I don’t like to go camping.

There. I said it.

I remember when I broke the news to my now-husband when we were dating. I wanted to tell a little white lie—“Yeah, sure, camping’s pretty cool”—but I had to come clean to a man I knew loved everything about the outdoors. Thankfully, it wasn’t a deal breaker, and he has only made me tent-camp with him once. (I survived, but just barely.)

Even though I’m not a fan of overnight camping, I absolutely love spending an evening outside around a fire and eating delicious food. What’s great about our cover story, “Camp Cuisine,” is that it caters to both ends of the outdoorsy spectrum. On one end, you have contributor Mikael Blido (who is known to thru-hike with his wife Traci) and on the other, high-maintenance people like me who would prefer to get the outdoor experience wrapped up by about 9 p.m. Be sure to check out Mikael’s five simple recipes in our Taste department.

The best way to spend some time around a campfire? Tell a few spooky stories. It is getting closer to Halloween after all! We had a blast working on our This City feature with Woody Watts, founder of the new group Hill City Paranormal, to give an update on the Rocking Cradle House legend that dates back to the 1800s. (And, spoiler alert: THE HAUNTED CRADLE IS BACK… well, maybe.)

Another one of my favorites this issue is our feature on Kuumba Dance Ensemble. Founder Sheron White and I actually reconnected for this story, as she helped me out when I participated in Dancing with the Lynchburg Stars years ago. Sheron was a breath of fresh air then, and still is today, and she hasn’t slowed down one bit. Hear how her group is continuing to grow, even during a pandemic, in our Art department.

Whether it’s dance, campfire food, spooky stories—you name it—it’s important now more than ever to gravitate toward the things in life that bring us joy. For me this fall, that will mean being intentional about disconnecting from social media (and negative conversations), and heading outside to enjoy Central Virginia’s beautiful evenings.

(But at 9 p.m., I’m coming inside to go to bed.)

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

In college I took a Voice and Diction class for my journalism major. I clearly recall our professor teaching us how to take “cleansing breaths” to prepare ourselves for public speaking engagements. I hadn’t gotten into yoga yet so the concept of deep breathing was new to me.

Inhaling deeply through my nose, taking all of the air into my stomach, and then slowly exhaling through my mouth…the whole process was a little awkward at first, but man, after that first breath, I was hooked. I could feel a little bit of stress just melt away.

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve been taking a lot of “cleansing breaths” lately.

Thankfully, since taking this job four years ago, the Summer Issue has always been a bit of a breather for me. Partly because of the season—warm days and sunshine make deadlines feel less oppressive. But also because this is the one issue of the year that’s less formulaic—a delightful hodgepodge of all that is light and bright (and possibly outdoorsy, but not always) in the Hill City.

You’ll find what I believe to be little breaths of fresh air throughout this publication, including a local scooter club that’s featured on our cover. This unique group has a passion for Vespas or Lambrettas and you may catch them “zooming around town” in their often colorful mod-inspired outfits.

There is plenty of encouragement to head outside: grow peaches, play disc golf, or even trek across the state to encounter one of Virginia’s mysterious pony herds. We also have inspiring stories that will make you smile—from our 2020 Healthcare Heroes, which include one of the frontline nurses in the local fight against COVID-19, to a new downtown mural that’s spreading the word about “Black Girl Magic.”

But before you dive in, consider taking a moment to reset: inhale, hold, and slowly exhale.

I hope this magazine is a breather for you.

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Following the approval of our March/April issue in mid-February, I was ready to move forward—per usual. Home & Garden Issue, check. Food Issue—you’re on deck. Let’s do this.

But my once-predictable, formulaic plans—like all of yours—slowly started to change as we moved into March. As the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up, Lynchburg Living’s big food-related features were postponed; some photo shoots were cancelled. Once the dust settled from those disappointments, it was time to refocus and take a different perspective… the good news, I guess you could say: We now had the opportunity to tell a more timely story.

As I looked around during the pandemic (virtually), I saw that alongside the negative—school closures, job losses, challenges in the health care industry—there were countless examples of the positive. Donations, manpower, random acts of kindness. We were separated in our households, but still found ways to be there for each other.

So, the Community Issue was formed.

