The University

Charlottesville 365; Happy Match Day! Welcome New U.Va. Residents!

March 17, 2011 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment 

Happy Match Day to our incoming UVA residents!

Today is Match Day, which falls on the third Thursday of every March, and is when the graduating medical school students all across the nation will find out what residency program they’ve matched with, where they will spend the next several years of their lives, and what City they’ll soon call home!

This is an exciting time, especially for incoming U.Va. residents, as many, many U.Va. doctors (47) have recently been recognized as the top in their fields.  Incoming residents will be in good company!

Match Day is the culmination of four years of study, and months of an intense process leading up to this moment. These students have applied to hospitals and residency programs, selecting the field of medicine they hope to work in, the city they hope to live in. They have interviewed with doctors and program directors. They have created lists ranking their top choices, as have the residency programs, submitting it to a computer program to make their match. And they have waited, wondering where they will work and train in just a few short months after their medical school graduations. Today, inside those envelopes, a fragment of a sentence on a single sheet of paper, will inform them where they will begin this important stage of their lives.

Each medical school has its own tradition as to how the envelopes are handed out—some providing a mad dash to various corners of a room where staff members have divided the piles; others using a slow, nerve-wracking yet thrilling manner of calling students to the front of the room one by one. At Eastern Virginia Medical School, students dress in costumes, lightening the mood and adding to a party atmosphere. At Vanderbilt, they broadcast the ceremony online to any friends and family unable to attend. Often, the students are not alone. Spouses wonder where they will move, and children await the reactions on their parents’ faces.

Then they open the envelopes.

At the same hour today, screams, tears, hugs, and shouts of joy will erupt from rooms across the country. Much of the future of their field will remain unknown, as the country works through health care reform. But for the country’s newest class of doctors, today will give them a little more information as to their futures as doctors. And what awaits in their immediate future are long hours of intense training, sleepless nights of residency, and the rewards and responsibilities of caring for the lives of others.

via Match Day and how each medical school celebrates.

So what does this mean for you?

If you are a home seller in Charlottesville:

If you have a home to sell near the hospital, near Downtown, or near UVA, this will be a busy couple of upcoming weeks!  If you have not listed your home yet and have thought of waiting until later in the Summer or Fall, there is still time- you may want to consider listing your home as soon as possible, if your home is a good candidate for students in any of these programs.

If you are searching for a home to buy in Charlottesville:

If you find your dream home and it is in very close proximity to UVA, the hoe hospitals, or other areas where incoming residents may be attracted, don’t drag your feet if you find the perfect home!  You will have more competition over the next couple of weeks, and while there is still more than enough inventory out there, the homes that are priced well and in excellent condition will not last long!

If you are an incoming resident:

Give me a call!  If you will only likely be here for the length of your residency, buying a home may not be a great investment unless you would be willing to hold it as a rental after you leave Charlottesville.  If you are comfortable owning an investment property, or plan to reside in Charlottesville longer, then maybe looking at making a purchase is right for you.  Give me a call to discuss your options!  I am well-versed in helping residents and doctors find homes that will suit them in Charlottesville, and I can make the process seamless while saving you lots of time!

If you’d like to start your search now, check out my home search tool!  You can pull homes up on a map and check them in proximity to a specific point of interest.

http://www.charlottesville365.com/homesearch

I look forward to a busy couple of weeks!

University of Virginia Ranked among Forbes’ Worlds Most Beautiful College Campuses

December 19, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment 

The University of Virginia has received yet another world-wide ranking in the eyes of Forbes Magazine; it is amongst their list of most beautiful college campuses in the world.

From the Forbes website;

Charlottesville, Va.

Thomas Jefferson said his proudest achievement was creating this campus in 1819. Jefferson believed that real learning could only happen in an “academical village” setting, and toward that end, he designed the campus around an imposing rotunda with a great lawn at its feet and 10 neo-classical pavilions (classrooms) lining the green. Professors’ quarters were directly above the classrooms, so that discussions–and learning–could happen organically and freely. The Lawn is considered one of the great architectural achievements of the 19th century, symbolizing the harmony between professor and student and university and landscape. Today the university also features major architectural works by McKim, Mead & White, Michael Graves and Billie Tsien.

