Guardians of Ga’Hoole
PHOTO courtesy of Scholastic Books

The Wildlife Center of Virginia and some feathered friends alight at Crozet Library to answer all of your curious questions about these magical creatures of the night. Those who are gaga for Ga’Hoole (ages 8 and up) can even get to play detective to find out what an owl had for dinner. Registration is required. In the old train station on Three Notch’d Rd. 823-4050.

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Farm fresh.
PHOTO BY Linda J. Kobert

Locovors are invited to Meet Yer Eats at the 2nd annual Farm Tour. Gather your friends, fill a car, and chart a course to visit four or five of the 18 host farms participating in this year’s event. You can meet the folks who grow your food, sample some of their treats, and purchase the freshest produce, eggs, meat, cheese, plants and other farm products. The tour is held rain or shine, so dress for the weather and wear sturdy, close-toed shoes, hat, and sunscreen. Bring a cool to keep those purchases fresh, and pack a picnic to fully enjoy a day in the country. For more information and late-breaking news check out Market Central. 531-3957.

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In “A Lesson before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines, the young black man Jefferson is condemned to die for murder. As he awaits the electric chair, he is visited by Grant, the local teacher at the plantation school. Grant’s mission is to spend time with Jefferson so that he might confront death with his head held high. In the process, Jefferson is cajoled into eating some of Miss Emma’s gumbo. In honor of this food that is made with love, Central Library hosts the “Great Gumbo Contest.” Contestants are invited to show off your gumbo making skills, and the public is invited to try out the entries. Rules for the contest can be found here. It’s all part of “The Big Read.” 201 E. Market St. 979-7151.

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The man and his Stradivarius.
SONY MUSIC PHOTO

When we learned we were getting complimentary tickets for the Joshua Bell and Jeremy Denk concert, my wife, herself once second fiddle in the Lane High School orchestra, seemed more than usually excited. “That’s second chair violin” she corrected.

Looking at Bell’s promotional posters at the Paramount Theater, I began to understand her excitement. The guy is drop dead beautiful.

A prodigy, Joshua Bell got his first violin at age 4, played with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 14, and recorded his first album at age 18. A web search to find the best violinist in the world doesn’t render any firm conclusion, but Bell’s name (more)

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John McCutcheon.
Publicity photo

John McCutcheon, folk music’s renaissance man, master instrumentalist, powerful singer-songwriter, storyteller, activist, and author showcases his infinite vocal and lyric variety at a concert at PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Building. 961-5376.

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Local singer-songwriter has found her calling— with motherhood.
PUBLICITY PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

Singer-songwriter Lauren Hoffman has long been a traveler — with trips to India, a burgeoning fan base in France, a strategic career move to Brooklyn, and now an album recorded in Israel. But all that’s changed now that she’s had a baby and come home.

“I’m really happy about being a mom and being in Charlottesville and being settled down,” Hoffman says. “There’s not much that will tempt me away from that.”

Hoffman’s own lineage involves music, as her father Ross taught Dave Matthews to write songs; and not long after Matthews shot to fame, Hoffman signed with Virgin Records for her 1997 debut Megiddo. While she toured to widespread critical acclaim, she eventually parted ways with the label after clashing with its publicity department. Subsequent work was dark and brooding; eventually she hit the road.

“I was about to turn thirty, I was here in C’ville renting a little place, and I felt that I could just stay here and thirty could turn into forty,” says the now 32-year-old musician. “I felt like I had one more adventure in me.”

Connections she made while traveling in India in turn led her to Israel, where she (more)

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