Cville - Hipper Than You

Thanks to all the folks who let me know that there is so much more going on in C'ville in April than in my previous post. Keep 'em coming! Most of the e-mails I received were regarding the Dogwood Festival. The events surrounding this are the way C'ville welcomes in Spring (unofficially) and are not to be missed. A full calendar of events can be found here :
http://www.charlottesvilledogwoodfestival.org/Festival_Event.html
but some highlights are the carnival at McIntire Park which starts April 9th, the fireworks there on April 14th, and the Dogwood Parade on April 25th (pre-Foxfield at 10:50am).
Also, if Foxfield is not your style on the 25th, there is the 4th Annual Boar's Head Motorcycle Ride to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. All day event- here's the info: http://www.boarsheadinn.com/activities/events/
I appreciate the heads up on any events you would like for me to post. Remember, I reserve the right not to post it. (More than likely, I will, but I have to put that clause in for the 'Walk to Ban Bloggers' type people.)

-A

Finally, it is beginning to feel and look like Spring in C'ville. It was warm enough to run outside yesterday. The robins are fat and happy. I am wearing my smaller jacket out in the mornings. And outside events and indoor galas abound. Ahhhhhh. If you love being busy in the Spring like me, here are some events that might fit the bill:

Saturday, April 4th - First Colony Winery open house. Tours, tastings, special wine discounts, and complimentary hors d' oeuvres. Info at www.firstcolonywinery.com

Friday, April 17th - Fridays After Five begins with Groove Train.

Saturday, April 18th - Charlottesville Marathon/Half-Marathon. Info at www.charlottesvillemarathon.com. Entry fee goes up April 1st.

Friday, April 24th - Casino Night at Farmington Country Club to benefit Service Dogs of Virginia. Find info at http://servicedogsva.org/casino.htm. Price goes up after April 10th.

Saturday, April 25th -Foxfield. No tickets at the gate. Info at www.foxfieldraces.com

Hope to see you at one or all of these fun events!

A

I'm listening to D'Angelo's best CD ever, his first (dude is from the big VA, so of course it's excellent), but it is the theme to my birthday week. I am really relaxed, loving life, realizing what it is all about. It's life. We are meant to give it a second thought on our b-days. What do we care about? What's going on? And I realized listening to D'Angelo's first album that it is all about relaxing, love, livin' it, and being honest with ourselves. It's always good to remember that. But giving to others is always something that has been there for me. Tonight, I had some friends giving to me. My girls took me to the Melting Pot. I had been there once before when they first opened, and honestly I wasn't impressed then. I hadn't been back. But my girlfriends loved it the time they had been there since, and convinced me to go there for my '29th again' birthday dinner. Honestly, I wasn't expecting the incredible food and service I received. They did an amazing job with the food, service, and the manager spoke to every table I saw and asked for an opinion card. I'm glad I went back, because it totally changed my opinion. And while I'm listening to D'Angelo, I'm wondering if my opinion of life in general is flexing. ...... Nah. I'm good. I'll learn as I go. But trust me, the first D'Angelo album is worth a purchase (jazzy adult goodness), and Melting Pot is a good social gathering spot, especially during birthday weeks.

Love and hugs-
A

It actually started on Friday and was in full swing over the weekend, but kept me so busy that I couldn't write about it. Tonight, I am taking a break in order to make sure I can survive through the rest of what I am calling ALoBeek (Angie Logan Birthday Week, kinda like Brangelina, Bennifer, you get the idea). So, I'll be telling you more about it as it goes along. But for now, here are some other cool things to do in C'ville in the coming days:

Thursday, March 26th - St. Baldrick's Fundraiser -Boylan Heights on the UVA Corner - Over 60 people will be shaving their heads to raise money and awareness for children's cancer research. 6pm.

Saturday, March 28th - UVA Men's and Women's Lacrosse - Klockner Stadium - noon and 3:30pm.

