Around Harrisonburg - April - May 2011

Around HARRISONBURG Apr + May 2011

A Little Taste of Europe Things to Do...

Reader Contests & Community Events

Weekend Getaways & Restaurant Reviews

Meet Local People who make a difference

Places to Go... $3.99

People to Know...

Sat. May 28 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Massanutten Resort The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce presents the

30+ Microbrews Wine Live Music by Carbon Leaf, The Hackens Boys, and Mike Davis Food Crafts and more!

11th Annual Shenandoah Valley Beer & Wine Festival

TICKETS: includes limited sampling and a souvenir glass while supplies last • • • •

Advance Tickets (thru April 15) - $15.00 Advance Tickets (April 15-May 27) - $20.00 At the Gate - $25.00 Designated Driver - $10.00

Tickets are available online at www.hrchamber.org/valleyfest; at the Chamber Office, 800 Country Club Rd in Harrisonburg; and at the Massanutten General Store

For more info or to purchase tickets online, visit www.hrchamber.org/valleyfest or facebook.com/valleyfest2011

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contents Apr & May 2011

Ĺ’ 76

40

FEATURES

21 COVER STORY

A Little Taste of Europe - The Euro Market

40 Lantz Construction

Celebrating 51 Years in the Valley

76 Crosskeys Vineyard A Passion for the Good Life

( On The Cover d n u o r A RG HARRISONBU Apr + May 2011

A LittLe topAse te of eur Things to Do... r Contests &

Reade Community Events

Weeke Restaurant Reviews

Meet L who make a difference

Places to Go... nd Getaways &

$3.99

...

People to Know ocal People

Petr Borodin of The Euro Market

[4]

Around The Panhandle | Sept/Oct 2009

The Harrisonburg Farmers Market

34 OUR TOP TEN - Recurring Dreams 37 Spring has Sprung for Fine Earth LLC 40 Lantz Celebrates 51 Years 44 FEATURED EATS - Tandori’s 47 Unknown Eater - Dona Rosa 50 NOW IT’S YOUR TURN - Recipes

30

52 INSIDE OUT WITH ELI ANDERSEN 54 Hollywood Casino at Charles Town

6 INBOX Letter from the editor 9 CAPTION CONTEST 10 Rockingham Puzzles 12 The Thrill Within the Hunt 17 PHOTO CONTEST 18 Rockingham Reading 25 The Comeback Season 30 Harrisonburg Farmers Market

58 Tissue Donation for Local Teen 60 APPLES & ORANGES Product Review 62 REALTY ADVICE from Kline May 65 The Stonewall Jackson Hotel 69 The First Tee of Harrisonburg 73 VALLEY FEST 2011 76 Passion for the Good Life

ŸŸ Ÿ 

79 CLIP & SAVE

You Can’t Afford to Miss

See More at www.AroundHarrisonburg.com

Great Savings at Local Businesses

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{ x Around o b l i {Ma HARRISONBURG APR/MAY ‘11 | VOL 1 | NO 4

PUBLISHER

Dear Readers: Bring on the heat! As much as I hate to be reminded that time only passes more quickly with each season, I can’t help but become greedily obsessed with the emergence of warm weather, and all that it represents. I know I’m not alone on this one, but I can still appreciate all of you cold weather advocates out there, too. Fortunately, in these parts, there’s enough to go around. What I’ve also discovered about these parts is that Harrisonburg is really taking a shine to this magazine. We’ve received nothing but positive feedback from businesses and the community alike, and you can believe that we will continue to bring this publication to you in as informative and entertaining a way as possible.

Nothing says spring like a thriving farmers market, and Victoria Kidd’s piece on the Harrisonburg Farmers Market really grabs you from the start, and describes a community event that has been evolving for over thirty years—and continues to bring fresh food and fellowship options to folks all around the Valley.

You’re also going to meet a group of young men who are definitely going places. The Comeback Season is a local band made up of incredibly talented musicians who have discovered how to mix one another’s talents and merge in a way that has produced an unmistakable sound and, without a doubt, the “it” factor. These guys are more than just local artists, and you’ll likely be listening to them in more than just a local capacity—very soon.

Writer Isaac Sweeney takes an inside look at Euro Market—one man’s dream of finding his place in a new country, while representing his heritage and history. The variety of the food there, and the cultural atmosphere throughout is another perfect example of an area business that makes Harrisonburg unique.

Our newest writer, Lauren Arbogast, hits the ground running with an engaging article on Tandori’s Kitchen—a downtown Indian restaurant rich in culture and detail. Lauren does a fabulous job of capturing not just the many interesting facets of Tandori’s, but digs a little deeper into the philosophical approach behind Indian food, as well as its roots.

In this issue, we’ll present you with yet another wonderful getaway option, show you how to get the most out of your travel dreams, and, as usual, highlight practical ways in which to pay even closer attention to your health and your finances.

If construction and development is on your “of-interest” list for 2011, then you’re going to want to check out our articles on Lantz Construction and rising-star landscapers Fine Earth, LLC. Both of these companies represent some of the best options you could possibly desire in construction and landscaping—and they’re right here in the Valley.

As always, that pretty much just scratches the surface. We hope this issue is as compelling, revealing, and satisfying as it was to produce. We appreciate your continued interest, and remember, this magazine is about you, and for you. Enjoy.

Michael Chalmers Editor

540-251-2180 mike@aroundharrisonburg.com www.aroundharrisonburg.com www.facebook.com/AroundHarrisonburg Hornby Publishing, LLC | PO Box 1284 | Harrisonburg, VA 22803 | 540.251.2180

Mike Hornby

EDITOR

Mike Chalmers

EDITORIAL DESIGN

Mike Hornby

PRODUCTION

Mike Hornby

WEBSITE

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Professionaldesign.com

ADVISORS

Kresha Hornby Stewart Hornby

WRITERS

Mike Chalmers Eli Andersen The Unknown Eater Lauren Arbogast Issac Sweeney Victoria Kidd

Holly Martin

Heather Isaacs

PHOTOGRAPHY

Eric Fargo Fargofotos.com

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Kristen Lemaster Orchistrated Design

PRINTER

Panhandle Printing & Design

BUSINESS PARTNERS

Kline May Realty ProDesign LLC

BUSINESS & CIRCULATION Kresha Hornby SEND MAIL TO

PO Box 1284 Harrisonburg, VA 22803

CONTACT US

AroundHarrisonburg.com [540] 251-2180

Around Harrisonburg is a bimonthly publication of Hornby Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos.

Distributed through subscriptions, advertisers and online.

Subscription price is $18.99 per year. Single issues $3.99. Price does not include 5% Virginia state sales tax. To subscribe, send check or money order for $18.99 payable to Around Harrisonburg; PO Box 1284, Harrisonburg, VA 22803 or subscribe online and pay by credit card at www.AroundHarrisonburg.com.

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Caption Contest Show us your funny side! Submit your caption and you could win!

Are You The Next Lucky Winner?

#1003

You said this was going to taste like chicken, it tastes more like rhino.

#1004

Sometimes, all we can do is laugh...

Thanks to all our readers who gave us something to laugh about!

Congratulations to our lucky winner: JR SLater Photography via Facebook Check out other great captions that were submitted online at: www.AroundThePanhandle.com or at www.facebook.com/ aroundthepanhandle.com Become a fan on facebook to participate.

. . . e r e H s e o G n o i t p a C r u . . . Yo

The Winning Caption Receives $50!

Three easy ways to enter!

Submit your caption online at: www.AroundHarrisonburg.com

Email your caption to: Mike@AroundHarrisonburg.com Subject: Caption #1004

Mail your caption to: Around Harrisonburg- Caption #1004 PO Box 1284, Harrisonburg, VA 22803

All entries become property of Around Harrisonburg and Hornby Publishing.

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[9]

Rockingham Wordsearch Send your completed puzzle to: Hornby Publishing C/O Puzzle 1001 P.O. Box 1284 Harrisonburg, VA 22803 for your chance to win $50

Construction Concrete Landscaper Lumber Siding Nail gun Painter Foreman Roofer Countertop Electrical Builder Appliances Custom Formica Marble Granite Shingles French doors Architect Anchor bolt Building codes Ceramic tile Downspout Estimate Fascia Heat pump Pellet stove Septic system Insulation Circuit Breaker Sheet rock Counter flashing Subfloor Flashing Primer [ 10 ]

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Crossword

Across

1. Beverage made from apple juice (5) 3. Chewy candy (7) 7. Rice dish (7) 9. Sweetener (5) 10. Drink before a meal (8) 11. Made from flour, sugar and eggs (4) 13. The home of pizza (5) 14. Broth (5) 19. Green acidic fruit (4) 20. Slender pasta tubes (8) 22. Joint of meat (5) 24. Water container (7) 25. Flask for keeping drinks hot or cold (7) 26. Dough made from flour and water (5)

Down

2. Sweet (7) 3. Biscuit (6) 4. Slice of sweet raised bread (4) 5. Drinking vessel (3) 6. Food store (6) 7. Gather in the crops (4) 8. Sponge cake soaked in wine (6) 12. Filtrate (6) 15. Essential kitchen devices (7) 16. Dry red wine (6) 17. Carrot genus (6) 18. Knockout drink, Mickey ___ (4) 21. Plant stalk (4) 23. Fermented beverage (3)

Spot

the

Difference

See if you can find the 18 things we photoshopped in these pictures

Send your completed puzzle to: Hornby Publishing C/O Puzzle 1002 P.O. Box 1284 Harrisonburg, VA 22803 for your chance to win $50

ALL PUZZLES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON OUR WEBSITE

1911

1931

The Thrill Within the Hunt

- Mike Chalmers

We all operate as perpetual double agents: the person we are and the person we want to be. The advertising industry is only interested in talking to the second person. I heard that recently and thought it was pretty clever, and of course, quite accurate. Both parts of the statement are a bit compelling, for obvious reasons, but the first part gives me a lot more to think about than the second.

Most of us will end up doing something we didn’t expect we’d ever do for a living, for a life—end up being a person we never thought we’d become.

Profound, to say the least. After all, we walk around figuring we know ourselves pretty well—assuming we’re in control of the life in front of us—and ready for whatever comes at us. Not many of us can or will admit that our place in this life is often the result of developments and decisions that we didn’t necessarily choose or even see coming—a result of being a lot less self-aware than we think, or even prepared. [ 12 ]

1921

We all have transforming moments in our lives, stacks of them really. We don’t always pay enough attention to many of them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t happen—or that we shouldn’t have paid more attention. If we did, perhaps we’d have a more specific mastery of our exclusive journeys.

I remember being much younger when a certain coach, who happened to be substituting for our head coach, looked at me and eleven other basketball players and said, “Most of you will not make it beyond this level.” It was one of those classic situations where, even at a young age, I knew it was very important that I was hearing something like this, even if I couldn’t totally comprehend its various meanings. It’s interesting; statements like that won’t resonate with everyone in the group.

I’ve often wondered over the years how many of my buddies were sitting there contemplating it the way that I was. It takes a special person to tell a group of young people a harsh truth

1941

in a way that will cause them to start constructively thinking about their own destinies—and to also have the insight to know that this group is old enough to hear it. But his statement was even bigger than that, because he wasn’t just telling those of us who had a shot that it was now time to take it up a notch if we wanted to win one of the few spots on the varsity squad. He was also honestly revealing a life truth to all of us. He was telling most of the guys sitting in those bleachers, dripping with sweat, that no matter how hard they worked or how desperately they wanted to make it, they weren’t going to—and that was just life—so they better enjoy the moment, this moment, and start thinking about what else they wanted to do with themselves, because (in this case) basketball was not in their futures.

Essentially, he was pulling back the veil, to an extent, on a misconception we’d been fed most of our lives: that we could do and be anything we wanted, as long we wanted it bad enough.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

I remember sitting there thinking to myself, man, I’ve played basketball every season of every year since I was in fourth grade. I never imagined that there was an end—and an abrupt one at that. I’d always simply advanced to the next level, every single season of my life, in every sport. How was that not going to happen again? I quickly crunched some numbers. Knowing that there were only four seniors on the varsity squad meant, theoretically, only four spots were available next season.

And there were twelve of us sitting here. And that wasn’t considering some blue chip transfer or someone who had been hiding in plain sight for three years, waiting. Whoa, I thought, he’s right.

Now, bare in mind he didn’t just drop that bomb on us and leave; he actually talked to us for a while about various aspects of sports and life. Truthfully, I’ve considered the notion that our coach wasn’t sick at all, but had actually planned this all season, and had allowed another coach/teacher to do it, knowing that a new face might help us to absorb it better. I shake my head slightly at the thought of the lawsuits that would likely be filed against said coach, as well as the entire school and school system, today if such insensitive words were uttered in the direction of twelve young student athletes. But that’s another discussion entirely. At the end of practice that day, we all may not have had the same complete understanding of the discussion, but we had a fairly collective concept sifting through our thoughts: Life, real life, comes at you quick, rarely waits for you to catch up, and all but flies by. In many ways, you’re as good as your last performance. Before he let us go, he looked at us and said, “I want whoever thinks they’re gonna play in the NBA to raise their hand.” No one did. “Whoever thinks they’re gonna play for Duke, for North Carolina, WVU.” None of us did.

“Who thinks they can play varsity next year?” All of us did. He smiled. “You’re an inspiring group, and I appreciate your desire, but most of you will be in the student section this time next year.

I hope you can live with that.” We all sort of shifted on the hard bench seats in the bleachers, not necessarily happy with a reality we hadn’t truly considered until today. But he added, “Fellas, I want you to remember something, and remember this over everything else. I’m not telling you to give up, by any means.

Try your hardest to make the team next year; do everything in your power in the offseason to get ready. But if it doesn’t happen, then be satisfied with the effort you gave and move on. Be the best you that you can be, and your life will be a success, and likely a great success.”

That twenty-year-old conversation coils it way through my mind these days quite a bit. The world I walk through teams with people, young and old, obsessed with myriad interpretations of “purpose”—philosophies often dictated by an economic model more closely associated with the second sentence of this article. I certainly think that the modern advertising machine has much of our society spinning in multiple selfworth related directions. The advent of seemingly endless ways to access products and/or distract ourselves with countless forms of possession has led to an unbalanced sense of who we are and what we truly want from life. You see it all over the place, in every layer of our society, and it’s quite ominous, especially considering how quickly it has happened and the rate at which it continues to grow and evolve. Not only are so many of us, and especially our young people, becoming so captivated with ownership and the image or status associated with it, the act of coveting such material acquisition and technological access has begun to replace many an individual’s desire to find themselves in life—to discover their potential, to become the best version of them that they can be. The process has become cluttered and ambiguous, and perhaps most unsettling, vicarious…as if it wasn’t already chaotic enough before the age of mass information.

Psychologists have noticed; sociologists and anthropologists have turned their attention towards it, as well. There is a

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flip side to the technological revolution we’ve become a part of in the twentyfirst century; we’ve lost site of ourselves within the evolution. We want to be everything, everyone that we see; we want to have everything that seems to dangle and glitter in front of us, and we stretch ourselves thin (in numerous ways) in order to attain it. And because of that, some of the tried and true concepts that have propelled personal and collective growth over the years have become buried beneath the weight of the things we want versus the things we need. We spend far less time in front of one another these days. We physically interact much less—opting instead for shared time that involves electronic interaction and the option to focus on many things at once, as well as the opportunity to immediately end the interaction if needed. And we study ourselves, internally, much less, choosing to study everyone and everything around us with greater focus.

