Ashburn Magazine | January/February 2023

Ashburn

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6

PUBLISHER Bruce Potter publisher@ashburnmagazine.com 571-333-1538

EDITOR Chris Wadsworth editor@ashburnmagazine.com

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Predictably, I suppose, the escalator didn’t work. But a little exercise never hurt anyone, and the short climb at the new Ashburn Metro station to the walkway over the Dulles Greenway was worth the view. And on a Saturday afternoon just before the holiday season, we had a stressfree ride on the Silver Line into Washington to explore a holiday market, have a nice dinner and check out the national Christmas tree. No worries about traffic, tolls or where to park (or whether we’d need a second mortgage to pay for parking). Only a handful of other riders were making the journey from Ashburn into D.C. that day, but those numbers likely will grow as awareness of the new line increases. As guest essayist Lin Thomas writes in this edition, starting on Page 31, with the long-overdue arrival of Metro, Ashburn is definitely “glowing up.”

Elsewhere in this issue, as we turn the calendar to 2023, we take a somewhat different tack with our cover story as editor Chris Wadsworth looks at the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department’s water rescue team, which, unfortunately, has to be pressed into service from time to time here in Ashburn. And this time of year, ice can be a danger, too. The story begins on Page 12.

You’ll also meet Bill Edwards, an Ashburn resident who not only is a talented ragtime pianist but also runs a website that chronicles the history of this old-style musical genre. Jill Devine’s profile of him begins on Page 18. Our Neighbors feature (Page 8) spotlights Chris Drummond, who has created a trivia contest business that is featured at many area watering holes. And in the Wine & Dine section, Wadsworth and photographer Andrew Sample take it upon themselves to, well, sample some of the top appetizers at Ashburn’s favorite restaurants. Their mouth-watering report begins on Page 24.

Finally it’s soon going to be Best of Ashburn time again. Voting for your favorite businesses, restaurants and more (over 100 categories) will begin in late January. Follow us on Facebook or watch our website for details. Last year we received over 72,000 votes, so be sure to nominate and support your favorites. Winners will be announced in our May/June edition.

In the meantime, stay warm this winter and don’t forget to check out our newest link to Washington and beyond.

Happy New Year!

BRUCE POTTER, PUBLISHER PUBLISHER@ASHBURNMAGAZINE.COM

CHRIS WADSWORTH

BY CHRIS WADSWORTH

Trivial Pursuit

Brain power led one local man to a fun, new career

BY CHRIS WADSWORTH

In this day and age of superhero movies around every corner, it must be nice to have a superpower. Chris Drummond has one. He has a super brain – for trivia, that is.

“I’ve always had a knack for it,” the Ashburn Village resident said. “I’m one of those people where that kind of information just sticks in my head for some reason. I love all kinds of history, and I’m an old school pop culture junkie from way back. Music, movies, old TV shows – those are my strong points.”

Drummond grew up in Strasburg, Va., and moved to Ashburn about 10 years ago. It was here that he discovered he could turn his talent for trivia into a full-time job – as the founder of World’s Okayest Trivia, a trivia events provider for breweries and bars across the area.

He launched the business in 2019, and today he regularly hosts up to 20 events a month, sometimes more.

“All in all, if I wasn’t hosting – I think I’d be a guy that you’d want to have on your team,” Drummond said of his skills.

Ashburn Magazine took a deeper dive into the details behind World’s Okayest Trivia by posing a series of probing questions to Drummond. Here is some of what he shared.

WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR WORLD’S OKAYEST TRIVIA COME FROM?

“It all started when I was the manager at House 6 Brewing Company in Ashburn a few years ago. We needed something to fill one of the slower weeknights and one of the bartenders suggested trivia. I’m very much

a do-it-yourself type of person, so I bought myself a small PA system, thought up some questions, and jumped in with both feet. It turned out to not be a complete disaster and people actually liked it.”

AND IT BLEW UP FROM THERE?

“When I was leaving House 6 as an employee, they asked if I’d like to still do the trivia night, and I was totally down for it. I know pretty much everyone in the LoCo brewing scene, and the next thing I knew I was doing it two, three, four, up to five nights a week. It just slowly took over and became my gig.”

TELL US ABOUT THE NAME. IT MADE ME LAUGH WHEN I HEARD IT.

“Once I started doing this several nights a week, I realized that I was going to need to call it something and the name just popped into my head. I’ve always thought it’s funny

BY LOGAN MARTIN

when you see a guy wearing a shirt that says ‘World’s Okayest Dad’ or something like that. I have a self-deprecating sense of humor, so it just kind of seemed to fit. At the very least, it’s easy to remember. I know I’d probably go to [a trivia night to] check out something with a name like that – just to see if it sucked or not.”

WHERE DO YOU COME UP WITH YOUR QUESTIONS? AND HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOUR ANSWERS ARE 100% CORRECT?

“I source most of my questions from a lot of different places on the internet and pull it together into my format. I honestly don’t know how anyone did this before the internet. Most of it is just coming up with an idea for a category and going from there. As far as accuracy is concerned, I wish I could say I’m always 100% accurate, but you can’t be right all the time. I’ve gotten much better as time goes on with practice

in writing questions and researching.”

BUT ERRORS DO HAPPEN?

“Most times issues with a question, it may just be the semantics of how it’s worded as opposed to being completely inaccurate. I can proudly say that I’m very thorough with my research and can usually go weeks or months at a time without an accuracy error. Spelling errors on the other hand are an entirely different issue. I’m good for at least one of those per game.”

