussionist Darrell Rose, drummer Michael Taylor and flutist Gina Sobel, led by Chapman Stick player and composter Greg Howard.

Billy Caldwell
7:30 & 8:45, CitySpace | Part of First Night
Charlottesville native Billy Caldwell calls his blend of classic rock, Americana and R&B “Roots & Roll.” Catch his performance to get a taste of Jack Johnson-esque guitar and catchy melodies.

Love Canon


7:30 & 8:45, Main Street Arena, Main Floor | Part of First Night
Get ready to dance! This group of conservatory-trained bluegrass musicians will put a country twist on the most memorable hits of the 80s. The mash-up of big hair band classics with banjo, mandolin, and lonesome vocals will get you moving.

“88 Keys” Wilson
5:30-8:30PM, Fellini’s #9 on West Market Street
At 86 years old, Wilford “88 Keys” Wilson still tears up the keyboard every Monday night at Fellini’s #9. On New Year’s Eve, join Charlottesville’s piano man and celebrate with champagne toasts every hour until midnight.

Houston Ross Trio
9PM, Miller’s on the Downtown Mall
Jams continue downtown hangout Miller’s. Monday regulars will recognize the Houston Ross Trio, whose members include Charles Owens on sax and Jeff Ladderback on bass, as they deliver three-part funk in cool style.

The Infamous Stringdusters
7:30PM, The Jefferson Theater
With their own music festival, record label, and critical acclaim, the five bluegrass artists of The Infamous Stringdusters had a prolific 2012. Kiss it goodbye with the high energy and creativity of this improvisational string band. VIP tickets include hors d’oeuvres, exclusive use of the Jefferson main balcony, and a champagne toast.

Salute to Swing: A Big Band Experience
6:15 & 7:30, Omni Hotel Ballroom | Part of First Night
Hear that big band sound! The hallmark sounds of the ‘40s and ‘50s are recreated by this complex group, which includes five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, string bass, piano, guitar, drums and vocals.

Muse & Dunn
8:45 & 10PM, First United Methodist Church | Part of First Night
This Irish-Scottish music experience comes to C’ville with this spirited duo’s performance on fiddle and piano.

Eli Cook Band
8:45 & 10PM, Christ Church – Meade Hall | Part of First Night
Join local Eli Cook and a power trio for smoking-hot blues and cool rock & roll.

ACME Swing Mfg. Co.


8:45 & 10PM, Omni Hotel Ballroom | Part of First Night
“If Wile E. Coyote and Cab Calloway had a love child, it would be ACME Swing Mfg. Co.” This talented octet will perform hot jazz numbers with a speakeasy feel.

Groove Train
10PM & 11:15, Main Street Arena – Main Floor | Part of First Night
Rock out while the ball drops! In a high-octane performance that will include disco dance music, groovy costumes, and outrageous hair, Groove Train will set the stage for your year-ending dance party.

PERFORMANCE

Charlottesville’s wealth of talented actors and actresses aren’t the only ones on stage this New Year’s Eve. Raise your glass to the performance chops of comedians, storytellers and local talent as they create new worlds before you.

The Dreamtime Project
3PM & 4:15PM, Main Street Arena, Upper Level | Part of First Night
Jim Gagnon weaves tales of world myths and epic folklore using African drums, Australian didgeridoos, and Native American wind flutes.

Bent Theater Improv Comedy
7:30PM & 10PM, The Haven | Part of First Night
Bent Theater’s team of spontaneous, hilarious performers will take audience suggestions and create comedic scenes on the spot.

A Chorus Line


9PM, Live Arts Theater, on Water Street
This special performance of Broadway’s longest-running musical includes a post-show champagne toast. Join director Matt Joslyn and his cast of passionate singer/dancers as they vie for a spot in a musical chorus and the chance to live their dreams.

FILM

Award-winning students serve up shows that celebrate our community.

Short Film Showcase
6:15 & 7:30, Lighthouse Studio | Part of First Night
Lighthouse Studio, the local arts center that teaches teens and children how to make films, offers a serving of some of the best student films of 2012. Award-winning documentaries, narratives, animations and experimental films await—get in early
because the house is always packed!

DANCE

Appreciate the beauty of dance from front row or don your own dancing shoes—either way, C’ville’s got you covered.

Excerpts from The Nutcracker
3PM & 4:15, Christ Church – Meade Hall | Part of First Night
This special performance by the Charlottesville Ballet is designed for young children and their families. After the artists twirl through excerpts from the holiday classic The Nutcracker, viewers can meet and greet the dancers and learn more about the
company.

