Pam Rivera photographed the pig July 3 when it was found wandering around her neighborhood near Proffit Road.
Courtesy Pam Rivera
The couple who took a wandering pig that police delivered to the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA and who had plans to turn it into a Fourth of July barbecue, according to a Newsplex interview, had their charges certified to the grand jury in an August 25 preliminary hearing in Albemarle General District Court.
More than a dozen supporters of a pig they’ve dubbed Profit (because it was found on Proffit Road) showed up in court. Petition organizer Debbi Torres made an audible gasp when a veterinarian pathologist testified the pig had 31 stab wounds, and others, wearing T-shirts that said “#justiceforprofit” on the front and “Who will help the next pig?” on the back, dabbed tears from their eyes.
Jerelyn Aymarie Sutter, 27, and Lee Edward Oakes Jr., 33, were charged with maiming or killing of livestock, a felony, and misdemeanor cruelty to animals. Both had been charged with petit larceny, Oakes for the third time, and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Matt Quatara amended those charges to felony theft of livestock, “to wit, a pig.”
Two Albemarle County Police officers had taken Profit into custody July 3 after he had been found wandering in the Proffit Road area. Animal control Officer Larry Crickenberger testified that when he came in to work July 4 and had a report of the “livestock animal,” he went to the SPCA to find a place to relocate it, because the shelter does not take livestock. That’s when he learned that Sutter, an SPCA employee, and Oakes had taken the animal.
“Mr. Oakes stated he had given the pig to a friend who had taken him to a butcher,” said Crickenberger. “I said for him to stop immediately.”
Oakes contended it was a feral pig that had tusks and charged him, according to Crickenberger. Oakes, who has a long, auburn beard, and Sutter, wearing a purple T-shirt, did not testify.
Crickenberger said he and SPCA operations manager Jennifer Kilby drove to Verona to the meat processor, a very large, “state-of-the-art, very clean” facility, to retrieve the remains.
Dr. Jaime Weisman, a veterinary diagnostician at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Warrenton, conducted the necropsy—an autopsy for animals. She testified to the 31 stab wounds, and under cross examination, said most were in the neck.
She also said it was difficult to tell whether a pig is domesticated or feral, especially after a domestic one spends a few months out in the wild.
Weisman estimated Profit was around 6 months old and weighed between 50 and 60 pounds.
Video footage from the SPCA was shown in court, and Detective Michael Wells narrated what was occurring. The pig was removed from a crate and an unnamed SPCA staff member helped put a harness and leash on. Oakes walks and pets the pig, said the detective.
“There starts to be an altercation with the pig,” said Wells. “The pig is laying there. He has to be subdued.” Later, a white sheet is put over the pig, which is still moving, he said.
“It appears the pig has been stabbed out of the frame,” said the detective. Sutter backs the car up and the pig is put in the trunk. On video from inside the shelter, the two appear to be cleaning up. “Mr. Oakes carries a trashcan full of something outside,” said Wells.
At that point, the commonwealth rested, with three of eight witnesses not testifying, among them, Jose Zamora, owner of Profit. According to Crickenberger, he’d been canvassing the neighborhood where the pig was found looking for its owner when he noticed Zamora’s residence, which had other livestock, including goats.
Outside the courtroom, Zamora said he’d bought a pig in the spring at Tractor Supply, and the person selling it gave him a second pig, even though Zamora said he didn’t have room. “He said, ‘Don’t put it in the corral,’” said Zamora. “We’d leave food for it and find it in the woods. Then we don’t find it. A couple days later an investigator came, saying the pig was killed.”
Oakes’ attorney, Bonnie Lepold, argued that the commonwealth did not prove that the pig was livestock, nor that it was owned. “No one comes forward,” she said, and no one said, “That’s my pig.”
Judge Steve Helvin said the pig was clearly in the possession of the SPCA. “I have no problem certifying the larceny cases,” he said.
He also wasn’t convinced Profit was a feral pig because it was put on a leash. “I’m not buying it,” said the judge. “You might have the right to kill an animal, but not maliciously with 31 stab wounds.” He certified the livestock-maiming charges to the grand jury as well.
After the hearing, #justiceforprofit supporters were pleased.
Debbi Torres, who runs a pig sanctuary in North Carolina, gasped in court when she heard the animal had been stabbed 31 times. Staff photo
Torres, who had collected 1,060 signatures on a petition she turned over to the prosecution demanding the maximum sentences—16 years—for Sutter and Oakes, said, “We want to tell people there are a lot of pet pigs. Not all are feral. Hundreds of people care about these animals. They’re not just food.”
Said Torres, “There’s a network of people who have sanctuaries. When there’s a lost pig, we’re on it.”
Following the August 25 hearing, the CASPCA provided a statement dated July 23 that noted two employees involved had been terminated. Chair Glenn Rust said, “Since the incident is currently under a criminal investigation, we are not able to make further comments at this time.”
In April, a Forest Lakes resident was arrested for installing a hidden camera inside his neighbor’s master bathroom. Facing 23 years in prison, he was sentenced to seven months August 25. Mugshot courtesy of Albemarle Police
In April, a Forest Lakes resident was arrested for installing a hidden camera inside his neighbor’s master bathroom. Facing 23 years in prison, he was sentenced to seven months August 25.
“This is a bit of a unique circumstance because these people were not strangers to each other,” defense attorney Rhonda Quagliana said in Charlottesville Circuit Court. “It makes it a whole lot worse and a whole lot better at the same time.”
Thomas Eagleson, 45, was charged with two felony counts of unlawfully filming a minor and three misdemeanor counts for filming his adult neighbors in the shower. He was also charged with two counts of breaking and entering, though Charlottesville Police say he had access to the home because he was pet sitting.
Judge Paul Peatross ordered that Eagleson is not permitted in Forest Lakes, nor is he is allowed to have any contact with the family he violated. After he is released from jail, he is expected to be on good behavior for 20 years, probation for two of those and monitored by a GPS for one. He will also take therapy for sex offenders.
Several former colleagues from Klockner Pentaplast, where Eagleson worked since 1997, testified at his sentencing. They told the judge they were “shocked” when they learned of his charges, that he was a “good mentor,” a “good role model,” and that they were aware of some personal issues Eagleson was facing.
“Tom was more than just a brother, but a best friend,” his brother, Ken, also said during his tearful testimony. “He did something stupid, absolutely stupid, and he knows it.”
Eagleson, who has been incarcerated since April 11, appeared in a black-and-white striped jumpsuit. He read a written statement, which said he takes full responsibility for his actions and acknowledges that he needs professional help.
Those supporting Eagleson sat shoulder to shoulder in the pews behind him. He thanked them for their continued support.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I do not feel remorse and shame,” he said.
Two young lovers and two heinous murders: A documentary of the Elizabeth Haysom and Jens Soering story heads to the U.S. as Soering seeks an absolute pardon.
Courtesy Filmperspektive
During the 30 years he’s spent in prison, Jens Soering has maintained he had nothing to do with the brutal 1985 murders of Derek and Nancy Haysom, and that he only confessed to protect his girlfriend, Elizabeth Haysom, from the death penalty.
Germany, from its highest levels of government, has long lobbied for Soering’s return, and Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the case with President Barack Obama. German filmmakers have made a documentary, The Promise, on the heinous case in which two UVA Echols scholars were convicted that premiered in Munich in March and will be screened in the U.S. later this year.
Attorney Steve Rosenfield filed the petition August 23 and says he has indisputable scientific evidence that proves Soering, 50, is innocent. He points to a 1985 lab analysis of blood taken from the Haysoms’ Bedford home, which documents five stains of type O human blood—the same as Soering’s, but also the most common blood type.
In 2009, DNA analysis was done on two of those samples—the others were too degraded—and Virginia’s Department of Forensic Science said that Soering was “eliminated as a contributor.”
“That completely undermines the government’s argument it was Soering’s blood,” says Rosenfield.
