Author: Lynn Thorne

Categories
Magazines Village

A lighter touch: Sensory-friendly theater relieves those on the spectrum

Holly Regan sat with her son in a lightened theater last year, watching a Four County Players production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was a special performance, and not just because of the time of year; it was a sensory-friendly production put on for people like Regan’s son, Jimmy Seidl, who’s autistic.

The show was in partnership with the Autism Theatre Project, an effort of the University of Virginia. While the name is very specific, Executive Administrator Jaclyn Lund emphasizes the program supports sensory-friendly theater in a nonjudgmental environment that is geared toward anyone with special needs. These productions are performed as written, but with special accommodations.

“We work with area theater groups to make the performances more accessible by doing things like shortening performance length, adjusting light and volume levels so they’re not overwhelming and providing a sensory-friendly break room for anyone who needs a quiet room during the show,” Lund says.

Regan says these types of modifications make all the difference for her family. At a traditional performance, she worries about her son’s potential outbursts disturbing others. Her choices are to leave him out of family outings, or take her chances and hope for the best.

“We usually bring two cars, in case one of us has to leave with Jimmy,” she says. “I invest a lot of money in live performances, and I worry about what’s going to happen if he starts acting out.”

For that very reason, performances in conjunction with the Autism Theatre Project are free for any family attending with someone who has special needs.

“A lot of families can’t go to the theater because of social and financial pressure. We offer a judgment-free environment, and we reduce the financial stress,” Lund says. “By offering free tickets, if someone’s having a bad day, there’s no pressure to attend. They haven’t lost anything.”

Most local groups have worked with the Autism Theatre Project to put on sensory-friendly productions, whether by adding an additional performance night, or by tweaking a matinee to accomodate special needs patrons. Regan says she hopes area theater groups might offer a sensory-friendly dress rehearsal, which she says would be a “win-win” for all involved.

“It gives the performers a chance to work in front of an appreciative audience, and it gives my family an opportunity to attend a show without worrying that my son will disturb a paying crowd.”

Categories
Magazines Village

Warm wishes: A local teen celebrates his birthday with coats—lots of coats

Six years ago, 16-year-old Ashton Ryan started a coat drive for those in need. To date, he’s given out more than 7,000 coats. Photo: Cramer Photo

Most teenagers have pretty predictable birthday wish lists … video games, iTunes cards, maybe money to use toward buying a car. Charlottesville’s Ashton Ryan is different. He wants coats. Lots and lots of coats. It all started six years ago, just before his 12th birthday.

“I saw a kid in school without a coat and I wanted to give him mine,” Ashton says. “When my mom picked me up from school that day, I told her I wanted to have a huge birthday party and invite the whole town, but everyone had to donate a coat as my present.”

Each year since, Ashton and his mom, Kim, have organized Ashton’s Wish. He celebrates his November 11 birthday by collecting and then distributing donated jackets.

“We sort them all by size, and then we make sure they’re clean and the zippers work, and then we give them away” to those in need. Recipients have come from schools, churches, Region Ten, Jefferson Area Children’s Health Improvement Program and other local organizations. To date, he’s distributed more than 7,000 coats to those who need one.

He’s a kid with a big heart—one that has been through a lot. When Ashton was a baby, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease—an illness that can cause long-term damage to the heart. Fortunately, doctors caught it early.

Ashton’s donations extend beyond Charlottesville; he’s given coats to those in need in Harrisonburg, Lexington and Richmond, too. He wants to expand his program across Virginia and then nationwide, ultimately to start a nonprofit organization to continue the mission. But first, there’s college and studying computers—right after his next coat drive.

“I guess I just hope that other kids will hear about it and maybe they’ll want to do it too,” Ashton says.

Categories
Magazines Weddings

They bought the farm: A new wedding venue in Waynesboro unfolded by happenstance

Photo: Ward Photography

Each time Debbie Battle and her husband drove past the farm just down the road from their house, they commented on how ideal it would be as a wedding venue. Turns out they were right: In February 2017, they signed on the dotted line and became the proud owners of Red August Farm, Waynesboro’s newest wedding spot.

The Battles wanted to own a place they could rent out for weddings but never dreamed this would be the one. “It was so stunning and I just assumed it was out of my reach, so I didn’t really give it much thought,” Battle says. A part-time nurse at Augusta Hospital, she’d been pricing other plots of land, and looking at what it would cost to build a barn, install a bridal suite and other adjustments that would need to be made for a first-rate spot to host happy couples.

“My husband’s a contractor. He said, ‘Looking at these costs, you’re getting up there in price. You might as well check out that farm. It might be within reach.’ So I did.”