Our main feature, “Coming Together,” only scratches the surface of the good deeds and selfless acts taking place across the region during the pandemic. We also joined in on an international photo movement, The Front Steps Project, by highlighting various members of the community in different professions—on their front porches, of course. Also, our special “LYH” illustrated cover is another example of coming together. We asked Heritage High School art teacher Jon Roark for help and he didn’t hesitate to say “yes.”

The concept of community is also represented in other ways. From Tarsha Joyner’s decision to keep her “absolutely fabulous” bakery downtown to a unique outdoor art initiative in Bedford, this magazine is full of what we do best—positive, uplifting stories about the greater Lynchburg region.

I sure hope this continues. Not the bad stuff—we all are ready to get back into a “new normal” as it’s being called—but the generosity. That shouldn’t be a feeling that rises and falls with Christmas, like a seasonal flu that comes and goes.

Let’s make this concept of community contagious year round.

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

I joke with my friends when each issue of Lynchburg Living comes out, “This one is my favorite.”

True, there are some magazines that stand out in my mind more than others over the past four years. (And there are a couple that I recall thinking, “Well… we’ll do better next time.” Such is life.)

But for real—this issue is my favorite.

When I look back on how it all came together, two words come to mind: connection and collaboration. Starting last summer, I began organizing what kind of content we would include in our Home & Garden issue. A colleague recommended I check out Jill Rufus’s home in Forest. During our first phone conversation, we connected on so many levels—from how hard it is to balance work and family to our gravitation toward colorful décor. Not only was she a delight to work with on our home tour—“Bold and Beautiful,” page 27—I feel as though I’ve made a friend, and gained a mentor, too.

We also collaborated with several phenomenal local businesses to pull off some stunning Home & Garden content:

I suggested a styled tablescape to Ashley Hilbish at Curtains, Blinds & Bath—done, she said. We needed a location—Adam and Sarah Mullins welcomed us into their Atelier Lynchburg space. Then, Heather Smith of Fleur by Heather didn’t hesitate when asked if she could create centerpieces.

James T. Davis not only agreed to talk paint colors with me, they took it a step further and created full design boards for us.

Mary Ellen LaFreniere, of Steel Cut Flower Co., said “yes” to a relatively late-in-the-game decision to do a photo shoot showing unique ways to decorate with flowers.

These folks made my job easy—I’m grateful for a community that is open to new ideas and creative concepts.

Who are you connecting and collaborating with this year?

I’d love to hear.

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is tucked into a corner of my 17-month-old son’s rarely used bedroom. It’s my Great Aunt Louise’s hope chest—a dark cherry wood heirloom my mother had for many years before passing it down to me.

After receiving the chest, I developed an even stronger pull to this antique when I saw the original paper from the furniture company inside: “Made in Altavista, Virginia,” it read. A place that probably seemed far away at the time to my Great Aunt Louise in North Carolina—but ended up being in my backyard.

There is certainly a tone of nostalgia in this issue of Lynchburg Living—a sub-theme that quite honestly developed organically during story assignments. Starting with our Travel feature, we went “antiquing.” Writer Shannon Brennan and myself spent a day visiting a few regional shops to see what we could glean from owners about what’s popular, what’s not and what you could learn on an antique daytrip.

Tying into a love for antiques is a focus on traditional home décor. Of course, this isn’t a new style—but what is new(er) is that younger people seem to be embracing the interior design preferences of their grandparents. We caught up with two “grandmillennials” (a term used by some in the design industry) and show you how they are mixing traditional style with their own flair.

Alongside antiques and “grandmillennials,” you’ll also find a feature on the art of quilting and how Lynchburg’s thriving local groups are staying current. And our This City story explains a unique church merger—a younger congregation moving into one of Lynchburg’s oldest church buildings.

Of course, this is also our ever-popular “Best Of Lynchburg” issue—recognizing local businesses, people, destinations and more in dozens of categories. Lynchburg, you certainly come out in force for this effort. We received more than 106,000 votes on our website! Flip to page 66 to see who is proudly displaying our teal banners in 2020.

As we usher in a new year, here’s to being proud of your “best” and looking forward, while also not forgetting to look back.

Makes me realize… I think it’s about time to move Great Aunt Louise’s hope chest down to the living room where it belongs.

After moving to Lynchburg in 2008, I was desperately trying to “find my place in this world”—as Michael W. Smith poignantly described in his 1990 song. Just a green 24-year-old adjusting to a new job and trying to (awkwardly) make new friends.

