Tag: Thanksgiving

Categories
Culture Living

Small Bites: The plantain truth, turkey takeouts, and more from the market

Photo by John Robinson

South by north

Guajiros Miami Eatery is on the move from its Woodbrook location to 817 W. Main St., the former home of Parallel 38. Look forward to authentic Cuban and Latin American dishes such as pressed sandwiches, Venezuelan empanadas, and lots of plantains, plus a hearty breakfast menu that’s served all day. Order ahead at guajiros.net or call 465-2108.

Butchering with Boo

If your dream date includes butchery, cookery, and a distinct lack of tomfoolery, hold on to your hats (and knives). JM Stock Provisions on West Main recently announced the return of its pig butchering classes, where you’ll learn to break down a whole pig, and put it all on the table. Tickets, sold in pairs, cost $200 per couple. Next class is December 2.

Zoomsgiving

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, it looks like we’re going to have to get together apart for Thanksgiving this year. So who’s gonna make the gravy? Lucky for us, several area restaurants are offering prepared, take ‘n’ bake meals. Boar’s Head Inn is cooking up Thanksgiving dinners for $25 each; The Ivy Inn’s takeout turkey meal for two goes for $100; and Feast! gives you “everything but the bird” for around $75, with vegetarian alternatives available. The Catering Outfit fills its Thanksgiving food box with a heritage black turkey plus traditional favorites, feeding four for $225. The Blue Ridge Café is serving up four-courses to go, as well as in-house dinner reservations from noon-4pm on Thanksgiving Day. And Moe’s BBQ will smoke a turkey and spiral you a ham, along with other catering options, at its two locations.

Dairy buzz

Dairy Market announced several new tenants: Bee Conscious Baking Company’s Alexis and Patrick Strasser purchased their 24-acre Goochland farm in 2019, and say their first storefront will focus on sustainability and conscious eating. From The Wine Guild of Charlottesville comes Springhouse Sundries, a hub for wine, beer, and food pairings. And Little Manila food truck chef Fernando Dizon will dish up homemade Filipino specialties at Manila Street, where you can dig into spring rolls, pork belly, and pancit noodles—recipes that have been passed down through generations to find us here in Charlottesville. Dairy Market is slated to open before year’s end, with hours from 8am-9pm on weekdays, and 8am-10pm on weekends.

Categories
Living

Thank you very much: Celebrate Thanksgiving—and then some—with 12 days of food, fun, and philanthropy

Michael's Bistro owner Bo Stockton (left) tends to business in the kitchen with chef Matt Lechmanski. Photo: Amy and Jackson Smith

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. It means a four-day break from work for many of us, and gluttonous consumption of food is encouraged. And then there’s the Macy’s parade, which we should all be thankful to watch on TV, because it’s a kick to see the hosts (Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker) try to come up with clever commentary about high school marching bands, cartoon-character balloons, and spectacles like Ronald McDonald (he’s not creepy at all, right?) in the Big Red Shoe Car, which, if it were a real shoe, would be a men’s size 266.

Anyway, be glad you’re here instead of New York, not just because you’re avoiding the crowds but also because Turkey Day in and around Charlottesville offers so much to do, eat, drink, and see—none of which involves Savannah Guthrie, alas. In fact, we think the four-day weekend isn’t sufficient to partake of the local Thanksgiving goodness, so we’re starting today and won’t stop until December 1, at which time we’ll take a deep breath and brace for the arrival of the Solstice (December 21), Christmas, Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1), and Hanukkah (December 22-30).

Wednesday, November 20

Sign up today for the popular Boar’s Head Turkey Trot, a 5K run/walk benefiting the UVA Children’s Hospital. Registration is limited to 1,400 participants, and fewer than 100 spots remained 10 days before Thanksgiving. $60 (kids 5-12 $40), 9am. Thursday, November 28, 200 Ednam Dr., bit.ly/run-turkey-run

Thursday, November 21

Market Street Wine and Oakhart Social team up to showcase holiday wines in the restaurant’s private dining room. Snacks from Oakhart’s kitchen will be served, and wines will be available to order at 20 percent off. $50, 7-9pm, reservations required. 995-5449, bit.ly/oakhart-wine

