Get Out Loudoun for December 2022

Middleburg’s Christmas parade may be best known for its horses and hounds, but the delegation of marching Corgis always is a fan favorite.

GET OUT LOUDOUN

Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, and hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.

CONTRIBUTORS

Dana Armstrong Renss Greene

Jan Mercker

Norman K. Styer

ON THE COVER

Photo by Norman K. Styer

Santa gets updated on children’s wish lists during a recent visit to the Village at Leesburg.

TO ADVERTISE

Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com

TUNES

After three decades at the church pulpit, Chris Hammond is back behind the drum kit as Loudoun’s jazz pastor.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Not feeling the holiday spirit? You’re not going to the right places. Check out the season’s top community events.

TASTE

After honing his culinary skills in the Navy, Chris Bilstad now serves up sweet treats by the thousands at Ashburn’s newest bakery.

HAPPENINGS

A little magic, a little murder mystery, and a lot of Christmas cheer on stage this month around the county.

BEST BETS

Get Out Loudoun’s picks for December.

Photo by Renss Greene

Take Loudoun Home This Season

BY DOUGLAS ROGERS, VISIT LOUDOUN

Every November, my wife goes Christmas shopping for extended family members. Her siblings, nieces and nephews love visiting Loudoun, so she buys locally made products and gifts for them—anything from cheese, wine and whiskey to jewelry, pottery, clothing and even the occasional wooden spoon. After all, why visit a big box store or a chain boutique when Loudoun is home to all these hand-made products and more?

We even have a campaign for this hyperlocal form of shopping: Take Loudoun Home.

“Loudoun has a wide array of products and experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the region and we wanted to share the unique parts of the county while helping our small business and rural communities,” said Buddy Rizer, executive director of Loudoun Economic Development which, together with Visit Loudoun and the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, founded the Take Loudoun Home campaign in 2019.

The campaign promotes more than 1,200 farms and businesses in Loudoun, reminding customers that while Loudoun is wonderful to visit, they can also “Take Loudoun Home.”

So, what to buy this holiday season when there are so many local businesses to choose from?

My wife’s sisters are cheese heads so first on her list is fromage. She loves the artisanal Eula Blue goat cheese at Georges Mill Farm in Lovettsville and the creamy camembert and cheddar at Locksley Farmstead Cheese near Middleburg. The latter is part of Chrysalis Vineyards at the Ag District, so she doubles up on bottles of the superb Viognier and Norton. The wine is for her sister in northern California to remind her that Loudoun’s wines are as good as Napa’s.

Of course, there’s no shortage of craft beverages to choose from. A nephew in Boston loves a cocktail so he’s getting bottles of Absinthe and Sweet Vermouth from Mt Defiance Cidery & Distillery, while a beer nut brother-in-law in Connecticut

Locksley Farmstead Cheese is among a host of Loudoun-made items that can make for a hyper-local holiday shopping experience.

is getting a four pack of You Are Not Alone, the just released American Pale Ale collaboration between 13 Loudoun breweries, the proceeds from which are going to the Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia.

How about jewelry for those trendy nieces in Los Angeles and New York City? On the recent Purcellville Artisan Tour my wife bought an exquisite sterling silver necklace and a handmade porcelain pendant from Lori DeMark of DeMarkWare jewelry. Lori’s pieces can also be found at the Clay & Metal Loft in Leesburg where my wife has her eye on Amy Mason’s wheel-thrown stoneware wine cups. They’re sure to look gorgeous on her sister’s holiday dinner table. As for that well-traveled sister-in-law in New Jersey, she’s getting a box of Chinese Organic Lapsang Souchong from Purcellville’s Dominion Tea and some scented Loudoun wine candles from Very Virginia, the iconic local gift store on Leesburg’s King Street, now in its 16th year of operation.

I may also buy one the wooden handpainted Loudoun County hometown signs they have in the back room. A reminder to relatives over the holidays to come and visit us in “Lovettsville, Loudoun County.”

Check out the Take Loudoun Home online holiday guide at loudounfarms.org/take-loudoun-home.

Loudoun’s Jazz Pastor

Chip Hammond Explores the Spiritual Roots of America’s Music

BY JAN MERCKER

Chip Hammond found music first. Then he found Jesus.