Not that technology hasn’t made life wildly convenient as well as productive, but this mechanical growth has come at a cost: organic growth. We know a million things about this massive information cyclone swirling around us, including all of the many aspects of it that we covet and choose to define ourselves with, but we recognize less and less about each other, and ultimately, we lose or never even fully gain a true measure of ourselves.

A distorted self-image is nothing new.

All of us likely know many people who fit that description. What we’re seeing more and more of in the “Age of Access” is not only the standard distorted self-image but also a complete lack of self-analysis and a loss of comprehension for personal value.

And, naturally, when these constructs have been compromised, or underdeveloped, the lens through which we view life becomes similarly distorted and more difficult to use. Science Fiction has chipped away at this concept for decades, with modern scenes revealed as vast, sterile theaters where

[ 13 ]

its occupants often toil away, alone.

Facebook advocates would argue that there’s probably never been a more communal time than now in human history, where millions of people have access to one another at the touch of buttons. Within that same thread, however, opponents might suggest that we merely live vicariously through one another’s various lives because our own lives have become less than what we’d imagined they would become. They might say that the News Feed is nothing more than the timeless cry of humans in existential crisis: “Please, listen to me world; know what I am doing and thinking so that I have value—so that I’m validated.” They might say that we are all mostly “friend collectors,” not so much concerned with someone else’s life as much as we are knowing that we aren’t alone in the world— that we construct these elaborate photo records of our endlessly exciting journeys because in reality, away from the screen, our experiences have been much less so. After all, how big is your list of friends, but how many of those people have you actually ever spoken to since high school—including the time since they’ve been digitally residing within your growing list?

Here’s another harsh truth: many of us will never fulfill our potential(s)—much less realize our dreams. It’s not exactly a demanding test to give yourself, though it’s something we likely avoid for many reasons. What if we did, though? What if we stopped doing what we were doing and sat down and asked ourselves if we were fulfilling our potential, and if we were anywhere close to realizing our dreams? What would we find out about ourselves? How would we feel about the answers? And would it affect the way we lived our lives—this information—from here on out?

Again, I’d bet that we all know a few people who really set sail and are accomplishing the things, living the life that everyone figured they would.

Maybe you look in the mirror and realize that you are one of theses people. Maybe you don’t. We probably

[ 14 ]

know a lot more people who aren’t doing what they could or probably should be doing. Yeah, life get’s in the way, all that jazz. But reality is still, and always will be, the silent mistress that sleeps beside us every night. The truth is the truth, no matter how many more pictures you throw up on your page—no matter how many more outlets you plug into.

And inevitably, everyone ends up filling a role, regardless of whether they choose that role or are satisfied with it. The strange thing is: without all of these roles being filled, what kind of world would it be? That’s a really good question. With that in mind, knowing that regardless of what you want from life, you will inevitably fill a role, wouldn’t it be much more fulfilling to know that you’ve had a hand in crafting it—that you, at least as much as possible, have made a worthwhile effort to control your destiny?

It’s hard to predict the profound. It happens all around us and then, just like that, we find ourselves in the middle of a moment that will affect us for a long time. Twenty years ago, I sat in on a post-practice lecture from a coach—pretty standard stuff. I’m still walking around thinking about it. It’s meaning has even changed for me over the years. He told me to be the best version of myself that I could be. As time has moved along, I’ve taken that to mean (for me) that most of us don’t go after very many things, but rather absorb what everyone else around us is absorbing, and call it life. He warned us to be ready for reality, that you can want something immensely, but never acquire it. He was right about that, and right about rolling with the punches and moving forward. But I also heard something else in his words, something I apply to life today—something more people, in this incessant time of information and advertising, should consider. Don’t just take what you’re given; go after your dreams, hunt them down. Go find the life you’re supposed to live, and in the midst of your journey, you’ll find yourself.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

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o t o Ph

Do you have an eye for photography?

Show off your photo skills to the world and you could be our $50 lucky winner (one per issue).

I really like this photo because you can appreciate how this person uses two elements in photography. The first element is the rule of thirds, with the girl positioned in the first third of the photo and depth of field. This is probably my favorite element because it’s so attractive to my particular eye (everyone is different). Notice how the depth of field (railroad track) is positioned in the final third of the photo. Very nicely done, and with a professional touch.

The entire photo is in good focus— sometimes difficult to do with extreme depth of field. The lighting is also good (outdoors, of course). Great job. Keep them coming folks. Spring is right around the corner and that’s the perfect excuse to get outside and get familiar with your camera, no matter what kind you use.

With digital photography, we can literally take thousands of photographs, and I highly encourage it.

Winner

Girl on Tracks

By Patricia Cardran

Honorable Mentions

Praying Mantis by Ronaldo Boy on shoulders by Patricia Cardran

Submit your photos at AroundHarrisonburg.com or email mike@AroundHarrisonburg.com.

[Don’t forget to read the important stuff] All photo submissions must include name and contact information and must be the original work of the submitter. Photos must be at least 300dpi and in .jpg or .pdf format. All pictures will become property of Hornby Publishing LLC. [ 17 ]

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Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

rockingham reading | By Heather Isaacs

As winter’s chill recedes slowly into the distance (fingers crossed), many of us are likely still peering out of our once-frosty windows (with caution) from behind the solace of warm walls and cold weather habits. Amidst a proper case of cabin fever, even the best and brightest of flatscreens can get a little monotonous. Chances are that many a Harrisonburger was forced to accept the reality of Mother Nature this season and look for more than just one way to stay entertained. Ah yes, the all-faithful book—the timeless means by which many a bored captive has taken mental refuge.

If you feel that your seasonal remedy might just have become a new habit, we have five here that should get you through ‘til summer—and then, of course, it’s time for some beach reads.

The Road

– by Cormac McCarthy

The Road is about a father and son who travel through an America that is

nothing but ash, bitter coldness, and gray colored snow fall. They are traveling with the hope of finding a better life somewhere—where civilization might still exist. Will they find what they are looking for or will death overpower their lonely journey? As usual, McCarthy weaves an incredibly evocative and metaphorical tale in a way that only he can—with no chapters and very little dialogue—though what is said embodies the absolute bond between a man and his boy, no matter the circumstances. The Road is about love, survival, and the indefatigable human spirit. It defines hope and the true meaning of courage and strength.

it a more practical read (for those of us who might have constant interruptions, etc.). Lowell’s effort has murder, mystery, and romance wrapped easily into one comfortable and swiftly moving package.

When the Storm Breaks – by Heather Lowell

When the Storm Breaks is a suspenseful account set in Washington, D.C., involving, Claire Lambert, a feisty, bold woman who witnesses a murder on her way home one rainy night. Will she be the killer’s next prey?

This page-turner is exhilarating from the first chapter to the last, and short chapters make [ 18 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

Northern Lights – by Nora Roberts

Northern Lights is about a Baltimore cop, Nate Burke, who moves to the small town of Lunacy, Alaska, to take a job as police chief. He begins to see the parallels between this small town’s guilt and regret, and his own—a prospect that plagues both he and his new jurisdiction. Burke wonders if moving was a mistake, until he meets Meg Galloway, and she kisses him on New Year’s Eve. Along the way, he finds himself pulled into a past crime—from which the suspect likely still walks among the residents of the aptly named, Lunacy. Northern Lights hits the reader with the big three: murder, romance, and mystery—while also serving up a healthy dose of small-town paranoia.

See Jane Die – by Erica Spindler See Jane Die takes us on a journey with Jane Killian, who was hit by a speedboat as a teen. As her life seems to be finally falling into place, with a great husband, a baby on the way, and an emerging place in Dallas’s art community, she realizes her past is coming back to haunt her. She believes the boater, who intentionally hit her years ago, is back to destroy her life. This book is a must read; at every turn of the page, we are pulled further and further into a world of murder, anonymous messages, and the universal dread attached to someone knowing your every move.

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Standoff – by Sandra Brown Standoff tells the story of a television reporter on her way to a much-needed vacation, when her plans suddenly change. From vacation to the wrong end of a gun, Tiel McCoy is in the middle of a standoff with two teenage runaways, and the authorities, in a middle-of-nowhere town. This book hits the ground running and never looks back. This captivating book tumbles down a treacherous road filled with local color, police, reporters, and the wealthy father of one of the teens. You won’t want Standoff to end, and you’ll be thinking about it long after it does.

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The Taste of Europe

- By Isaac Sweeney

In old cartoons, the pleasant odor of carrot stew could lift Bugs Bunny off his feet and carry him in the direction of the smell. If real life were like this, every time Petr Borodin opened Euro Market’s front door, people would hover in through the doorway.

It’s the German bread, the fresh-baked aroma wafting through the store, overtaking any other smell. A table of new, warm bread greets customers when they enter. Every once in a while, the oven buzzes, and Borodin takes out a new loaf.

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Borodin, originally from Uzbekistan, owns Euro Market with his parents-in-law. He moved to Harrisonburg fourteen years ago because he has family in the area. “I like the setting,” he says. “It’s calm. It’s a good elevation and has weather conditions of my hometown. I enjoy it a lot.”

Borodin is at the market every day, his Russian accent and big smile as welcoming as the smell of the bread. Euro Market, on Neff Avenue behind the mall in Harrisonburg, has been open since June 11, 2010. It’s a

dream realized for Borodin.

“I’ve had a dream of having my own business since I was sixteen,” he says. “I’ve tried many different things—tried to work for many different companies.” Borodin has an associate’s degree in computers as a network specialist, and he has worked in that field. He has also worked as a mechanic. But such pursuits didn’t satisfy his entrepreneurial spirit. “I wanted to have something of my own and get a feel for what it’s like running my own business. I’ve always wanted a challenge.”

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

He pauses and thinks. Then he smiles big and says, “Looks like I’ve got the challenge.”

Like any new business, the challenge has been getting the word out about the market.

As a food store, Borodin also has to compete against large, established chain stores. But he has something special to offer, as he explains, “My whole idea was to let people have a different variety of food available to them in their hometown.

My goal is to get people to try food from different nations—to experience the cultural delicacies of different nations.”

Borodin takes me on a quick tour of the market. That wonderful smell and the plump looking bread are good places to start. In fact, the whole store is full of things that are different, mostly of Eastern European nations. The fresh food is prepared locally, but with European recipes and techniques. Glance up from the table of bread and see shelves of desserts: sweets, cakes, pastries—all made locally with European recipes.

Speaking of desserts, boxes of chocolates are everywhere, imported from Russia, Germany, and Poland. These are perfect for gifts, something special that regular grocery outlets don’t carry.

If you can manage to turn your eyes from the scrumptiouslooking desserts, you see heartier treats. A ten-footlong, three-shelf refrigerator is full of cooked meat products.

Packaged salamis of all types and other meats with names most people can’t pronounce: Buzenina bacon, Molochnaya bologna, Bukovinskaya, and Piterskaya. Borodin is happy to let customers try a sample of

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Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

any of them. I tried Piterskaya; it’s a Russian sausage with a rich flavor.

Beside the meat is meat’s favorite companion: cheese.

Imported cheese of all varieties, like Salzburg cheese. And next to those, prepared European salads: Russian-style opyata, carrot salad, sour cabbage salad. Even a bin of sour pickles.

The fish is important to the European feel of the market, Borodin says. Canned, jarred, or frozen fresh. Herring, mackerel, sprout, anchovy, salmon. Whole frozen flounder and salmon— wild-caught in Alaska.

Beyond the frozen fish are the imported vitamins, then spices and herbs, then ethnic drinks— jars and cans of colorful juices.

Fresh produce, including beets, joins Borodin’s collection of distinctive foodstuff. Unique dairy items, like Lifeway-brand products, Kefir (a cultured milk drink), imported butter, exotic yogurts, and sheep and goat cheeses are within reach. Beside those are pasture-raised eggs, and then the frozen items, from doughs and fruits to pasta.

A customer enters and Borodin has to work. He chats a bit with the customer, answers questions, smiles a lot, and makes a sale. I continue the tour unguided.

Individually wrapped candies, labels I can’t read (it’s good to know Borodin can answer any question). Rare syrups and oils, like Babcia-brand syrups (strawberry syrup sounds yummy) and grape-seed oil (a light oil, good for salads, Borodin later tells me) occupy the shelves.

Borodin returns from the customer. “Did you get the tea?”

he says. “Tea is a big attraction.”

There are rows and rows of it.

All types and popular imported brands: Akbar, Russian Royal Tea, Ahmed, Impra, Greenfield, etc. On a smaller shelf, bags of imported coffee beans or grounds.

Then, more cans of fish. And bags and boxes of grains, from rice to the more exotic corn groats, and, of course, cookies and crackers. Lastly, jars and cans of sauces and vegetables, with items not found just anywhere, like squash paste.

Borodin specifically points to a jar of eggplant with vegetables.

“The taste of Europe,” he says.

“Reminds me of the taste of Europe.”

When the tour is over, I tell Borodin that his story sounds a little like a story of immigrants now living the American dream.

“What is the American dream?” he replies, grinning.

“That’s a good question,” I say.

“I just want to be able to provide for my family,” he says. He smiles. He hasn’t even really thought about the American dream. “I’m still going through the process of getting established, of getting the word out.” Then he’s quick to talk about his store a little more.

One thing he forgot to mention is that Euro Market caters, from plates of cold cuts, breads, and cheeses, to hot foods that can be prepared on site.

Right now, the American dream is far from Borodin’s list of accomplishments. His story is more one of coming to America, struggling and persevering, and hoping to become a financial and critical success one day.

His Euro Market certainly has the trappings of such a future.

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n o s a e S k c a b e m The Co g n i h t y r e v E s i g n i Tim

- By Victoria Kidd

Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you had followed that dream? You know the one. The dream you conceptualized as your high school math teacher was trying to educate you about the potential uses in life for algebra.

As time inched toward the last bell of the school day, you envisioned yourself as an adult with the perfect job. Maybe you wanted to be a great baseball player, or the millionaire CEO of a global corporation. No matter the size of the aspiration, all of us have had some desire to achieve something great and

find a job that we really love doing. For members of The Comeback Season, a notable up-and-coming band, the aspirations founded in youth are now becoming a reality.

It all started with a band called The Avenue. This endeavor began during the high school years of Chris Perez, who plays guitar, and bassist Ricardo Fearing. The Avenue had some remarkable early success, and even played at some large venues. This fueled the duo’s desire to chase their dream of playing music. Upon being accepted to JMU, Chris and Ricardo began considering a

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reincarnation of the band under a new name. They added a vocalist, Sam Patterson, and a drummer, Dana Scobey.

Together they began creating new songs. After playing several successful shows, they were ready to enter the studio to create their first CD. It was during this recording that they recognized the need for an additional guitarist, and Geoff Snow, another accomplished musician and songwriter, was added to the band some time later.

The production process occurred over a grueling seven-month timeframe, and the band

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worked tirelessly to perfect their sound.

Thomas Leahy, an incredibly talented friend of the band, helped mix and master the album.

