Dr. Seuss Charlottesville, Dr. Seuss whoville charlottesville, the grinch … every year the questions renew …Is Charlottesville the inspiration for Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”?

This is the story I wrote last year to try to help answer some of the questions:

(source)

It’s that time of the year again – for the past several years around 1 December, the searches start to show up in my blog statistics – “Grinch Charlottesville,” “Is the grinch from Charlottesville, Virginia?” “Is Charlottesville the inspiration for Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas?” “Charlottesville Whoville” and on and on ….

I’m finally responding to UVA08’s (who has since moved on to a new pseudonym, I believe) question from three years ago -

Of course Chalbemarle is the center of the universe. Whatever town can say a doctor suess story was based on their town. Seriously though, is the Grinch based on Charlottesville? Whoville=Hooville, Moutain Grinch lives on = Monticello Moutain, Insanely perfect town=Charlottesville??? Someone help me out please

Doubtful, but it’s a pretty cool little urban legend to have. Ace from C-Ville responded in 1989 – NO. And again in 2007 referencing the Lewis Mountain House -

First, Ace can tell you what it’s not. It’s not Monticello, as many a doofus tourist believes it to be. It’s also not Dr. Seuss’ house. That particular rumor started in correlation with the rumor that How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ “Hoos down in Hooville” was based somehow on a certain local university’s Hoos down in Hooville. Only problem being that Theodor Geisel—a.k.a. Dr. Seuss—spent his whole life in New England, Europe and California, and his “Hoos” were actually “Whos down in Whoville.” The fact that the story depicts Hoos/Whos as absolute saints surely didn’t hurt that particular tall tale’s traction with a student body that’s not exactly known for its modesty and perspective.

So – if it makes you feel better about Charlottesville to tell friends that Dr. Seuss’ inspiration for the green guy whose heart eventually triples in size came from Charlottesville – go ahead. It’s a neat story.

While killing Charlottesville urban legends – the HooK dispels the one about Rio Road (why the i in Rio pronounced as one says “eye” – l?t -)

“Rio,” which means “river” in Spanish, was most likely used as a name for the old mill and bridge on this road because of their proximity to the Rivanna River. But the Spanish word is pronounced “Ree-o,” some may point out. True, but locals at the time may have opted for the long “i” sound perhaps because it fit with the local pronunciation of the “RY-vanna” river. No one knows for sure, but they do know this: it was never Route 10.

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Thank you to Stephen Goadhouse for this guest post:

A few words about the train itself.  It is a part of Amtrak and not the Virginia Railway Express.  It runs daily from Lynchburg to DC making only a few stops (apparently for a higher fare, you can continue on to BWI airport after DC – interesting way to catch a flight).  It is called the Northeast Regional as it connects with the existing Northeast Regional line in DC that runs from Boston to Newport News.  However, I think they could have created a better name like the Blue Ridge Run or something.  Since when is Lynchburg, or Newport News for that matter, the Northeast?

If you book at least 14 days ahead, it is only $29 each way and it is currently only $22 each way as a special to introduce the new service.  Considering that it takes you within a few blocks of the Capital, you can’t do better driving (what with gas and parking fees).  From Union Station in DC, you can take the Metro anywhere else for it’s small fee.  You are also fairly close to Capitol Hill so walking is a good option too.

Waiting for the train in downtown Charlottesville, I could have easily gone to a local restaurant to wait but I opted for the station instead.  It’s nice and clean.  Before I knew it, the waiting area had overrun and a near mob of people were waiting outside. Wow!  At least for now, this is already popular.  As someone else said, “Meredith Richards would be proud.”

One of the biggest mental hurdles to public transportation, at least to me personally, is the thought of having to wait and not being in complete control.  However, sitting here waiting, it occurs to me that I have complete control of how I use my time.  There is always something to do and not having to concentrate on the road gives me the freedom to do it.  Yea, I have to get up and leave the house earlier than if driving myself, but there’s always some book that I’ve been meaning to find time to read.  Now, I have the time. With today’s communication tools, like the iPhone, you could even spend this waiting time writing emails, or listening to music or calling a friend or even playing a game of Sudoku.  This time waiting for the train really is a gift, if I choose to see it that way.

