Lynchburg’s Beer and Wine Festival

Do you love great food, music, and wine sampling? Well, then the Lynchburg Beer and Wine Festival is just for you. The Lynchburg Beer and Wine Festival will be held in the Riverfront  Festival Park in Downtown Lynchburg, on Saturday September 18^th from 10:00-5:00. There will be lots of entertainment and fun that you won’t want to miss out on.

Sampling admission is $15 in advanced or $20 at the gate. A general admission (non sampling) ticket is $5 and tickets for children 10 and under are free.

You can purchase tickets in advance at Lynch’s Landing, Accent Flags and Gifts, Travel Lovers, The Basket Case, Virginia Handcrafts, and Hill House Interiors or you can purchase them online at www.LynchburgTickets.com.

There are more than 18 breweries and wineries with sampling, PLUS, there will be artisans and craft businesses along with other local businesses. There are many different types of foods, such as coconut shrimp, sweet potato fries, pizza, burgers, gyros, and much more.

There will be many wineries such as Bright Meadows Farm, Tomahawk Mill Winery, Brooks Mill Winery, and Hickory Hill Vineyards and Winery. Some of the breweries who are participating in this events are Jefferson Street Brewery, Century Beverage, Tuppers, and Starr Hill Brewery. Plus, vendors such as Blue Ridge BBQ Company, CoCo’s Jewelry Boutique, Koto’s Grill, Little Treasures, Ned’s Beer Shop, and Pints O Plenty will also be there. To learn more about the other breweries, wineries, and vendors participating in this event, go to http://www.lynchburgshows.com/beer-wine-festival/participating-vendors/.

This is a great opportunity for those in sales who are looking for potential customers and to show them your products and services; to increase sales and drive quality leads. In addition to this, you can learn about sponsorship opportunities to help your marketing strategy. For more information about vendors, you can go to http://www.lynchburgshows.com/beer-wine-festival/vendor-information/http://www.lynchburgshows.com/beer-wine-festival/vendor-information/.

There will be great music and entertainment feature Dragonfly, The House Band, and Jerry Wimmer. Dragonly will perform at 10 with a mixture of country, rock, and dance hits. Do you love some of the 70’s great hits? Then, you will love The House Band who will perform hits from people such as The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osbourne, and many more.

Jerry Wimmer is very talented and has been the featured tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah when he was a student at Radford University and he did solo acoustic shows entertaining thousands in The Worx. He has done bluegrass and jazz and gospel quartets in his first band called Southern Breeze. He will be performing an acoustic show at 3:00.

So, come on out and join the fun! You can get directions from Charlottesville, Danville, and Roanoke on the lynchburgsshows website, plus find close hotels near the downtown Lynchburg area.

Gerald’s

Are you looking for a new place to eat in Lynchburg? Well, come on over to Gerald’s in Wyndhurst. This is a local, comfortable restaurant that even has a lounge near the back of the restaurant for private parties, along with TVs and leather black couches.

Gerald’s has a unique menu with dishes such as the chicken curry, steaks, fried potato salad, German potatoes, and even has a five-cheese mac and cheese. Gerald’s also has a fun desert Gimmie S’mores, for those who love classic s’mores. For those who love the south and southern food, Gerald’s also has grits that comes with shrimp.

Gerald’s, owned by Michelle Hamrick, is a small unique local restaurant in Wyndhurst. This restaurant has many different types of foods, such as Italian, Irish, German, and Mexican. Gerlad’s also has delicious foods such as, smoked sausages, different types of sandwiches,  lobster ravioli, burgers, pastas, and so much more.

Gerald’s also has many different types of hoagies, such as the Hawaiian Chicken Salad Hoagie with chicken salad, cucumber, spinach, pineapple, bacon, lettuce, and nuts. The Smoked Sausage and Bacon Roll has BBQ sauce, pepper jack cheese, and sweet pepper relish. For the vegetarians out there, Gerald’s also has a Grilled Veggie hoagie with different vegetables and wasabi mayo. These are only some of the items Gerald’s offers.

Michelle Hamrick spent four years as the head chef in a local restaurant in Wyndhurst called Home Gourmet, and had also been the executive chef at the Holiday Inn’s Lunchbag on Main in Downtown Lynchburg.

Michelle Hamrick also networks with other restaurants nearby, such as Montana Plains Bakery, who fixes their dinner rolls, and Mountain Frost Creamery who make ice cream.

This is what one customer had to say about Gerald’s, “It’s nice to have something different for a change.  The menu was very different from the usual fare in Lynchburg.  I really hope this restaurant succeeds.  If you want something that is reasonably priced and different from the typical steakhouse fare, then this is the place for you.”

To contact Gerald’s you can call (434) 582-1414 and it is located in Wyndhurst on 112 Tradewynd Drive. You can also find Gerald’s on Facebook. Their hours are from 11am-10pm daily. There are so many different items to choose from, so come out to Wyndhurst and check it out today.

Lynchburg’s Underground Supper Club

Do you want a fun eating experience? Then, you should come and find out more about Lynchburg’s Underground Supper Club. This is really unique because it is in non-restaurant locations with people you may not know. You will enjoy a 5-7 course meal at a place the chef will choose with people that you will meet that you might not have known before.

