Living 29 February Issue 2017

Page 1

Serving the Communities Along the 29 Corridor

What’s Inside

Mark Rubin A Lifetime in Dance Page 8

• 3 Little Wine Shops • Braincase • Serious Antique Shopping • Eat Right

Feel-Good Drinkin’ | Old Bust Head Brewing Company By Maddison Hicks One visit to Old Bust Head Brewing Company, and you’ll understand the hoopla about this nationally-acclaimed craft brewery. Old Bust Head’s 30,000 square-foot warehouse has quite the history; OBH patron Bill Johnson tells me about Vint Hill’s role in the Cold War while he sips his Virginia Hop Harvest beer. According to Johnson, Soviet radio transmissions bounced off the F1 layer of the ionosphere and landed in Vint Hill. Thus Vint Hill became home to secret lis-

tening posts for the army. Linguists would dress in farmers’ coveralls and drive pickup trucks to the warehouse, where they would decipher the reflected radio transmissions. Old Bust Head has certainly preserved the aesthetic of this military warehouse. Exposed beams and concrete floors coated in smooth lacquer give the taproom a rustic-industrial style. Patrons gather around long picnic tables and benches lit by track lighting. Stainless steel

accents and hand-lettered signage add even more texture to this well-designed space. In addition, the brewery boasts a private party room, front patio, and an outdoor seating area. From that outdoor space you can see the brew house, which brews up to 10,000 barrels of beer annually. In the OBH taproom on a Sunday afternoon, groups of people fill every table, eating nachos and cheering for The Capitals; the hockey game is projected on a screen by the stage area. During commercials, the room erupts with laughter and conversation. In the back, several people are working on laptops, using the free Wi-Fi and enjoying a brew. In the private room, women finish hanging bunting just as their guests arrive. This location is more than a brewery; OBH is a center for modern communion and offers a plethora of

activities and entertainment: Trivia Night on Wednesdays, Game Night or Open Mics on Thursdays, live music on weekends, and special events including yoga and charity drives. Additionally, the location hosts top-notch food trucks like The Bone, SOBO, Good Grubbin’, and others. I sit and sip at one of the picnic tables. The Bust Head English Pale Ale is smooth, balanced, and dangerously easy to drink. The Vixen Irish Style Red Ale initially seems sweet, but quickly descends into a powerful dark tea flavor. Sipping the Graffiti House West Coast IPA, my nose tingles with the scent of citrus. The Gold Cup Russian Imperial Stout in Chili Chocolate envelops my tongue with a rich chocolatey espresso flavor. I think Mike Henry - a new friend from the other end of the table - says it best, “Great beer! Really, really good beer!” After the beer, I move on

to sweets. The Root Beer Float is an outstanding treat. The Caramel Macchiato Float offers something darker, juxtaposing strong macchiato flavor with creamy, sweet vanilla ice cream. As I enjoy my float, Chuck Devaney - another new friend - gives me more reasons to love OBH: the place is run off geothermal energy. I do some searching and discover there’s more to its sustainability plan. OBH uses energy-efficient equipment to maximize water conservation, partners with local farms to send still-nutritious barley waste to local cat-

tle, and encourages patrons to reduce packaging by buying in bulk or purchasing a refillable growler. All of this means you can drink your delicious beer with a clear conscience, knowing that OBH is eco-friendly. www.OldBustHead.com Maddison Hicks (aka Maddi Mae) is a creative multipotentialite living in Warrenton. During the week, she teaches guitar/voice/songwriting lessons at Drum & Strum and music classes at Belle Meade School. On the weekends, she performs indie folk rock music at local venues. maddimaemusic.com

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February 2017

Cheers to Grafton Street By Mike Allen

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Some of you may not be old enough to remember the Cheers theme song, but everybody can empathize with the sentiment. It’s always nice to go to a place where everyone knows your name. Well that place for those living along route 29 is

Grafton Street in Gainesville. Like the fictitious “Cheers,” it’s an American bar and grill with an Irish lilt. The emphasis here is bar and grill. There is a beautifully renovated bar area replete with myriad libations, enough big screens to satisfy ardent sports fans, and when the crowds aren’t in the way, traditional pub darts. Owner Justin Holohan has anchored his end of the walkway since 2013, where he maintains the only non-chain

restaurant in the neighborhood. The main benefit of that is consistency. Much of the staff has been there for years, and they’re all friendly, conscientious, and funny… even John! Have the bartender draw you a pint from one of the 24 beers on tap. Or if you prefer a dram, select your favorite Irish whiskey. Feel like buying the bar a round? Well, they even keep a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle in stock.