But that’s not all. Rosenfield has a laundry list of errors made during the investigation and prosecution of Soering, who says he confessed because he thought his father’s mid-level diplomatic status would give him immunity.
An expert on police interrogations and confessions, Dr. Andrew Griffiths spent four months reviewing all statements Soering made to police and prosecutors after he and Haysom were caught in London a year after the murders, and concluded British and American investigators “violated a host of British laws,” says Rosenfield, including holding Soering incommunicado and denying him access to his solicitor.
Soering also failed to accurately describe the crime scene, says Rosenfield. The UVA student claimed he was in the dining room, walked behind Derek Haysom and sliced his throat. “Why didn’t we find blood on the table?” asks Rosenfield. Haysom was found with 38 stab wounds in the living room, which was awash in blood.
Nancy Haysom was wearing her night clothes, and FBI profiler Ed Sluzbach said the killer was someone she was very comfortable with because she was a “proper woman” and wouldn’t have entertained in her pajamas. Soering said she was wearing jeans, says Rosenfield.
Elizabeth Haysom, who is serving 90 years in the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women as an accessory before the fact, claimed she was in Washington, D.C., to establish an alibi while Soering drove to Bedford to kill her parents. Yet a dishrag was found near Nancy Haysom’s body with type B blood, the same type as Elizabeth’s, says Rosenfield.
Elizabeth also alleged she was on a street in Georgetown when Soering drove up in the rental car, covered in blood and wearing only a sheet. Detectives sprayed the car with Luminol, which causes even minute flecks of blood to light up in blue. No stains turned up in the car, according to Rosenfield.
Prosecutors in the 1990 trial also tied Soering to a sock print, the use of which has been discredited by the FBI and American Academy of Forensic Scientists, along with bite marks. In 2009, Innocence Project cofounder Peter Neufeld and UVA law professor/wrongful conviction expert Brandon Garrett wrote an article that asserted sock prints are not accepted as scientific evidence.
And then there’s the mysterious man. About two months after the murders, transmission shop owner Tony Buchanan said he called Bedford investigators because a woman and man brought a car to his shop that had blood on the floorboard and a hunting knife, the type of weapon police believe was used, in between the seats. After Haysom and Soering went on the lam, Buchanan said he recognized her from news photos, but the man with her was not Soering. Police never responded to his information, Rosenfield says.
Rosenfield held a press conference August 24, during which he criticized Republicans and right-wing media who are “uninterested in the facts of the case” and who instead are targeting Hillary Clinton’s running mate Kaine for attempting to repatriate Soering under the terms of an international treaty.
Present at the press conference were Kaine staffers who spent months investigating the case, which McDonnell rejected immediately upon taking office with no investigation, according to Rosenfield.
Not only does Rosenfield want Soering given an absolute pardon, but while the parole board investigates the case, he wants Soering released from the Buckingham Correctional Center on parole “in light of Jens’ innocence.”
From the summit, hikers get 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. (See Best Hike.) Photo: Matteus Frankovich/Skycladap
Shape up or ship out, we say. And readers agree, having voted for the best in everything from martial arts school to personal trainer. And, when the going gets a little too tough, you weighed in on the best docs in town to keep you limber and living well.
Honorable mention: Hot Yoga (Hot Yoga Charlottesville)
“MAD” could describe a few things: lack of sanity (e.g. “I’ve gone mad”), the way you feel after you get your ass kicked in a workout or it might stand for Momentum, Anaerobic, Durability. In the case of The MADness, it’s the latter. Each class begins with an explanation of the exercises you’re about to begin, then you do what the instructor calls “a climb”—the whole routine for one minute per exercise, then two minutes, then finally three minutes per exercise. It sounds rough—but, since it earned top honors this year, you’re clearly not mad about it.
Illustration: Jason Crosby
BIKE SHOP Bike Factory of Charlottesville
Pedal to the metal
Bike Factory of Charlottesville might not be the oldest cycle shop in town, but owner Mark Gordon says celebrating its 20th year at its Zan Road location does make it the oldest to stay in one spot.
“There’s something to be said for that,” Gordon says, adding that his family-owned shop’s quick turnaround on repairs are likely why you’ve voted it the best bike shop in town.
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. What’s Gordon’s recommendation for the best city ride?
“Observatory Hill. It’s not the longest in the world, but you can definitely get some good riding in there. It’s very challenging.”
O Hill is home to some of the most steep, rocky and aggressive mountain biking trails in the city. It connects to the Rivanna Trail, which Gordon says gives bikers a good avenue to extend their ride.
Runner-up: Blue Ridge Cyclery
Honorable mention: Blue Wheel Bicycles
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Brett Strieter
Runner-up: Brian Keena
Honorable mention: Emma Rowe
Head, shoulders, knees and toes —it’s all connected, which is why Brett Strieter’s work at Infinity Massage focuses on releasing restrictions to the body’s fascial connective tissue. Through massage, he breaks up the tissue surrounding the muscle fiber, which helps the body move more freely. And he should know—Strieter’s work as an amateur bodybuilder and powerlifter gives him unique insight into the body’s abilities. In the runner-up spot, Brian Keena specializes in five kinds of massage therapy, including craniosacral and neuromuscular.
Illustration: Jason Crosby
DENTISTJeffery Hodges
You’re probably doing it wrong
“One tooth at a time…You scrub that tooth, then you go to the next one.” That’s the advice that dentist Jeffery Hodges gives the Charlottesville community on the best way to go at their daily cleaning. This year’s winner says while there’s no specific pattern for teeth-brushing, it’s important to focus on each tooth individually, and continue brushing for no less than two and a half minutes—anything below that, he says, is just not sufficient enough. Another piece of advice? Loosen the death grip on your brush. Being too aggressive could leave you down in the mouth.
Runner-up: Aaron Stump
Honorable mention: D.J. Bickers
GOLF COURSE
Old Trail Golf Club
Runner-up: Birdwood Golf Course
Honorable mention: Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club
A championship golf course in Crozet’s Old Trail community, Old Trail Golf Club boasts a full 18 holes of bent grass greens and zoysia fairways. We’re not of the golfing sort (though the club offers lessons to players of all skill levels through its Kandi Comer Golf Academy), but we can get behind one thing most people rave about when it comes to Old Trail: the views. Situated at the base of the Blue Ridge, golfers can get in some serious mountain-gazing from hole to hole.
HIKEHumpback Rock
Rock out
It takes hikers a little under an hour to traverse the 740 feet to the summit of Humpback Rock, but how did that rock even get there? Suffice it to say it took awhile. Here’s your history lesson.
About 1.2 billion years ago, the collision of several continents formed supercontinent Rodinia and caused a mountain-forming event known as the Grenville orogeny. (When two continents collide, instead of sinking, they shove over each other, creating mountains.) Then, roughly 400 million years later, as Rodinia began to break apart, molten magma beneath it started to heat up and spill onto the surface in the form of lava flows. Over time, those lava flows metamorphosed into basalt, an extrusive igneous rock. That igneous rock is the main element of the Catoctin Formation, a geological unit that stretches from Pennsylvania to Virginia and includes this year’s best hike winner at 3,080 feet above sea level.
Runner-up: Old Rag
Honorable mention: Saunders-Monticello Trail
PERSONAL TRAINER
Dar Malecki
Runner-up: Justin Tooley
Honorable mention: Vanessa Schnable
No surprise here: The CEO of MADabolic (this year’s best fitness class and best niche fitness studio) takes the top prize again this year. Malecki was living in Charlotte, North Carolina, working as a commodities trader when she signed up for a trial class with MADabolic. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Charlottesville to open the company’s first franchise location. Her high-intensity workouts keep clients coming back stronger than ever. In the runner-up spot, Justin Tooley gets recognition for squats, deadlifts and bench presses at his McIntire Plaza spot, The Gym.
