Travel

Beyond Beach Season

Discover another side of North Carolina's Brunswick Islands Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority Beach vacations often bring to mind warm summer days spent swimming and lounging along the shoreline. But along North Carolina’s southernmost coast, the arrival of fall opens the door to a different kind of coastal getaway, with fewer crowds and plenty of reasons to spend time outside. North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands encompass six beaches...

Food + Beverage

From Virginia Vineyards to the Thanksgiving Table

A winemaker's take on choosing bottles worth sharing with friends and family Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Contributing Photographers Thanksgiving dinner brings sweet, savory, tart, and rich flavors to the same plate, which may make it a challenge to choose just the ideal wine to serve with the meal. However, award-winning winemaker Corry Craighill suggests that the Commonwealth’s multitude of winemaking styles and vineyard locations makes it ideal for finding wines that have...

Life + Culture

Creativity, Connection, and Purpose

An inspiring evening raises funds for healing-centered programs. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Brian Wimer Breaking the Chains Foundation’s annual The Night Out event brought food, art, and live performance together at The Wool Factory to support conversations around mental health, body image, self-esteem, and healing. Featured chefs included Tucker Yoder, Walter Slawski, Gason Nelson, Mike Ledesma, and Sober Pierre, while 7 Chairs presented a live dance performance. The evening...

Life + Culture

A Lasting Place of Remembrance

A Charlottesville landmark offers a meaningful place for reflection this Veterans Day. Article by Jim Carpenter and Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Jim Carpenter As the Vietnam War brought loss to the Charlottesville area, locals took up the cause of honoring those who served with the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial, which still stands today. Jim Carpenter, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, Charlottesville native, and board member of the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation, shares the...

Arts + Culture

Shaped by Nature

Frank Shepard’s distinctive sculptures trace their beginnings to childhood walks with his grandfather. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Frank Shepard Frank Shepard’s work as a pine resin sculptor has roots that stretch back roughly 70 years, to childhood walks with his grandfather in search of “lightwood,” highly resinous pine traditionally used for kindling fires. “My grandfather taught me what resin is,” Shepard said. Decades later when Shepard was walking through the woods...

Food + Beverage

Creating Something Sweet

Christine Molnar's baking journey blends creativity, connection, and gratitude. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Alisa Foytik and Christine Molnar Long before Miss Day Delights became a business, baking offered owner Christine Molnar a way to create. As a child, she loved paging through her parents’ cookbooks, and one recipe in particular caught her attention. “I came across a peanut butter cookie recipe and couldn’t stop baking,” Molnar said. “I have always been very artistic...

Food + Beverage

Made for Gathering

From weeknight dinners to events and milestone celebrations, Mona Lisa Pasta makes coming together around good food easier. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Courtesy of Mona Lisa Pasta When Jim Winecoff opened Mona Lisa Pasta in 2001, his résumé had little to do with ravioli, sauces, or catering. A self-taught cook, Winecoff had spent about nine years as a cabinetmaker before seeing an opportunity to enter the food business without committing to the late nights of running a...

Life + Culture

Charting a New Course

Former chef Brice Cunningham trades the kitchen for a transatlantic challenge Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Courtesy of Brice Cunningham For years, Brice Cunningham’s demanding days were spent in restaurant kitchens, building a culinary career and becoming part of Charlottesville’s food scene at restaurants including le Fleurie, le Petit Pois, and Tempo. Now, the former chef is facing an entirely different kind of pressure as he trains in Brittany, France, to sail solo across...

Travel

Pour and Explore

Sip, savor, and explore your way through Madison County. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Contributing Photographers In Madison County, the Blue Ridge Mountains are the beautifully pervasive backdrop. They rise beyond vineyards, frame tasting-room patios, and beckon from winding country roads, making the scenery as much a part of a wine-country trip as what’s poured into the glass. You can begin a wine getaway in Madison in any part of the county, but DuCard Vineyards is an...

Food + Beverage

A Sweet Sisterhood

A childhood dream brings two sisters and a Dutch tradition together. Article by Jennifer Waldera | Photography by Courtesy of Stroopwafel Sisters Long before sisters Judith and Ada Goedbloed began selling fresh stroopwafels in Charlottesville, they imagined going into business together. Growing up in Heerlen, the Netherlands, the sisters talked about someday running a candy store, inspired by two somewhat mysterious sisters who owned one in their hometown. Decades later, that childhood idea...