Saturday, April 4th - Charlottesville 10-miler - If you've been debating whether you want to do this or not, you should probably decide soon. The website, www.cvilletenmiler.com, says that they are 76% full and slots are going fast.

Hope to see you out this week!
-A

The 'restoration' on the Downtown Mall sucks. I'm sure it's needed and in the long run will make our fair pedestrian walkway a better place for mankind, but right now, it's a pain. Traffic is slower. Entrances to the businesses are blocked or altered in some way. Frankly, it's tough to get around. And you would think parking would be free in the garages to convince people to visit the stores, restaurants, and galleries which are suffering from not only the economy, but the restoration, too, wouldn't you? I guess the two hour validation, if you can find a store with it, makes it all worth while. Don't get me wrong, I want us all to support the local business downtown. I'm just saying, it is pretty difficult when you can't get to them. But being a person of extreme determination and diligence, I have ventured onto the Downtown Mall twice in the last two days. And let me just say, it was kinda worth it.
Last night, Steve and I decided to do a progressive anniversary dinner downtown. We started at Siips, the wine bar. While it was a nice enough night to sit outside, alas, the construction had taken over all of Siips outdoor seating. We were just visiting for a glass of wine and an appetizer anyway, so we decided to sit at the bar. Luckily, we were able to take advantage of their '30% off glasses of wine from bottles opened last night' special. I also joined their 'club' which gives me a discount on some of their events and wines, and membership is free. Love free. Wine and bruschetta was great. On to the next restaurant.
We then decided to try a place a block off the mall that neither of us had been to before, Cassis. Luckily, we happened upon this eatery on 'half-price bottle of wine night.' (It happens every Wednesday there, so mark it on your calendar.) Our server was great with the recommendations for wine and for dinner. Steve ordered the flank steak, and I had the tuna. Both dishes were delicious. So much so, that we both cleaned our plates. I blame Cassis for not allowing us to finish our progressive dinner, because we were too full to make a dessert stop.
Then, today, I met two good friends, Mary and Rebecca, at Eppie's for lunch. Traffic was slow, no street parking, blah, blah, blah. Done with complaining. I was an Eppie's virgin, but was excited about the wonderful menu. I ordered the curry chicken salad. If you like a lot of curry with very little recognizable chicken, then this is for you. If not, then you, like I, will order something different if I ever go back. The company was excellent, however, and it was great to catch up with two of my fav C'ville folks. Eppie's doesn't validate, so it was $4 to get out of the Market St. garage. (Hold your tongue, Angie.)
But tonight, it is all about basketball. Right now Clemson is losing. American is beating Villanova. There is a fire in the fireplace. I just had an amazing salad. The company of Steve and my cats is great. And parking was free in front of my house. Wake me up when construction downtown ends.

-A

Did you wear green today? Was there green beer involved? Did you sing "Danny Boy?" Even if you did none of these things, chances are you saw someone who did. I love this holiday. I've spent it in Savannah (3rd biggest celebration of the holiday in the states) and in Ireland (no explanation needed). But I have to say that C'ville tries its best to bring the 'luck of the Irish' here with its many parties and the amazing Ireland-like weather that we had this morning. Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in any shenanigans this evening, but look for my next post to list all of the fun stuff that will be coming up in C'ville soon. I just wanted to wish the 'luck of the Irish' to ya, cause goodness knows we all need it.

A

Lesson to be learned from this weekend: Never dance in pointed toed shoes. But you should definitely dance. And I did. At Maya upstairs, Friday night. I've mentioned before how I love Maya for its food, its bartenders and festive atmosphere, but I have to admit, I had not been upstairs to enjoy the music there until Friday night. It's a quaint place with a dance floor not much bigger than my office cubicle, but it didn't matter. The band, playing a mix of salsa, indian, and 'some funky vibe,' made you want to get up. And while there were two women already dancing who looked like they knew what they were doing, I had no fear (after a glass of wine). I got up and I danced. And danced. And danced. It was fun times ten. I didn't care what I looked like. I pretended to know salsa and rumba and sal-rumba and all those crazy dances you see on Dancing with the Stars. I highly recommend going to Maya on a Friday or Sat night (call first just to make sure there is going to be music upstairs, if you are going for just that). But whatever you do, don't wear pointed toed shoes.