NICHE FITNESS STUDIO
MADabolic
Runner-up: FlyDog Yoga
Honorable mention: CrossFit Charlottesville
If you’re headed to a fitness studio, you want to see results. Happily, that’s the goal at MADabolic, too. An athletic conditioning program that emphasizes interval training from its studio near the IX Art Park, MADabolic’s intervals switch daily to produce a unique workout that clients won’t get tired of—and will give them long- lasting results. In second place, FlyDog Yoga offers a variety of yoga classes from its studio in the Millmont Shops.
Gordon Emery. Photo: Keith Alan Sprouse
MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOLCharlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Don’t panic
Charlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s lesson in self defense
At Charlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, owner Gordon Emery and his fellow instructors teach 24 classes to about 200 students each week, in the martial arts styles of jiu-jitsu—which is most popular—as well as Muay Thai and Krav Maga. But martial arts aren’t just for people who want a black belt. The skills it teaches can help save your life.
We asked Emery to demonstrate how to defend yourself if an attacker were to push you up against a wall and attempt to strangle you. However you react, the first step, says Emery, is, “Don’t panic.”
Step 2: Reach upward to the attacker’s fingers with both of your hands. Locate the easiest finger and grab it with one hand.
Step 3: With your other hand, secure the attacker’s wrist by grabbing onto it.
Step 4: Bend the attacker’s finger back to his forearm and straight down.
Step 5: Remove yourself from the situation and get help.
Runner-up: Laughing Dragon Kung Fu
Honorable mention: 7 Tigers Taekwondo and Hapkido
BIKING TRAIL
Walnut Creek Park
Runner-up: Rivanna Trail
Honorable mention: Observatory Hill
Get out your good legs and a tuned-up ride. Cyclists beyond beginner level will be aptly challenged on a trail system that leaves you pumped out and breathless by serving up a jostle of roots and ruts with multiple ways to connect throughout Walnut Creek Park. While designed for hiking, runner-up Rivanna Trail is a combination of smooth paveways and well-worn paths that fill up quickly on the weekends with dog walkers, tikes on training wheels, joggers and dodgers on mountain bikes.
Photo: Matteus Frankovich/Skycladap
KIDS’ PARK IX Art Park
Free for all
No idea is off limits at IX Art Park
If you’ve never been to IX before, here’s what you need to know to enjoy it: nothing. It’s an art park, and what is art if not open for interpretation? That’s what makes it a great place for kids both big and small. The space ignites imagination. But, in case you’re more of a realist, we asked the park’s executive director, Brian Wimer, to tell us what each exhibit is all about.
“Blastoff” by Eric Cross and Chicho Lorenzo
A true creative collaboration. Chicho took Eric’s suggestion seriously to stick a space shuttle on a tree trunk. It helps to have welder Brady Pisha working nearby in the IX art studios…and Oliver Kuttner’s cherry picker.
“Head of Zeus” by Christian Breeden
Originally featured in the film Pyrometheus. Christian was one of the first instigators in the Art Park, bringing the Burning Man ethos of participation and play to Charlottesville (not shown).
“Hands Together” mural by Ross McDermott and Avery Lawrence
This mural by the Charlottesville Mural Project predates the Art Park, but helped put IX on the map for ambitious, large-scale public art (not shown).
“Piano Stairs” by Katherine Sigman and Susan Krischel
Play is a key Art Park principle. With some creativity and a couple cans of black and white paint, a disused staircase became one of the park’s first and most used attractions (not shown).
“Dream Big” mural by Chicho Lorenzo
“Dream big” is the park’s motto, an invitation to indulge possibility. This 15,000-square-foot mural replaced the park’s original “Art Invasion” graffiti mural.
“Labyrinth” by Chicho Lorenzo and Brian Wimer
Bernie McCabe’s original “Dream Big” maze was all but walked-off. The new labyrinth is the center of what will become a wall-to-wall mandala, filling the entire courtyard with color for contemplation.
“Music Pipes” by John Rubino
Perhaps the most participatory piece in the park. Each pipe is tuned to a note so anyone can bang out a tune, satisfying the park’s promise to stimulate the senses, including sound.
“Nest” by Katarzyna Borek
Katarzyna makes nests—this is perhaps her biggest. The geodesic dome underneath the nest was on the playa at Burning Man, at the Polish sausage party where Kuttner and I first discussed the possibility of the park.
“Zen Lifeguard” by Brian Wimer
One of the many ways to sit at the park. A lifeguard chair in a sandbox…and an open invitation to David Hasselhoff.
“Unicorn Bikeboat” by Chicho Lorenzo
What’s to say? It’s Chicho being Chicho. Magic happens when you have an artist in residence.
“Before I Die” wall by Candy Chang
An invitation to indulge your life’s dreams. Cleaned every week, this interactive chalkboard quickly fills with wishes, wants and bucket lists.
“Express Yourself” Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression
This mobile monument travels occasionally. Another 3-D opportunity for free-spirited speech, like the chalk monument on the Downtown Mall.
“Byron’s Telescope” by Joseph Schepps
Experiential art. This steampunk sideshow piece is actually a time portal. You climb in, bells ring and then you see God (if you are so inclined).
“Second Stream” by Brian Wimer
Placemaking is about perception. What if a street becomes a stream? A dozen community members helped make this possibility a reality.
“Love Butt” by Kurt Braunohler
Braunohler was hauling ass across country with Comedy Central. He asked for a place to park his butt. Charlottesville gave him such a great reception he decided to bring back the butt after the tour (not shown).
“Circle Swing” by Brian Wimer (swings made by Cloud Cabin Arts)
Shade, seating and the context for conversation—this is how you build community. One swing at a time.
“Pollocks Path and Meadow” by Devin Floyd
Floyd, from the Center for Urban Habitats, devised this walkable wonderland of native flora and fauna—what would have grown and thrived 500 years ago on the banks of the stream is now buried in a pipeline under IX.
Runner-up: Pen Park
Honorable mention: Greenleaf Park
SWIMMING HOLE
Blue Hole
Runner-up: Walnut Creek Park
Honorable mention: Chris Greene Lake
Once a clandestine place to skinny dip, the climb to Blue Hole (just up from the Sugar Hollow Reservoir) is now populated with families, canines and athletes. No longer a destination for swingers after the legendary rope swing was cut down, the natural swimming pool is still our hottest place to cool down. The trucked-in sand, shallow entry point and shady shelters make Walnut Creek Park another favorite spot for a group picnic or family staycation.
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
Katharine DeGeorge
Runner-up: Annika Abrahamson
Honorable mention: Greg Gelburd
There was a time when a doctor visit meant he was coming by to check on you and it was best if you had a pot of tea or a spot of sherry on hand. These days it’s hard to romanticize the waiting room and health care system tango, but getting a hold of your health with Dr. Katharine DeGeorge makes it all seem easy. Annika Abrahamson’s nurturing bedside manner and expertise make her a repeat favorite as the one to call when you’re feeling poorly.
DERMATOLOGIST
Anna Magee
Runner-up: Deborah Elder
Honorable mention: Bridget Bryer
The porcelain skin, the Irish lilt—it’s easy to see why readers voted for Anna Magee this year. When it comes to skin care and keeping our community looking fabulous, she leads by example at Charlottesville Dermatology. Deborah Elder, at the same practice, solves all your skin squabbles, from acne to varicose veins.
CHIROPRACTOR
Cox Chiropractic Clinic
Runner-up: Sam Spillman
Honorable mention: Tate Huffman
The love for an effective chiropractor cannot be underestimated. With nearly 40 years of thorough examination and attentive treatment under its belt, repeat winner Cox Chiropractic Clinic bends over backward, while assisting you to do the same through regular adjustments, acupunture, physical therapy and more. Runner-up Sam Spillman uses research, therapeutics and modifications to keep you in balance from his Preston Avenue office.
