Food & Drink

What’s Behind Cirrus Vodka’s New Richmond Tasting Room Menu

The sun-warmed stone patio at Ballast, the new mixed-use development off Summit Avenue in Richmond’s Scott’s Addition, beckons passersby with its striped umbrellas, outdoor seating galore, and inviting sounds of chatter. Cirrus Vodka’s new tasting room, which opened April 24, sits beside the bonny courtyard across from specialty food shop Yellow Umbrella—evoking Mediterranean beach town […]

by Hope Cartwright

New Staunton Restaurant is a Delightful Surprise

For fans of star chef Ian Boden and his famed, hole-in-the-wall, Staunton fine dinery The Shack, a visit to the newly launched Maude & the Bear culinary inn begins with a series of delightful shocks. A thoughtfully landscaped parking area gives way to the arched porch of a 2,500-square-foot, English-style Montgomery Ward kit-home-turned-restaurant that dates […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Goochland’s Greenswell Growers Go Big

The “lettuce connoisseurs” at Greenswell Growers in Goochland, as CEO Carl Gupton has dubbed himself and his team, produce about 700,000 pounds of lettuce a year—all out of an acre-and-a-half streamlined greenhouse facility. There, the plants grow from seed to salad-ready without any human hands. And though the indoor expanse of bright green sproutlings seems […]

by Hope Cartwright

Can They Rival NYC’s Best?

The great bagel debate. A hot button argument over breakfasts across the country comes down to this: what makes a bagel a real bagel, and can one be found anywhere outside of the Big Apple? Luckily, Virginia bakers haven’t been deterred by naysayers and New York bagel sticklers yet—they, and their bagel dough, rise to […]

by Hope Cartwright

Made in Virginia Awards 2024: Drink

2022 Cabernet Franc Eastwood Farm and Winery – Charlottesville $32, EastwoodFarmAndWinery.com Morgan describes this glass of wine as “a delicious expression of Cabernet Franc that is decidedly Virginian.” Eastwood Farm and Winery aims to deliver a profile with notes of cherry, peppercorn, and coffee, suggesting pairing it with hearty dishes like risotto or everyday eats […]

by Hope Cartwright

The Virginia House-Wife Celebrates 200 Years

From the nuances of frying veals’ feet to how to dress a lamb’s head, Mary Randolph was the 19th-century’s answer to Ina Garten. Generally considered the country’s first cookbook author, she wrote the wildly popular The Virginia House-Wife in 1824, which enjoyed brisk sales and 19 printings until the outbreak of the Civil War. To […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Christmas in Central Virginia

Merry Christmas, Charlottesville! Merriment & Magic. If you like your holidays with a dash of razzmatazz, check out Charlottesville’s Christmas events. The Grand Illumination takes place at Ting Pavilion on the Downtown Mall on Dec. 6. The merriment commences just as evening falls and features vendors selling holiday crafts, tasty treats, and beverages, as well […]

by peggy sijswerda

Virginia Breweries Bring Awards Home From World Beer Cup

Breweries from all over the globe gathered in Las Vegas in the spring for the largest beer competition in the world, the World Beer Cup. 9,300 beers, 2,060 breweries from 50 countries, and 290 judges from 37 countries turned out for the event. Nine Virginia breweries brought medals home. Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co. from […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

A Young Family Settles Into an Old Home, Steps From UVA

Timeless Beauty, Modern Comfort: From big city to brick Cape, a Charlottesville couple starts anew.

by Heather Bien

Christmas in Southwest Virginia

Merry Christmas, Floyd! If you’re seeking a Norman Rockwell vision of the holidays, then look no further than Floyd. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, folks take their good old time and love to welcome guests who want to slow down and discover a country kind of Christmas. And what might that be? Let’s start with […]

by peggy sijswerda

How to Master Muddling: Expert Tips from MurLarkey

Muddling is a mixology technique sometimes taken for granted—listed as an instruction on countless classic cocktail recipes with no explanation given for the amateur, at-home bartenders following along. But George “Papi” Zwetkow, master distiller at MurLarkey Spirits in Bristow, bets that most cocktail drinkers are muddling already without even knowing it. “If you get a […]

