HELMET A CROWN THE BEIGNETS ARE COMING! THE BEIGNETS ARE COMING! EPIC BIKE RIDE: LOCAL COUPLE TAKES A TRIP TO REMEMBER AREA’S OLDEST TREES ARE HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 AND AShe’s Miss Virginia USA – and a Local FirstMeetResponder.Ashburn’sKaileeHorvath.
Brambleton is located within close proximity to Dulles Airport and will be impacted by aircraft overflights and aircraft noise. INSPIRED MODERN. CONNECTED. WALKABLE. Come see for yourself how phenomenal life is in and around Brambleton. Thoughtfully designed with today’s lifestyle in mind. Enjoy Loudoun County living at its finest. VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON MODEL TOURS VERIZON FiOS INCLUDED IN EVERY HOME MILES OF WALKING & BIKING WALKATSHOPFARMERSYEAR-ROUNDTRAILSMARKET&DINELOCALOURTOWNCENTERTOHANSONPARK B IS FOR Brambleton BRAMBLETON SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FROM THE UPPER $800s Tri Pointe Homes | 240-206-6432 Van Metre Homes | 703-272-2752 703-542-2925 | Brambleton.com ASK ABOUT OUR BUILDERS’ QUICK DELIVERIES, INCENTIVES & SPECIAL FINANCING! BIRCHWOOD AT BRAMBLETON 55+ LIVING. LIFE REIMAGINED. CONDOS FROM THE UPPER $400 s Knutson | 703-775-0480 Van Metre Homes | 703-764-5426 JOIN THE BUILDERS’ VIP LISTS FOR NEW SINGLES, TOWNHOMES & COURTYARDS COMING SOON: MILLER & SMITH – Text Birchwood22 to 22828 VAN METRE – Call 703-764-5426 703-722-2427 | BirchwoodatBrambleton.com
(703)
From Publisherthe
Always a FREE Quote for Water Heater and A/C Re HEATING - COOLING - PLU E! A/C REPAIR BUY ABACK /C REPAIR BUY BACK *Tota amount to be put toward new complete system cannot exceed $1 000 Coupon must be presented Cannot be comb ned w th another other or app ied to a prior purchase Expires 10/30/2022 Ca l for detai s M E Flow is a top rated heating, coo ing, and plumb ng contractor serving all of NOVA from Woodbridge to W nchester Founded in 1951 by Millard Edward Flow (M E Flow) Today M E Flow is st ll family owned and operated by its 3rd generation VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4 PUBLISHER Bruce publisher@ashburnmagazine.comPotter571-333-1538 EDITOR Chris editor@ashburnmagazine.comWadsworth ADVERTISING Sales jharbin@ashburnmagazine.comcfields@insidenova.comConnieLeader:FieldsAccountExecutive:JudyHarbin ART DIRECTOR Kara Thorpe CONTRIBUTORS Jill Devine • Kaitlin Hill Bill Kent • Astri Wee
POTTER, PUBLISHER@ASHBURNMAGAZINE.COMPUBLISHER 4 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
O
Ashburn Magazine is published every other month and distributed to over 13,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Ashburn Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden. ©2022 Rappahannock Media LLC.
Just reading about all of her accom plishments makes me tired. And her advice is sound: “You’re not going to
Elsewhere in the magazine this month, in “Business Boom,” you’ll learn the fascinating story behind Ash burn’s own Ace Photo, possibly the largest independently owned camera store in the Mid-Atlantic. You’ll meet two sisters, our “Amazing Kids,” who launched a successful effort to collect eyeglasses for people who might oth erwise not be able to afford them. And in “Wine & Dine,” you’ll discover how the pandemic led to the creation of Ashburn’s first beignet shop, sched uled to open this month.
THE BEAUTY OF ASHBURN
succeed at everything on the very first try – and that’s OK.” Whether or not she wins in Reno, we have no doubt Kailee Horvath will have lots more successes in her future.
ne of the reasons we started Ashburn Magazine is to give you, our readers and Ashburn residents, an opportunity to “meet” your neighbors – to learn a little more about the people you might see walking along the trails through our communities, shopping at the Harris Teeter or waiting with their children at the bus stop.
ON
THE WEB www.ashburnmagazine.com
WEEASTRIBY
BRUCE
PRESIDENT Dennis Brack BUSINESS OFFICE Carina cwheat@insidenova.comRichard-Wheat
PUBLISHED 22192 318-1386
Facebook and Twitter: @ashburnmagazine
Ashburn
Every once in a while, that neighbor has a list of accomplishments that make you go “wow.” Kailee Horvath, profiled in this month’s cover story, is one of those people. The Broad Run High School graduate, just 23, is a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical tech nician for the Ashburn Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department. She’s a nursing student at Marymount University in Arlington. And she’s headed to the Miss USA Pageant in Reno, Nev., next month as Miss Virginia USA.
Finally, a story of a different “nature”: Starting on Page 32, writer Bill Kent in troduces us to a few of Ashburn’s largest trees. You’ll learn about their history, as well as about attempts to protect them from threats. And he also explains why species such as the Bradford Pear are so prevalent in our community – and why that’s a problem.
Speaking of successes (as well as making me tired!), in our “Time of Our Lives” feature this month, editor Chris Wadsworth spotlights an Ashburn couple in their mid-60s who rode their bikes – yes, bikes – 2,500 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border – and climbed 150,000 feet of hills and mountains along the way.
His article reminds us that as much as we like to complain about all the data centers and the development and the traffic in our community, we are lucky that we don’t have to go far to get away from it all. Fall is the perfect time to take a walk – or a bike ride –on one of our many trails, meet your neighbors, and look up and around you to appreciate Ashburn’s beauty.
BY Rappahannock Media LLC • InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge, VA
50
21 BUSINESSMORE BOOM Updates from the Ashburn communitybusiness 22 COVER STORYOUR FEATURENEIGHBORS A CROWNANDHELMETA She’s VirginiaMissUSA — and a local first responder. BY WADSWORTHCHRIS 32 FEATURE STORY
couple bikes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border
POOF!
Cosmetic Dentistry Including Veneers • Restorative Dentistry • Hygiene & Preventative Care • Dentures & Implants • Crowns & Bridges • Teeth Whitening • Orthodontics For Adults & Children • invisalign for Adults & Teens • Children’s Dentistry • Evening & Saturday Hours • Emergencies Welcome • Financing Available Excellent Dental Care For The Entire Family Enjoy a unique & relaxing dental experience Located in Ashburn Village 44110 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza, Suite 166 • Ashburn, VA 20147 571-223-7195 www.LansFamilyDentistry.com CONTENTS 08 AMAZING KIDS A VISIONCLEAR Ashburn sisters help spread the gift of sight
BY JILL DEVINE
FEATURE
56
TIME TRAVEL
62
The latest restaurant, retail, and other cool news
46
38
Business born from the pandemic brings beignets to Ashburn
ON COVERTHE
Ashburn’s
trees tell a nature-focused story of our community
BY BILL KENT
BY WADSWORTHCHRIS
WINE & FEATUREDINE
HISTORYLIVING
WADSWORTHCHRIS 14 AMAZINGMORE KIDS Local kids doing great things 16 BUSINESS BOOM CHEESESAY Local camera shop is well-known for its huge inventory
THE BURN
42
REAL ROUND-UPESTATE
An old farm near Ashburn becomes the area’s latest winery and vineyard
Miss Virginia USA and Ashburn resident Kailee Horvath photographed at the RescueVolunteerAshburnFireandDepartment on Ashburn Road, where she works as an EMT and a firefighter. (Photo by Astri Wee of Astri Wee Photography.)
TIME OF OUR LIVES KEEP ROLLINGON
BY WADSWORTHCHRIS
The latest facts and figures about home sales in Ashburn 48 AROUND TOWN
423822 6 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
BY KAITLIN HILL
Ashburn
An album Ashburn-areaof events
BY JILL DEVINE
BY
CONNECTIONSFAMILY
Ashburn center helps theirreconnectpeoplewithpast
ADVENTURESLOCAL WINE IN COUNTRYHUNT
After the experience, it dawned on Ria that what was a minor annoyance for her could be a really big deal to others – espe cially people in poorer communities and developing nations where eyecare and eyeglasses may be more difficult to come by.
rship ASHBURN | 571-223-1615 yle we don ssagevepa n on or o we an s on o y msonwheWay® Every session may utilize various types of massage to provide the best experience possible. Our therapist will AND MORE...... NJOY YOUR FIRST MASSAGE AT EMENTS FOR JUST $79 AND SAVE $30 AMAZING KIDS
Ria and Siya – now a senior and a fresh man at Broad Run High School, respec tively – partnered with the folks at Lens crafters, the national retail eyewear chain.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 89 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
The girls created a logo and decorated collection boxes and placed them around Ashburn and beyond.
It all started back in 2018, when Ria Kaith
I was agitated.pretty
That’s the simple story behind two Ashburn girls and the good deed they’ve been doing for several years now.
“We have a box in our old karate school that we used to attend. We have a box in the place where we get our hair cut. There’s a box at our mu sic teacher’s.
Ashburn sisters Ria and Siya Kaith stand outside the Lenscrafters store at the Dulles Town Center shopping mall with haveeyeglassesusedtheycollected.
Since 1988, Lenscrafters has had a program known as OneSight that accepts used pre scription eyeglasses, cleans and refurbishes them and gets them into the hands – and onto the faces – of people in need.
“I broke my glasses on the first day of the trip. I don’t remember how, but the side of them broke off,” said Ria, now 16. “My vision is pretty bad, and I didn’t have a back-up pair. I was pretty agitated.”
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
S
Ashburn sisters help spread the gift of sight
A VisionClear
I broke my glasses on the first day of the trip...
ometimes a whole lot of good can come from a little misfortune.
So, in 2019 Ria and her sister, Siya, start ed a project called On the Bright Sight. Its goal is to collect used and unwanted glass es that might otherwise be thrown away and donate them to help others.
was on an eight-day cruise in the Caribbean with her family.
ONE OYEAR! NE YEAR! Full Service Office FSpace ull Service Office Space Event ESpace vent Space Meeting MRooms eeting Rooms and aMORE! nd MORE! We are proud to Wannounce e are proud to announce that we will be expanding into tour hat we will be expanding into our 2nd location in Mosaic District, 2Fairfax! nd location in Mosaic District, Fairfax! 44679 Endicott Dr, 4Ashburn 4679 Endicott Dr, Ashburn 3060 Williams Dr, 3Fairfax 060 Williams Dr, Fairfax 703 957 79970 03 957 9970 703 957 79970 03 957 9970 www.venturex.com www.venturex.com Learn more at nwfcu.org Visit us in One Loudoun l 20400 Exchange Street l Ashburn, VA 20147 Insured by NCUA Then.Now.Next. Snap to visit our website and learn more! You can count on Northwest to be here for you now and for what’s next. We’ve been serving the community for 75 years providing financial services, guidance, and personalized member service. We have the solutions you need with our free checking options, low rate loans, great savings rates and convenient Online and Mobile Banking.