Hammond, a Leesburg-based Presbyterian minister, grew up playing drums in rock bands in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City and at one point thought music was his calling. But finding Christianity in his late teens changed everything and led to a different—but still rich—relationship with music.

“I thought [music] was what I was going to do in life,” he said. “I did not grow up in a particularly spiritual home,” Hammond said. “I had a spiritual awakening of sorts my freshman year of college. I still did music but it became less important as I pursued my education”

for Hammond, an awakening inspired by his brother’s faith journey.

“His life just radically changed, and it kind of got my attention. I was a pretty outspoken atheist until that point,“ Hammond said.

Hammond became heavily involved with churches in New Jersey. As his faith grew, he felt a calling to pursue the ministry, inspired in part by the biblical Book of Amos, a shepherd turned prophet. “Amos says, ‘I wasn’t a preacher. I was a shepherd and a pruner of sycamore fig

Finding Christianity while an undergrad at William Paterson College in New Jersey was life-changing

Contributed

Pastor Chip Hammond performs on drums with his jazz band, On Easy Street.

TUNES

ART SCENE FROM PAGE 6

trees and God called me and told me to do this.’ I kind of identify with Amos,” Hammond said.

Hammond earned his Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Shortly after graduating he got a call from Bethel Presbyterian Church in Leesburg as part of that congregation’s search for a pastor. The church was a good fit, and Hammond and his family found a welcoming community in Loudoun. Hammond has been pastor at Bethel for nearly 30 years and went on to earn his doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts while serving at Bethel.

Hammond said his divinity studies, work as a pastor and raising four children with his wife, Donna, didn’t leave much time for music for a couple of decades.

“[Music] got put on hold for a number of years,” he said. He said Donna, whom he describes as “a phenomenal singer,” helped bring music back into his life. “It’s something we started to do together,” he said.

A decade ago, Hammond discovered the Loudoun jazz scene and started attending local jazz jams. Hammond formed his band, On Easy Street, and when the band lost its female vocalist a few years ago, Donna Hammond jumped in as the singer.

Hammond has been exploring the connections between jazz and spirituality for decades. He’s inspired in part by the

work of one of his mentors, William Edgar, a professor at Westminster and jazz pianist whose book “A Supreme Love” explores the links between jazz and Christianity.

“What [Edgar] says that I think is really true is that jazz has a certain sadness to it. You hear it in what they call the blue notes: the flatted thirds and fifths and sevenths. But there’s also a defiant joy,” Hammond said. Last month, he created a concert/seminar ”Jazz: Spirituality in a Minor Key” combining a talk on the spiritual roots of jazz, with a focus on faith and the African American community, with jazz and blues classics.

Hammond was backed by his band, On Easy Street, for the show, with Donna Hammond on vocals, Ryan Benton on piano and guitar and Chris Thompson on bass. The band specializes in jazz from the 1920s through the 1950s, and the performance features familiar pieces from Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Bobby Timmons and other greats.

Hammond recently launched a jazz jam at Bethel on the third Thursday of each month. He plans to continue to explore spirituality as a musician, finding meaning and connection in the music.

“Jazz, as Wynton Marsalis has said, is really about life. It kind of looks at all the aspects of life.” Hammond said. “The blues really are a reminder that God’s not just in our happy moments. He’s in our sad moments too. The Bible is full of blues.”

Learn more at oneasystreetjazz.com.

HOLIDAYS IN LOUDOUN

Community holiday traditions abound in Loudoun and the coming weeks offer many opportunities to get into the holiday spirit.

At 11 a.m., visitors will line up along Washington Street to watch the popular Middleburg Hunt & Hounds Review.

The crowds return to Washington Street at 2 p.m. for the mile-long Christmas parade that features community groups, lots of horses and dogs, and Santa.

During the afternoon, the town’s bistros, cafés, pubs, and restaurants join in the Spirits of Middleburg promotion.

MIDDLEBURG

The Town of Middleburg kicks things off Friday, Dec. 2 with tree lighting ceremony and evening of caroling starting at 5 p.m. The Middleburg Nutcracker Ballet Holiday performance is planned for 6:15 p.m. at the Community Center.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, the town offers a full day of holiday events. The day kicks off with breakfast with Santa starting at 8 a.m. at the Middleburg Community Charter School.