by Hope Cartwright

Sip Zero-Waste Cocktails at this Charlottesville Bar

The kitchen at Birch & Bloom, the modern steakhouse and bar at Kimpton The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, presents no shortage of fresh Virginian ingredients—veritably high-quality and invaluable to the flavors found on plates and in cocktail glasses. For Daniel Beedle, the hotel’s chief mixologist and assistant food and beverage director, every last scrap of […]

by Hope Cartwright

The Cat Café Craze Hits Virginia at this Harrisonburg Tea House

“This one,” says Amanda Atwell, as she points out a particularly posh, fluffy-tailed calico stalking across the room. “She’s the queen, as you can see. Look at her tail twitch. She’s saying, ‘Look at me. Tell me I’m beautiful.’” Jada, the fancy feline in question, is not one of Atwell’s own cats but rather a […]

by Hope Cartwright

Stock Bistro Serves a Taste of Scandinavia in the Blue Ridge

My wife and I were browsing Euro-chic goods at a cosmopolitan furniture shop when a stylish waiter brought out candles and place settings to a teak dining table on the sales floor. Four diners were then seated, and a server delivered an appetizer board of cured fish and caviar. We soon headed to the bar […]

by Craig Stoltz

3 Expert-Recommended Virginia Wine and Food Pairings for Fall

Now that summer’s approaching its curtain call, we can drop the charade: the season was a sweltering, sticky mess not worthy of its devout following. Sure, there are backyard barbecues and occasional fireworks, but it doesn’t stand a chance compared with autumn—gloriously cool autumn. One of the most tantalizing qualities of this vibrant season is […]

by Sylvie Baggett

Quick Pickle Revelation

–By Clare Osdene Schapiro I’m as enchanted as the next person by a shelf full of glistening jars of pickles. To me, it’s like perusing a high-end jewelry store. Gorgeous gem-tone wares, carefully arranged to show varieties—but even more, sheer abundance. As a young woman obsessed with cooking, I briefly delved into the world of […]

by Staff

Virginia Remains On Top

Read on for some of the ways Virginia is ranked tops: Our college life USA Today rated Charlottesville and Williamsburg as two of the best small college towns in the nation thanks to their rich history, beautiful scenery, and fun daily life. Our beer Staunton has the 10th best small town beer scene, according to […]

by Katie Farthing

More Christmas Spirits

May the night and season never end with these breathtaking beverages. Keep that holiday cheer and light buzz going with delicious and dazzling drinks thanks to Brian and Jennifer Jones, owners of GoodTimes Coal-Fired Pizza & Pub in Big Stone Gap. Gingerbread Martini Fill your senses with the nostalgic, comforting smell of gingerbread. This spicy, […]

by Katie Farthing

Fun Garnishes to Top Off Your Cocktail

Spirited and unique, these cocktails come with oddly inventive garnishes that make them stand out at any party. Tomato Water Martini Sometimes less is more, and it certainly is in this case. Let tomatoes take over your taste buds in this terrific treat, thanks to The Vault at The Liberty Trust in Roanoke. 5 ounces […]

by Katie Farthing

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A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Virginia Scenic Railway Adds Dome Car for Spectacular Valley Views The popular Virginia Scenic Railway just upped its game with a vintage dome car offering breathtaking 360° views of the Shenandoah Valley. The “Shenandoah”—built in 1948 as the “Silver Palace” for the California Zephyr—now gives passengers an unmatched vantage point on three-hour excursions from Staunton. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Nikki Bettis stood on the jagged summit outcrop of Shenandoah National Park’s 4,011-foot Stony Man, awed by westward panoramic views. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned to watch her 13 kids shoulder their loaded backpacks and fall into a clamorous single-file line heading back to the Appalachian Trail (AT). “We were in an […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

In Colonial America, a grand garden was the ultimate status symbol—the 18th century equivalent of a Lamborghini. So when archaeologists at Colonial Williamsburg uncovered John Custis IV’s property, they struck horticultural gold: the remains of a football field-sized garden alongside his Jacobean manor house. Custis, a tobacco magnate and Martha Washington’s first father-in-law, went all […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Food & Drink

What’s Behind Cirrus Vodka’s New Richmond Tasting Room Menu

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2025 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition Opening (Ongoing)

Full Circle Grief Center’s Living Your Dash

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A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Food & Drink

What’s Behind Cirrus Vodka’s New Richmond Tasting Room Menu

Current Issue

Events

2025 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition Opening (Ongoing)

Full Circle Grief Center’s Living Your Dash

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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