Hilltop Market used to be just a small convenience store. They sold lots of live bait to fishermen headed out to the Rivanna Reservoir. They sold some canned goods, drinks, snacks and fresh produce. Then they opened a small deli. Since then, Hilltop Market (now called Hilltop Grocery) has become one of the best go-to lunch destinations for many in Charlottesville. You’ll find men in business … [Read more...]
King of the Road
Drive along most any road or street in town and you’ll see one or more. They will be perched on a mailbox, a utility pole, a tall shrub or a tree limb, and ready to swoop down and nail an unsuspecting insect. They are mockingbirds, one of the most interesting of all backyard birds and one of the best singers on the planet. This time of year, mockingbirds stake out their territories, most having … [Read more...]
No Fail Brisket
I have never had much luck with briskets. I have cooked them on the grill, I have smoked them, I have slow cooked them in the oven and the best I ever produced was just edible. My briskets often turned out dry and tough. I see those barbeque shows on TV, salivate over the delicious-looking briskets, but for me, no luck – until I decided to put the brisket in my slow cooker. And it turned out … [Read more...]
Customer Service Isn’t Just a Phrase
By Nancy B Isn’t it disappointing and frustrating to go into a store and you seem invisible. No one says hello or welcome or asks” may I help you”. Well, that doesn’t happen at Nancy B’s House of Lights. We offer exceptional customer service, and we have a very attentive and professional sales staff. Customer service is a key component of Nancy B’s House of Light’s success as the retailer of … [Read more...]
Too Much Luck?
Is it possible to have too much luck when you go fishing? It is if you fish with Capt. Reese Stecher with BeachBumFishing out of Nags Head. Just ask Donald Taylor of Charlottesville. “I used his services when in Corolla back in middle May. We (three guests and myself) each caught Drum back in the Pamlico Sound. Great fun! But they were all too big to keep.” If they are over 27-inches, you … [Read more...]
Corn Hole is for Wussies
A popular lawn games these days is Corn Hole. For those unfamiliar, Corn Hole is a contest where pairs or single players toss little pillows onto a raised board with a hole in it. Whoever tosses more pillows in the holes wins. But what fun is a game where nobody ever gets hurt? Hardly anybody ends up going to the emergency room after a spirited round of Corn Hole. Corn Hole is strictly for … [Read more...]
Remembering Le Snail
We’ve lost a lot of good restaurants in Charlottesville over the years. The Gaslight, The Caravan, Barnaby’s, Lord Hardwicks, Tony’s Tavern, Happy Clam - they come and go. One of our favorite restaurants in the early years was Le Snail at 320 W. Main Street, beside what was the old Greyhound Bus Station. It opened the mid-70’s as memory serves. Nancy, knowing I had an affinity for French cuisine, … [Read more...]
Bring On the Lettuce
A head of Iceberg lettuce in most grocery stores continues to be over $2 a head. Usually less than a dollar, lettuce is now higher than the cost of a dozen eggs. Why? First, the weather. California and Arizona – two key lettuce producers – have endured extreme weather this year. Heavy rains, flooding and unseasonally high early temperatures have weakened harvests and there is not as … [Read more...]
Fish and Chips
Every now and then, the Brits will get something right. Fish and Chips is one example. Considered the national dish of the United Kingdom, Fish and Chips first appeared in the UK in the 1860s, when small shops began to pop up. It was one of the few foods in the UK not subject to rationing during the war years, which contributed to its popularity. The fish (usually Cod) … [Read more...]
A Visit from Snow White
Snow White stopped by our house last week. I didn’t see Dopey or Doc or any of her other Dwarf friends, but she was there in all her snow-white glory. I think my Snow White was an albino cowbird – at least it was the same size and shape as a cowbird. Interestingly, Nancy saw some grackles feeding that same bird a few days later. Cowbirds are notorious for laying their eggs in the nests of other … [Read more...]
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