Another lesson from this weekend: If it's raining, don't go to the UVA baseball field expecting to see a game. It ain't gonna happen.

Toodles

-A

Snow on March 13th, huh? Well, it is Friday, the 13th, so I should've expected it. The good news is that Spring is only a week away. I don't know why I just believe that once that day comes it will be sunny, 70s, and bird singing, but I do. In the meantime, here are some fun events coming up in C'ville that you might want to check out:

Sat, March 14th: Benefit dance for DC Stokes at the Holiday Inn, Emmet Street, 8p-12m. See previous post for details.

Sun, March 15th: UVA baseball vs. FSU, 1pm. (It's supposed to be in the 50s on Sunday, so not too bad.)

Tues, March 17th: St. Patty's Day - several locations are shamrockin' it -
Wild Wing Cafe -dancing/two for Tues wings
McGrady's -specials/celtic music
Boylan Heights -hang with the UVA crowd

If you know of any fun stuff happening in C'ville and you think others would want to know about it, feel free to e-mail me at the link on the side.

Top of the snowy day to ya!

A

You may or may not know the name D.C. Stokes. If you do, you may have grown up with him, played softball with/against him, or met him through a mutual friend. If you don't, then I'm sure you know someone like him...a person who had a very unfortunate health problem hit him in the prime of his life. D.C. is a young man who recently experienced kidney failure, and like many people who have unexpected setbacks these days, he has found himself facing a hefty potential financial bill, after insurance coverage, for a kidney transplant. There is a benefit dance being held for D.C. this Saturday, March 14th, from 8p-12m at the Holiday Inn on Emmet Street. There will be snacks provided and a cash bar available and, of course, dancing. The cost is only $15/person. If you know him, I know you want to be there. If you don't, then you don't want to miss out on helping and meeting someone who has been such a wonderful friend to the Charlottesville area. See you there!

A

Leave it to the UVA Men's basketball team to save the best for last. The incredible game against Maryland on Saturday was icing on the cake that was the last half of the season for the Hoos. I was honored to be a part of the sports promotion department during the season, and what I saw from these guys was a lot of heart, dedication, and hard work which culminated with some incredible wins...wins which no one would have guessed or saw coming. Congrats guys, and I look forward to seeing you play again next year! (Warning: really bad picture of me, but good pic of the Cavman at the bottom of this post.)
So, after the game, I met up with some friends at Si (old Starr Hill location) for some drinks. One of the friends was a college buddy whom I hadn't seen in years, and it was great to catch up. I had never just sat at the bar at Si, but it was great fun, and the bartender (I think his name was Tim-forgive me if I got this wrong, Tim or whoever you are) was super nice and incredibly accommodating. (One friend wanted a blended drink. They don't serve those there, but Tim, we'll call him, went in the back, grabbed a kitchen blender, and made her one. Don't share this, though, as I'm sure Tim does not want to be doing this all the time.) After that, it was the usual 'meet at Blue Light, then go to X' kind of night.
Another real treat this weekend was the weather. Running outside was like a party, because I saw so many friends.
Hope your weekend was great, too! Also, hope you made it to work on time this morning. Supposedly, 30% of you won't due to the time change;)