Each weekday is a different themed happy hour including burger Monday, wings Tuesday, Irish night on Wednesday, half price bottles of wine and seafood Thursdays, and raw bar on Fridays. Happy hour is a great time to quench your thirst and satisfy your appetite while mingling with the regulars and staff. However, Grafton’s is much more than just a bar, it’s also a grill. The menu is quality casual dining with an emphasis on freshness and variety. Start your meal with one their many savory appetizers. My personal favorites are the TexMex Rolls and the “G” Street wings. For your entrée, you can satisfy your red meat cravings with the Jameson Burger, Rosemary Lamb Burger, or the Bushmill steak. If you prefer your food to swim or cluck, you can’t go wrong with traditional fish and chips, or the IPA glazed chicken. Finally, if you’re feeling the pinch of all that holiday eating, I suggest the Sesame Ahi Tuna on salad. Light, flavorful and downright tasty. The only good news about going home after a Saturday night at Grafton’s is knowing you can return for the legendary brunch on Sunday. Take your pick from the waffle bar, omelet bar, or if you’re in need of vegetables, the Bloody

Mary bar. Like all traditional pubs, Grafton Street is a family place. Choose to sit in the pub area, the separate dining areas, or even outdoors. Come say hello to Justin, Jon, Zack, Jonathan, Aryn, Steven and the rest of the staff. It won’t be long until this will be a

place where everybody knows your name, and you’ll be glad you came. www.GraftonStreetva.com Mike Allen is a Wine Consultant, Historian, Amateur Photographer, Coach and Blogger. He is also the father of Jake and Zack.

The Three Little Shops Around the Corner By Mike Allen Big isn’t always better unless we’re talking about big bottles of wine, big Macs, or big Kahunas. When it comes to buying wine there are many options for purchasing your favorite vinified grape, but sometimes a smaller, more refined venue will best serve your needs. Novice wine drinker or connoisseur, wine lovers along Route 29 are fortunate to have three unique shops to guide them: Cork & Fork, The Galloping Grape and The Grapevine. Cork & Fork in Gainesville is one of three locations for the family run business. The proprietors of the quaint shop, Antoinette and father Dominique, cycle through each shop spreading knowledge, love of wine and friendly advice. They educate the interested on Friday evenings with a topically oriented wine program. If it’s about wine, and they don’t know it, then you don’t need to know! Dominique was born in Champagne France where his family has worked with bubbles in some of the most

The Galloping Grape

Cork & Fork

prestigious Champagne houses since 1722. He carried on the family tradition and learned the trade from dirt to decanter and then, when the opportunity to work in America arose, he loaded up his knowledge and moved the family to Virginia…hills that is. Eventually, Dominique, now with his equally capable daughter, Antoinette, set up their own shop where you can choose from wines arranged by region and varietal. Enjoy samples, shop for wine related accoutrement, and get great advice suited to palate and wallet. Saddle up and mosey on over to The Galloping Grape in Warrenton where proprietress,

horsewoman and oenophile, Kim Pinello, decided commuting to her job downtown cut into her valuable time, better spent riding horses and drinking wine. So in 2006, Kim quit, and turned her avocations into her vocation. Of course anyone with any horse sense knows that nothing relieves saddle sores better than wine, so Kim set up shop across from the Warrenton Horse Showgrounds. She specializes in refurbished saddles from both sides of the pond, as well as everything you’d need from a traditional tack shop. When it comes to wine you’ll find unique treasures that over deliver for the price, are manageable to all budgets, reflect variety, and

are handpicked by Kim. She loves sharing her discoveries, so stop by for a tasting. Since we’re burning daylight it’s time to stop at The Grapevine, in Warrenton. Owner Dan has an extraordinarily refined palate, and is a self-described nerd who remembers the smallest detail about each wine. Like the others, Dan turned his passion into his livelihood and loves sharing his enthusiasm for wine. Fortunately, he is able to do what he does best (wine, beer and cigars) while his wife Mary does the hard work of running the business. The Grapevine is also a great place to stock the “man-cave.” There’s a terrific selection of craft beer, walkin humidor and of course an excellent selection of wine to suit any occasion and budget. Whether you’re inexperienced or a world class wine snob, Dan can guide you through your next purchase. Experiment on your own or seek his advice, but do stop by Saturdays for a themed tasting. Three shops that know their customer and their wine, and who look forward to helping you select your next bottle. If you ask, they may even help you drink it. Don’t be overwhelmed by the big stores, be overjoyed by the hidden gems from each of these little shops…just around the corner.