WHAT TYPES OF PLACES DO YOU HOST TRIVIA AT?

“Most of my regular weekly places are breweries with some wineries, bars and restaurants as well. I’ve worked at a few different breweries in Loudoun County over the years and those people and places are home to me. House 6, Bear Chase and Lost Rhino are all weekly gigs I’ve done for years now and have a great following. I’ve also done nights with Ashburn Village, Brambleton and various other HOA’s looking for a fun night for their residents. I’ve also done trivia at a wedding and even a divorce party once.”

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE HOSTING TRIVIA?

“I won’t say where – and I didn’t think it was funny at the time because I thought they were going to fall through my table and smash all my equipment – but a drunken couple who could barely stand up [was] passionately making out right in front of me and spilling drinks everywhere. One of the players that was there that night – and has since become a good friend – still brings that up to this day. He thought it was the most hilarious thing he’d ever seen.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRIVIA QUESTION THAT YOU’VE EVER ASKED — OR BEEN ASKED?

“One of my research ‘rabbit holes’ led me to discover that when Chef Boyardee was a young man, he catered Woodrow Wilson’s second wedding while he was the sitting president. I love odd, obscure things like that, so naturally I had to ask a question about it. It was also cool to discover that I have the same personal chef as a U.S president.”

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST QUESTION YOU’VE EVER ASKED — OR BEEN ASKED?

“I really like questions that make you

(Left) Chris Drummond, founder of World's Okayest Trivia, flashes the "hang loose" sign at a trivia contest at Lost Rhino Brewing in Ashburn.

‘Oh,

I

know this.’ I’ve discovered that most people will know the high points, or the ‘top layer,’ of any given topic, but if you just go one deeper, it can really raise the difficulty level. We all know that Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, but who was the last man to do so? Most people aren’t going to know that and for that one person or team that does, that can win the game for them. That’s a good feeling when you’re the one that pulls the win for your team on a question like that. The answer is Gene Cernan by the way.”

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR WORLD’S OKAYEST TRIVIA?

“For now, I plan to keep it small. I take care of all the content, marketing, and do most of the gigs myself. I’ve been fortunate to have some great help with this venture, but I’ve kept it to people I know and trust. I’m really about quality over quantity. I absolutely love doing this and my biggest fear is turning it into something I don’t love doing by making it too big. I could have 20 people out hosting trivia every night of the week, but I know the quality would suffer. I think this has been successful because people know they’re going to have a great experience at World’s Okayest Trivia.” A

A trivia team celebrates at a World's Okayest Trivia event at Bear Chase Brewing in Bluemont.

Mary A. Corey, D.V.M.

TOTHERESCUE

LOCAL SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM FACES DANGEROUS CHALLENGES

BY CHRIS WADSWORTH

t was April 2017. Late afternoon. A family of five – two adults and three children – was boating on the Goose Creek just off Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn. Suddenly, their motor failed. The tiny boat started to drift toward the dam, where water flowed down 20 feet into the adjacent reservoir. The family scrambled into the front of the backwards-angled boat just in time, weighing it down enough to keep them from tumbling over the lip of the dam.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department units from Ashburn, Leesburg and Lansdowne raced to the scene. Rescue boats from the Leesburg, Cascades and Lucketts stations were dispatched. Firefighters climbed onto a long, extended aerial ladder to try to reach the boaters, but they were too far away. Rescue crews hurriedly assembled beneath the dam in case the boat went over. Finally, one of the rescue boats reached the trapped family, and they were towed safely to shore.

“Swift water rescue incidents are among the most dangerous activities we perform,” then-Loudoun Fire & Rescue Chief Keith Brower said at the time.

That was no hyperbole. While firefighters face many different types of emergencies, having to enter powerful, dark, cold, swirling waters can be among the most daunting. It’s generally called a “swift water rescue” although a still pond or a frozen lake can be just as challenging. These types of rescues

are a specific discipline within the wider array of fire and rescue duties.

In Loudoun, it’s part of Fire & Rescue’s Special Operations division, which also includes incidents like hazardous material calls, extricating people trapped in vehicles, trench rescue, structural collapse rescues and more. The firefighters who make up Loudoun’s swift water rescue team go through intensive training before becoming a member and then continue to train year round. This is critical because a water rescue is different from any other.

“Swift water is more of an art,” said Justin Green, the battalion chief of special operations with Loudoun Fire & Rescue. “When we run car accidents and we have to cut open vehicles – in general a Chevy pick-up truck is going to cut the same way whether it’s black colored or blue colored. But every water call we run is going to be different. The weather is going to be different. The water level is going to be different. No situation is going to be the same.”

DANGERS IN ASHBURN

In the Ashburn area, Green says water rescue teams face three specific types of calls. One is for people who get in trouble while taking part in activities on the Beaverdam Reservoir. They have had several calls there in recent memory – and as most local residents know – there have also

JUSTIN GREEN

Members of the Loudoun County Swift Water Rescue team race to help a family stranded on Goose Creek in 2017.

sadly been a number of drownings.

Another hot spot for water rescues is along Ashburn’s stretch of the Potomac River, primarily in the Bles Park area. Green says the county has seen increased calls to both the reservoir and along the Potomac since the start of the pandemic, because people cooped up at home were looking to get outside.

“We go on roughly 25 to 30 water rescue calls in a typical year,” Green said. “The overwhelming majority of these are incidents in and along the Potomac River.”