The call has gone out that the train is nearly here. Let’s go!

Another potential option than going to Union Station, as we stopped there to pick up passengers on the way home, is the L’Enfant train stop in DC just prior to Union Station. You can also easily access the Metro from this stop as the Metro entrance is very close to the train plaza. Alexandria is another choice, also with nearby Metro access. Both of these stops were open-air with a roof – something to consider.  However, they seem to be as easy to navigate as Charlottesville’s train stop.  If you decide to go this route, be sure to book the trip as such so they’ll know to stop the train.

Even with Union Station’s chaos, I was able to bob and weave my way fairly quickly out of the building.  I even made it on time to my 12 noon engagement, which was a 15 minute walk from the station, but only in the nick of time.  After an afternoon of sights along the Mall,  it was back to Union Station to catch the train home.  Luckily, there was just enough time for a stop at Capitol City Brewery in the National Postal Museum across the street from Union Station.  After a refreshing stop which included onion rings, chili, an Octoberfest and a great stout, it was on to Union Station with 20 min to spare.  While waiting for my beer, I had called 1-800-USA-Rail and verified, via the automated service, that my train was on time, so there was no time to delay.

Once I bobbed and weaved my way to my gate, it was easy to get on the train when we started boarding.   I was cutting it close by stopping at the restroom and ordering an Americano at Primo Cappuccino right by my gate.  However, I made it with little stress and I am now settling in for a relaxing trip home.  I cannot ever remember leaving DC looking forward to relaxation.  It’s usually a matter of psyching myself up to deal with the traffic and the long drive home.  At exactly 4:50pm, we pulled out of Union Station, right on time.  In fact, we arrived in Charlottesville at 7:10 pm, 10 minutes early!

My only regret is that I did not have more time in DC.  I could have easily enjoyed two more hours.  However, this is a day trip to DC from Charlottesville afterall.  Driving my car to DC would have allowed me to decide when to arrive and leave, but I would have most likely lost most of that extra time dealing with traffic and parking.  I know I would not have enjoyed a late lunch at the brewery if I had to drive myself home.  I would have also been exhausted by the time I finally arrived home.

Taking the train to DC on a weekday only gives you about 4 hours, just enough time to really only visit one museum.  So keep this in mind.  Considering that it was such a relaxing trip and the train ticket price was reasonable, I feel this is an acceptable trade-off.   If Amtrak adjusted their schedule to give you more time in DC, then I would like it even more.

After this wonderful experience, my wife and I will have to try an overnight trip by rail to DC.  I am sure I have many fun day trips in my future as well.  It was definitely worth taking a day off for this adventure by rail.  The Northeast Regional to/from Charlottesville is, in my opinion, another great thing about living in this area.  If you have any interest in doing this yourself, I highly recommend that you book right now.  Me thinks this is just going to continue to get more and more popular.  

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Download the Voter Guides at Charlottesville Tomorrow.

While you’re at it, why not donate a few bucks to Charlottesville Tomorrow? Where else are you going to find such rich, deep and unbiased information?

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You may remember the original, spontaneous Pie Down from earlier this year. Now, the Pie Down has grown to become bigger, badder and better – proceeds benefiting PACEM.

Before you go to the Crozet Music Festival, stop by the Pie Fest!

C’VILLE PIE FEST AT THE CROZET MUDHOUSE
Celebration of pie and community will benefit PACEM

WHAT:             The first-ever C’ville Pie Fest, a celebration of pie and community, will present a multiple-baker pie competition, musical entertainment from The Honey Dewdrops and a silent pie auction to benefit PACEM, the area’s winter homeless shelter.

WHO:               Judges for the pie competition include Charlottesville notables:

§         Coy Barefoot, director of communications for the Sorenson Institute; bestselling author and host and producer of WINA’s “Charlottesville Right Now.”

