Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Beehive Events

http://www.beehiveevents.com/

Shawn Cossette of Beehive Events got her start doing floral arrangements in California after graduating from UCLA. She fell in love with the famous Los Angeles flower market and everything went from there. She began doing large home flower arrangements, often for big name clients in Hollywood! As her business grew, Shawn started incorporating weddings and other social events into her repertoire, expanding into the world of event planning. After moving to the Bay area, she added more and more events, but flowers, she says, were her first love. Shawn and her family moved to Charlottesville about six years ago, looking to slow down some and enjoy a country lifestyle, but she has still found herself in high demand in the Charlottesville wedding planning business!

Shawn likes to use materials with a unique, textural feel, like chinaberries, figs, or blackberry brambles, that create her signature “dressed rustic” look. She can work with all different types of style, however, and even grows some of the flowers and plants she uses! For our event, she used tons of yellow roses and leafy greenery to match our spring theme; we really love how they brightened up the space!

Photo credit: Jen Fariello

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Blue Mountain Brewery

http://www.bluemountainbrewery.com/

Taylor and Mandi Smack opened Blue Mountain Brewery in 2007 and have quickly established themselves as one of Virginia’s top breweries. Their idea was to create a rural brew pub, in the fashion of Central Virginia’s famous wineries. Now, not only do they now have a full scale restaurant at their main brewery in Afton, they have also recently announced their plans to expand to a new site in Colleen, VA, near Lovingston.

The new site will consist of two new production facilities to keep up with the increased demand for their popular brews. One will focus specifically on their more high-end, artisanal beers, such as the Dark Hollow Artisanal Ale, while the second and larger of the two facilities will handle the production and bottling of their popular six pack beers, like the Blue Mountain Lager and the Full Nelson Pale Ale. All of Blue Mountain’s beers are made from hops grown on-site at the brewery; visitors can tour the farm as well as the brewery. Afterward, be sure to stop by the lovely outdoor patio and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery with a large soft pretzel and your favorite brew! Check their Facebook page for more brewery event details.

Photo credit: Jen Fariello

Yes, we are open! OpenSpace will be open our normal business hours today. Happy Memorial Day everybody!

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Cramer Photo

http://www.cramerphoto.com/

Sarah Cramer Shields has been in love with photography ever since she was little. She got her very first SLR camera at age eleven, and after graduating from the University of Virginia, she stayed in Charlottesville and opened Cramer Photo in 2005. Cramer Photo moved to the Downtown Mall in 2009; you might have seen her sign on the Mall, above Christian’s Pizza. She specializes in wedding, family, and portrait photography, and talking with her, it is evident that Sarah LOVES her job. For her, it is all about telling stories with her photography. It is a special thing, she says, to be able to photograph people’s biggest moments, which she does with images that are clean and fresh, portraying honest and open day-in-the-life moments.

Sarah also has a great love for Charlottesville and how supportive the city is of its artists and has been happy to stay here and call it home. Her newest project in 2011 captures that love for the city and especially its people, who she says make this town as great as it is. Called the “People of Charlottesville Project,” Sarah is getting to know the people of this town one by one, sharing each individual’s story and personality through fun and expressive photography. She even did one of OpenSpace founder Jeff Gunther that was used in the Cville-Weekly cover story!

Sarah’s “People of Charlottesville Project” will be featured next Friday (June 3rd) at the WVTF and Radio IQ Studio Gallery on Water Street for First Fridays- see Facebook for more event details!

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Dickie Morris

http://justalittleditty.com/

As an event planner and crafter of hand-made clutches, Dickie Morris gets to do a little bit of every thing she loves. Both sides of her business allow her endless possibilities for creativity, and through her blog, she is able to share the beautiful things around her.

Dickie got her start in event planning with Easton Events here in Charlottesville, where she worked for four years before striking out on her own. She loves working with people and especially enjoys getting to help someone on the best day of their life and being a part of that happiness. No two events are the same, says Dickie, and she thrives off that ever-evolving atmosphere, enjoying facing the constant new challenges. There’s always something new when planning events, always some new variable, but Dickie loves the challenge of coordinating it all. She certainly pulled it all together beautifully for our spring party!

She also has a business making hand-sewn clutches out of new, repurposed, or vintage fabrics. Called ditty bags after her grandfather’s old beloved bag, each bag is uniquely crafted and gives new life to old fabrics and fond memories. They make great gifts; brides especially love these cute little bags for their bridesmaids! Custom bags are also encouraged- whether it is your favorite pair of jeans, mom’s old dress, or a vintage tee, it can be transformed into something special to hold all your little ditties in! In fact, the bag pictured above was made for Kathryn of Festive Fare out of old Festive Fare table clothes!

