November 2022

Sustainable Sleepwear. Handmade in the U.S.A. Showroom: 203 South Main St. Gordonsville, VA 22942

Contact: hello@gillianvalentine.com | 434-242-0950 | gillianvalentine.com @gillian_valentine_inc

CONTRIBUTORS

Heidi Baumstark has been writing for several lifestyle maga zines and newspaper publications since 2005, specializing in history-related articles highlighting Virginia’s Piedmont. She has been with Middleburg Life since 2014. Over the years, she has featured hundreds of businesses, leaders, residents, his torical sights, lectures, heritage programs, and museums in her work. Heidi hopes to inspire readers to pause and con sider the people, places, and events that have shaped the story of our local history.

Michael Butcher is the owner of Butcher Photography. Orig inally from Christchurch, New Zealand, he resides in Spring field, Virginia, with his family. For the past 15 years, Michael has specialized in portraiture, event, and editorial photog raphy. When not behind the lens, he enjoys gardening and swimming.

Diane Helentjaris chose Loudoun as her “forever home” in 1990 after experiencing Ohio, Michigan, Montreal, San Fran cisco, and New Jersey. Following years as a clinical physician and public health administrator, she returned to her human ities roots. A finalist in the 2020 Icelandic Writers Retreat, her book “The Indenture of Ivy O’Neill” comes out in June. Diane also writes a monthly newsletter, The Silk Mill, which is dedi cated to those in love with fabric in all its glory.

Lia Hobel is a freelance journalist, known in town for her blog, Uplift Loudoun, which she launched during the start of the pandemic to share uplifting stories. In addition to her work for Middleburg Life, Lia writes periodically for online platforms with articles appearing on GOBankingRates, Forbes, Huffing ton Post, and Yahoo! Lia began her career as a broadcast jour nalist, but left TV news when she moved to Leesburg, Virginia, with her family. She is a Loudoun 40 Under 40 honoree and a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the county.

Dulcy Hooper and her husband Richard moved to the country from Washington, D.C. nearly ten years ago. Shortly thereaf ter, both began writing occasional articles for Middleburg Life. Dogs are a big part of the Hoopers’ lives and several of Dulcy’s earlier articles focused on the couple’s Chinese crested pow derpuffs!

Victoria Peace is a recent graduate of Georgetown University and holds a degree in French and Art History. On the week ends, she frequently visits her family in The Plains. In her free time, she enjoys playing polo with Twilight Polo Club, riding with the Georgetown Equestrian Team, gardening, walking her family's dogs at Sky Meadows State Park, and visiting her retired horse, Taco. Her perfect “Hunt Country” day would in clude a stop at the local farmers market in The Plains, a trip to her favorite Middle burg antique stores, and a sunset trail ride in the Virginia countryside.

Callie Broaddus is a Warrenton native and graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Architecture. Af ter seven years as a book designer at National Geographic Kids, Callie founded the nonprofit, Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, in 2019. Callie’s land preservation projects and focus on youth empowerment are aided by her talent for storytell ing through her camera lens as a professional photographer. In her spare time, Callie enjoys Earl Grey tea, Harry Potter trivia, and dreaming of getting back into the jumper ring.

Laticia Headings is grateful to call Middleburg home. She discovered Middleburg by attending the first annual Middle burg Film Festival in 2013 and has come back to the event every year since as a volunteer, attendee, and for the past several years, as a writer for Middleburg Life. Laticia is the founder of Latitude Media and has 23 years of experience as a producer, writer, and camerawoman for television (Discov ery, National Geographic), documentary film (“Everest: A Climb for Peace”), and multi-platform media, and hosts and produces the docu-series, The Middleburg Life. Now, as a full-time realtor with McEnearney Associates, she is helping her clients realize their dream of calling Hunt Country home.

Bill Kent’s journalism has appeared in more than 40 national and regional publications including the Washington Post, Art & Antiques, Philadelphia Magazine, Baltimore Magazine, New Jersey Monthly, and The Hunt. A former correspondent for the New York Times, he taught writing and journalism at the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers, and Temple univer sities, and is the author of seven novels, a Fodor’s Guide, and a history of Atlantic City. After graduating from Oberlin College with majors in English and Religion, he published his first piece in The Georgetowner. When not writing, he enjoys walking his westies on Washington Street.

Will Thompson is a writer and photographer interested in all things related to nature, conservation, and outdoor rec reation. He has worked in communications and project management roles in renewable energy, international de velopment, and mission-driven journalism. Will gradu ated from the College of Charleston in 2010 with a B.A. in Communications.

Shayda Windle is a freelance writer covering the arts, peo ple, and places that make Hunt Country so special. Her work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, the Fairfax County Times, and several online media outlets. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors and exploring Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.

Gracie Withers is a local photographer who grew up in the village of Aldie and has been photographing local weddings, portraits, and events since 2016. She was a contributing pho tographer at Georgetown University for over three years and also has a wide variety of experience in sports photography. Her passion began when she received her first camera in middle school and she continued to study the craft in high school and in college. She joined Middleburg Life as a contributor in the spring of 2022.