Photo: Cramer Photo
PEDIATRICIANPaige Perriello
Baby talk
Paige Perriello says one size doesn’t fit all
It’s no secret that your child is amazing. And pediatrician Paige Perriello is among the first to confirm that fact. She also knows that, as a parent, you have questions. Lots of them. Which makes sense, seeing as you’re responsible for a human being and all. According to Perriello, the best thing you can do to keep from getting overwhelmed by the enormous 24/7 job you’ll have for the next, uh, forever, is to choose a pediatrician you trust to help you along the journey.
Pediatricians are “trained in the comprehensive care of children from birth until age 18—or 19, 20, 21, 22…usually through the college years,” she says. And during every one of those years, you’ll have dozens of questions: How can I get my baby to sleep through the night? What’s the best way to discipline my toddler? How do I know that my child is getting a healthy diet? How much screen time is too much screen time?
When we posed these questions to Perriello, who works at Pediatric Associates (the practice her father, Vito, founded), she told us “every newborn, child and family is different, therefore the answers to those questions differ slightly for each family.” She says she likes to “take what I know about a family’s background and experiences and align that with the best and most current evidence-based pediatric knowledge to work together with them to make a plan that suits them.”
Sleep, for example, is something that comes up frequently in the first two years—and sometimes even in later years. “The so-called ‘cry it out’ method, popularized by sleep expert Dr. Richard Ferber, works if done correctly, but it is not the method that is most comfortable for everyone,” Perriello says. So she adheres to “core principles with each family: having a routine, knowing the goal amount of sleep for their infant or child, getting parents or extended family on the same page, making a plan and then sticking to it.” If, however, the plan’s not working, schedule a visit with Perriello. And while you’re there, you’ll probably have a few more questions.
Runner-up: Alaina Brown
Honorable mention: Carol Boersma and Greg Gelburd (tie)
EYE DOCTOR
Blue Ridge Ophthalmology
Runner-up: Primary Eyecare
Honorable mention: Drs. Record & Record
Plus two, minus four, OD, OU—what’s it all mean? Spectacles are a nice fashion accessory (especially if you’re going for the sexy librarian look), but if you require them for daily function, you need to get your numbers straight. The experts at Blue Ridge Ophthalmology will look you in the eyes and make it all crystal clear with routine exams and assistance in everything from cataracts to diabetic retinopathy. In the No. 2 spot, Primary Eyecare sees you through the prescription process and offers an on-site optical boutique that’s handy for setting you up with a second set of eyes.
HALL OF FAME
David and Rebecca Swett
Headed to the dentist? No frowns here! Normally, we wouldn’t feel envious. But a trip to see David and Rebecca Swett isn’t your typical visit to the tooth doctor. In fact, some patients have likened the atmosphere to that of a day spa. The Swetts are not only committed to your dental health—from root canals to halitosis—but they’re also interested in promoting a healthy view of dentistry in general, so they keep their office environment calming and their procedures as pain-free as possible. The result? We’re all smiles.
ACAC
When Phil Wendel opened Atlantic Coast Athletic Club in 1984 (in a former Safeway grocery store on the corner of Hydraulic Road and Route 29), he had two goals: Keep it clean and keep it open. Once he had both of those down, the mission morphed. Health and wellness should be available to everyone—not just bodybuilders and bikini models. More than 30 years later, ACAC members total around 60,000 across its locations in Charlottesville, Richmond and West Chester, Pennsylvania, with more than 20,000 of those in our city alone. Safe to say it’s sticking around.
Any way you slice it, there’s a lot to love about Charlottesville. That’s why, every year, we ask readers to tell us their favorite things about our city—burgers, bike shops and homebuilders alike. And while we respect the answers you’ve given, you’re not the only ones with opinions. In honor of Best of C-VILLE’s 20th year, we decided to take a stab at some “bests” of our own, from food trends to music stores, even borrowing a few categories from the magazine’s two-decades-long history (like Best Chain Restaurant and Best Place to Work). Of course, as with anything, you have to take the good with the bad, so we’ve also cooked up a few complaints (it wasn’t as hard as we thought) relating to traffic, Trump and where you rest your head. There’s no telling what the next 20 years will bring—for Best of C-VILLE or Charlottesville—but we can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it.
Matisyahu goes all-in with a full band bonded by music as its spiritual guide and the freedom of improv at the Jefferson on Tuesday. Publicity photo
Back in 2005, Jewish-American beatboxer and rapper Matisyahu, heavily influenced by scat- and hazzan-style singing, joined jam band Phish on stage at Bonnaroo for two songs that turned into an improvisational display of lyrical gymnastics, and Matisyahu’s passion for full-band improvisation was laid bare. Now, more than a decade later, he’s formed a master improv band that gives itself over to the music and uses lyrics to connect to something beyond the self. No two performances of a song are alike—lyrics are rearranged on the spot to serve the energy of the jam.
$25-28, 7pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-4980.
The J. Geils Band frontman and radio DJ Peter Wolf—drawing comparisons to Mick Jagger thanks to his acrobatic stage presence, raw shimmy and vocal dexterity—propelled the band up the charts with “Come Back,” “Centerfold,” “Freeze Frame” and “Love Stinks.” Publicity photo
In the early ’80s, at the advent of the new MTV era, Peter Wolf led one of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll bands on the airwaves. The high-energy blues of Boston’s The J. Geils Band formed around John Geils’ guitar licks and the innovative use of rock harmonica, but it was frontman and radio DJ Wolf who—drawing comparisons to Mick Jagger thanks to his acrobatic stage presence, raw shimmy and vocal dexterity—propelled the band up the charts with “Come Back,” “Centerfold,” “Freeze Frame” and “Love Stinks.”
Wolf, 70, released his eighth studio album, A Cure For Loneliness, in April and will perform at Lockn’ on Friday night.
C-VILLE Weekly: What inspires you as an artist at this point in your career?
Peter Wolf: Always my love of music, just reaching for a record and giving it a spin helps me to keep writing and recording relevant music.
How would you describe The J. Geils Band’s cultural impact on music during the height of its popularity…and the band’s legacy?
It presented, to a large majority of the listening audience, artists and genres many people were unaware of at the time.
How has rock ‘n’ roll changed?
Through technology.
Can you tell us one pro and one con of being a musician
in a successful band?
Pro…meeting musicians who I always admired.
Do you ever get back in the seat as a radio DJ?
Yes, and I always enjoy doing it when I can.
What do you currently listen to?
All kinds of music.
Tell us a story about your greatest rock-star moment.
No one greatest moment, but many, such as working with Merle Haggard, Mick Jagger and Aretha Franklin.
What can fans at Lockn’ expect to hear during your
set on Friday?
A mix of solo and Geils performed by a great group of musicians.
Keep that secondhand vape smoke coming—it smells like cotton candy. Photo: Keith Alan Sprouse
Moola, cash, dinero, dolla dolla bills—it doesn’t matter what you call it, you like spending money. And you know where all that hard-earned coin should go, too. From toys and books to bow ties and pet food, here’s how you’ve been shelling out your shekels.
JEWELRY STORE
Andrew Minton Jewelers
Runner-up: Keller & George
Honorable mention: Tuel Jewelers
There’s no dearth of jewelry stores with strong community ties in Charlottesville, and Andy Minton’s are perhaps the strongest. A former Cavalier football starting defensive back, Minton not only offers some of the finest gold,diamonds, pearls, pendants, bracelets and custom jewelry in town, he’s committed to supporting the university, its athletic programs and the surrounding area. Visit the shop off Route 29 or browse on the Web, but don’t go home empty-handed (and by empty-handed, we mean don’t overlook the rings!). Keller & George takes second place with nearly 150 yearsin business and a sparkling lineup.
HOME STORECirca
Pick of the litter
From wacky to wonderful, Circa stocks it all
There’s plenty to love at Circa—literally more than 10,000 square feet worth—but part of the 18-year-old store’s appeal is finding a piece you’re not quite sure about. Maybe it won’t mesh with your décor or it’s just not sending the right vibe. It equal parts intrigues and intimidates you. We feel that. On a recent visit, we noticed a box of mannequin arms, a carved wooden head and this nearly 2′-tall cat. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what we might take home…if we had the guts.