Event organizers are working to control the size of the crowd in town and there are a limited number of parking passes available for visitors. Parking lots with shuttle buses will be at Foxchase Farm, Mickie Gordon Park, and Lost Barrel Brewing. Parking will not be permitted in town. Car passes range from $40-$100.

For more details and to purchase parking passes, go to christmasinmiddleburg.org.

Middleburg Hunt & Hounds Review.

LEESBURG

The Town of Leesburg opens its holiday celebration Friday, Dec. 2 with a tree lighting ceremony on the Town Green at 6 p.m.

That weekend—from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4—the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center hosts the annual Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show featuring local and regional artisans selling hand-made items including candles, stained glass, carved wood, jewelry, table linens, and more.

During the month, the George C. Marshall International Center will feature the Marshall Plan Tree Walk at Dodona Manor. The display includes 17 trees decorated to represent each of the nations that benefited from the European Recovery Program. A lighting ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3,

On Saturday, Dec. 10, visitors will gather along King Street for the 6 p.m. Christmas and Holiday Parade. The parade starts at Ida Lee Park and ends a Fairfax Street. That weekend also features the return of the all-star Jingle Jam Band to the Tally Ho Theater; however, tickets for all three shows sold out within a few hours last month.

PURCELLVILLE

The Town of Purcellville also celebrates its tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Christmas in Purcellville parade will begin at noon,

following a route from Blue Ridge Middle School to 20th Street, Main Street and Maple Avenue.

Other events in town that day include a Holiday Market featuring local artists and crafters at the Bush Tabernacle, photos with Santa and ornament decorations at the Train Station, and a self-guided tour of the town’s best holiday light displays. For details, go to purcellvilleva.gov/799/ Holiday-and-Christmas-Activities.

LOVETTSVILLE

Lovettsville’s Love Winter campaign includes a host of holiday activities throughout the month.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, businesses team up for the Cocoa Crawl from 2 to 5 p.m. offering special deals all around town. From 5:15 to 6 p.m., the community center invites residents to create ornaments and decorate their own lanterns before the

HOLIDAYS IN LOUDOUN FROM PAGE 9

evening’s procession from the community center to Town Square for the tree lighting ceremony.

On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Light Up Lovettsville judges will tour the town to identify the best holiday displays and award prizes in several categories.

A Menorah Lighting ceremony will be held Monday, Dec. 19.

HILLSBORO

Hillsboro will be a holiday destination during the Dec. 10-11 weekend.

On both days, the Historic Hillsboro Holiday Market will be held at the Old Stone School, showcasing holiday items and gifts from local artists and crafters.

On Sunday, Nov. 11, the town will sponsor a special guided walking tour to view the decorations throughout town. Tours,

which include five historic properties and live performances along the route, will be offered from noon to 6 p.m., leaving every 20 minutes from the Old Stone School. Tickets at limited and should be purchased in advance at oldstoneschool.org.

MENORAH LIGHTING: UNITE FOR LIGHT

The fifth annual event will be held 4-5:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18 at One Loudoun’s plaza. The event will feature a performance by

a Gelt

along

Learn more at jewishloudoun.org/grand-menorah-lighting.

the African American Flyers and

Drop,

with appearances by Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and Holocaust survivor Irene Weiss.

1 50 West Vineyards

39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com

2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com

3 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com

4 The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

5

6

7

Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com

Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com

Bogati Winery

35246 Harry Byrd Hwy., Round Hill bogatiwinery.com

8 Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com

9 Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com

10 Bozzo Family Vineyards

35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com

11 Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 John Mosby Hwy., Middleburg canavineyards.com

12

Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com

13 Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com

14

15

Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie chrysaliswine.com

Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com

16 Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com

17

Crushed Cellars 37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville crushedcellars.com

21 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com 22

Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com 23 Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com 24

Fire y Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com 25

Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com 26 Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com

Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com

18

19

20

Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

Droumavalla Farm Winery 14980 Limestone School Rd., Lucketts droumavalla.com

Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery 18195 Dry Mill Rd., Leesburg drymillwine.com

Hidden Brook Winery 43301 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg hiddenbrookwinery.com

Hiddencroft Vineyards 12202 Axline Rd., Lovettsville hiddencroftvineyards.com

Lost Creek Winery 43285 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg lostcreekwinery.com

