http://www.readthehook.com/blog From the Hook newsroom Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:14:36 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Beside the under-construction Landmark Hotel, Damani Harrison of the loally-based hip-hop group Beetnix prepares to shoot a video tonight on the Downtown Mall. Shortly before 7pm, using a none-too-loud boom box to keep time, the band--- "one for the money, two for the brain, three for the pain"--- walked the ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/snap-o-the-day-beetnix-video/ Atlantic Monthly editor Andrew Sullivan points out on his blog today that former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove's assessment of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) as a vice presidential candidate has new meaning now that Rove's party will soon nominate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) for the ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/roves-kaine-critique-gains-new-irony-with-palin-pick/ Beer Run, we think its safe to say, has had a pretty good run since opening in December. In addition to becoming a popular Belmont hang out, mostly by serving up nearly everything---hand-crafted beers, wine, coffee, dinner, breakfast, brunch, lunch, gourmet grocery items, live music, outdoor dining, wine & beer tastings, ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/mag-choses-beer-run-as-top-beer-shop/ In an early morning fire Tuesday, July 29, blaring smoke detectors saved lives but still allowed several injuries--- one serious--- to occur at a home in Brunswick, Maryland. Forced to flee through second floor windows, three members of the family at 206 Seventh Avenue were rushed to the hospital to be ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/maryland-fire-leaves-smoldering-questions/ Why did recent deluges knock less than two feet off the Sugar Hollow Reservoir water deficit while erasing the entire four-foot deficit at the mammoth South Fork Rivanna Reservoir? The latter reservoir can corral so much water because it has a 259-square-mile watershed, with multiple streams and rivers gushing into ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/reservoir-logs-4-rain-erases-4-reservoir-gap/ Don't forget to check Ned Oldham's (once a Hook interview subject, now our resident gourmand) review of Mas this week. While taking on Mas' famous bacon-wrapped dates, Ned somehow wraps the whole thing in a tribute to the Ramones. How does Mas fare? Find out for yourself online or in ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/dish-bits/ Hootie and the Blowfish's major-label debut Cracked Rear View outsold Dave Matthews Band's Under the Table and Dreaming by 7 million copies. PUBLICITY PHOTOS When both Dave Matthews Band and Hootie and the Blowfish burst onto the national scene with their major label debuts in 1994, it seemed there wouldn't be room ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/fourteen-years-later-dmb-resumes-tour-hootie-breaks-up/ Radio host Coy Barefoot recently helped St. Maarten’s Cafe owner Jim Roland celebrate his popular Corner restaurant's 24th birthday, inviting him to tell the story of St. Maarten's on his WINA radio show "Charlottesville-Right Now!" It's a real window into the local restaurant world, and he even weighs on the ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/st-maarten%e2%80%99s-cafe-turns-24/ Two construction workers balanced this morning atop the recently poured columns for the third-level deck of the Landmark Hotel on the Downtown Mall. The $30 million 9-story luxury hotel is scheduled to open in July 2009. http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/29/snap-o-the-day-high-rise-act/ L'etoile chef/owner Mark Gresge wanted to let y'all know that he's running their $36 three course menu this week and through the month of September. Here's the menu this week, but please remember he changes it every week based on the ingredients he can get. Appetizer Soup du Jour Made Fresh Daily ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/letoile-three-course-menu-this-week/ Although early reports suggested that there could have been two fatalities in this morning's blaze at 3200 Long Acre Road in Fluvanna County, Fluvanna fire officials now say the residents were not home at the time of the fire. "They were on their way to North Carolina," says Fluvanna Volunteer Fire ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/cats-missing-but-humans-safe-in-fluvanna-fire/ In its annual ranking of the "Top 100 Most Powerful Women," Forbes ranked CBS Evening News anchor and UVA alumna Katie Couric 62nd among all women worldwide. That's one better than Couric's previous year standing of 63rd, but still not high enough to top Meredith Vieira (#61), the woman who ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/couric-ranks-62nd-on-most-poweful-women-list/ Reservoir-watchers may be scratching their heads this morning over the latest reports from