The Grapevine

Cork & Fork www.CorkandFork.co The Galloping Grape www.GallopingGrape.com The Grapevine 540-349-4443


Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com

February 2017

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Get the Good Stuff at

STUFF! CONSIGNMENTS IN GAINESVILLE By Jennifer E. Goldman

Just a quick glance around the shop as you walk in the door tells you they got the name right. Stuff ! Consignments is full of, well, stuff ! Good stuff – all the stuff that (mostly) women like: furniture, clothing, jewelry and home décor. One of the best things is the eclectic variety. Not only are there all types of different things, like the categories mentioned above, but there’s also a variety in brands;

Pampered Chef, Pottery Barn, Tiffany & Co, Stella & Dot, Chico’s, Talbots, and a surprising number of quality no-name items. I chatted with the owner, Meighan O’Toole, who said she’s more interested in getting items that are current, trendy and chic than with brand recognition. Which helps with pricing. There are top brands which cost a little more, that brand conscious consumers will love, and similar items that are almost dirt cheap, for those who are more

budget conscious. With such a wide selection on the clothing racks, it’s a ‘thrill of the hunt’ situation and great fun searching for that one special thing (or six). They keep each rack separated by size so if you’re looking in the correct section, anything you like is in your size. And the shoes! There are a multitude of cute and stylish shoes – all of which have very little, if any, wear showing. There are boots and loafers and heels (oh my!). And what’s better, many are larger than a size 7, for those of us who are firmly planted when

our feet are on the ground. There are handcrafted items too, like a beautifully-made, crocheted bed cover and a set of pillow shams, as well as furniture made from reclaimed wood and other pieces that had been repainted or repurposed. Don’t miss these! They’re right at the front door, but your eye is drawn to the entire room full of stuff and it’s easy to take a few steps in before you really focus…and by then you’re past the furniture. For those of you (including me) who always appreciate an even better bargain, they have

daily specials. Each item has a Stuff ! price tag on it and the tags are color-coded. Check at the register to see what the day’s special is. The day I visited, items with lavender, brown, tan, red or gray tags were 50% off and teal, yellow, blue and orange tags were 25% off. If you’re thinking you can’t buy more stuff because you already own too much stuff – not a problem. Make an appointment to bring in your items and see if they’re a fit for the shop. Consignors can bring in up to 24 items at a time and anything the store sells they split 50/50. Items are kept for 30 days. After that consignors can pick up anything leftover or keep them there for another 30 days if they’re okay with the items being discounted.

Jennifer E. Goldman is the owner of Resonance, LLC, a community and government relations firm. She has been a resident of northern Virginia for 30 years and while she’s proud to call Fauquier County home, she’s happy to hit a good consignment store wherever she finds one. jennifer@resonance.us

www.StuffConsignmentShop.com

Boots and bags and shoes, oh my!

Serious By Stella Veraduccia

Think spring with this pretty Tory Burch bag. $175

For your sweetheart or yourself! Tiffany & Co. sterling silver bracelet. $199

Antique Shopping

The thrill of the hunt. The quest to find that missing piece. When it comes to shopping for antiques, either you have it or you don’t – that inexplicable sense of connection to people and things from the past. Whether you just enjoy browsing or have a driving compulsion to complete your special collection, Route 29 offers several destinations where you can find what you’ve been seeking … and maybe some unexpected surprises too! For starters, there’s Black Sheep Collectibles in Gainesville. This shop is now under the management of long-time collectors Sandra and Craig Courtney, who took over and renamed the former A & B Antiques about a year ago. Like other multi-dealer shops, there’s a little of everything here, all at very reasonable prices, with a special bent toward furniture, primitives, collectibles, vintage kitchenware, and tools. Open Wednesday through Sunday, blacksheepcollectibles.com. Further south on Route 29 in Warrenton, you’ll find the venerable Fox Den Antiques Mall, offering a wide range of antique and vintage wares for more than 20 years. Home to dozens of independent dealers, this sprawling warehouse offers not only the usual furnishings, china, silver, glass, jewelry, etc., but also vintage clothing, a fantastic collection of books, and harder-to-find collectibles like stamps, coins, ephemera, Civil War and militaria. Fun note: check their web and Facebook pages for the community flea markets held on Saturdays in their parking lot. Open every day, foxdenantiques.com. Continuing south, you’ll find several places to explore