We have boxes everywhere,” said Siya, 14. “Our aunt works in a hospital, and she has a box at the hospital so people can donate there. That’s in New Jersey.”
(Right) Some of the more than 400 eyeglasses the Ashburn sisterscollected.have
10 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“They didn’t want any help from me,” Kaith recalled. “They wanted to design the logo. They were going to come up with a mission [statement]. I grew up with glasses … and I didn’t have the privilege of having a second pair of glasses. So, if they broke, I had to live with that. So, I was very happy when they developed this idea.”
(Above) Ria and Siya Kaith present donated glasses to a representative of Lenscrafters and the OneSight organization.
The girls’ mother – Mamta Kaith – is both proud and touched by the On the Bright Sight project.
“I feel really proud that I’m able to help. It’s all about helping people and at the end of the day, that’s what we want to do,” Siya said.
Since they started their project three years ago, the girls have collected more than 400 pairs of glasses that OneSight has given to people across the United States as well as overseas.
LARRY
Being prepared for school never goes out of style, so depend on Ashburn and Sterling Early Learning Academies to provide your child’s firm foundation. We have programs for children six weeks to 12 years-watch them make great gains in literacy, math, science, and the arts!
LICKSTEIN, MD FACS Award W nn ng and Board Certif ed P ast c Surgeon S c h e d u l e a C o n s u l t a t i o n T o d a y ! 5 7 1 . 4 4 0 . 5 0 0 5 i n f o @ e l l e a e s t h e t i c a r t s . c o m 2 1 0 2 1 S y c o l i n R d , S t e 0 0 1 A s h b u r n , V A 2 0 1 4 7 w w w . e l l e a e s t h e t i c a r t s . c o m @ e l l e a e s t h e t i c a r t s J O I N E L L E A E S T H E T I C A R T S E L I T E $ 5 0 O F F A N Y S E R V I C E ADVANCED BODY CONTOURING BREAST SURGERY FACIAL & EYELID REJUVINATION BOTOX & FILLER PROCEDURES FOR MEN LASER RESURFACING CUSTOMIZABLE AQUAGOLD CHEMICAL PEELS CUSTOM HYDRAFACIALS PRP & MICRONEEDLING PLASMA PEN COOLSCULPTING ELITE EMSCULPT NEO EMTONE SEXUAL WELLNESS VICHY SHOWER SAUNA MEDICAL GRADE SKIN CARE SURGICAL & NON-SURGICAL
12 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Want to help?
“I feel good about the 400, but I also feel like we can do more,” Ria added. “It’s not done yet. This is just the beginning.”
The Kaith family, including mother Mamta, Siya, Ria, and father Nikunj.
Fall Back on Early Learning Expertise Early Learning Academies START LEARNING elacommunity.comTODAY! ZINEB MOUSSAFIR, DMA LMA D rector of Medica Aesthetics
But that doesn’t mean On the Bright Sight will disappear. Siya plans to keep collecting eyeglasses throughout her high school years, and Ria plans to start a similar program on her future college campus.
College is on the horizon for Ria. She’s not sure where she will go yet and says she’s ap plying “everywhere.” She may study math, or maybe economics, or possibly even education. She tutors other students in her free time.
“I can impact more people and when I go to college,” Ria said. “I’m sure lots of college students wear contacts or glasses, and I am hoping they can … help with the cause.” A
To support On the Bright Sight, host a donation box in your workplace, or donate eyeglasses, send an email to: Onthebrightsight19@gmail.com.
(Left to right)
Her name is Myra Saxena, and she lives in the Moorefield Green neighborhood. She just turned 8 years old and is a third-grader at the Academy of Christian Education in Reston. And she’s also the founder of Sparklez.
WithMakesGradeschoolerEntrepreneurialJewelryaPurpose
Furniture • Interior Design • Window Treatments • Reupholstery 312 E. Market Street in Leesburg • 703.771.9484 • theguestroomfurniture.com
Lauren was named to the U.S. team, but at press time, we didn’t know the results. Now, we do. Lauren bravely pushed through a sprained ankle and won a bronze medal on the vault. And Team USA won a silver medal in the overall women’s gymnastics competition.
“It was an amazing experience to not only be able to represent the United States, but to learn more than I’d imag ined,” Lauren told Ashburn Magazine. “I was given a new perspective on how culture and religion intertwine, and I felt a connection to the land, the culture, and my own identity.”
In our July/August issue, Ashburn Magazine featured local gymnast Lauren Brendlinger. After years of training and competing, she headed to the 2022 World Maccabiah Games in July in Israel. The competition celebrates Jewish athletes from around the world who converge on Israel each summer.
Ashburn’s Lauren Brendlinger Wins Bronze at 2022 Maccabiah Games
“I am extremely proud of Myra,” said her mom, Sweta Sinha. “She is making a dream for another mother come true through this work she is doing. This means a ton to me being a mother myself.” You can see Myra’s creations and support her cause at her website: www.sparklez.org. A
we’re the perfect match
Lots of little kids like playing with jewelry – sparkly, shiny bangles and baubles – but one young Ashburn girl is using her homemade jewelry to spread a little love.
Classic made Current
Sparklez is Myra’s online jewelry boutique where she sells her handmade charm bracelets and keychains. Profits from sales go to support a school for blind girls and their families in India.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 1415 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
MORE AMAZING KIDS OK, we know all kids are amazing, but if you know of a kid who’s so amazing that they should be featured on this page, please email information to editor@ashburnmagazine.com.
social hour | outdoor patios | all-day brunch 44720 thorndike street, ashburn, va 20147 571.918.8024 | matchboxrestaurants.com/one-loudoun@matchbox369
recalled.quickly,”andforwithproducingcameras?disposable“Wewerevisualsaretrothemethe2020draft,IneededthemFails
That’s how Fails discovered Ace Photo Inc., possibly the largest independently owned camera store in the Mid-Atlantic.
“There aren’t many stores like this,” said Jalali, a professional photographer himself.
Local camera shop well-known for its huge inventory
BY JILL DEVINE
EMILEE FAILS BOB MERHAUT
A co-worker at the team training center in Ashburn off Loudoun County Parkway mentioned there was a large camera shop nearby. “I searched online and was sur prised that it was less than a mile away, so I drove right over,” she said.
Fails is an experienced professional, having worked previously for the Washing ton Wizards and the Pittsburgh Pirates, but until that visit, she had never been in an ac tual camera store. “I was from a town where if what you needed wasn’t at the local Best Buy, you had to order it online,” said Fails, who now lives in Brambleton.
(without lifting a finger)
BUSINESS BOOM
s the official photographer for the Washington Commanders football team, Emilee Fails is used to working with the latest and great est cameras and equipment. So a couple of years back, why was she scrambling to find some old-fash ioned
Fails found the disposable cameras at Ace Photo, which also helped her develop the“Ifilm.was amazed at their inventory. They literally have almost any product I could ever need,” Fails said. “I shoot constantly in all kinds of weather, and if something goes wrong or breaks, I now rely on them for fast help. I’ve rented and traded equipment at Ace, and I buy lenses and lots of backdrops. They are always super helpful.”
Jalali and his eight employees use their expertise to match customers with the best equipment for their needs. It’s that kind of personal service that separates Ace Photo from faceless online or big box retailers, said store manager Bob Merhaut, who is also – you guessed it – a onphotographer.professional“Wedon’tworkcommission,”
A NON-PROFIT LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY Independent Senior Living | Potomac Falls, VAFALCONSLANDING.ORG
Mohsen Jalali, owner of Ace Camera in Ashburn, stands in hisgillspacked-to-the-photographicshowroom.
A
according to its suppliers.
Owner Mohsen Jalali founded Ace Pho to in 1992 at a shopping center in Sterling before moving to Cape Court in Ashburn in 2007. The two-story, 12,000-square-foot store overflows with new and previous ly owned merchandise, and it hosts a professional printing lab that can produce oversize photos and banners, as well as digitize and convert old slides, movie film and VHS Customerstapes.can reserve the upper-floor studio for photo shoots, using their own photographers or photographers provided by Ace. There’s also an 80-seat classroom.
Remember the coin tests? Hospital corners? White glove inspections? Well, at Falcons Landing you can leave the field day to us. We’ll make sure housekeeping and maintenance are kept squared away, so you have more time to devote to your favorite pursuits—and can rest easy knowing your home will always be ready to pass inspection with flying colors.
CALL 703-688-8263 TO SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY!
Say Cheese
In addition to selling, renting and trading equipment ranging from Polaroid instant cameras to exquisite, high-end cameras by Hasselblad and Leica, Ace Photo has the largest camera bag showroom in the nation,
16 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
The store also offers lighting equipment, backdrops and stockpiles of peripherals and hard-to-find film.
Whether it’s the numbness and tingling from your NEUROPATHY, the painful burning sensation that accompanies SCIATICA or the unbearable swelling and stiffness of your joints from ARTHRITIS, the staff at Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness are here to help you live a life free from pain.
Lisa shared, "My balance has improved, especially when exercising. My feet aren't nearly as sensitive and now naturally 'wamer' and I'm experiencing little to no pain. When I rub my feet, the toes have a completely different sensation almost normal!"
TM TM
Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness has pioneered non pharmaceutical, non surgical innovative medical solutions to actually TREAT your symptoms!
Rachal uses non invasive, non pharmaceutical, integrative therapies to relieve her patients of chronic pain symptoms, one of which is Acupuncture
Call (703)263 2142 today to set up a consultation.
loudounvalleyfloors.com
Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness, led by Rachal Lohr, LAc, seamlessly blends the time tested science of acupuncture with more innovative, medical solutions in order to achieve measurable, long lasting results!
Thank you for trusting us with your health and wellness and voting us Loudoun's Favorite Acupuncturist year after year!
above the novice level quickly becomes aware of Mo’s shop,” said Diamond. “It’s rare to be able to actually test the merchan dise, whether the most humble camera in the shop or the most expensive, so you can see if the ergonomics fits your style of shooting.”So,what does the future hold? Will the camera go the way of the typewriter and the 8-track tape player? Jalali, for one, doesn’t believe that cellular phones are
Adve t sement
Live Life...Pain Free!
Firefly is led by Rachal Lohr, LAc, a renowned authority in the field of acupuncture and integrative medicine, especially when it comes to chronic and seemingly hopeless cases.
Rachal's specialty is treating chronic pain, including rheumatoid conditions autoimmune diseases, neuropathy and fibromyalgia.
She also skillfully layers in other non invasive therapies such as ATP Resonance BioTherapy, O3 ReBoot Therapy and more for amplified and lasting results. Imagine Relief! Imagine increased Energy!