Drop by the Spice Diva to get your kitchen knives sharpened and ready to prepare the holiday goodness! $7 per blade, 10am-1pm (store closes at 6pm). Main Street Market, 218-3482, thespicediva.com

Friday, November 22

Un dîner pour deux? Gordonsville’s cozy French fine-dining spot, Restaurant Rochambeau, celebrates the release of this year’s Beaujolais nouveau with a $75 prix fixe meal. 5:30-9pm. (540) 832-0130, reservations highly recommended, bit.ly/beaujolais-va

Saturday, November 23

Don’t cut class—go to this one to sharpen your knife skills. Chef Antwon Brinson’s Culinary Concepts AB teaches you how to slice, dice, and julienne without losing a finger. $55.25 (sign up by Nov. 21), 4-6pm. 2041 Barracks Rd., 218-2637, bit.ly/cut-veggies

Sunday, November 24

Grab a movie and a meal at Violet Crown. How about Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers in It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, followed by some Japanese-influenced food at Kama? You don’t even have to leave the building! Evening screenings at 5:10 and 7:50pm; Kama 5-10pm. 200 W. Main St., Downtown Mall, Kama 529-3015, Violet Crown 529-3000.

Monday, November 25

The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative’s Give & Take event turns “the gallery space into a swap shop meets free store meets surplus redistribution meets ‘curb alert.’” Drop off a gift, and if you see something you’d like for yourself or someone else, pick it up. Free, 5-7pm through November 27. 209 Monticello Rd., 218-2060, bit.ly/bridge-swap

Tuesday, November 26

Call in sick from work. Read a book. Stay in your pajamas. Binge-watch “The Crown” on Netflix.

Wednesday, November 27

Get in the true spirit of Thanksgiving by learning about the indigenous people whose land you now occupy. The interactive Native People map will enlighten and humble you. native-land.ca

Thursday, November 28

​The 91st annual Blessing of the Hounds at Grace Episcopal Church provides a glimpse into another world right in your backyard. Mounted riders in blazing red coats stand by while the dogs are blessed, and then the hunt commences. Arrive early to beat the mob and enjoy doughnuts and coffee in the parish hall. Free, 10am. 5607 Gordonsville Rd., Keswick, 293-3549, bit.ly/grace-hounds

Let someone else do the cooking and cleaning up: Many restaurants that offer special Thanksgiving meals are booked weeks in advance (The Ivy Inn, 1799 at The Clifton, The Mill Room, Prospect Hill Plantation…), but at press time, these spots still had some room.

Blue Ridge Café & Catering, $12 kids 5-12, $24-37 adults and 65+ seniors, seatings at 11am and 1:30pm. 8315 Seminole Tr., Ruckersville, 985-3633, bit.ly/gobble-blue

Al Carbon, regular menu served 9am-6pm; $75 pre-order 10-12 pound roasted turkey (takeout only; call to reserve). 1875 Seminole Tr. 964-1052, alcarbonchicken.com

Restoration Restaurant, turkey and all the sides, plus pecan pie! $30, $15 kids 6-12, free for tykes 5 and under, noon-5pm. 5494 Golf Dr., Crozet, 823-8100, bit.ly/crozet-turkey

Michael’s Bistro owner Bo Stockton is offering a turkey-and-all-the-fixins feast at no charge. “I want to give back to the community,” he says. “Anyone who needs a solid meal and people to share it with is welcome.” Free, 1-3pm. 1427 University Ave., 977-3696, michaelsbistro.com

Friday, November 29

Get ready for Christmas by cutting your own tree at 12 Ridges Vineyard, in Vesuvius. Formerly Skylark Christmas Tree Farm, the new winery has 5,000 Fraser firs growing on the scenic mountain site. 10am-4pm, $40-80 for trees (wine and small plates priced accordingly). 996-4252, 12ridges.com

Saturday, November 30

Step back in time at the community tree lighting in Scottsville, with hot cocoa, caroling, and a visit by Santa (go ahead, pull on the beard). Free, 5:45-6:45pm. Canal Street Basin, 286-9267, bit.ly/scottsville-tree

Sunday, December 1

Free food distribution by anti-violence activist group Food Not Bombs takes place today and every Sunday in Fifeville’s Tonsler Park. Volunteers collect and store donations from area bakeries, supermarkets, and other sources to give to those in need. Drop by, pitch in, and learn more. 1pm. 500 Cherry Ave., bit.ly/food-not-bombs

Categories
News

In brief: Robo designated driver, Thanksgiving casualties, Bigfoot erotica and more

Tony will soon be cruising the streets of Crozet. Courtesy Albemarle County

Tony the self-driving shuttle

Perrone Robotics cranked up the driverless vehicle heat last week with the awkwardly acronymed Tony—TO Navigate You—which will soon be autonomously tooling around Crozet.