both inside and outside Culpeper. In town, there’s a charming shop on Main Street with an equally charming name: Quail at the Wood. It’s Inside Poppy + Chalk, Culpeper. an intimate storefront, levels, ruckersvillegallery.com); carefully curated by a knowlThe Wooly Lam (operated by edgeable proprietor, featuring cousins Amy Wayland and high-end antique furnishErin Lam with 40 vendors on ings, paintings, and gleaming two floors, thewoolylam.net); sterling silver. Open Monday and the Gateway Antiques through Saturday, 540-825Center (a mall within a mall, 2595. Around the corner on located inside the three-story East Davis Street, Poppy + mega-building called The Chalk offers an eclectic mix Greene House Shops, 434of vintage furnishings and 985-3649). But wait, there’s custom contemporary pieces, more! Ruckersville also has from shabby chic to industria weekly outdoor Rummage al warehouse. Open Tuesday Sale and Flea Market on through Sunday, poppyandchalk. weekends from April through com. Leaving the historic dis- September, and an Antiques trict, you’ll find The Country Tour to help visitors cover Shoppes of Culpeper on 29 the most ground efficiently south of town. This is another in a single day (visit Explorelong-standing, multi-dealer Greene.com). It’s not immedimall with dozens of vendors ately apparent why the gods and an avid following. They chose Ruckersville to bestow offer a wide range of furnithis excess of riches; suffice it ture, glassware, primitives, to say, whatever your particujewelry, folk art, memorabilia, lar collecting niche might be, and collectibles, often at very you would not come home competitive prices. Open empty-handed. Tuesday through Sunday, 540547-4000. And finally there’s Ruckersville. This very small town on Route 29 has a population of just 1,141 hardy souls but – get this – around a dozen antiques venues, including five large multi-dealer malls. Notable among these is the Ruckersville Gallery (over 80 Stella Veraduccia is the pen dealers in a 50,000-squarename of the proprietress of Crest foot showroom – think, Hill Antiques & Tea Room in “football field”—with a wide The Plains, VA. range of inventory at all price

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February 2017

Discover an Enlightened Approach to Hair Care By Katie Yeager

Step into Enlightened Styles and the first thing you notice is the pleasant scent. No harsh chemicals or bleach of any kind is used here, as it’s a primarily organic salon. I tried it for the first time recently and was surprised by the quality of the products, hospitality, and professionalism. Stylist Jacquelyn Rodriguez owns and works at the salon, which has been recently renovated and offers a relaxing, spa-like experience. The products Enlightened Styles stocks are part of O-Way, an organic hair care line. At first, I was skeptical they’d be effective enough to create the color I wanted. Well, all of my concerns are gone. The bleach used was ammonia free, which meant no awful odors, and worked perfectly without putting irritating chemicals near my skin.

Compared to other salons I’ve used, this was a refreshing change. Besides the fact that the products worked well, I was stunned by how healthy my hair felt. Months of damage seemed to simply vanish. The O-Way hair serums made my hair so soft and shiny that I wouldn’t think twice about purchasing any of the O-Way products. Just when I thought this salon couldn’t get better, I toured the makeup mixing station. Here, in this little slice of Heaven, Jacquelyn mixes foundations and lip colors from scratch to accommodate each and every skin type and tone. And she has so many foundation mixes, a color match is practically guaranteed. I was also impressed by the various serums she had to add to the makeup. Any skin type can be accommodated, plus she has a luminescent

mixture to make your skin glow! Additional improvements are being made to the salon, and Jacquelyn shared her plans to add a massage room, making the salon a complete spa package. The trifecta of services adds convenience to the list of words that come to mind when I think of Enlightened Styles. Not only does this one stop shop have

experienced stylists on hand (if you can’t see Jacquelyn, her associate Stephanie Young is equally as awesome), but there will soon be a massage therapist available. After my haircut, color, and tour was complete, I booked my next appointment. I would highly recommend this salon to anyone who cares about the ingredients being used on their hair, or to anyone in-

terested in keeping their hair looking healthy. When I left, my hair was shiny and strong. It was quite an enlightening experience to discover Enlightened Styles. Discover it for yourself and see the difference! www.EnlightenedStyles.com

Katie Yeager, a junior at Kettle Run High School, is the managing editor of the Kettle Run Chronicle, an award-winning student run newspaper. In addition, she is a starting member of the varsity volleyball team and a member of USAV travel volleyball at the National Open level. She enjoys writing and hopes to go to college and major in media literacy.