It doesn’t hurt to live in a town that is influenced by this history and architecture throughout, and it’s always such a pleasure to see homes in our area that reflect the Jeffersonian design and architecture that defines Charlottesville!

Do you have a home that you think mirrors this style and extends this beautiful architecture out beyond the University?  If so, we’d love to post some photos!

Charlottesville 365; The Virginia Film Festival

November 1, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment 

The 23rd Annual Virginia Film Festival at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville

A major event that headlines in Charlottesville every year is the Virginia Film Festival, featuring 100 hand-selected films over 4 days.  The 2010 Virginia Film Festival will be held November 4-7, 2010.

Some of the exciting ones this year include some hyper-local films, such as The Parking Lot Movie about the parking garage on UVA’s corner, and Wahoowa: Cavalier Football, highlighting many years of UVA football history.

One of the greatest things about the film festival is affordability (student tickets are often free), the fun community-focused events surrounding specific movies, the celebrity guest appearances, and the great proximity of everything- it is extremely easy to see several movies in the short 4 days span.

From the Virginia Film Festival website;

The Virginia Film Festival is presented by the University of Virginia’s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

The Virginia Film Festival is a four-day celebration of the magic of the movies featuring first-run features and timeless classics, high-profile industry insiders and up-and-coming stars, and filmmakers from throughout Virginia and beyond.  Taking place every autumn at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, the Virginia Film Festival has brought the best in contemporary and classic cinema to its audiences for nearly twenty-five years.  An array of leading cultural experts lead fascinating lectures and discussions, providing unique insight into not only the world of film, but the world in which we live. A collection of special events throughout the weekend invites the entire community to dive into the art of film in exciting new ways.

The Stars Come to Charlottesville

Festival selections range from Hollywood premiers to classic, documentary, and experimental video.  Panels and discussions illuminating a variety of facets of the films, from behind-the-scenes secrets of production to explorations of cultural relevance, complement the screenings.  The festival taps into the local intellectual resources of professors, experts, and creative types, as well as bringing in actors, directors, and producers from Hollywood and New York, to create these memorable events.

Previous landmark screenings have included a 25th Anniversary tribute to In the Heat of the Night and Sidney Poitier; Distinguished Filmmaker presentations to Robert Altman, John Sayles, Emile de Antonio, and Arthur Penn; and Roger Ebert’s “shot by shot” workshops on classics such as Vertigo, Sunset Boulevard, and The Third Man. Memorable premiere events have included an advance screening of Mother & Child with actress Cherry Jones and director Rodrigo Garcia; and a live producer’s commentary of the show True Blood featuring its creator Alan Ball. Other guests have included Jimmy Stewart, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Hopkins, Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage, Gena Rowlands, Sigourney Weaver, William Styron, Ross McElwee, Matthew Broderick, and Cherry Jones.

The film festival begins this Thursday, November 4 and runs through Sunday, November 7- be sure to book your tickets and reserve your seats at the festival now!

What films are you planning to see?

University of Virginia’s Darden Business Institute Ranked #7 in Entrepreneurship

September 30, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment 

From the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce September 30 ChamberBits Newsletter;

“Darden Ranks #7 in The Nation for Entrepreneurship

The 2010 Princeton Review Ranking for Entrepreneur Magazine places Darden in the top of the class for graduate studies.  Over $1 Million in entrepreneurship scholarships awarded annually; recently unveiled i.Lab rooted in multi-disciplinary thinking.

Academics complemented by unwavering commitment to experience-based approach for creating successful entrepreneurial ventures.

From over 2,000 schools surveyed by The Princeton Review for Entrepreneur magazine, the Darden School of Business’s entrepreneurship program ranked #7 in the nation in the graduate category of the survey.