He also provided an honest ear during the recording process, and band members credit him for helping them mature as musicians.

After input from Thomas, and many late nights re-recording the tracks, editing lyrics, and changing song structures, the album was ready.

The album is titled Timing is Everything, a phrase that adequately describes the band’s drive to overcome any obstacles in the way of getting to this point. Their dedication to the endeavor has not waivered, despite the long process.

“We recorded this over a year ago,” Chris says, “but we have waited months to be able to

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hold the finished product in our hands. It is a really gratifying feeling. We are very excited to share it with our supporters.”

The band hopes that fans will soon be holding copies of the album in their hands, and they have already started marketing it through various channels. The album release show occurred on February 25th at The Blue Nile in Harrisonburg. The group played some of their songs, streamed the event on YouTube, and mingled with the attendees.

Ricardo provides insight into how the band uses these events as opportunities to make personal connections, and meet their fans’ expectations by being fun-loving and approachable.

“We feel that we have a personal responsibility to make sure no one who comes to our show will leave feeling as if they were ignored. Nothing is worse than loving a band and getting to meet that band, only to find out that they are not great people.”

The Comeback Season’s music can be described as “… indie influenced with a pop sensibility,” according to Geoff. The music has a very wide appeal, and listening to the album really gives you a sense that this band is going somewhere. The lyrics are not only well written, but are vocalized with an easy expertise that only comes from innate talent. Every aspect of the album complements the overall sound, and each member’s contributions are easily distinguishable.

“We all have a unique approach to song writing, and our music is really a result of everyone’s efforts,” Ricardo states.

Songs are devised when one

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

member has a great idea.

He will then start to thread together a framework for the song, and will subsequently share the piece with one or two other members. Once a basic structure is in place, the piece will be shared with the entire group, and they will finalize the lyrics together. This collaboration makes their music stronger, and brings together the best of all five members.

What is most impressive about The Comeback Season is their complete dedication to their supporters. When asked what message they would give to their fans, they’re all quick to express sincere gratitude for the support they have seen throughout the past year. “You cannot do this without fans.

They are the key to everything we do,” Sam relays. “I have been helped by music, and I invest a lot into this music.

I would love to think that someone out there has been touched or helped by something we have performed. We do all of this for our fans, and I hope that we can inspire them in some way.”

Ricardo agrees, and adds, “We are truly thankful for the fans, friends, and family who believed in us and knew we would come out with this CD. It is really our fans who have encouraged us to keep making progress and moving forward. We want to be there for them, just as much as they are there for us, and we make this music to do that.”

Making music is as challenging as it is rewarding, and fans will note the dedication to professionalism apparent in the superb quality of the recordings on the new album. The past year has been filled with many struggles for the band; decisions had to be made about

the style of promotions and materials, and a considerable financial investment was asked of all members. They’ve come to realize that they have to direct their endeavor much like a small business owner would run his or her shop. They’ve also had to manage their day jobs while keeping their focus on building long-term success for the band.

Despite this, Dana remarks, “This was all completely worth it. We have all worked very hard to get here, and it is a great feeling to finally be where we need to be.”

Without question, the band is certainly where they need to be, and their sound is so appealing that much more success is sure to be had. With their new album released and available for sale through their Facebook page, as well as iTunes, they now simply need to work to cultivate new fans.

If you are interested in learning more about the band, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/ thecomebackseasonmusic.

Better still—spend only $5.00 to obtain your own copy to enjoy. Not only will you be supporting local music, but you will also be supporting these five incredibly talented and amazing young men.

Make sure to check out one of their shows, and don’t be surprised if you hear The Comeback Season on the radio very soon!

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Harrisonburg Farmers Market

Know your farmer, know your food.

- By Victoria Kidd

Settled right in the heart of Harrisonburg is an iconic structure that provides the setting for one of the area’s most popular Saturday morning activities. The Harrisonburg Farmers Market provides a unique opportunity for locals to connect with purveyors of quality produce and locally-made crafts.

I recently had the chance to visit the market and meet the committed vendors who strive to bring quality products to the surrounding community.

As I walked through the market, I was struck by just how many buyers had braved 40-degree weather to come out and show their support. Persons of every age and background expertly navigated through the crowded stalls and sidestepped around leashed dogs. They carried reusable bags and woven baskets, each filled with freshbaked bread, cartons of eggs, and brightly-colored vegetables that had just been purchased. It seemed to be fairly easy to pick out the regular shoppers—each making their way directly to their customary vendor for honey, bison meat, or mushrooms.

Others meandered to each table and met the vendor as an old friend, requiring a few moments to catch up before selecting a fresh cheese or a package of watercress.

The market’s success depends not only on these relationships, but also on a dedicated group of supporters who provide the leadership necessary to keep the market going and growing. Josie Showalter serves as the market

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manager, and acts as its de facto emissary. She is an exceedingly warm individual whose genuine passion for its mission is immediately apparent. “I believe that there are two things that make this market really special,” she says.

One of those things, according to Josie, is that both the vendors and the customers are committed to creating a real sense of community. The food, in and of itself, is the second thing. “The products are simply incredible.

Everything is completely homegrown or locally made.

The quality and diversity of the products that are offered here is incomparable to anywhere else in the area.”

There is certainly plenty of truth to that statement, and you’ll likely agree after your visit. Be sure to stop by Shenandoah Farms for the best tomatoes you’ll find available anywhere, particularly for this time of year.

If you are interested in topquality meats, consider Blueridge Bison, providers of grass-fed bison meat. For farm-fresh eggs, consider the Korner Lot Farm or Mountain View Farm Products.

Skip breakfast, and have a delicious cinnamon bun from Donuts and More—but be sure to get there early, these pastries sell out fast!

Even more important than the pastries and eggs, you will find a group of farmers and crafters doing what they love and demonstrating their commitment to the market. Phil Hedge, Owner of North Mountain Produce, says,

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

“Even in these temperatures, we are always here. This is very important to us, we enjoy it, and it’s worth doing.”

Other participants echo his sentiments about the level of commitment vendor’s have to the market. “I’m here because I love being here,” Charlynn Turner, Owner of Cause for Creation remarks. She handcrafts and sells beeswax candles and handmade paper at the market.

It is fascinating to hear her speak about her creative process, and she will be happy to tell you all about it if you stop by on a Saturday. These people, as well as many others like them, are the heart and soul of the market, and the story of how this downtown to-do arrived in Harrisonburg stretches back more than thirty years.

Historically, the roots of the market began with Clarence Dellinger. He started selling his locally-gown, organic goods in the parking lot of the town’s police station. He would go on to join the organized market, and goods from his farm can still be found there today. In 1979, Samuel Johnson, along with a small collective of farmers, began offering fresh produce and other items in and near the market’s current location. About fifteen years later, the group incorporated as a producer-only market. This is a key difference noted by visitors. You will not find items that have been procured from a mass producer or corporate purveyor. The goods for sale under the expansive Turner Pavilion are locally made by the producers who are there representing the products.

The pavilion certainly doesn’t contain all of these producers, and booths line the surrounding alleyway during its busiest months. And the intensity of everyday life finds a bit of a back

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seat amid this environment— which isn’t exactly an accident.

Josie explains, “We strive to be a warm and friendly place. The market is basically a community hangout in the summer. We drag out bistro tables and provide a place for the community to listen to live music, connect with friends, and buy quality goods.

This allows people to have a greater relationship with their food. This is an opportunity for the community to make a connection. In this world of constant text messaging and Twitter, you can actually make a real, person-to-person connection here.”

This connection is something that market leaders want to share with as many people as possible, particularly those who have traditionally been prevented from enjoying the available goods. When you first visit the market, you may be surprised to learn that even if you, as I did, failed to bring cash, you can visit the information table to use the hand-held ATM. Provide your card and request funds, and you will receive market tokens.

Market tokens are cleverly designed wooden coins available to consumers to be used to purchase goods within the market. The existence of these tokens, and the availability of the machine itself, provides a vehicle to bring the goods of the market to another underserved audience.

The market is able to accept the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards used by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Through an obtained grant, the buyer provides his or her card, requests funds, and receives double the requested amount in market tokens for amounts up to ten dollars. This allows lower-income consumers to enjoy the benefits of buying locally and helps bring more healthy food choices into their

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households.

Bringing choice to the households surrounding Harrisonburg is what the market is all about. The Friendly City Food Co-op, another venue for locally-grown food, will be opening in a few months.

Its mission is slightly different from that of the market, but the commitment to providing choice to Harrisonburg consumers is the same. Its opening provides an opportunity for the forging of a new partnership between the two organizations. Justin Van Kleeck, the market’s assistant manager, explains, “Both the market and the co-op want to help link customers with local producers.

‘Know your farmer, know your food’ is an important principle for both of us, as is helping to ensure the strength and well-being of the community.” The opening of this new forum provides yet another opportunity to further the mission of the market and improve the community’s access to the foods and crafts produced by their neighbors.

The endeavors undertaken by market vendors to introduce healthy food choices to local tables are incredible. It would be impossible to mention every great vendor within these pages, but spend a Saturday morning mingling with the local growers and skilled crafters. Ask the vendors to share their stories.

You will start to get a sense that the feeling of community is a common thread throughout the market.

To learn more about the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, visit: harrisonburgfarmersmarket. com. Or, better yet, stop by the market during open hours. Ask the vendors about their growing or crafting processes. Ask them how your food gets from the ground to your table. I challenge you to do the same at your local big-chain grocery store!

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

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Top Ten

Recurring Dreams & What They Mean Do you ever have really, really weird dreams? You might want to check what you eat before you hit the sack. Recurring dreams, however, demand more attention—often because they are scary. In fact, most of the recurring dreams on this list might be more accurately described as nightmares. Perhaps this is because scary dreams are more memorable—a more effective way for your subconscious to get your attention. Events and emotions in your waking life often trigger your dreams. If you repeatedly have the same dream, your subconscious is trying to send you a message. Fortunately, there are a lot of online resources available to help you figure out what your dreams mean, including extremely detailed dream dictionaries. In addition to a wealth of websites, books, and “experts,” there are also online communities that allow you to share your dreams in forums for interpretation and discussion. Let’s take a look at our Top Ten dreams and see if you don’t stumble into familiar territory.

10. Trapped Have you ever had a dream that you are locked in a room, trapped in a mine, or buried alive in a box? If so, then there is some aspect of your waking life that makes you feel trapped or claustrophobic. Did you make the wrong career choice? Is there a mountain of debt on top of you, stifling the lifestyle that you thought you would have? Dreamforth.com says that if you dream about being caged, you “… may feel like you cannot change your situation and are feeling trapped by it.”

The site also suggests “…you may feel like you are not being allowed to live up to your full potential because someone or something is holding you back.

9. Excuse Me, Where’s the Washroom? Ever dream about having to go to the bathroom? Many times, it’s because you have to go to the bathroom! One good question is: why does your brain go to such great effort to incorporate bathroom breaks into your dream life when it could just wake you up and send you to the bathroom? Who knows. Dreammoods.com says: “…to dream that you are in a public restroom with no stalls, signifies your frustrations about getting enough privacy.”

According to sleeps.com, a bathroom is a symbol for “thinking too much to increase income, and not spending money.”

8. Wayward Waters If you regularly dream that you are drowning, or that large waves wash over you, or floodwaters rise over you—you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by something in your life. Thecuriousdreamer.com agrees. According to their dream dictionary, drowning indicates “…overwhelming circumstances in real life, feeling helpless or hopeless, or feeling out of control.”

The site also explains that “one huge wave could represent a challenge in your life” and a flood might represent “feeling like you are ‘over your head,’ or feeling like things in your life are out of control.”

7. Flying It seems like we’ve all had the wonderful

flying dream—an experience we quickly try to recover as soon as we wake up. Alas, the best dreams are always the hardest to recover. The one word that best describes flying dreams is probably “freedom.” Unless, of course, you begin to fall, but that’s another category entirely (see #2). Dreamsdictionary. org uses the following words to describe dreams about flying: “freedom of expression,” “doing the impossible,” and “creativity.” Usually, the worst part about a flying dream isn’t the dream, it’s waking up.

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Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

6. Going Nowhere

It’s easy to think that the proverbial “running in slow motion” dream represents a “stuck” feeling in life, but dreamforth.com has a slightly different take— explaining that such a dream is more symbolic of hardships and having to navigate certain obstacles.

“Paralysis” dreams also fit into this category. According to thecuriousdreamer.org, this facet of a dream indicates a “…feeling of self-sabotage, and an inability to make progress in particular situations, or life overall.”

5. How’s Your Dental Plan? Do you ever feel like your teeth are falling out, or just loose, or missing entirely?

Most of us might associate this dream with feelings of decay and/or loss of control. Smartgirl.org agrees: “In general, dreams about losing teeth are common, and suggest the dreamer feels powerless or out of control in a real life situation.” An additional interpretation comes from dreamsdictionary.org: “You are having self-esteem difficulties and problems speaking your mind.”

4. Public Exposure The experts agree that the standard public exposure dream indicates a fear of being found out—in a variety of forms. The most common exposure dream is “naked in public”—with the two most common versions being “naked at work” and “naked at school.” The anxiety associated with this dream typically represents the stress linked to being exposed. Dreammoods.com suggests: “Becoming mortified at the realization that you’re naked in public reflects vulnerability or feelings of shame. You may also be hiding something and are afraid that others can see through you.”

3. Lost & Unprepared This type of dream usually comes in the form of an inability to open a locker at school, being lost and frustrated with directions, not being able to find something you are looking for, or simply an overall lack of understanding for something that, in real life, you do everyday. Often referred to as “dream confusion,” this dream is very common. Smartgirl.org describes it as “…representing fear of change or anxiety about seizing an opportunity. You may also feel unworthy in your current circumstances or conflicted about future decisions.”

2.Falling Almost everyone has had this dream, and often enough to probably figure out why they’ve had it. Falling is definitely a sign that you are losing control of something, according to curiousdreamer.com. The website also suggests that falling represents “…a sudden lack of foundation in your life…a loss of control… and an overall feeling of abandonment.” The other part of a falling dream is the landing part—but very few of us can admit to every actually landing, or experiencing the landing in vivid detail. Such a detail flirts with dying in dreams. A common misconception is that if you die in your dream, you’ll die in your sleep. Obviously, that claim could never be proven anyway, and has all the trappings of a healthy urban myth—period. Answers.com has as good a synopsis on death as there is: “It doesn’t mean anything specific. What is important is how you felt during the dream.

Were you scared while it was happening or accepting, at peace? This is a better glimpse.”

1. Chased

According to dream.net.au: “…you are running away from or trying to hide from something you need to face.” It could be “a feeling you are avoiding, a conflict you don’t want to handle, or a difficult memory you would rather forget.” But let’s end this list on a positive note: the cloak on that shadowy figure chasing you may have a silver lining! According to the same website, you might actually be running away from something good: “…like a talent you are not acknowledging, or a feeling of love that you are not yet ready to admit.”