31 Maggie Malick Wine Caves

12138 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro maggiemalickwinecaves.com

32 Old Farm Winery

23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com

33 Otium Cellars

18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com

34 Stone Tower Winery

19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., L’burg stonetowerwinery.com

35 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com

36 Sunset Hills Vineyard 38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

37 Tarara Winery

13648 Tarara Ln, Leesburg tarara.com

38 Terra Nebulo 39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com

39

40

Three Creeks Winery

18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com

Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com

41 Village Winery 40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com

BREWERIES

42 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards

38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com

43 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com

44 Walsh Family Wine

16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com

45 Williams Gap Vineyards

35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com

46 Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com

1 Adroit Theory Brewing

404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com

2 B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com

3 Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com

4 Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com

5 Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

6 Beltway Brewing Company 22620 Davis Dr. Ste 110, Sterling beltwaybrewco.com

7 Black Hoof Brewing Company

11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com

8 Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com

9

10

Crooked Run Brewing Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com

Crooked Run Brewing Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery

18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com

11 Dirt Farm Brewing

18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont dirtfarmbrewing.com

21 Old 690 Brewing Company

15670 Ashbury Church Rd., Hillsboro old690.com

12

Dynasty Brewing Company 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com

13 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

14

Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com

15 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap

16 House 6 Brewing 4427 Atwater Dr., Ashburn house6brewing.com

17

18

Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Rd. #142, Ashburn lostrhino.com

22 Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com

23 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA

24 Phase 2 Brewing

19382 Diamond Lake Dr, Lansdowne Phase2Brewing.com

25 Rocket Frog Brewing Company

22560 Glenn Dr. #103, Sterling rocketfrogbeer.com

26

27

Solace Brewing Company 42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com

Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com

28 The Craft of Brewing 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn thecraftob.com

29

19

20

Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E. Market St., Leesburg loudounbrewing.com

Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com

BREWERIES & WINERIES

2

Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards

36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com

3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery

13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com

30

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Ln., Lucketts vanishbeer.com

Wheatland Springs Farm + Brewery 38454 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com

4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery

22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com

Pandemic-Born Bilstad’s Beignets Opens Storefront in Ashburn

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

Bilstad’s Beignets proves that some of the best things in life take time—specifically, 12 hours of proofing and extended downtime during a pandemic.

On Nov. 1, owners Scott and Jenny Bilstad cut the ribbon to officially open their first storefront beignet café in Ashburn, fulfilling a long-time dream for the couple.

“[Scott] told me on the first day we met that we were going to get married, and I rolled my eyes and chuckled. And he told me on our first date, ‘one day I’m going to own my own restaurant,’ and, again, I rolled my eyes and chuckled. I’m proud and honored to say that I was wrong on both counts,” Jenny said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Scott Bilstad joined the culinary track through humble means. At 16 years old,

his first job was being a dishwasher and fry cook at Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen. It wasn’t until he joined the military that he realized cooking could become a viable career.

Bilstad joined the U.S. Navy as a culinary specialist. While in the service, he attended culinary school and prepared meals for fellow sailors. Little did he know, his interactions with one sailor would foreshadow his future endeavors.

“In the Navy, I worked with a sailor who was a good baker. I showed interest in wanting to do some baking, and he taught me how to bake cakes and breads. He’s the one who trained me in how to make donuts,” Scott said.

“I basically took a recipe that he taught me,

Photo by Dana Armstrong Scott and Jenny Bilstad hold a glass plaque awarded to them during their ribbon cutting ceremony, welcoming their business into Ashburn.

puts his freshly baked beignets through a glaze bath just before opening the doors of Bilstad’s Beignets for a recent Sunday morning rush.

did a lot of research, made it my own, and kind of turned it into my own version of a beignet.”

Following his time in the Navy, his beignets—pillowy French-Creole pastries made from fried, yeasted dough and dusted with powdered sugar—would prove useful in his executive chef roles at various Northern Virginia restaurants.

“At one point in my career, I was in Manassas at City Square Café. We did brunch all the time. In pretty much every restaurant [I worked at] after City Square, I always had brunch on Sundays, and I used to do it as a shared item: beignets. They always did really well.”