Finally, the third water rescue challenge in the Ashburn area is our sheer number of ponds – often built as amenities or for stormwater retention for our many residential developments. People wind up in ponds, whether it’s a stray toddler who gets away from his or her parent or a wayward driver who misses a turn and ends up in the drink.

“There are more ponds than I even realized and more than most of your readers would recognize,” Green said. “We have had more than a few incidents in those ponds in the warmer months – and then in winter months too. We see a lot of pets out on the ice, and when there are pets on the ice,

there will soon be humans on the ice.”

ICE RESCUES

Indeed, ice rescues are considered a type of water rescue, albeit a unique one that requires a whole different set of knowledge and skills.

“Ice rescue is related to water rescue, but with the added challenge that the cold makes fine motor skills disappear,” Green said. “For a victim in the water without thermal protection, the cold also impacts their decision-making.”

Swift water rescue technicians – as they are called – are trained first in pools and on area lakes and rivers. Once they have the main skills mastered, they can be trained as ice rescue technicians. Common ice calls include the aforementioned pets – as well as wildlife such as deer – who wander on the ice.

“There is different equipment that we have to use on ice rescues,” Green said. “We train our responders on how to self-rescue if they fall in before reaching a victim. We use ropes and ice picks to help support rescuers and victims getting in and out of a hole in the ice.”

Green admits that with our warming climate his agency has had fewer ice calls in the past few years. But this can be a blessing and a curse.

“Yes, we are seeing fewer calls, but what happens is that it doesn’t take very much cold weather to create a thin layer of ice and that thin layer can be very deceptive,” he said. “Unlike in years past, ice now often doesn’t get very thick. People intuitively think they can walk out on it, and it can’t support their weight.”

CRITICAL TRAINING

Firefighter Delaunte Allen didn’t think much about the dangers of water growing up in Capitol Heights, Md., so when he started training for the special operations team in 2022, it was a big surprise.

“I thought I was an OK swimmer, but I found out I was a below average swimmer. After a lot of practice, I’m an OK swimmer now,” Allen said. “It also definitely opened my eyes to the difference between swimming in moving water and just swimming in a pool. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be.”

The team spends time in pools working on skills that involve ropes and buoyancy devices. They go to local streams where they learn about working with the current versus against it, using the force of the water to

(Above) An Ice Rescue Technician from Loudoun County Fire & Rescue ventures onto a frozen pond to remove an animal carcass that could attract pets or other animals onto the ice. (Right)

Members of Loudoun's Swift Water Rescue team traveled to South Bend, Ind., in 2021 to train at an International Association of Water Rescue Professionals event.

DELAUNTE

ALLEN

TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN

One of the more common emergencies the swift water rescue teams respond to in Ashburn and surrounding areas is people who get in trouble after trying to drive on a flooded roadway. A mere 6 inches of flowing water is enough to lift a car and carry it away – into a pond, a culvert or a nearby stream.

“I can’t emphasize it enough,” said Justin Green, the battalion chief for Special Operations with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. “Turn around. Don’t down. It’s a catchphrase – but you can’t see how deep it is. You can’t see if the road has washed away underneath the water.”

Green says people who end up in trouble after driving down a flooded street often do so because they’re in a hurry or they can’t think of an alternate route. So they forge ahead.

“Every time we rescue someone, they say, ‘I didn’t think it would happen to me,’” he added. “It’s not worth the risk.”

help them instead of hindering them.

“They try to put you into situations that may be unlikely to happen, but if they do, it’s not your first time experiencing it, so you are more prepared to deal with it,” Allen said.

The swift water technicians team up with other agencies around the region to go out on rapidly moving rivers and practice boatmanship skills. They have metal frames designed to imitate the shape and size of a car, and work on getting “victims” out of these situations. In some training on artificial bodies of water, real vehicles are used to increase the verisimilitude.

Most parts of being a firefighter are intense. Fighting a huge blaze, entering a collapsed building, rappelling down a cliff face, saving a life or being unable to save a life – these are things most of us can’t imagine encountering even once, much less on a daily basis.

But having to enter dark, rushing waters where seconds count is one of the most unique challenges a firefighter can face.

“Having just returned from training … on the Potomac River in freezing conditions –at night – I can confidently say that we have the best trained and equipped swift water rescue technicians for the residents [of] Loudoun,” Green said. A

(Above) Members of Loudoun's Swift Water Rescue team train in a local swimming pool. (Left) Firefighter Delaunte Allen (second from left, holding pole) and his teammates practice water rescue techniques in a local stream.

ASHBURN MAN KEEPS THE ARTISTRY AND HISTORY OF RAGTIME MUSIC ALIVE

BY JILL DEVINE

shburn musician Bill Edwards was a child living in California’s San Fernando Valley in 1964 when he discovered his life’s calling in an unlikely way – listening to a stack of worn 10-inch vinyl records his father left behind when his parents divorced.

“I discovered ragtime music when I was just 5 and have not been able to leave it alone since,” said Edwards.

The old records – including tunes from legendary musicians such as Frankie Carle, Joe “Fingers” Carr and Paul Lingle – brought joy and comfort to young Edwards as he adjusted to family changes.

“To escape the chaos around me, I would go to my room and bury myself in that music. When you listen to those tracks, it’s impossible to not be happy,” he said. “Sometimes I would put on a Disney record or something, but I always went back to those great ragtime albums. By the time I was 7, I decided I was going to be a piano player – that would be my thing.”