Charlottesville/Richmond Milonga
9PM-1AM, Charlottesville Tango
Join Charlottesville’s and Richmond’s for appetizers, champagne, tango and celebration! Bust out your fancy footwork and make new friends at this special milonga, a social dance for Argentinian tango.

Categories
Living

Ladies’ night out at the Downtown Grille

New York strip club: The Downtown Grille makes for a surprising ladies' night spot. (And don't you dare back down from this 16-ounce steak!) Photo: Andrea Hubbell

Steakhouses, one of the few truly American culinary genres, maintain their appeal by being, in large part, the same the nation over. They typically sport dark wood and leather, a suited host, a wine list heavy on Napa Cabs, iconic starters and sides, melt-in-your-mouth steaks, and frightful prices. Testosterone-dripping man caves, the Scotch flows neat and big business deals are cut here between bites of sizzling meat.

Despite the ‘e’ on the end, I assumed that The Downtown Grille was no exception to this machismo paradigm. But since we all know what assumptions make out of you and me, last week I put on my high-heeled boots and met two girlfriends at the tinted-windowed spot that’s stood on the Downtown Mall for 13 years.

We watched four bemused lobsters work their way around a tank in the vestibule before walking in to find managing partner Robert Sawrey befittingly dressed in a suit. He took our coats and seated us in black leather chairs at a candlelit table set with tented starched napkins and handsome steak knives. It was all according to expectations and, from what we could see, the staff was entirely male. Yet, we felt remarkably comfortable. Our server, Tito, didn’t even flinch when we ordered champagne cocktails and started talking about makeup and relationships.

Turns out, this was no men’s club. We watched two young women come in after work to catch up over pomegranate martinis, burgers, and truffled fries at the angled bar. The banquettes and tables in the 110-seat dining room were filled with mixed company laughing loudly. And for every Gordon Gekko-type, there was a hipster in a hoodie or a prep wearing pink argyle.

The prices, while certainly higher than the average restaurant, didn’t even give us heart palpitations. The steaks cost between $30 (for the 8-ounce filet) and $40 (for the 24-ounce porterhouse). The Downtown Grille uses U.S. Choice beef (from grain-fed Harris Ranch cattle in Selma, California) for its steaks, rather than the pricey U.S. Prime, which costs more with every drought and ethanol fuel company. Not to mention that Prime only accounts for 2 to 3 percent of beef overall—and most of it goes to the New York steakhouses where there’s the clientele to afford it.

Of course, it’s a concession that few would notice in taste. The steaks that Executive Chef Sam Rochester sends out of the open kitchen are tender enough to render you weak in the knees and your steak knife redundant—unless you order a wedge salad (and you should). The steaks stand alone, as is the steakhouse norm, but with massively portioned sides all under $10, you only need to order one or two for the table. Even the baked potato—crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and best slathered with whipped butter and chived sour cream—can be cut into four to six pieces. Or, order the nest of onion strings—addictively savory renditions of what’s traditionally just garnish. Save the dressings from your wedge salad (roquefort or balsamic) for tastier dipping than just ketchup. And, if you are looking to prime your palate with something more than the smooth-as-a-baby’s-butt rolls, a range of appetizers—from shrimp cocktail to cornmeal-crusted fried oysters—all come in at $13 and under.

Bring a non-beef-eater for a cheap date—the asiago-crusted chicken and fruit-compote-topped pork chop are both under $20. Pescatarians will find their entrée choices all under $30—unless they go for a 2.5- to 3-pound lobster from the lobby.

Don’t go expecting much to change. Even the catch of the day (rockfish the evening we dined) comes with vegetables that pay no heed to the season, but few could argue over the indulgence of asparagus with hollandaise.

The Downtown Grille’s wine list, which boasts 20 wines by the glass, 125 by the bottle, and wins a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year, will seduce oenophiles especially fond of reds as meaty as their steaks. Single malt aficionados will get more than a dozen choices.

Our dinner had already been an exercise in sheer gluttony, so the thought of eating dessert—bananas foster, cheesecake, crème brulée, and key lime pie among them—was more than we could muster. As Tito tidied our table with a golden crumb scraper, we asked him if anyone orders dessert. “Definitely! Especially the ladies!” So, we ordered a slice of the espresso chocolate torte to share, reapplied our lip gloss, and then giggled our way down the Mall.

