PHOTOS BY ASHLEE GLEN

A stroll in Downtown Lynchburg is now a lot brighter with the installation of Art Alley, a vibrant public art display that includes an outdoor gallery, large-scale murals and a painted street.

“The vision for Art Alley came out of a desire to bring more life, color, and vibrancy to our growing Downtown,” said Ashley Kershner, executive director of the Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA).

Art Alley, located at the end of 11th Street (between Commerce Street and the Bluffwalk), is described as a placemaking project. These projects focus on transforming public spaces and improving the quality of life in the area.

Susan Brown, program director of the DLA, led the way in the planning for Art Alley with her art-focused background.

“When it came time to get deep into planning for Art Alley,
I was thrilled,” said Brown. “I tapped into my inner museum nerd and it gave me a chance to use my art history degree.”

Brown and the DLA put out a call for artists to submit artwork centered around the theme of “sparking joy.”
They received so many incredible submissions, the Spark Joy Gallery now includes 11 pieces from local artists (see list below). The DLA had originally made room for eight.

The various murals seen in Art Alley took a lot of time, planning and elbow grease to complete. Lisa Jonas illustrated the street mural; DLA staff and 50 volunteers helped paint it. Local artist Christina Davis illustrated one of the featured murals, Tales from the Garden. Emily Herr, of Richmond, created another mural called The Secret Recipe on the garage door. The mural was inspired by her time visiting Lynchburg. Deidre Stone painted the two sets of doors located in the alleyway—inspired by the sun, moon and stars, they make great backdrops for photos.

As you shop local this holiday season, be sure to stop by and see this new, very joyful, addition to Downtown Lynchburg.

Featured Artists in Gallery

Morning Glory by Kate Mitchell

Winter’s Morning by Hanan Davis

Color Sorbet by Morgaine Godwin

I Can, Too by Russ Voelker

The Warm After Winter by Megan Davies

Peace Out by Meg Weston

Playful Clouds by Deliece Blanchard

Cosmic Kiss by Ella Morrison

The Cry of Jazz by Angus Carter

My World by Summer Raulersen

Escape by Emily Stilwell

Author, All the Little Hopes (2021)

Although I hadn’t met Leah Weiss in person yet, once I walked up to the bright orange front door of her Lynchburg home, I had a preview of the personality I was about to encounter. Before I could even knock, Leah was welcoming me into her warm living room with unique artwork covering every wall. Many of the pieces were created by her son, local artist Paul Clements; Leah crafted many others herself through the years.

But I wasn’t there to talk about the visual arts—but rather the literary arts, Leah’s rising fame and how she became a bestselling author after retirement. Her first book, If the Creek Don’t Rise, has sold over 100,000 copies since it came out in 2017. Already following in its footsteps is All the Little Hopes, released last July and named a Best New Book for Fall by Country Living Magazine.

Shelley Basinger: I was so happy to learn from your bio that you are a fellow Tar Heel! North Carolina is the setting for All the Little Hopes.

Leah Weiss: We are Tar Heel sisters, aren’t we? I was born in eastern North Carolina, and that’s where my mother grew up as well. She was one of 15 children, born in 1926 on a tobacco farm, with no running water and no electricity. Back in 2004, when I was still working at Virginia Episcopal School as Assistant to the Headmaster, I hoped to write memoirs about her life. I recorded our afternoon conversations. I remember her saying, “I never thought anyone would be interested in my simple life.” We didn’t know at the time that she had lung cancer and would be gone in five months.

SB: I’m sure you treasure those conversations now. What did you learn from her that helped you lay the foundation for this book?

LW: One afternoon, she said German POWs helped with the tobacco market in 1944. I had never heard of Nazis in Carolina. I ended up talking to a historian in my birth town of Williamston, NC, that was home to one of the 18 NC camps utilizing 10,000 POWs working tobacco, peanuts and cotton. I visited Williamston’s museum and saw photos and read articles. And yes, 355 Germans had lived and worked in there for two years. I thought they would be the heart of the next book.

SB: What changed your mind?

LW: The memories that community told about the Germans were tender ones. While I knew I wanted to include them in the book, I needed a grittier plot with a darker underbelly. Enter Nancy Drew, my childhood idol. She was exactly the assistant I needed.

SB: Nancy Drew worked perfectly with your two main characters, who I instantly adored in different ways.