THE PRODIGY

It was an unusual choice of music for a boy growing up in the era of the Beatles. Ragtime, which today many associate only with silent films, old cartoons or maybe a Woody Allen movie, is a genuinely American genre of syncopated music that swept the country from the late 1890s into the early 1900s.

It originated in African-American communities in the southern and midwestern states and some of its most celebrated composers and performers were African-Americans, including Scott Joplin, known as the “King of Ragtime.”

“By 1900, everything in America was ragtime,” Edwards said. “It was like rock-and-roll 120 years ago – the stuff that parents hated, but young people loved.”

Playing on a piano his grandfather bought for him, Edwards began wowing friends and family with tunes such as the classic 1925 hit “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.” By his early teens, in the 1970s, he discovered that playing songs like the BJ Thomas hit, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” gave him a needed social boost at school.

“If you could play a movie song, people thought that was a big deal,” Edwards said.

By 14, Edwards had learned half of Joplin’s catalog, along with most of the songs by contemporary artists Elton John and Billy Joel.

Fast forward a few years, and Edwards’ childhood dream of becoming a professional piano player had come true. Today, he is an award-winning pianist who specializes in ragtime music. It’s a career he navigates in tandem with his full-time day job as a software developer for a local government contractor.

Edwards also happens to be one of the nation’s leading sources of encyclopedic information for all things ragtime.

THE “PERFESSOR”

Any online search on ragtime history, artists, composers or recordings eventually follows a digital trail to Edward’s townhome in the Courts and Ridges development in Ashburn.

That’s where Edwards manages a mind-boggling data-rich website – ragpiano.com – that constitutes a lifetime of research, collections, indexes, images and recordings related to ragtime music.

He’s done this partly under his stage name “Perfessor Bill.” That’s a nod to how concert hosts once introduced piano players – considered educated in music – to the audience as “professors,” often with grandiose gestures and affectations.

“Every bit of this website is 100

A collage of photos of ragtime pianist Bill Edwards performing in his younger years.

(Above) Cabinets filled with Bill Edwards' collection of vintage ragtime sheet music.

(Right) Bill and his wife, Pam, attend celebrations at The Henry Ford historical center in Michigan for the 100th anniversary of the Model T automobile. Bill was a featured performer.

percent made by me, including all the software, lyric pages, descriptions, research, essays and graphics,” said Edwards of the ever-growing website he started 25 years ago. He describes the site as a labor of love, noting that it costs a lot more to maintain than he earns from online sales of his recordings or books.

“It’s my gift to the world, because I want to get this music out there,”

he said. “My mission is to bring more people, especially youth, into the world of ragtime, so it is a passion that is worth the cost. I often tell people that I have a day job to pay for my ragtime habit.”

Edwards sells recordings of ragtime tunes, which he produces with professional equipment at home, through his independent label, Siggnal Sounds. He has also authored several books on ragtime topics.

THE ENTERTAINER

Before becoming a software developer, Edwards sustained himself for many years as a full-time musician, including a long stint as a pianist at the Fish Market in Old Town Alexandria. He has also played at the Kennedy Center and on a cruise ship.

One of his early gigs was at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, Colo., and every summer he returns there to perform for a few weeks while continuing to work remotely during the day at his software job.

Edwards’ wife, Pamela, accompa-

nies him on those yearly trips out west.

“I love to watch him perform, but when he’s playing at the Diamond Belle, I often can’t even get in because it’s packed, with not a table or seat left open,” she said. “Sometimes God just gives gifts, and Bill has a true gift. He’s intelligent, and his music makes people smile and laugh.”

Music is such a bond in the couple’s relationship that Bill Edwards actually played the piano during their wedding.

Every year in May, Edwards participates in the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest, now held in Oxford, Miss. In 1991, he took first place, and has been seeking to reclaim that title ever since.

“I’ve only missed one contest since I started competing. My obsession on regaining the title is a running gag at this point, but I’m usually in the top five and have a case full of medals, so I don’t do too badly,” Edwards said. In 2008, Edwards was invited

“Bill brought a unique skill to our services,” said former Crossroads pastor Dave Norman. “He could play any genre, not just ragtime. Sometimes you hear music that just makes your jaw drop, and that’s how Bill plays the piano – it’s just amazing.”

“The Entertainers,”

In the film, which was released in 2011 and is now available on Amazon Prime, Edwards summarizes his talents: “I’m not a great auto mechanic. I’m not good at sewing. I’m not good at judo. I claim to be only fair in football, and I’m a so-so singer. But I can play ragtime. I’ve got a black belt in it.”

THE PRESERVATIONIST

For many years, Edwards volunteered at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Ashburn as pianist.

Other places you might spot Edwards playing include Leesburg First Night events, private parties around the region and retirement communities, such as Waltonwood in Ashburn.

“The residents enjoyed his ragtime concerts, and they really liked his lecture on the silent movie era. They laughed as he played along to two silent films,” said Jocelyn Jackson, a life enrichment manager at Waltonwood.

Yes, as part of his mastery of music and history, Edwards is keeping alive the art of playing piano along with a silent movie – something that hasn’t been a mainstay of entertainment in nearly 100 years. Edwards is a subject expert on the topic and has a large library of silent films that he can bring to local bookings.

“People hire Bill to play accom-

paniment to silent films, and while they are watching he will tell the audience to boo and hiss when the villain comes, or to clap when the hero arrives, and it’s always really funny,” Pamela said. “He’ll ask audiences what people called silent films back in the day, and the answer is – films. No one knew that there would ever be sound films.”