Categories
News

Anti-discrimination ordinance on its way; fate of Human Rights Commission still unclear

Jesse Ellis, co-chair of the Human Rights Task Force, believes the city needs a Human Rights Commission with enforcement authority, an opinion six of the 10 members of his volunteer advisory body share. Photo: John Robinson

A human rights commission may be on the horizon for Charlottesville, but exactly how it will function and address local discrimination is still up in the air. The Human Rights Task Force, a volunteer group created to conduct a study and determine whether or not the city needs a permanent commission to handle discrimination issues, presented its findings at last Monday’s City Council meeting. Council members agreed to craft an anti-discrimination ordinance, but after a two-hour discussion about enforcement powers and legalities, confusion hung in the air in the City Council chambers, and the issue won’t be addressed again until at least mid-January.

The task force formed in February, and has spent the last nine months holding public forums and researching human rights commissions in other Virginia localities like Prince William County and Virginia Beach.

At last week’s meeting, task force co-chairs Jesse Ellis and Dorenda Johnson presented the group’s recommendation to develop a commission similar to Prince William’s, with a concrete ordinance that will help all demographics in the community “to feel valued in a way that they may not have before.”  The recommended commission would use limited enforcement powers, and provide comprehensive education and training that members of the task force believe will address ingrained institutionalized discrimination.

Following the presentation, City Councilor Dave Norris peppered Ellis and Johnson with a list of concerns, asking if the commission would have the power to address things like homophobia, police-community relations, disparities in health care, and a living wage. Ellis attempted to answer each of Norris’ questions individually, but more often than not, the answer was “No, the commission wouldn’t be able to address that.”

Some task force members said they felt blind-sided by the barrage, but Norris said no one should have been surprised by his questions. He was making a point he’d made before.

“I raised the exact same set of issues [in February],” he said. “A whole laundry list of issues that are more institutional and systemic in nature. I felt then, and still do, that those should be the primary focus.”

Councilor Kathy Galvin had her own set of concerns, and said she wasn’t convinced by the report that Charlottesville needs a model like Prince William’s.

“The report itself kind of raises a lot more questions than it answered,” she said.

Galvin suggested that in some cases that appear to be discriminatory, “there could really be something else going on.”

When the investigative group from Prince William visited in January, for example, it observed that a number of employees lost their jobs for not showing up to work.

“My question is, why didn’t that person show up for work?” Galvin said. “That opens up a whole slew of other obstacles with employment. Discrimination is part of it, but also lack of good day care, education, affordable housing, workforce readiness, basic skills programs.”

Galvin said she wants to see a commission that will push hard to combat poverty and break down silos, coordinating across agencies and providing resources for struggling families. She’s also concerned about the high cost of a commission that may or may not serve Charlottesville effectively, adding that only one in 600 cases in Prince William County resulted in a decision against an accused business.

“It’s been said that any discussion about a commission must be budget neutral, but no program or department budget ever gets that protective status,” she said. “Every time council balances a budget, we’re making a value judgment. And the implication is that racial justice can only be served through this Prince Williams model at $500,000 a year, but I have to ask, is that true?”

City resident Holly Edwards was the last to speak at Monday’s meeting, and said human rights is beyond a black and white agenda, but “also includes opportunity for people to live and work with dignity.”

Edwards listed a number of local African Americans who are boldly taking on leadership roles in the city 250 years after its founding.

“It’s 2012…we have Maurice Jones, David Ellis, Galloway Beck, Rosa Atkins—the building blocks for a powerful community, only if the culture and systems in which they work address discrimination in a way that’s meaningful,” she said.

Task force co-chair Johnson said she was disappointed with the way the meeting played out, but Ellis felt more optimistic.

“As long as Charlottesville is trying to move forward on this commission, then I think it went pretty well,” Ellis said. “We reached a very big milestone just to have an ordinance made.”

A finite decision wasn’t made by the time the City Council meeting let out in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, but City Manager Maurice Jones said to expect an ordinance on the agenda for January’s second meeting.

Categories
Living

29 lists to recap what was great (and not so great) about 2012

It's a 'do! Live Arts' production of Hairspray tops our list for the year's most impressive production. Photo: Will Kerner

Much of our lives is put into lists: grocery lists, to-do lists, guest lists, playlists, shit lists… Thus, we’re ending the year with a laundry, ahem, list of the highs and lows of the past 12 months. We’ve scrolled through everything we wrote, everything you said in response, and pretty much everything in between to chronicle the toughest stories we covered, the best photos we published—even rants about The Rant. It’s not quite Wikipedia’s List of lists of lists, but we did check it twice. So there’s that.