Chef Preston Cravey III makes all of his foods from locally and organically grown meats and vegetables. He’s from Charleston, SC. He has learned a lot from Chef McKee and has won the highest award for cooking from the Charleston Food and Wine Fest as well as the James Beard House. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of Charleston.

He is a certified chef with the American Culinary Federation and has been a judge for two high school culinary programs, which are the VICA and FCCLA. He has also been a personal chef to Robert McNair who is the NFL owner of the Houston Texans, has worked with celebrity chefs, and local authors of different cookbooks.

After leaving Charleston, Chef Preston, was the Campus Ex Sous Chef for UNC Chapel Hill until arriving in Lynchburg to take over as Executive Chef at Liberty University. A knee surgery in 2009 ended what was to be his last stop before returning to North Carolina, as a Regionial Chef. He took a job as an Instructor at Culinas, and taught his way of cooking. In keeping with his Southern background,in 2010 started running his Famous Underground Supper Clubs.

The Supper Club announces its next meal online once a month a week ahead of the event. The next event is August 7^th Dancing Leaf Premier Dinner Party, welcoming the special guest, Mayor Joan Foster. You can purchase tickets online at http://lynchburgsupperclub.com/tickets/.

You can contact Chef Preston at pcravey1021@gmail.com. To learn more you can go to http://lynchburgsupperclub.com and by following Lynchburg’s Underground Supper Club on Twitter. It will be a fun experience with the most incredible food! You don’t want to miss out.

Pints O’ Plenty

Are you interested in learning how to craft your own beer or wine? You can learn more by visiting Pints O’ Plenty in Forest. Pints O’ Plenty has over 30 craft beer kits and 8 fruit wine kits to make your favorite drinks.

The owner, Doug John, graduated from Lynchburg College with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Administration. In 1990, he began brewing and he became really passionate about it. In fact, he became the National champion in the American Homebrewers Contest in the Strong Ales subcategory in the year 1999.

Doug really cares about his customers and will help you craft your first beer or wine kit at your home. Some of the different beer kits are as follows: American Amber, Belgian Triple, Coopers Australian Pale Ale, Summer Ale that has a citrus type flavor, Vienna Lager with caramel malts, Irish Stout that is a creamy ale, and many other different kinds of beers. To see all the different beer packages you can go to http://pintsoplenty.com/home/category/beer-kits.

Pints O’ Plenty has different wine kits as well. The Vinters Reserve, which comes from vineyards such as Nappa Valley, Sonoma Valley, or Columbia Valley, has different whites and reds. The whites do well from a month of aging after it has been bottled and the reds are still really good after 4-6 months of aging.

The World Wide Wine kits come from vineyards around the world. Reds do well after four months of storage and whites after being bottled for one month. Island Mist and Twisted Mist are very good if you are interested in fruit flavors. These are only some of the wine kits that Pints O’ Plenty offers.

This is what one reviewer had to say about Pints O’ Plenty, “Located in an antique mall building, you would think that there would be a limited selection, but it has everything you would find at a larger store. The owner, Doug, keeps a great selection and is very helpful. They have all the supplies, can grind for you. They also have wine making supplies. The prices are very good, less than you can find on the net, and you do not pay shipping. Well worth stopping by.” This reviewer gave it an A+ and 5 stars.

Pints O’ Plenty also has different ingredients such as different types of hops, yeasts, malts, spices, adjuncts, and flavorings/sodas for you to use you in your beer/wine kit creation. Pints O’ Plenty also has different equipment and chemicals. Do you want to learn more on your own? Pints O’ Plenty sells books with different recipes that you can try on your own. They have fun Pints O’ Plenty t-shirts as well.

Do you enjoy coffee? Well, then you’re in luck, because Pints O’ Plenty sells coffee and has many different blends as well. If you like your coffee strong, blends like the kENYA AA would definitely be for you, and for those who do not like strong coffee, they have decaf as well, and they have blends in between.

Pints O’ Plenty is located on 1165 Burnbridge Drive Forest, VA 24551 and their phone number is (434) 851-5646. They are opened everyday of the week, Monday 11am-6pm, Tuesday 11am-4pm, Wednesday Thursday, and Friday are from 11am -6pm, Saturday 11am-4pm, and Sunday 1pm-5pm. For more information you can go to http://pintsoplenty.com/home. So come out to Forest, and see it for yourself today!

Ned’s Beer and Wine

New businesses in Lynchburg are growing every day, and one unique business that has just recently opened is Ned’s Beer and Wine. Ned’s Beer and Wine opened May 24^th this year and the grand opening was June 26^th.

The co-owners are Ashby Smith and Nate Hall. Nate Hall is also the owner of Rivermont Pizza and most of the foods are made at Rivermont Pizza.

The co-owners built up this business. They took two half walls and turned them into the counter and they used the leftover wood to build the sign that hangs behind the bar, which was done by Evan Puckett. He does the design/photography of the store as well as working the desk. They built it up themselves and have been successful.

Ashby Smith has worked for a specialty beer distributor for three years prior to opening this business, so he knows a lot about different types of beers and wines. One of his goals is for this store to be a “new way to spread some culture and new ideas to our town.” Ways that he wants to accomplish this would be to have some beer/music festivals, and by having block parties on Rivermont Avenue.

They have over 200 varieties of beers, many of which come from Virginia. This store also has unique art such as jewelry, candles, and paintings made out of beer cans. These items are actually made by artists from the surrounding Lynchburg area.