Turns out, it wasn’t much more expensive than trying to start from scratch. The Battles bought the farm (so to speak), and their new business was born.

“There is no such thing as a bad picture from this place!” Battle says. “It’s on 15 acres and set in the middle of a hay pasture, but we also have mountain views and some amazing landscaping.”

Located just four miles off I-81 near Barren Ridge Vineyards, the farm includes a 4,700-square-foot barn with three stories that can easily accommodate 300 people. The owners installed new flooring and exquisite chandeliers, as well as some LED lighting along the beams to brighten up the cavernous space.

A separate bridal suite boasts two styling chairs and an oversized makeup mirror with Hollywood lighting. The makeup counter was constructed out of some of the old barn flooring, giving it a rustic-glam feel for brides who can’t get enough of the trend.

The farm rents for $6,000 for a full weekend, from Friday through Sunday. Battle hopes allowing brides access for three days to set up and tear down will set them apart from other venues that host multiple events back-to-back.

 

Red August Farm has its first wedding set for this September, and already has nearly 20 bookings through 2018. If you’re interested in learning more, visit redaugustfarm.com.

Categories
Magazines Village

Dress to impress: Former pastry chef Erin Maupin turns to textiles

Photo: Courtesy Hungie Gungie

When Erin Maupin was little, her mom used to make a version of Hungarian goulash she called Hungie Gungie. All these years later, she chose that name for her Etsy shop, where she sells her homemade (mostly) little girls’ clothing.

Always the creative type, Maupin was a pastry chef before she chose to stay home and raise her children. She discovered the kids’ naptime was a perfect window for her to get crafty.

“I had friends who’d asked me to make things for their daughters. Then they encouraged me to make things to sell,” she said. And Hungie Gungie was born.

Besides enabling her to sell adorable outfits, the small online shop supports her addiction to textiles.

“I love fabric!” she laughs. “If I can make enough throughout the year to cover the cost of fabric, I don’t feel so bad buying it.”

Local clothing line Hungie Gungie is named after a dish from the designer's childhood. Photo: Courtesy Hungie Gungie
Local clothing line Hungie Gungie is named after a dish from the designer’s childhood. Photo: Courtesy Hungie Gungie

Erin has a few favorite designers and buys most of her fabric online. She uses many others’ patterns, but her signature “bloomers” for older girls are her own design. She averages sales of five dresses per month between her Etsy shop and requests from locals who know her products.

She’d like to do more, she says—maybe even teach a sewing class for kids—but wants to keep expansion plans in perspective. After all, her 8-, 6- and 4-year-old keep her plenty busy.

“I don’t know about the future,” she says, “but for the time being, it’s exactly what I want to be doing.”

Categories
Magazines Village

Spa day: Ma Spa is encouraging alone time

Ma Spa owner Mary Coleman hopes to give moms room to recharge. Photo: Matthew Burke

“Moms deserve to have a space that is dedicated just to them.”

Mary Coleman should know. As a mother of seven, she’s the entrepreneur behind Ma Spa, a new business in the Legend Building on Woodbrook Drive in Charlottesville.

Ma Spa’s slogan pretty much sums it up: “Come pamper your soul.” Coleman offers moms of all ages a spa-like place to nurture their heart and faith. Visitors come for 75-minute classes that begin with biblical principles and include ample time for moms to share and discuss ideas that strengthen and empower them as mothers. Before and after classes, mothers are encouraged to enjoy some downtime in the studio for coffee and conversation, or just relaxation and reflection.

The idea stemmed from Coleman’s own experiences.

“When I was younger and a new mom, I was so obsessed with being perfect, and it created a lot of guilt,” Coleman says. “Anything I can do to help other moms became my mission.”

Coleman started this concept in her home a few years ago and called it the Mom Shop. She’d invite only as many as her table could seat, and serve them supper in addition to hosting the discussion time. Even though she now has the expanded space the Legend Building offers, she still intentionally keeps the classes small because, “once you get past six women it’s hard for everyone to get a word in. Everyone should feel that they can share their own heart.”

Her website, maspacville.com, offers a current list of classes, topics and times, which change each month. Generally the moms who attend are between 25-35 years old, but some are older and Coleman emphasizes that all are welcome. To attract a wide age range, she even offers a class on mothering adult children.

“We all have new things we can learn, and each season of life brings with it new burdens or worries or adventures. I hope to help everyone at every stage.”

That’s a core part of her philosophy, as is asking moms to leave their children at home.

“That’s the message I didn’t understand back then, that I needed time away from my child. All moms need kid-free time.”