“Students at Darden discover that entrepreneurship is learned, not innate, and that being entrepreneurial is about “effectual” and not “causal” thinking,” said Philippe Sommer, Director of Darden’s newly created Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. “That’s a very powerful proposition in today’s business environment. Not only do we invest heavily in academics, with top ranked faculty and game-changing courses emerging from Darden’s Batten Institute, but we also build on this academic foundation with an unrelenting focus on experience-based programs and initiatives that empower our students to create successful businesses. Our hands-on approach has extended to new UVA-wide programs, such as the UVA Entrepreneurship Cup and the UVA Venture Summit, helping to create a vibrant and extensive entrepreneurial ecosystem university-wide.”

“Behind the top ranked schools is not only a great formal classroom experience, but a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching entrepreneurship that embraces and encourages a student’s vision to build a successful business,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s senior vice president of publishing and nationally recognized expert on college admissions.

A number of new or expanded initiatives continue to distinguish Darden’s entrepreneurship program. Earlier this year, Darden celebrated 10 years of success with its Business Incubator and unveiled its new i.Lab, a state-of-the-art learning environment complemented by an experience-based curriculum that inspires a new approach to teaching innovation and entrepreneurship. Other initiatives include a recently launched entrepreneurship concentration and a new alumni mentoring program and network. Darden’s upcoming annual Entrepreneurship Conference will explore the essentials to developing a new business, from idea generation to launch to exits, and, for the first time, will include an informal concept competition for alumni. “

Charlottesville365; Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

June 8, 2010 by Terry Karnes · 2 Comments 

Behind The Scenes
If you live in Charlottesville and haven’t visited Monticello what are you waiting for? Monticello, the famed home of our third president Thomas Jefferson, is open daily for visitors and this summer guests are in for a special treat. The typical Monticello tour is of the first level, which is nothing to sneeze at, but tickets are available for a behind-the-scenes tour that starts June 11 and goes until Sept. 6.

Meet the Inhabitants
The new tour takes visitors up very narrow (22 inches) and winding steps to the second level–the living quarters. In the first room, you see the alcove bed (bed rails are original) that Jefferson incorporated throughout the bedrooms. Groups will stay small for this special tour–only 15 people at a time–which allows for more interaction between the interpreters and guests. The goal is to share deeper knowledge of domestic life on the plantation.

From this room, guests travel up the stairs to the third floor, seeing another bedroom with two alcove beds (dubbed “The Double Room” by Martha Jefferson Randolph) that likely housed Jefferson’s grandchildren. The skylights brighten the room, but keep the third floor practically hidden from the outside.

The third special room on this tour takes visitors to the Dome Room, with its six circular windows and two half-windows over the doorways and a window on the roof. The room was completed between 1802-04 and was meant to be seen from the outside. It wasn’t a room that was used for entertaining, as guests would not have been ushered through the living quarters to this room, though it is likely the most intriguing room of the house.

The fourth room is the Appendix, where granddaughter Ellen slept. The room is above Thomas Jefferson’s study, and through family interviews and letters, historians learned she could hear him hum as he worked.

Guests will also learn more about the enslaved workers at the plantation; especially the daily domestic routines of the workers and the Jeffersons. The tour is not handicap accessible and children must be able to climb the stairs themselves. The price, $37, includes the regular Monticello home tour and grounds tours.

New Exhibits starting June 11
A new exhibit, called Crossroads, tells the stories of many of the enslaved workers. Crossroads is located in the center of the cellar dependencies, and will include interactive components, such as the dumbwaiter from the wine cellar and servant bell. The wine cellar will now be open for entry, including the restored dumbwaiter for wine bottles to the fireplace in the dining room. More information about the importance of wine in Jefferson’s life will be shown on reader panels throughout the cellar, which was the first one dug at Monticello.

