Category: 2024 Best of C-VILLE Staff Picks

Running is free—running alone, that is. Finding a community of runners takes a little more effort. So, Lauren Lieske, coach and personal trainer at CrossFit Charlottesville, has been getting people to move together with a free track running series. 

Hosted each Sunday on Charlottesville High School’s athletics field, the weekly event is open to the public no matter your skill level or experience. There’s no mileage prerequisite, says Lieske, and the workouts are broken into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

“As a coach, I’ve found that a lot of people can be intimidated by running, and although they might be interested in starting, they aren’t quite sure how,” she says. “Fitness shouldn’t have barriers.”

While the track series began at CrossFit Charlottesville, Lieske was determined to bring it to members and non-members alike. The trainer says she’s had up to 22 people attend any given weekend, and most folks find out about it through word of mouth. Aerobic training complements strength training, she says, and keeps your heart healthy and builds endurance.

“I enjoy watching people push themselves and do things they might not have thought they were able to do. Running alone versus running with others is a very different experience,” says Lieske. “At the end of the day, we’re just a group of people getting together to move and feel good and I want everyone to actually feel good.”

With a wedding industry like Charlottesville’s (read: booming), it seemed smart and even necessary to officiant Claire Frances to create a network of professionals. In 2010, she launched the Community of Charlottesville Wedding and Event Professionals. 

“Over the years, CCWEP has played an integral role in bringing a community of small business owners together who service weddings and events in the central Virginia area,” says current owner Lisa Watson. “I saw how helpful it was to bring new and established businesses together to share ideas, and support one another, when I first joined in 2014.” Watson relaunched the CCWEP in the fall of 2023 after the pandemic forced it into hiatus in 2020. 

The reboot continues the mission of the original members—to connect with and meet each other, share ideas, promote their businesses, learn from industry-leading speakers, and, says Watson, “overall make the Charlottesville wedding community stronger.”

The CCWEP has more than 200 members (and counting), from all corners of the local industry: photographers, caterers, officiants, DJs, and more. Watson says the organization benefits to-be-married couples by having world-class vendors to choose from, at all price points.

“The organization and local wedding industry is growing every day,” she says. “Promoting a strong and healthy Charlottesville wedding and event community is the core value of CCWEP.”

Ten days after Charlottesville native Connor Shellenberger broke the UVA men’s lacrosse team’s all-time assists record, he put a cherry on top of his storied college career by breaking the Cav’s all-time points record.

“It’s unbelievable,” Shellenberger said of the feat in an interview following the March match against the University of Albany. “Just to be part of the tradition and play here at Klockner, and be a part of some of the great rivalries…” 

In addition to a record-breaking career at UVA, Shellenberger, who was selected number two overall by the New York Atlas in May’s Premier Lacrosse League draft, led the Hoos to a 2021 national championship (and was named the tournament’s MVP) and is a three-time first-team All-American. But Coach Lars Tiffany says being one of UVA’s best-ever lacrosse players is only part of what’s made Shellenberger’s time as a Hoo extraordinary. He is “the most unselfish player I know. He wants to be known as a great teammate … We almost have to tell him to shoot the ball, to be more aggressive!” 

Which is what Shellenberger did on the first day of spring at Klockner Stadium, where the hometown hero broke the university’s all-time scoring record in front of a hometown crowd.

Your wedding is a time to present your best self—which may mean a custom suit. Luckily, Charlottesville has plenty of options. There are national retailers Brooks Brothers, Jos. A. Bank, and Men’s Wearhouse. Or you can go the shop local route.

Eljo’s was opened in 1950 on the UVA Corner by two Wahoo brothers (Elliott and Joseph Hyman, hence the name). Trent Thurston, who now co-owns the shop with his father, Myles, recommends beginning the suit-buying process at least five weeks before the big day. Eljo’s prides itself on more traditional menswear, and prices range from $1,300 on up, depending on size and fabric (the shop has more than 1,500 swatches on hand).   

Alton Lane has a strikingly similar origin—started in 2009 by two UVA/Darden grads. The store’s manufacturing process means it can promise a suit within two weeks, but you’ll still need time for fittings (store stylist Ali Taleb says most grooms start the process at least three months out). Prices range from $399 (for a “50/50 fabric”) to as high as $4,000 (seasonal or high-end fabrics). Alton Lane also offers wedding packages for outfitting the wedding party—groomsmen, bridesmaids, even the bride.

The Mens & Boys Shop is a 104-year-old Charlottesville institution. Co-owner Kyle Davis says a custom client should start the process at least two months before the wedding. Prices start at $895, again depending on size, fabric, and styling. Davis notes that grooms will often bring their partner along. It makes for a shared experience, he says, “and it’s always nice to have someone help with making decisions.”

After almost four years of renovations, the University of Virginia’s main library reopened its doors to the public at the beginning of the year. But the massive windows and study courts aren’t the only changes—the building also has a new name.

Originally opened in 1938, the newly dubbed Edgar Shannon Library has been a staple on Grounds for more than 75 years. When students went home for spring break in March of 2020, however, UVA closed the library for renovations.

“I don’t think we knew what we were in for in closing those doors and what would have to happen,” says Elyse Girard, executive director of communications and user experience for the library. “We went from basic concerns about how to keep the service and space level the same, even with our main library closed, from then shifting to how to do that now during a pandemic.”

Despite the logistical challenges, the Edgar Shannon Library now touts cool new features, several restored historic spaces, and some desperately needed safety and structural updates.