While she’s just opened Ma Spa, she’s already thinking about the future of the business. In an ideal world, she’d love to have a coffee shop in the front and hold classes in the back. She said some people are having a hard time wrapping their head around the spa-like concept she’s offering, but she’s firm about her belief that in addition to pampering our bodies, “our hearts and our faith deserve attention too.”

Categories
Magazines Weddings

Picture perfect: If you want to get your wedding published, the devil’s in the details

Lynn Easton designed this reception at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards. Photo: Tec Petaja

Your wedding day. The biggest (happiest, craziest, most expensive—insert your adjective here) day of your life. It’s you and your significant other, pledging to spend the rest of your lives together. But for many brides, it’s also become a goal to get their wedding featured in glossy bridal magazine, website or blog.

Lynn Easton of Easton Events says it’s a sign of the times. “We live in a world where every moment of every day is captured. Each morsel of food we put in our mouths is put on Instagram.”

But she also says that it’s a way for the happy couple to relive their special day long after the last guest leaves.

“It gives a wedding a whole new life. They can share that with everyone, and every bride who’s lucky enough to get their wedding published is always grinning from ear to ear when she sees it in print.”

But trying to get published for publishing’s sake can detract from the focus of the day. Weddings used to be somewhat cookie-cutter, with white tablecloths and party favors. Now, the bar’s been raised and most couples strive to make their event as personalized as possible.

That can mean upping the stress level. It’s easy enough to get swept up in making sure every detail is perfect. Add to that the pressure of planning a wedding with the hope of getting Internet famous, and it’s enough to drive some brides to the brink of crazy. It also might change some details of the day.

Easton says, “The tricky thing about the desire to be published is that you might have to do something that is more for a picture and less for the experience.”

Try focusing instead on the details that carry a personal signficance, like weaving your great-grandmother’s wedding gloves into your bouquet or using a piece of your mother-in-law’s veil as part of your own. Those are touches that will be meaningful to you, regardless of who’s flipping through The Knot.

If you’re still determined to vie for a glossy layout, it doesn’t require you to go overboard. Easton, whose work has been published everywhere from Martha Stewart Weddings to Vogue, cautions: “Some of the most published weddings are incredibly simple.”

Details are key, as are things that are unique, so make sure that your designs are as special as you are. Think about the layout, too—you’ll need both vertical and horizontal details that will work well in a published format. And don’t be afraid of reaching out to smaller publications that might not get as many submissions. Remember: At the end of the day, it’s your day, so do your best to stay focused on the reason you’re there.

Categories
Magazines Weddings

A historic event: A layered past brings gravitas to nuptials at Seven Oaks

Photo: Jen Fariello

Seven Oaks Farm in Albemarle County has quite the history. From its original owner, Reverend Samuel Black, the first Presbyterian minister in Albemarle County, to a more recent owner, Dave Matthews Band manager Coran Capshaw, the property has had its share of high-profile tenants. And visitors, too: from explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to Gibson Girl Irene Gibson, the farm has plenty of famous footprint.

Now it’s adding a new chapter to its colorful past: Couples can rent it as a wedding venue. The sprawling 100-plus acres in Greenwood offer a Greek Revival-style manor, pool house and breathtaking mountain views.

Owners Sarah and Todd Zimmerman bought the property from Capshaw in 2014. Both are UVA grads (and their son is a rising third-year), and say they appreciated its rich legacy.

“It’s got a lot of ties to UVA,” Sarah says. “When Reverend Black sold it, it went to the first bursar of the university, Alexander Garrett. We fell in love with its history, the views, the grounds—and we loved the vineyard.”

Oh yeah, there’s a vineyard, too. Its seven acres boast Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Viognier grapes. The Zimmermans plan to expand it to include an on-site winery and tasting room, and those visions really spurred the couple’s decision to purchase the property. The idea of using it as a wedding venue didn’t come until after they’d become owners, but it seemed to be a natural fit.

“Our plan was to start a winery, but then we got a lot of inquiries about having a wedding,” Todd says.

And just like that, a new Charlottesville-area wedding destination was born. The pair converted two rooms in the circa-1842 manor house into a dressing suite for bridal parties and made a few other minor modifications, but they say the property’s picturesque qualities make it ideal just as it is.

Several private events have been hosted on the grounds but only two weddings have been held here so far (see one on page 46), with two more planned in 2016. The Zimmermans are careful not to overbook, and they provide brides carte blanche. For a $10,000 venue fee, a couple has complete use of the grounds for a full weekend.

“You can customize it as you wish, and we don’t schedule more than one event per week,” Sarah says, “which means a bride has the luxury of access from Friday through Sunday for setup and teardown without rushing. We don’t push people out to get someone else in.”