Like just a little ditty on Facebook and check out Dickie’s store on Etsy for all her newest ditty bags creations!

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Jen Fariello Photography

http://www.jenfariello.com/

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Jen Fariello has been taking pictures ever since she got her first camera as a teenager. She got her start in professional photography after graduating from the University of Virginia in 1996, opening the Downtown Art Space, a studio and gallery space for young artists on the downtown mall. During that time, Jen started her own business doing portrait photography and also served as the very first staff photographer for the C-Ville Weekly. With the wedding industry rapidly growing in Charlottesville, she soon took her beautifully artistic style to the wedding scene and is now one of the top wedding photographers in the area. For her, wedding photography is not just about getting the classic action shots, but capturing the event in a graceful, artful imagery. But she didn’t stop there. Currently, Jen is staff photographer for the Hook and is still doing portrait photography, from babies to personal and professional portraits, in addition to weddings. She did all the event photography for our venue launch party that you see on these posts, and we love her great eye for the space!

Jen’s newest project is the Art of Photography Learning Series. Working with other local photographers, like Robert Radifera, they offer workshops throughout the year (some here at OpenSpace!) teaching aspiring photographers about modern photography with topics like how to take better pictures and how to do better travel photography. If you would like to learn more, visit http://www.photolearningseries.com/ for details or find them on Facebook to sign up for their next workshop!

OpenSpace now has a new Twitter username! Follow us @OpenSpace for all your coworking updates!

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Rio Hill Wine and Gourmet

http://discountvino.com

Doug Hotz has been in the wine business for most of his working life. Starting out in the wine wholesale and distributing business, he worked his way up, developing and refining his palate along the way, and started his own wine shop, Rio Hill Wine and Gourmet, in 1999. Now located on 29 N in the Rio Hill Shopping Center, Doug and his team of wine experts have a combined 100 years of wine experience! Through this knowledgeable staff and an extensive selection divided by region with detailed descriptions, Rio Hill Wine and Gourmet removes the ’snob appeal’ and makes wine buying more user friendly. They offer over 1,400 different wines as well as 100 types of beer and can make personalized recommendations for any kind of event, whether it is a large wedding party or a small family dinner.

The store also carries a large line of Cajun food products, featuring the best of Louisiana cooking. Their gourmet foods, as well as most of their beers and over 900 of their wines, are now available through Relay Foods! Rio Hill Wine and Gourmet has an online store as well, where you can shop for your favorite wines 24 hours a day. The store features two wines each week which can be tasted in house, in addition to their scheduled tasting events.

If you are looking for a specific wine, they also do special orders, and with all his wholesale experience, Doug can track down almost anything! For the spring and summer, they are featuring some lovely roses and white wines:

Roses

(France) Cave de Pomérols  Hugues de Beauvignac Syrah Rose 2010: 100% Syrah from France. Nice pink color. Firm in the style of a Tavel rosé, the Syrah character shows ripe strawberry aromas and candy notes on the nose. Cherry and pomegranate flavors are refreshing and delicious on the palate. The wine is silky and elegant, crisp and refreshing.

(Loire) Caves de L Angevine Rose D’Anjou 2010: The classic summer pink of the Loire – soft, fruity and multi-medal winning! This lovely Rose has a faint hint of sweetness that you will love.

(France) Laurent Miquel Cinsault/Syrah Rose 2010: Since 1791, eight generations of the Miquel family have worked the vines of their estate high in Languedoc hills, father to son, harvest after harvest. Laurent, the latest generation winemaker, combines the force of his ancestors’ wisdom with his rebellious and innovative approach to create wines with true Languedoc character. To pay tribute to his ancestries, he named this range Pere et Fils (Father and Sons).  A beautiful pale pink color, this Cinsualt Syrah Rose epitomises the best of southern French rosés with forward fruit flavours and perfect balance.  Cinsault contributes freshness and soft texture to the blend and Syrah the dramatic color and delicious red fruit flavors.  A must-try for Rose fans!

(Spain) Tres Ojos Rose 2010: Brilliant color, deep Rose, fresh and juicy 50/50 blend displaying beautiful strawberry and bright raspberry aromas and flavors.  Enjoy with salads, chicken or simply with a glass. A natural for tapas.  Serve chilled.  Great Value!