Edwards knows that ragtime is often seen as an old-fashioned style of music – and playing it along with silent movies may just reinforce that.

But he remains eternally hopeful that ragtime will find a resurgence among all ages – and once again be a new generation’s version of rock-and-roll.

“There is a weird kind of gene I think kicks in when people are about 50 or 55, and they go from listening to Metallica or Frank Zappa to suddenly liking Scott Joplin,” Edwards said. “But ragtime didn’t start out as old people’s music. It’s truly music for the young – and if a new generation just listens to it they’ll start to get it.” A

Download These Apps

SKIP THE ENTRÉE AND GIVE THESE AREA APPETIZERS A TRY

BY CHRIS WADSWORTH PHOTOS BY ANDREW SAMPLE

Appetizers. Starters. Hors d’oeuvres. Finger food. Small plates. They are on the menu of nearly every restaurant – tempting us with savory ingredients meant to be eaten while we sip our first cocktail and wait for the main course.

But how many times have you filled up on said appetizers before your entrée even came? Or perhaps you have looked at a huge plate of nachos or a cheesy plate of loaded fries and said, “Man, we could make a meal out of just this.”

Well, that’s what we did. Your intrepid editor, along with professional food photographer Andrew Sample, headed out for a night (OK, actually two nights) of trying out appetizers all over Ashburn. It’s tough work, but somebody has to do it. The goal: Spotlight some of our locally owned establishments and perhaps give you an idea of something new to try on your next night out.

(Top) Buff momos at Himalayan Wild Yak; (Bottom left) Seared duck breast at The Lost Fox Hideaway; (Bottom right) Panfried chive cakes at My Home Thai Bistro.

Water Buffalo Momos

WILD YAK, BRAMBLETON TOWN CENTER

Momos are bite-sized dumplings, stuffed with filling and then steamed. On the recommendation of the bartender at Himalayan Wild Yak, a Nepalese restaurant in Brambleton, we tried the momos filled with “buff,” or water buffalo, a traditional meat of Nepal. It tasted just like beef and was delicious.

ChickenTopped Tostones

PARRANDO’S TEX-MEX GRILL, GOOSE CREEK VILLAGE CENTER

Tostones are made from green (unripe) plantains, which are similar to bananas. Because they are unripe, they are starchy like a potato, instead of sweet like a banana. They are smashed flat, fried and then – in Parrando’s case – topped with avocado, cilantro, queso bravo and a house sauce, plus your choice of several meats. Filling to say the least.

Seared Duck Breast

THE LOST FOX HIDEAWAY, ONE LOUDOUN

Sitting down at The Lost Fox is a relaxing, cozy experience to begin with – and this appetizer was a warm, cozy treat too. Tender pieces of seared duck, sitting on a bed of pureed butternut squash, with tiny bits of pickled apple, and a fig reduction with decent-sized chunks of the fruit still in it. A definite highlight.

Saganaki

Half the fun of getting the saganaki at Opa! is the huge sizzling flame that erupts when they light it on fire. The other half of the fun comes from eating this gooey, slightly licorice-tasting cheese appetizer. At Opa!, the cheese is kefalograviera, and it’s ignited with a shot of ouzo and then served with pita bread wedges.

Cajun Charbroiled Oysters

D.C. PRIME

We asked the manager at D.C. Prime to suggest an appetizer that is a sure-fire winner and he immediately said we had to get the oysters. Oysters Rockefeller is on the menu, but we opted for a Cajun oyster dish – served with garlic herb butter, Cajun seasoning and a grated Grana Padano cheese. They went down smooth and buttery.

HIMALAYAN

OPA! MEZZE GRILL, ASHBURN VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER

(From left to right) Tostones at Parrando's Tex-Mex Grill; the flaming saganaki at Opa! Mezze Grill; Cajun charbroiled oysters at D.C. Prime.

Pan-Fried Chive Cakes

MY HOME THAI BISTRO, BELMONT CHASE

We asked for some suggestions of popular appetizers and the server recommended the pan-fried chive cakes. The precise ingredients are a bit of a question mark, however, a chive cake is traditionally made with rice flour and tapioca flour to give it a bit of a gooey or chewy texture and is chock full of green chives. The green wasn’t so visible in ours, but the ones at My Home Thai Bistro had a consistency like mashed potatoes that had been breaded and fried. What’s not to like?!

Pancake Battered Bacon Strips

DOOR PUB, UNIVERSITY COMMERCE CENTER

To wrap up the evening, we opted for the pancake battered bacon strips at Wicket Door Pub. This may sound more like a brunch item (it is) or more like a dessert (it could be this too), but it’s on the “Starters” list and it’s one of the pub’s claims to fame, so we felt it was fair game. And it’s just exactly what you think it is – fried strips of bacon, covered in pancake batter and fried, then served with powdered sugar and maple syrup. A sweet finale to an all-app adventure. A

If you’re suffering from Fibromyalgia you understand this sentiment all too well Local resident Elyse K found herself at a turning point when she noticed her diagnosis had started to take a toll on her marriage.

“I was angry all the time because of all the things I couldn’t do anymore because of my Fibromyalgia. That anger cycled through to depression and affected everyone around me, my husband more than anyone. It made our lives miserable.”

Fibromyalgia affects the entire body. To make things complicated it affects everyone’s body a little differently.

To make things even more complicated, those effects can change on a daily basis. Sometimes you’re plagued with wide-spread muscle pain and fatigue, and other days it’s a headache and heightened sensitivity to touch.

