by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 29, 2018 | Do, October 2018
Charlottesville is a city with a rich past and a dynamic present.
From its involvement in the Revolutionary and Civil wars, to Jim Crow Law hardships, to the “Unite the Right” white supremacist rally in August of last year, Charlottesville is a hotspot for events that, for better or worse, have long held a mirror up to the nation’s political and social conflicts. But, for visitors and residents, what’s good about the area decidedly outweighs the bad.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville is surrounded by rolling hills brimming with vineyards and wineries, orchards and hiking trails including the nearby Shenandoah National Park. It’s a dream destination for foodies, history buffs and nature lovers.
Rural attractions complement a vibrant urban center. Restaurants, bars, shops and cultural activities flourish within the Downtown Mall, a brick-lined pedestrian area in historic downtown Charlottesville. The mall hosts eclectic music and arts events throughout the year, making it a perpetually popular hangout spot.
Charlottesville’s diverse cultural scene is the product of a storied history, one you can learn about at any of its many museums, on walking tours and at historic sites. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, a founding father, author of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s third president.
Old world meets new in Charlottesville’s top-notch public college, the University of Virginia, founded in 1819 by Jefferson himself. The university proffers its own air of youthful spirit, as well as graduates who make a difference in many fields.
Get to know the history of a charming, picturesque city with prominence in political and cultural spheres while sampling some of the state’s best food and wine. You’ll find that Charlottesville’s brimming with adventure.
EAT
Commonwealth Restaurant and Skybar
With a menu comprised of local, seasonal ingredients in dishes curated by a team of talented chefs, Commonwealth offers a modern space for customers to enjoy lunch, dinner and brunch. Dine at the Library Bar, in the dining room, or on the rooftop Skybar, with views of the Downtown Mall. Top dishes include Cider Braised Littleneck Clams, Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio, Pimento Cheese Pork Rinds, and Chicken and Waffles served with Sausage Gravy and Fried Potatoes. commonwealthskybar.com
Sultan Kebab
For authentic Turkish cuisine, Sultan Kebab’s menu takes inspiration from the historic kitchens of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Traditional fare includes Grilled Halloumi Cheese, grilled and served with seasonal greens; the Adana Kebab Sandwich, filled with skewered, grilled, Turkish-spiced ground beef on Lavash bread with lettuce, tomato and onion, and Kuzu Pirzola, which consists of grilled lamb chops over a bulgur wheat pilaf. Don’t forget to pair your meal with a Turkish wine. sultankebabcville.com
Splendora’s Gelato
For dessert, stop into Splendora’s Gelato, a popular cafe on the Downtown Mall that offers
artisanal Italian gelato and espresso drinks and other dessert specialties. Splendora’s Gelato combines milk and cream from a Virginia dairy with ingredients such as ground nuts, cocoa powder, pure vanilla and fresh fruit purees, omitting any artificial flavors or food colorings. Rotating popular flavors include Milk and Cherry, Dulce de Leche, Cookies & Cream and Stracciatella, a traditional Italian flavor made made of a milk-based gelato and chocolate shavings. splendoras.com
DRINK
Barboursville Vineyards
Located a half hour outside of Charlottesville, the Barboursville Vineyards and estate date back to the 18th century. Owned by the Zonin family from Veneto, Italy, the vineyards feature Old World wines as well as historic ruins on picturesque grounds. Wine connoisseurs celebrate the vineyard’s renowned blends, including the flagship Octagon Red Bordeaux and the Paxxito, reflecting centuries of the Virginia Piedmont’s climate. bbvwine.com
Castle Hill Cider
Castle Hill Cider is home to award-winning ciders crafted from apple trees on 600 acres in the Charlottesville countryside. The cidery combines new and old techniques, including pressing apples on an American-made press, to produce a variety of seasonal offerings, including Terrestrial 2016, a crisp blend of Winesap and Albemarle Pippin apples, and the Library Selection Celestial, which combines Pippin, Winesap, Grimes Golden, Ashmead’s Kernel and English Bittersweet apples for a spicy, citrusy cider. castlehillcider.com
Lost Saint
Lost Saint is a basement speakeasy known for its creative, humorously named cocktails. The intimate bar is renowned for special drinks created for holidays and events and it maintains an ever-changing drinks menu. Try the Filibutter Old Fashioned, concocted with peanut butter and raspberry-infused bourbon; The Underwood Solution, a smoked whiskey cocktail reminiscent of a Manhattan, and The Undaunted, a combination of Ketel One vodka, Plymouth gin, Bacardi Ocho, demerara syrup, lemon juice and Averna soda. lostsaintbar.com
DO
Carter Mountain Orchard
October is peak apple-picking season, and Carter Mountain Orchard is a favorite destination. You’re free to pick your own apples from the seemingly endless acres of fruit trees, amid awe-inspiring views. The Bold Rock Cellar onsite offers hard cider, crafted using Carter Mountain apples, to sample and purchase. chilesfamilyorchards.com/orchards/carter-mountain-orchard
Monticello
