Charlottesville has surprised me. I came here expecting to be neutral on it at best, but man
was I wrong. It has all the
elements of the best kind of college town: a burgeoning local food movement,
independent shops and boutiques, an absolutely beautiful campus, and free
public transportation (bonus!). I
was in an adorable home goods and stationary shop in downtown Charlottesville
today when I overheard a woman say “I just love Charlottesville. I’ve been tryin to move down here for
years from Manhattan, and this is my year. I’m just going to do it. There’s no better city around.”
Right as she said that, I looked outside as two shirtless
and very sweaty young men ran by. Hmm, maybe this broad is onto something here...
There are beautiful and healthy people here, most of which have dogs
that they are more than happy to let you pet. It’s the kind of place where people feel comfortable leaving
their bikes unlocked and their dogs tied up outside of stores or restaurants
while they are inside. This place has great people, puppies, street art,
sustainable shops, cupcake delivery vehicles, food trucks…I love it!
The modern street art, chalk walls, and super cool music scene gives Charlottesville a modern feel. What makes these splashes of modern great here in Charlottesville is their juxtaposition with the always-visible past. Charlottesville is old. The buildings were designed by ole Father Jefferson himself, and everyone here would love to tell you about it. It’s a sweet tea and fried green tomato kind of place, but hey – if you want some Bikram yoga and a barre class next to your old timey and wonderfully delicious local ice cream shop, then this is the place for you.
As I take time out of life to think about my next travel
steps, I decided to give Charlottesville a good ole fashioned walking tour. Check out what I found.
Great Shopping.
Two that I loved were Roxie & Daisy and Bittersweet downtown.
Great food. I stopped
in for a quick lunch at Revolutionary Soup and had crab and corn chowder and a
raspberry goat cheese spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette. A dog that really wanted to snuggle
waited for me by the front door.
After lunch – the obligatory ice cream stop. Chaps had the best chocolate ice
cream. It tasted like straight up
brownie batter, and you can’t beat that.
It has been left alone throughout the years and still retains the 40s
style diner appeal. I loved
posting up at Chaps with one scoop (that eventually turned into two…).
I thought DC’s Eastern Market could never be replaced in my
heart, but I was wrong.
Charlottesville’s City Market on Water Street downtown is a great way to
spend a Saturday morning. I bought
the best granola I have had in my entire life there, and browsed through enough
food stalls to make my heart content.
For a quick and ridiculously good sandwich, head to the
Belair Market inside the Exxon gas station on Old Ivy Street. There is no sign to indicate good food
inside, but let yourself be guided by the full parking lot. We had the Birdwood Sanwich and the
Farmington. I am in love.
After lunch, a walk through UVA’s very collegiate looking
campus is a good calorie burner.
We live on University Circle for now, and the scenery is just
lovely. Big open and well
manicured green spaces next to columns on columns on columns. There is so much pastel / Vineyard
Vines / Brooks Brothers here that it sort of feels like someone threw confetti onto a
big Thomas Jefferson cake. It’s
kind of awesome.
After a few conversations with Charlottesville insiders and
city exploration by yours truly, here is a list of what to do on a weekend trip
to C-ville.
Fun Activities:
Monticello – word
on the street is to wait until fall.
The view is supposed to be stunning as the leaves start to turn.
Hiking and Kayaking
– The lake in Crozet, VA. The area
has lots of trails to roam around on in case you aren’t into a Saturday
kayaking expedition.
Vineyards – Pippin
Hill has the nicest view. Kings
Family has better wine. Pollack is
also a winner.
Breweries – Devil’s
Backbone is the local favorite.
The food is great, and it’s right by Wintergreen, the area ski resort.
Wintergreen – Ski
resort 45 minutes outside of Charlottesville. I don’t ski, but I’m definitely working that out this year.
Farmer’s Market – Saturday
mornings downtown on Water Street.
Trivia Tuesday –
Mellow Mushroom
Dinner, Brunch, Lunch, and Coffee Spots:
Dinner - Zocalo, Ten Sushi, Fiest, Continental Divide, Tavola, Mas, Maya ($10
Tuesdays!), Crozet Pizza, Milan Indian Food, C&O, The Virginian (for the
mac and cheese).
Brunch – Bluegrass
Grill (enthusiastically referred to as the “hands down best brunch in town”),
Beer Run, Pigeon Hole, and West Main
Lunch – Belair Market
(in the Exxon gas station on Old Ivy), Sushi to-go from Food of All
Nations.
Coffee - Mudhouse, Shenandoah Joe’s
Definitely head to Charlottesville if you are looking for a weekend trip from DC. Such a gorgeous and fun town!
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