Local food blogger Jenée Libby is hoping for a windfall…and a chance to help local non-profits
PHOTO FROM EDIBLE CVILLE BLOG

Jenée Libby, whose food blog Edible Cville has been feeding local foodies with its insights, needs your help. The blogger has reached the second round of a $10,000 food blogger contest sponsored by foodbuzz.com.

“They issue a challenge and each week the winners are judged and advance based on the number of votes they get,” says Libby. ” and how great their posts are.”

If she wins Libby says she’s committed to donating $5000 to the PB&J Fund and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

“I’m passionate about food writing and all the exciting food-related happenings here in Charlottesville,” says Libby. ” If I win, I’d love to be able to give back to the community that’s given me so much.”

To vote for Libby, you can go to foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog.

Comments(1)

One of the recent theme nights that Deuces Lounge hopes will attract folks who want to get down.
PHOTO FROM DEUCES FACEBOOK PAGE

In case you haven’t heard, the old Outback Lodge at 917 Preston Avenue became Deuces Lounge on September 10. And according to optimistic owner Jerome Cherry, it’s going to be “the gem of Charlottesville.”

Upstairs is the “lounge” where they’ll have live music shows and serve dinner from an extensive menu that includes everything from bruschetta, burritos, wings, fajitas, and BBQ, to burgers, fish platters, and spaghetti and meatballs.

“Its a very relaxed setting, and we have a totally new look–new stage, lights, sound system, you have to see it,” say Cherry. “Our down stair’s is set up for our club functions with a dj booth, lazer lights, and strobes and fog in a black light setting.”

Cherry says they want to feature music for everyone in town to enjoy, including country, southern rock, 70’s and 80’s rock, metal, reggae, blues, r&b, hip-Hop, old Motown, and jazz. Recently, the Waynesboro-based reggae, blues, funk, and rock group The Righteous Friendz Band played Deuces and “blew it up” according to the Deuces Facebook page. For information about upcoming shows, check out Deuces website at deuceslounge.com

Comments(2)

Something brewing: Taylor and Mandi Smack makin’ beer.
PHOTO COURTESY BMB

A shout out to the Blue Mountain Brewery and Devils Backbone Brewing Company for nabbing some Gold Medals at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival this past weekend in Denver, Colorado. On September 18, Blue Mountain won in the American-style Wheat Beer category for it new end-of-summer wheat beer called Sandy Bottom. Blue Mountain also took home a bronze medal in the German-style Kolsch category for one of its year-round bottled and draft beers called Kolsch 151.

“It’s a very delicate German style of ale,” says Blue Mountain brewmaster Taylor Smack of the Kolsch 151, “and we competed against 45 other entrants in the category to be recognized as one of the top three. And our gold medal Sandy Bottom is actually premiering this Thursday night out at the brewery. It’s a great way to roll out a new beer.”

Devils Backbone, however, can boast two gold medals: one in the American-style or International-style pilsener category with a beer called Gold Leaf Lager, and another one in the unusual coffee flavored beer category with its Baltic Coffee. They also took home two bronze medals, one in the South German-style Hefeweizen category for its Wintergreen Weiss, and another in the English-style mild ale for its Ale of Fergus

The Festival attracted 151 judges from 10 countries, scrutinizing 3,523 beers over several days of blind tastings. Beers representing 516 breweries were featured in the competition which saw increased geographic diversity among medal winners, with an emerging trend of winners from the Midwest and the Southeast alongside the traditionally successful states like California and Colorado.

“Other states appear to be emerging as the craft beer producer and consumer markets mature in their regions,” said GABF competition manager Chris Swersey.

The Festival drew a crowd of over 49,000 in the three days.

Comments(8)

House of Chang: The former Asian Buffet building on 29 North has been vacant for years, but it’s poised to become the talk of the town.
PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR

Brace yourself, foodies. Chinese chef Peter Chang is back… and he’s here to stay. According to a reliable source, the famously elusive Szechuan chef will be signing a lease this week for the former Asian Buffet space on U.S. 29 North and launching extensive renovations that could begin as early as next week. If all goes according to plan, the source says, the restaurant should open in December or January.

While Tim Rose, leader of the University of Virginia Foundation, which owns the 7,835 square-foot building, won’t confirm that the property has been leased to Chang, the source says Chang “really wants this space” and that they are “99.9 percent sure” it will happen.

And that’s good news to a pair of Virginia Academy Award winners. More on them in a moment.

During the short time Chang cooked at Taste of China in Albemarle Square, he created a national stir. The New Yorker even ran a piece on the Chang frenzy. Naturally, the publicity attracted people from all over to sample the fare from the spice maestro.

Not only is the Chang deal good news for foodies, it’s good news for the property, which has become a bit of an eyesore with tall grass and weeds growing up in the cracks in the parking lot. In 2002, Coran Capshaw’s WM Management Ltd. bought the site for $1.5 million. Four years later, the savvy music promoter sold it to the UVA Foundation for $2.5 million, leaving UVA to carry it through the real estate doldrums without a long-term tenant.

There have been Chang sightings (more)

Comments(38)

Think Restaurant Week was a deal? Check this out: entrée plus an app or dessert at places like The Biltmore, Brookville Restaurant, Enoteca Italian Wine and Panini Bar, La Cocina del Sol, Mono Loco, No. 3, The Nook, 2 Sides, West Main, and The Virginian for just $9.99, with a dollar of that going to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. It’s all part of the Hook’s “Dinner on a Dime” event October 4-10. For more information and updates check out www.thedinneronadime.com.

Comments(5)