By Graelyn Brashear, Matthew Cawthon, Megan J. Headley, Laura Ingles, Tami Keaveny, Brandon Walker, and Caite White

1 party worth snagging an invite to
If you’re among the 2,000 or so people who manage to get past the velvet rope at the annual Best of C-VILLE party each year, inside you’ll find booze, food, tunes, and lots of “oohs” and “aahs.” This year’s private bash was no different, with acrobats swinging on hula hoops suspended from the ceiling, a water wall, and a giant inflatable slide, all inside the Main Street Arena. Didn’t get an invite? The X Lounge hosts the after-party, and some might argue that’s where things get truly rowdy (though the few folks who danced under the water wall at MSA would likely beg to differ).

1nce-in-a-lifetime concert
Regardless of your political leanings, seeing Bruce Springsteen play a (free!) five-song acoustic set to a hyped Pavilion crowd at an Obama campaign event back in October was, plainly put, pretty damn cool. The Boss rocked his way through “No Surrender,” “The Promised Land,” “We Take Care of Our Own,” “Thunder Road,” and a campaign song he wrote for the president before his ticketed show that night at John Paul Jones Arena.

Dirty girl DeeDee Stewart. Photo: Will Kerner

4 ladies who don’t mind being the butt of the joke
1. We didn’t see the movie Brave, but we did see Dirty Barbie and Other Girlhood Tales, in which DeeDee Stewart relates the details of a dysfunctional childhood with humor, honesty, and true bravery in a solo theater performance.
2. Margaret Cho came to the Jefferson on her Mother Tour and, true to Cho form, nothing was off limits. Belly laughs were liberally peppered with uncomfortable squirming.
3. Amy Schumer took us by surprise, lulling us into a sense of safety with her whole girl-next-door thing, and then catching us with a solid right hook of sexual glibness.
4. Cocoa Brown’s PlayOn! set was a big success from a lady who clearly knows how to turn a room. With her background as a substitute teacher, she breezes through her routines on the comedy circuit.

5 online comments from our snarkiest readers
1. “Wow, what a great job of paraphrasing the wikipedia entry on the subject!”—WakaWaka, “Lambrusco’s making a becoming comeback”
2. “Hard hitting journalism. Can’t we do better, C-ville? As a gay man…I’m a little taken aback. This is Charlottesville. Do we really need a gay slang dictionary? Is it 1995 in Middle America?”—CW, “Queer 101: Everything you need to know about the LGBTQ community”
3. “Hey young student types, who do you think is going to get to pay off the $16,000,000,000,000 in debt your government has run up?”—
joedirtbag, “Race against apathy: UVA students and the 2012 presidential election”
4. “Interesting, you invite people to a dinner (at your house) and charge them money, sounds more bourgeoisie than holistic…”—esteban, “Will forage for food: Local dinner series borrows and thrifts”
5. “The unicycle does appear to be a difficult ride but this guy has some handlebar contraption to aid him from the looks of the picture. Does the unicycle rider’s community make fun of him as if it were riding a bike with training wheels?”—One Wheel, “Local outdoor enthusiast rides unicycle 2,000 miles for charity”

The search continues: Dashad “Sage” Smith has been missing since November 20. Photo: Rashaa Langston

3 news stories that were tough to crack
1. When Dashad “Sage” Smith went missing, the local LGBTQ community loudly criticized the media and police for not publicizing his disappearance enough. Smith’s identity as a young gay transgender attracted national media attention, but the most rewarding and challenging aspect of reporting on it locally was spending two hours with the family as they reminisced while looking through photos of Smith.
2. Reporters see a lot of unpleasantness on the job. Viewing the hour-long police interrogation of George Huguely immediately before his arrest for the crime he was later convicted of—the murder of his girlfriend and fellow UVA senior Yeardley Love in 2010—was particularly difficult. Watching him go from petulant and defensive to frantic and unhinged as he learned his girlfriend was dead and he was considered responsible drove home the only real lesson from the trial: One night destroyed many lives.
3. In our cover story on the 5th District Congressional race between Democratic challenger John Douglass and Republican incumbent and ultimate victor Robert Hurt, we came across a small but interesting detail: Democrats up the ticket—those working to reelect President Barack Obama—weren’t doing the most basic of booster work for Douglass. Not earth-shattering, but telling in a relatively close race in a swing state. But for weeks, not a single Democrat, local or national, would admit it on the record. Sometimes seemingly minor things hang you up—but that’s how you know they aren’t so minor.