Brides need to bring in everything from chairs to caterers, but the Zimmermans are willing to accommodate some pretty special requests, like one bride’s father, who wanted access to the property a month before the wedding so he could bury a bottle of bourbon there for good luck. Another couple asked if they could prepare one of the farm’s estate-raised Pekin ducks to serve at the rehearsal dinner. That flexibility is part of what makes the Zimmermans, and Seven Oaks Farm, special.

Says Sarah, “We’re a blank slate.”

Categories
Magazines Village

Into the water: Learning to swim isn’t just for fun

Photo: Amy Jackson

Like many kids, Megan Greenwood enjoyed summers at her local pool. Unlike most, she hasn’t spent much time out of the water since.

That’s why she founded Swim S’cool, a Charlottesville-based business offering swimming lessons at Fry’s Spring Beach Club and Fairview Swim and Tennis Club. Greenwood, an NCAA All-American swimmer for UVA under coach Mark Bernardino, had student loans to pay back, which meant she spent summers as a lifeguard and taught private swim lessons to the many kids around town.

“Parents wanted someone who knew what they were doing, who likes kids and has a knowledge base,” Greenwood says. “I had such a passion for it and the parents noticed.”

After graduation, Greenwood and her husband, Bo (also an NCAA All-American swimmer), moved to Richmond. She started Swim S’cool when they moved back to the area in 2014 as a way to introduce others to the sport that’s meant so much to her.

With students as young as 6 months old and up to 12 years, the school caters to a wide range of swimming abilities. Greenwood encourages parents to introduce their children to swimming as babies, citing scientific studies that it improves muscle tone, development and neuron functions. She says waiting until a child is 3 or 4 years old to learn to swim can increase their anxiety about being in the water.

“Exposing them early teaches them how to be comfortable in and respect the water. Kids learn to be confident swimmers, and that makes parents more comfortable too.”

Some of the younger kids won’t get in the water right away, and Greenwood works with them to ease their fears. They might sit on the steps or on the side of the pool, splashing or pouring water over their arms until they feel comfortable getting all the way in. It just takes time, she says. “Many times, by day two or three, they’re going underwater. There are transformational experiences all the time!”

Life lessons

It’s important to realize that learning to swim is not just a matter of comfort: Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4. And because it’s possible to drown in just two inches of water, students also learn about water safety and awareness. “Swimming is the only sport that can save your life,” Greenwood says.

The Swim S’cool lessons depend on the student’s age. Generally, they include getting younger children comfortable in the water before focusing on actual stroke work. Smaller kids enjoy playing games with the many swim toys available, gaining confidence and strength, while older students review strokes and work on form. The school has several babies enrolled and, as a new mom herself, Greenwood expects the number to increase significantly when the school opens for the 2016 summer season. Greenwood hopes to expand Swim S’cool to become a year-round option soon with a warm-water facility to accommodate lessons during the colder months.

As much as she enjoys swimming and teaching others, Greenwood says her time in the pool contributed to her success in life. Those years doing laps every summer taught her many valuable lessons.

“I learned time management, I learned about responsibility. It’s helped me overcome failures as an adult,” she says.

Categories
Abode Magazines

Doing good: Annual Design House showcases designers, raises funds

In the dining room, designer Sheilah Michaels (right) hangs a piece of Sarah Trundle’s (left) work. Photo: Robert Radifera

What does it take to create a successful Design House? Three months, more than a dozen designers and landscape architects, myriad volunteers and vendors, and a public willing to purchase a ticket to venture inside. Oh, and a homeowner who’s willing to leave the house vacant for the duration.

The Design House is not your typical showplace. The home that’s chosen for the annual fundraiser for Charlottesville’s Shelter for Help in Emergency isn’t a palace with perfectly matched rooms sharing a cohesive feel. Instead, it’s a chance for 14 different designers to showcase their individual style within a common set of walls. The sky’s the limit for these stylists, who each start with a blank slate and finish with a room that’s a showpiece of their own making.

“They get to do things they’re not normally allowed to do,” says Sarah Ellis, the Design House coordinator. “Designers love to use colors that aren’t generally chosen. We’ve had chartreuse walls and lime-green furnishings,” she laughs. She says the designers also enjoy getting to work alongside their colleagues as each creates a room of their dreams.

The right conditions

A home selected to be the Design House must be in reasonable condition. This house is not a fixer-upper; it just gets “a freshening up,” Ellis says, where interior walls are washed (and any wallpaper removed), floors refinished and windows cleaned. The exterior gets a powerwashing and a basic landscaping cleanup.