Guys, You’ve Got to Try Braincase By Carolyn Thombs One look at the packaging for Braincase, the brand new, all-natural line of men’s hair, body, and beard-care products by James Cornwell, creative director of Iva Bella Salon and Simply Pure, and you can tell the stuff means business. Manly business. Not that your wife or girlfriend won’t love them too (trust me, she will), but it’s obvious they were made for you. For starters, the combination of cedar and citrus aromas give the entire Braincase collection – which includes an all-in-one shampoo and body wash, all-in-one hair and body conditioner, beard balm, beard oil, pomade and body spray – a woodsy, shower fresh scent that’s unmistakably manly. The allin-one

shampoo and body wash and all-in-one hair and body conditioner are seriously ingenious ideas. Not only do they clean from head to toe, they hydrate and moisturize your hair and skin. So, if you usually skip that step when you get out of the shower, you can keep skipping it. The Braincase all-in-one products work before you even turn off the water. As for the beard balm and beard oil, both help to hydrate and condition facial hair with the beard oil delivering a gorgeous, healthy shine that’s not greasy. And if you have the tricky combination of troubled skin and facial hair, the products won’t cause a breakout. In fact, they actually work to help the skin by healing and conditioning it without clogging your pores. If you’re a pomade fan, both it and the beard balm are smooth and not tacky like other products of their ilk, with the beard balm offering a slight hold and the pomade a bit more.

The body spray is great for touch-ups during the day. Keep it in your gym bag or briefcase. It’s so light you could even wear it as your signature fragrance if you wanted. Ready for an easy way to take care of your hair and skin without using dozens of products or doing a dozen steps? Stop in and check out Braincase at Iva Bella Salon in Vint Hill. www.IvaBellaSalon

Carolyn Thombs is a professional makeup artist and popular blogger who writes about beauty and fashion on her blog, Lipstick & Chiffon. Her greatest joy is helping clients get comfortable with new techniques and products, and discovering their perfect beauty routine. Her favorite accessories? A leather jacket and red lipstick! www.CarolynThombs.com


Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com

February 2017

Eat Right and Take a Hike for Heart Month By Catherine Schefer

While it’s important to lead a healthy life year round, the month of February is dedicated to focusing on one of the most important organs in the human body: the heart. And while exercise is often thought be the main factor to leading a healthy lifestyle, dietary practices are just as important.

Eat Right

Healthy meals don’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Costing just $1.18 per serving, the following unorthodox approach to making one of my favorite dishes, Fusilli and pesto, satisfies the craving for a rich meal that’s also heart healthy. How? By replacing pesto with broccoli sauce. Broccoli is one of the world’s healthiest foods and substituting broccoli sauce for pesto increases the nutrition of the meal while maintaining a burst of flavor in every bite.

Fusilli and Broccoli Sauce Total Time: 15 Minutes Preparation Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 12 oz. Fusilli Pasta 12 oz. Frozen Broccoli Florets 2 Cloves Garlic ½ Cup Fresh Basil Leaves 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil 1 Tbsp. Grated Lemon Zest Kosher Salt Toasted Sliced Almonds Grated Parmesan Cheese

Take a Hike While diet is the foundation for a healthy physique, exercise is imperative in order to reap the benefits of clean living. Hiking offers a wide variety of intensity levels, so you can start off slowly and work up to, say, scaling Mount Everest. Shenandoah National Park, just a short drive off Route 29, is home to over 500 hiking trails, and yes, I really am encouraging you to go for a hike in the cold. Exercising outdoors, particularly in the winter, is good for your heart and your mental health. Turk Mountain, roughly 2.2 miles in length, is a moderate hike known for the spectacular view at the top. Hawksbill Gap, roughly 1.7 miles long, is a bit more strenuous but again, rewards all comers with a practically perfect view from its highest location. For those ready for a very vigorous trek, the White Oak Circuit runs alongside waterfalls and cascades and ranges from 7.5 miles to 8.2 miles, depending on the course chosen. Of course the most strenuous, and popular, hike is Old Rag Mountain. Old Rag offers a rewarding viewpoint for the circuit hike of roughly nine miles. Why not step into the beauty that’s right in our backyard? Eat right and take a hike. Do it for your heart! For information, visit www. Virginia.org/hiking

Old Rag

Catherine Schefer is a senior at Kettle Run High School where she is editor in chief of the Kettle Run Chronicle. In addition, she plays varsity soccer and volleyball, and is a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and the Quill and Scroll, (the National Honor Society for Journalism).

Turk Mountain

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Directions Cook pasta according to the directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, drain pasta, and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, combine the broccoli, garlic, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave on high, stirring once halfway through, until the broccoli is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture (liquid included) to a food processor. Add the basil, oil, zest, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and purée until smooth. Toss the pasta with the pesto and 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid (adding more if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with almonds and Parmesan, if desired.

~ Our Shop ~ Fine American & European Furniture, China, Crystal, Silver, Jewelry, Art & Books, all at reasonable prices. Specializing in vintage and contemporary British tea-ware.