the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority which show the Rivanna Reservoir is still four feet down and has even fallen 1/10th of a foot since yesterday. The Ragged Mountain Reservoir has fallen 1/5th of a foot since ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/rain-falls-so-why-do-reservoirs/ Apparently Daily Show host Jon Stewart isn't a fan of former Gov. Mark Warner (D). On last night's show, after showing a montage of clips from Warner's keynote address at the Democratic National Convention of the former guv talking about his experience in the cell phone industry, Stewart whipped out ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/stewart-to-warner-your-speech-sucked/ Remnants of near-Hurricane Fay have rescued farmers, parched lawn-owners, and the 4-feet-low Rivanna Reservoir. Call it the "media rain dance," if you will, as the storm--- which the National Weather Service estimates has already dumped over an inch and a half at the airport--- follows numerous news accounts of how ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/fay-remants-drenching-us/ Bandmate Carter Beauford arrives at the church on Park Street. PHOTO BY WILL WALKER As a soft but steady rain-- the first in more than a month-- fell on his hometown yesterday morning, friends and family of LeRoi Moore filed into Charlottesville's biggest church to remember the late Dave Matthews Band saxophonist, ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/28/tortured-shining-moore-remembered-by-dave/ The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library reminds parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.  Library cards are free and bring you a world of opportunity.  Sign up for a card at any JMRL branch. Visit: jmrl.org http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/27/september-is-library-card-sign-up-month/ Looking for a multi-million dollar fixer-upper? Your search may soon end. Recently, board members of the Chi Psi Fraternity house on Rugby Road, known as "The Lodge," voted to put the 100-plus year old property up for sale for "north of $2 million," says board member Paul Wright. The fraternity ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/27/historic-uva-frat-house-on-the-block/ Same houses, new logo, now that Eagle Construction has taken Church Hill Homes under its wing. COURTESY CHURCH HILL HOMES Mark Twain famously said "the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated," and it seems the same quote may hold true for Church Hill Homes. Although the local residential building ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/27/the-eagle-has-landed-at-belvedere/ Tired of having to jet off to New York, London or L.A. to pick up your new Versace, Jimmy Choo or Kate Spade shades? Now it's an easy cruise down Ivy Road to University Shopping Center for the latest in high-fashion sunglassery. Hollywood Shades opened Monday, and among the $500 ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/27/snap-o-the-day-hollywood-shades/ Discover some great virginia wines--not to mention some great local bands, food, and crafts--at the Discover Virginia Music & Wine Festival in Greene County this weekend, August 30 & 31, from 11am to 6pm each day. They've got a nifty website up. Check it out. http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/26/big-greene-county-wine-festival-this-weekend/ Steakout, the Alabama-based steak delivery franshise, just opened their first store in Virginia today, and it happens to be in Albemarle Square. A rep for the chain says there are a few places to sit at the joint, but that its mainly in business to deliver juicy steak dinners and ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/26/steakout-at-albemarle-square/ The man whose attempted Grady Avenue rape of a UVA student was interrupted by a quick-thinking friend, an alert neighbor, and fast-acting Charlottesville police on February 21 has drawn a 40-year prison sentence while taking "full responsibility for his actions, the Daily Progress reports. Thirty-nine-year-old Christopher Allen Noakes (pictured here), ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/26/interrupted-rapist-takes-full-responsibility-gets-40-years/ In its latest issue, TV Guide gives CNN's Larry King a "jeer" in its "Cheers & Jeers" section for his handling of the news of DMB saxophonist LeRoi Moore's death. Breaking into a live interview with comedian Bill Maher, King announced that "he was only 66" when Moore was, in ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/26/tv-guide-jeers-larry-king-for-leroi-report/ UVA President John Casteen is waiting for "evidence" before agreeing to sign the Amethyst Initiative. FILE PHOTO Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18? That question is being asked around UVA Grounds-- and around the country-- thanks to the Amethyst Initiative, an effort by a group of college presidents ... http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/08/26/fence-sitting-casteen-holds-off-on-drinking-age-initiative/