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[ 35 ]

log home and cabin Packages choose a Plan from our selection or design your own

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2011 Calender of Events & South Side Depot Train Schedule

April 29 - May 1 April 30 May19 - 21 May 28 July 4 July 9 July 30 - August 6 September 24 October 15 November 4 -5 Nov. 24 - Jan 1 December 9 December 9 &10 December 10 December 31

19th Annual Spring Mountain Festival Civil War Train Rides 2nd Annual Harman’s Fly Fishing Event Fort Mulligan Day Festival Fourth Of July Celebration Festival SummerTime In The Mountains Dinner Train Tri-County Fair Heritage Days Autumn Splendor Dinner Train Old Time Christmas Open House Welton Park Christmas Festival of Lights T’was The Night Before Christmas SnowFlake Express Train Ride With Santa Old Time Christmas Parade in Petersburg Digital Illusion Rockin’ New Years Eve

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Spring has Sprung for Fine Earth, LLC - By Isaac Sweeney

By now, the grass is already a little greener, the day’s sun shines a little longer, and the birds chirp a little louder.

Spring has sprung, as the saying goes. For most, this is a time of warmth, and growth, and playing outside.

Nature mixed with the giggles of children on their tricycles.

History also celebrates spring as a time of work. These days, we spend spring in our yards, getting rid of the neglectful winter or planning for that long-anticipated outdoor project.

Spring is the perfect time for cleaning up your yard and getting it ready for greener days ahead, says Chad Layman, Owner of Fine Earth, LLC in Harrisonburg.

This time of year is when residents need to clear out weeds and overgrowth. They also should start fertilizing and aerating. Then there are the special projects. That new patio or outdoor kitchen that you swore you would have completed this year needs to get off the ground. In a perfect world, you would have the expertise to do all of this

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yourself without any glitches.

But it’s not a perfect world.

And why should you have to do it all yourself when there are experts around to help you? That’s where Fine Earth comes in.

Fine Earth has garnered a reputation of late as a commercial landscaper, especially since completing landscaping on the new RMH campus, a million-dollar project with more than 500 trees, 3,000 plants, and lots of time and energy. The company

[ 37 ]

doesn’t want local citizens to think commercial landscaping is all they do, though.

“We cut our teeth in the residential side,” Layman says.

“It’s always been a big part of our business.” Whether you want an outdoor kitchen, a new patio, landscape lighting, retaining walls, or some combination of services, Fine Earth can help. “Whatever they need, we can do,” says Becky Bartells, a Fine Earth designer. “And what we can’t do, we can organize with the people who can.”

One reason they have such a knowledgeable staff is because they keep up with training. In fact, Layman says training is one of the things that sets Fine Earth apart.

Training helps him and his staff keep up with technology and industry best practices.

Training leads to practices that minimize inconveniences for customers, such as sales people on staff and the latest in efficient design software.

“Our office staff and field staff receive in-house training and also attend seminars and have received certification in areas of specialty,” Layman says.

“Fine Earth has developed an extensive standard operating procedural manual, to ensure quality and consistency. All staff members have worked closely for the last five years with Marcus Vandervliet, the premier landscape consultant in the country.” Layman goes on to explain that the entire office staff has also spent significant time training in the areas of estimating, sales, strategic planning, project [ 38 ]

management, landscape design, etc. “Our field staff are ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute) certified to install pavers and NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association) certified for installing segmental retaining walls. The staff has attended the American Nurserymen Landscape Association seminar in Louisville, Ky., for multiple years. Fine Earth has also attended numerous workshops along the East Coast.”

Along with the extensive training, another thing that makes Fine Earth unique is the passion they have for their work. “For most of us, our jobs are also our hobbies,” Bartells says. “I like the variety of it. The creativity in designing—time in the field, time with customers. And I like when I get to be alone in the office and spend time estimating.”

Layman adds, “You also get visual confirmation of what you accomplished, so you can sit back and see the work you’ve done.”

“Plus the benefits to the environment,” Bartells says.

“It’s Arbor Day everyday.”

“You can put that in.” Layman laughs. “It’s her quote, but we take that really seriously.”

Add to this a heavy investment in the community, with staff members participating in a variety of charitable organizations and events. A short list: four staff members are with Big Brothers and Big Sisters; Layman won the local Dancing with the Stars competition; Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

landscaping with the city for the Dream Come True park; a $15,000 Arbor Day project; working on the First Tee building and grounds in Harrisonburg; and service on a variety of committees and boards.

Environmental impact. Best practices. Twenty employees in full season. Community involvement. Fine earth is one of just seventy-five small businesses in the country to receive a U.S. Chamber Blue Ribbon. It’s hard to believe this all started out as a couple of kids cutting grass for the neighbors.

Layman used to cut grass with his brother when he was ten years old. They even had their own business cards. He continued through high school and college and, when he graduated from JMU in 1995, he just kept on, starting Fine Earth. “It was a continuation of what I had going on in college,” he says. “It just became much more formal.”

Layman’s degree is in Accounting. “Having an accounting degree has been very beneficial to running a business,” Layman says. “I knew at an early age that I wanted to work for myself and preferably doing something I loved. This happened to be landscaping. I have had lots of help along the way, especially from the community.”

In the beginning, the business was all about cutting grass and some regular maintenance. As time went by, the business slowly grew.

Layman added employees

with a lot of know-how. In 1998, Fine Earth was able to purchase its current building, located at 1126 North Main Street. He never really expected it to materialize into what it has. For the first five years, Fine Earth was primarily a residential landscape company. Thanks to training and experience, they started doing larger commercial work. About the early years, Layman says, “It was a lot of sweat-equity. A lot of hard work. I was fortunate being from here. The community really supported Fine Earth.”

By 2005, Fine Earth was fifty percent residential and fifty percent commercial, working on the aforementioned RMH project, Town of Broadway Streetscape, the BRCC Pedestrian Bridge, and a handful of other big projects.

“However,” Layman insists, “during this time, Fine Earth has continued to do residential projects and will do so in the future.”

The community has supported Fine Earth and now Fine Earth supports the community just as much. A natural lifecycle, Fine Earth’s “sweat-equity” seems to have paid off. But it’s spring, with growth anew.

And it’s time to see what new things the company will accomplish as the lifecycles continue for years to come.

Fine Earth will once again participate in the SVBBA Home Show at the JMU Convocation Center April 8-10.

For more information, visit www.fineearthllc.com or call (540) 432-7977.

See More at www.AroundHarrisonburg.com

[ 39 ]

Located in Broadway, Va., just across the border with W.Va., is a fifty-year-old company that has proven itself in one of the toughest industries in America right now—building. Lantz Construction Company is a “Class A” general contracting firm specializing in commercial and industrial construction. And they’ve been doing it quite a while, which pretty much speaks for itself these days.

The company was founded in 1960

by W. Wallace Hatcher, who is now retired but serves as chairman of the board of directors. Hatcher graduated from Bridgewater College and possessed certain business and organizational skills that gave the company an early edge. His business acumen propelled the company ever forward and he kept a sharp eye on the finances—a testament to his accounting background. It was this early insight that established Lantz as a reliable source for complex construction projects.

[ 40 ]

“Although Lantz Construction Company started out as a traditional family business in 1960,” remarks Marketing Coordinator Rebecca Scott, “it is no longer a family business in the traditional sense. In 2009, Lantz became an employee-owned company through its ESOP—a more modern ‘family’ in today’s environment!”

The business will actually celebrate its 51st anniversary on June 1st, and currently employs 130 men and women. Two of those employees— Steven Hottle and John Long, Jr.— have been with the company for over thirty-five years.

their projects. Our design team can then produce the construction plans needed to obtain a building permit and construct the project.”

Lantz also supplies and erects pre-engineered steel buildings manufactured by Star Building Systems™. They’ve been working with Star Buildings since 1969—one of the largest providers of preengineered metal building systems in the U.S.

Being built upon a solid framework has certainly translated to the work that Lantz Construction performs.

Scott notes that they build all types of projects.

Scott continues, “We also provide heavy industrial, manufacturing, plant work, and maintenance services. With a dedicated and experienced field staff, our industrial teams work in shifts, at night, or on weekends and holidays to provided our clients with service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”

“We specialize in ‘design-build’ construction. This means we have a licensed architect and a professional structural engineer on our staff who can meet with clients and help plan

Longevity in business, any business, is a testament to proper management and communication.

But what about the unforeseen, or at least the unexpected? No

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

business has likely been harder hit than the construction business over the last five years. Does Lantz have a secret formula for success that so many others seemed to overlook?

“The past few years have been challenging economic times for everyone,” Scott reflects, “including us. The main impact has been in having to learn how to do a whole host of things—both in the field and in the office—in a more efficient manner, and with fewer people assigned to do it.”

Adaptation has been the name of the game for countless businesses around the country during the ongoing recession. Scott attributes Lantz’s longevity to professionalism, ethics, and a commitment to quality and value. But probably the most long-term of those attributes is a philosophy that Lantz has practiced for years: partnering.

Scott explains, “Long before the phrase ‘partnering’ became popular in the construction industry, we recognized that successful project delivery depends upon a good working relationship with our clients, subcontractors, and suppliers. Treating our clients and business partners with respect, honesty, and integrity has always been a hallmark of Lantz’s management style, enabling us to deliver projects on time, within budget, and with quality workmanship.”

Douglas Driver, Lantz President, knows that the key to his company’s success lies in its versatility. “We’ve got a pretty good track record in the greater Shenandoah Valley area, differentiating ourselves in our local market by our designbuild services. That’s been a real strength for us in the last fifteen years. About forty percent of our work is design-build construction.

“There’s no one in our market who has integrated design-build into their company to the extent that we have. Our people have the background and knowledge that few have. It would be a lot easier to

outsource it, but the results would not be what we need.”

Driver goes on to explain that this system, which has evolved over time, gives Lantz a lot of control, resulting in “…a smoother process that means we can deliver a better product.”

The company makes extensive use of its computer-assisted design (CAD) system on designbuild projects, can do its own site plans, architectural and structural drawings, and can easily exchange these documents electronically with subcontractor design-build partners.

Computer-based drafting, Driver says, allows for easier and much more rapid changes than traditional hand-drawn sketches. “Our inhouse system can facilitate ownerdesired changes with almost no delay,” he adds. “We also use computerized systems for estimating, job costing, accounting, and scheduling.”

A particular example of Lantz work is the Coursey Springs Fish Hatchery Renovation in Bath County, Va. This unique project featured forty circular stainless steel trout rearing tanks. In addition to the tanks, state-ofthe-art oxygen enhancement technology was added to increase fish production, as well as wastewater treatment equipment, a new feed storage building, and a trampoline-type cover over a large spring-fed pond to protect the water supply.

Another interesting project is a mountaintop concrete residence in Grant County, W.Va. Lantz is currently building this spaceage single-family residence for a physician near Petersburg, W.Va. The house features complex linear curved walls built using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF). The use of ICF creates a home that is very energy efficient, fire retardant, sound resistant, and extremely durable. The residence will also contain thermally efficient glass and a geothermal heat pump with in-

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[ 41 ]

floor radiant heat.

An example of a larger scale project is the Rockingham County Schools Administration Building, right in Harrisonburg. In 2005, Lantz built a 31,973 square-foot, two-story professional office complex for Rockingham County Schools. This design-build project features a masonry exterior, which is designed to compliment its modern-style neighbors, while taking its primary cues form the traditional buildings in the area.

A unique project, though also complex and quite extensive itself, was The Bindery, in Staunton. This 1839 Federal-style building is the largest in the Villages at Staunton complex. Featuring an imposing façade with four-story pilasters, and an octagonal cupola on the roof, this building was renovated to create nineteen high-end singlelevel residential condominiums.

Original architectural details were restored throughout and all mechanical, electrical, and roofing systems are brand new.

What truly sets Lantz Construction Company apart in this area?

Scott says it is three things. “The approach to design-build is unique in our market area. Having an inhouse team of design professionals on our payroll gives us a real advantage. We are also committed to providing a highly skilled superintendent on each and every one of our projects—this individual is on the project site full-time. And Lantz stands behind its work and responds quickly if issues arise, often long after construction has been completed. All of our clients are our neighbors and we want to reassure them that Lantz has done everything in its power to make sure they’ve been provided the quality of work they deserve.”

With an approach like this, it certainly wouldn’t seem unusual to assume we’ll be seeing Lantz Construction Company performing quality work around the Shenandoah Valley, and beyond, for another fifty years.

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Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

Church of the Brethren

A Little Taste of Europe Right in your Backyard

Disaster Response Auction Proceeds are used to help victims of natural disasters around the world as well as right here at home

Auction items will include furniture, theme baskets, livestock, artwork baked goods, quilts, plants and more!

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS Friday, May 20 1 PM 3 - 7:30 PM 6:15 PM 6:15 PM

Arts & Crafts Sale Country Ham and Oyster Dinner Arts & Crafts Auction Livestock Auction

Saturday, May 21 7 - 10 AM 8 AM 9 AM 10 AM - 2 PM 10:30 AM

Breakfast Plants, Food, Arts & Crafts Sale Auction Children’s Activities Outside Auction

BäckerBäck Bread Baked Daily • Tea • Smoked Sausage • Cheeses Gourmet Coffee • Pastries • Chocolates • Fish • Candy • Fresh Vegetables Deli Meats • Catering Service Available

182 neff ave suite W5 harrisonburg va 22801 182 neff ave suite W5

cell: 540-421-4768 harrisonburg va 22801 store: cell: 540-433-2622 540-421-4768 540-433-2622 email: store: euromarket100@

email: euromarket100@gma

Petr Borodin Petr Borodin customer care representative

customer care representative

Tandori’s Kitchen |

Harrisonburg, VA

Where the Main Ingredient is Love - By Lauren Arbogast Step aside, steak and potatoes.

There’s a new taste in town, and it’s winning over locals at a steady pace.

“I hope you’re not vegetarian!” says Wilma Cambata, with a twinkle in her eye, hostess of the debutante Tandori’s Kitchen. What was once Bombay Courtyard, and most recently Bourbon Street on Main, both owned by Wilma, the restaurant on South Main Street in Harrisonburg has seen more makeovers than most in the last five years. Through it all, Wilma and the current owner of Tandori’s Kitchen, Hoshi Khambata, have remained passionate in their desire to bring enjoyment and health through their food. Take note of the newest facelift—the Indian cuisine is impeccable and the service even more so.

Hoshi and Wilma came to the United States from India in 1988 and made a life in New York. After their first son was born, they headed south and settled in a less busy “new” town—New Market, Virginia.

Now Valley natives for more than eighteen years, they have devoted their time and energy, especially within the last five years, to finding a niche in the local restaurant scene.

What has emerged is a work of heart—and Wilma will be the first to tell you that the “main ingredient is love.”

Tandori’s Kitchen came to be in early 2011 after the doors were closed on entertainment-happy Bourbon Street on Main and management changed [ 44 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

hands. With this evolution came a renewed emphasis on healthy family dining. Always the purist, Wilma wanted to focus on traditional Indian food that not only tempts the palate, but also purifies from the inside.

“Food,” Wilma says, “is absolutely beautiful. You cannot prepare food without authentic ingredients, and believe me, the authenticity is there.” It only takes a minute with Wilma to decide that she, also, is authentic. Her voice houses hints of humor and volumes of passion when she speaks of her native food, in her moderate accent.