“I could barely stand to have the light weight of bedsheets touching me, much less a hug from my husband.” explains Elyse.

This is what it’s like to suffer from Fibromyalgia. Symptoms make everyday life incredibly difficult. Mundane, daily tasks are nearly impossible.

TIRED OF LIVING WITH MY FIBROMYALGIA PAIN

Fibromyalgia has been difficult to treat and even more difficult to understand, UNTIL NOW!

Rachal Lohr, L Ac provides patients with much needed relief from Fibro symptoms!

And too often, these symptoms are only made worse because practitioners find it difficult to understand and even more troublesome to treat. It’s characterized by widespread pain in muscles, and tissues rather than inflammation of the joints, muscles and tissues.

Then your primary care doctors suggest dietary changes, pain liniments and, pharmaceuticals to the point where your life is no longer ruled by Fibromyalgia. It’s now ruled by a difficult routine and pill regimen in order to avoid flare ups.

Elyse put it this way, “My life was no longer my own.”

Eventually Elyse did her own research and discovered that acupuncture can improve the quality of life in Fibro patients. Determined to find the best in the business, she discovered FIREFLY Acupuncture & Wellness lead by Rachal Lohr, L.Ac.

Rachal has been successfully treating difficult to manage, chronic pain cases for over fifteen years. She uses the time tested science of acupuncture integrated with modern medical advancements in healing and recovery

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that is commonly used to reduce various forms of pain It works by reducing inflammation, stimulating the release of endorphins and offers much needed, effective symptom relief for Fibromyalgia. Then Rachal skillfully layers other non invasive therapies like ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ and other natural therapies for amplified, longlasting results.

“I feel like a new person. My husband comes with me to my appointments. He spends most of it thanking Rachal for giving him back the woman he married.

For the first time since we moved here, one of my neighbors told me I looked good! It’s a miracle she treated my Fibro, I don’t know how else to explain it.”

If you’re looking for a practitioner and a clinic who understands your diagnosis and has a proven solution for chronic pain, look no further than FIREFLY. Elyse describes FIREFLY almost as enthusiastically as she does their treatments. “I love it here!”

Rachal Lohr, L Ac is now accepting new patients and offering $40 consultations, but only for a limited time.

So call (703)263-2142 now to schedule a consultation.

I WAS

WICKET

(Top) The Instagram-worthy dining room at the new My Home Thai Bistro in Ashburn; (bottom) the pancake battered bacon strips at Wicket Door Pub.

ASHBURN VOICES

Silver Line adds new glow to Ashburn

BY LIN THOMAS

In modern lingo, there is something called a “glow up.” It means a major transformation – be it physically, mentally or emotionally. The term clearly plays off the idea of “growing up” and the idea of “glowing” from making big changes and having new energy.

I can’t think of a better way to describe Ashburn now that we are linked to the Metro’s Silver Line and are home to the amazing Ashburn Station. With the Silver Line, Ashburn is connected to a whole network of Metro lines that traverse the Washington area. We are directly linked to nearby airports and even to New York City via Amtrak. For me, emotionally, the Silver Line has brought Ashburn a little closer to the rest of the world. Just like the first train cars in November – we have “arrived.”

My debut trip on the Silver Line struck just such an emotional chord. The interior of Ashburn Station is beautiful with gambrel-style architecture featuring high ceilings arching overhead. The huge open space gives the station an airport-style feel. Sleek escalators whisk you on your way. The large glass panels allow ample light into the interior. The bridges over the Dulles Greenway give travelers a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. Compared to older stations elsewhere in the Metro system, Ashburn Station has a modern, state-of-the-art feel.

The train ride itself was comfortable with a great view of the area we

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Ashburn Magazine is starting a new occasional feature with this issue – “Ashburn Voices,” which are guest essays covering different topics and written by one of our Ashburn neighbors.

In this issue, local speaker and writer Lin Thomas shares her impressions of Metro’s Silver Line extension, which connected to Ashburn when it opened Nov. 15.

live in. For a first-time rider, it is a scenic reminder of the rapid development all around us. The fact that our stretch of the Silver Line is above ground adds fresh energy compared to underground train rides. It’s especially noticeable on the return trip when you zoom out from underground onto the above-ground rail. There is an immediate change in how you feel as the natural light floods into the train. I found the aerial views breathtaking in the morning sunlight.

While there are obvious benefits to the Silver Line – like not having to be stuck in traffic or worry about fuel prices and your carbon footprint, riding the train also gives you something else important – plenty of “me” time. A quiet ride on the Silver Line can offer time to read, listen to music, relax and reflect, meditate or even refresh your brain with a little power nap. I found myself enjoying the break from my regular busy day. I was even able to concoct a few plot twists for my next book.

The Silver Line’s stop at Dulles International Airport also resonated with me. We all have memories of the airport – whether as travelers

Dignitaries, guests and media from around the region ride on the first train into Ashburn Station on Nov. 15.

ourselves or picking up and dropping off friends and family. To pause for a few minutes by this buzzing international airport in the middle of a regular workday has a slightly surreal feeling.

For a few brief moments, I sensed a moment of solidarity with the airport travelers and the countless possibilities of why they were there. Perhaps they were headed to exotic locations, or reuniting with loved ones, or starting a new phase in life or a new job, maybe attending a work conference, or perhaps serving the country. And for a short time, I felt I was witness to the hopeful energy and zeal that an airport generates for its travelers.