Thomas Jefferson’s estate gives a glimpse into the former president’s home life, with tours of the house and its surrounding gardens available several times a day. Visitors can learn about the nation’s history of slavery on a tour focused on the experiences of the enslaved people who lived and worked on Monticello’s plantation home. monticello.org
Skyline Drive
The 150-mile Skyline Drive, a National Scenic Byway, traverses Shenandoah National Park, with astounding views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains—especially during fall, when the leaves change from golden yellows to burnt oranges and vibrant reds. Take in the Virginia mountains’ beauty at 75 scenic overlooks located along the route. visitskylinedrive.org
STAY
Oakhurst Inn
A boutique hotel in the heart of historic Charlottesville, the Oakhurst is quaint and elegant, with 27 modern guest rooms, five furnished apartments and a gourmet cafe only steps from where the town and university meet. The inn provides a complimentary trolley ride to transport guests to the historic Downtown Mall. oakhurstinn.com
Boar’s Head Resort
Southern elegance and modern luxury combine in this award-winning retreat, with 175 rooms and suites, a restaurant, luxury spa, swimming pool, golf course, trail system, and sports club. The resort sits atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, with gorgeous views to wake up to. boarsheadresort.com
The Inn at 400 West High
This cozy bed and breakfast, just a short walk from downtown Charlottesville, offers unique, individually-decorated rooms with welcoming, whimsical bedspreads and plush pillows. The inn provides a freshly prepared breakfast daily, served with a local Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters blend. 400westhigh.com
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 22, 2018 | Eat, October 2018
What do clean eating, the environment and the local community all have in common? The answer lies in Raleigh’s newest vegan protein bar, founded by husband-and-wife team Shane and Holly MacKinnon.
Small Seed Bar began as a passion project for partners who were looking for a clean, gluten-free, low-sugar protein bar, a craving that arose from Shane’s passion for health and Holly’s regard for animals.
“The more educated we became on both of those sides, the more we wanted to really dedicate ourselves to the vegan diet and become a part of the movement,” Holly says. “Not just to do it ourselves, but to somehow be involved in it.”
Unable to find exactly what they wanted, Holly started making bars herself in the couple’s home kitchen, experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. Her first success, and still her favorite bar, was the Cacao Brownie, made with almond butter, organic maple syrup, gluten-free rolled oats, cacao powder, yellow pea protein, brown rice protein, flaxseed meal, chia seeds and hemp seeds.
At first, the MacKinnons sold the bars at farmers markets in San Diego, their former home, until Holly scored their first wholesale account last September. The couple then decided to quit their day jobs and go full throttle with their Small Seed Bar business, only to find out that they were expecting a baby. After falling in love with Raleigh, its sense of community and ambitious, entrepreneurial spirit, Holly and Shane decided to move to the area in May to raise their baby, Opal, and grow the business.
“The more we’re in the company, the more we realize we want to make an impact, we want people to realize what ‘healthy’ is,” Shane says. “My biggest goal, personally, is to supply people with food that actually supports their immune systems and can sustain them while also sustaining our environment and reducing our ecological footprint.”
The couple has been able to do just that for Raleigh’s growing, health-conscious customer base. Each protein bar variety is handcrafted in small batches at Small Seed Bar’s kitchen on South Wilmington Street, with real, wholesome ingredients, including oats, nuts, seeds and spices, in delicious flavors such as Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter.
The bars are created with a nut base—except for Sunflower Cinnamon, which is made out of sunflower seed butter—and use four different types of protein: Sacha Inchi protein, pea protein, sprouted brown rice and hemp protein, all complete proteins that contain the nine essential amino acids needed in the human diet, making the bars an apt meal replacement. Additionally, all the bars contain around 300 calories, with 13 to 15 grams of protein and more than six grams of fiber, as well as plenty of micronutrients from their plant sources.
The MacKinnons are involved in every part of the process, from mixing the ingredients in their six-quart Kitchen Aid to hand sealing the bars in packages adorned with the Small Seed Bar logo that Holly designed.
“Traditional protein bars are never touched by loving hands,” Shane says. “Love, that’s our biggest ingredient.”
Small Seed Bars are loved by the community as well, garnering positive feedback from both vegan and non-vegan Raleighites who make the MacKinnons all the more excited about their product.
“Holly invented something that everyone seems to love,” Shane says. “It’s a great privilege that we have the opportunity to take it and provide it to as many people as possible.” smallseedbar.com
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 15, 2018 | Eat, October 2018
“One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor…” Despite our best intentions, a casual outing at a bar or brewery can occasionally turn into a booze-soaked evening that we barely remember the next day. It happens to the best of us, even if we think we’re being good by sticking to beer—some brews can have an ABV of 10 to 15 percent, making it hard to drink even one without feeling the effects.