Ned’s Beer and Wine also has unique beer ice cream, along with other flavors, and might have beer-based soups in the fall. Even though Ned’s Beer and Wine has not been open for very long, they have had many block parties and tastings and can’t wait to do more in the future. One of their goals is to raise “cultural awareness about beer.”

“This is exactly what Lynchburg has been missing. They have hundreds of different micro-brews from around the United States and Imports from all over. I hear they are also going to start selling home-made ice-cream!” – a Five star reviewer

Ned’s Beer and Wine is also “the biggest selection of Micro-Brew and Import beers in Lynchburg City.” They specialize in Craft Brews, Domestics, and Imports and sell coffee, as well as locally made food from Rivermont Pizza.

Ned’s Beer and Wine is located on 2486 Rivermont Avenue Lynchburg, VA 24503 and their phone number is (434) 485-2008. Also, their hours are Sun:11am-4pm; Mon-Thurs:12pm-10pm, and Fri-Sat 12pm-12am. So come out, and see it for yourself. They have many different types of wines and beers and are very active in planning events.

Summer Solstice Annual Wine Festival

Celebrating it’s second year, the Summer Solstice Festival brought together all of the area’s finest wineries for a delicious tasting on the longest day of the year: Saturday, June 19.

Several new vineyards made their appearance, including Democracy Vineyards and DeVault Vineyards.

Here is a quick run-down of some of our favorite wines:

Democracy Vineyards:

• Village View Gold fruit wine, 100% Ginger Gold Apple Wine

Mountain Cove Vineyards:

• Skyline Rose:  blend of red and white
• Apple:  red delicious, granny smith and golden Delicious with Fuji
• Peach: peaches from Nelson county

Delfosse Vineyards and Winery

• Deer Rock Farm Red: red blend aged in French oak barrels

Flying Fox Vineyard

• Fox White: sweet version of Viognier; porch wine
• Trio: red blend with a deep oak flavor

Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery

• Mountain Apple Wine: the best apple wine EVER!
• Lavender Metheglin mead wine

Lazy Days Winery

• Sweet Lazy Days: off-dry bled of vidal and chardonnay

Wintergreen Winery

• Three Ridges White: atlantic seaboard wine competition silver medalist, made with Petit Manseng grape
• Raven’s Roost cabernet franc: medium bodied cabernet franc with raspberry and violet

Rebec Winery

• Gewurztraminer: a smokey semi-dry white, soft but spicy
• Landmark Sweet: light and sweet with honeydew and mango

Cardinal Point

• CS + PV + CF: A blend of blackberry from Cab. Sauv, cherry from P. VErdot and Pepper from Cab Franc

Old Tunnel in Lynchburg, VA

There are a lot of different things about Lynchburg that a lot of people don’t know about. A lot of people have lived here their whole lives and don’t know some of Lynchburg’s Best Kept secrets.

One of these secrets is the tunnels in Downtown Lynchburg. There is an old tunnel underneath Jefferson Street near Amazement Square. Many people pass through here every day, but very few have noticed this. The tunnel has been filled in.

There is so much history here and we still have old buildings and old tunnels from the past. There are places, such as Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, and history from the Battle of Lynchburg during the US Civil War. There’s so much to discover and explore!

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Piney River Campground

Are you looking for something fun to do in Central Virginia for the summer? Do you love nature and the outdoors? Well, then come to the Piney River Campground in Nelson County.

There’s so much to do here. The temperature is usually high 80’s during the day and 60’s at night in the summer and high 40’s during the day and 10’s at night in the winter and there are high levels of precipitation. October is the rainiest and January is when there is the least amount of rain.

There are lots of things to do such as hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, swimming, and so much more. There are many trails around, such as  Mills Creek Trail, White Rock Gap Trail, Kennedy Ridge Hiking Trail, Turkey Pen Ridge Trail, Tolley Gap Trail, and many more.

You can go whitewater rafting on the Buffalo River and on the Tye River. Kayaking and whitewater rafting on the Tye River is fun, and is easier to do in rivers like this and other rivers in  Virginia then it is in most places. The South Fork on the Tye River is a lot of fun and the Upper North Fork is exciting for those who live for adventure.

Is the summer just too hot for you?  You can go to Wintergreen, which is a fun ski slope. Wintergreen has many different slopes both for those who are just beginning to learn how to ski and those who are more advanced. Wintergreen has five ski lifts, and it drops to 1003 feet. There are twenty ski trails, 38% of which are expert and advanced; 42% are intermediate and 20% of which are beginner runs. Wintergreen also has 90 acres and gets 3 feet of annual snowfall.

There is also history in Piney River, VA. Saunders Brothers Orchard & Farm Museum has Indian artifacts and many farm antiques. If you love art, then you will love Tye Brook Studio. Tye Brook Studio has many beautiful paintings of nature. It’s also fun to go horseback riding at Narrow Gate Trekking for those horse lovers out there. If you love bike riding, you can ride bikes at the Blue Ridge Bike Trail.

Virginia is such a beautiful state and the mountains are just incredible. This is such a great part of Virginia and Piney River Campground is the perfect opportunity to enjoy nature and all of the fun outdoor activities.  There’s hiking, fishing, swimming, and many other fun outdoor activities here to do.