A

Of all the things I mentioned to talk about while I was away, I forgot to mention that I served at the soup kitchen recently. I'm not talking about it for praise of any kind at all. Honestly, I wouldn't mention it other than I think anyone who has time, heart, feeling for other humans should do this. I was able to help through a co-worker, and it was so rewarding. We all know where we are, in general, financially in this country. Whether you are rich, poor, in the middle, you know what is happening. If you don't, you aren't paying attention. I'm watching Bill Maher tonight, and whether you like him or not, he reminds me that I need to help as many people as I can during my short life on this Earth. And I helped recently in a capacity that you can, too. Cooking and serving others was not only rewarding, but I felt that I helped and made new friends. Nothing like it, honestly. For a few hours of your time, you can help so many. Honestly, I joined in a group, so I'm not sure exactly how to volunteer on your own. But, I'm sure if you call the Salvation Army at this number (434) 979-5230, they can tell you how to volunteer in whatever capacity you can. I don't say it often, but I love C'ville for all they and you do. Bless you.- A

Weekend of March 6-8 -
Hear some tunes! - Buckwheat Zydeco at Gravity Lounge on March 6th. Corey Harris at Gravity Lounge on March 7th.

Catch a Game! -UVA Men's Basketball on March 7th vs. Maryland: 3:30p at JPJ. UVA Women's Lacrosse on March 8th vs. Penn State: noon at Klockner Stadium.

Support Downtown! - Public skate times at the Charlottesville Ice Park: Saturday - 1:30p-3:30p, 4:30p-6:30p, 7p-10p. Half-price Sundays at Siips (half-price on wines opened Sat night).

Many meanings for this. Am I talking about how I feel when there is snow and ice outside? Would I be speaking of the economy? Could I be referring to the UVA Men's basketball team in the second half of the away Clemson team? (Of course not! You will always have my loyalty guys.) Just go for the obvious...the Lazy Parrot. I watched the game there tonight and was impressed at the major changes. If you haven't been in the Key West-themed restaurant/bar lately (Pantops Shopping Center, just down from Food Lion), you haven't seen the expanded bar and new separated non-smoking area, which used to be a hair salon. It is a different feel. You don't have to wait for the patio to open to feel that you are in a festive open atmosphere. Of course, two of the best bartenders in C'ville, Jill and Ryan, are still there and alone make it worth the visit. But, if you love wings, music, and a tropical feel miles away from the islands, you should visit the re-done Lazy Parrot. Oh, and on Tuesday nights, Jimmy O is there. Doesn't get any better!
- A

When I first made plans to meet my friend JoAnne at the Horse & Hound, I thought this entry would just be about the wonderful food and service at the GastroPub. And I will get to that, but this brunch turned out to be so much more. I'll explain. First off, I love the atmosphere at the Horse & Hound and can't wait to enjoy its outdoor patio when the weather is more agreeable. But even inside, you get the feeling of being at a pub in England or Ireland. It's a 'comfy' feeling. We were greeted by Ceril (I'm sure I am spelling this incorrectly), our server, who had a lovely Irish accent. He couldn't have been more pleasant. The food on the menu looked delicious, but the 'specials' board caught our eye...eggs benedict with crabcakes and king crab omelettes. We were sold. We tried each and both were 'out of this world' delicious. At one point, the owner, Brooke, came to the table to ask if we enjoyed our meal. We said 'yes,' apologized for licking the plates, and struck up a conversation. During our conversation with Brooke, two of the most dear people in the world, Pat and Jane, walked in the door. I don't see them very often, but when I do I am reminded of how great it is to know that people like them still exist in the world. They are fun, good-hearted, and just down-right kind. Then, it hit me why I love C'ville so much. It surely isn't because of the sleet and snow that was coming down. I'm a warm weather girl. But JoAnne and I discussed how you wouldn't get what we have here somewhere else. The owner of a restaurant taking time to chat for a bit. Going to a restaurant and knowing that you will bump into someone that you really wish you saw more of. Experiencing a bit of Ireland without having to leave our small city. The good food was just a bonus. Brooke reminded me before I left that they have a great lunch and dinner menu, too. Check them out at http://www.horseandhoundgastropub.com.

Also, this weekend I went to see Madea Goes to Jail. An hour and 45 minutes that I will never get back.

Have a great Monday! - A