The South Pavilion shows what life was like when the couple first wed and moved to Monticello Mountain. It was the only structure on the mountain at the time. The brick home is two levels. The basement was a kitchen (currently the men’s room) and the upstairs was the living quarters with its bedstead, crib, writing desk, dining furniture and more. The small square room will not be open for entry, but reader panels will tell visitors more about the Jeffersons in this space–the pair had two children in the small home before moving to the main house.

Tips
• Plan for a whole day on site. The 42,000 square foot, high-tech visitor’s center should be explored and the movie should be seen before you ride the shuttle to the house.

• Arrive 30 minutes prior to your house tour reservation at the house. You do not want to miss the tour.
• Buy your tickets online, especially if you’re going to buy the behind-the-scenes option. There are limited numbers of people who can do this tour per day.

• In the warmer months there are two additional guided tours included in the price of general admission–the Gardens and Grounds Tour and the Plantation Community Tour.

• Children are welcome. In the summer there are special kids tours and hands-on activites for young visitors. The Griffin Discovery Room at the visitor’s center has numerous options to experience life on the plantation, including Thomas Jefferson’s bed to lay on, a campeachy chair to sit on and so much more. It’s great for kids of all ages.

• There is a two-mile hike up the mountain (called the Thomas Jefferson Parkway). The hike is gravel and boardwalk from the intersection of Routes 20 and 53.

• Wear comfortable shoes, whether you plan to hike or not. There is a lot of walking on the tours, along the grounds and through the exhibits.

• Photography and video recording for personal use is permitted on the grounds of Monticello, but not inside.

Final Information

Order tickets online, find out more information about Monticello’s features and exhibits, as well as information about the Thomas Jefferson Foundation’s research into the site.

Monticello has a Facebook fan page.

Follow Monticello on Twitter @TJMonticello.

Map to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello;

University of Virginia Ranked one of Top 100 “Happiest Colleges”

April 12, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · Leave a Comment 

This is a cute “ranking” but is based on a ton of data that isn’t really all that conclusive, however, I’ll take it!

The University of Virginia, which is located in the City of Charlottesville was just ranked by the Daily Beast as #48 out of the 100 Happiest Colleges in the nation.  Now there’s something to smile about!

Check out the full page here!

“#48, University of Virginia / Charlottesville, VA

Campus dining: B
Campus housing: B-
Nightlife: B
Graduate indebtedness (avg.): $19,016
Freshman retention rate: 97%
Total clubs/organizations: 530
Sunny days: 59%”

[From The 100 Happiest Colleges - The Daily Beast]

This one is a little watered down of all of our great rankings for the Albemarle Charlottesville area, as well as for the university of Virginia, but it’s tough to dispute!  I was surprised to see many of the other Ivy League, seemingly high-stress schools among this list!

Charlottesville365 | Attend a #1 Ranked U.Va. Spring Sporting Event

March 28, 2010 by Sasha C. Farmer, REALTOR ® · 1 Comment 

University of Virginia Men’s Tennis, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Baseball- all #1 Ranked as of March 28!

It’s quite a feat to have a #1 ranked team here locally, or even 2-3 in the same year from the same school, but right now, U.Va. is boasting three #1 ranked teams all at once! It’s a great time to take the opportunity to check several of the U.Va. sports out, occasionally with the games being played back-to-back on adjoining fields!

U.Va. sporting events are always a lot of fun, and it’s not just the large revenue sports at U.Va. that draw a tailgate and an audience prior to the games! Make sure to take some time this Spring to check out these outstanding athletes, and hopefully watch them follow the road toward being ranked for the season!  This past weekend was an excellent opportunity to check out the U.Va. men’s lacrosse game at Klockner Stadium, for one of the most well-attended lacrosse games I’ve seen at the University, and then move over to Davenport Field to check out the baseball team for a double-header!

Click the following links below to check out the upcoming sports schedules for each of these great teams;

• U.Va. Men’s Baseball Schedule
• U.Va. Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
• U.Va. Men’s Tennis Schedule
• All of the other excellent U.Va. sports teams

What sports will you be following this Spring?

Check out the article in today’s American Chronicle covering all three of these great teams.

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