For more information you can go to http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/112524.html and Piney River Campground’s mailing address is Rt 778 Piney River, VA 22964. Piney River Campground is a fun place for the whole family so come and see for yourself!

97.9 The Planet Rock Station

Do you love rock music? Well, turn that radio to 97.9 or 106.9 to The Planet

Radio Station, which plays rock music from decades ago and today, such as Train, ZZ Top, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Nirvana, Aerosmith, Soul Asylum, Alice in Chains, Styx, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and much more!

Listening to constant commercials instead of music can be annoying and you’re probably sick of switching radio stations, so that you can listen to music. From 10am, 2pm, and 6pm, there is a 90 minute period of NO COMMERCIALS. The Planet Radio Station plays your favorite rock music commercial free.

Listening to the same few songs can be obnoxious, which is why The Planet Radio Station has “No Repeat Weekends.” From 5:00 on Friday to midnight on Sunday, The Planet does not repeat a single song, so there’s a great variety of what you listen to during the day.

Have a friend coming up with a birthday? Let The Planet radio station celebrate it with you by sending it online ahead of time. They will wish your friend a happy birthday over the radio. The radio station usually announces birthdays around 8:30 each morning. At the end of the week, Tina will draw from the birthdays that week and the winner will receive a fun party package, which includes one topping large pizza with an order of breadsticks brought to you from Upper Crust Pizza, 2 movie tickets to the Carmike Cinemas, a six-pack of either Pepsi or Diet Pepsi, and an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. In order to do this, you can either fill out the form online at http://www.rocktheplanet.fm/birthdayform/ or mail it to 19-C Wadsworth Street Lynchburg, VA 24501. They don’t accept phone calls, so remember either to do it online or mail it.

The Planet is also having a contest called 97 Days of Summer. You can register to win and the prizes are from Wildwood Campground. You will either win either,  two nights at a   9 person cabin plus 5 passes for mini golf or a 6 person cabin plus 5 passes for mini golf. Wildwood Campground is located at 6252 Elon Rd Monroe, VA 24574.

Do you love blues music? Then, come to the 5^th Annual Blue Ridge Blues and BBQ Festival on Saturday, July 17^th at Elmwood Park in Downtown Roanoke. Gates open at 11:30, but the event goes from noon to 10:00 pm. The event features Matt “Guitar” Murphy with the Nouveax Honkies, Sean Chambers, Labron Labenzy & L.A. 3, and much more!

Tickets for kids ten and under are FREE and are $20 at the gate, $15 in advance for adults. To order tickets in advance you can either call the box office by calling 540-345-2550, go online and order them from www.jeffcenter.org, or you can purchase them at the Jefferson Center at 541 Luck Avenue Roanoke, VA 24016. To learn more go to www.blueridgeblues.org . So, order your tickets today!

So, enjoy your day at work, while listening to Tina and Cody, and your favorite rock station 97.9 The Planet. There are limited commercials and a great variety of different songs. You can call The Planet Studio Listener Comment Line at (866) 376-0979.

Crabtree Falls

Are you looking for something to do this summer? Do you want to just relax and get away from the busyness of the city? Then, come to the Crabtree Falls in Tyro, VA, which is between Lynchburg and Charlottesville in Nelson County. Here, you can enjoy Virginia’s beautiful mountains, the hiking trails, and enjoy being in nature. There’s so much here to do.

The Cabins at Crabtree Falls are really nice and out in nature. It also has one of the biggest  waterfalls on the East Coast and is  over 1500 feet.  The different cabins are Richard’s Retreat, Annie’s Cabin, Jack’s Place, Barb’s House, and Tony’s Place.

Richard’s Retreat is unique because it is an Appalachian cabin that had been brought from Kentucky. It has old structure, with modern additions and renovations. There is also heating and cooling so that you can be comfortable during your stay. Love great views? You can see the mountain called “The Priest” on the porch of Richard’s Retreat. Upstairs is a sleeping loft that can fit as many as six people.

Do you love old, historic places? Annie’s Cabin was built in the 1830s and was named after Annie Carr. This cabin had been in the Carr family  for over 150 years and Annie was the last family member to live here, who moved in the 1970s. Annie’s Cabin also has a great view of the mountains and a grill and fire pit outside.

Are you looking for a small getaway? Jack’s Place is a small cabin with one bedroom and one bath upstairs, with a living room and kitchen downstairs. There is also a double fold-out futon in the other side of the bedroom.

While Jack’s Place was built as more of a weekend getaway, Barb’s House was built for Barbara and Ray Otto, who lived here year round. Ray passed away in 1997 and Barbara treated it as a guesthouse until 2000, when she moved. Barb’s House also includes satellite with the TV/VCR. VCRs can be rented from the office. Heat and air conditioning is provided, so that you can use it to your comfort.

Would you rather stay somewhere really modern rather than historic? Tony’s Place is for you. This cabin was named after Tony Cermele, who also built the Crabtree Falls Campgrounds and is managed by his son Mark. Tony’s Place has two stories, one bedroom, and one bathroom. In the upstairs bedroom, is a queen sized bed, nightstand, lamp, drawers, and a swivel chair. Downstairs, is a washer/dryer.