Girard’s office was infested with bats when renovations began. Now, in addition to the building being bat-free, there’s the newfound brightness.

“I love seeing students sit in the windows and have their little cozy spots,” says Girard. “It’s just a better, [more] welcoming building to be in.”

St. Anne’s-Belfield School made a splashy hire for its football program this spring, tapping one-time UVA and Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller to replace former head coach Joe Sandoe.

Miller, whose career as a Cavalier earned him a first-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2005, was named to the NFL team’s Hall of Honor in 2022. His 11 years with the Steelers included two Pro Bowl selections, two Super Bowl championships, the most regular season games played by a tight end in team history (168), 592 receptions, 6,569 receiving yards, and 45 touchdowns.

“Heath comes from a tremendous football background, and when Joe decided to leave us, we knew we were not going to do a national search for a coach,” STAB Athletic Director Seth Kushkin says. “We wanted to hire someone that has been a part of our community.” 

Miller has four children enrolled at STAB, including a rising high-school freshman who intends to play football in the fall. Miller’s coaching experience is limited to working with his oldest son at various levels as he’s grown, so when Kushkin and his team reached out to the former UVA star, the initial conversation was far-reaching. How could Miller best support the Saints football team? 

Eventually, all parties settled on a head coaching role—with considerable support from a staff of experienced high-school-level coaches. Topping the list is Associate Head Coach Patrick Blake, son of the Saints’ head football coach immediately prior to Sandoe. John Blake coached the team for a quarter decade, going 175-75 from 1997 to 2022, winning six state titles, and sending three players to the NFL. Also on staff are Joe Hall, a former All-ACC defensive lineman for UVA, Kevin Badke, Joe Reed, Chris Peace, and Jared Passmore.

“Heath has built a tremendous staff around him, and that is really what we are excited about,” Kushkin says, adding via email that Miller “does not want the story to be about him.”

Will Miller’s success as a player translate to success as a head coach? Kushkin says the first step is to define success. Sure, it would be nice for the Saints to reascend to the highest level of Division 2 Virginia football and win more state titles. At the end of Blake’s tenure, the team suffered through some lean years. COVID essentially canceled the team’s 2020-2021 season, and Blake’s final season saw the team at 2-7. In Sandoe’s first year, the Saints won only one game, but a resurgent 6-3 record followed before Sandoe was attracted back to his home in Atlanta for another coaching job.

The other way to define success, according to Kushkin, is by the experiences of STAB’s student-athletes.

“Heath wants to provide the opportunity for young men who play football to learn all of the pieces: the hard work, the leadership, the growth opportunities that come from competing in this game,” Kushkin says. “He loves being a dad and being a part of this community, and he wants to impact and help young men through football in the same way that he was.”

It took Asheville-based artist Scott Allred two weeks to return the Coca-Cola ghost mural on the side of 122 E. Main St. to its former glory, a feat that began by sealing off key portions of the 100-year-old artwork and then painting on top of it. The project was funded in part by America’s largest Coca-Cola bottling company, Coca-Cola Consolidated, as a “nod to Charlottesville and Coca-Cola’s past but also … a shared vision for a vibrant downtown for our customers and consumers,” says Wayne Tyree, Coke Consolidated’s Community Relations Manager for the Charlottesville area.

If knowledge really is power, then Community Climate Collaborative is giving area youth the keys to the kingdom. In partnership with the Virginia Discovery Museum, the nonprofit has distributed more than 3,000 Climate Action Kits to fourth and fifth graders in Charlottesville and Albemarle, helping them learn about solar and wind power. The kits include a classroom energy scavenger hunt, an art project, a DIY garden, a solar-powered night light, a water-leak detection activity—and maybe even the power to change the world.

If you love both books and lap robes, you have likely found The Espresso Edition online. Stephanie Whitman had been blogging full-time before she moved to Charlottesville in 2021, but now her day job is social media manager, and blogging about books at theespressoedition.com is her side gig. 

Ten years ago, when Whitman was diagnosed with gastroparesis (a chronic digestive condition that keeps her bedridden a significant amount of the time), blogging was a sensible career choice. “I started in fashion, added lifestyle along the way, and then in 2021, I completely rebranded because, as a lifelong reader, talking about books feels like coming home. ‘Cozy’ is the vibe for my brand.” 

What makes for a cozy book? “Very low stakes,” she says. “I want to go into the book knowing that it won’t be filled with crazy amounts of action, emotional trauma, or anything too overwhelming. More often than not, these kinds of books take place in small towns, with a smaller cast of characters who are all familiar with one another, and frequently there are warm beverages and sweet treats involved.” Cozy covers all genres; two of Whitman’s favorites are romance (“the fluffy kind”) and science fiction/fantasy, from a childhood love of The Chronicles of Narnia. “My ideal cozy set-up is a big armchair with a soft blanket, jazz music playing in the background, a warm and spicy candle, a hot cup of coffee or tea in my hand, and a good book on a rainy afternoon.” Sounds perfect!

Managing big feelings is a tough job when you’re a little kid. Managing them while also going to school, learning, and socializing? Even tougher. Mountain View Elementary School counselor Charlotte Geddy gets it, which is why earlier this year she started what she calls “Coping Skills Café,” where she invites students to learn different ways to express their emotions when those emotions feel unmanageable. Taking deep breaths, moving their bodies, and talking it through with a friend are just a few of the skills she demonstrates. We just have one question: Can Geddy host an adult version, too?