Runner-Up: HomeGoods
Honorable mention: The Habitat Store
SECONDHAND CLOTHING STORE
Darling
Runner-up: Goodwill
Honorable mention: Twice is Nice
Owner Linnea White says she doesn’t just want to help women find a great outfit (like “that dress you pined after from Anthropologie last year”)—she wants to empower women through fashion. That’s why the Darling diva stocks handcrafted wares by female artisans both local and abroad and offers brands with a global impact mission. In second place, Goodwill is the place to make an unexpected find on the cheap, from a Fendi purse to Frye boots.
The Men’s & Boy’s Shop’s Josh Cain ties it right. Photo: Amy Jackson
PLACE TO BUY A BOW-TIEThe Men’s & Boy’s Shop
Tie one on
Ask Men’s & Boy’s Shop owner Mike Kidd how to a tie a bow tie, and he answers with a question: “Can you tie your shoes?” Um, sure. “Same principle,” Kidd says, as he ambles to the middle of his Downtown Mall store and stops in front of a rack with an impressive assortment of slim slips of silk. “Your neck is your foot, and you’re tying your shoes,” he says.
“There’s no need to make it complicated,” he adds as he places an orange-and-blue (go Hoos!) number on the back of his neck, letting one side hang a little longer than the other. And then:
Kidd crosses the longer end over the shorter end, brings the longer end underneath the shorter end and out from the center.
Keeping a finger on the half-knot so the tie stays tight to his neck, he folds the shorter end of the bow tie horizontally and places the longer end of the tie over the shorter end.
He then folds the longer end of the bow tie horizontally, and, just like you do when you tie your shoes using the bunny ears method, pulls the longer end of the bow tie through the loop at the back of the shorter end.
Kidd tugs both sides to tighten and straighten, and centers the tie between his collar.
Pee-wee Herman would be proud.
Runner-up: Eljo’s
Honorable mention: Beecroft & Bull
PLACE FOR A DATE-NIGHT OUTFIT
Anthropologie
Runner-up: BitterSweet
Honorable mention: Derriere de Soie
It’s bittersweet when local shops get tossed on their derriere in favor of the big chains. But readers know Anthropologie delivers beautiful designs and quality clothes from its artistically decorated store. Or, as the 42-state, 217-store conglomerate says on its website, it offers “clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor that reflects… their [customers’] passions.” Downtown, runner-up BitterSweet hits the spot, offering a curated selection of cool-girl garb that’ll make your date all swoony.
PLACE FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL CLOTHES
Old Navy
Runner-up: Belk
Honorable mention: Kid to Kid
One way to explain this win? Quantity over quality. Old Navy is the leader in trendy, inexpensive duds the nation over, which is why readers say, this year, they’re headed there for pint-sized khakis and tees come school time. Meanwhile, runner-up Belk keeps your little ones dressed to impress.
Illustration: Jason Crosby
LOCALLY OWNED GROCERY STOREFoods of All Nations
In store
What you want is what you get at Foods of All Nations
On a recent stroll through the aisles at Foods of All Nations, store manager Geoffrey Garbaccio stops in front of a bin overflowing with Hanover tomatoes. Clearly pleased with the beautiful, bountiful harvest before him, he points to equally impressive displays of cucumbers, peppers, peaches and zucchinis. “All from local farms,” he says, and then guides a visitor toward aisle 2, Jam and Jelly Central, where you’ll find everything from Smuckers strawberry to Frank Cooper’s Original Oxford Marmalade. Because here’s the thing about the Ivy Road food emporium: If you want it, all you have to do is ask.
“Charlottesville is a very diverse, multicultural city, and if somebody wants us to get something for them, we’ll try to do it,” Garbaccio says, be it Helmut Sachers Kaffee, De Ruijter chocolate or Divina Dolmas stuffed grape leaves. But not everything on the store’s shelves is from far-flung locales: Chaps ice cream is served in the café and Gearharts chocolate (in custom-made Foods of All Nations wrappers) is front-and-center on a candy shelf that’s located near a large display of Barboursville Vineyards wines. And it’s hard to miss the MarieBette bread in the bakery.
One of the first things Garbaccio did after coming to work at FOAN six months ago was visit every bread baker within 30 miles of the store. “Dozens of them,” he says. “Because you have to have good bread. It’s a staple.” And he’ll get no argument from his customers: MarieBette “bakes twice a day for us—and we sell out every day.”
Runner-up: Feast!
Honorable mention: Market Street Market
WINE SHOP
Market Street Wineshops
Runner-up: Trader Joe’s
Honorable mention: Market Street Market
What is it with all our favorite places being just below ground (see previous nautical-themed choice)? Regardless of where it is relative to sea level, Market Street Wineshop has it all—knowledgeable, gregarious staff, wine and beer tastings by the bushel and, of course, rack after rack of world-class vino. If you can’t find what you want at its 29th Place location or its location downtown on the north side of Market Street, head to Stonefield for Trader Joe’s value (read: cheap!) selection.
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
New Dominion Bookshop
Runner-up: Blue Whale Books
Honorable mention: Read It Again Sam
New Dominion offers the best of both worlds: nearly the inventory of a national brand and all the charm of a carefully curated, thoughtfully designed local shop. Ask any of New Dominion’s bookies for recommendations or help, and you’ll walk out of the oldest independent bookseller in Virginia with the perfect selection of fiction or nonfiction. The store also has an unmatched catalog of architecture and landscape gardening books. Down the mall at Blue Whale, it’s a history buff’s mecca, with rare books and antiquarian maps (and a Corgi named Gizmo, for the dog-loving bibliophiles).
STATIONERY STORERock Paper Scissors
Mail call!
8 times a card is better than an e-mail
It’s clear readers love browsing Rock Paper Scissors’ wall of greeting cards. We asked local etiquette expert Patty Hughson of Etiquette Empowerment to give us even more excuses to peruse.
After you receive a gift
If the person takes the time, money and interest, don’t you want them to know how much you appreciated it with a written note of thank you?
When someone has passed away
Your written words on a card provide more comfort in the survivor’s time of sorrow.
When someone you know is ill
Every time the person looks at your note on their bedside table, they’ll know how much you care and it will bring them a smile.
When congratulations are in order
Take the extra five minutes to show them you understand how hard they worked for that accomplishment.
After a job interview
This may be your future boss and this is the time to make a great first impression. Stand out from the crowd by showing that you appreciated their time and would be an asset to the company.
To repay a nice gesture
Acknowledge the gesture by taking the time to write a note.
To your grandparents
It may sound old-fashioned, but grandparents love written notes from family for gifts or to just say I love you.
After you leave a job
Never burn your bridges; you never know when your paths might cross again.
Runner-up: O’Suzannah
Honorable mention: Caspari
TOY STORE
Shenanigans
Runner-up: Alakazam
Honorable mention: O’Suzannah
When Kai Rady opened Shenanigans in 1974, it was the only toy store in Charlottesville. More than 40 years later, Rady’s still hand-selecting toys for sale in her Main Street retail space. She says she seeks out “toys, books, games, dolls and stuffed animals from all over the world that offer high play value, which I think is the No. 1 thing.” It shows. Shenanigans remains the place to snag this year’s hard-to-find plaything (and win Parent of the Year). Downtown, Alakazam continues to wow crowds with a selection of (among other fun things) themed toys from Wild West to pirates.
NURSERY/GARDEN STORE
Fifth Season Gardening
Runner-up: Ivy Nursery
Honorable mention: Snow’s Garden Center
Local beer geeks know Fifth Season as the spot for all their homebrew needs, but this funky joint on Preston is also a destination gardening center. The chain’s fifth location, the Charlottesville store offers up hydroponic and organic gardening supplies, wine- making products and supplies for cheesemaking, vinegar-making, canning, fermentation and more. The family-owned business, founded more than 20 years ago in North Carolina, claims to have everything for folks who are into “urban D.I.Y.” At upscale garden shop Ivy Nursery, nab anything from a Japanese maple to a gallon container of annual blooms.