LW: After trial and error, I ended up choosing two 13-year-old girls as narrators of a war story that spanned three years. I named one Lucy for my mother and the other Allie Bert for her mother. They were different but united by their youth and their insatiable curiosity. Nancy Drew became a tool to get the girls into trouble as they solved a local mystery that in their mind grew into The Case of the Three Missing Men.

SB: What is your approach when determining a plot line? Do you plan it out or let it evolve?

LW: I’ve tried outlining (which is logical), but my characters never follow directions. My goal in both books—besides putting tension on every page—was to find interesting characters to tell the story. I look for a balance much like a delicious buffet: starchy, sweet, spicy, and some quirky characters thrown in for good measure. It takes a variety of unforgettable characters to create a cohesive community.

SB: What type of writing training or education do you have?

LW: I don’t have much formal training and always tell people I’m still learning the craft. I wrote some short stories beginning with my mama’s memoirs, then wrote a book that didn’t sell. I took my first writing class in 2014 at Wild Acres near Little Switzerland, NC. It’s a magical creative center with many different offerings besides writing. Ever since, I’ve returned for the two-week Writers Retreat and Workshop.

SB: What positive role do you think reading plays in our often chaotic world?

LW: Imagination is an amazing gift, something we are born with but it needs to be fed or it becomes stilted. Reading takes us everywhere. And I love reading out loud and encourage the practice. My background was in music, so I love the rhythm and poetry of language.

SB: And finally, my favorite question. What’s next for you? Will there be a book number three anytime soon?

LW: How I wish I had a clear vision today, Shelley, but the good news is that a premise is percolating. For now, I’m enjoying this wonderful ride with All the Little Hopes and hope it will have the staying power of If The Creek Don’t Rise.

You can find signed copies of Leah’s book, All the Little Hopes, at Givens Books on Lakeside Drive.
Visit her website, www.leahweiss.com, to learn more and also send her a message.

By Christian Weaner

On a rainy evening in mid-May, Andrew Padilla gathered to brainstorm with a few of his friends in the empty building that would soon become the newest coffee shop in Lynchburg. As they sat together and talked, the ideas started to flow.

“We didn’t have a name, we didn’t have an aesthetic, we had no idea what we were going to do with the shop,” Padilla said. “And then, we all just sat down for a couple hours…came here one night when it was super rainy, we turned off all the lights except for the string lights, just kind of getting inspiration of what we want this place to be. That’s how La Vida was born.”

With the help of his team, Padilla opened La Vida Coffee + Market in July with a vision of becoming not only a successful coffee shop but also a safe haven that’s open to anyone, breathing life into the Lynchburg community.

Padilla, 21, is the co-owner of the business and a Sacramento, Calif., native who moved to Lynchburg in 2012 with his family. Many of Padilla’s ideas for La Vida are inspired by California-based coffee shops, which frequently host concerts, movie nights and other events.

The coffee shop is located inside a 4,000-square-foot building on the corner of Langhorne Road and Memorial Avenue. With the help of some friends, Padilla built all of the tables and sourced the other furniture.

He also ordered state-of-the-art coffee equipment that is unique to coffee shops in this area. They offer a fairly traditional coffee menu—from an Americano to a latte—but add in some seasonal favorites and offer Mexican sodas (Jarritos) as well.

Despite doing minimal marketing online and preparing for a soft launch to help get prepared for the return of college students, Padilla said he was blown away by the immediate turnout of customers when La Vida opened its doors July 17.

“All the tables, all the couches were filled,” Padilla said. “The line was going around the tables and out the door by 11 a.m. and we opened at 10 a.m.”

With large windows spanning the majority of the building, Padilla said he loves to let the natural light flood in, prop open the doors and create a welcoming environment for anyone who wants to stop by.

“Here at La Vida, anyone is welcome,” Padilla said. “No matter their age, no matter anything, we welcome everybody with open arms no matter what.”

At a Glance:

La Vida Coffee + Market
2704 Langhorne Rd., Lynchburg
(434) 215-3332
lavidacoffeemarket.com

Hours:
Sun., 12pm – 7pm
Mon.-Thurs., 6am – 6pm
Fri., Sat.: 6am – 7pm

Mark Your Calendars | November/December 2021

We compiled this Central Virginia Holiday Bucket List to help guide you through the region’s top events and activities. See how many you can check off this season!