Pets are allowed in all of the cabins, with the exception of Tony’s Place. Firewood is available for those who want to start a campfire, and supplies such as towels, linens, sheets, blankets, pots, pans, and tableware are provided, along with toiletries. Check-in is at 4:00 pm and check-out is at 10:00 am. You may check in early if there was nobody staying in your cabin immediately before you. You may also check out late if there is nobody staying in your cabin immediately after you, but you need to check with the office the day before. The Cabins at Crabtree Falls is very accommodating to your needs.

Is there anything to do around Nelson County? There is plenty to do. You can go hiking at the Hiking Crabtree Falls, canoeing and kayaking in the James River Basin, and go hiking at the Appalachian Trail. For those who love bike riding, you can bike ride in the back roads of Nelson County and go mountain biking at the Wintergreen Resort.

Do you like horseback riding? There’s horseback riding at The Rodes Farm Stable in Stoney Creek mid March through November at the Wintergreen Resort. The Virginia Horse Center in Lexington is also fun to watch horse shows and exhibitions.

There is also lots of history. Cyrus McCormick Farm is a historical landmark which honors Cyrus McCormick for being the first reaper.  At this site is also his historic blacksmith shop, and manor house. Stonewall Jackson’s house is in Lexington, where he lived before the US Civil War.

The Blue Ridge Arts and Crafts Trail has many gallaries along the trail full of arts and crafts such as pottery, weaving, painting, sculpture, and much more.  The heritage museums also give you the history of the landscapes.

Were you ever a big fan of the series, The Waltons? The Walton Mountain Museum has replicas of sets from the series The Waltons. Earl Hamner Jr, the creator of the show, went to school in this building.

There’s a ski resort at Wintergreen that is fun for the whole family as well. There’s so much around here to do and so much to explore!

So, come and enjoy nature at Crabtree Falls! Make your reservation today. You can do so by calling 571-291-9370.

Rise Up Climbing

Are you looking for something fun and exciting to do in Lynchburg this summer? Come try Rise Up Climbing. It’s an indoor climbing gym in Lynchburg that has a lot of different programs going on such as summer camps, events, open climb, basic skills classes, birthday parties, private groups and much more!

The summer camps are for kids ages 9-14, and it will be a great experience. These kids will learn climbing,  and how to do basic movements and turns through climbing. Not only will they learn a lot about climbing, but they will learn about more important life lessons, such as team building, respect for teammates, and other such things that kids learn through sports.

The summer camps are a great way to get your kids off the couch and having them stay active, athletic, and involved. It will also be educational and they will learn different basic things about geology. So come, get ready for the fun! It’s going to be a great summer at Rise Up Climbing.

The three sessions are from July 12-16; July 26-30, and August 9-13 and you can register your child online at http://riseupclimbing.com/index.php/summer_camp/ . It’s a day camp that goes from 9:00-3:00 and is $190 per session. Members of Rise Up Climbing will have $20 discounted off the original price and siblings will have $25 discounted as well.

There will also be fun events going on this summer. The next event is Get Outdoors 3: New River Weekend, which will be June 19-20th. This place has some of the best stone in the country and it will be a fun trip!

There are also open climb classes Friday 4-7 and Saturday 2-4. There is no pre-registration and it costs $4. There are staff there who help you learn how to climb and help those who are new.

The basic skills classes are Mondays and Fridays 7-9 and Saturdays 1-3. Pre-registration is needed for these classes and you must be at least 14 years of age. These classes teach you the safety that you will need when climbing on your own. You will learn how to put on a harness, tie yourself into a rope, and belay for a partner. These classes are $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

Does your child have a birthday coming up? Rise Up Climbing has fun birthday parties, so come celebrate.  It will be a lot of fun where the kids can climb in the gym and afterwards play in the party room. The invitations can even be downloaded online. You need to pre-register to have a birthday party and the cost is $18 for members and $20 for non-members. So come, and have fun!

Do you want to meet here after a business meeting? Are you looking for something to do with a group of your friends? Whether kid, teen, or adult, Rise Up Climbing has private groups, where the staff can teach you the skills you are learning, or can teach you how to climb.  Pre-registration is needed and the group needs to be at least 6 people.

Rise Up Climbing also has a competitive team called Team Rise Up for climbers who would like to advance their skills.

There are also classes that work on specific skills such as, Wall Contact and Sequencing, Turning, Balance and Movement, Movements for steeper walls, Personalized Training, On-sight and Redpoint Tactics, and Sport Leading. These classes are $35 for members and $75 for non-members.

It’s important for kids to stay active and stay healthy and Rise Up Climbing can not only accomplish that, but can make it fun for kids to learn how to climb. This is an opportunity for kids to learn a new sport and to have fun. Their location is 1225 Church St. Lynchburg, VA 24504 and their phone number is (434) 845-7625. So, come and try it out today!

The Little Dinner Theater Players

Are you looking for fun entertainment on Saturday night in Lynchburg?  Then, you should come see The Little Dinner Theater Players. It’s a professional acting troupe, which has done a lot of different murder mystery plays. Some of the plays they have done are The Altos, Virginia Jones and The Inca Revenge, Colonial Spirits, A Deadly Briefcase, and many others.

One person said, “I’ve traveled All across the country and have taken in many of the local attractions offered in various locations. This troupe brings to Lynchburg what has been the mainstay of (legal) evening entertainment of such destinations as Orlando, Branson, Houston, Nashville and Seattle at a fraction of the cost. They bring humor that is family-friendly, a three-course meal that is absolutely fabulous and an entertainment experience at a far greater value than one would expect.” He gave it five stars.