In 2019, Scott decided to step away from being an executive chef to spend more time with his wife and two young children. He took a job at US Foods. That is, until COVID when he found himself furloughed and with nothing to do.

Near the beginning of COVID, the Bilstad’s neighborhood in Purcellville organized outdoor cookouts. Scott decided to revive his old recipe and bring beignets. They were an instant hit, so much so that his neighbors asked for more the next weekend.

“We just started every weekend we would do beignets in the neighborhood. We were selling them for a very cheap price and

delivering them to people’s houses,” said Scott.

“Word got out. Our HOA management company had sister companies, and through Facebook, they shared what we were doing. Other HOA management companies started reaching out to us to do beignet pop-ups in their neighborhoods. So, we did it,” he said.

“From there, it constantly got more requests. The breweries and the wineries started to reach out for us to do popups, and we just rolled with it and did it. We started putting together an LLC, and Bilstad’s Beignets was born.”

With Jenny’s marketing background working at Fortessa, a tableware company for restaurants and homes, Scott’s recipe— with his signature ginger-laced glaze—and their children’s sweet delivery skills, they sold 4,500 beignets within their first month.

For nearly two and a half years after their neighborhood debut, Bilstad’s Beignets ran pop-ups that spanned from Sterling to western Loudoun and out to Prince William County. Their most devoted customers would even purchase the pastries in bulk to freeze and reheat until the Bilstads returned to their area.

BILSTAD’S BEIGNETS FROM PAGE 14

Photo by Norman K. Styer

Scott Bilstad

BEIGNETS

“[Under Virginia’s cottage law] we could only package them as a grocery item to be sold cold. We learned how to provide reheating instructions and how to prepare the beignets to where they absorb less oil,” Scott said.

“[As opposed to New Orleans’] Café du Monde beignets, they actually have a little bit of shelf life. They’ll hold on your counter for up to two days. You can reheat them [from frozen], and it’s like you made them that morning. It’s a pretty cool thing we learned,” he said.

With their new storefront in Ashburn, Bilstad’s Beignet enthusiasts have a reliable location to pick up the freshest versions of their favorite treat. Scott makes 1,0001,600 of beignets from scratch, daily.

Along with their original dough, he experiments with limited edition, seasonally flavored doughs including pumpkin, apple cider, and gingerbread. He also enjoys coming up with a rotating menu of dippers including blueberry compote, pomegranate buttercream, caramel bourbon sauce, and fudgy chocolate sauce.

“Sometimes the dippers sell out before the beignets. People love them,” Jenny said.

The perfect complement to their sweet treats is the Joan + Joe cold brew coffee— served hot or cold—they sell from their business partners Veron and Duncan Ennis. The Bilstads and Ennises met at a popup event at Twigs in Purcellville. They quickly bonded over their similar stories. Like Bilstad’s Beignets, behind Joan + Joe Coffee is a husband-and-wife team who built up their business during the pandemic.

“In the beginning, we were delivering growlers of cold brew in our church’s parking lot,” said Veron Ennis. They finally opened their coffee shop and café in Charles Town, WV, in April 2021.

“We tried other coffees throughout COVID because we knew we wanted to do a coffee service, and we just kept going back to theirs. We decided to partner up with

them and sell their coffee,” said Scott.

With their perfectly simplistic menu of beignets, dippers, and coffee, the Bilstads are excited to house their pandemic-born business in their year-round café. Scott also aspires to relaunch more of their pop-ups in the future.

“We’re hoping to continue with our success, and hopefully we’ll keep getting good sales. It’s time to take Ashburn and Loudoun County one beignet at a time.”

Bilstad’s Beignets is located at 20937 Ashburn Road, Suite 150, in Ashburn. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are hiring bakery assistants, fry cooks, and cashiers. For inquiries on hiring or more information, go to bilstadsbeignets.com.

Check out

Loudoun’s Attractions

œ

LOUDOUN HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM

Travel through time to meet the 10 generations of Loudoun County residents who built this county and left their mark on the land. Exhibits include a schoolhouse, general store, Native American artifact display and the American Workhorse Museum Collection.

21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, VA 20164 (571) 258-3800 • heritagefarmmuseum.org

LOUDOUN MUSEUM

With a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts, the Museum tells Loudoun’s story from pre-1600 up until today, with a selection of special exhibits featuring the history of Virginia Wine, the Early Republic era, and the County’s role in the US Civil War, along with a timeline of Loudoun County history. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for upcoming events and public programs!