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Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com

February 2017

Nightlife

Email Event Info to Mike Allen mallen85@hotmail.com

Live Music & Entertaiment

Feb 1: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00; Northside 29 Open Mic Night with Leon Rector; Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Feb 2: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s: Open Mic Night with Big Steve; Old Bust Head Brewery Open Mic Night; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Feb 3: Lion and Bull: Fringe Benefits 8:30; Molly’s: The Dubious Brothers; The New Bridge: Trivia/Happy Hour in the Stone Cellar 5-7; Northside 29: Dan Barry 6:00-9:00

Fringe Benefits

Feb 4: Contemporary Music Center, Haymarket: Open Mic Rock Camp 2.0; Lion and Bull Full Band Karaoke Night, Hari Karaoke 8:00; McMahon’s: Pete Baker; Old Bust Head Brewery Live Music by The Feathered Fish 12:00-8:00 Feb 5: Barrel Oak Winery: David DaVol 1:00; McMahon’s: Traditional Irish Music 5-8 Feb 7: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Feb 8: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00; Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Feb 9: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s: Open Mic Night w/Big Steve; Old Bust Head Brew-

Daniel Carter

ery Open Mic Night; Poplar Springs Open Mic Night 7:00; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Feb 10: Lion and Bull: Livin the Dream 8:30; McMahon’s: Brian Sauerwald; Molly’s: William Walter; The New Bridge: Trivia/Happy Hour in the Stone Cellar 5-7;

Wicked Jezabel

som Harmony 8:00 Molly’s: Gingerfunk Allstars; The New Bridge: Trivia/Happy Hour in the Stone Cellar 5-7; Northside 29: Daniel Carter 6:00-9:00 Feb 25: Contemporary Music Center, Haymarket: Winter Recital ($25) 5:00 and 7:00; Lion and Bull: Hijynx 8:30; McMahon’s: Tower Blues; Old Bust Head Brewery Live Music- TBA 12:00-8:00

Just Fun

A Band Called Grassfed

Kristin Gibbs

Northside 29: Daniel Carter 6:00-9:00 Feb 12: McMahon’s: Traditional Irish Music 5-8 Feb 14: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Feb 15: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00; Northside 29 Open Mic Night with Leon Rector; Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Feb 16: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s: Andy Bopp; Old Bust Head Brewery Open Mic Night; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Feb 17: Lion and Bull: Sons of Liberty 8:30; McMahon’s: Be One Band and Show; Molly’s: The Tower Blues Band; The New Bridge: Trivia/Happy Hour in the

Six Shades of Gray

Feb 26: McMahon’s: Traditional Irish Music 5-8 Feb 28: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Mar 1: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00, Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Mar 2: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s: Open Mic Night w/Big Steve; Old Bust Head Brewery Open Mic Night; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Mar 3: Lion and Bull: Wicked Jezabel; McMahon’s James 3 Mar 4: Contemporary Music Center, Haymarket: Winter Recital ($25) 5:00; Lion and Bull Full Band Hari Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s Brian Weber Mar 5: McMahon’sTraditional Irish Music 5-8 Mar 7: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Mar 8: Molly’s Open Mic

Gingerfunk Allstars

Stone Cellar 5-7; Northside 29: Dan Barry 6:00-9:00; Poplar Springs: Kristin Gibbs 7:00 Feb 18: Lion and Bull: The Road Ducks 8:30; Molly’s: Nashville Standard; Old Bust Head Brewery Live MusicThe Rusty Seesaws 12:008:00 Feb 19: McMahon’s: Traditional Irish Music 5-8 Feb 21: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Feb 22: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00 Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Feb 23: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s: Open Mic Night w/Big Steve; Old Bust Head Brewery Open Mic Night; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Feb 24: McMahon’s: Ran-

Josh Lowe

Night 8:00 Old Bust Head Brewery Trivia Night Mar 9: Lion and Bull Karaoke Night 8:00; McMahon’s Open Mic Night w/Big Steve; Old Bust Head Brewery Open Mic Night; Poplar Springs Open Mic Night 7:00; Tin Cannon Brewing Company Trivia Night 7:00 Mar 10: Lion and Bull: Wavos; McMahon’s Josh Lowe Mar 11: Lion and Bull: Six Shades of Gray McMahon’s Pete Baker Mar 12: McMahon’s: Traditional Irish Music 5-8 Mar 14: Molly’s Trivia Night 9:00 Mar 15: Molly’s Open Mic Night 8:00 Also: Deja Brew offers live music Friday and Saturday nights, and be sure to check out the website for Drum & Strum on Main St in Warrenton for upcoming events. They feature live music performances monthly. www. drumnstrum.com