For residents of Loudoun county this is now a reality!
Imagine staff and a community of people that not only understand your condition but can truly Support and Sympathize with You!
Ashburn | Purcell ville
Merhaut said. “Some people are hesitant to come in here because they think we are more expensive or only for professionals, but that’s not true. Manufacturers set the prices, so we charge the same for that new entry-level Canon as Target, but there you won’t get the expertise or follow-up sup port that we provide at no additional cost.”
As was the case with Lisa from Ashburn. After she completed her customized treament plan for her long term neuropathy symptoms
One loyal customer is radio personality Jack Diamond, who hosts The Jack Dia mond Show each morning on 106.9 The
Eagle in Frederick, Md. For 30 years before that, he was a host in Washington at the former WRQX Mix FM 107.3. Diamond is also a herelandscapes.concertpherfessionalsemi-prophotograspecializinginphotosand“Anyonearoundwhoshoots
Visit FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com to learn more and to take advantage of our New Patient Offer
JACK DIAMOND
18 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Our aim is to provide you with pain relieving treatments so that you can get back to LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST!
LOWEST PRICES OF THE SEASON 0%FORFINANCING18MONTHS SEPT 15 – OCT 26
Our emphasis is on complex, difficult to treat conditions and pain!
Ashburn’s Venture X Expands to Fairfax County
“Meet Cow, a kind but confused friend on the farm, who neighs, meows, and cock-a-doodle-dos but hasn't learned how to moo. Is there anyone who can teach him what cows say?” reads the back cover of Whiteman’s book.
You don’t have to convince Jack Diamond.
A
“People think cell phones will take our business, but it’s the opposite,” he said. “About 90% of people who own cell phones would have never bought a cam era, but everyone has to have a phone. This opens a new door, because phones have cameras, leading some to discover a new talent. They eventually want to invest in a better camera with a larger lens, so people often become photographers because of their cell phones.”
Venture X is a national franchise that specializes in flexible workspace and co-working spaces. Members can choose from simple shared desks, private desks or private offices while having the energy and support of a larger office environment. A
Recspert Wins $15,000 Acceleratorin Funds
Recspert is the brainchild of Ashburn resident Katie Cleasby and her co-founder, Dominika Kowalska Bernhart of Eugene, Ore. Their company is a clearing house for solopreneurs and recreation experts (“rec sperts”) such as fitness trainers, lifeguards, health and wellness experts, sports coaches and more. The company’s website helps “recsperts” find new customers and helps clients find the right professionals for their health and fitness goals.
“We’re using [the award] toward building our second version of our website,” Cleasby said. “It will help the company by creating more efficient connections and offering a more user-friendly experience.”
Ashburn Children’sPublishesAuthorFirstBook
AshburnOpensTherapyPhysicalBenchmarkin
A national physical therapy chain has opened its first Loudoun County location. BenchMark Physical Therapy is at 20931 Ashburn Road in Old Ashburn. It offers in-clinic and telehealth options for orthopedic physical therapy.
ever going to replace regular cameras.
and also concussion rehab,” Friday said. “I’m really excited to plant some roots, expand the BenchMark name in Ash burn and help the community.”
MORE BUSINESS BOOM
The owners of the Venture X location in Ashburn are expanding with a new location in Fairfax Coun ty, in Merrifield. Richie and Charissa Parsons have chosen a 28,000-square-foot space near the Mosaic District shopping and dining area. It’s a similar environment to their current location in One Loudoun.
Ashburn-based Recspert participated in a recent Tech Tank event aimed at help ing start-ups grow. And after a final pitch session, the company was awarded second place and a $15,000 prize.
“We set out with a goal of opening several locations in Northern Virginia starting in One Loudoun,” said Richie Parsons. “After being open less than 10 months, our first location is almost at capacity, so we’ve been looking at options for expansion.”
The author has lived in Brambleton since 2015 with her husband and two children. “The Cow that Meowed” is available locally at the Go Bananas toy and bookshop in the Brambleton Town Center. It’s also available online from re tailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target.
Ashburn resident Nicole Whiteman spent downtime during the pandemic working on her first children’s book. It’s called “The Cow that Meowed,” and it was published in May 2021 by Austin Macauley Publishers.
The ofweorthopedics,JesuitfromtherapydoctorFriday,directorcenter’sisCaitlynwhohasaofphysicaldegreeWheelingUniversity.“Wetreatmainlyandalsodoalotreturn-to-sportrehab
BenchMark was founded in 1995 and has more than 300 locations across the country, primarily in the Southeast. The closest locations to Ashburn are in Gainesville and Warrenton.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 2021 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Tech Tank is an accelerator project from Covintus, a Richmond-based software com pany that has pledged $1 million for startup development and support.
Jill Devine is a freelance writer and former magazine editor from Loudoun County who writes for a variety of Virginia publications.
“I would drive for hours in a rainstorm during rush hour to get to Mo’s shop rather than ordering something from Amazon to be delivered the next day,” he said. “That’s how much I value his service and inventory selection.”
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE CALL?
Just typing up her accom plishments is exhausting, so liv ing it must be a wild ride indeed.
BY CHRIS BYFIREHOUSEWADSWORTHPHOTOSHOOTASTRIWEE
CROWN
“For me, it’s always been about the atmo sphere and the camaraderie. There is this family feeling … you truly cannot get any where else other than the fire house. There are people there that are twice my age that
Oh, and she’s the reigning Miss Virginia USA and headed to the famed Miss USA Pageant in Reno, Nevada, in October.
“I always say some of my most meaningful calls are some of the nursing homes that we run. Or the elderly patients that live alone. With the fire service, you only really get to spend maybe 20 minutes to an hour tops with someone. And then I drop them off at the hospital, and I don’t get to know what happens to them next. So some of my favorite memories are just people who oftentimes live alone that I get to make an impact in their life in a short period of time. Some of them are lonely, and I get to interact and talk with them.”
“It’s weird. Growing up, I loved wearing dresses and skirts and putting on makeup, but I always say I have that really good balance. I’m probably the girliest tomboy you will ever meet. On a day-to-day basis, I don’t do my hair, I don’t wear makeup. I’m in work out clothes or scrubs, or jeans and T-shirt. But on the other side of things, I do love putting on makeup. I do love curling my hair and putting on a dress and going out or going
YOU’RE A BEAUTY QUEEN AND A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. SUCH AN UNUSUAL COMBINATION. LET’S START WITH THE FIREFIGHTING. HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?
“EMT class was a little bit tougher for me. I started a week after my 18th birthday … it was three months … and you do that on top of finishing my senior year of high school.
So no one was probably too surprised when – at age 17 and still a student at Broad Run High School – Kailee joined the Ashburn fire department and started working toward be coming an emergency medical technician. She went on to complete fire school as well and now is a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Ashburn alongside her dad and brother.
or Kailee Horvath, 23, helping protect people runs in the family. Her father, Julius, signed on with the Ashburn Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department more than 20 years ago and served as a rescue chief for a time. Her brother, Alex, is a pro fessional firefighter with the city of Fairfax while also volunteering in Ashburn.
Ashburn Magazine interviewed Kailee about everything she has going on and the dichotomy of being both a rough-and-tumble firefighter and an elegant beauty queen. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
WHAT DREW YOU TO IT?
It was all medical – it was all foreign to me. I had never experienced anything like that. Then fire school last year – the testing and quizzes and reading and coursework wasn’t hard. What you don’t get at EMT school is how physical it is. We were there training 20 hours a week. The entire time you are there you are throwing ladders and pulling lines doing hands-on training. That’s the only way you really learn in that kind of field is handson repetition. Very different. So fun – but very very challenging.”
ARE YOU A BIT OF A TOMBOY?
And she’s also a full-time college student studying nursing at Mary mount University in Arlington.
are like family members to me. Age, gender, all of that aside – you get to know people on a really personal level. You spend hours and hours with them and you go through crazy experiences. It truly is one big happy family.”
SHE’S MISS VIRGINIA USA –AND A LOCAL FIRST RESPONDER. MEET ASHBURN’S KAILEE HORVATH.
“I grew up around the firehouse because of my dad. I’d spend my weekends there for pancake breakfasts or open houses. … Then my brother joined when he was in high school. But at that point in my life it wasn’t something I ever saw myself doing. But I got to a point in my life where I was going through what I like to call growing pains. I had to quit dancing. I grew up as a dancer, but I quit due to an injury. I didn’t know what I was going to do next in my life and I felt very stuck. And one night I visited my brother at the firehouse, and it all just seemed like something I wanted to do. So I joined and I fell in love with it.”
YOUNGANDYBYMEDIAREZANATIONBYSERVICEPHOTOGRAPHY A ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 2223 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING OR PREPARATION DID YOU HAVE TO DO?
HOW TOUGH WAS THAT?
IT SEEMS THAT BEAUTY QUEENS MAY NOT LIKE GETTING DIRTY AND BREAKING A SWEAT — THINGS THAT MUST HAPPEN ALL THE TIME RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY.
I’m not just VirginiaMissUSAI’malsoafirefighter/EMTontopofthat.It’stwooppositeendsofthespectrum,ButIalsofeellikeitperfectlyencapsulateswhoIamasaperson. ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 2425 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“Honestly, I hate saying it was shocking be cause when you try for something so hard, you have to believe to some extent that you’re going to win. But it was incredibly exciting. This is something I worked toward for years, and I felt like all my hard work had finally paid off. Pageants are incredibly subjective. It’s not like
“A couple of years ago, back when I was about 17, I was backstage and you’re by yourself. My mom couldn’t come back there. You’re with all the other contestants. I was curling my hair and I accidentally set my curling iron on my lap and I burned this huge mark on my leg right before I had to go out [on stage] in activewear. I had this probably 3-inch mark on my skin. All the girls were so nice. They all had Band-Aids and were so great about helping me. It’s such a weird story. It’s funny when I look back on it, but I still have the scar.”
“My expectations are honestly just to do the best I possibly can. I know that sounds cheesy, but I have been working
to appearances as Miss Virginia. I’ve always been a little bit of both – so it’s nice that I have that luxury to do both sides of it.”
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM A PAGEANT?
TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE PAGEANTS YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN. AND DID YOU TRY FOR MISS USA VIRGINIA BEFORE?
there is a magic formula that will get you to win. You have to deal with maybe not knowing why you didn’t win. Different judges, different days, different wardrobes can all play a role in who wins. It was just cool that all the stars finally aligned.”
“When I was younger, in smaller systems, I won a handful, but nothing super well known. I never won any national titles or anything crazy. It wasn’t until I won Miss Virginia USA back in April that I felt like I won something big. This was my third attempt at Miss Virginia USA. I competed for Miss Virginia Teen USA three times, and this was my third time competing for Miss Virginia USA.”
