The readers of Albemarle Family magazine (truly one of the best resources for families in the Charlottesville and Albemarle area) voted recently in all sorts of categories. Their inaugural ” Winning Picks for Family-Friendly Fun and Services ” selections covered virtually every segment of the Charlottesville/Albemarle area and economy. … For Favorite Real Estate Company, Nest Realty Group (the firm in which I am one of three partners ) got the nod as #3 . 1 and 2 were Roy Wheeler and Real Estate III respectively. … At the time of voting, we were a six-person firm ( now 8 ) versus 96 and 221 .* 
I was further surprised to have been voted the #3 Realtor by their readers.
Date Archives December 2009
Blog Wayback – Is Dr. Seuss from Charlottesville?
This is the story I wrote last year to try to help answer some of the questions : ( source ) It’s that time of the year again – for the past several years around 1 December, the searches start to show up in my blog statistics – “Grinch Charlottesville,” “Is the grinch from Charlottesville, Virginia?” … That particular rumor started in correlation with the rumor that How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ “Hoos down in Hooville” was based somehow on a certain local university’s Hoos down in Hooville. … The fact that the story depicts Hoos/Whos as absolute saints surely didn’t hurt that particular tall tale’s traction with a student body that’s not exactly known for its modesty and perspective. … While killing Charlottesville urban legends – the HooK dispels the one about Rio Road (why the i in Rio pronounced as one says “eye” – l?t -) “Rio,” which means “river” in Spanish, was most likely used as a name for the old mill and bridge on this road because of their proximity to the Rivanna River.
Biscuit Run Development in CharlAlbemarle – DOA?
The news affects everyone in this area – politicians counting on that revenue , homeowners in nearby Mill Creek, Lake Reynovia, Foxcroft, Redfields, Mosby Mountain and other developments as well as any property owner who lived in or visited that part of Charlottesville, transportation plans, One question – how will the Fifth Street/Avon Street development be impacted? The stories today will certainly be augmented by the HooK and C-Ville in the coming days: Huge planned Biscuit Run development in danger – Daily Progress Biscuit Run – an expensive state park – Charlottesville Tomorrow
…This was at the peak of the bubble– the smartest real estate transaction ever completed in this area , and one which allowed other land and home sellers to maintain champagne dreams for years. … March 2006 Biscuit Run Price Tag: $222 Million – cvillenews – March 2007 Hollymead, Biscuit Run Approved – cvillenews- September 2007 Biscuit Run is on hold – January 2009 One of my favorite posts – Struggles with Growth in Charlottesville/Albemarle and Beyond – April 2007 If you really want to educate yourself about Biscuit Run, spend a few hours (or days) in Charlottesville Tomorrow’s archives – podcasts and stories .
Money in Charlottesville and Albemarle Elections
Thanks to VPAP, we know that the Rio District race in which David Slutzky lost to Rodney Thomas cost $150k , the Samuel Miller District race cost nearly $100k, and in the City of Charlottesville with its traditionally non-competive elections cost a mere $20k. It’s a damn shame that local elections cost a quarter of a million dollars.
10 Ways to Go Green in Charlottesville
Lots of folks, apparently: Fifty million American homes are banned from hanging clotheslines on their property.
 Project Laundry List, a clothesline advocacy group, lists the Rosemont Homeowners Association in Ivy, as one local region where the use of clotheslines is banned.
…As childhood obesity rates skyrocket, hoofing it is increasingly regarded as a heroic effort in a region where new development tends to leave kids further from schools, and closer to the candy store. All of this in a world that grows less safe with each passing day. … solar panels , clotheslines, flagpoles (# Barfoot ) … what’s next?
Charlottesville is going to have a LGBT center
As an aside, I was at Cville Coffee this morning for a meeting … they seem to be stepping it up a notch. A nice paver patio in front for the warmer months, a stage is being built in the “adult” section for music and other acts, and I noticed an ABC license application on the front door. … But inside, amid the antique wood furnishings, chandeliers and Oriental carpets, owner Candace DeLoach has fashioned this guesthouse into one of the most gay-friendly hotels in Virginia. While much of the clientele is straight — parents of university students, business executives, couples in town for a getaway — gay men and lesbian travelers know this as a welcoming haven where they can check in and kick back without worries of second glances or raised eyebrows.
Crozet Tweetup – 10 December
We’ve had Charlottesville Tweetups before . As Crozet continues its growth towards self-sufficiency – coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants, hardware stores, Christmas trees – there are fewer and fewer reasons to come to Charlottesville (other than work … and even in that category Crozet has made progress over the past few years ) … now it’s time for a Crozet Tweetup . Date : 10 December Time : Noon – 2 Location : Fardowners in the Square in Crozet RSVP either via the twtvite below or in the comments … or email or Twitter …
Crozet Lunch Tweetup Just a friendly neighborhood lunch time get together…