16 Loudoun Street SW Leesburg, Virginia 20175 (703) 777-7427 • loudounmuseum.org

MORVEN PARK

Morven Park is a 1,000-acre historic estate on the edge of Leesburg that was home to Virginia governor and agricultural pioneer Westmoreland Davis. Tours of the Greek Revival mansion include 16th century Belgian tapestries, Spanish cassones, hundreds of silver pieces, Hudson River Valley paintings, and Asian treasures. The estate also features the Winmill Carriage Museum, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America, formal boxwood gardens, miles of hiking and riding trails, and athletic elds.

17195 Southern Planter Lane Leesburg, VA 20176 703-777-2414 • morvenpark.org

OATLANDS HISTORIC HOUSE & GARDENS

The 415-acre Oatlands estate, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers tours of the historic mansion, extensive gardens and outbuildings that include the oldest standing greenhouse in the South. Exhibits focus on the lives of the Carter and Eustis families who building the estate, as well as the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked there.

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg, VA 20175 703.777.3174 • oatlands.org

Happenings

A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol

The Stagecoach Theater Company presents “A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol.”

Written and directed by Phil Olson, the spoof of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is set on Christmas Eve in Bunyan Bay, MI, and cantankerous bar owner Gunner Johnson gets in an argument with his wife, Clara, when he tells her he’s skipping Christmas. He storms out of the bar, goes snowmobiling across the lake, falls through the ice, and takes a Scroogelike journey while in a coma.

Show dates are Dec. 10 11, 17,18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m.

A Magical Night with Sly

Alec “Sly” Negri and a troupe of professional magicians perform Dec. 9 at The StageCoach Theater Company in Ashburn.

Showgoers to Sly’s Fabulous Las Vegas Style Magic should expect to be amazed by the magic and entertained by the jokes, one-liners, and physical comedy throughout the evening. Reservations are encouraged at stagecoachtc.com.

Tickets are $25 per person or per device if livestreaming. Go to stagecoachtc.com.

Lopez Studios: The 39 Steps, Abridged

The Franklin Park Arts Center hosts the youth actors from the community group Lopez Studios for two Dec. 10 performances of “The 39 Steps Abridged.”

FROM PAGE 18

The show is described as a Hitchcock masterpiece mixed with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python—a fast-paced whodunit that’s won two Tony Awards and a Drama Desk Award.

Performances are at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. For tickets, go to franklinparkartscenter.org.

‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ at Oatlands

What kind of Christmas party is this? The creepy fortune teller is warning that everyone at the Shaky Crumbly Construction Company’s holiday celebration is in mortal danger. One of Santa’s elves has already been murdered, and the big guy is demanding that the killer be caught: No justice, no Christmas.

Join crack detective Steel Girder to solve the mystery during a dinner theater evening at Oatlands Historic Home and

Garden. The show runs Dec. 3, 10, 17, and 18, with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. and a 7:15 p.m. showtime.

The $70 per person ticket includes the show, catered dinner and dessert by Pure Perfection Catering. Go to oatlands.org.

Master Singers’ Christmas Concert

Master Singers of Virginia present “Sing We Now of Christmas” on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Leesburg.

Under the direction of Erik Jones and Jesse Parker, the chorus performs works including “Lux Nova” by Eric Whitacre, “O Magnum Mysterium” by Kevin Memley, and arrangements of Ukrainian Bell Carol and Betelehemu/Sing Noel.

Both shows begin at 4 p.m. Go to msva.org for details and tickets.

Now Showing

Silent Night, Deadly Night - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre December 3, 10, 17 & 18 at Oatlands in Leesburg December 4 at Bright Box in Winchester December 9 at Effingham Manor Winery in Nokesville December 16 at Creek’s Edge Winery in Lovettsville

Junior Claus - Family Musical Staged Performance December 10, 11, 17 & 18 at 2:00pm December 21, 22 & 23 at 7:00pm

A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol - Musical Staged Performance December 10, 11, 17, 18, 19 & 20 at 7:00pm

PLUS monthly Magic and Improv Shows Check out more upcoming shows on our website!