This is something that definitely helps to make Lynchburg unique. Plus, it is fun because instead of only watching the show, you get to interact with the characters. In their play, Death Rides the Stage, the right guesser and the goofiest guesser both won a prize! It’s fun to try to figure out which of the characters was the murderer, and you get more clues as the play goes on.

There was also a lot of interaction in Contempt of Court. This play was a lot of fun because the audience decided the fate of these characters in the funniest court cases. They were able to vote on who should win each case and could even be part of the jury, become witnesses, plaintiffs, or defendants.

Do you enjoy stories about going into outer space? Then, Murder, The Next Generation would be a fun play for you. This play was a fun adventure taking place among the Asteroid-6 space station, as they discover who the murderer is. Are you an Indiana Jones fan? Then, Virginia Jones and the Inca Revenge is a fun choice as well. At the beginning, the characters are celebrating Virginia Jones rescuing Marcus, but the real question is why did he need rescuing?

Do you love cruises? Well, A Deadly Briefcase takes place on a cruise to Bermuda, where there’s not a dull moment. There’s romance, excitement, and the audience tries to find who the murderer is.

So come, enjoy! The Little Dinner Theater Players has done so many types of murder mysteries plays such as these, all with such fun and exciting settings, and all with fun interaction between the characters and the audience. You can make a reservation by calling 434-239-7250. To learn more about The Little Dinner Theater Players, you can go to their website at http://www.littledinnertheater.com/The%20Shows.html . It will be a night full of entertainment for the whole family!

Computer Repair Shop in Goode, VA

Do you ever get frustrated with your computer being slow? Does your computer have a virus? Whatever the problem is, The Computer Repair Shop located in Goode, VA is here to help.

The Computer Repair Shop removes viruses, spyware, and malware, upgrades computers, and much more. The Computer Repair Shop works with a lot of different types of PCs, such as HP, Dell, Compaq, and many other brands.

This shop also has great deals and you can request a deal, or receive a coupon, by contacting them. If you want to keep up to date with what the Computer Repair Shop is doing, you can subscribe to the newsletters.

Ron Herbert moved to Lynchburg in 2002. He wanted to work at a computer repair shop, so he went to the little shop in Goode. They were only open 4-5 hours a day at the time. He started working here, and helped build up this small business. Four years later, he ended up buying the shop. He cares so much about helping people with their computers. Once Ron knows what you are going to use your computer for, such as work, school, etc. he builds it in a way that will be best for you and will fit your technological needs.

When a customer buys a used PC, Ron makes sure that  the computer goes through a thorough testing period, where they work with the different computer parts to make sure that the PC will not only last a long time, but will pass beyond the warranty that the store offers.  He makes them, so that the PCs will last to the next 5-6 years, even up to 8 years. The Computer Repair Shop also has great Virus Removal and Preventions, by using the best solutions to the problems and protecting your computer against Fake Alert Identity, Malware, and Spyware, instead of just downloading the latest free version of Anti-Virus, and being done with it.

The Computer Repair Shop has a Facebook page and can answer technical questions through the discussion boards as well. The Facebook page informs people of spyware that can occur through some free downloads and informs people of how to protect their computers.  Shaun Kuhn, one of the customers, said, “Ron is honest and fair. No surprises except when you get the bill, and then it is a pleasant one. This is the only place I would take my computer to be repaired.” It’s a nice, local computer shop that really cares about its customers’ needs.  So, come and try it today!

The Computer Repair Shop is located 9330 E Lynchburg Salem Tpke Goode, VA 24556. It is open from 10:00-6:00 Monday-Friday and 10:00-4:00 on Saturday and their phone number is 540-587-9200.

The All American Mutt Rescue

The All American Mutt Rescue, located in Huddleston, VA, rescues animals and gives these animals a new home. It was started by Cindy and Danny Torrence, who took care of cats and dogs they found that would have been to taken to the pound. Now, they rescue dogs here in Central Virginia. Some of the ways that they take care of these animals is by having them sprayed, neutered, and vaccinated. All American Mutt Rescue really cares about these animals and gets to know their wants and needs by working with them. They can tell whether the dog wants to be with another dog, or whether the dog likes to be playing with kids, or if they have other wants. They also help their future owners by teaching them how to care for these animals. Their motto is “Rescue… Rehome …Real love” and they really do live to this. They rescue these animals, take care of them, and get to know them, so that they can find these animals, the perfect home.

In order to adopt a pet, you can got to sites, such as petfinder.com, Adopt-a-pet.com, and other sites. Fill out the adoption application on their website page. The application will be reviewed and you will be notified. If you are adopting, you must be willing to keep the dog for 10-15 years.  Then, when you hear back, you can meet the dog at the scheduled time. Then, if the dog is going to be adopted, you must sign the contract and make the payment.

Do you want to help, but not adopt? No problem. You can help by sponsoring a dog. This can be done by either, sponsoring one dog, sponsoring a specific need, such as vaccinations, or neutering, or sponsoring an event.

Their next event is the Second Annual Bark and Wine festival, which will be held June 26^th in Brookneal, VA at the Sans Soucy Vineyards and Winery. This is the Antcil family’s way of giving back. They want to help The All American Mutt Rescue and they are doing this by holding this event, since they own the winery. There will be lots of music, food, and much more and the event will be benefiting The All American Mutt Rescue. It will be held at 1571 Mount Calvary Road Brookneal, VA 24528.