Wave at a hometown parade.
After a very weird 2020, many of Central Virginia’s hometown parades are back with a bang this year in their traditional formats. The theme of the 2021 Lynchburg Christmas Parade is “A Stroll Down Gingerbread Lane” (Dec. 5). It will start at Bank of the James Stadium at 4 p.m. and end at E.C. Glass High School. Other local parades were still in planning stages as of mid-October but be on the lookout for confirmed dates!

Go on a tour of the best local lights.
It’s not officially Christmas until you’ve seen the spectacular light display at the Elks National Home in Bedford. Another easy drive-through option is Liberty University, where the campus trees are decked out with dazzling lights following Thanksgiving. Or, trade your car for a carriage as Lynchburg Parks and Rec hosts its Celebration of Lights event in the magically decorated Riverside Park
(Dec. 10-11, registration required).

Support local businesses at one-stop-shop events.
Step away from your Amazon cart! You’ll find diverse local businesses and makers at regional events such as the Holiday Maker’s Market on Commerce Street (Nov. 26-27), Mountain View Events’ CHRISTmas in the Country (Nov. 12-13), Christmas in Sedalia at the Sedalia Center (Dec. 11) and the Holiday Craft Fair at the Moose Lodge on Lakeside Drive (Nov. 13). Also, be sure to stop by the Lynchburg Community Market’s Mistletoe Markets on Saturdays leading up to Christmas (starting Nov. 27).

Create a Christmas craft with friends or family.
Check out the Academy Center of the Arts class offerings to make fun décor such as a Snowman Stocking Holder (Dec. 4) or Holiday Tea Towels and Sugar Scrubs (Dec. 18). If you’re stumped on what to get your friends, consider booking a painting session at Imagination Station, Board and Brush Forest, Blue Mountain Barn or AR Workshop. These local DIY studios offer holiday craft options every year!

Buy tickets to a festive show.
Returning in 2021 for its 50th anniversary is the Thomas Road Baptist Church Virginia Christmas Spectacular, a professional-level production that includes the iconic Living Christmas Tree (Dec. 10-12). Music lovers will cherish the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra’s Happy Holidays with the LSO show at the Historic Academy Theatre (Dec. 4). The Academy is also hosting the Sara Evans Blue Christmas Tour (Dec. 9).

Stay fitness-focused by signing up for a local race.
While it’s not the peak 5K season, there are still several race options during the holiday months. The Lynchburg Turkey Trot (Nov. 25), a fundraiser for HumanKind, is an invigorating way to start your Thanksgiving Day. Bring the whole family to the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic (Dec. 2) in Bedford, which includes a 5K, one-mile run and kids’ run. Runners are encouraged to “dress for the season” at the Reindeer Run 2 Mile Trail Race at Hydaway Outdoor Center (Dec. 4).
<brBinge on your favorite holiday movies.
No need to dig out those old DVDs—the Historic Academy Theater has you covered with its all-day Holiday Movie Marathon (Nov. 27). You can also enjoy your favorite festive flicks on the big screen at Venue Cinemas during the month of December as they feature some of the top films with holiday vibes.

Take a trip back in time to Christmases past.
The Holiday Candlelight Tours at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest give you a one-of-a-kind experience of his villa that’s fully decorated for the holidays
(Dec. 2-17). Or take a trip to Brookneal for the annual Christmas Open House at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill, which includes docent-guided tours and more (Dec. 6).

Local Openings & Closings

Hello! to new owners of Goode Country Store in Goode.

Hello! to a new location of Rookie’s on Norfolk Avenue in Lynchburg.

Hello! to Beauty Bar on 9th Street in Lynchburg.

Hello! to La Vida Coffee + Market on Langhorne Road.

Goodbye to MMG Burger Bar on Wards Road.

Hello! to women’s boutique Cashe’ on Enterprise Drive in Wyndhurst.

Hello! to new boutique Mosaic Collective on 5th Street in Lynchburg.

Hello! to Annie’s Indian Kitchen on Forest Road near Graves Mill Road.

Hello! to Relevant Law’s new location on Enterprise Drive.

Goodbye to Crown Sterling restaurant on Fort Avenue, closing after five decades.

Hello! to three new places to eat at River Ridge Mall: Grounded, Stonefire Pizza and Mein Bowl.