§         Mollie Cox Bryan, essayist, columnist, freelance writer, and bestselling author of Mrs Rowe’s Little Book of Southern Pies.

§         Jim Duncan, real estate analyst and REALTOR® with Real Central VA and RealCrozetVA.

§         Amy Eastlack, managing editor of SuzySaidCharlottesville.

§         Brian Geiger, The Food Geek, food science writer for Fine Cooking Magazine, and the current “Best Pie Maker” in Charlottesville.

§         Barbara Hutchinson, executive director of Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.

§         Elizabeth McCullough, member of the Board of Directors at Writerhouse.

§         Delegate David Toscano, delegate for the 57th District in the Virginia House of Delegates.

§         Brian Wheeler, director of Charlottesville Tomorrow and chairman of the Albemarle County School Board.

This event is free and open to the public.

WHEN:             Saturday, October 3, 2009

                        12 noon – 2pm

WHERE:           Mudhouse

5793 The Square
Crozet, VA 22932
(434) 823-2240

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This Friday, September 18th is Walk to School Day at Crozet Elementary.

I talked about walking to Crozet Elementary a few weeks ago here on RealCrozetVA.

Will you be walking to school this Friday?

Related: Walk to School Day from March 2006.

Update 17 September 2009: I thought this story from RealCentralVA this was pertinent:

Being “close to stuff” matters. Certainly not for everybody, but I’d argue that, for a larger segment of the population than we’ve seen in 50+ years, the following paragraph is applicable and relevant. (Once again, bolding mine)

There are two additional conclusions suggested by the literature. One is that once the mix of nonresidential uses exceeds a certain level in an area, the disamenities effects may begin to dominate. The other is that some non-residential uses, such as retail, parks, and offices, tend to have a more favorable impact on single family values compared to apartments and industrial uses. It seems logical to expect that both the precise amount and the specific mix of uses in an area can affect property values. Moreover, each type of property may differ in how it responds to different amounts and types of other uses. For example, shops and parks and restaurants may benefit residents in homes and apartments and workers in non-residential properties, while industrial uses may always do best when located away from homes and shopping. A search for such “optimum blends” has not been conducted by researchers so far, but it is logical to expect specific uses to benefit most from proximity to a specific amount and mix of other uses.

And from my posterous blog.

Also, Walkscore’s blog discussed the theory of walkability and housing values.

Update 18 September 2009:

WCAV’s story.

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Thanks, Charlottesville Tomorrow for the reporting!

Albemarle Supervisors have approved a permit for Crozet Music Festival at Misty Mountain Camp Resort on October 2-4 http://bit.ly/cfZlr

Follow on Twitter:

Charlottesville Tomorrow
Crozet Music Festival
RealCrozetVA

And, learn about and buy tickets to the Crozet Music Festival here.

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This seems to be exactly what Downtown Crozet does not need:

Asked to share five percent of the proceeds, Wilson decided instead to move the food pick-up point to nearby Old Trail Village which— while it may not be able to offer giant shade trees— won’t charge the Community-Supported Agriculture entity a fee.

Downtown Crozet needs to encourage more community activities in the Downtown area rather than encourage them to look elsewhere. Surely there’s more to this?

More at the Old Trail Village blog:

Beginning this Saturday, June 13th, Horse and Buggy Produce will offer farm-stand produce to subscribers and area residents from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. every Saturday at the Old Trail Village Center. Horse and Buggy Produce, a provider of local produce and other farm goods, has long offered subscription-based shares to Albemarle residents. They are expanding their operation to include farm stand options, allowing all area residents and visitors to purchase fresh items from Mennonite farms in the Valley of Virginia from pick-up locations such as this.

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But just for a few months. In a sign of the severe lack of soccer (and other, but my passion is soccer) fields in the whole of Charlottesville/Albemarle, Crozet Park’s field is decimated annually by its overuse. For instance, last year when coaching, we had four teams practicing together – each with a quarter of the field – until Daylight Savings kicked in.