PLACE FOR PET SUPPLIES
Ancestry Pet Food
Runner-up: Pet Food Discounters
Honorable mention: PetSmart
Although its name has changed (Ancestry Pet Food was previously Sammy Snacks), the dedication to your pets’ health hasn’t. What started as the owners’ quest to bake a healthy chocolate-chip cookie for their black Lab, Sammy, morphed into a farm-to-bowl business in which almost all ingredients for the company’s food and treats are sourced in the U.S. Once your pet has had a taste of the all-natural, holistic food (most pets eat less because it’s more nutrient-dense), it’ll be hard turning them back to brand-name nibbles. Runner-up Pet Food Discounters is the place to go for any pet—from dogs and cats to reptiles, fish and even pigs.
VAPE SHOP Smoke Brake Vapes
Vape a little
Tracy Riffel opened Smoke Brake Vapes with her aunt, Ronda Richardson, because she wanted to quit smoking but was intimidated by most e-smoking retailers. She wanted a place where newbies would feel comfortable coming to kick a bad habit.
“My aunt and I both used vaping to quit smoking, and we were both successful on our first try,” Riffel says. “I was in the hospital and purchased a starter kit. I didn’t even know I hadn’t been craving a cigarette for several days.”
Serious stuff. But for the fun side of vaping, try one of these: Pink Paradise, Thug Passion or Blueberry Muffin. “My favorite is Bourbon Street,” Riffel says. “It’s a vanilla bourbon flavor, a very subtle vanilla.”
Runner-up: Carytown Tobacco
Honorable mention: Mom & Pop Vape Shop
PLACE TO BUY A CAR
Brown Automotive Group
Runner-up: CarMax
Honorable mention: Volvo of Charlottesville
Driving around Charlottesville, you’ve likely seen more than a few cars with the Brown Automotive Group’s sticker on the back. It’s hard to miss the big red heart stamped in the middle of the company’s name. No wonder it’s so ubiquitous: The locally owned and operated business started in 1981 and has since expanded to five facilities and a body shop. And it doesn’t just do well; it does good, too: Brown keeps strong ties with the community, often partnering with the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital and the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA.
PLACE TO SPLURGE
Charlottesville City Market
Runner-up: The Happy Cook
Honorable mention: Feast!
Stockpiling all those birthday checks seems like a great idea right about now. When you have a little (or a lot!) of cash to spend, readers say the Saturday morning City Market is the place to do it. Grab a breakfast sandwich from Ivy Provisions, ogle the bounty of fresh farm produce ripe for the pickin’ and be on the lookout for one-of-a-kind items to complete your Christmas shopping early this year (for once), like handmade jewelry or furniture. Bring your own bags—lots of them. And don’t forget to swing by runner-up Happy Cook to nab that vegetable spiralizer to make zoodles or the perfect baking dish for your farm-to-your-table berry tart.
HALL OF FAME
Angelo
There are two reasons readers head to Angelo: They need something for a special occasion or just because. We tricked you there—there’s no reason not to choose the Downtown Mall jewelry gallery, as readers have told us practically since Lee Marraccini opened the shopwith his wife, Pam, in 1999. The owners stock work from nearly 40 contemporary artists, from cufflinks to engagement rings, in the modern space. You knowwhat they say: Good taste never goes out of style.
Daedalus Bookshop
We’ll let the words of a commenter on Daedalus’ Facebook page sum this up quite nicely for us: “Book shopping online is great if you know what you want, but the exquisite pleasure of discovering what you didn’t know you wanted can only be obtained in person.” In person at Daedalus, you get wall-to-wall secondhand books for three floors—more than 100,000 total—worth an afternoon (or two) of exploration.
Change your own oil, till your own garden, paint your own nails. It’s all too much to keep up with—throw some money at the problem and move on. Here’s who readers say top their list for good help, from car repair to pet hotels.
REAL ESTATE AGENT
Jamie White
Runner-up: Sasha Farmer
Honorable mention: Paul McArtor
It’s hard to resist an accent. And while we’re sure that’s not the only reason London-born Jamie White is going home with the gold this year, we can’t discount its appeal. White’s clients say it’s his sharp wit and fine-tuned negotiation skills, too, that help them with all aspects of buying or selling a home. Runner-up Sasha Farmer takes second place with her five-person team and her deep appreciation for all things Charlottesville.
HOMEBUILDER Latitude 38
Charlottesville: 3016
Latitude 38 predicts what’s in store for local housing. The answer? Togetherness!
Will humans even be here in 1,000 years? Current global conflict, natural resource limitations and the recent successful entrance of Juno into Jupiter’s orbit, further compounded by my 5-year-old daughter innocently asking when the Earth will die, all led me to think that the probability of continued human success is finite.
But the idea that these incredibly adaptive unique creatures in the universe—humans—could be around in 1,000 years seems very possible, if not likely. I feel special to be one tiny cell in an expansive, ever-morphing collective body made up of millions of quotidian lives responding to their changing surroundings. And every one of us lives in a home. Some humans are like wasps, using wood to create a proverbial custom hive of rooms. Some humans are like hermit crabs, walking alone, finding homes no longer needed by others and adapting them to their needs. Some are like sociable weaver birds, who build massive hanging apartment buildings out of sticks and grass to stay warm during the cold seasons, huddling together for strength.
Humans will be no different in a thousand years. We will continue to adapt to our surroundings, using the materials we have available to build shelter that keeps us warm and dry and meets some inner calling of beauty. There will always be variation in taste, leading to a continued mix of detailing from simple, clean lines to ornate craft work. The skill of delivery will vary, too, depending on the demand of the user, which I estimate will generally increase across society, but could just as easily become more egalitarian or more stratified.
I feel pretty strongly that we will figure out creative ways to harness solar, magnetic and kinetic energy once the demand on natural resources makes them competitive with renewable energy. Already, model track home developments in the United States are being built to run on solar energy. This is not too far away. But, overall, homes will really not look that different from today.
What will likely look different, I believe, is how houses are grouped. There could easily be double the population we have now. In Charlottesville in particular, density will become much more accepted as people realize that community interaction can be regenerative. Large swaths of parking lots are not an efficient use of space, and I predict more and more consumer goods and services will be purchased remotely, reducing the need for travel. Social upheaval reverses the trend of seeking residence in urban areas (thus making the suburbs more attractive), but as we continue to work toward positive ways to commune with one another, we will move back toward the city center. I don’t think this necessarily means mega cities or communes; it might produce cluster communities of smaller homes. Charlottesville, especially, draws people from all over, and we’re already striving to live closer to one another and drive less. If we continue to work together to address our social failings, we will only want to enjoy our collective body more.—Joey Conover, co-owner of Latitude 38
Runner-up: Craig Builders
Honorable mention: Southern Development Homes
CAR REPAIR SHOP
Airport Road Auto Center
Runner-up: Bob’s Wheel Alignment
Honorable mention: Settle Tire
What is there to say about a great auto body shop? Most of them run on word-of-mouth, and our readers’ endorsement again this year speaks volumes of the family-owned and -operated shop. In business since 1971, Airport Road Auto Center boasts perks like free Wi-Fi, coffee and a shuttle service. Back in town, runner-up Bob’s Wheel Alignment keeps your motor running.
LANDSCAPING COMPANY J.W. Townsend Landscapes
Leaf year
Springtime in Virginia means dogwoods and redbuds, but, says J.W. Townsend Landscapes’ Tiffany McCord, “Charlottesville and Albemarle County play host to a wide range of native trees that many consider to be quintessential to the Virginia landscape.” Here’s a list of local natives that, as McCord notes, “have been a part of the Virginia landscape since long before we arrived.”