YOUNGANDYBY MEDIAREZANATIONBY SERVICEPHOTOGRAPHY 26 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
HOW DID IT FEEL WHEN THEY CALLED YOUR NAME?
WHERE DID YOUR INTEREST IN PAGEANTS DEVELOP?
“When I was about 10 years old, my mom stumbled across an advertisement … for a lo cal pageant and I competed, and it kind of just stuck. We jumped around different [pageant] systems and then I started in the Miss USA system when I was 16 as a teen contestant. And I’ve been with that system ever since.”
HOW DO JUDGES OR OTHER CONTESTANTS REACT WHEN THEY HEAR YOU ARE A FIREFIGHTER? DO YOU THINK IT HELPS YOU STAND OUT?
“It’s caught a lot of attention. People have always been like, ‘Whoa.’ It definitely makes someone stop and take a second look because it is so uncommon. I do think that the one thing that describes me pretty well is that I’m not just Miss Virginia USA. I’m also a firefighter/EMT on top of that. It’s two opposite ends of the spectrum, but I also feel like it perfectly encapsulates who I am as a person. [There are] people who just don’t believe me, but [I tell them], ‘I have pictures to prove it. I promise.’”
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE MISS USA PAGEANT (OCT. 3 AT THE GRAND SIERRA RESORT AND CASINO IN RENO)?
(Far left) Horvath after winning the Miss Virginia USA title in April, and at pageants in 2009 (red dress) and in 2011 (teal dress).
(Top) brother,Julius,withHorvathAVFRD.trainingHorvathwiththe(Left)asachild,herfather,andherAlex.
“I’ve always said if there is one thing that I have learned from both pageants and the fire service, it’s perseverance. I’ve learned that not everything is going to come easy to you. You’re not going to succeed at everything on the very first try – and that’s OK. It’s how many times you pick yourself up and try again and keep trying. It’s that tenacity that I think I will carry with me in my nursing career and everything else that I one day do.” A Horvath spends
IS THERE A PARTICULAR TYPE OF NURSING YOU PLAN TO FOCUS ON?
Sunday
“I’m not sure yet, but I would love to do pediatrics or work in an ER.”
Hours of Operation Friday: 7 AM - 7 PM 8 AM 3 PM (boarder up only): 5 PM 7
Saturday:
WHAT DOES YOUR FUTURE HOLD?
PM Preventive & Diagnostic Medicine • Surgery & Dentistry • Obedience Classes • Boarding • Doggie Daycare • Professional Grooming 703.723.1017 42902 Waxpoo Road Ashburn, Virginia 20148 www.streamvalleyvet.com @streamval eyvet Sweater Weather is Always Better With Healthy Pets! ~Visit us at Stream Valley Vet ~ L stening troubles? We ll "Better the Bond" by helping so ve any behav or issues B e h a v i o r C o n s u l t a t i o n s Furry, feathered or scaled pet not feel ng wel ? We w ll be the r doctor too E x o t i c C a r e "All pets deserve Concierge Care. We have been the other family doctor for many local families spanning 20 years! We strive to ensure that your best friend enjoys a long and comfortable life with your family." - Mary A. Corey, D.V.M. Fol ow us! Pet emergency? Let us triage and treat or stabilize! E m e r g e n c i e s ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 2829 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“I’ve always said you can’t really get any bigger than the Miss USA or the Miss America stage. So Miss Virginia USA will probably be it for me … unless I were to win [Miss USA] and go on to compete for Miss Universe. It’s sad and it’s a little bittersweet; I’ve been doing this for over 10 years. I would love to volunteer [with pageants] in my free time if I still can, and I’m really just looking forward to starting my career in nursing.”
As an EMT,
time with otheraboutteachingchildrenthemCPRandlifesavingtechniques.November 5 th & 6 th FREE A DMISSION! PLAN YOUR TRIP AHEAD More than 40 Studios and Galleries j u s t a f e w f e e t a w a y
HOW DO YOU THINK FIREFIGHTING AND PAGEANTS WILL HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS?
Monday -
toward Miss Virginia USA and getting to compete at Miss USA for my whole life, it feels like. It truly is a dream to get to compete against so many amazing women of that caliber. They sent us on a little retreat back in June … so I’ve already met all the other 50 women I will be competing against. We talk every day. These women are so amazing. I just hope that I can stand out and I can show who I truly am. As long as I put everything that I have out there, I will be proud of myself.”
pick
-
Servicing Ashburn X XBusiness Directory K4 12th www.FairfaxChristianSchool.comGrade703-759-5100 #1 Private High School in Loudoun County Give your child a competitive advantage! Dulles Campus near the intersection of Route 28 & 606 PRIVATE SCHOOL FALL DANCE CLASSESFALLFALL DANCE CLASSES BALLET • JAZZ • CONTEMPORARY • TAP • HIP HOP • ACRO Ashburn South Riding Creative Dance Center DANCE STUDIO 7 0 3 - 8 4 0 - 2 1 7 75 0 3 - 8 4 0 - 2 1 7 5 HVAC MOVING COMPANY Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 700 Fieldstone Drive, Leesburg, VA 20176 DONATE to the Home goods, furniture, appliances and building supplies. Free pick-up of large items. Schedule online at loudounrestore.org or call 571 919 6330. DONATE / THRIFT STORE 22455 Lindsay Cars Court Ste lindsayvw.com sales@lindsa #1 CPO in the US AUTOMOTIVE Go www.SimplyDeclutteredHome.com/contactto:Readytogetyourhomeorganized?Contactusforachancetowin2 FREE hours of our services (a $240 value!) 703.932.7849 with a minimum booking of 4 hours PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS HOME COLOR EXPERTS ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY LAWN CARE TITLE COMPANY REAL ESTATE Ashburn MAGAZINE 703-727-1321 todayjharbin@AshburnMagazine.comorfordetailsandtoreserveyourspace Your Business Card Ad Can Go Here For Only $59 Call us today, Exclusive Category, printed in 16,000 magazines. NOW ENROLLING Infants • Toddlers • Preschool • Before & After Care 703.879.2452 | celebree.com 43800 Clemens Terrace, Ashburn, VA 20147 PRE SCHOOL / CHILDCARE My specialty is Active Adult Communities. Let me help you "right size" your lifestyle! Walter Sobie Office: 703-724-9494 Cell: longandfoster.com/WalterSobiewalt.realestate@gmail.com703-989-4705 Ashburn Sales 20396 Exchange Street Ashburn, VA 20147 ACTIVE ADULT SENIOR SPECIALIST
ne of the oldest living things in Ashburn is dying.
This mighty oak – fighting to live after surviving since at least the 1700s – is just one example of the living history in the trees all around us.
So far, the beetle is winning, but the fight isn’t over.
But because it is a soft-wooded tree, experts say, it is more likely to be blown apart in a strong wind or fall down from the weight of snow. They also say the many Bradford Pears in Ashburn are no friend to local wildlife – supporting relatively few birds and animals when compared with our na tive white oaks. A white oak can serve well over 450 species.
LivingHistory
(Backround Photo) The branches on one of Ashburn's oldest trees — a white oak off Gardengate Circle — reach for the sky. (Above) The delicate leaves on a the historic red mulberry tree along the W&OD Trail.
While some big trees – the types of granddaddies mentioned above – still loom in plain sight around Ashburn, arborist Jim Martin says there pri marily are two kinds of trees in our community.“Youusually find older trees that have been here for about 50 years, and non-natives put in by develop ers and homeowners,” said Martin, co-owner of Growing Earth Tree Care, an Ashburn-based tree com pany.Sadly, those non-natives can cause a lot of problems.
BY BILL KENT PHOTOS BY ASTRI WEE
Take, for example, the Bradford Pear. Bred in China, it was approved as an ornamental tree by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over 50 years ago. That was just in time for the building boom that started in Ash burn in the 1980s. The Bradford Pear was one of several favorites of housing developers here because it grows rap idly and has a white, sweet-smelling spring bloom.
There’s a towering buckeye near the Windmill Drive swimming pool in Ashburn Farm, one of its low-hanging limbs wrapped in yellow caution tape so passersby don’t bump into it. And a spectacular red mulberry off the W&OD trail sits next to the Ashburn Veterinary Hospital, with chickens pecking around on the ground below. These are just some of the local exam ples among the more than 1,500 trees on the Virginia Big Trees Registry.
O
The good news is that the 75-foot-tall, 300-year-old white oak that stands in the small recreation area off Ashburn Farm’s Gardengate Circle is taking its time.
The registry was started in 1970
and is run by Virginia Tech’s Depart ment of Forest Resources and Envi ronmental Conservation. Its mission is “to increase the care and apprecia tion of all trees – big and small – and educate the Commonwealth about the value of trees and forests.”
areas will grow stronger and, possi bly, resist the oak borer beetle that is trying to kill it.
Acorns, big rocks and a lone feather from a bird cover the ground around its massive trunk. Look up and you’ll see a wire going down its side that is intended to protect it from lightning strikes. Several large branches have been cut off, as part of the homeown ers association’s plan to trim back dead wood with the hope that living
Many of the HOAs in the area
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 3233 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Ashburn’s trees tell a nature-focusedstoryofourcommunity
But a few wooden structures from that era can still be found in the area.
One example is at One Loudoun in the community’s Central Park off Russell Branch Parkway.
Yep – a supposed lightning strike setting an ash tree afire led to the name “Ashburn.” Despite the tale being widely retold, local historians say it is most likely not true.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 3435 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Dr. Misty Paul Dr. Tanya Pederson
WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS Therapies Offered ••ChiropracticElectricMuscle Stim ••UltrasoundHighPowered Laser •Massage/Traction Table •Trigger Point Therapy with Cupping & Hypervolt Massager Treating back & neck pain, headaches, sciatica, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel, and so much more! Pregnancy Related care and treatment of Infants, Toddlers, and Children of all ages! Call To Schedule Your New Patient Consultation Regularly $100 – Includes consult, exam, posture scan, and assessment outlining your best course of treatment
Circling back to our communi ty’s history, the ash tree is the very species that, according to legend, in spired local landowner (and Virginia Del.) John Janney to name our town.
are correcting these mistakes from before they took over their commu nities. Jason Mello, who serves on the Ashburn Village HOA board, says his community has made native flora a priority.“Inthe last two years, Ashburn Village has planted over 300 native trees and plants in an effort to replace a large number [of non-natives] that have died due to disease or storm damage,” Mello said.
Nothing remains of Janney’s home, which used to stand near Ashburn Lake off Ashburn Village Boulevard.
Regardless of age, any tree can be susceptible to the occasional blights. Like the oak borer, the emerald ash borer is another dangerous pest. A beetle native to Asia, it has forced ar borists to cut down more than 1,000 ash trees locally in the past five years.
(Far left) Looking up into the 300-yearold white oak, one can see its thick, knotty branches. (Left) A Ashburn.swimmingthebuckeyetoweringtreenearWindmillDrivepoolin
"This mighty oak fighting– to live after surviving since at least the 1700s..."