"SHE SAVED MY LIFE"

Loudoun county resident Dawn R. had been experiencing the painful side effects of Peripheral Neuropathy, “my feet and legs were extremely painful and my doctor told me there was nothing they could do. That I would have to take Gabapentin for the rest of my life.”

Then she met Ashburn's very own Rachal Lohr, L.Ac.

Peripheral Neuropathy is the pain, discomfort, and numbness caused by nerve damage to the peripheral nervous system Dawn explained that daily tasks like opening doors and using the bathroom were overwhelmingly painful.

“How can you live for the next 30 years when you don’t even want to get out of bed to do simple things?”

She was experiencing the burning, numbness, tingling, and sharp pains that those suffering from neuropathy often describe “The way that I would describe it, it’s equivalent to walking on glass.”

Dawn hadn’t worn socks in five years and was wearing shoes two sizes too big so that nothing would ‘touch’ her feet.

Unfortunately, Dawn’s story is all too familiar for the over 3 million people in the U.S. suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy.

If you’re unfortunate enough to be facing the same disheartening prognosis you’re not sleeping at night because of the burning in your feet. You have difficulty walking, shopping or doing any activity for more than 30 minutes because of the pain You’re struggling with balance and living in fear that you might fall. Your doctor told you to ‘just live with the pain’ and you’re taking medications that aren’t working or have uncomfortable side effects.

NEUROPATHY?

Fortunately, two months ago Dawn read an article about Rachal and the work she was doing to treat those suffering from Peripheral Neuropathy, without invasive surgeries or medications.

Rachal Lohr, founder of Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness, in Ashburn, is using the time tested science of Acupuncture and a technology originally developed by NASA that assists in increasing blood flow and expediting recovery and healing to treat this debilitating disease

“Now when I go to bed at night

I don’t have those shooting pains. I don’t have that burning sensation. I don’t have pain coming up my legs,” Dawn enthusiastically describes life after receiving Rachal Lohr's treatments.

“I can wear socks and shoes!”

Dawn and her sister now operate a successful dog walking business, sometimes covering up to 5 miles a day.

“It’s life altering.

As far as I’m concerned Rachal saved my life!”

Rachal has been helping the senior community for over 14 years using the most cutting edge and innovative integrative medicine. Specializing in chronic pain cases, specifically those that have been deemed ‘hopeless’ or ‘untreatable’, she consistently generates unparalleled results

What was once a missing link in senior healthcare is now easily accessible to the residents of Northern Virginia.

If you’ve missed too many tee times because of pain or you’ve passed on walking through the town centers with friends because you’re afraid of falling, it’s time to call Rachal and the staff at Firefly

It’s time you let your golden years BE GOLDEN!

Rachal Lohr, L Ac is once again accepting new patients. And for a limited time will be offering $40 Consultations so call (703)263 2142 before December 15th to schedule a consultation.

www.FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com

advantage

New Patient Offer!

THE DINE AFTER THE DASH:

Hunt Breakfast MeMories

Written by Heidi Baumstark

Infoxhunting circles, it is called “the dine after the dash.” After all, who wouldn’t be hungry after a morning of chasing a fox on horseback in the fresh country air?

The hunt breakfast is so named no matter what time of day the feast is served. Since hunts historically started with the rising of the sun, the first meal afterwards would be breakfast; hence, the hunt breakfast term stuck.

Here in Virginia, hunt breakfasts typically feature ham biscuits, stews, and desserts with equestrian and foxhunting themes.

And of course, many hunts begin with the rit ual of a stirrup cup - a bit of “liquid courage”traditionally filled to the brim with Irish coffee, hot buttered rum or sherry; or, perhaps ginger bran dy served to riders while their feet are already in the stirrups just before they leave for the hunt.

Saturday hunts are typically followed by the traditional hunt break fast at the host’s property. Coming in from the field, riders peel off their hunt ing coats and trade them for their tweed hunting jackets. Then they gather where it’s warm and food and drink is plentiful to recount the drama of the hunt.

RECOLLECTIONS FROM LOCAL HUNT BREAKFAST HOSTS

Zohar and Lisa Ben-Dov of Kinross Farm near Middleburg host a hunt breakfast the Sat

urday before Thanksgiving for Orange County Hounds (OCH), opening their property to fellow hunt enthusiasts, friends, and guests.

Kinross, a 500-acre property under conser vation easement with Virginia Outdoors Foun dation, is near Wexford, once the country estate of the former President and First Lady, John and Jackie Kennedy. The Ben-Dovs often saw Jackie, who hunted with Piedmont Fox Hounds.

The brick house at Kinross dates to 1837 and breakfasts were first held there. But the house was not large enough for the number of guests they invited, so Zohar built another complex on the farm that could accommodate additional guests. Lisa adds, “For decorations, I picked different flowers depending on what linen colors I decid ed to use. Being originally from New Orleans, it became a tradition to serve jambalaya and horseshaped cookies.”