Mark Your Calendars | September/October 2021

Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lynchburg Art Festival
More than 140 artists from across Virginia and neighboring states—representing a broad range of visual arts from oil, acrylic, sculpture and photography—will be showing off their work on the grounds of E.C. Glass High School. Rain date is September 19. Learn more at Lynchburg Art Festival on Facebook.

Sept. 18, 12 p.m.
Lynchburg Beer, Wine & Cider Festival
It’s a booze-focused festival with a little something for everyone! Enjoy beer, ciders and wine hand-picked from across Virginia along with other unique regional vendors. lynchburgbeerandwinefestival.com

Sept. 25, 7 p.m.
Jefferson and Douglass, A Conversation
Experience a conversation that transcends time—and American history—as you witness an imagined interaction between Founding Father Thomas Jefferson and Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist. poplarforest.org

Sept. 25
Virginia 10 Miler
A tradition in the Hill City since 1974, the Virginia 10 Miler race is truly “where Southern hospitality meets the road.” More than 3,300 people from 36 states and 10 countries participated in 2019. virginiatenmiler.com

Oct. 15-31
Agatha Christie’s Love from a Stranger
In the mood for a spooky story? James River Theatre Company brings this intense and chilling psychological thriller to life at the Firehouse 4 Venue on Rivermont Avenue. www.jamesrivertheatre.com

Local Openings & Closings

Hello! to Burg Burritos on Church Street.
Hello! to greenhaus,
a new beer garden in downtown Lynchburg.
Hello! to clothing store Empire Fleet Vintage
on Fifth Street.
Hello! to Firefly Grove Confectionary in the Lynchburg Community Market.
Hello! to a new location of Burlington Coat Factory at Wards Crossing West.
Hello! to The Bagel and I on Timberlake Road.
Goodbye to Mr. Shipp’s on Forest Road.
Hello! to boutique store Cashé in Wyndhurst.
Hello! to For the Love of Soul, an Alpha-Gal friendly restaurant, on Oakley Avenue.
Hello! to Southern Works Hair Salon in River Ridge Mall.
Hello! to new owners of Farm Basket on Langhorne Road.
Goodbye to Pretzelmaker inside River Ridge Mall.
Hello! to new wedding venue The Barn at Cedar Oaks Farm on Elkton Farm Road.
Hello! to new owners of Repast Catering
Hello! to Hygenio’s, a veteran-owned and -operated power washing company.

Local Gardens That Give Back

Growing & Teaching
Located on the campus at HumanKind, the Davis Instruction Garden is a demonstration garden with plots that concentrate on production for those in need.

In July, Hill City Master Gardeners harvested Yukon Gold potatoes for distribution along with other summer vegetables. All were distributed to local community organizations. Last year, more than 1,400 pounds of Irish and sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, melons, squash, and more were provided to local nonprofits.

The Davis Instruction Garden also provides gardening training for the community. Although still restrained by virus precautions, this year’s garden includes 15 leased plots for beginning gardeners.

For information contact Gene Wolanski: genew36456@aol.com or 434-426-2371.

Nurturing a Community
A local group has been getting their hands dirty in the Pierce Street neighborhood to create a raised bed community garden.

When planning their Leadership Lynchburg service project, Team Big Hearts researched food deserts and poverty statistics in the area. They also spoke with local officials to pinpoint areas with the greatest need.

“We met with Dr. Nina Salmon, a board member of the nonprofit Pierce Street Gateway, and our causes intertwined,” said team member Sarah Blankenship. “They desired to build a garden on the lawn of the first black-owned business in Lynchburg in an effort to take the first step to raise awareness of the importance of the historical site; we were hooked.”

The garden is located on the site of the Spencer Calloway General Store. So far, Blankenship says neighborhood turnout and support has been “superb.”

With help from businesses such as Lowe’s in Madison Heights and JMJ Landscape Supply Center, they planted late season crops; once those are ready, neighbors will harvest and distribute the produce to area residents.

If you want to help out, email piercestreetgarden@gmail.com.

Purposeful Jobs
Aside from growing food for the community through its numerous programs, part of the mission of Lynchburg Grows is to provide meaningful work for people with disabilities.

The nonprofit currently employs four individuals with physical and/or mental disabilities who are responsible for all farm chores as well as planting, harvesting and processing produce. They also look for ways to develop their social and communication skills in various leadership roles.

“They all seem to love it here and think of it as their second family and that’s the atmosphere that we cultivate,” said Stuart Overbey, marketing director.