After having worked remotely for many months, my recent trip on the Silver Line also reminded me of the importance of in-person interactions and just being in the same physical space as other people. Hustling through a beautiful new station with other commuters, sharing a train car or even a seat with fellow riders, and having the occasional interactions with friendly Metro staff or another passenger – it perfectly expresses the optimistic vibe that I got from my journey on the Silver Line.

I realized it’s not just a glow up for Ashburn and the neighborhoods along the Silver Line. I discovered it was a personal glow up for me as well – a newfound excitement to begin exploring all the new people, places and things we are now connected to. A

Lin Thomas is an Ashburn resident and a TEDx speaker. She is the author of the inspirational children’s fiction book “Every Sparrow Was Made to Fly” and has also published articles with the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series. Her website is www.LinThomas.com.

The Wonders of Winter Continue in Ashburn

Now Showing

The Wizard of Oz Classic Family Musical

Jan 21, 27, 28, Feb 3 & 4 at 7:00pm and Jan 22, 29 & Feb 5 at 2:00pm Livestreaming is available

A Walk Through Motown (sort of) Musical Cabaret Dinner Theatre Feb 11, 12, 18 & 19 at Oatlands in Leesburg Legends and Bridge Comedic Staged Production March 4, 11, 18 & 25 at 7:00pm and March 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 2:00pm Murder on the Love Boat Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre March 11, 18, 25, April 15, 29, May 13 at Oatlands in Leesburg April 15 at Faith Chapel Gathering Place in Lucketts • April 29 at ONO Brewing in Chantilly

Fabulous Las Vegas Style Magic Show – Jan 13, Feb 10, March 10 StageCoach Bandits Improv – Jan 20, Feb 17, March 17 Rated S Sketch Comedy – Feb 24 & 25 Drag Comedy Cabaret – March 3 All performances are held at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn except as noted. Registration is open for After School Classes in Acting, Improv, Musical Theatre, Dance, and Technical Theatre. Ages 3 – 18.

(Top) A glimpse of Dulles International Airport from the Silver Line. (Bottom) Local leaders celebrate the opening of the Ashburn Station on Nov. 15.

Ashburn’s TOP TEN

The residential real estate market continued to feel the impact of significantly higher interest rates in the late fall as closed sales, pending sales and new listings all fell by double-digit percentages in Loudoun County in November, according to data from the Dulles Area Association of Realtors. Overall, November was the

15th consecutive month of declining home sales countywide.

In Ashburn, closed sales fell 60.6% in the 20148 Zip code and 49.5% in the 20147 Zip code in November, compared with November 2021. Total sales in the two Zip codes were 92, down from 204 a year earlier. The number of new listings also fell in No-

vember. They were down 29.4% in the 20147 Zip code and 19.5% in 20148. And median sales prices have flattened out a bit after a lengthy period of increase. In the 20147 Zip code, the median sales price rose 6.6% to $580,000. In 20148, sales prices fell 2.4% to $649,000.

The average number of days on market for homes that sold more than doubled from November 2021 to 32 in the 20148 Zip code and 28 in the 20147 Zip code.

Highlighted below are the five highest-priced homes that sold in each of Ashburn’s two Zip codes between mid-October and mid-December, along with the sales price and other key information. Data and photos from Realtor.com. A

20147 20148

Business and Pleasure

Ashburn family takes a journey to South America

BY CHRIS WADSWORTH

Sean Mooney came home from work one day and told his wife, Alison, that he had a business trip coming up to South America. He wondered whether she would like to join him. She had her bags packed before he finished his question.

OK, that’s an exaggeration, but the Ashburn couple, who live in the Village of Waxpool community, were eager to combine a little family time along with the work stuff. Their daughter, Lauren, was able to get time off work and joined mom and dad on the adventure.

The fact that Lauren is fluent in Spanish was a bonus.

So, in October, the Mooneys flew to Atlanta and then connected to a nearly nine-hour flight to Santiago, Chile. Over the next week, they spent time in Chile and then headed north to Peru.

Ashburn Magazine asked Alison Mooney to share some of her favorite photos and memories.

“We had a private driver take us from Santiago to the nearby Alyan Winery. There were several groups there, but we were the only English speakers, so they had someone translate for us. We sampled at least six – maybe eight – red, white and rosés. We toured the vineyard, the variety garden, fermentation tanks and barrel aging cellar. We also saw a helicopter pad they had for the rich and famous who come to sample the wines. It was a sunset tasting and then they brought out dinner for all of us. We brought home four bottles of wine from there. It was a five-star experience.”

“This was the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral in Santiago, Chile. Construction began on it in 1753 and was finished in 1799. It was just beautiful. There was a Mass going on and Lauren and I jumped in and participated in the service. It helped that we are Catholic, but all are welcome. The incense and the singing and just the age of the cathedral. It doesn’t make any difference what kind of house of worship it is – just to see these incredible places where people gave their life’s work –their blood, sweat and tears –in order to build them. It was awe-inspiring.”

“We went on a group tour to Cajon del Maipo in Chile. It’s a dramatic gorge with the snowcapped Andes mountains on the horizon. It was windy and cold that day, and the color of the water was a striking blue green against the gray sky. The drive was a bit treacherous, and it began to snow as we were leaving. The icing on the cake was a stop at a very unassuming adobe home sitting alone on the side of the mountain. They served us piping hot empanadas and amazing red wine. Very memorable.”