1 big gift
Cynthia and W. Heywood Fralin promised work by John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, and Robert Henri to the UVA Art Museum, as part of the largest single gift of art in the University’s history. In turn, the Fralins get the museum named after them for what some say is a bargain.

2 pieces of evidence that C’ville can still party
1. Fridays After Five hosted some great acts like Mingo Fishtrap and Downbeat Project this summer, providing a big concert experience and giving us a solid reason to tap the libations at 5:01pm on the dot.
2. This town seems to unwind earlier than most on a Friday afternoon. Some offices have taken Casual Friday up a notch to Inappropriate Friday with food and drink rituals, even party games. We can’t say for sure where it all began, but the Facebook postings get a little slurry following drink ’o clock.

1 landlord who’s really hard to get on the phone
Hunter Craig owns a lot of Charlottesville and Albemarle—including our office on the Downtown Mall. So was it too much to ask to get the man to comment on Biscuit Run? Or the Wintergreen deal? Or the Sullivan ouster? Apparently.

Categories
News

For residents of The Crossings, Christmas is a time for thanksgiving

Jen Larimer, property manager at The Crossings, enjoys a moment of levity during a Christmas party for residents and staff held last week. Photo: John Robinson

“This will be the first Christmas I haven’t been on the street in years,” said Shawn Bradley, 42, a Desert Storm veteran who moved into The Crossings last spring. “I basically was homeless, on the streets and in the woods for about four-and-a-half years.”

The Crossings, a housing complex of 60 studio apartments located at the corner of Fourth Street and Preston Avenue, was billed as a crucial part of the solution to the local homeless problem when it opened its doors in March. Half of the 360-square-foot efficiencies are reserved for the area’s chronically homeless, people who have been living on the streets and in shelters for years. The units are mainly funded by housing vouchers from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, with residents paying 30 percent of their monthly income as rent. The other 30 units are reserved for low-income residents and rented at $525 a month with utilities included.

Bradley, who sported a Santa Claus hat as he worked on arts and crafts in the community lounge during a Christmas party last week, lost his job at Tyco Electronics in Culpeper in 2007 and lived in a tent before moving into his apartment.

“The snow wasn’t that bad,” he said. “When the wind chill got below zero, that was really tough.”

The Crossings is full now. All of the chronically homeless residents that were approved were able to move in by August despite a regulatory funding problem between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Albemarle County this summer that initially kept nine residents out.

Deborah Hill, 52, who also wore a Santa hat as she enjoyed the holiday festivities and donated food and gifts, spent her nights at PACEM’s homeless shelter this time last year.

“For six years, I had been homeless going from shelter to shelter,” said Hill. “It feels great to wake up in your own bed, your own place. I can come and go as I please. I can cook my own food.”

Like many members of the chronic homeless population, Bradley battled alcoholism for years and was hospitalized from February to April because of his drinking.

“I honestly feel if it hadn’t of been for this place, I would be on the street drinking. I would be dead,” Bradley said.

Since moving into The Crossings, Bradley’s quit drinking and his health has improved dramatically.

“The staff here at The Crossings, these guys are great. Every last one of them,” Bradley said. “I got a good support group here.”

The two full-time case managers at The Crossings work with residents to help them find work, apply for disability, and plan a path toward financial stability. In addition to financial assistance, they also serve as a support network for the residents by helping them with substance abuse or mental health issues, or simply by accompanying them to doctor’s appointments.

Erin Briggs, one of the case managers, said The Crossings has benefited from a groundswell of community support in the form of donations.

“They sometimes just appear out of nowhere, which is wonderful.” Briggs said. “We couldn’t do it without the community support.”

Anne Deery, volunteer coordinator with Virginia Supportive Housing, a Richmond-based nonprofit organization that manages The Crossings, said volunteers are always needed for resident activities like last Wednesday’s holiday party. She said the staff is preparing to install a garden that residents and volunteers will manage together.

For Hill and Bradley, Christmas came early in the form of a place to call home.

“This is the first time I’ve had a place of my own,” said Hill, who became homeless after her husband passed away. “Sometimes, I wake up and say is this really real.”’