Spring
Dogwood
Eastern redbud
Fringe tree
Sweetshrub
Witch hazel
Summer
Sweetbay magnolia
Sourwood
Buttonbush
Smooth hydrangea
Fall
Serviceberry
Black gum
Common spicebush
Fragrant sumac
Winter
American holly
River birch
Winterberry holly
Mountain laurel
Runner-up: Snow’s Garden Center
Honorable mention: Dos Amigos Landscaping
DOGGIE DAYCARE
All Things Pawssible
Runner-up: Canine Campus
Honorable mention: Pet Motel & Salon
With three indoor and three outdoor areas at All Things Pawssible, there’s ample opportunity for Spot to enjoy his home away from home. The trainers love their campers—they remember everyone who walks in the door (even if it’s only their second visit) and they learn the dogs’ buddy preferences and pair them in play groups according to size and romp style. The best part? It’s open on the weekends, so you can drop your fur baby off for a day of play while you run errands. Over at runner-up Canine Campus, the facility’s training day camp teaches dogs socialization and how to be good canine citizens.
VETERINARIAN
Autumn Trails Veterinary Center
Runner-up: Georgetown Veterinary Hospital
Honorable mention: Old Dominion Animal Hospital
Pet owners know sicknesses and emergencies never fall within normal business hours, which is why Autumn Trails Veterinary Center is open seven days a week, from 8am-8pm, in case something unexpected comes up. Not only does the center, which opened in early 2015, offer routine health checks, it also provides dental hygiene, an on-site laboratory, dermatology, microchipping and boarding for when you have to leave town. And urgent care services are for all pet owners (not just Autumn Trails clients), whichgenerally means shorter wait times and cheaper exam fees than an emergency hospital. Georgetown Veterinary Hospital, this year’s runner-up, is a perennial favorite for its acute attention to preventative, surgical and critical care.
DOG TRAINER
All Things Pawssible
Runner-up: Canine Campus
Honorable mention: Off Leash K9 Training
Undesirable behaviors, say the folks at All Things Pawssible, are often the result of a miscommunication between two species. That’s why, from puppy 101 to basic obedience, their classes are geared toward teaching you to speak Dog as much as they are teaching your dog to sit and stay (and stop eating out of the trash). Runner-up Canine Campus uses science-based, relationship-centered training techniques and specializes in problems and prevention to help teach your dog to make good decisions.
PRIVATE SCHOOL
Tandem Friends School
Runner-up: St. Anne’s-Belfield School
Honorable mention: The Covenant School
With less than 300 students between its middle school (grades five through eight) and its upper school (grades nine through 12), Tandem Friends can offer kids something few can in this age of overcrowding: attention. And that’s what readers are responding to when they voted it No. 1 again this year. Tandem creates the feeling of a small community on its 31-acre campus, giving individual consideration to each student. In second place, St. Anne’s-Belfield School continues its more than 100-year pedigree for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Luvin’ this bob on Bristles customer Missy Snelling, amirite? Photo: Amy Jackson
HAIR SALONBristles Hair Design & Day Spa
Top-down chic
Bristles has been the place to get coiffed for more than 15 years, and while its group of over 20 stylists still wield the scissors to dramatic results, the spa services and advances in specialty care are not to be overlooked.
“Our newest service and the products that are doing well is hair replacement, wigs and toppers for people with hair loss or just for fun,” says owner Cat Burton.
With approximately 400 clients per week, the Bristles crew stays sharp on the latest trends (lots of bobs and lobs) and even a bit of whimsy as proven by a recent hair coloring layered in red, white and blue.
Runner-up: Moxie Hair & Body Lounge
Honorable mention: The Honeycomb
SPA
Cityspa
Runner-up: Spa at the Boar’s Head Inn
Honorable mention: Signature Medical Spa
Steps from Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall in one of the oldest residences in the historic district, Cityspa is open seven days a week and offers a customized experience to keep you pretty and pampered. From massage to makeup, Cityspa earns its top spot with a relaxing lineup of treatments for individuals and couples. Just down the road at the Spa at Boar’s Head Inn, residents can channel their inner Thomas Jefferson. The spa there pays homage to UVA’s founder by using the same plants found in Monticello’s garden in its oils and moisturizers.
Photo: Keith Alan Sprouse
NAIL SALONSerenity Nails & Spa
Hot tips
Some of us seek out nature or a cozy spot to find our happy place—and then there are the legions finding it at Serenity Nails & Spa. “I am lucky to have found my bi-weekly sanity, where I can take a moment and relax in their calm, serene environment,” says customer Carrie Throckmorton.
Is a crystal powder set in order? Or maybe you prefer a pink and white? Even if it’s just a color change, the long and short of it is: These nail technicians are artists-in-demand.
Runner-up: Red Handed Nails Salon & Spa
Honorable mention: Happy Nails
HOTEL, INN OR B&B
Boar’s Head Inn
Runner-up: Oakhurst Inn
Honorable mention: Clifton Inn
The Boar’s Head Inn wins big in all the ways an inn should: beautiful guest rooms, a top-rated spa, an excellent restaurant. But it also goes a little further, with a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Boar’s Head is Virginia Green certified, using geothermal heating pumps and compact fluorescent lighting and partnering with a local organization to turn its wasted kitchen oil into biodiesel. In the runner-up spot, Oakhurst Inn charms guests with thoughtfully decorated rooms and a hidden-gem café.
HALL OF FAME
Oasis Day Spa & Body Shop
It’s a well-known fact that if you want to treat yo self—to let someone file your nails or wrap you in seaweed or exfoliate your face—you go to Oasis. Its very name suggests a respite from the stress and strain of everyday life and that’s exactly the experience that owner Kore Russell had in mind when she opened the downtown shop in 2001. Since then, Oasis has become synonymous with “relaxation,” with a modern interior and more than 20 lines of skin, hair and nail products to nab before you go home (though good luck recreating the feeling without any help).
Pampered Pets
There’s no shortage of places to board your pet in Charlottesville. From doggie daycares to overnight camp, there’s always a place for Fido to rest his head. But Pampered Pets, the more than 27,000-square-foot facility off Preston Avenue, offers even more than that. Drop your furry friend off for the night and he’ll be groomed, socialized, exercised—in a word, pampered. The pet hotel makes accommodations for special-needs animals and kitty cats, too. You might say this place is purrfect.
Neal Casal may be the hardest-working guitarist on the jam scene. He will play four sets with three different bands over the four-day festival. Publicity photo
For the fourth straight year, the Lockn’ Festival will return to the Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington. Once again, the musical marathon will offer a deep roster of heavyweights in the worlds of jam and roots rock, boasting big sets by Phish, My Morning Jacket, Ween, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead and Tedeschi Trucks Band, among many others. While watching such sonically adventurous acts, the crowd is bound to witness plenty of guitar acrobatics-—from established veterans to younger upstarts, these are the fleet-fingered players guaranteed to deliver lingering leads and peak solos, creating the transcendent moments that make festivals unforgettable.
The incredibly versatile Trey Anastasio leads Phish through four sets over two nights at Lockn’ this weekend. Photo by Jay Blakesberg
Trey Anastasio
Lockn’ organizers nabbed a big one when they secured jam legend Phish to headline two days of the festival. The group, scheduled to close the main stage on Friday and Sunday with two sets each night, rarely plays multi-band events, but as Lockn’ has become the country’s premier jam summit, it seems appropriate for the quartet to make an appearance.
After more than three decades together, Phish has established a massive fan base that continues to flock to its lengthy live shows. While the group is comprised of four highly skilled players—each integral to the band’s exploratory sound—guitarist Trey Anastasio is clearly the leader. Through 30-plus years on stage, Anastasio has secured his place as the jam scene’s preeminent axe wizard. His nimble fingers guide Phish through an undeniably impressive mix of complex compositions, dance-ready grooves and improvisational journeys. When not navigating one of Phish’s intricate, orchestrated passages in double-digit epics such as “You Enjoy Myself” and “Fluffhead,” Anastasio uses his Languedoc guitar for full-throttle rock assaults and open-ended exploration.