HealingEvenMeditationt
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and
The Gambler Returns: KennyTributeRogers
American$22/personIcon.
36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132
$8/person
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm
HealingEvenMeditationt
Halloween Sun.,Spooktacular!LaserOct.307pm
Special Events
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm Chopra certified meditation and Ayurveda instructor, Satira Davis, leads this community meditation event
Music
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and more!
They used lumber from local oaks that are in the same family as the 300-year-old oak along Gardengate Circle in Ashburn Farm – a bit of coming full circle – taking something old to make something new again. A
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm Visual Arts
Halloween Sun.,Spooktacular!LaserOct.307pm
Halloween Sun.,Spooktacular!LaserOct.307pm
A sign near a red barn in the park identifies it as once belonging to Charles Harris, an African-American farmer. Harris built the barn in 1875 from lumber cut from yellow pine trees growing on his Shellhorn Road farm. For more than a century, the barn stood near what is now an elec tric power substation near the Dulles Greenway.In2007, One Loudoun’s developers wanted a focal point for their new res idential and retail community. They bought the barn and had historic preservation expert Allen Cochran help take it down, restore it and rebuild it to current standards. The work took seven years.
About Senior Living at Ashby Ponds
(Far left) The sun shines through the branches of the white oak on Gardengate Circle. (Left) A close-up look at the bark on one of Ashburn's oldest red mulberry trees.
More silly than scary featuring brilliant laser animations set to music. $8/person
View 2 hours of and vote for your film and$8/personfavorite
HealingEvenMeditationt
More silly than scary featuring brilliant laser animations set to music. $8/person
Family Programs
Take a musical journey through the career of an American$22/personIcon.
540franklinparkartscenter.org/Fall22Tickets:-338-7973
View 2 hours of short films and vote for your favorite film and favorite actor!
Sept.MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestival293010am&7pm
Special Events HealingEvenMeditationt
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 3637 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Family Programs
Family Programs
Sat., Oct. 29 7:30pm
Order your FREE brochure today!
Call 1-800-981-9329 or visit us at AshbyPonds.com
More silly than scary featuring brilliant laser animations set to music.
36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132
Family Programs
Sept.MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestival29-3010am&7pm
Halloween Sun.,Spooktacular!LaserOct.307pm
431029
36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132
Sat., Oct. 29 7:30pm
It’s never been easier to Get the Facts
540 338 7973
540franklinparkartscenter.org/Fall22Tickets:-338-7973
FREE Visual Arts
franklinparkartscenter.org/Fall22Tickets:-338-7973
Chopra certified meditation and Ayurveda instructor, Satira Davis, leads this community meditation event
The Gambler Returns: KennyTributeRogers
Sat., Oct. 29 7:30pm
Bill Kent is a prolific writer and author whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, the Philadelphia In quirer, Kirkus Reviews and elsewhere.
Take a musical journey through the career of an American$22/personIcon.
The Gambler Returns: KennyTributeRogers
The Gambler Returns: KennyTributeRogers
36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA
Sat., Oct. 29 7:30pm
FREE
Special Events
$8/person
Special Events HealingEvenMeditationt
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and more!
MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestival
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm
Modern building codes are part of the reason it took so long, said Cochran – who also restored the LeFevre stone farmhouse in Broad land’s Hillside Park. “We needed to make it code compliant,” he ex plained. “Working with an engineer, we couldn’t make the original pine timbers meet the required specs, so we had to move to a stronger wood.” What did Cochran and his team choose? Oak.
Order your FREE brochure to discover all the amazing benefits of Ashby Ponds, Ashburn’s premier senior living community. It’s packed with over 40 pages of information about apartment homes, amenities, financial value, and more.
View 2 hours of short films and vote for your favorite film and favorite actor!
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and more!
Sun., Sept. 25 3pm
FREE Visual Arts
FREE Visual Arts
$8/person
More silly than scary featuring brilliant laser animations set to music.
540franklinparkartscenter.org/Fall22Tickets:-338-7973
Sept.MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestival293010am&7pm
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and more!
Family Programs
Chopra certified meditation and Ayurveda instructor, Satira Davis, leads this community meditation event.
Music
Chopra certified meditation and Ayurveda instructor, Satira Davis, leads this community meditation event
Take a musical journey through the career of an American$22/personIcon.
Ashburn, AshbyPonds.comVA
Music
Music for Dessert, Puppet shows, Planetarium, Haunted Trail, Bob Ross Workshop and more!
540franklinparkartscenter.org/Fall22Tickets:-338-7973
Special Events
$8/person
Special Events HealingEvenMeditationt
Visual Arts
$8/person Music
FREE Visual Arts
HalloweenSpooktacular!Sun.,Oct.30
Chopra certified meditation and Ayurveda instructor, Satira Davis, leads this community meditation event
Sept.MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestiva29-3010am
Sat., Oct. 29 7:30pm
Take a musical journey through the career of an American$22/personIcon.
Sept.MANHATTANSHORTFilmFestival29-3010am&7pm
$8/person
View 2 hours of short films and vote for your favorite film and favorite actor! $8/person
Music
36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132
More silly than featuring animationsbrilliantset$8/person
The Gambler Returns: KennyTributeRogers
Take a musical journey through the career of an American$22/personIcon.
View 2 hours of short films and vote for your favorite film and favorite actor!
We“diary.”setthe
“We had dozens of positive encounters with strangers on this trip – even offers of a bottle of water or words of encourage ment – that convinced us that people are kind and good,” John Dickson said. “Sure, there are a few bad apples around, but 99% of the folks you meet are good people.”
Ashburn couple bikes from the Mexican border to the Canadian border
alarm
for 4 a.m. in order to make it to Horca, Colo., where we had heard about a food truck – the only food source in town – that was open until 5 p.m. The very rough, rocky New Mexico Jeep trails that day made for some very slow miles, including pushing our bikes – “hike-a-bike” –through the worst of it.
pedal one more mile even if it were flat. But no matter how discouraged we were, the only option we had was to follow his direc tions back to the Elk Creek Campground. So, we pedaled back, found the camp ground, used the privy and disposed of a day's worth of trash while hungrily sniffing the burgers some other campers were grilling. We were just about to pay $30 for a tent site at the campground when the guy from the RV park pulled up in his little car. His name was Patrick, and he said he rode over to check on us and to ask if we would like to stay in his travel trailer next to his cabin back at the RV park. “After you left, I just couldn’t get you out of my heart,” he said. The flushing toilet, hot shower and queen bed were luxurious.
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
Scenes from the Dicksons' big adventure including (left to right) fording a steam south of Steamboat Springs, Colo.; a dilapidated cabin where they took a break in New Mexico; and crossing a long, open plain north of Pie Town, N.M. (Bottom) At the Rainy Lake Campground near Ovando, Mont.
With drinking water the limiting factor, we would have to cover the distance in two very long days. We figured since it was flat – if the infamous headwinds weren't too strong, we could do it.
No houses, no services, no cars passing by and only one source of water – a creek about halfway through the basin. Nothing but wind, sky, rocks and a few wild horses. Not even a tree for shade.
Day one, we made 72 miles, the highest daily mileage of the 1,200 miles we had ridden thus far. Feeling pretty confident, we looked at the rocky, uneven ground for an open, flat spot to set up the tent in the dry sand. It hadn’t rained in two months. The wind started to pick up and the sky
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 3839 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Shauna, 67, a retired schoolteacher, and John, 66, a former construction engineer, have made bike riding a major part of their lives – on trips and around Ashburn. The duo shared some of their favorite memories from the cross-country trip with Ashburn Magazine. Here are excerpts from their
A couple of fit-as-a-fiddle retirees, they rode 2,500 miles of the route from May to July 2021 in an epic journey that included 53 days of riding (plus eight days off), averaging 50 miles a day with 22 nights in a tent, 19 nights in a hotel and 10 nights in other places, like hostels, churches and once even a shipping container. They couldn’t go farther than the Canadian bor der due to pandemic restrictions.
Riders climb a total of 150,000 feet of hills and mountains over the course of the trail. It would be daunting for a person of any age, but don’t tell that to Shauna and John Dickson of Ashburn’s Potomac Farms neighborhood.
Crossing TheGreat Basin
he Great Divide Mountain Bike Route runs roughly 2,750 miles from the Mexico border to Banff, Alberta, in Canada. Along the way, bikers pass through New Mexico, Colorado, Wy oming, Idaho and Montana.
Crossing the highest point on the 2,500-mile route – Indiana Pass at 11,900 feet – didn’t speed things up ei ther. At 4:45 p.m., we were still 11 miles away with the 10,200-foot-high Manga Pass between us and the food truck. We could call it a day and camp but, hoping against hope that food would still be available, Shauna said we were going for it. Of course, the food truck was long gone by the time we arrived in Horca at 6 p.m. We were hungry, very tired, and after thinking about good food for dinner all day, not in the mood to cook our trail food of mashed potatoes. We also had no plan for a campsite that night.
As we entered the 132-mile stretch of the Great Basin on the Wyoming plains, we were fully aware of the challenges ahead.
TIME OF OUR LIVES FEATURE
TheGift
But, hey, even in a small town like Horca (population 153), it shouldn't be hard to find a place to pitch our tent. I spied an RV park, which is usually a good place to find a camp site. We rode into the RV park and stopped next to a man sitting in a small utility vehicle. I asked where the RV park office was so we could pitch our tent for the night. He said that all these RVs were on individual private lots, but that there was a state camp ground a mile back from where we had just come. Uphill. My head dropped and my heart sank as we were not sure where we would find the mental or physical energy to
KeepRollingonT
The winds increased in strength, the lightning crashed and the thunder roared. We huddled as the tent bent sideways over us like it never had before – and we had been in plenty of other storms in that tent. Our concern that the tent poles would break at any moment or that the tent fabric would rip just about brought us to tears.
got dark so we grabbed whatever we could off the bikes and retreated to the tent and zipped it tight.
Takeaway: You can do much harder things than you think you can.
Eventually the winds slowed, and we ate a cold, unsatisfying “dinner” of granola bars while the rain continued. We fell asleep in a puddle of water that covered the entire space of the tent floor. All that rain that hadn’t come in two months fell on us in that one night and continued into the next morning.
At dawn, we ate a few cold items from our food bags and started off in the rain. Ten miles later, we came to a dead stop. The rain was end ing, but now the wet dirt had turned to a peanut butter-like mud that collected so thickly on our tires that they couldn’t rotate. We got short pieces of sagebrush to scrape the mud off the tires then tried walking the bikes, but the mud became so thick on our shoes – big and clunky like Frankenstein’s monster shoes – that we couldn’t even walk. All we could do was sit and wait for the wind and sun to dry out the road.