Luckily, there’s an alternative that will keep you on your feet and thinking clearly. It’s called a session. Sessions come in the form of beers and sours under 5 percent ABV, and liquors under 20 percent ABV, making it easier to relish several drinks without getting too tipsy.
“The idea is that you can have multiple drinks in your duration of hanging out or visiting a brewery or bar, and not have the effects of higher alcohol,” says Chris Powers, the co-owner of Raleigh’s Trophy Brewing Co.
The term “session” refers to drinking a large quantity of beer over a long period of time without becoming too heavily intoxicated, a pastime common to Ireland and Britain. While the average ABV of a beer is 5.9 percent, 5 percent ABV is considered optimal, with high drinkability.
Session alcohol has grown in popularity over the last five years, with imbibers becoming more conscientious about what they’re drinking, and craft cocktail bars and breweries all over the country regularly introducing new alcohol concepts.
But while sessions are certainly lower in alcohol, they remain high in flavor. Many session cocktails are made with low-proof liqueurs, such as amari and vermouth, which contribute a distinct taste.
At Trophy, brewers retract grains and malts and increase hop percentages to create its distinguished session IPA, Trophy Wife, which is only 4.9 percent ABV. Brewers also replace alcohol flavors with fruit flavors in beers, including Berliner Weisses, sours and goses, to achieve a more tart flavor profile with bright, refreshing citrus notes in place of an alcohol taste, Powers explains.
In Raleigh, it’s especially convenient to enjoy sessions with the vast array of bars and breweries we have available to us, making it easy to hop from one location to another to try a variety of different drinks.
The newest spot to capitalize on the session trend is Social 113, a craft cocktail bar and lounge opening soon in the Warehouse District. The bar, a new venture from The District Raleigh’s Christopher Michael and Jermaine Landon, will feature session cocktails, wine and local beers and will serve as a relaxing meet-up spot for casual drinks after work or before a night out.
So the next time you go out to a bar or brewery, do yourself a favor and indulge in a low-alcohol session. You’ll be able to drink more, or taste different drinks, and you’ll definitely have a better morning after.
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 8, 2018 | October 2018, Retreat, Stuff
Photo by Stacey van Berkel
“Lighting sets the tone of a room,” says Louise Gaskill, owner of the Louise Gaskill Company, who has been designing lighting pieces for nearly 20 years. Gaskill’s designs, which include beautiful chandeliers, lamps and sconces, integrate fine mid-century Italian glass with hand-gilded gold and silver finishes, in order to create an exquisite source of luminous vibrancy in any room. The intricate lighting fixtures embody both vintage and modern aesthetics, making for enticing decorations that also serve a very practical use in your home. Gaskill’s works, all handmade in her Raleigh studio, have been featured in a number of celebrated publications, including Traditional Home Magazine, Chicago Lux Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine, and more. You can purchase Gaskill’s unique designs with custom colors and styles based on your individual lighting needs by contacting her directly. louisegaskill.com
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 8, 2018 | October 2018, Polish, Stuff
Gray hair is a visible sign of aging. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and aging definitely beats the alternative—but why does our hair go gray, and is there really any way to slow the graying down?
Human hair naturally grows white but is colored by a pigment called melanin, produced by cells called melanocytes. These are positioned in our hair follicles and, as each strand of hair grows, it is infused with melanin. As we age, melanocyte production slows down and slowly disappears, reducing the amount of pigment produced. This leaves us with gray hair.
You may embrace gray hair regardless of the season, or you may just want to make it go away, or never see gray hair grow in the first place. Storied hair care brand Phyto just released a product, RE 30, that it’s been researching and testing for six years. The active ingredient, Peptide RE 30, is said to stimulate melano-genesis, bringing back color to your hair without using any coloring agents.
“It’s for anyone, male or female, that wants to prevent or correct gray hair without coloring their hair,” explains Chuck Hill, owner of Oak City Salon. “I’ve been trying it on myself for the last couple of months and I can see a difference.”
Why some people go gray at a relatively young age is mostly due to genetics.
A new study from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Alabama in Birmingham found a link between a compromised immune system and premature graying, which could explain why some people experience graying after a serious illness or prolonged chronic stress.
Madeleine Preston, a longtime trichologist and hair and scalp consultant from the UK, recommends eating a balanced diet and taking a multivitamin daily to keep hair healthy.
“Take one that contains Omega-3s, which prevent the hair from being dry and lifeless as they have a moisturizing effect which can also reduce itching and flaking dandruff,” Preston says. “The supplement also contains copper, which is known to prevent the onset of graying hair by boosting the production of melanin, the pigment that gives hair color.”
