Checking in with the Locals: Megan Kiernan

Charlottesville is a city filled with local-loving people, and a spirit of community and collaboration unlike anywhere else. Every week, Cville Niche will celebrate that spirit by featuring a local’s top 3 picks. Check out previous local check-ins!

Megan Kiernan

Describe what you do in town.

I run the café at feast!, where we serve sandwiches, salads and soups highlighting the season and local ingredients. When I’m not slinging sandwiches, I work on Forage. Forage is a seasonal dinner series that my friend Justin Stone and I put on together out of my house south of Charlottesville. I design the menu based on the theme, and then Justin and I transform my house to reflect the theme. These dinners are evening long affairs that begin with a complimentary cocktail and end with two courses of dessert. Guests sign up via email, and while they arrive at the dinner strangers to each other, they often leave as friends.

Describe yourself in 5 syllables or less.

Hands on ecclectic

Top 3 Local Picks

A favorite drink in town, what it’s called, where it’s at, describe what makes it special/different/one of your favorites

Potter’s Craft Cider is by far my favorite drink in town. It’s on tap at a number of places including The Whiskey Jar, Mono Loco, and The Local. Infinitely refreshing, the bubbles are reminiscent of champagne, but the flavor is something else altogether. The apple is subtle but delicious, and unlike the cider that I drank in college, Potter’s is dry and goes down as easily as a good beer. In the past year I’ve consumed an astonishing amount of cider, and I’ve never felt better – an apple a day keeps the doctor away. That expression is still applicable when it’s booze, right?

A favorite local musician, name of the musician, type of music, your favorite local show that featured them

My favorite band around town is Red and the Romantics.  Red has an amazing voice and their sound is reminiscent of Hank Williams and Bing Crosby singing Mele Kalikimaka (strange but so true.)  Who couldn’t love a band with an accordian?  I’ve seen them most often at the Whiskey Jar where they play every Monday, but they also play at Durty Nelly’s on Tuesday and they pop up at other venues frequently.

A favorite local fitness class, name of the class, fitness center, brief description of the class and why you love it

I take reformer classes at the Posture Studio downtown.  These classes are gradually transforming the way I carry myself and move.  The classes are small, and Grace and Carla are extremely hands – verbally and physically correcting your body until they are satisfied you are doing each exercise correctly and safely.  They both appear to read bodies the way others read books.  On my first visit, just by seeing the way that I stood, Carla was able to identify the weakest spots on my body and the exercises that would best help me strengthen them.

Tagged: carla shifflett, durty nellys, feast, feast virginia, Feast! Charlottesville, Megan at Feast, megan kiernan, mono loco, pilates charlottesville, posture studio, potter's cider, potter's craft cider, potter's farmhouse cider, red and the romantics, reformer class, reformer class charlottesville, the local, the local charlottesville, Whiskey Jar

Posted in: Checking in with the Locals, community