Oooo that smell. Can’t you smell that smell?
A birdie asks: What is that rancid smell covering Belmont last night and this morning? Some describe it as “rancid wilderbeasts.” Others say “festering carcasses.”
What’s that smell?
Letter sent in by a birdie…
Read our prior articles on Crush:
August 21, 208 - Our Love, Gregg leaves Crush
October 28, 2008 - Crush Rumored to be Sold
February 16, 2008 - Crush Rumored to be Italian Restaurant
Good Afternoon Crush Wine Lovers:
As some of you may have heard, we are going through some changes at Crush. After much deliberation over the past few months, Nan and I have decided to sell the wine shop to Michael Keaveny, who will be transforming it into an Italian trattoria/winebar. It will still include a wine shop, carrying many of your favorite wines from around the world. There will be a heavier influence of Italian varietals. There will still be the same focus on great wine values on which Crush built its reputation.
This has been a very difficult decision for Nan and me, but it was a necessary one. We really need to return our focus to our Insurance business and to our family. I am looking forward to building the business and coaching my kids’ sports teams; something I haven’t been able to do for the past year. We have really enjoyed being at Crush recently, especially the Friday night tastings. We have met a lot of great people and hope to continue these friendships after Crush is gone. We appreciate everyone’s business since opening in December of 2007, and we hope that everyone enjoyed what Crush brought to the community of Belmont and to the Charlottesville area. We believe that the spirit of Crush will carry on with the new venture that Michael will be bringing to the space. I will probably keep some limited involvement in the new business, possibly doing outside wine tastings and dinners, as my schedule permits. In fact, we still have our South American wine dinner this Saturday (which is almost sold out), as well as a couple of private tastings in late March and April.
After this week’s Clearance Sale, Michael will probably shut down the shop for a short period of time to bring in the kitchen equipment and other build-outs. For the time being, the Friday night tastings will be eliminated while the transition takes place. Once the restaurant opens, there are plans to have wine tastings/classes on Monday nights. As much as everyone loved our Friday night tastings, it will be impossible to continue them with the huge crowds we had on the busiest restaurant night of the week.
We will miss everyone, but hope to still see everyone at the new place, or around town. Please feel free to call us anytime at Coleman-Creasy Insurance, even if just to talk about wine, get recommendations, join us on wine trips, etc. Nan and I can be reached at (434) 295-1154. Stop by and check out some of the wine deals (and meet Michael) this week and you will receive more e-mails in the future as the restaurant opens. Thanks again for your patronage and friendship!
Sincerely,
Paul & Nan Coleman
From a birdie…
In mid-March Paul is selling crush to some guy named Michael who’s going to close it for like a month & make it into a “rustic italian” restaurant & wine bar. He wants it to be all cozy like NYC places with narrow storefronts. He’s keeping the retail but getting rid of the Friday tastings, because he doesn’t think there would be room.
that there is a new restaurant opening in downtown belmont. Have you seen all the moving around and renovation going on at what used to be Saxx Lounge?? No word on a name or opening date yet, but I’ve been told they will have live music on that beautiful stage there, as well as salsa dancing and a brand new kitchen to put out all sorts of tasty goodies.
Does anyone else know anything about this?
I think this is from one of the owners of La Taza:
La Taza was broken into for the 2nd time in a week last night (Sunday night). Did anybody see ANYTHING sunday evening and into the night/morning? i know that you all are concerned with the neighborhood and this has been devastating for all in Belmont.
The prior break in. Suggestion for La Taza: Get better locks!
Inspired by parlie’s curmudgeonly diss on the current iPhone buzz, I decided to compile this list of “things that used to be cool in cville but are no longer because too many people do them.” Please, discuss, argue, and add your own 5 cents in the comments! (Why 5 cents instead of just 2? Because we live in Charlottesville. Even our opinions are overpriced!)
So here’s my take on a bunch of things that matter almost as much as my opinion about them! </toungecheek>
#10. Pretending not to care what people think of you - The only thing less painful than being judged by how you look and what you do is being judged for how you don’t look and what you don’t do. Too many folks wearing Birkenstocks? Get yourself some Crocs. That’ll show ‘em. Is everyone listening to that new band on the radio? Go find some “indy” group to proclaim as your FAVORITE. And OMFG people are getting excited about a new product from a popular electronics company? You better not get sucked in, or it will just look like you’re following the crowd! You don’t want to do stuff that other people do, do you?
It’s just too easy to define people by what they ARE. Let’s go out and start judging everybody for what they AREN’T. »Read More
Judging by the popularity of Charlottesville and Belmont’s new little jewel, The Local, many of you have already eaten there and like it. We’ve asked you what you think of The Local and published The Local’s Menu.
We’ve visited The Local several times in recent weeks and now it’s time for a formal review. If you peruse the menu, you will find that The Local has a very reasonably priced menu. It hits that $13 to $16 entre range that has driven a similar success to restaurants like Continental Divide.
D/R sends this in… and also lets you folks know that there is indeed a soft opening tonight at The Local, but the official opening is this Thursday. The menu looks awesome. Click below to see the whole menu. I’m loving it.
Our informative little birdie sends in some more juice.
We heard The Local is doing a soft opening tonight.
Can anyone confirm? Let us know if you go by!
BALLS OVER BELMONT!
Tuffy sends us in visual evidence from last night (2/25/2008):
He explains:
Pink Paintballs spotted in Belmont right by Mas. Keep youryes peeled. But don’t get pink eye. The pic may look like gross gum spit, but the paintball casing was about feet (1.2 meters) away.
So, are they back? Did anyone get pink paintballed?