So what is it about Indian food that makes it so…special? Never mind the fact that it gets Wilma on her soapbox, I wanted to experience it for myself. When I walked away from this cultural exchange, I did so with more enlightenment of food and flavors than I have ever experienced in a restaurant.

Stunning is what I call it. For those of us who are visual learners, colors are decidedly important when analyzing. And make no mistake, the rich, primal, earthy colors abound in the Indian diet. Vibrant reds, subtle yellows, chocolate black browns— all take turns playing as a team or starring alone. The presentation of food was impeccable, second only to nature’s color scheme. And nature, as it turns out, plays a key role in Indian cuisine—food is made fresh and savored immediately in order to capture the unchained flavor and health benefits of the spices within.

The term “spicy,” as it turns out, does not necessarily mean hot on the tongue. Yes, the food at Tandori’s Kitchen may be made to order as mild, medium, hot, or “Indian hot,” but that simply details the amount of chili pepper spice within the dish.

The other gamut of spices within the dish contributes to the term spicy, but more importantly, give it the defining taste.

“Spices are what wake you up: the colors wake the eyes, the smells wake the nose,” Wilma muses, as she presents the table. Cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, cloves, mustard seed, bay leaves, coriander, and garlic, just to name a few, all play a part in creating culinary

masterpieces rich with history.

India is divided into multiple regions, each offering its unique input on the overall distinctive fare of the country.

Many factors play a role in the development of the local offerings, from economics to geography. To the North, exotic styles of cooking abound; the South boasts seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Eastern India is defined by the simple ingredients and preparation, while the West hosts a diverse scope of dishes and is largely based on milk and milk products. The central portion of India seems to embrace only the best offerings of its regional neighbors and presents a collaborative cuisine.

Wilma claims ties to the southwest region, as evidenced by the offerings at Tandori’s Kitchen. Being able to present part of her history and herself to the local Harrisonburg community is really what motivates Wilma to press on, and her pillars of support within the restaurant are obvious.

Lenore Price and Janice Boyd, advisors, teamed with Wilma and the staff at Tandori’s Kitchen through a mutual friend and interest— according to all involved, it was fate that brought them together in perfect timing. The experience has been quite rewarding, as Lenore comments that it has been “one of the best experiences of my life, as a consumer, a friend, and an advisor.

I am so proud—so very proud. We truly believe in this team, as they complement each other.” A key ingredient of this team is Executive Chef Sandra Prichard, who has been at Wilma’s right hand through the multiple restaurant conversions.

Sandra is a quiet, reserved woman, but ask her about the kitchen and watch her face light up and a twinkle hop into her eye. When I expressed interest in seeing the traditional tandoor oven (that’s where the restaurant name Tandori was adapted from), a hearty “absolutely!” was what I received.

I do believe my jaw dropped when I saw one of the staff stick a platesized flat of dough into and onto the side of a round clay oven, housed in a metal box, heated with coals.

No more than twenty seconds later, after bubbling and browning, the

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[ 45 ]

talented cook used two long sticks to finagle it out (and trust me, he made it look easy as pie, or in this case, naan), and seasoned it aptly.

Not only used to bake one of the staple breads, naan, the tandoor oven is also used to cook some of the meats in key dishes, on long, skinny skewers that are scarred and seasoned to perfection. This food, as it turns out, is as Wilma claims: “… made authentically by someone who cares.”

As I survey the various offerings on my plate, I realize that the sensory experience goes far beyond the color palate. The first bite into a vegetarian specialty, vegetable korma, is as smooth as it is pleasing—garden vegetables and white cashew nuts are simmered in a light cream sauce with Sandra’s blend of spices. The next bite brings a tangy rush as I switch to one of the most popular meat Indian dishes, chicken tikka masala. This dish, as Wilma explains, is an overnight labor of love. The chicken is marinated in yogurt overnight, and then cooked in the tandoor oven on skewers. Once done, it is simmered in a tomato and cream sauce for a slightly tart, deeply orange, yogurtlike presentation.

“Yogurt is used to cool the spice,”

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Wilma states, and most Indian fare utilizes some type of this milk-based concoction. Make note that the cream, yogurt, and cheese subtly defining the different offerings are made in-house, true to Indian custom.

The staple Indian items offered with the dinner delights include rice plates with varying levels of spice, as well as naan bread. Traditionally, the meal is eaten with the hands, and although smiling, Wilma shows no hint of joking when she says, “Food tastes better with the hands!”

I break off a bit of naan bread and attempt to please custom and scoop the rice and curry with my hands (when the best of the bite ends up in my lap, I beg forgiveness from tradition and take up my metal sidekick to finish the main course). When the dessert rolls out seamlessly, moments later, and I indulge in a bite of mango kulfi— Indian ice cream—I blithely mull over actually retreating to a handsonly approach. Really, it’s that good.

The beverages that accompany the meal are complements to the spice in the food and provide a definitive spice factor of their own. There’s the Indian hot spiced tea, rich in cardamom spice and burnt red in color, pleasing the palate between

bites of food. The mango-flavored lassi, a traditional Indian yogurt drink, is the equivalent of drinking a prime mango, rich and beyond smooth, through your straw. I have added Tandori’s Kitchen to my speed dial for takeout capability for this concoction alone, and I’ve decided that it must now be a staple in my previously boring diet.

Along with the beautiful, traditional Indian food and drink offerings, Tandori’s Kitchen also offers American fare such as salads, burgers, and sandwiches—and Sandra doesn’t skimp on the design and effort she puts into these dishes.

Prices are moderate, with the buffet averaging around eight dollars.

No matter your order, you will be tantalized with food that demands audience to the main ingredient— love.

Tandori’s Kitchen is open for business every day except Monday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, with a buffet offering from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm. You won’t be disappointed in the food or service, and Wilma will meet you at the door with a smile.

Find them on Facebook with a search for Tandori’s Kitchen, or call them at 540-442-7166 for a takeout order— and don’t forget the mango lassi!

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

The

unKnown Eater Exploring Things to Do & Places to Go Around Harrisonburg

Dona Rosa - Real Mexican Cuisine

The Fresh Approach is the Best Approach Dona Rosa is not your typical Mexican restaurant. It is more like a party with lots of friends and good food. “If you feel down, then you come here, and you leave feeling good.”

That is how Alberto Gutierrez describes his restaurant.

During the evenings, “It’s busy and noisy, like a fiesta.”

Gutierrez focuses on providing customers with fresh, delicious food in a relaxing, but festive atmosphere.

The small restaurant is roomy and welcoming. The bar in the corner boasts a pirate flag, giving a hint of the festivities here. Soon after the restaurant opens for lunch, things are still rather quiet. Gutierrez says that quiet will go away in the evening, when things are more like a big celebration.

Dona Rosa has been open for almost four and a half years, and Gutierrez and his wife, Carrie, have owned it for four years. Originally, the restaurant was run by his brother and sister-in-law, who own L’Italia restaurant and two pizza parlors. Alberto was born in Mexico City and grew up in Cancun, arriving

in Harrisonburg twelve years ago. While taking classes at JMU, he worked for his brother at the restaurants and learned the business of being a restaurateur. One of Gutierrez’s coworkers at the pizza shop (north of town) was Carrie Maust, a student from EMU. They eventually married. “Now, she is the boss and I work for her,” Gutierrez says with a laugh.

“I like to think of the cuisine as ‘ungraded Mexican,’” explains Gutierrez. Rather than being from a single region, the recipes used at Dona Rosa come from all over Mexico, and have an Italian influence.

Gutierrez traces his heritage to Italian on his mother’s side and Mexican on his father’s side.

The blended taste of Italian and Mexican cuisine is refreshingly different from the traditional Mexican restaurant fare.

On a first visit to any restaurant, and with an unfamiliar menu, it is always good to ask the wait staff about their favorite dishes.

The server is quick to point out her favorite dishes.

The fish tacos are heartily

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[ 47 ]

recommended, along with the tacotete, described as a “grilled burrito.” Other offerings are enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, and quesadillas. The menu notes that the corn tortillas and salsas are homemade, and the taste of these items confirms the statement.

The fresh salsa, served with chips before the entrée, has a sweet, smoky flavor.

Accompanying the entrees are beans and deliciously moist rice with peas, tomatoes, and carrots. The fish tacos have a chipotle cabbage sauce. The portions are generous, and the fish pieces overflow the flour tortilla. The tacotete, served steaming from the grill, is filled with marvelously seasoned ground beef, and tomatoes and lettuce.

Another striking difference between the cuisine at Dona Rosa and other Mexican restaurants is the subdued spiciness of the food. The spices are not used merely to add heat, but rather to enhance the flavor of the dish.

Gutierrez describes his central philosophy about food, stating ingredients should always be as fresh as possible. He purchases meat locally three times a week, never freezing it.

Vegetables are purchased from the local food cooperative. The steak served at Dona Rose has such a good taste, you “…don’t need steak sauce,” Gutierrez declares. He compares a rare steak served at other restaurants to how it would be with one prepared at Dona Rosa. “It should be the last thing you cook, and it finishes cooking on your plate.” Two of the house specialties are steak [ 48 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

At a

Glance

dishes: the steak and shrimp platter, and the combination platter. Kids have their own smaller menu with kid-sized portions.

Dona Rosa

Another signature offering of Dona Rosa is the avocado salad. “I don’t call it guacamole, because it is sliced avocado and tomatoes on top of chips.” The avocado salad, served on warp tortilla chips, is indeed refreshing and delicious. The Italian influence shows through in this popular appetizer.

Real Mexican Cuisine 43 Linda Lane, Harrisonburg, VA 540-442-7672

First Impression



The bar serves up wines from Spain, Italy, and France, along with mixed drinks, tequila, and margaritas. The adventurous crowd will want to try the Fishbowl Margarita, which looks as large as a fishbowl.

Service

 Food Quality/Taste

Dona Rosa is named for Alberto’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Welcoming all guests, the restaurant’s regulars include college students and diners seeking a fun atmosphere and delicious food. “From seven o’clock to nine, the place is packed,” he smiles. “People come to see the pirates.”

Gutierrez and the staff dress as pirates each night, and an evening meal can turn into a party with a crowd of newfound friends.

 Value for Money

 Overall Atmosphere



With offerings as low as eight dollars and an average price of fourteen bucks, you are sure to find an interesting dish to suit all tastes, at a reasonable price. And getting to see pirates every night? Well, that’s just a bonus at Dona Rosa.

For more information, visit Dona Rosa Mexican Restaurant on Facebook, or call 540-442-7672.

See More at www.AroundHarrisonburg.com

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Now It’s Your Turn Recipes to Spice Up Your Life | Quick & Easy Appetizers

Bite Size BLTs

Directions

Ingredients

er of cherry 1 – Contain out 24 tomatoes ab yonnaise or ½ – cup ma Miracle Whip en onions, ¼ – cup gre chopped ons chopped 2 – tablespo y fresh parsle bacon, 1 1/4 pound umbled cr cooked and Lettuce

l ble into smal n cooled crum he e w th on p to ac B to 1.Cook l amount aside a smal pieces, Set rving. se ith before bacon, tomatoes w ayonnaise, gether the m to d ir de st en l, w bl til well 2.In a bo d parsley un an , ns io on green ch tomato. the top of ea om fr e ic sl l 3.Cut a smal e inside of scoop out th n, oo sp l al 4.Using a sm and discard. d each tomato n mixture, an with the baco o at m to ch 5.Fill ea r 1 hour. n refrigerate fo opped baco them with ch p to g, in rv 6.Before se and lettuce.

Cocktail M eatballs

Ingredients

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce 1/2 cup crushed pineapples undrained 16 oz bag of frozen meatballs

[ 50 ]

Directions Mix BBQ Sauce and Pineapples with juice in a large bowl. Add mea tballs and coat evenly. Po ur meatballs in a large skillet and bring to a boil on med/ high heat then simm er for 10 minutes or until fully heated.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

Tzatziki Dip

Ingredients

2 cups p lain yogu rt 1 cucum ber 5 crushe d garlic c loves 2 Tbsp o live oil Salt & pe pper to ta ste 1 Tbsp le mon juic e Dill or sli ced cucu mber for garnish

Taco Cups Ingredients

Directions Grate the cucumber unpeeled Place it in . a strainer or cheeseclo th and sq ueeze it to remove it s excess moisture.

Now, mix all ingredie nts in a bo until cream wl y smooth.

Place it in a serving bowl, spri nkle with and serve dill with pita b read.

Directions

ans fried be 1 can re tacocooked d n u o p 1/2 d meat seasone eddar dded ch e r h s p 1 cu s d Onion Choppe toes d Toma Choppe ops! os “Sco it t s o T 1 bag ptional cream o r u o s p 1/2 cu ional alsa opt 1 cup s

rge s on a la ip h c e c Pla each one ll fi d n a d platter seasone , s n a e nd b with onions, a , e s e e h lsa meat, c p with sa d. o T . s e to toma desire cream if r u o s d an

Crab Stuffed Mushr ooms Ingredients Direc

tions

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24 mushro oms 4 green o Wash mushroo nions, cho ms and pped re move stems.

3 cloves g Place the arlic, minc mushroom ca ed ps on a shallow 1 tablespo baking dish. on basil 1/4 cup cil Mince the stem antro s. Combine al l the ingredient 1 fresh gre s, including th en chile, s e eeded & minced stems, finely cho pped and mix well.

Spoon the mix 1 pound c rab meat ture into the mushroom ca 1/2 teasp ps and bake in oon Dijon a preheated 35 mustard 0° oven for 15 1 tablesp minutes. Serve oon red p warm. Makes epper 24 appetizers 3/4 cup o f grated c heddar ch eese [ 51 ]

inside out with

ELI

I Hesitate to Ponder

by Eli Andersen

Remember when CDs felt like they were so modern and technologically proficient that, certainly, they were the dawn of a new age that would be around for a long time? If someone had walked up to you in the early nineties (while you were perusing the CDs in the music store) and said to you: “You know, soon we’ll all be watching movies on these discs in ways that you can’t even imagine.

Soon, this entire wall of music will be made obsolete by tiny music computers, the size of a Wheat Thin, that hold over a thousand of your favorite songs. Soon after that, this music store itself will become extinct. And by that point, almost every one of us will be walking around with a device in our pockets, the size of a wallet, that has more computational prowess than the Apollo 13.” We probably would have eyed this individual wearily and nodded politely because this was obviously one of these people who’d spent all night playing some video game or all week reading an entire sci-fi series (or both).

If you’d have walked up to ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak at Thanksgiving last year and said: “Hey bro, you might want to start paying attention to Facebook, ‘cause it’s

[ 52 ]

gonna end your thirty-year reign,” can you imagine how passionately you’d have been laughed off of the premises—probably arrested for heresy or lunacy or some type of intolerable dissent, as well.

I always seem to be getting myself into some directionless dialogue about going back in time and revealing to some generation a part of the future that they would think was unlikely, impossible, and/or at least a little wacky. Sometimes, it can get as elaborate as flying a Blackhawk over a battle in the Civil War (not shooting anyone, but just maybe hovering for a minute and firing a missile off into a field, and then flying off). Can you imagine?