By Maddison Hicks Local band Grassfed is the love-child of a Craigslist ad and a passion for the Beatles. About five years ago, lead singer/guitarist Brian Chafin and guitarist Dan Mudge split from their band to play Beatles’ covers with Colin Chinsammy, a drummer they found through an online ad. “We’re a Craigslist success story!” chuckles Mudge as he recounts the band’s origins. After prepping a set list packed with sixty Beatles’ covers, the trio hit the local music scene under the name, Pigs From A Gun. The three were an instant success and began performing two to four nights weekly. “We’d play bars by night and wineries by day,” remembers Mudge. While everyone loved the band, not everyone loved its name. Watching the documentary A Band Called Death forced the band members to reconsider their name. The film tells the story of a punk band called Death that refused the record deal of a lifetime because they were told to change their name. Mudge recalls a harrowing scene when one of the surviving members looked somberly into the camera and said, “All we had to do was change our name.” Thus the trio officially adopted the name Grassfed,

and relaunched in January of 2014. The new name only added to the band’s growing success. The trio released the Grassfed EP in March 2014 while maintaining a grueling show schedule of three or four gigs a week. “We were gigging constantly to earn as much money as we could,” explains Mudge; the band had become a job. That summer, after three and half years of exhaustive playing first as Pigs From A Gun and then as Grassfed, the trio burned out - resulting in a six month break. “During the hiatus we took time to try different things and work with other people, but we still got together to jam and have fun,” says Mudge. When they freed themselves from the pressures of gigging, they rediscovered the joy of playing together. That’s when something clicked for the group. They decided to start performing again - this time for pure fun. “We don’t gig because we have to anymore; we gig because we want to,” proclaims Mudge. ‘Quality over quantity’ now best summarizes the band’s show schedule, which you can find at Facebook.com/WeAreGrassfed. At a Grassfed show these days, you’ll find Chafin, Mudge, and Chinsammy playing their signature fusion

of rock, reggae, and funk peppered with Beatles tunes. The band appeals to people from every walk of life - especially people who love laughing. “We’re not concerned with being cool. We’re silly,” smiles Mudge. The band adds a sprinkle of humor to every performance. To discover Grassfed for yourself, catch them at locally-owned, family-friendly restaurant Northside 29 once a month or download the band’s newest EP Rock N Roll Pack Job at WeAreGrassfed.bandcamp.com. The EP begins with a skit called “Where’s Dan?” and continues with three songs - one from each band member. Rock N Roll Pack Job is packed with excitement, fun, and laughter-inducing stories - a perfect reflection of the band that recorded it.

Maddison Hicks (aka Maddi Mae) is a creative multipotentialite living in Warrenton. During the week, she teaches guitar/voice/songwriting lessons at Drum & Strum and music classes at Belle Meade School. On the weekends, she performs indie folk rock music at local venues. maddimaemusic.com


Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com

February 2017

RIDE 29:

From Warrenton to Middleburg and Back. Brrrrr! By Tricia Driscoll

Welcome to the first Ride 29! I’m Tricia Driscoll and I’m a motorcycle enthusiast who loves riding the highways and byways of Virginia. In this column, I’ll help you plan excursions on Route 29 including tips on where to fuel up, good spots to meet other riders, ideas on where to eat, and spots to stop and explore along the way. This month’s ride started on Route 29 in Warrenton and took me out to beautiful Middleburg. The day I rode it was cold. Really cold. Riding in sub-freezing temperatures requires preparation and a lot of cold weather riding gear. I highly recommend that if you’re going to ride in cold weather, you do a route reconnaissance in a vehicle to be sure the roads have been adequately treated and are safe. The good thing about this particular route is that it’s short, and there are several places to get fuel and warm up, which you’ll need to, believe me. Round-trip, the Warrenton-Middleburg Route is 59.4 miles. Before hitting the frigid road, I popped into Starbucks on Lee Highway for a quick cup of coffee to warm up. The great thing about the small stretch of Route 29 near the intersection of Cedar Run Drive is that there are several good meeting places to have breakfast and get gas. IHOP, Denny’s, Starbucks, a BP Gas Station and Sunoco are all within a minute or two from the intersection and are