(Above) The Dicksons pause at the 11,481-foot high Boreas Pass on the Continental Divide. (Above right) Shauna Dickson peddles along a lakeshore at Red Meadow Pass in northern Montana on the second to last day of their journey.
A few miles later, a white box-shaped object appeared in the distance. Shauna was thinking maybe we could get out of the wind and rain by getting on the non-windy side. As we got closer, we could see it was a 40x8 steel shipping container parked at a vacant corral. We stopped, just as the pouring rain started. Lo and behold, one end was unlocked, so we opened it up to see it was completely empty, except for a couple bags of cattle feed, a pallet and a broom. Otherwise, it was as clean as could be. We hauled the bikes inside
John: “Better stop and get the tent up. We’re about to get hammered.” Shauna: “Let’s push on – maybe we’ll see some shelter.”
Quickly stopping, we immedi ately became concerned when the bear stood up on hind legs and started toward us.
TheContainerShipping
as we listened to the rain fall. Even though it was only 4 p.m., we decided this was a good time to cook our dinner of mashed potatoes as we waited out the storm and wondered if the rancher who owned the corral would come by to kick us out.
BearsThe
But, Shauna, not one to sit around, suggested we try walking on and rolling our bikes over the shorter growths of sagebrush near the road. Success!
Crossed the Idaho/Montana border on the 4th of July. Cycled through 47 miles of isolated, desolate expanse. Nothing to see but open range with mountains all around in the distance. Wind started blowing. Dark skies headed our way.
As we pedaled through Montana, the last state of the Great Divide Mountain Biking Route, our concern for bears was heightened since a few days prior, a female cyclist sleeping in her tent behind the post office in Ovando, Mont., had been killed by a Asgrizzly.werounded a bend on a dirt road one afternoon, about 60 yards away, was a big black bear.
Post dinner, we realized we didn't know if we could find a place to stay in Lima, Mont. – roughly 30 miles away – since we would get there so late on a holiday and would risk riding in the dark. Instead, we rolled out the sleeping bags right there in the shipping container – no need to put up the tent. We fell asleep by 6:30 p.m. while the rain pitter-pattered all night long. Heard one car roll by, but no one stopped to check out the trespassers. Proving once again, in spite of challenges, things usually work out.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 4041 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Eventually, the road became passable. By the afternoon, we were still only halfway to our needed mileage of 60 miles to make it out of the Great Basin and into the civilization of Atlantic City, Wyo. We arrived at 7:30 p.m. – muddy, tired, and hungry – at a cabin that a nice couple rents to bikers. We were more than grateful for the chili and cornbread they offered us, which gave us the suste nance needed to spend the next three hours cleaning up and spreading out all our gear and belongings around the wood stove to dry out in preparation to ride the next day.
Shauna’s thoughts were to get a picture, so she steadied her phone camera. John’s only thought was to grab the bear spray – we had read plenty of ac counts of bikers meeting up with bears, so he was prepared and excited to really use the spray that had been carried on each of ourAdrenalinehandlebars.was pumping. John unhinged the safety catch from the spray and had it at the ready, then looked up again at the bear. She was still walking toward us. We knew that a bear would not approach a human unless something was amiss. Just at the moment John was about to shoot off the spray, a cub broke out of the bushes next to the road and joined up with mama. Aha! Just a mama bear bluffing to protect herWecub.carefully watched and waited as both mom and cub crossed the road and disap peared into the woods. Eventu ally, we timidly rode on – right past the spot where they had en tered the trees, hoping the bears were not lying in wait for us. We were happy to be prepared for the worst, but happier not to have to face the worst. A
Poof!
PHOTOGRAPHYSUGARHOUSE/BLUELAVELLE
WINE & DINE FEATURE
And it must be working because he and his wife, Jenny, sell so many beignets that they are about to open their first bakery café right in the heart of Ashburn.
(Below) The Bilstad family — Jenny, Harper, 6, Greta, 4, and Scott.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 4243 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“I’ve walked our neighborhood 800 times – it’s two square blocks. And I can’t watch anymore Disney Jr.,” Jenny recalled Scott saying. “I’ve got to cook.”
“P “Pillow“Pillowy.”oofy.”poofiness.”
tobringsthebornBusinessfrompandemicbeignetsAshburn
“We do a 12-hour proof,” he said. “We let the dough proof overnight so it can leaven and so you get that nice pillow poofiness.”
While doughnuts may be quintessentially American, Scott knew from experience that beignets usually sold better. And he knew how to make them. So, in April 2020, the Bilstads, who live in Purcellville, put up a post on their neighborhood Facebook page to see whether anyone was interested. They expect ed maybe 10 people to respond. Instead, they got 75 orders for beignets the first day. The couple started taking orders and customers would swing by and pick them up. Word spread, it got shared on social me dia and less than a month later they had sold 4,500 of the powdered pastries.
These are some of the words Scott Bils tad comes up with as he tries to describe his signature beignets. His secret ingredient: time – letting the dough proof, or rest, longer than a typical baker might.
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
Scott had been furloughed from his job with U.S. Foods. The Navy veteran and longtime executive chef was champing at the bit for something to do besides spend all day with the couple’s two young children.
It’s been a winding road for Bilstad’s Beig nets, which will be at 20937 Ashburn Road, Suite 150 – likely opening in September. The purveyor of the famous puffed French pastry – pronounced “ben-yay” – got its start back in the depths of the pandemic.
your beignet in. The starting line-up of dippers will include fudgy chocolate, straw berry cardamom, wild blueberry, bourbon caramel and vanilla mango.
The menu at Bilstad’s will be exceedingly simple. Beignets. Hot and cold brew coffee. And dippers – flavor cups you can dunk
“We did a pumpkin beignet around October. We did a gingerbread beignet in December,” he said. “We did a peanut butter fluff-filled beignet – the fluffernutter.”
Leslie Recinos, who lives in Ashburn’s Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood, is a friend of the Bilstads but wasn’t a natural customer for them.
Sommer admits folks thought it was funny to sell sugary beignets to raise money for diabetes research, but she is nevertheless thrilled about the new café.
Soon they were doing pop-up stands at wineries and breweries – business was booming.“Westarted doing grab bags, three beig nets in a bag,” Jenny said with a laugh. “You can take those and eat those in the car, and no one will know you had any. So, people would do that while they were driving a dozen home to their family.”
“Even better – share a beignet with a friend. It’s half the calories and twice the fun.” A
Roe Sommer, a resident of Ashburn Farm and local real estate agent, teamed up with the Bilstads for a fundraiser to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a condition that has affected both families.
PHOTOGRAPHYSUGARHOUSE/BLUELAVELLE 44 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“A bad day or a great day – a cup of coffee and a beignet will warm you up,” Jenny said.
“They are absolutely scrumptious. They melt in your mouth,” Sommer said. “Jenny and Scott are great people and I’m really ex cited about them coming to Ashburn. They will be right around the corner, and we can get beignets whenever we want.”
Jenny, who also has extensive experience in restaurants, continues to work at Fortessa, a major restaurant supply company based in Ashburn. But she will be handling the business side of Bilstad’s Beignets.
“I am not a sweets person at all,” Recinos said. “I like more salty and savory. But their beignets are my one go-to treat. They are the perfect amount of sweet, and I love how fresh they Eventually,are.”Jenny and Scott realized they had to get out of their house and into a ded icated kitchen. Thus, the birth of Bilstad’s Beignets brick-and-mortar café in Ashburn. With his culinary background, Scott is handling all the beignet prep and baking.
And the hope is that guests will come in, perhaps with a friend, sit at one of the café’s small tables and just have a respite from the busyness of life.
(Above) The Bilstad family sprinkles powdered sugar on some fresh beignets. (Right) A pop-up stand displaying Bilstad's beignets and dipping sauces.
That increased availability is one of the things the Bilstads are counting on. Before, people had to place orders and arrange pick-ups. Now Wednesdays through Sun days, the café will be open, and people can stop by on their own schedule.
Scott also says to look for flavored and filled beignets soon. They’ve already done some experimenting to great success.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 4647 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Ashburn’s TEN
T
TOP
The number of new listings also fell in July after several months of gains. They were down 32.6% in the 20148 Zip code and 39.4% in the 20147 Zip code. Prices continued to soar, especially in the 20148 Zip code, where the median sales price rose 19.9% to $815,000. In the 20147 Zip code, sales prices rose just 0.3% to $627,000.
“While we’re still looking at a seller’s market, there’s no doubt it’s continuing to soften and become a more even playing field here in Loudoun County,” said DAAR President Rich Blessing.
he real estate market continued to slow down this summer, according to data from the Dulles Area Association of Realtors. Across Loudoun County, the number of home sales that closed in July dropped 37% from the prior year. In Ashburn, sales fell 50.6% in the 20148 Zip code and 16% in the 20147 Zip code – the smallest decline of any Zip code in the county.
REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP 20147 20148 23026 WELBOURNE WALK COURT 6,2354½4Sold:$1,900,000July15bedroomsbathroomssquare feet 43160 UNISON KNOLL COURT 7,1625½+5Sold:$1,850,000June24bedroomsbathroomssquarefeet 23515 BENTLEY GROVE PLACE 7,7455½6Sold:$1,800,000Aug.11bedroomsbathroomssquarefeet 23104 BACKCOUNTRY COURT 7,6806½5Sold:$1,750,000July22bedroomsbathroomssquare feet 42734 MIRROR POND PLACE 8,0835½6Sold:$1,725,000July1bedroomsbathroomssquare feet 43582 OLD KINDERHOOK DRIVE 8,1806½5Sold:$2,395,000July5bedroomsbathroomssquarefeet 21242 WINDMILL DRIVE 8,7736½8Sold:$1,750,000Aug.15bedroomsbathroomssquare feet 43412 BLANTYRE COURT 6,2644½4Sold:$1,530,000July18bedroomsbathroomssquarefeet 44662 BRUSHTON TERRACE 4,2423½4Sold:$1,500,000June29bedroomsbathroomssquare feet 43641 WINTHROP COURT 4,5263½4Sold:$1,275,000July1bedroomsbathroomssquare feet
The average number of days on market for homes that sold was 14, or two weeks, in both Ashburn Zip codes. That’s much faster than historic averages, but slower than in recent months.
Highlighted below are the five highest-priced homes that sold in each of Ashburn’s two Zip codes between mid-June and mid-August, along with the sales price and other key informa tion. Data and photos from Realtor.com. A
Ashburn Magazine told you about the history of the barn and the plans for its future back in our March/April 2022 issue. Now, those plans are coming to fruition as construction has started.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 4849 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
anduniqueunderwayconstructionshot(Bottom)willcommunityBrambletonofartist'sbarn.onrecentlyConstructionstartedtheBrambleton(Left)Anrenderingwhatthefinishedbarncenterlooklike.Aninteriorshowingandthearchedroofbeams.