Phish casts a wide net when it comes to genre inclusivity, and the band’s sets are often peppered with interesting covers. It’s not uncommon to hear Anastasio picking a bluegrass solo in an electric version of Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Pen,” ripping blues licks in Son Seals’ “Funky Bitch” or slicing funk chords in Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman.”
Anastasio, at 51, clearly is still interested in expanding his range on his instrument. Last summer he was tapped as lead guitarist for Fare Thee Well, the Grateful Dead’s five massive stadium concerts that were billed as the last time the band’s remaining original members would all play together. When asked by Rolling Stone about his intense, six-month preparation for filling the role of the Dead’s iconic frontman, Jerry Garcia, Anastasio said: “The cool thing is it got me back inside the guitar.”
Gary Clark Jr. rips up the blues and sews it back together in kick-ass modern style on Sunday. Photo by Frank Maddocks
Gary Clark Jr.
Gary Clark Jr. grew up loving the blues. As a teenager in Austin, Texas, he started hanging out at the famed Antone’s Nightclub and ended up being mentored by guitar ace Jimmie Vaughan (brother of Stevie Ray). While being educated in the traditional scales of the blues he was also absorbing sounds of the ’90s FM dial, becoming an open-minded fan of everything from grunge to hip-hop. As a result, a variety of musical styles have influenced Clark, as he continues to hone a sound that blends fuzzy, snarling riffs with soulful modern song craft.
Clark’s breakout moment came in 2010 at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. With the exposure came a heap of opportunities for a young player used to the grind of small clubs. He’s traded licks on stage with Clapton and sat in with the Rolling Stones on multiple occasions, and this past February he honored the late B.B. King at the Grammy Awards with a crisp reading of “The Thrill is Gone” beside Bonnie Raitt and Chris Stapleton.
Clark has released two major-label albums on Warner Brothers, the latest being last fall’s The Story of Sonny Boy Slim. A mix of slick production and raw energy, the record does plenty of genre-hopping, from dance-friendly party funk in “Can’t Sleep” to throwback soul in “Cold Blooded” to shred-heavy rock in “Grinder.” Clark, though, seems to save his real guitar fireworks for the stage. His pulsing, atmospheric mash-up of Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone from the Sun” and Albert Collins’ blues tune “If You Love Me Like You Say” is live-show dynamite.
Tedeschi Trucks Band, featuring the most powerful couple in the blues-rock business, takes the stage on Saturday night. Photo by Manuel Nata
Derek Trucks
At age 20, Derek Trucks started a 15-year run handling the slide licks in the now-retired Allman Brothers Band, a role he seemed predestined to fill as a young guitar prodigy who happens to be the nephew of the Allman’s Butch Trucks. During this time, he also fronted his own Derek Trucks Band—a group built around fiercely ambitious explorations into expansive Southern blues, free jazz and rollicking instrumental gospel—and also managed to squeeze in a two-year stint in Eric Clapton’s touring band.
These days he’s focused full-time on the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a 12-piece beast of a soul-rock outfit that Trucks fronts with his wife, blues songstress Susan Tedeschi. The band, playing Lockn’ on Saturday night, hustles between global rock grooves, swampy Southern jams and vintage R&B. The stylistic versatility centers on the interplay between the bandleaders, as Trucks, now 37 and considered a master of his craft, swirls lyrical inventive notes around Tedeschi’s soulful singing.
Neal Casal
Neal Casal will be a busy man at this year’s Lockn’ Festival. Between Friday and Sunday, the guitarist is playing four sets with three different acts. On Sunday his main band, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, has back-to-back slots, the second a special collaboration with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. During a recent phone interview, Casal broke down the bands that make up his upcoming quadruple duty.
Back in 2010, former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson decided to start a new band (Chris Robinson Brotherhood) to indulge his interest in psychedelic rock, and he asked Casal to play lead guitar. Casal had spent the previous decade and a half releasing a dozen solo albums as a singer-songwriter and doing a stint in Ryan Adams’ Cardinals, but joining the Brotherhood changed the course of his music career. “This band started another life for me as a musician with a different focus as a guitar player,” Casal says. “It was a real shift that’s taken a lot of work. I’ve expanded in ways that I never would’ve imagined. Chris needed a guitar player to fulfill his vision, and he lovingly pushed me into it.”
Three years ago Casal was tapped to join the super group side project Hard Working Americans featuring Nashville folk singer Todd Snider and Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools. Initially supposed to be a short-lived affair, the band, which also features Panic drummer Duane Trucks, now reconvenes on a semi-regular basis and recently released a second studio album, Rest in Chaos. With a politically charged cosmic country-rock sound that offers tastes of distorted grit and expansive jamming, the band will play Lockn’ on Saturday afternoon.
“I met all of these guys for the first time when I walked into the studio to start making our first record,” Casal explains. “This was supposed to be a one-off project, but we quickly developed a rapport that made us want to do more. We have a lot of respect for each other, and every time we get together we feel like we have more to explore.”
Last summer Casal was asked to compose instrumental set-break music for the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well stadium concerts. He formed Circles Around the Sun for a quick jam session that included his Brotherhood bandmate Adam MacDougall on keyboards and created some captivating impromptu tunes in the spirit of the Dead’s roots-based psychedelia. The results were so well-received that the songs were given a proper release, Circles Around the Sun, and Casal and company will perform the music live for the first time on Friday night at Lockn’.
“We recorded all of this music in two days, and it was entirely improvised,” Casal says. “With little time to think about it, we caught lightning in a bottle.
“When it comes to doing it live, the idea is to approach the show with the same spirit that we brought to the recording—hold your breath and jump. We’ll have little time to prepare, so we’re going to capture the vibe with a lot of adventurism.”
Casal has previously played with Phil Lesh and Friends in different incarnations of his rotating Friends groups. In a special set on Sunday, the entire Brotherhood will act as Lesh’s band and also welcome a sit-in by Gary Clark Jr.
“I’ve learned more from Phil Lesh than almost anyone I’ve ever played with,” Casal says. “He still carries the original spirit of the Grateful Dead—be the best musician you can be, but also be ready to go for it and jump off a cliff. When you play music in that way there can be rough moments, but you always rise to glorious heights.”
Best of the rest
For nearly two decades, Umphrey’s McGee has fostered a sizable fan base under the mainstream radar with a jam-heavy prog-rock sound that’s largely driven by the twin-guitar attack of Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss. The band’s skilled axe duo engages in dynamic interplay, as they move between frenetic shredding and trippy wandering throughout a catalog of songs designed for extended improvisation.
Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo and Carl Broemel both provide the lead guitar muscle in their respective bands, Ween and My Morning Jacket. The former gets the headline slot on Thursday and plays a second set just before Phish on Friday, while the latter headlines Saturday night. Coincidentally, both Melchiondo and Broemel are releasing solo albums this fall.
Tom Hamilton first surfaced in the electronica-rock act Brothers Past, but at Lockn’ he’ll be turning heads in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (playing late-night sets Thursday and Friday). The side project led by drummer Joe Russo (Furthur, Benevento/Russo Duo) delivers high-energy, wildly improvised takes on Grateful Dead songs, often giving Hamilton the opportunity to go gonzo on Jerry Garcia’s familiar guitar parts.
Two more guitar aces worth watching: Duke Levine and Kevin Barry—both accomplished session players who’ve backed the likes of Mary Chapin Carpenter and Emmylou Harris. At Lockn’ they’ll be playing in Peter Wolf’s band, the Midnight Travelers. On Friday Levine and Barry will flank the 70-year-old Wolf, former lead singer of the J. Geils Band (see interview on page 31), as he works through old hits and material from his soulful new album, A Cure for Loneliness, which came out in April.