What about dropping in on some Viking battle in the ninth century and trying to give them all Nike Dry-Fit gear, or North Face jackets, or flashlights? Priceless. I could do this for the next ten pages, so I’ll stop. But let’s erase the presentation part of those scenarios and focus on the simple ideas. Imagine trying to explain such concepts to those groups. But then, imagine trying to explain drone warfare to the many brave souls who fought in Vietnam— so close to a technology that would have saved thousands of lives, and yet so far away. What if you went to buy a car in 1995 and there was a little hole in the stereo face and the dealer told you, “Oh, that’s the MP3 hook-up.” Huh? I could try to explain

appliance tuning to you now, but would you think I was a mad man?

Do you know there is a group of individuals who will come to your house and tune your appliances so that they all “sound” the same—on the same frequency—so that you can find a better subconscious auditory balance in your life? They can even harmonize your various machines that hum and buzz all day long so that, even though it’s all white noise in the end, it’s balanced, harmonious white noise—and thus, so will be your inner equilibrium. Crazy? Not so fast; the way our world works, every house on earth might be utilizing such a phenomenon this time next year. The speed of invention, application, and theory, in the twenty-first century is almost hard to fathom at times. What will be the next development that changes our lives in an instant? I hesitate to ponder. It could be anything—as long as the proper advertising machine is running behind it—and I mean anything.

Will 2011 emerge as the year of revolt, upheaval—at the hands of technology and its ability to organize? Some groups have begun to refer to WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, as the anti-Christ—and have gone so far as to divulge how he possesses the power to disrupt the entire world in any way he sees fit, by simply exposing information that is probably best kept hidden.

And if not him, the dozens of copycatters who will no doubt spring up in his midst or his absence (his

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

assassination is also a very realistic probability—he swims in dangerous waters). Is Assange one of the most important people in the world right now, or simply one of the most disruptive? Or, is that kind of the same thing—depending on what his disruptive notions reveal?

And yet we’re more concerned with whether or not Lindsay’s dress was appropriate enough for court or not. For court—yet another court appearance for a loser who happens to be rich and famous (for now), meaning she’ll never be properly held accountable and basks in the narcissistic luxury of wearing a skin tight dress to court because she knows that it will only feed the salivating tabloid machine and the millions of hopeless couch potatoes—thus garnering her even more publicity…and, likely, more money. Until, of course, she kills someone...and then it will be a “serious” matter—complete with media tutorials on child stars gone bad, the pressures of growing up famous, and the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.

I’m more than a little aware, as of late, of the growing popularity surrounding the idea that we are existing within a modern form of dystopia—the notion that by continuing on the way that we are, things will only get worse, and then, the worst. The actual philosophy, like most philosophies, is deep and complicated, layered, all of that, but the general idea is worth paying attention to. Sure, people have been belting out a similar tune with every generation that comes along: “This generation is going to Hell in a handbasket… you kids don’t know what you’re doing…I’m glad I’m on the way out…” It’s endless; I’ve heard it all—just like everyone else my age.

Apparently, there was a perfect time in America where everything and everyone was perfect and time stood still and the milkman had a three-bedroom house and Norman Rockwell painted real-time pictures of how literally perfect everything was and, well, that was a time in American history like every single other era—somewhat shiny on the surface and ugly underneath. Just so happens that now, things aren’t

so shiny on the surface, and since we’re a global community these days, because of technology, the problems of the world have, in many ways, become everyone’s problems.

No? Who would have thought that a little social networking program that some socially inept nerd at Harvard was writing in 2004 would lead to the entire upheaval of a nation’s government on another continent, just seven years later?

And if you believe the story, he wrote the program as an extension of his hatred for the modern social hierarchy construct at Harvard, and America overall—and, of course, because he was heartbroken.

Now, consider that scenario, and imagine its ripple effect from 2004 until now. Wow. Makes you wonder what got beneath Julian Assange’s skin enough over the years to perpetuate WikiLeaks. I wouldn’t be surprised if his various motivations could be traced back to relatively unremarkable beginnings. After all, we are all human (I think—another article); no matter how enormous and far reaching our ideas become, they began in our own minds—and there is usually a pretty universal spark.

a while, and actually yearn to see more things blowing up.

This is a rant; I won’t deny it. But it’s a stream of thoughts that I figure I’m not the only one having, so I felt it was worth sharing. I don’t necessarily have an end but, then, most rants can go on for days. But I do have a theme: The speed at which our modern lives evolve is impressive, to say the least, but also a little concerning—in that “inmates took over the prison” kind of way.

Do we have the ability, as a global society to progress at this rate without destroying ourselves—in all of its suggestions and within all of its layers? The only certainty is that everything will end; the process is definitely inevitable, but does it have to be so pathetic?

As I wrap this up (allegedly), I neither know whether tomorrow will be pretty much like today, or completely unrecognizable from any number of angles. Is that what it means to live in the modern age? To not know what tomorrow will bring?

Every generation can and did say that, but here’s the thing: were they as worried as me when they said it?

But back to dystopia, and the career pessimists who have told us, our whole lives, that their generation was great and things are only getting worse and worse, and soon it will grind to an ugly halt. But wait— what about that last part? It’s hard not to wonder about that last part. I mean, is the world getting more and more chaotic, turbulent, and volatile, or do we just see so much more of the world these days through technology that it all stacks up in front of us and seems like a disaster? Plus, it sure wouldn’t kill the media to cover the many positive aspects of life with the fervor that they chase down the many negative things. But, I’m not exactly confident that we wouldn’t get bored with the positive things after

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You are now invited beyond the velvet rope at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, in Charles Town, W.V. These are Vegasstyle games, but the scene is pure Hollywood, where you are the star in your own blockbuster night of glamour! Time to call, “Action!”

About a year ago, I wrote about my Girls Night Out at the then Charles Town Races and Slots.

Little did I know then that the casino was about to undergo a major re-branding and renovation that would include the addition of table games and several new dining options for guests.

Now called Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, the results are stunning—visually and experientially. The casino’s 1930s Hollywood art deco motif is reflected throughout, including new chandeliers, carpeting, and decorative columns. When arriving through the main entrance, visitors are greeted by a giant, serpentine video wall that shows first-run movie trailers, video shorts, and animation. Billboards promoting yet-to-be-released movies are prominent, plus plasma screens and video trees allow guests to watch sports and entertainment while gaming.

Table games offered on the reconfigured and expanded gaming floor are Blackjack, Craps, Mini-Baccarat, Big Six Wheel, Pai Gow, Let It Ride, Roulette, Three-card Poker, Four[ 54 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

card Poker, Poker, and Texas Hold ‘em. In all, there are eighty-five table games, several high-limit tables, and a twenty-seven-table poker room.

With about 5,000 slot machines, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is the largest casino in the mid-Atlantic, and the place to play, attracting over four million visitors a year. There are six themed slot machine areas: Silver Screen Slots, OK Corral Slots, Slot City, Slot Central, and Hollywood Slots l and ll.

The casino floor is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The casino offers a player loyalty program called Club Hollywood—a way to earn customer rewards through a point system. There is usually some type of big promotion going on which frequently involves new cars or cash options. Casino hosts are there to make sure your VIP experience is superb. These hosts can get you a seat at the tables,

arrange for your room at the Inn, or help you plan an event.

New dining options include Zen Noodle, serving authentic Asian dishes, and Final Cut Steakhouse, which has quickly established Charles Town as a fine dining destination for culinary enthusiasts.

Final Cut features hand selected USDA Mid-Western Prime Beef, corn-fed and naturally aged up to four weeks to ensure maximum flavor and texture. In addition, fresh seafood entrees, delectable appetizers and side dishes— spanning from lobster-mashed potatoes to truffle mac and cheese—are offered. Everything on the menu is fresh and prepared in the kitchen, including fresh-baked breads and desserts.

The wine list, presented to diners on one of fourteen iPads, features more than three hundred choices.

And there’s more to come this summer. A sports bar and entertainment lounge will open

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just off the gaming floor where all of the day’s games will be broadcast on television, and live entertainment will be featured on the weekends.

And Hollywood Casino makes it easy to park with valet service and a large covered lot with thousands of spaces.

If you decide to play, why not stay? Opened in 2008, The Inn at Charles Town is located on the casino property and features 153 guest rooms. The modernity of the hotel is tempered by a slight Southwest feel—just enough to give the hotel visual texture and warmth. Hotel Sales Manager Annette Gavin says there are eighteen suites, “…all with premier views of the race track.”

Guests enjoy amenities such as forty-two inch plasma high definition televisions, wireless internet access, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a clock radio with MP3 plug-ins, two telephones, a spacious work desk, an in-room

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safe, luxurious linens, an iron and ironing board, a complimentary hot breakfast buffet, and a complimentary shuttle service that takes guests to and from the race track and casino. There is even a lobby lounge serving cocktails for purchase and a sundries/gift shop.

Guests have six options for accommodations. The Standard King is spacious for up to two guests. The Standard Double Queen accommodates up to four with two queen-sized beds. At the Junior Suite level, guests enjoy upgraded bath amenities, plus makeup mirrors, a hair dryer, coffee maker, two queen beds, and a queen pull-out sofa.

The Balcony Suite features its namesake, plus a parlor with a queen pull-out sofa and two queen beds. The Executive Suite is an elegant two-room suite with a king-sized bedroom, a balcony overlooking the racetrack, and a living room area with wet bar and pullout queen sofa bed. The two-room VIP Suite offers the ultimate experience overlooking the racetrack with the best view, and features a bedroom, a positively cavernous bathroom with walk-in shower and spa jetted tub, a half-bath, and a living room.

Annette says the hotel is popular for groups, organizations, and businesses. “We have a wellappointed, executive boardroom for meetings, a larger function room, and our lovely patio that faces the race track can be tented. We can accommodate groups from five to fifty.”

Stay and play at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races—it’s a winning combination! See www. hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com for information on the casino, dining options, racetrack, and hotel. In an upcoming issue of AHBG, we’ll visit the track.

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Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

a delicious

performance

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For fourteen-year-old athlete Allison Hawkins of Broadway, receiving donated tissue made the difference between sitting on the sidelines and getting back to being an active teenager.

In the first minutes of the first soccer game of the season, September 2010, Allison collided with another player and suffered a completely torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), a ligament that stabilizes the knee.

Hawkins, who had played soccer since age 7, had planned on 201011 being her last soccer season, as she had also just made the cheerleading squad at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School. However, her injury made the possibility of becoming active again look like a distant prospect. Initial X-rays showed soft tissue swelling. Further tests, including an MRI, showed she had a complete ACL tear, and a partially torn meniscus (cartilage around the knee). She would need her ACL reconstructed and torn meniscus repaired.

RMH orthopedic surgeon Brett Barnes, MD, performed the threehour surgery in November 2010, using tendons from a tissue donor.

“Sometimes a person who may not be a candidate for organ donation can still donate tissue like the tendons that Allison received,” Dr. Barnes said. “The body uses these as a scaffold to form a new ligament.

Allison’s body will make a new ligament thanks to the generous gift of the donor’s tendons.”

Soon after surgery, Allison was back on her feet, albeit on crutches and in a knee brace. However, it didn’t stop her from cheering with the squad.

They provided her a chair to sit in and rest when needed.

Tissue Donation Makes a Difference for Local Teen

- By Holly Martin

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“Her cheer coach kept her on the squad and let her cheer winter season,” says Cecilia Hawkins, Allison’s mother. “It meant a lot to her. It gave her a goal.”

In the hospital, Allison and her family received a card with a bar code in it. They had the option to send it through LifeNet Health,

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

which would match the card with the donor family. LifeNet protects the anonymity of donors and their families, but does give recipients the opportunity to contact them.

A week after her surgery, Allison wrote the family a thank-you note.

She may never meet them, but she and her family are incredibly grateful to them for the gift of new life.

“This meant a lot to me,” Allison says. “It has given me the opportunity to do cheerleading and other activities I thought I couldn’t do anymore. I want to thank the donor family.”

Cecilia wrote a letter of thanks, too, including pictures of Allison in her knee brace, cheering with the squad.

“Please share these with the donor family,” she wrote. “Their loved one continues to honestly live on in a happy, rambunctious teenager who can still enjoy life to the fullest thanks to them. I can’t begin to express our gratitude.”

April 2011 is National Donor Awareness Month. One donor can save as many as nine lives through organ donation, enhance more than 50 lives through tissue donation, and restore sight to two people through eye donation.

There are more than 108,000 people on the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. and thousands more who wait for corneas and tissue, according to Donate Life.

“All major religions in the United States support organ, eye, and tissue donation, and see it as the final act of love and generosity toward others,” said Robin Martin, RMH chaplain.

In 2010, RMH received the secondplace Tissue Donor Award from LifeNet Health, the federally designated organ procurement organization for most of Virginia.

“RMH does not experience a high number of eligible candidates for organ donation,” said Brenda Hedrick, RN, Nurse Coordinator.

“However, tissue and eye donation is frequently a more viable option for individuals and families in our area.”

To find out how to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor, visit www.DonateLifeVirginia.org.

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Library card not required The Apple iPad pretty much set the bar for tablets over the last couple of years, which wasn’t exactly a surprise to anyone paying attention. As expected, it merely added to the growing concerns within the print industry that, sooner than later, electronic readers will supplant print publications as the go-to form of reading—with the consolidative convenience associated and the ease at which content can be acquired and/or purchased. Whereas Apple typically leads the way technologically, the ripple effect, as expected, doesn’t take long to fan out. We’ll take a look here at some similar e-readers that, may not necessarily possess the versatility of the iPad, but certainly add to the rapidly emerging realm of electronic tablets.

1. Kindle 3

Manufacturer: Amazon.com, Inc. Pros: The size, the speed, and the quality of the Kindle 3 make it second to none. It defines eBook Readers of today.

Cons: The free Wi-Fi capabilities are at times slow, and unless you connect to a wireless network, Wi-Fi is only provided in certain AT&T hotspots.

The Verdict: The Kindle 3 is the top eBook Reader available on today’s market; it is easy to use and provides the best quality we have seen in an e-reader.

- The Amazon Kindle 3 can easily be called Today’s Best eBook Reader. Although we enjoy (Barnes & Noble) Nook’s LendMe feature and library eBooks, we feel those features do not replace the plethora of benefits one can receive through using the Kindle 3. The Kindle 3 is also placed above the Kindle DX because it is a faster and more portable device. The Kindle 3 receives two thumbs up, as well, because it can be used anywhere—rain or shine.

2. BeBook Neo

Manufacturer: Endless Ideas B Pros: The Neo offers up to 16GB storage and Wacom touch-screen technology.

Cons: No dedicated content service is available on the Neo. The Verdict: The open market, comfortable design, and large storage makes reading enjoyable using the Neo. - Endless Ideas BV is a Dutch company that manufactures electronics. Its current product line-up is the BeBook One, the BeBook Mini, and now the BeBook Neo. Though not very popular in the United States, it is one of the dominating companies in the rest of the world. Unlike many of the other renowned eBook reader manufactures, Endless Ideas has successfully integrated user-friendly features, like touch screen and open market, into the BeBook Neo. The genius of this is to allow for people to easily navigate the vast expanse of the eBook world outside of single store conformity that some e-readers make you use. [ 60 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

3. Nook Color

Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble Pros: This e-reader features 8GB of memory.