You can also help by donating today. This is a non-profit organization, so they really could use the help. You can donate money or donate objects such as, blankets, leashes, collars, toys, towels, or other such things.

Volunteers are also needed for an organization like this as well. If you can volunteer a lot of hours that’s great, but if you don’t have as much time, that’s okay, too. Your work would be greatly appreciated. These dogs need to be cleaned, taken care of, and fostered. They need to learn to be around people, and other basic things. They also need to be washed, brushed, and  they need to have their monthly vaccinations. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you can email weluvpups@hotmail.com and ask for a volunteer application or a foster application, if you want to foster a dog for one or two months.

The strong should help out the weak. These animals need our help. Let’s reach out to the defenseless and help these animals in need. The All American Mutt Rescue is located at 5491 Johnson Mtn Rd Huddleston, VA 24104 and their phone number is (434) 841-0411. So, help out today!

Strawberry Picking, Anyone?

There is nothing like knowing where your food comes from or the gratifying feeling of picking it yourself (at least for me, my boss would say “I’d rather buy it or have it delivered). But I just love picking strawberries! This annual May ritual has evolved and changed a bit over the years but it’s still fun all the same.

Once upon a time the experience was one of rural country farms, rows upon rows of wirery strawberry plants, aisles covered with straw and smashed berries from the last pickers that had been by. You and your Mom in floppy hats and some trusty buckets you brought from home. The task was fun as we rooted through the thick plants to find the “perfect” berries (sampling every other one to make sure they are just right).

Jeans stained with green and red juices were merely just to price one paid for this natural experience of being a treasure hunter searching for the bounty of ruby red treasure to be put in the freezer and enjoyed well into winter when summer days are just a memory.

But now here in 2010 the experience has changed ever so slightly but just as much fun and the bounty just as delicious. We will be heading to Scott’s Strawberry Farm in Bedford County this Friday (5234 Joppa Mill Rd Moneta Virginia) for the first pick of the year.

This wonderful little berry farm, has very much the experience from my childhood, not as rural and much more a structured experience but very memorable all the same. The rows are much more groomed in this modern agriculture, the process more prearranged. The farmers obviously thought through this “picking process” for efficiency for them and for the picker. Upon arrival you “check in” with the friendly farm greeter. You are given several small flags, containers for the berries, and then you are walked out to your “picking location.”

Unlike the days when my brother and I would randomly run amuck through the fields you are assigned a location where you are to start and stop picking marked with the flags. Now this obviously a benefit since no one else had picked there that day and the famer assures a bigger yield for their buyer…but some of the excitement of the experience is lost in this limited location process as you gaze upon rows and rows of strawberries and are limited to only two. And the days of spending hours looking for the “best” untapped spots are now gone. But on a positive note you can be in and out of there in ½ hr with all the strawberries your little heart desires.

Once a dirty experience from the mere contact of fresh farm soil, the mounds are now neatly covered with a black plastic exposing only the healthy green plants and berries. This barrier keeps you pretty clean, as was my experience at C & S Farm on Oakley Ave Appomattox VA last year. That strawberry picking venture was also similarly very structured but I found the whole experience fast and clean and a great price for my 10 lbs of strawberries, so no complaints here.

I would recommend both of these great little farms if you’re looking for a location to pick this year. Worth mentioning, Scott’s Farm in Moneta has a lovely annual Strawberry Festival with, food, rides, music and of course STRAWBERRY EVERYTHING.

It will be held this year on May 29th I believe. It was a lovely little carnival perfect for anyone to enjoy. If you want to investigate other farms in the area I recommend getting familiar with www.pickyourown.org. Or of course just visit the Lynchburg Community Market in downtown Lynchburg any Saturday in May and I am sure you won’t be disappointed. You will thank me when you’re eating strawberry short cake in December!

Laurie Gulluscio, Retail Merchants Association of Lynchburg

Unique Niche Classes from CVCC

We’ve all seen the motorcycle driving classes in the parking lot of Lynchburg campus’ CVCC, but what about the other unique classes offered by the continuing education department at Central Virginia Community College?

Offered is everything from parenting to basic home maintenance, computer repair and how to become a radio voice over! See a complete list here >

But my favorite upcoming classes are Homebrewing 101 and Winemaking 101, both offered from our very own Pint-O-Plenty homebrew kit expert, Doug John, located in Forest, VA. Get his information here >

The beer and wine-making courses coming up in the Fall will provide step by step instructions on how to brew in your own home. See the CVCC website for more information!

A Perfect Saturday with a Trip Downtown

My favorite date day with my husband is a planned Saturday morning downtown.

Don’t linger around your house drinking coffee on a lovely sunny morning in Lynchburg! If you do, you’ll be missing out on something that NO big city or destination location has… an easily accessible, quaint, enjoyable morning spent in downtown Lynchburg.

First you need to go early. Remember the farmers get there early and so should you. Not only is the morning just lovely with the coolness of the dew not yet overpowered by the hot sun of summer that is due to arrive around 11am, it’s just an atmosphere perfect for this “field trip” let’s call it.