Work Underway on Turning Brambleton Barn Into CommunityNewCenterT
www.astriwee.com photography@astriwee.com
Brambleton community also shared a work-in-progress photo of the interior with the arched ceiling and tall curv ingThebeams.barn was built in the gothic or gothic-arch style, named for the shape of its roof. The four metal cupolas on the roof – actually part of the original ventilation system – have been re moved but, according to the render ing, will eventually be reinstalled.
There were also originally two silos next to the barn, but one had to be torn down due to safety concerns.
For more information, please call 703-318-1386 Spotlighting people, places and businesses that make our community special. Local ews.RegionalReach. Exceed Expectations! ning FREETODAYtime Cleaning—Move Monthly...or culpepertimes.com June 2019 widely newspape CRIhosts3rdThursdayconcert downtowntonight! WHAT’S HAPPENING FREE! figuresoutsreleased: rappnews.com omeschoolingcourse,” sincenearlyHomeschoolingdoubles2014 remains historic MYSTERY OF CLOVER HILL Station Plaza become mixed-use development after $19.1M sale T Changes in store for county board INSIDE: Elections result least four new supervisors RUGBY GOLDEN MARI SUPER featuresuniqueplannedbackyard. PARKS issue!INTRODUCINGASHBURNMAGAZINE premiere WATER Stafford MAGAZINE HonoringApprenticeshipsEmbracingLIFESTYLEWARRENTON PetAnnualIssue! Fauquier County, out HAYMARKET/GAINESVILLELIFESTYLE FEBRUARY DukeMeet Your Cutest AROUND TOWN An Album of Ashburn-Area Events.
(Top)
Both the interior and exterior are being completely made over. You can get an idea of what the finished project will look like from the artist’s render ing on this Meanwhile,page.the developers of the
he historic Brambleton barn at the corner of Belmont Ridge Road and Evergreen Mills Road is getting a major makeover into a charming community center. When finished, it will host community events, weddings, concerts, private parties – even church services.
There’s no firm date on when the project will be finished and the com munity center will open, but right now, plans call for it to likely open sometime in late 2023. A
That’s according to Jon Hickox, the founder of Old Farm. He knows a thing or two about running a winery because he also owns The Winery at Bull Run, a popular venue that also sits on historic land, in Centreville.
The Harrises heard about Old Farm on social media shortly after it officially opened in October 2021. They decided to check it out. They were impressed by how complete it was for a new winery – food trucks, live music and, of course, a variety of wines. “I liked the Chardonnay and the rosé,” Dan Harris said.
“[Old Farm] was, in many ways, a com ing-home of sorts,” Hickox said of his latest project. The site, off Fleetwood Road near the banks of the Broad Run, is steeped in Loudoun history and fox-hunting history. It
Guests(Above)at Old Farm Winery at DelaneyLillyhiswife,Hickoxlawn.property'sgatherHartlandonthelarge(Left)JonwithhisKim,anddaughters,(left)and(right).
LOCAL ADVENTURES
Aptly named, Old Farm Winery sits on a 35-acre property in Aldie that can be traced to the 1700s – including a house that dates to the 1800s, based on its con struction, and an older barn that stretches to the late 1700s or early 1800s.
CountryinWineHunt
Even for residents in Lansdowne and the Route 7 corridor, it’s just a 20-minute drive.
ine minutes. That’s the approxi mate drive time from Bramble ton to the new Old Farm Winery at Hartland, just southwest of Ashburn.
N
BY KAITLIN HILL
In the mid-1900s, the property was purchased by Randy Rouse, joint master of foxhounds for 55 years for the
A history buff, Hickox found a variety of arti facts that helped determine the age of the farm.
also has personal significance to Hickox, who worked and hunted in the area as a teenager.
“I metal-detected the area… and the first thing I found was a candlestick holder. They must have gone down with a candle in hand, knocked the candle over, it burned out and there it lay for 250 years or so,” he said. “Then I found a coin that goes back to 1800 on the dot.” Hickox also found Colo nial-style shoe buckles and tombac buttons, a flat-type button common on clothes in centuries past.
“My wife and I love going to try different wineries in the area, especially ones that are close to us in Ashburn,” said real estate agent Dan Harris, who lives in the Broadlands with his wife, Stephanie, and their two children.
An old farm near Ashburn becomes the area’s latest winery and vineyard
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 5051 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
“Nine different offerings for wine is a strong starting lineup. And it covers a spec trum,” Hickox said.
“The Kennedys and multiple presidents had been out there,” Hickox said.
20702 Ashburn Road @carolinabrothersbarbecuecarolinabrothers.com703-729-7070 Visit Call Check for updated hours,andspecials,events! CarolinaBBQBrothers . Weddings . Corporate . Birthdays . Tailgates Call or visit today to schedule your catered holiday event! Holiday DecorationDesign & Installation InstallationDesignDecorationHoliday& Serving Fairfax & Loudoun Counties Since 1984 Call (703)-848-0713 or Visit Khlandscaping.com For Your Free Estimate Today! Call (703)-849-0713 or Visit Khlandscaping.com For More Information! Book Today! K&H does it all... design, purchase, installation, removal, and storage of all your decorations and lights.
“I know what I need. In terms of infra structure, you have to put in the power, the gas lines, the Fios lines, the sewer and the water. It’s like a little town. But that is the way it’s set up for success,” he said.
Like at Bull Run, a wine club has been launched with curated wines to honor Old Farm’s hunt country past. Hickox plans to eventually offer tours of the facility and the vineyard – those will hopefully start this coming spring.
There were unique challenges too, mostly pertaining to the historic structures Hickox was determined to save. “There was termite damage [to the farmhouse] that went all the way up to the second story, which is just unheard of,” he said. “So, walls had to be rebuilt and stabilized because structurally it wanted to fall over tomorrow.”
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 5253 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Now, decades later, Hickox says he felt drawn to the area and a strong desire to “preserve it and share it with others.” His experience building The Winery at Bull Run helped greatly.
Loudoun-Fairfax Hunt. During this period, the farm enjoyed its share of famous visitors.
For Hickox, honoring the original house meant matching the original materials. He worked with a mill in Front Royal to replicate the original Dutch siding, and he replaced windows with new but historically consistent styles, plus the old metal roof was saved.
The interior and porch have been reno vated into event space, and the old farm house is now known as Longfield Manor. Outside, guests can enjoy the Old Farm Winery experience on the sprawling lawn, dotted with picnic tables and a sleek openairGuestsbar. can celebrate the land’s fox-hunt ing history with a bottle of 2020 Tallyho, a crisp blend of Vidal Blanc, Traminette and Seval Blanc. Or opt for the 2020 Petit Verdot with notes of bramble fruit, rhubarb and oak. There’s even a sparkling Blanc de Blanc and a hard cider.
Kaitlin Hill trained as a chef at the Culinary Institute of America and holds a degree in history from the University of Richmond. She currently runs a catering business and works as a freelance writer and photographer for publications in the region.
54 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
IF YOU GO
WHERE: 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie
“We’ll focus on the architecture of the historic house, talk about the fox-hunting tradition, and the history of Loudoun,” he said. “Fox-hunting can be an isolated community. I thought it would be neat that virtually anyone can be exposed to the story of it and the history of it, and give people access to the experiences of this place.”
WHAT: Old Farm Winery at Hartland
Dan Harris, for one, is thrilled to have another winery option that doesn’t involve a longer drive to central and western Loudoun County. Besides Old Farm, he’s a fan of Fleetwood Farm Winery, another local favorite just up the road.
WHEN: Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
INFO: www.oldfarmwineryhartland.com or 571-899-4380
“The closer, the better,” Harris said. “It’s great to have high-quality options so close to us.” A
“Most of my life, I wondered who my father was,” Bond said. “My mother’s husband always denied I was his child.” Her mom died when she was 10 and Bond left home at age 16, going on to become one of the first women to graduate from West Point, in 1981.
LISA BOND
Ashburn resident Lisa Bond during her days at the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point.
MICHAEL VERMILLION
And if you are not familiar, the church and its members have a deep trove of gene alogical history from which to pull.
ConnectionsFamily
But her difficult early years meant knowledge about much of her family was out of reach. Eventually, she found out via DNA that the man who raised her was indeed her biological father, despite what he said. Now, she wanted to know more about that side of her family.
“The FHC introduced me to web sites I didn’t know about, including one … which holds military records, and I found my uncles’ draft regis trations,” she said.
“We welcome everyone to visit and vol
TIME TRAVEL
Ashburn center helps people reconnect with their past
B
roadlands resident and retired Loudoun County math teacher Lisa Bond always wanted to unravel a family mystery.
The Ashburn Family History Center, at 21015 Claiborne Parkway, is operated by local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Despite its church affiliation, it is open to everyone – of any faith or no faith – at no cost.
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 5657 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
As a branch of FamilySearch Internation al and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Ashburn center offers access to the world’s largest collection of genealogical records and materials.
unteer. The center is not a format for missionary work or proselytizing,” said Michael Vermil lion, director of the center. “Our pur pose is to help you discover, gather and connect your family past and present.”
BY JILL DEVINE
Bond turned to a little-known resource for help – the Ashburn Family History Center, or FHC.
There are more than 5,000 centers in 140 countries around the world, with seven in Northern Virginia. The Ashburn cen ter is considered large, with 11 dedicated computers, seven research assistants, an office with a copier, printer and scanner, and extensive microfilm and microfiche records.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and home to the Family History Center, on Claiborne Parkway.
The center’s mission of helping all people discover and connect with their families is central to the church’s core belief that fami lies can be forever, even beyond mortal life, said Dr. Michael Todd, president of the Ashburn Stake, a group of local allowsHistorySaintsLatter-daychurches.“TheFamilyCenterpeopleto
A visitor to the Family History Center in Ashburn looks at an old newspaper clipping while seeking genealogical information.
Vermillion said.
