My Date with CVille: Carter Mountain

My Date with CVille

Carter Mountain

by Jared Morgan

Want to get into nature? Looking for some fresh produce? Hoping to hear some live music? All of these things and more are available to you at Carter Mountain. This orchard, frequented by locals and students alike, has mountain views, fruit picking of all kinds, and even concert series.

This past Thursday I went out to their Sunset Series which features live music every Thursday evening through the end of September. There's food, an ice cream bar, an old-fashioned country store, and some really good chicken salad. Students and family's filled the Carter Mountain's decks and surrounding hills for the event.

Aside from these usual Carter Mountain Orchard offerings, though, was a chance to see the sun set over Charlottesville and the surrounding mountains. It was a little weird not to be looking at a band performing while they play, but I don't think they blamed us! Just as UVa students always try to make those sunrise hikes at Humpback, a sunset at Carter Mountain is a can't miss. Also don't forget the apple picking, pumpkin picking, and other events going on throughout the year! (And, really, try the chicken salad.)

My Date with CVille: Go Take a Hike

My Date with CVille

Go Take a Hike

by Jared Morgan

What gets a college student out of bed before noon on a weekend? No, the answer isn't brunch (this time). Instead, it's a tradition for friends and student organizations across U.Va. Anyone who drives into Charlottesville can tell you how picturesque some of the views are, but you haven't seen anything until you've hiked Humpback at dawn.

Just a half hour drive outside of Charlottesville, Humpback offers awesome views of Blue Ridge Mountains at the cost of an enjoyable, not-too-hard hike to the top. Students make their way up there as a way to bond off Grounds for a change. Lots of student clubs like arts groups, athletic groups, Greek organizations, and more make a tradition out of the trip. Many groups also wake up before dawn in order to make it up the mountain before sunrise. Seeing the sun rise from the top of the mountain is a can't miss moment for U.Va. students.

Pack some water bottles, a granola bar or two, and bundle up (it's colder than you'd think that early, even in the summer!). Make your way to Humpback for an unforgettable U.Va. experience!

My Date with CVille: Restaurant Week

My Date with CVille

Restaurant Week

by Jared Morgan

Restaurant week is an event in Charlottesville that happens a couple times each year. This opportunity is a lot of fun for everyone in CVille but especially students because it gives them the opportunity to visit some of the city's best restaurants for discounted prices. For $16, $26, or $36 you can get a three course meal at some places that may not be regularly accessible to those living on a student's budget. The best part? A dollar from each meal goes to Blue Ridge Area Food bank!

Dozens of restaurants participate each time. These include everything from gourmet sandwich shops and burger bars to restaurants specializing in Mexican fusion and French cuisine. This past Saturday, I went to The Southern with friends for sandwiches filled with things like jalapenos, goat cheese, and ham with honey Dijon mustard. For $16, I got not only the sandwich but two sides, a starter of bruschetta on focaccia, and "fancy grahams" graham crackers to dip into dark chocolate and marshmallow sauce.

I had a ton of fun on this trip, and I can't wait for the next restaurant week!

My Date with CVille: Going to a Show

My Date with CVille

Going to a Show

by Jared Morgan

This weekend I thought about going out to a restaurant on the Corner again or seeing another movie, but instead I decided to see Heritage Theater Festival's Thoroughly Modern Millie with a friend. If you're looking for a change of pace, there's always a performance going on at UVa that can be fun, exciting, dramatic, showy, and might even have you leaving the theater feeling a little more cultured.

Millie was great! It's a high energy, upbeat tap musical with humor just about anyone could enjoy. But just because Millie's run has ended, that doesn't mean there's nothing else to go out and see! Throughout the summer, Heritage Theater Festival puts on many different kinds of shows like last year's Annie Get Your Gun and later this summer Avenue Q.

During the school year, there are even more options to see the UVa Drama Department's to dramas and musicals (tickets are free to students!), countless performances led by UVa student groups, and shows by Charlottesville organizations like Live Arts.

Cost

-Heritage Theater Festival: $20 student tickets
-UVa Drama Department Performances: Free to students

Transportation
-Culbreth Theater is on grounds (the brand new Casteen Arts Grounds to be precise)

My Date with CVille: Touring Monticello

My Date with CVille

Touring Monticello

by Jared Morgan

In three years, I've been to Monticello multiple times and never gotten tired of the trip. Recognizable as that building on the back of the nickle, this home of Thomas Jefferson is (along with UVa) a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its tours are thought provoking and intriguing, with topics ranging from TJ's impact on the American canon for architectural design, to how the building was designed to hide his slaves' working quarters, to his many books and inventions, to his relationship with slave Sally Hemmings.

A trip can be a full day event, with an introductory movie, walking tour of Monticello and its grounds, and great restaurants and gift shops located right on the mountain. It can also be perfectly accompanied by a historical tour of UVa (led by the University Guide Service throughout the academic year) or simply a scenic drive through the area in the Fall or Spring.