I started looking for ways to get more connected and learned about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia through a co-worker. With a camp counselor background, it was a no-brainer. After signing up, I was matched with an 11-year-old girl named Nicole who had just recently been adopted by her foster family.

Life had been tough for Nicole the past few years—lots of people had come and gone.

We spent Saturdays going to movies, hanging out at my apartment or working on projects for her school. She talked to me about her family some days; other days we just focused on fun. I arranged for her to get baptized—something she had always wanted to do since becoming a Christian in a previous foster home. Down the road, she was there to celebrate with me on my wedding day.

With an entry-level salary that barely paid my rent, I didn’t have much money to hand over to Big Brothers Big Sisters. But what I did have was a few hours each week to give to Nicole—and so many nonprofits are desperate for just that… your time.

In fact, about half of the top 25 nonprofits featured in this year’s Giving Back Awards listed “volunteers” as their greatest need right now. For example, Gleaning for the World, our #1 nonprofit, has only 11 paid employees that run its international disaster relief efforts—an astounding 1,200 volunteers help keep the place running.

There are numerous other inspiring stories of volunteerism in this issue—from dozens of artists who donated their talents to a Beacon of Hope auction fundraiser to our Person of Interest, David Stokes, who logs 950 volunteer hours a year helping local veterans.

You’ll find two kinds of holiday spirit in this issue—the festive baked goods, beautiful Christmas décor and local gift ideas will have you ready to slip on those Santa jammies ASAP. But my hope is you’ll also embrace the spirit of giving. Not just throwing a few coins in the Salvation Army bucket, but being so bold as to ask a local nonprofit: what can I do to serve you?

It may be as simple as lending an ear to an 11-year-old girl.

Cheers,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

While spending time in the hospital after the birth of my son last summer, I remember lying there trying to sleep—but I couldn’t. I had been up for almost 48 hours straight. Yet for some weird, adrenaline-fueled reason, it was impossible to nod off.

I told a couple of nurses about it… they told me to try to relax. When my overnight nurse introduced herself, I talked to her about my problem—she listened to me, heard the angst in my voice: “Why don’t I take him to the nursery for a couple hours?”

Her suggestion went against the preferred “baby in room” protocol at Virginia Baptist Hospital—intended to encourage bonding and breastfeeding between mom and child. It’s a policy I support. But I was desperate—and this nurse saw it.

After she took my son to the nursery, I was finally able to fall asleep for a couple of hours. Even better than that, the nurse ended up keeping him out of the room for a little longer than she initially said. Instead of waking him up for a feeding, my boy was sound asleep—so she let him, and me, do just that… sleep.

This nurse knew there were feeding times to follow, protocols to uphold. But above all of that, she knew I couldn’t physically or mentally continue on my journey as a mom without some rest. She saw me as a person… not a patient. This woman in scrubs was wearing a cape for me that day.

You likely have your own story of being “saved” by a Healthcare Hero, a committed medical professional (EMT, nurse, etc.) who went above and beyond for you. For the first time in Lynchburg Living, we are recognizing some of these hardworking men and women. After asking for nominations from the community, we selected 10 heroes to showcase in a feature that starts on page 71. Some were nominated by co-workers, others by patients. Some of their stories are fast-paced, others are more subtle. But I learned in working with this group of heroes that they all have one thing in common: a passion to provide the best and most personal care they can.

To all of the medical professionals in this area who are working hard every day without much fanfare, I thank you. We are all better, healthier—and in my case, more rested— people because you are going the extra mile.

All my best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

My husband is really starting to wish we had never planned a Lynchburg Living Idea House.

He loves the house itself, of course—but me being at the house so often during the month of June was starting to put a strain on our marriage.

“I showed you the kitchen already, right? Look at it again… Are you looking? Isn’t that gorgeous? We should have tried to do that with the shelves. Should we try that backsplash?”

“John—they used this stuff in the house that looks like shiplap… but it’s not!!! It’s this other stuff that’s easier. Oh, I already told you? Well… could we do that maybe in the kids’ play area?”

“You know how we need to stain our deck? They used this really light gray stain. What do you think? Could we do something like that… and maybe before Brooks’ first birthday party? Possibly?”

Bless his heart.

I’ve explained in prior editor’s letters about how we built our own house in 2016-2017 (and we are still finishing it… which apparently is completely normal when you are on a budget and have two small children). But because of that experience, I was in absolute awe of the Idea House as it came together over the past month. Scott Elliott and his team at Custom Structures paid attention to every single detail in this home. From the appliances to the flooring to the décor, they went above and beyond to truly make this a house full of ideas for you.