We greet the farmers and ogle at all the produce that’s available, everything imaginable, at this point you start envisioning your grandmothers kitchen with counter tops of hot jars ready and waiting a variety of vegetables, hot baths for jars, salts and spices, even though you might currently live in a two bedroom apartment something nostalgic comes over you when your around all this fresh produce.

Breakfast is made up of everything temping a breakfast can offer, breads, coffee, cornbread, pudding, pies, cakes, eggs and bacon, everything wonderful. Now, take your coffee and make sure you get a cup with a lid…and head down the street, since you’ve seen all the produce your now inspired that you ARE secretly a farmer and that you should be tilling soil of some kind, even if it’s a pot on your balcony or a dug up front lawn.

The Farmers Seed and Feed is a great store for that, you feel like you’ve stepped back in a very different time in Lynchburg…this fabulous long standing building is a Lynchburg gem.

At this point your only problem is where you put all the produce, breads, flowers, coffee with the lid etc. I recommend a baby carriage minus the baby. The quaint stores along Lynchburg’s Main Street and side streets could occupy your entire day, for me personally I know my husband has sent out a search party only to find me at Main Streets Estate Specialist digging through the piles of books, antiques and oddities.

Finally, after a lovely lunch at one of the many original locally owned bistro’s, café’s , coffee shops etc. you stagger home well after 2pm to crash only to get revitalized by unpacking your goodies that you purchased that day…time to invite the friends over? Break out the mason jars and freezer bags? Where’s gramma when you need her?

Laurie Gulluscio, Retail Merchants Association of Lynchburg

Third Thursdays at Rebec Vineyards

Every year thousands of Central Virginians pile into vans and head out to Rebec Vineyard’s annual Garlic Festival. It is the largest, most well known wine event in Central VA.

But while the Garlic Festival is not such a secret in Lynchburg… Third Thursdays is!

Third Thursdays at Rebec Vineyards is a monthly music event put on during the Spring and Summer months that is not very well known.

Couples and families can bring their lawn chairs and a picnic out to Rebec every Third Thursday of the month and listen to free music while they drink some wine that is for purchase from Rebec.

So… next time you are thinking that the Garlic Festival can’t come soon enough… just head out to Third Thursdays for a relaxing time with delicious wine, friends & great music!

See the Third Thursday schedule >

Community Market

If I could come to the downtown Lynchburg Community Market every weekend, I would. The outdoor vendors offer a variety of fresh, organic and home grown vegetables – and the indoor vendors offer both home baked goods like bread, pies, chocolates and wine, and home made goods like wooden crafts and jewelry.

If you buy goods from the inside gallery, you may do so at the payment kiosk on the far wall on the opposite side of the baked goods. The gallery also rents space for businesses like Health Nut Nutrition and a couple of restaurants.

The members of the Artist Co-Op are based on a monthly fee, hours worked in the store and amount of proceeds that go towards the market.

One business that stands out to me is ‘Chocolates R Us’ on the near side of the inside market. They have chocolate with candy bits inside that taste like coffee, orange, and many others. They also offer chocolate gifts like tool-set chocolates and other fun molds.

To get more information on the market, go to the City of Lynchburg website >

Downtown Pizza

By Eric Hunter

Downtown Lynchburg is becoming the first area I choose to go to when going out to eat. It is exciting to continually see the new restaurants and shops coming to the area. On Wednesday, I ate out for lunch and tried Downtown Pizza, which is on Main Street next to Baby B’s.

Going in, you have Bob Marley playing, which gives you an automatic relaxed feeling. We ordered the pesto pizza, and it was the best I have had in a while. The crust is out standing. When complimenting them about how good it was, they mentioned that they put a lot of work into perfecting it.

In addition to the great whole pizzas you can get, they have lunch specials, which offer one or two slices and a drink for a very reasonable price.

For anyone wanting pizza, I recommend Downtown Pizza.

Bellydancers… in Lynchburg?

Folks are often shocked when they hear about Lynchburg Tribal, a group of bellydancers in and around Lynchburg.

Nancy McAndrew, a Lynchburg native, has been teaching bellydance at MindBody Studio on Rivermont Avenue since 2003. Her students have ranged from high school girls to retirees.Their performing group, Lynchburg Tribal, has danced at events for Rebec Vineyard, Lynch’s Landing, Bull Branch, Starlight Cafe, art shows, and roller derby bouts, as well as private events and parties.

For the past three years as part of the city’s Kaleidoscope Festival Lynchburg Tribal has hosted a bellydance showcase, called a “hafla,” featuring regional dancers which has drawn significant crowds.

Classes are hosted at MindBody Studio, through Parks & Recreation, as well as at the Jamerson YMCA, Superkicks in Forest, and beginning in Feb 2010 through the Campbell County Recreation dept.

“Bellydance is a fantastic way for women to get exercise in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. In an all-woman class there is no need for self consciousness about our bodies. The dance is gentle enough to not leave you worn-out or exhausted, but vigorous enough that you can feel the difference in your energy level, core strength, and general flexibility. And did I mention it is fun?” – Nancy McAndrew

A typical class begins with stretching and breathing exercises which move into dance drills for the arms, upper body, and/or hips. Bellydance is focused on isolating one part of the body while keeping other parts still.

“It can be harder than it looks, but with practice, anyone can develop the muscle control to do it.”

Information about Bellydance in Lynchburg, classes, events and more are at LynchburgBellydance.com.