“Valparaiso, Chile, feels a lot like a Bohemian artist community. It’s also a major port city on the Pacific Ocean. There are street artists and artwork everywhere on almost every surface. There were painted walls and painted steps, and people travel from all over the world to see it. The buildings are so colorful and there are tiny, winding cobblestone streets with shops and cafés. It’s romantic and fantasy-like.”

“That’s our tour guide in the picture. We were driving in a very remote town in the Sacred Valley outside Cusco, Peru, and our guide saw a friend by the side of the road selling roasted guinea pigs on sticks. It’s a local delicacy. Eeeek. She had a whole basket of them. That’s what the sign says in the picture – ‘cuy’ is guinea pig. They eat it like a turkey leg. I might have tried it if I’d had it on a plate, but I wasn’t going to take a bite from that. For me, the gross-out factor was too much.”

“Street dogs are loved by all. Everyone takes care of all the stray dogs who just roam around in Valparaiso. People leave water and food outside and even let the dogs into their homes at night. They are everyone’s dogs. This dog joined us for the whole day as we walked around sightseeing. He literally jumped on this tiny cable car when we went riding up the mountain. Isn’t that sweet?”

“The terraced hillsides are part of a farming technique in Peru that comes from the Incan era – and these techniques are still used today. It was really stunning to see. Someone thought, ‘If we could only level out the mountain, we could prevent erosion and we could improve irrigation and we could grow things.’ I read an article that said the Incas actually grew more food than they could eat.”

“We saw these alpacas at Sacsayhuaman as well. They were just grazing there, like you would see squirrels in a park. We didn’t try to pet them or anything. They are just a part of the landscape. We did have alpaca as part of an appetizer in a restaurant and it was delicious. It was grilled and served with a fancy sauce. Are people going to see these fuzzy animals and then be shocked we ate them? It’s very common.” (Editor’s note: We assured Alison that it was OK to make this confession.) A

“This photo was taken at Sacsayhuaman in Peru – it’s seriously pronounced like ‘sexy woman’ – and although it’s lesser known than Machu Picchu, we were told it’s an Incan wonder in its own right so we wanted to go. The stones are as high as 17 feet with some weighing 350 tons. The impressive stones are so perfectly aligned that Spanish historians describe a knife being unable to penetrate a seam. All this without a bit of mud or mortar.”

A round-up of the latest restaurant, retail, and other cool news from Ashburn and beyond. Check out The Burn at TheBurn.com and follow it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

1 HANGRY JOE’S HOT CHICKEN COMING TO TOWN

tique specializing in eyeglasses and sunglasses, both began welcoming customers in November. The two stores are next to each other in a new block of retail space that also saw the opening of a Sephora cosmetics store in September.

Hangry Joe’s, a new restaurant chain specializing in spicy chicken sandwiches, will be opening three locations in Loudoun County, including one in Ashburn. The brand will be taking a spot in the Cameron Chase Village Center that was previously occupied by a Japanese restaurant. It also will open stores in Leesburg and Sterling. Hangry Joe’s, which launched near Richmond in 2021, has moved aggressively into Northern Virginia as well as other markets. The founder is the same entrepreneur who started the Sweet Frog frozen yogurt chain.

2 WARBY PARKER, LULULEMON OPEN AT ONE LOUDOUN

3 HONEY BEE CREAMERY CLOSES OLD ASHBURN SHOP

officials for its new spot in the Goose Creek Village Center. It took over the space that was previously a pet supply store. The store carries a variety of merchandise, including apparel, jewelry, home décor items, baby and specialty gifts, gourmet foods and more. The opening was good timing as Ashburn just lost a longtime gift shop when Zazu closed in the summer.

5 CONSTRUCTION CREWS MAKING PROGRESS ON NEW ASHBURN REC CENTER

A tiny ice cream shop called the Honey Bee Creamery has shut down its Ashburn store after two years in business. Honey Bee took over the JR’s Soft Serve store on Old Ashburn Road back in 2020. Besides ice cream, it also sold homemade gourmet chocolates for a time. But neighbors say sometime in November, the place quietly locked its doors for good. However, the Honey Bee Creamery location in Leesburg is still open.

4 MON AMIE AMY OPENS IN GOOSE CREEK VILLAGE

Many Ashburn residents are eagerly counting down to 2025. That’s when the Ashburn Recreation Center is

Two new retailers opened recently at One Loudoun in Ashburn. Lululemon, an athletic clothing retailer, and Warby Parker, a bou-

A new gift shop held a grand opening celebration in Ashburn in November.

Mon Amie Amy had a ribbon cutting with local

scheduled to open on Broadlands Boulevard next to Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm. Loudoun County officials recently shared that installation has started on the concrete foundations and underground piping for the 117,000-square-foot center. The two-story facility will include a 50-meter pool, as well as a leisure pool, spa, a full-size gymnasium, an outdoor splash play area and a playground.

6 RESTORE HYPER WELLNESS COMING TO FORMER BANK SPOT IN BRAMBLETON

Center. It’s called Restore Hyper Wellness, and it will be taking over the former Capital One bank spot behind the public library. Some of the services offered include cryotherapy, red light therapy, infrared sauna, I.V. drip therapy and biomarker assessments. The brand has more than 125 locations and has announced it is actively pursuing other Loudoun locations as well. A

A national health and wellness brand is opening locations in Northern Virginia, and one of those will be in Ashburn’s Brambleton Town

DR. PANOPOULOS | DR. LAUREN TAYLOR | DR. MYZIE | DR. KEITH TAYLOR | DR. KLIMAVICZ | DR. GRASSO | DR. SOKOLOW