It’s so rare to have quality experience with a business these days, it’s worth a shout out when it actually happens. I had such an experience this week when I bought tires from University Tire in Charlottesville. For the past few months I have been agonizing about whether or not to relegate my 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee to the junkyard, or play Russian roulette and buy another used car. My Jeep … [Read more...]

No plans for this evening – Friday July 15? How about a short hop across the mountain to CrossKey Vineyards to enjoy the timeless music of Jimmy O? Jimmy will be playing at the vineyard tonight from 5:30 to 8:30. There will be great foods and wines available on a beautiful summer evening at CrossKeys at Mt. Crawford, near Bridgewater. Jimmy will also play at CrossKeys on Friday, Aug. 12 from … [Read more...]

For several years, I scheduled haircuts at a local salon. The girl did a great job and was thoroughly entertaining, but often my schedule didn’t match hers. I had to make appointments in advance and sometimes I just didn’t know when I could break away for a haircut. I tried a franchise-type salon for men but wasn’t impressed. Different stylists produced different results, and some weren’t very … [Read more...]

    The Charlottesville Free Clinic hosted its annual volunteer recognition and appreciation picnic on May 25 at the Carter Mountain Orchard. In addition to highlighting the work of our amazing volunteers involved with all facets of the clinic, we presented our first Volunteer Emeritus Award. This award will be given periodically to recognize a retiring Free Clinic volunteer. The … [Read more...]

It opened in 1970. It opened at a time when there weren’t that many restaurants in Charlottesville. There were no McDonald’s, no Hardy’s, no Burger Kings, no Domino’s. But Lord Hardwicke’s was now open, and our good friends, Joe and Theresa Davis, went with us to check it out. The place had an English theme. Their signature dish was Fish & Chips. I tried that while Nancy had French Onion … [Read more...]

Just as important as it is to buy good paint, it should also be the right paint. There are lots of places in Charlottesville that sell paint. But only Childress Paints & More sells Pittsburg and Porter, the finest paints in the business. And no other paint dealer takes the time to work one-on-one with customers, as does Barry Childress, to make sure they get the right paint for the job at … [Read more...]

As many of you know, I, Jim Brewer, am now running a lighting fixture outlet in Ruckersville called Lights Out. We get fixtures that have been discontinued from manufacturers and we sell them for 50% and more off the suggested retail. Recently, we added a line of value-packed cabinets. They come in boxes – you have to assemble them - but the savings are incredible. I quoted a lady a 9 cabinet … [Read more...]

They say a heat pump has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Boy, were they right about that! On the 15th anniversary of our current heat pump, it gave up the ghost, along with all the Freon inside. It had leaked Freon last year, so I knew the end was near, and when I discovered that a new load of Freon could cost as much as $400 this spring, the decision was made. We’d get a new heat pump. I … [Read more...]