In a partnership with Albemarle County and JAUNT—Jefferson Area UNited Transportation, another awkward acronym—Perrone will test drive the shuttle near its facility in Crozet before it begins an official route in March, and JAUNT will lend its transit expertise.

Albemarle is ponying up $238,000 for the vehicle, Perrone $271,000 and JAUNT $108,000 for insurance and a trained operator, who will be onboard as an “ambassador,” but be prepared to step in if the six-seater needs a real driver.

The fixed route in Crozet has not yet been determined. May we suggest a pub crawl route from Starr Hill Brewery to Crozet Pizza to Pro Re Nata?

Quote of the week

“Quite honestly, if people don’t want a successful governor and a good representative of his constituents to come to speak at the University of Virginia, I don’t give a damn.”—Robert Andrews, chair of UVA’s College Republicans, on hosting George Allen, whose past racial insensitivity—including the infamous 2006 “macaca” moment—drew concern from minority student leadership, the Cav Daily reports

In brief

Councilors want raise

Mayor Nikuyah Walker wants to ask the General Assembly to allow City Council to change its charter and determine its own salaries. Currently councilors make $18,000, and the mayor gets $20,000, which limits who can afford to serve. Council will hold a public hearing at its December 3 meeting.

Toscano not Pelosi-ing

Delegate David Toscano, the Virginia House minority leader, says he’ll resign the leadership position after the 2019 session because it takes too much time. Toscano, 68, has led the Dems since 2011, and says he’ll still seek reelection to the 57th District.

Uninviting Johnny Reb

After a petition to remove another local Confederate monument from Court Square—one that this time falls on county property and is dubbed Johnny Reb—the Albemarle Board of Supervisors has asked for legislation that would allow it to move the statue.

Uninviting Mike Signer

Members of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission want City Councilor Mike Signer off its board after they say he missed their past four meetings. In an email to the Daily Progress, Signer said his 4-year-old twins and other family members have kept him busy, and that councilors frequently miss their engagements. Wrote Signer, “Mayor Walker, for instance, has missed several council meetings this year.”

More Bigfoot jokes

“Saturday Night Live” actor Mikey Day threw on a taupe jacket and colored his hair gray November 17 as he took on the persona of 5th District Representative Denver Riggleman, who’s gotten plenty of national attention for being an alleged “devotee to Bigfoot erotica.” Said Day as Riggleman, “As I’ve said 500 times before, that picture was a joke between buds, and I’m not into that stuff.”

Caregiver con

Former caretaker Tia Daniels will serve three years in jail for stealing over $12,000 worth of heirloom jewelry and money from 98-year-old Albemarle woman Evelyn Goodman. Daniels also duped the elderly woman’s daughter into giving her money for a Habitat for Humanity house by creating fake correspondence with the charity, according to Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Tracci.

Deadly Thanksgiving

The Charlottesville Fire Department is hoping to keep holiday cooks across the city from burning their houses down while preparing their turkey and pumpkin pies.

“Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires,” when nearly four times as many occur than on any other day, according to a press release sent by Battalion Chief Joe Phillips.

Fire crews across the nation respond to an estimated 172,100 cooking-related fires per year, for an average of 471 per day. These easily avoided incinerations have caused an average number of 530 deaths, 5,270 injuries, and $1 billion in property damage each year, according to Phillips.

City firefighters encouraging holiday cooks to keep flammable items like oven mitts and towels away from the stovetop, wear short sleeves or roll up their sleeves while in the kitchen, always have a properly fitting lid nearby to smother flames coming from a pot or pan, and, in the case of an oven fire, turn the heat off and keep the oven door closed so flames don’t spread.

And deep-fried turkeys can be deadly as well. The National Fire Protection Safety Association discourages the use of the hot-oil devices, which it says kills five people, injures 60, and destroys 900 homes a year.