Cons: It does not feature electronic ink technology.

The Verdict: The Nook Color is an ideal device if you plan on viewing a lot of images.

- When the Barnes & Noble Nook hit the market, it was immediately competitive because of the advanced functionality it provides its users. The Nook Color brings even more astounding features, such as a 7-inch color display screen, personalization features, and a large selection of Nook Extras.

4. Reader Touch Edition PRS-650BC

Manufacturer: Sony Pros: The Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-650BC is light and comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.

Cons: The content isn’t as extensive as several other eBook Readers on the market.

The Verdict: This Sony eBook Reader is simple and easy to use.

- With several improvements made from its predecessor, the Sony Touch Edition PRS650SC is a reader that truly feels like a real book. Featuring a responsive touchscreen, an easy-to-read display, the support of multiple formats, a long battery life, and sturdy build quality, this Sony eBook reader is a solid choice.

5. Alex

Manufacturer: Spring Design, Inc. Pros: The color LCD screen allows for multimedia features, such as music, Wi-Fi, and the ability to watch movies.

Cons: The Alex does not provide 3G connectivity and the on-screen keyboard is difficult to use.

The Verdict: The dual screens, ability to expand memory, and a variety of apps make the Alex a prime option for an e-reader.

- With a name inspired from one of the largest libraries of the ancient world, the Ancient Egyptian Library of Alexandria, the Alex is one of the new players on the eBook scene.

The Alex is Spring Design, Inc.’s latest creation, and with multiple reading and multimedia features, dual screens and an E-ink display, has vast potential.

6. Novel

Manufacturer: Pandigital Pros: The full color touchscreen brings reading to life on the Novel.

Cons: A short battery life could cut your time reading.

The Verdict: The vivid design, LendMe feature, and access to more than half a million free books bring Pandigital into the e-reader game.

Pandigital is taking a leap of faith by releasing this e-reader, the Novel. One of the top names in digital photo frames, Pandigital uses their knowledge of digital screens by creating a reader with a TFT LCD color screen, an average memory capacity, and Wi-Fi capability.

7. eReader

Manufacturer: Kobo Pros: The quilted back makes the Kobo comfortable to hold.

Cons: Lack of Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity does not allow for downloading of books directly to the eReader.

The Verdict: The Kobo is a good choice for a reader if you want the basics but not the bells and whistles.

- Sometimes, simplicity is what matters most, and with the Kobo eReader, simple is exactly what the user receives. Kobo allows the reader to do what they enjoy most: read. It is designed to make the reader get lost in a book and avoid the distractions other eBooks present with their additional features.

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Welcome Home

Answers All Your Real Estate Questions

by Karl Waizecker

Home Inspections—Often Misunderstood A home inspection, performed by a professional inspector, has become commonplace in residential real estate transactions. Unfortunately, the home inspection process can sometimes cause great confusion and disagreement between Buyers and Sellers (and their Realtors!).

In my opinion, many of the issues that cause problems in the home inspection process arise because Buyers and Sellers confuse the two main (but unrelated) purposes for the home inspection: 1.) To identify any “material defects” present in the home, and 2.) To give the prospective homebuyer an education about the home and the regular maintenance issues that go along with homeownership.

The standard Virginia Association of Realtors (VAR) contract, which is used by the majority of agents in our area, does a good job explaining the basics of how the inspection and repair negotiation process should work in the “Home Inspection Addendum” and “Agreed Repairs Addendum.” These two addenda (additions to the main part of the contract) lay out in clear terms how the process will work, and the timing of the negotiations, as they provide a vehicle through which the negotiations and final agreement can be documented.

In general terms, here’s how it works: 1. The buyer specifies a certain time period during which they will hire a home inspector, have the inspection performed, and submit a list of requested repairs (a “punchlist”) to the Seller for their consideration.

2. The Seller then has five days to respond to the Buyer’s request. If the Seller does not agree to make all of the requested repairs, the parties have five days after the Seller’s response is delivered to negotiate which, if any,

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repairs will be made by the Seller.

3. If Buyer and Seller can reach an agreement during the five-day negotiation period, great! If not, at the end of the five days, the Buyer has a choice to make.

4. The Buyer may accept the Seller’s last offer or terminate the contract, period. Those are the only two choices the Buyer has if the negotiation period has ended without an agreement, and it is the Buyer’s obligation to make a choice. If the Buyer does not specify a choice, they will be deemed to have accepted the Seller’s last offer, and the contract moves forward.

Seems like a straightforward process, right? Why, then, all of the confusion and heartburn over this issue? The answer often lies in the interpretation of the definition of “material defects,” so the VAR has included a definition within the very form we use for this process. According to the Home Inspection Addendum, a material defect is something that “could affect the decision of a reasonable person to purchase the property,” and specifically excludes “cosmetic items, matters of preference, or grandfathered systems or features that are properly functioning but would not comply with current building codes if constructed or installed today.” Again, pretty clear, right? Granted, using a term like “reasonable person” leaves room for interpretation, but in general, the Addendum does a good job of defining what should or should not end up on the Buyer’s punchlist.

As mentioned above, the confusion often comes from the fact that the inspection process has two distinct objectives. As far as the contract is concerned, only material defects matter. However, as far as the home inspector and the Buyer are concerned, everything matters in the long run. The home inspector

owes the Buyer a much higher level of detail, description, and education, rather than just looking for material defects, and therefore will make note of dozens of issues that do not meet the contract’s definition of material defects. Some of the noted issues will require maintenance and/or repair by the Buyer after they move in, some are purely cosmetic, but are noted for the Buyer’s benefit, and some are educational in nature and give the Buyer a maintenance checklist for the future. Some home inspectors will give the Buyer an entire notebook full of comments, photographs, and general education and maintenance instructions for the home’s major structural and mechanical systems.

This is fantastic information for any homeowner to have, but not all of it belongs on the punchlist!

So, how do we keep this process simple and the contract moving forward (remember, ultimately, the Buyer wants to buy and the Seller wants to sell!)? We simply look to the very terms in the contract to which the Buyer and Seller have already agreed. Buyers understand the difference between material defects and regular maintenance, wear and tear, and home ownership issues.

Sellers understand your rights under the contract—the Buyer has agreed not to ask for anything other than material defects. Cosmetic items, grandfathered systems, and matters of preference are simply not eligible to be considered in the negotiation, and the Buyer has acknowledged this by signing the Home Inspection Addendum.

The home inspection has become a vital part of the home buying process and can be beneficial to the parties involved, as long as we remember the two main goals of the inspection and do not allow ourselves to blur the line between them.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

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Relaxation with a Touch of Class

- By Isaac Sweeney

To tell you about my stay at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center in Staunton, I first must tell you a little about myself. Then, I can tell you just how special this hotel is.

I live in Verona with my wife, our toddler, and our pets. I don’t mean a dog and a cat either; we have four dogs, three cats, and a bunny, and we are currently fostering one more dog. All this is to say that we don’t have a lot of time to ourselves. To top it off, as a freelance writer, I don’t have a regular salary, which means we don’t always have the income to

do some of the things we’d like to do.

But one of the perks of writing for Around Harrisonburg Magazine is that I am sometimes offered the opportunity to eat at a fancy restaurant or stay at a comfortable hotel, all in the name of a story. When AHB asked me to write about the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, I jumped at the chance, knowing that my wife and I would be able to stay for a night.

I wasn’t thinking straight, of course. It was a struggle to find a babysitter and a petsitter for the

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night. To top it off, my wife was scheduled to have surgery soon, so if we were going to stay, it had to be soon. Thanks to my motherin-law, we barely managed to make it work.

Anyone with kids or pets knows that arranging sitters overnight is a stressful task. This stress was in addition to packing for the overnight stay, leaving instructions for my mother-in-law, and the normal stress of our chaotic household. And anyone who has been in stressful situations knows that it takes time for the stress to dissipate, even after the situation

[ 65 ]

has ended.

Which brings me to the hotel. It is a Saturday. After leaving our son and pets, we drive to the hotel, find a place to park, and check in.

Up the elevator, down the hall, key in the door, open.

Breathe! Finally we can breathe!

This is what makes the Stonewall Jackson Hotel so special.

We are not a family of hermits; we have stayed away from home before (though we usually have at least our son with us). We’ve even stayed in hotels a few times.

The Stonewall Jackson Hotel offers relaxation and retreat, but with a touch of class, and surprisingly friendly faces.

One of those friendly faces belongs to Candi Freeman, at the front desk. Because of a conference and a reunion at the hotel, parking in the adjacent lot was sparse. I ask Ms. Freeman where else we can park, and she promptly gives me some suggestions, smiling all the while.

This first encounter with her is so comfortable that I’m immediately at ease. Even if I don’t understand something, I know I can ask someone who isn’t going to make me feel stupid. It’s a good thing, too. Later, I ask for hand lotion.

Ms. Freeman offers me some and politely explains that some people confuse the lotion in the room with hair conditioner. With a friendly grin, she advises me not to use the lotion as conditioner; it won’t work. When I return to the room, I notice she was right: I had confused the conditioner for lotion. But thanks to her courteous nature, I don’t feel dumb about it.

As the evening wears on, my wife and I decide we need to make the most of our stay here. Luckily, we had remembered out bathing suits, so we venture downstairs to the indoor pool and hot tub. We are in the hot tub when something happens: I noticed, again, the striking blue in my wife’s eyes.

[ 66 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

My wife has always had these light-blue eyes that shimmer. I realize that marriage can become somewhat monotonous and, well, unromantic, especially when there’s a young child involved, and everything is a series of routines.

I’m glad the blue in her eyes hasn’t faded; I’m even gladder that I finally notice again. I have this hotel to thank for that.

The Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center is not all hot tubs and comfy beds. There’s an elegance to it, a classy grandeur.

Originally opened in 1924, the hotel has had its share of ups and downs. Once a popular social gathering place, the hotel started to struggle in the 1960s as “suburban” became the new term of the times. The Persinger family purchased the hotel in 1968 and opened it as an assisted living facility. The family had wanted to restore the hotel to its original social status for some time.

Eventually, they partnered with the City of Staunton, as well as a development group called Armada Hoffler. In 2004, extensive renovations began. It reopened in October 2005.

Important to note is that the hotel was renovated and not rebuilt.

It still has some of its antique charm. Chandeliers, arched windows, marble staircases, decorative ironwork, and a 1924 Wurlitzer Piano/Organ, to name a few. With the renovation also came more rooms, and more space in the rooms.

that makes us unique. From the restoration of the original 1924 architecture and historic features to the blending of our modern conference center incorporating the indoor pool and fitness center, our hotel enjoys a special character and personality not found in today’s newly constructed hotels.

“In addition, being situated in the heart of Staunton and being able to park your car and enjoy your entire stay without having to drive again. You then appreciate the location of our hotel and its proximity to the American Shakespeare Center, excellent music venues, great shopping, classic cinema houses, restaurants, galleries, and artisans.

“And finally, it’s our people.

One thing we have is nice people helping us create a great environment for our guests.

We are able to do this with a comfortable casualness you just can’t find in other places. You can relax here. And our employees want to help make your stay a great one.”

The other questions: “What is the hotel’s mission? What do you want a guest’s experience to be like in the hotel?”

After our stay, I e-mail General Manager Carol Simon some questions. What she doesn’t know is that I think I have a pretty good idea of the answers to the questions.

She answers: “Our mission is to provide great hospitality in the unique setting of the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center. We are as casual or formal as you want us to be. From weddings to business meetings, we meet the needs of our guests and want them to feel like they have found a special place here in the Shenandoah Valley to visit, enjoy, and keep coming back to.”

One of my questions: “What, in your opinion, makes the hotel unique?”

Thanks to our stay, I had guessed the answers to these questions correctly.

She answers: “As a renovated historic hotel, there are many physical aspects of our building

For more information, visit stonewalljacksonhotel.com or call 540-885-4848.

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[ 67 ]

Core Values, Life Skills, and a Little Golf First Tee puts kids on the fairway to success.

- By Isaac Sweeney

Whoosh! Clack!

Pause.

Whoosh! Clack!

Pause.

Repeat.

The unmistakable sound of a golf course driving range as people fine-tune their swings. Even on a rainy afternoon, the dedicated practice at Heritage Oaks Golf Course.

On the hill beside the Heritage Oaks clubhouse is the building

for the Harrisonburg chapter of The First Tee. It’s an unassuming building on the outside. On the inside, though, it’s a pleasant and welcoming space, with bay doors in the back for driving balls in inclement weather, and enough room to store all the supplies they need. Randy Combs is the director of instruction for The First Tee of Harrisonburg. On the First Tee board since it began in 2001, Combs is even a little amazed at, and definitely appreciative of, the warm reception The First Tee has received in the area. “We built a half-a-million-dollar building for forty cents on the dollar and had some money left over,” he says.

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The First Tee’s relationship with the community is give-and-take, in a way. Donations of money, time, and supplies helped build the building. In return, The First Tee helps build children into productive members of society.

A prime example is Wes Riddle, a sixteen-year-old Turner Ashby High School student who is now $10,000 closer to college.

Based on his commitment to his community and three essays he wrote, Riddle won one of three national scholarships from The First Tee. With 200 First Tee chapters in six countries, that’s no

[ 69 ]

small feat. He was presented with the scholarship at the national meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on February 19.

Riddle is an Eagle graduate from the The First Tee, and now he’s a volunteer. To understand what it means to be an Eagle graduate, you have to learn a little about the program itself. Children can start The First Tee as young as five years old. They are at the Player level. As they age, they move up through the ranks, kind of like Little League. The ranks are Player, two levels of Par, two levels of Birdie, and two levels of Eagle. Children can stick with the program until they are eighteen or they graduate from high school.

Riddle has been with The First Tee since it began in 2001.

One thing Combs is quick to note is that this program “is not all about golf.” He points to the waiting area, where parents and children can hang out and play the Wii. Some kids come after school and don’t play much golf at all, he says.

The program’s mission is: “To impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.” To fulfill this mission, The First Tee uses what they call the Nine Core Values: honesty, respect, perseverance, courtesy, confidence, judgment, sportsmanship, responsibility, and integrity. Each First Tee meeting consists of learning a core value, a life skill, a golf rule, and a golf skill.

Riddle, a well-spoken young man, is eloquent when talks about why he has stayed with The First Tee so long. “One: the love of the game. Two: for the kids, because I love helping them. And just having fun. That’s what this is about for me.” He pauses for a moment. “And the nine core values, because they teach me life skills.” [ 70 ]

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

Lindsay Yoder, a parent of three children in the program, appreciates “the values they really instill in the kids—the confidence level, etiquette, and manners.” As she speaks in the classroom area, her children: Luke, 9, Andrew, 7, and Maleah, 5, putt on a plastic “green” that sends the ball up and down hills. They are all smiles and laughter. Then Yoder shares her story of Luke, and how her family became involved in The First Tee. Luke always loved basketball and baseball. In July 2009, he was in an accident—a large, brick fireplace fell on him and he had brain and neck injuries. The doctors weren’t sure if he was going to live at first, then they weren’t sure if he was going to be able to move, then they were almost positive he wouldn’t be able to play sports again. As all this was happening, Luke’s father, Ben, learned about golf and discovered The First Tee. Luke still liked sports and The First Tee satisfied that need for athletics.