Want to know why Thomas Jefferson's bedding was pink? Want to know how he designed a clock using cannonballs? Looking to see who was cool enough back in the day to make it on the walls of his expansive portrait gallery? Then make your way to Monticello!

Cost
-Depends on tour
-UVa student discount

Transportation
-About a 20 minute drive from UVa Central Grounds

My Date with CVille: Walking the Downtown Mall

My Date with CVille

Walking the Downtown Mall

by Jared Morgan

Charlottesville's historic downtown mall provides the perfect opportunity to get away from grounds for good food, good shopping, and a good time. Yesterday I went to a restaurant called Bizou (which means kiss in French), Chaps Ice Cream, and a movie.


Bizou--like Hamilton's, Zocalo, and the Blue Light Grill--is a fantastic, foodie-inspired restaurant with a fun feel and indoor/outdoor layout perfect for Fall, Spring, and Summer. The bread plate appetizer had three fancy dipping sauces that I'm not sure I can pronounce (below left). Each one was great. For the entree, I had shrimp and grits with mushrooms, veggies, and more (below right). Best shrimp and grits I've ever had.

Chap's may be a little more casual than Bizou, but it's a cornerstone of Charlottesville's ice cream community. With frozen yogurt places like Berry Berry, SweetFrog, Cups, and Spoon & Berry popping up all around Charlottesville, it's great to sometimes grab a single scoop of German chocolate cake ice cream on a waffle cone for a change.

Finally, I went to the movies. I would've explored the downtown mall's Regal Cinemas, but the indie-based establishment unfortunately wasn't playing The Fault in Our Stars. Still, I highly recommend paying a visit and completing the downtown mall experience. Also, check out countless shops for used books (Blue Whale Books), bow ties (The Young Men's Shop), and more!

Go for the food, the ice cream, the shopping, the movies, the walking, or the street vendors. Go with your significant other, your friends, or your family. Just don't miss the downtown mall if you're in Charlottesville!

Cost
-Bizou: ~$20/person
-Chap's: ~$5/person
-Regal: $11/ticket

Transportation
Just a ten minute free trolley ride from the Lawn!

My Date with CVille: Brunching Off Grounds

My Date with CVille

Brunching Off Grounds

by Jared Morgan

If you think breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then you haven’t had brunch in Charlottesville. This past weekend I ventured off Grounds with friends to a student and Charlottesville favorite--The Pigeon Hole. If you need something to do on a Sunday between 9:00AM and 3:00PM (or just a really good reason to roll out of bed in between those times), then The Pigeon Hole is your best bet. Biscuits and Red Eye Gravy might be my favorite, but the whole menu is great including the Huevos Rancheros shown below.

Highlights of The Pigeon Hole include:

• The eggs benedict menu
• Sitting outside and enjoying the weather
• Running into practically everyone you know
• The aforementioned reason to roll out of bed on a Sunday morning

After brunch, my friends and I took advantage the public gardens at UVA and strolled around the Lawn and Pavilions. Our favorite spot was Garden X (below). Brunch in CVille is the perfect way to spend any morning or afternoon, get off grounds for a bit, but still enjoy all UVA has to offer.

Cost

• $7-$12 per meal

Transportation

• The Pigeon Hole is right on the Corner--just a short walk from grounds

Other Suggestions

• The Nook on the Downtown Mall (accessible in 10 min. via the Trolley) is great if you’re looking to get a little further off grounds
• For brunch on a budget, head straight to UVA’s gardens with Bodo’s Bagels in hand!

Introducing: Jared Morgan

Introducing: Jared Morgan

2014 Office of Admission Summer Intern Bio

Year: Fourth
Hometown: Charleston, West Virginia
School: McIntire School of Commerce
Major(s): Commerce, Media Studies, & Film Studies Minor
Blog: My Date with CVille

My name is Jared Morgan, and I'm a rising fourth year studying Management and Marketing in the Commerce School as well as Media Studies. I'm really excited to not only be leading visitors on tours for the Office of Admission but also leading some of y'all online with posts every other week. My topic of choice will cover all the different things to do at UVA and in Charlottesville in posts called My Date with CVille. Of course, these ideas are fun with "dates" but can also be a great time with friends or family, too! Hopefully they'll give a good picture of all the things you can do with some special 'Hoo or with friends and out-of-town visitors!

Favorite UVA memory...

After finishing a pretty grueling group project this past semester, I went out for ice cream with the classmates I did the assignment with. It was perfect Spring weather in Charlottesville (mid 70s and sunny), and it was free cone day at Ben & Jerry's. It was awesome to have a group that enjoyed working so much together that it became a social as well as a learning experience. That, and free rocky road didn't hurt.

More information and blog posts...

Jared's Admission Survey

Coming soon!

Jared's Blog Posts

1. 5/26/2014: Brunching Off Grounds
2. 6/9/2014: Walking the Downtown Mall
3. 6/23/2014: Touring Monticello
4. 7/7/2014: Going to a Show
5. 7/21/2014: Restaurant Week
6. 8/4/2014: Go Take a Hike
7. 8/18/2014: Carter Mountain