63-4535.com CLIPPER MAGAZINE carefully. CLIPPER MAGAZINE MAY CHANGE PRIOR ❑ Ad is not approved make changes indicated SIGNATURE APPROVE YOUR AD OR SUBMIT CHANGES BY CLICKING THE APPROPRIATE BUTTON ABOVE OR SIGN YOUR PROOF & FAX TO THE NUMBER ABOVE. YOUR HOME THISCOMFORTABLEKEEPSEASON $50 OFF 63-4535.com CLIPPER MAGAZINE carefully. CLIPPER MAGAZINE MAY CHANGE PRIOR ❑ Ad is not approved make changes indicated SIGNATURE APPROVE YOUR AD OR SUBMIT CHANGES BY CLICKING THE APPROPRIATE BUTTON ABOVE OR SIGN YOUR PROOF & FAX TO THE NUMBER ABOVE. $50 OFF 2ND OPINION On Repairs Replacements&YOUR HOME THISCOMFORTABLEKEEPSEASON Must present this coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Expires 10/31/22. ANY HVAC OR PLUMBING REPAIR (703)www.falconhvac.com450-7777 phone: 717-6 email: 2D@cmag fax: ad is the property of Please review your proof carefully. any error not marked. COUPON PLACEMENT MAY CHANGE PRIOR Stephanie Weiss-Johnson ❑ Ad is not approved make changes indicated PRINT NAME APPROVE YOUR AD OR SUBMIT CHANGES BY CLICKING THE APPROPRIATE BUTTON ABOVE OR SIGN YOUR PROOF & FAX TO THE NUMBER ABOVE. $50 O 2NDFREEOPINIONYOUR HOME THISCOMFORTABLEKEEPSEASON Ad is approved with changes ❑ Ad is not approved make changes indicated PRINT NAME APPROVE YOUR AD OR SUBMIT CHANGES BY CLICKING THE APPROPRIATE BUTTON ABOVE OR SIGN YOUR PROOF & FAX TO THE NUMBER ABOVE. $50 2NDFREEOPINION On Repairs Replacements&YOUR HOME THISCOMFORTABLEKEEPSEASON Now Showing Big Bad Wolf, ACE Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre Sept 10, Oct 15, 29 & Nov 5 at Oatlands in Leesburg Sept 17 & 18 at Faith Chapel Gathering Place in Lucketts Oct 21 at 8 Chains North in Waterford • Oct 22 at ONO Offshore in Chantilly YoHoHo and a Bottle of Death Murder Mystery Dessert Theatre • Sept 25 at Bright Box in Winchester Nightfall with Edgar Allen Poe Eerie Staged Production Oct 8, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 & 30 at 7:00pm Comedy Drag Shows Anja Dick: The Karen Whisperer - One-Woman Comedy Drag Show -Sept 23 Moulin Ruse - Drag Show Cabaret – Oct 7 • Rated S LIVE Sketch Comedy Show - Sept 31 and Oct 1 • Sly’s Magic Show - Oct 14, Nov 4, Dec 9 • StageCoach Bandits Improv – Oct 21, Nov 11, Dec 16 All performances are held at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn except as noted. Registration is open for After School Classes in Acting, Improv, and Musical Theatre for ages 5-18. GREEN SOLUTIONS LLC WWW.GREENSOLPRO.COM • 703-858-2000 Indoor Air Quality Creates a Healthier Happier Home...and Office too! • NEW –ConcreteConstruction,Overlay&Patch • Water Damage & Waterproofing • Mold Remediation • Restoration and Remodeling Call today for your free, no obligation quote! Keeping your home and office clean & green! From Removal To Remediation To OneWeRestorationareYourStopShop! BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS • GARDEN ACCENTS UNIQUE GIFTS 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plz, Unit 174, Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 687-4020 • www.wbu.com/ashburn Bird Feeding Fall Into Blu a BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS • GARDEN ACCENTS • UNIQUE GIFTS 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plz, Unit 174, Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 687-4020 • www.wbu.com/ashburn Bird Feeding Fall Into Blue Jay BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS • GARDEN ACCENTS • UNIQUE GIFTS 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plz, Unit 174, Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 687-4020 • www.wbu.com/ashburn Bird Feeding Fall Into Blue Jay Fall into Everything Ashburn. Visit locally.
Some of these services helped Lisa Bond track down a cousin she never knew. They have since talked on the phone.
“Part of me was just really intrigued to see how we tied together,” Bond said. “It opened a door to another link to my tree. I’m hoping post-COVID we can get togeth er at some point and learn more about each other and our family.”
DR. MICHAEL TODD
58 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
Visitors have free access to specialized genealogical records and premium sub scription websites, such as 19th Century British Newspapers, Alexander Street Press American Civil War Collections, American Ancestors, Ancestry, ArkivDigital, FamNet, Findmypast, Fold3, Geneanet, MyHeritage, Newspapers.com, Paper Trail and Puzzilla. “I added it up, and it would cost an individual more than $1,300 per year to duplicate these subscriptions at home,”
As we research our family histories together, we realize that we have more in common than we expected.
More Info: 703-858-5930 VA_Ashburn@familyhistorymail.orgor
SHEYNA AXTELL
“We have people come in from all walks of life,” Axtell said. “We find out about their past, and every story is different, every person comes from a different place. It’s fascinating.” A
(Right) People researching their family history search through digitized records available at the Family History Center in Ashburn. (Far right) A drawer filled with microfiche rolls containing genealogical information.
IF YOU GO
ACADEMY ACADEMY DOOR & CONTROL CORP. SINCE 1973 www AcademyDoor com Have A Question? We’re Here TO HELP YOU... 703 912-0455 GARAGE DOOR PROBLEMS FIXED FAST! Fixing Garage Doors Is What We’ve Always Done Better Than Anyone Else! L ACADEMY DOOR TODAY UR FALL MONEY SAVING NT. . WHY PAY MORE? ROM ACADEMY DOOR & ONTRO UP TO Savings Coupon $200 OFF SELECT NEW GARAGE DOORS ROM AC DEM DOOR & CON ROL Savings Coupon $20 OFF TUNE-UP SERVICE s onal and Certif ed Technicians Any Garage Door Problem You Have sta l New Garage Doors sta l New Garage Door Openers ep ace Broken Spr ngs ep ace Broken Cables ep ace Garage Door Rol ers fer An Unbeatable Guarantee SAME DAY & 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SER VICE 365 DAYS A YEAR 9-2021 Ashburn 1-4 Page ad_South Riding 1/4 Page Layout 8/22/22 9:54 AM Your source for tickets to NorthernthroughouteventsVirginia InsideNoVaTix.com SAVE THE DATE For more information visit mpaart.org MPAartfest connecting art and community 16th Annual Sunday October 2nd | 10am - 4pm McLean Central Park
feel connected, not only to family members who preceded us, but also to members of our communities,” Todd added. “As we research our family histories together, we realize that we have more in common than weEveryexpected.”person deserves to be remem bered. That’s a tenet of the FamilySearch or ganization, keeper of the world’s largest on line family tree. Before or during their first visit to the Family History Center, visitors fill out a family tree as best they can to get started. This opens the door to a timeline and mapping tools and access to billions of online records, said Sheyna Axtell, an Ashburn Farm resident and volunteer at the Family History Center.
When: Mondays, 9:30 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to noon, or by appointment
ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 6061 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
What: Family History Center
“Once visitors link their information to FamilySearch, they often find that a lot of their work has already been done for them,” she added.
Where: 21015 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn
Jill Devine is a freelance writer and former magazine editor from Loudoun County who writes for a variety of Virginia publications.
Axtell got her interest in family history from her mother. As an adult, she eventually went back to school and got a degree in family history studies. She has found connections in her family to Scandinavia, England and the southern United States. She even uncovered a link to “Star-Spangled Banner” lyricist Francis ScottNow,Key.as a volunteer, she helps others make their own discoveries.
At long last, a new Mexican taco joint has opened in the Bramble ton Town Center. Plans for Rebel Taco Cantina were first announced in spring 2021. An offshoot of a popular D.C. restau rant, Rebel Taco Cantina is located in the same building as the Bramble ton branch of the public library. It includes both an indoor dining room and a large outdoor patio. Rebel Taco is known, of course, for its tacos, but it also has bur ritos, nachos and more.
Bubble tea shops are all the rage right now, with several opening recently in or near Ashburn. Now, another one has announced it’s headed our way. Tsao Cha Bubble Tea will be coming to a vacant spot in the Ashburn Farm Market Center. That’s the Giant-anchored plaza at Claiborne Parkway and Ashburn Farm Parkway.
Tsao Cha reportedly translates as something akin to “a holy land of tea.”
1 REBEL TACO CANTINA OPENS IN BRAMBLETON
The Burn had the exclu sive news that Sweet green, a popular fast-ca sual chain serving up gourmet salads, is bringing its concept to Ashburn. It will be opening late this year or early in 2023 in One Loudoun. The menu
5
A 3 1 6 2 4 62 ASHBURN MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022
various kinds of beef pho, chicken pho, seafood pho and even vegan pho. The restaurant also offers a variety of appetizers and other dishes. Pho Bar took over the spot vacated by a previous Vietnamese restaurant called Viet Chopsticks.
Construction on the new Sephora store at One Loudoun continued at a steady clip this summer, and, if timetables stay on track, the popular beauty products store should be opening sometime in mid-September. The store is in a new block of retail shops recently built at the center. It’s across the street from The Yard Milkshake Bar and kitty corner from Okada, a Japanese restaurant.
Smoothie King location in Loudoun County – the first is in Dulles Town Center. The new location will also have a drivethrough lane, which at press time was expected to open in September.
2 SMOOTHIE KING OPENS IN COMMONSASHBROOK
RYAN ROAD
at Sweetgreen includes sal ad combinations designed by a chef, as well as a create-your-own option. It will be on Exchange Street across from the new Sephora store.
A stylish new Vietnamese restaurant specializing in pho – a broth dish with noodles, meat and vegetables – has opened in Lansdowne Town Cen ter. The menu includes
First announced in late 2020, a new Smoothie King has finally opened in Ashburn. It’s in the for mer Starbucks space in the Ashbrook Commons Plaza near Route 7 and Ashburn Village Boule vard. It’s only the second
4 PHO BAR BRINGS NEW LANSDOWNEOPTIONVIETNAMESETO
5 ASHBURNLOCATIONLOUDOUNOPENINGSWEETGREENFIRSTCOUNTYIN
3 SEPHORA STORE PLANNING GRAND OPENING
6 NEW BUBBLE TEA ASHBURNCOMINGSHOPTOFARM
THE BURN 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.
7 BELMONTRIDGEROAD CLAIBORNEPARKWAY 267 BHSAURNROADASHBURNVILLAGEBLVD 28 WAXPOOLROADLOUDOUNCOUNTYPARKWAYGLOUCESTERPARKWAY DULLESGREENWAYRUSSELLBRANCHPARKWAY
P.O. Box 3632. · Warrenton, Virginia 20188 703.318.1386 · ashburnmagazine.com Published by Ashburn Presort STD US Postage PAID Permit Freeport#21OH We Are Your Other Family Doctors • Blood work & In-house Laboratory • Preventative care • Vaccinations • Surgery • Nutrition counseling • Digital Radiography • Ultrasound • Acupuncture • Herbal and Homeopathic Medicine • Board Certified Surgeon Available • Dentistry and Dental Radiographs Ashburn Farm 43330 Junction Plaza Blvd. Suite 172 Ashburn, VA 20147 (703) 726-8784 Brambleton Office 42385 Ryan Rd. Suite Brambleton,112VA 20148 703-327-8471 CALL NOW FOR AN APPOINTMENT! Call Now to make your yearly Appointment $50 OFF NEWWELLNESSPATIENTEXAM