It also may have assisted in his recovery. To doctors’ surprise, Luke has no limitations. “They all say he’s a miracle,” says Yoder.

It’s hard to explain the special way The First Tee has with kids. Maybe the best thing to do is to present some statistics. This information comes from a four-year study (2005-2008 Longitudinal Effects of a Life Skills Education Program on Positive Youth Development, led by Marueen R. Weiss, Ph.D., University of Minnesota): * Seventy-three percent of The First Tee participants were retained from year one to year four of the study. This is significantly above the average retention rate of other youth organizations, which is fifty percent. * Young people in The First Tee learn and improve life skills, such as problem solving, managing time, controlling anger, making

friends with diverse peers, and improving relationships with family and community. * Youth transfer skills related to meeting and greeting and appreciating diversity to other settings. * Kids can transfer skills such as emotional management, goalsetting, and conflict resolution to other areas of their lives, including school. * All four years of the study, school was unanimously named as a setting to which participants transferred skills.

And they do it with four basic programs: an after-school program, Saturday classes, six city and three county school programs (The First Tee takes indoor golf equipment to the schools and trains PE teachers), and a study hall program.

As they say in the commercials: But that’s not all! The First Tee of Harrisonburg has recently also started a first-time offender program to teach juvenile offenders the program’s nine core values. The court orders certain youth to the program and, in nine weeks, the offenders learn the values, learn a little about golf, write some papers, and they come out a little better. Since the program has been in effect (April 2010), fifty-one kids have entered, and only one didn’t make it through.

As you can see, The First Tee really is about so much more than just golf. And that familiar Whoosh! and Clack! of the Heritage Oaks driving range may actually be the sound of a youth becoming an upstanding citizen.

For extensive up-to-date information on The First Tee organization, visit: www.thefirsttee.org.

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[ 71 ]

Seriously, is there any better way to bring in spring than to gather up around 4,000 people and just have a beer and wine extravaganza? Don’t get me wrong, it’s probably not a bad way to bring in any season, but in the name of practicality (and timeliness), the Shenandoah Valley already has such an event…and get this, it’s right around the corner! ValleyFest— the Shenandoah Valley’s annual beer and wine festival is already set in stone; all you gotta do is show up. Where and when?

That’s easy enough: Massanutten Resort on Saturday, May 28th, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Traditionally held on Memorial Day weekend, the celebration merges live music, dancing, food (and more food), crafts, and of course, all the beer and wine you could ask for in one

place! Some of the best wineries and brewers in the region are represented, and many of them are more than eager to give you samples of their wares. Have you ever been to a wine tasting or a brewpub? What about a music concert? Ever tailgated before a favorite sports team hits the field, or even met up with a bunch of family and friends at a huge cookout? Well, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce came up with the brilliant idea to combine all of these things, just as the weather closes in on perfect. You can thank them later, so for now, we’ll just tell you a little bit about them and why the Fest is a little more than just the first big party of the summer.

ValleyFest is spearheaded and hosted by the HarrisonburgRockingham Chamber of

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Commerce—a not-for-profit community. The Chamber has been around since 1917, evolving with the times to meet the everchanging needs of the business community.

Building community relations and helping businesses grow is at the core of the Chamber’s operating philosophy, and through a variety of efforts, like networking events, educational programs, committees, and informative publications, members have the opportunity to reach a massive consumer base, network with fellow Chamber members, and maximize their visibility and support in the community.

With that in mind, thanks to the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, ValleyFest (the Chamber’s largest annual event) is back for an

[ 73 ]

eleventh year—with a lineup of entertainment and amenities that will likely have attendees counting down the days.

If nothing else, the music alone is worth the trip. From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the crowd will no doubt find itself enamored with The Hackens Boys. A Valley favorite, the group blends country and rock covers seamlessly to the delight of the audience.

Festivalgoers will find themselves jamming to rock classics as well as modern country, and a whole lot more in between—four hours worth to be exact. Wine, beer, good food, great tunes, and nice weather—hmmm, something tells me this is going to be an outstanding day.

Carbon Leaf, a Richmond-based group will pick up right where The Hackens Boys leave off, at 4:30. The nearly-twenty-year-old group signed on with Vanguard Records for three albums in 2004

[ 74 ]

and amassed a collection of awards along the way, including hit singles “Life Less Ordinary” and “The Boxer.” Carbon Leaf will build off of the energy of the crowd with a blend of Folk-Rock, Americana, Celtic, Bluegrass, Rock, and Pop. “We are excited to add Carbon Leaf to the line-up this year,” says Kim Kirk, Director of Communications at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. “They have a large following, and we anticipate that their regional appeal will attract a different niche of music lovers to come and experience the festival for the first time.”

And for those who just can’t peel themselves away from the winery side of things, music will still fill the air—in the form of an acoustic show by local favorite, Mike Davis, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30. He’ll cover hits from the

60s through today, and even amidst the talented day’s lineup, Davis is sure to have his own plethora of admirers.

The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber builds its value and its strength by partnering with groups in tourism, the arts, economic development, workforce, technology, downtown revitalization, higher education, and law enforcement. Their programs range from Business After Hours networking events to an annual awards banquet honoring business leaders.

Periodic educational programs and issues-based forums all develop leadership and communicate information that influences decisions for the benefit of businesses within the community.

And ValleyFest is a perfect example of an event that brings together the community, including Chamber members,

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

local residents, and students, as well as visitors from surrounding areas, for a fun and safe holiday celebration. The payback is also immeasurable.

“A large portion of the proceeds are dedicated to helping the Chamber offer education and legislative programs to our member and the community,” says Chamber President Frank Tamberrino. And the fun, well, that goes without saying.

Some of the notable brews in attendance will include: Bud Light, Blue Moon Belgian White, Double Platinum, Killians Irish Red, Imperial IPA, Leinenkugal Speical Ale, Dubble Cannon, Woodchuck Amber Cider, Loose Cannon, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Foothills Pilot Mountain Pale Ale, Lucy, Harpoon, Northern

Lights IPA, Chimay, Stella Artois, Dominion Lager, and The Love.

Are grapes more your style?

Not a problem. Representing the vine: Fincastle Vineyard & Winery, Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery, Horton Vineyards, Peaks of Otter Winery, Rebec Vineyard & Winery, Virginia Mountain Vineyards, CrossKeys Vineyards, Bluestone Vineyards, and many more!

And so the wait begins, at least for you: the attendee.

Don’t worry, while you pace the halls and mark the days until May 28th, the HarrisonburgRockingham Chamber of commerce, as well as its many members and this year’s Festival vendors will be working diligently to assure a Memorial Day weekend celebration that you

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won’t forget.

If you just can’t stand it, and you want to know as much about ValleyFest, as well as the Chamber, and its many worthwhile connections, visit: www.hrchamber.org/valleyfest.

Presale tickets are available on the site or by calling 540-4343862.

ValleyFest is a rain or shine event, so when you buy your ticket, plan on getting there and having fun, no matter what.

You can get advance tickets through April 15th for $15. From April 16th – May 27th, you can get them for $20. And you can always get them at the gate for $25. There are also designated driver tickets for $10.

Needless to say: see you soon!

[ 75 ]

A Passion for the Good Life The number of Virginia wineries has increased dramatically in the past 20 years, as evidenced by the growing number of winery wayfinding signs along major roadways in the Shenandoah Valley. CrossKeys Vineyards joined that list in 2002 when the first vines were planted in Mount Crawford.

Owners Bob and Nikoo Bakhtiar are originally from Iran and came to the United States as students. Bob’s studies prepared him for a career in business administration and sales. Nikoo had a career as a comptroller and owned an accounting firm.

After living for several years in California, the Bakhtiar family moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 1993. The Bakhtiars

[ 76 ]

did not originally intend to come to Virginia to start a winery; however, the beauty of the Valley inspired in them a desire to create something of lasting value and significance. The rolling hills, receptive soil, and ideal growing conditions led to meetings with a consultant on vineyard development in Mount Crawford. The consultant studied the land, atmospheric conditions, and the environment, and made recommendations on which types of grapes would be most likely to flourish. Based on those recommendations, the Bakhtiars went ahead with plans to start a winery. CrossKeys Vineyards is named for the CrossKeys tavern, built in 1802 in Mount Crawford.

The crossed keys on the winery’s label pays homage to the tavern,

- By Colleen Dixon

which was dismantled in 2002.

The Bakhtiars’ focus remains on producing fine wine and giving guests quality services and unique experiences at CrossKeys Vineyards.

The first bottling year for the winery was 2006, and CrossKeys Vineyards opened to the public in 2008. According to the CrossKeys website, www. crosskeysvineyards.com, the family’s desire is to help guests experience the good life through their Estate wines, and to offer all visitors quality service and experiences at the winery. As part of this service philosophy, CrossKeys will maintain the small winery classification, bottling no more than 8,000 cases a year.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

The design of the tasting room and event spaces was carefully planned to use the backdrop of Massanutten Mountain and the Blue Ridge in creating a relaxing atmosphere for events. The decidedly Tuscan architecture, fronted by rows of grapevines, prepares visitors for a rich experience as they make their way along the winding driveway.

The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the way is worth the drive to the vineyard in Mount Crawford. Wide terraces and balconies showcase the natural beauty of Eastern Rockingham County, inviting guests to linger and enjoy their experience. Inside the event facility, a changing display of local artists’ work enhances the decor.

Visitors to the vineyard have several options to thoroughly enjoy the grounds. Most will choose a tour of the facility and a visit to the tasting room.

The winery holds periodic

concerts and can help plan other large group events, as well. The beautifully appointed grounds make CrossKeys a popular site for weddings. A terrace faces Massanutten peak, offering the perfect spot for the wedding ceremony. Dressing rooms for all participants are comfortable and spacious.

Tasting and Guest Relations Manager Rebecca Haushalter notes that CrossKeys can host off-site catering for weddings and other events. A kitchen is planned to eventually offer onsite catering for weddings and corporate and family events, additionally. Haushalter, a native of Rockingham County, earned a bachelor’s in hospitality and tourism management from Virginia Tech. She combines an interest in continued wine education with wedding and event planning skills to help create memorable experiences for guests. Haushalter frequently leads groups on tours of the winery, explaining the variety of

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plantings in the vineyards and how the grapes are harvested, then moving on to describing the various fermenting and aging methods. The tours move through a space with stainless steel fermenting vats and into rooms filled with barrels made of French and American Oak. The variety of woods enhances the flavor of wines aged in each type of barrel.

The fireplace mantel in the tasting room is lined with awardwinning vintages produced at CrossKeys. Dark wood paneling, gleaming bottles, and gold colored bottle wraps lend a sense of sumptuousness as guests enter the tasting room following a tour of the facilities. CrossKeys offers wines to suit most every palate, from sweet and fruity to dry and woody. According to Haushalter, the best selling wine is the Red Pinot Noir. This is noteworthy, she explains, because few Virginia wineries produce Pinot Noir Red.

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Debbie Layman, the tasting room hostess, always appears relaxed and unhurried, even on a busy Saturday afternoon. She puts guests at ease while pouring the different wines, explaining how each one is made and how it will taste, and adding interesting facts about the winery, the staff expertise, and wine making.

Guests can partake of a partial wine tasting of eight wines, or experience a full tasting with the eleven wines produced at CrossKeys.

Many of the entries on the wine list are award-winning vintages. The 2008 Cabernet Franc won a Double Gold Medal and Best in Varietal Award at the International Eastern Wine Competition, competing against wineries in sixteen countries and thirty-four states. The 2008 Pinot Noir was a Silver Medal winner in the 2010 IEWC. All of the wines are single varietals, meaning they are produced from a single grape, except the Meritage. The Meritage is a blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc grapes. Aging for fifteen months in new and used oak barrels gives this wine its distinctive taste. The 2008 Meritage was a gold medal winner at the 2010 IEWC. Bordeaux grapes grow well in the Shenandoah Valley, and produce an excellent Cabernet Franc, including the Silver Medal winner 2009 Cabernet Franc. As she pours the 2009 Merlot, Layman explains that this is from the first harvest year for the Merlot grapes.

Nikoo’s father is honored in the name of the last wine sampled: Ali d’Oro. A sweet desert wine, Ali’s Gold won a Gold Medal and Best in Dessert.

The vintners of CrossKeys winemaker Stephan Heyns, and winery intern Mathieu La Maure, come from wine making families. Heyns grew up on a [ 78 ]

vineyard farm in Malmesbury, South Africa, and studied viticulture at Elsenburg College in Stellenbosch. After graduation, he worked in the Australian wine industry to expand his knowledge of winemaking and viticulture. Heyns’ winemaking philosophy is that the quality of wine is directly related to the care and quality of the grape.

Joining Heyns as winery intern, La Maure is a native of Cognac, France, where his family has produced fine Cognac since the 18th century. Mathieu studied viticulture at the LGTA L’oisellerie in Angouleme, and received his BTS of Viticulture and Oenology in 2007.

The cultural diversity of the owners and vintners, combined with the passion possessed by the staff at CrossKeys Vineyards, ensures that visitors will be able to discover, taste, and experience some of the finest wines produced in the Shenandoah Valley.

CrossKeys has been actively involved in ValleyFest, the Shenandoah Valley’s Beer and Wine Festival, an annual Memorial Day weekend event at Massanutten Resort. In 2009 and 2010, the vineyard was one of the vendors offering free tasting and wine purchases to festivalgoers. This year, the winery is also one of the sponsors of ValleyFest, as part of a desire to be discovered by even more of the public.

Complimentary tastings will be offered to guests, as well as the ability to purchase wine by the bottle or glass. Each year, ValleyFest features live music performances along with sampling of food, microbrews, and wines.

For more information, visit www. crosskeysvineyards.com or call 540-234-0505.

Around Harrisonburg | Apr/May 2011

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6 Months (3 issues) of half page advertising One time fee of $999, paid in advance

PREMIUM POSITIONS Back Cover

Full Color w/film lamination One issue $1599 per issue 1 Year commitment $1299 per issue

Inside Front Cover

One issue $1299 per issue 1 Year commitment $1099 per issue

Inside Back Cover

One issue $1199 per month 1 Year commitment $999 per issue

Page 3

Full page

Half page

Full color glossy $499 per issue

Quarter page

Full color glossy $299 per issue

Coupons

Full color glossy double sided $199 per issue

Around Harrisonburg is a bi-monthly

publication of Hornby Publishing LLC, published February, April, June, August, October and December.

AH is printed on 70# gloss text paper. Size is 8 3/8 by 10 7/8 inches based on a 3 column page. Covers are 80# gloss cover with film lamination on the outside.

Advertising positions are available on a first come first served basis.

One issue $1399 per issue 1 Year commitment $1099 per issue

RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY! Call Mike at 540-251-2180 or email mike@AroundHarrisonburg.com

BONUS!!!

All advertisers receive 2 months of premium membership online at www.InThePanhandle.com

Passion. Love. Gabriel www.gabrielny.com

ve. Gabriel

ielny.com

ve. Gabriel

ielny.com

4090 Evelyn Byrd Ave • Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540) 433-7333 • www.raysfinejewelry.com