“I think it’s important to all of them that they feel part of something bigger than themselves.”

Lynchburg Grows also oversees regular volunteers with disabilities who come from local organizations such as The Arc.

Learn more about this organization at lynchburggrows.org.

Four-year-old Bruno Niyonsenga-Sarchet took off running when his mother, Danielle Sarchet, brought him to see the rows and rows of American flags on display off Graves Mill Road last year.

For the fourth year in a row, the Rotary Club of Forest is hosting its Field of Honor project.

From Sept. 4-18, one-thousand U.S. flags will cover the lawn in front of Automated Conveyor Systems as a tribute to past and present American heroes—including healthcare workers, first responders, EMTs, firefighters, police officers, active-duty military and veterans.

The opening ceremony is Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. to recognize the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Visitors can walk through the display daily from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Photo by Mike Lewis

Finishing Touches

Our interview at greenhaus, a new beer garden featured in this issue’s Arts and Culture department, took place in the final week of construction inside the 12th Street building.
Writer Tobi Walsh, owner Sean Bailey and assistant to the regional manager Jordan Miller sat down to chat at the soon-to-be bar as crews installed various lighting, arranged plants and made other improvements to the space. It might be hard to believe, but in less than a week after these photos were taken, greenhaus was photo-ready!

Read more about the unique business that is fully curated by local artists and craftsmen starting on page 44.

Adding another unique brewery experience to Central Virginia

There is a new future for a historic landmark in Amherst.

Camp Trapezium, the western outpost of Trapezium Brewing Company in Petersburg, opened up in the renovated Amherst Milling Co. in June, offering small-batch craft beers, brick oven pizzas, wings and salads.

Amherst Milling Co., a mill and farming supply store built in 1890, ceased operations in 2017 and was purchased the following year by the Petersburg-based Waukeshaw Development. The company renovated the mill, farmhouse and land into a haven for family-friendly fun, craft beer and an immersive experience drawing much praise and appreciation from the local community.

“One of the most fun parts about getting [Camp Trapezium] open [was] the number of people who drove past every day for months, well before we were open, and just wanted to pop their heads in and take a look,” said Rachel Jesten, hospitality manager. “Everyone tells us the same thing. They say, ‘Boy, I used to buy my grain here for years. This was our local farm shop… they used to sell everything here.’”

Camp Trapezium’s beer menu currently features award-winning ales brought in from the Petersburg location, but the ultimate goal is for the brewery to also become a producer of its own beers that will incorporate ingredients grown on their farm. According to Jesten, head brewmaster James Frazer’s idea is to use the local flora to influence the fermentation process.

“[Camp Trapezium] is almost the even artsier cousin of [Trapezium Brewing Company],” Jesten said. “So, we are doing a lot of wild fermentation, mixed-culture ales. Basically, anything James Frazer wants to try… This is really a cool playground for that.”

In addition to the brewery and restaurant, the 76-acre property is open for guests to walk around and explore. Featuring a farmhouse that has been renovated into an AirBnb with eight suites, a permaculture farm, live animals roaming around and a water wheel that Waukeshaw hopes to make operational for hydroelectric power production within the next few years, Camp Trapezium is as much a historic site as an eatery.

“We want [Camp Trapezium] to be a really immersive experience,” Jesten said. “We love the idea of people coming down to the area and not just making a day trip out of it but making
a weekend.”

By Christian Weaner | Photos courtesy of Trapezium Brewing Co.

Camp Trapezium
140 Union Hill Rd., Amherst
(434) 381-2635
www.trapeziumbrewing.com/amherst

When looking ahead to each issue of Lynchburg Living, we are always planning our content with a big question in mind—what will the cover be? With a feature about farmers markets underway, Editor Shelley Basinger and Art Director Chris Meligonis were drawn to the idea of a bright, farmers market scene for the 2021 Summer Issue.

Chris envisioned having some kids be a part of the action and even suggested Shelley’s 4-year-old daughter, Camille, as being a good fit. Shelley decided to ask Camille’s best preschool friend, Lennox, to join.

On a sunny Saturday in May, Shelley and the kids met up with photographer Ashlee Glen at the Lynchburg Community Market. Brick Goldman, owner of Goldman Farm in Cullen, was such a good sport when asked to be a part of an “action shot.”

Best of all? Brick gave Camille and Lennox that carton of strawberries to enjoy.

Read the full story about local farmers markets starting on page 103!