fantastic starting points for this route. Warm and caffeinated, I headed north toward Gainesville on Route 29 for 8 miles and turned left onto Highway 15 North. At mile 10.9, I turned left onto 55 West where a Sheetz gas station is conveniently located. The route is full of mild hills and curves, and you’ll see lovely fields of tall grass around mile 20. It’s pretty and peaceful at the same time. Shortly after entering The Plains, take a right at the Sunoco station at mile 20.6 and onto Loudoun Avenue. At this point, it’s important to slow down through the very scenic, but winding roads. Everywhere you look on this portion of the ride up to mile 28, there are rolling hills and fields with cottages and grazing horses. It’s breathtaking, even in winter, but do keep your eyes on the road! You’ll pass the turnoff to Boxwood Winery which is a great place to stop and relax, or simply meet other riders. Once entering Middleburg, the road roughens a bit until you hit Washington Street at mile 29.1. Middleburg is a lovely place to stop and explore. Antique shops, art galleries, and eateries abound up and down the historic spot. My favorite place to stop for delicious treats and coffee (yes, more coffee. Have I mentioned it was cold?) is Middleburg Common Grounds (114 W. Washington Street) at mile 29.2. Yes, that apple fritter is the size of my head. Yes. I ate

the whole thing. Once I defrosted a bit, I simply reversed the route. On such a cold day, the trip back had to be short, sweet, and direct. If you’d like to modify this route to complete the loop, just continue on Washington Street through Aldie until you come to Highway 15. Go South on 15 until you get back to Route 29. I’m looking forward to exploring a new route and sharing it with you next month. Until then, enjoy the wind, keep the shiny side up, and come home safely when you Ride 29!

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Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com

February 2017

Mark Rubin: A Lifetime in Dance By Constance Lyons

Eight small girls, uniformly dressed in fuchsia leotards and shell-pink tights, stand in the middle of a large room, left hands poised on a ballet barre. Mark Rubin, ballet master at Lasley Centre for the Performing Arts, is guiding them through a series of exercises. Rubin is a spare, muscular man in his mid-sixties. He carries himself with the pulled up straightness of spine and elegance in motion of a natural and intensively trained dancer. Unlike most successful professionals, he began his training late, at 22, and even then he discovered his passion for dance by accident. He liked to go to discotheques and discovered that he loved to dance. Two years later, on a whim, he decided to take a modern dance class. The studio director immediately recognized his potential: “I had naturally great feet, an excellent turnout, and an impressive jump,” says Rubin. “And I was musical besides. All the tools it takes to make a successful dancer.” Encouraged, Rubin continued for nearly a year and realized that he had a really good chance of success. “I said, ‘I’m going to do it,’ and I never looked back.” Rubin first danced with the Fred Benjamin Dance Company. Eventually he caught the eye of the scholarship director at the world famous Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. He was invited to join the school and became part of the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. Two years later he moved on to the Joffrey Ballet. “One of my life’s great experiences was dancing in

their production of Petrushka: the title role was danced by the great Rudolph Nureyev.” After two years, he moved on. He danced with the Nat Horn Musical Theater and with “Broadway Comes to the Shore,” where he performed with the legendary Cab Calloway. Still restless, he decided to audition for the Israeli Batsheva Company, where he rose to the rank of soloist before returning to the United States. “I trained for a while after I came back, but I was grad-

ually drifting toward something more spiritual,” he says. “I discovered Yoga, stopped dancing, and explored all sorts of eastern spiritual disciplines. When I came back to teaching, the experience had made my art richer. I was more mature, more caring, more loving.” A few years later, he married and moved to Virginia. There was a dance studio nearby and his daughter began taking classes. “The director of the studio recognized me and asked if I’d be

interested in teaching.” Since then he has taught at 13 area schools; he has been director of dance for Mclean’s Madeira School, ballet master for Manassas Ballet Theater, and has taught at CityDance, Fairfax Ballet, Strathmore, and the Virginia Ballet Company. “Four years ago the mother of one of my students introduced me to Kalie Lasley,” Rubin said. “We hit it off immediately. We share a philosophy that dance should be fun as well as demanding; that the

learning environment should be nurturing, never damaging. I’ve seen teachers make four-year-olds burst into tears. That’s not what we’re about here.” How long can Rubin continue in his profession? “I’m 65,” he says. “So, as long as my body allows me to. What I get out of teaching is the same as what a parent gets out of guiding a child. It’s like each child is my own. I’m gently pushing each one to be not just a skilled dancer, but a loving, caring human being.”

Author of the trilogy, Trend Setters: The Making of the Modern Irish Setter, Constance Lyons shows and judges Irish Setters, and is the mother of four remarkable children and seven even more remarkable grandchildren. Talk To Us! Tell us what you think about Living 29. Send your feedback directly to Susan McCorkindale, Editor, at susanmccorkindale@gmail.com

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