Next, everything is removed before the designers’ trucks start rolling in, carrying everything from light fixtures to floor coverings and artwork to armchairs—all individually chosen by each designer to bring his or her own room to life.

Why would a homeowner participate with no control over the outcome? Ellis says beyond the philanthropic aspect, the owners are left with a home that’s cleaned and freshly painted. (Designers estimate that this year’s 7,000-square-foot house would cost roughly $20,000 to entirely repaint.) The owners can purchase anything they like from the finished rooms. And the designers agree to repaint each room in a neutral color in case the homeowner isn’t keen on some of the more unusual hues.

The exterior is a bit of a different story. If the home is new construction, the homeowners can pay for a permanent landscape design to be left intact after the event. Otherwise, Ellis says the landscapers use a basic event presentation, with shrubs and annuals that are temporarily planted and removed after the tours end, at which point “the trucks start rolling back in and we get everything moved out.”

For all of that effort, Shelter for Help in Emergency raises roughly $75,000 for resources to house and support victims of domestic violence with anything they need, from childcare to counseling and advocacy.

“It’s a wonderful way of spreading the word about the shelter and the work we do. We feel peace on earth begins at home,” Ellis says. “We don’t all get to live in a $1 million house, but we all deserve to live in a place of peace and safety. The people we work with don’t take that for granted.”

The particulars

In addition to exploring the rooms, guests can enjoy seminars on home design, décor and entertaining, a bistro with light snacks, a boutique where they can purchase items for their own home projects and, new this year, an art gallery featuring works from 10 local artists.

The Design House 2016 tours are held May 7-22. Tickets are $20 for a single tour and $45 for unlimited visits. For more information, visit cvilledesign house.com.—Lynn Thorne

DESIGN BY THE NUMBERS

16 The number of designers involved in redecorating the house.

$8,000 The estimated worth of one of the designer’s work hours spent on the event, plus another $3,000-4,000 in paint, window treatments and other finishing touches, according to Sarah Ellis, Design House coordinator.

28 That’s how many volunteers are needed each day to run the event. For a 16-day event, that amounts to 448 volunteer shifts.

14 The number of rooms in this year’s Design House at Keswick Estates.

Categories
Magazines Weddings

A little bit country: Bluegrass music might be the right touch for your Southern wedding

Bent Mountain Trio. Photo: Rachel May Photography

Hard to imagine that the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? influences many weddings, but it’s possible, according to Peter LaBau. The banjo player for Charlottesville’s Bent Mountain Trio thinks maybe that flick had something to do with the rising popularity of bluegrass music.

And that sound has also become a trend for local weddings.

“People getting married here want to capture the culture of Virginia: farms, barns and the rural feel,” LaBau says. “What music goes along with that? It’s not salsa, it’s not a German oompah band. It’s bluegrass.”

Janet Joyce Arzte agreed, which is why she hired Bent Mountain Trio to play for her September 19 wedding at Verulam Farm in Crozet. She says she’d always wanted bluegrass music for her big day and that it helped provide a unique feel that her guests—many of them from New York City—appreciated.

“It gave us the ability to make people feel like they’re in the country, and to see a side of Charlottesville they wouldn’t see if they were just visiting Monticello,” she says.

The sound of music

While you might expect bluegrass music to be reserved for the reception, you’d be wrong. Brides are incorporating the sound into the rehearsal dinner, the reception and everything in between. Whether it’s cocktail hour or the actual ceremony, bluegrass can be versatile enough to fit the mood.

What songs are requested? LaBau said it varies based on the bride’s choice. Bent Mountain Trio—comprising a banjo, upright bass and guitar—has played everything from very traditional wedding choices, like Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” to Appalachian melodies. (Artze walked down the aisle to Bent Mountain plucking out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”)

At the reception, LaBau says it’s interesting to hear the requests that come from the crowd.

“Older people ask for ‘Rocky Top,’ and a lot of younger people will ask for ‘Wagon Wheel.’ It’s just the sound. These instruments…it seems to work magic.” But he adds that a bluegrass band is more versatile than you might think: “They’re just instruments—you can play anything on them. We’ll do ragtime or jazz.”

Playing dress-up

And what does a bluegrass band wear to perform at a formal occasion like a wedding? Unless the happy couple makes a specific request for blue jeans and bare feet, they “dress up like anybody does,” LaBau says, laughing. But that’s the kind of question that did spark a conversation for the band when they were trying to describe what they could offer to a bride. They wanted to capture the essence of the music as well as the event, which is why Bent Mountain Trio describes their own style in a way that’s nearly as unique as a banjo at a wedding: “cocktailgrass.”