This project has been a labor of love from everyone involved: Custom Structures, our Preferred Partners, other various subcontractors who worked on very tight deadlines, Woody Watts with Watts Creative Studios who helped photograph and promote the house, and the entire Lynchburg Living team. Summer, for many, is a time to let work take a backseat for a bit so you can take a few extra days off. But those who were a part of our Idea House worked overtime in May and June—and it shows.

You can find the full Idea House feature starting on page 60. And if you want to see it for yourself—or even get your hands on a piece of furniture or décor—save the date for one of three open house weekends in July. Find event details on page 75 or at lynchburgideahouse.com.

I hope to see you there! (And if you notice a guy walking around taking notes and looking overwhelmed, that’s my John. He’s about to start about 10 new projects around our house!)

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

There I was sitting in the dim ambiance, overlooking a crisp white tablecloth and an equally crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The sights and the sounds, I was taking it all in… from the waiters buzzing around wearing black and white to the hum of laughter and chatter that was so loud it was almost soothing.

We don’t go out to eat without our kids very often so this special evening at William & Henry Steakhouse to celebrate my mom’s birthday was a big treat.

When my dinner arrived, my senses officially went into overdrive: crab–stuffed salmon carefully arranged on top of colorful, steamed veggies, garnished with sprigs of green onion, red peppers, a lemon wedge… and something else fancy I couldn’t even identify. I hadn’t even taken a bite… and I was already drooling. After quickly snapping a photo for Instagram, I quickly convinced myself this masterpiece was worth ruining. I grabbed my fork (politely, of course) and dove in.

Whether you’re indulging at one of the nicest restaurants in town or grabbing a quick bite at your favorite Mexican spot, the way your food is presented adds to the overall experience of “going out to eat.” Do you ever wish you could make your home dinner party look just as good? In this Food Issue, we are focusing on plate presentation to give you some ideas. Mena Hughes, director of the Culinary Arts program at Central Virginia Community College, share some tips and tricks with us on pages 78-83, as well as a few tasty recipes. Also in our This City department, learn more about how Hughes is recharging CVCC’s Culinary Arts program by helping her students find jobs.

Also inside, our very popular Lynchburg Restaurant Week is June 22-29 and we have this year’s menus from 21 local restaurants. Local baristas explain how they make the foam on the top of your latte look like a miniature painting. We’re also sharing the story behind Live Pure Smoothie Cubes, a nationally-known company with Hill City roots. Plus, read about The Tides Inn in Irvington—if you’re a foodie, you’ll want to check this “bourbon and bivalves” destination off your bucket list.

My goal is that you leave this issue feeling very hungry (or thirsty!). Which reminds me…
I need to finish making that box of mac and cheese for my kids.
I guess I will have to work on my food presentation skills another night!

Cheers,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

In early 2016, my husband and I had a great idea. It was just GREAT, we thought.

Let’s build our own house. And, to really make things fun, let’s do it right after we have a baby.

Some of you are snickering right now—and it’s likely because you’ve gone through the building process, too. Whether you use a builder or decide to take on the whole thing alone (like we did), the word “stress” doesn’t quite describe the months and months of planning, decisions, and setbacks that are inevitable leading up to the day that you finally get to move in.

Was it worth it? Honestly, it took me a few months after we unpacked to be able to say this but, yes, it absolutely was. And why was it worth it? Because home—building a home and making it feel like home—is very, very important to us. And, I would venture to say, it’s very important to many of you as well.

While we’ve always had local home and garden content featured in every issue, we wanted to put the topics front and center in their very own publication—so, the first annual Lynchburg Living Home and Garden issue is here. From our inspiring Artist Profile (an 87-year-old who makes custom furniture) to handmade, modern home décor (found inside a home of a local celebrity) to growing and cooking with homegrown herbs (including a unique recipe you will want to try), I couldn’t be happier with how this issue has turned out. As always, our pages are filled with local people, original photography and a unique perspective of the Lynchburg area that you’ll only see here.

If this issue inspires you to design, grow, cook or, heck, build (furniture, a house… anything), I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email and let me know the crazy project you’ve plunged yourself into: shelley@lynchburgmag.com.

And, if you are in over your head, we can trade stories.

All my best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com