Tim Hughes with the County of Albemarle’s Parks and Rec division says:

Crozet Park is one of our “High Maintenance Level” multi use fields. It is a Bermuda grass field, which is a warm season grass. We generally close those type of fields ( Crozet Park, Henley, AHS, WAHS, etc.) around the first of June. We will then top dress and over seed those fields with Bermuda seed which will not geminate in the fall.

We chose this time of year for two reasons. First the type of grass which I mentioned above and second because the largest user group SOCA does not have league play scheduled during this time period. This allows us to re establish the turf during the hot summer months when Bermuda grass thrives and provides us with a better playing surface for the fall season.

If I can be of further assistance please let me know.

Mr. Hughes expects the field to re-open in August, but we really need two things (at least) –

1 – More fields in Crozet
2 – For Crozet Park field to be closed for long enough for the grass to really take root and establish itself. Traditionally, the field is already worn by the first couple months of the fall season. A few months isn’t sufficient. (and I say this from having played adult league soccer on every field in the County)

Update:

Will Yancey provides pictures of the potential fields.

Yancey Mills in Crozet

Originally uploaded by jimduncancville

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From today’s Daily Progress -

The Albemarle County School Board unanimously agreed Thursday to transfer 100 pupils from Crozet Elementary to Brownsville Elementary. The affected pupils live in the Grayrock area.

…

The proposal is part of a long-term plan to handle the increase in students in Crozet. Crozet Elementary, which has a capacity for 380 students, has an enrollment of 428.

Because there is little room for expansion at Crozet Elementary, the county is building a $10.27 million expansion to Brownsville Elementary. The expansion, which includes a new wing of classrooms, more kitchen space and a new gymnasium, is slated to be finished in the spring.

There are 402 students at Brownsville Elementary, and the additions will allow for 716, according to a school official.

The transfer of the 100 pupils will take effect next school year, Wheeler said.

In May, it was noted that only 15 people had expressed opinions about the redistricting plans.

If you are thinking about buying (or selling, really) in Crozet - check the school district yourself – don’t necessarily trust the MLS (as much as it pains me, as a Realtor, to write that).

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I received in an email from Melody at 24 Hour Fitness -

“Just wanted to let you know that the Kids Lift Foundation is beginning to accept donations. I can imagine there is a great need this year. We are a drop off location for toys. We are actually offering people $50 off enrollment for any donations. I think right now we are the only drop off location in Crozet.”

The Toy Lift if near and dear to me, in no small part because my wife is on the Board for the Toy Lift. Please consider donating time/money/toys. More information to follow.

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This is a slightly different post in that I am asking for something from you, the reader. Please email this post to your neighbors, homeowners’ associations and friends.

First, a tip about possible bus service from Crozet courtesy of Jaunt -

We’d love to provide more (and faster) service to Crozet. Currently JAUNT leaves Crozet about every two hours on weekdays. The 8 AM morning bus to Charlottesville is well-utilized, so it takes a while to reach town (we go door-to-door). But the 10, 12 and 2 buses are quicker. We provide return trips at 9:15, 11:15, 1:30, 3 and 5, too. Fare is $3.00 each way. We did try an express commuter route from Crozet a few years ago, but we had very few takers.

If we want this service, we need to ask – 434-296-3184

On to rail -

Getting train service from Crozet to Charlottesville is not impossible; read today’s story at the HooK. Like anything, we need to ask – we just need to use our collective voices to make it known.

A lot of people have been meeting with a lot of different people discussing the possbility of bringing rail service back to Crozet. This post is an attempt to get some of those people on the same track so to speak about Crozetians’ desires for rail. What do you think? Nearly everyone to whom I have spoken has expressed interest, but turning that interest into cohesive action is a challenge in and of itself.

Think of this as part of a the community’s effort to help Crozet.

* note: I have no idea why the stray “n’s” are showing up, nor have I been able to figure out how to get rid of them.

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