Categories
Living

Have your holiday cocktails at home with friends

Hands down, this is my favorite time of year: “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” spiced cookies, figgy pudding—and, of course, the drinks.

Holiday drinks are, by design, meant to be communal. At least, in my family they always were. I can remember my early childhood, running around my grandparents’ house like a little—O.K., tall and lanky—madman, hyper and in charge. That is, until the luscious green goodness came out in the punch bowl. It was the only time of the year that I would see my mother’s father drink anything other than scotch or beer. That punch bowl would be full of Grasshoppers, the minty chocolate of a liquid Andes mint. I’d hear words like “toddy,” “hot buttered,” and “wassail.” At the time, I didn’t have a clue as to what any of these meant. All I knew is that I could sneak a taste of that yummy stuff when the coast was clear.

These days, we tend to take these communal beverages and break the recipes down to more manageable sizes. There’s nothing wrong with doing this—it’s more economical and it allows for experimentation with the spirit bases.

Drinks this time of year include eggnog, hot buttered rum, and wassail (an olde English hot punch, usually served with mulled ale or wine). There are plenty to choose from, but the following are two of my favorites.

Spiced Christmas Cranberry Punch
Two days ahead of time, freeze a huge ice block in your freezer, one half at a time. In between the days of freezing, layer orange slices for visual effect.

One day prior to entertaining, combine 1 gallon cranberry juice and 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice and mulling spices (the Spice Diva can build a jar for you) in a pot on the stove top. Let the juice heat to a slow roll and continue the roll for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, allowing the liquid to cool, and sweeten to taste with either superfine sugar or honey.
Refrigerate overnight.

The day of the event, combine the mulled punch, ice block, and extra spices in a punch bowl. Add more frozen orange wheels, mint leaves, and mulling spices. Add your favorite white spirit in your cup 1.5 ounces at a time (like a nice floral gin such as Bombay Sapphire East or Plymouth).

Hot Buttered Rum
2 oz. rum (I prefer a funky Jamaican rum such as Appleton Estate 12-year-old or a spiced variation like Olde New Orleans)
3 tsp. of sugar (substitute honey if you prefer a sweeter tipple)
1/2 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tbsp. butter
Cinnamon stick
Nutmeg
Orange peel
Hot water

Add to a warm glass, in this order, sugar or honey and 1 1/2 ounces hot water, stir to incorporate. Add all spices and rum. Top with hot water, leaving room to stir. Add butter and stir until completely dissolved and incorporated. Garnish with a wide orange peel, freshly grated nutmeg, and the cinnamon stick.

If you’re preparing this for a party, just incorporate 1 stick of butter (room temperature), 1/2 cup brown sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp. each of allspice, clove, and nutmeg, and the rind of half an orange. Form into a log with wax paper and freeze. Your guests can slice off the butter and add it to the water and spirit. You should still provide the garnishes of cinnamon sticks and orange peels.—Nick Crutchfield

Categories
Living

Happy New Year! This week’s restaurant news

Dean Maupin completed his purchase of the C&O on June 4, but don’t worry—no big changes are in store. Photo: Andrea Hubbell

Make the new year bright
Chef Dean Maupin at C&O is getting creative with his four-course menu on New Year’s Eve, which is a steal at $55 per person. The evening also features a brand new champagne and sparkling wine list, Red and the Romantics playing rockabilly tunes (starting at 10pm), and a complementary toast to ring in the new year. Reservations are staggered throughout the evening, and can be made by calling 971-7044.

Cheers!
Join Fellini’s #9 Champagne Countdown with toasts on the hour as each time zone (a few of them anyway) celebrates the new year, starting at 5pm (which is midnight in Istanbul) and continuing through to the EST midnight hour. Make reservations (they’re required!) by calling 979-4279.

Maskerade
Mask your inhibitions at Veritas Vineyard & Winery, where a masked ball (black tie optional) will kick off the new year, beginning with wine and hors d’oeuvres starting at 8pm and progressing into a five-course winemaker’s dinner. Dancing is encouraged until midnight, when the masks are removed and the sparkling wine flows. Breakfast is served at 12:30am to absorb some of the fun. Tickets are $140 per person. Call (540) 456-8000 ext. 108 for reservations and further details.

Celebrate good times
Downtown, join Tempo’s New Year’s Eve celebration beginning with a five-course dinner and ending with the Johnny Clark Trio and a midnight toast. The cost is $65 per person and reservations can be made by e-mailing events@tempocville.com or by calling 244-8217.