All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted.

Gift Cards make terrific experience gifts without the clutter!

Register for After School Classes for ages 3-18 which start January 2023

20937 Ashburn Road Suites 115 and 120 Ashburn, VA 20147

571-477-9444

ART SCENE

BYRNE GALLERY HOST GORBACHEV EXHIBIT

For the 19th year, the Byrne Gallery in Middleburg is featuring an exhibit of works by Yuri Gorbachev, through Dec. 31.

Gorbachev’s paintings have been exhibited on the continents of North America, South America, Australia, Asia, Europe and Africa. His work is in the permanent collections of 30 museums around the world, including the Louvre Museum, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg and the State Hermitage Museum.

This year’s exhibition feature’s his vibrant oil and enamel botanical paintings with gold, silver, and copper leaf from the Evolution Series, with fanciful imagery of Bali and beyond. In addition, works from his private collection will be on display.

Learn more at thebyrnegallery.com.

LEESBURG’S PUBLIC ART: CELEBRATING MUSIC

Artist Serina Chowdry has contributed Leesburg’s latest public art display. Her “Celebrate Music” mural was painted on the side of a building the Virginia Village Shopping Center.

The work is the first approved by the town on a commercial property outside the historic district under a new pilot program.

A committee with representatives of the town’s Economic Development Commission, Commission on Public Art and Board of Architectural Review and led by Councilman Ara Bagdasarian developed details of the program and reviewed proposals submitted following a call to artists. In May, the committee selected Chowdry’s design. Virginia Village owner Keene Enterprises underwrote the cost of the project.

Check out

Loudoun’s Dining

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FORDS FISH SHACK

Consistently voted Loudoun residents’ favorite place for seafood, Ford’s offers fresh seafood in a family-dining atmosphere at three locations, as well as a catering arm and a food truck operation.

Ashburn-44260 Ice Rink Plaza, Ashburn, VA 20147 (571) 918-4092 • fords shshack.com

Lansdowne-19308 Promenade Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176 (571) 333-1301 • fords shshack.com

South Riding 25031 Riding Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20152 (703) 542-7520 • fords shshack.com

SPANKY’S SHENANIGANS

Known as one of the Loudoun’s favorite bars, Spanky’s Shenanigans is a popular destination from its morning breakfast menu to its ample roster of live music performers.

538 E Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 777-2454 • spankyspub.com

LIGHTFOOT RESTAURANT

Inside an historic bank building in downtown Leesburg, the Zagat-rated Lightfoot provides both a ne-dining experience and a gathering place for locals. Executive Chef Ingrid Gustavson serves up American cuisine with southern and ethnic accents.

11 North King Street Leesburg, VA 20176 703-771-2233 • lightfootrestaurant.com

TUSCARORA MILL

Known by locals as Tuskies, the restaurant is located inside a restored 19th century grain mill in Leesburg’s historic district. Offering everything from locally sourced ne dining to a casual bar experience, it’s been a dining destination for more than three decades.

203 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 771-9300 • tuskies.com

Best Bets GO

12.10.22

HOLIDAY DREAM ICE SHOW

Saturday, Dec. 10, 2:30 p.m. Ion Arena ionarena.com

An afternoon of fun and magic exploring the true meaning of Christmas with Olympic athletes, world champions, and future champions at Leesburg’s only indoor ice rink.

12.16.22

ERIC BYRD TRIO

Friday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org

Franklin Park welcomes a DMV holiday tradition, as the Eric Byrd Trio presents a

screening of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and performs the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack.

12.17.22

THE AMISH OUTLAWS

Saturday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

12.24.22

CHRIS TIMBERS

Saturday, Dec. 24, noon-4 p.m. Bears Chase Brewing bearschasebrew.com

THE REAGAN YEARS

Saturday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Ring in the new year with an ’80s music dance party at the Tally Ho. Dress to impress.

Celebrate the Holidays in Loudoun!

Holiday cheer is in no short supply this year in Loudoun! From light festivals and artisan markets to twinkling vineyard vines and festive parades in historic towns, the magic of the season has arrived in Loudoun. Scan the QR code to view all the holiday happenings.

The Old Lucketts Store

Stone Gables Bed & Breakfast

Bluemont Vineyard

#LoveLoudoun