(France) Grande Cassagne Costieres de Nimes Rose 2010:  On the western edge of the Rhone Valley near the village of St. Gilles is the small estate of Grande Cassagne. This deep and juicy rose is made by the fifth generation of the Darde family. It exhibits beautiful freshness and can be enjoyed with all manner of mediterranean fare this summer.  This is an intense, concentrated and delicious rose, perfect for drinking now. The fairly full body makes this a great rose to pair with BBQ or roast meats. For anyone looking to show that a dry French rose can be full-bodied and concentrated, this is the wine that will demonstrate that!

Whites

(Argentina) Santa Julia Mendoza Viognier 2010: Check out this delicious bargain Viognier, nice pear and orange peel fruit flavors, medium bodied with a hint of almond on the finish.  No oak here with this crisp, bright white.

(Austria) Hugl Gruner Veltliner 2010: This is a delicious white offering pleasant citrus and grapefruit aromas, exotic tropical fruits with a hint of freshly ground white pepper. Full-bodied dry wine with a hint of mineral backbone and a nice round juicy finish.  Great with lighter fish and chicken dishes. Great value in the one liter bottle too!

(Chile) San Elias Chardonnay 2010: Don’t miss this tasty value Chardonnay!  It offers lovely apple, pear and lees aromas, bursting with juicy fresh fruit flavors from start to finish with a crisp squeaky clean finish.

(Chile) Crucero Sauvignon Blanc Curico Valley 2010: This Sauvgnon Blanc is a stunning value..fantastic aromas of citrus and melon, vibrant succulent flavors emerge on the midpalate with hints of grapefruit and passionfruit with a long refreshing finish.  A serious Sauvignon Blanc that would cost twice as much if it came from any other new world wine region!  Buy this one by the case!

Stop by the store and check them out on Facebook!

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Rock Paper Scissors

http://www.thinkrockpaperscissors.com/

Rock Paper Scissors owner Dani Antol loves design work, which is evident the moment you walk in the specialty paper shop on the Downtown mall. Fun, whimsical, and endlessly creative, Rock Paper Scissors specializes in custom printing and design for just about any occasion. Dani and her business partner, Heather McNulty, bought Rock Paper Scissors about a year and a half ago and moved it to its current location on the mall, fulfilling her of owning her own paper shop. For Dani, their design work is about telling stories with aesthetics, and if you’ve ever walked by the store and marveled at the beautiful window displays, you’ve seen their handiwork in action (paper poms! a cardboard moosehead! paper airplanes!)

Whatever the occasion, Rock Paper Scissors will work with you to create unique and clever paper products just for your event. The possibilities are endless! From invitations to menus to signs of all sizes, their knowledgeable team can create custom designs that will tell the story of your event in beautiful detail. The store also has products for business or everyday life; be sure to check out their awesome array of stationary, greeting cards, journals, planners, and writing utensils!

Find their store at

225 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Check out their website for more info, or like them on Facebook!

Photo credit: Jen Fariello

Last month, OpenSpace held our big event showcase to kick off the new OpenSpace event venue. We could not have done it without the help of some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals, who worked together to transform the Forum into a gorgeous spring fling! We’ll be highlighting those companies here on our blog; check back often to learn more about these fun, talented people!

Randi Cakes

http://randicakes.tumblr.com/

Randi Sponenberg started baking cupcakes about two years ago, at first just for friends’ birthdays, wanting to do something special and fancier than your standard cupcake mix from a box. With encouragement and support from appreciative family and friends, Randi started experimenting in the kitchen, researching and testing different flavors and combinations in search of the perfect cupcake receipe. As it turns out, she has a real knack for crafting beautiful and innovative sweet treats that look just as good as they taste! Now, Randi makes customized cupcakes for special events with her company, Randi Cakes, right out of her own kitchen, and no one flavor is the same.

For our launch party, Randi made three different varieties to complement our light and fun spring theme. There was a lemon cake with lemon-blueberry buttercream frosting, then a chocolate cake with blackberry buttercream frosting, and finally a vanilla-almond carrot cake with ginger cream cheese frosting. Did you try them all? We don’t blame you if you did- it was hard to choose a favorite!

Randi Cakes is always coming up with new flavors and is available for weddings, showers, corporate events (she recently did cupcakes for Eppies’ 5th birthday!), or any other type of party that requires a sweet tooth fix.

See more fun flavors on her blog and find out more on Facebook!

Photo credit: Jen Fariello