At Kinross, people be gin arriving around 9:30 a.m., and the meet kicks off with a stirrup cup of port or sherry. By 10 a.m., the hunt takes off. After hours of hunting, break fast usually starts at 1 p.m.

Last year, the BenDovs decided to have the breakfast outside and hosted it in the field. The menu included wonderful hot soups, ham biscuits, and sandwiches, and a full bar. Lisa recalls, “It was great! Everyone loved it. This year, I’m having it outside again.”

“We were living in upstate New York and Zo har wanted to hunt more often. So, we moved to Virginia for better weather, bought the farm in 1985, and since 1989, have hosted a hunt break fast on the property - every year except 2020 be cause of COVID,” Lisa explains. Zohar has hunt ed with the Middleburg Hunt, Piedmont, Orange County, Loudoun, and Old Dominion.

Another popular hunt breakfast is hosted the Sat urday after Thanksgiving at Welbourne. Dulany Morison continues Pied mont’s long tradition of hosting at Welbourne, which sits on 520 acres that are protected in a conservation easement with Virginia Outdoors Foundation. But theirs is an evening affair, a cocktail dinner complete with Hunt Country at tire.

A hunt breakfast dessert spread at Rose Marie Bogley’s house. Photo by Liz Caller.

When hounds come in around 2 p.m., rid ers take their horses home and get ready for the evening before returning. Bartenders are on the porches. Servers offer ham biscuits to start. Then, there is a formal buffet spread in the din ing room which includes beef tenderloins, sliced ham, and mashed potatoes. “We keep the menu pretty traditional,” Dulany adds. “And there’s al ways roaring fires in every fireplace. I also recall an old photo of children sitting on the stairs at Welbourne with dinner plates on their laps.”

“It’s a chance to interact with some of the landowners and riders to toast their ‘hopeful ly’ successful day,” Dulany says. “It’s a camara derie-building occasion that benefits rider and landowner alike; it ties everyone together in sup port of the landscape. There’s a driving force and motivation to preserve the territory for foxhunt ers. And it’s trickled down to others who support the industry in so many ways: those who provide horse care, feed, equestrian supplies, caterers, designers, etc. There are so many layers. Some of the most passionate enthusiasts are those who are doing a lot of the work. They take great pride in it.”

Dulany and his wife, Eleanor, also subscribe to OCH, and Eleanor is a steward on the OCH board. Since 2015, the Morisons have hosted a breakfast at their Stoke Farm in OCH territory.

“We host it closer to Christmas, so everything is decorated for the holidays,” Dulany says. Stoke’s 285 acres are protected under conservation ease ment with Virginia Outdoors Foundation.

These breakfasts include hearty fare, live fires, and festive drinks – mostly red wine or bourbon is consumed, but there’s always a full bar. Dulany adds, “With these breakfasts, the host is thanking their fellow hunters and neighboring landowners for allowing the use of their land, and they serve as a venue for inviting others.”

Another local foxhunter, Rose Marie Bogley, has hosted her share of hunt breakfasts at her Upperville estate Peace and Plenty at Bolling brook. She hunted with Middleburg Hunt from

1975 to 1985. In 1985, she moved to Bollingbrook where she has hosted breakfasts for Piedmont for over 30 years. Her estate includes a grand manor house that dates to 1809 on 400 acres, with 365 of those acres in a conservation easement with the Land Trust of Virginia.

Hunts usually start around 9 a.m. Before the pandemic, she hosted it as close to Christmas as possible. “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” Bogley shares. “During the breakfast, horses can be put in stalls since there are several on the property. We had valet parking and gave people rides up to the house. There’s a healthy crowd of about 100 at a time, people coming and going. It got bigger each year.”

Last time Bogley hosted, she served chili. “I found this wonderful recipe in a cooking mag azine called Bourbon Chili; it was the best, ev eryone loved it,” she remembers. “It cooked all night, and at four o’clock in the morning, I’d come downstairs and could smell it. We had corn muf fins too, along with ham, salads, and a big dessert table. I’m from Pennsylvania and my sister knew someone there who made really good nut rolls. We had a full bar – actually, two bars – and bar tenders.”

Dulany sums up the significance of the hunt breakfast perfectly: “It’s a happy time during a cold season, and it’s a great way to celebrate a day of sport. Instilling this interest into the next generation is key on everyone’s mind in the fox hunting world. Hopefully, it will be kept alive for future generations.”

We can all toast to that. ML

Memories | From page 6

Top left: Hunters gather at Kinross before setting out. Photo by Joanne Maisano. Bottom left: Fresh flowers make a lovely centerpiece for this hunt breakfast ta ble. Photo by Karen Fuog. Bottom right: Piedmont Fox Hounds Hunt Breakfast at Rose Marie Bogley's Peace and Plenty. Photo by Janet Hitchen.

Fall Foxhunting Scenes 2022

PIEDMONT FOX HOUNDS | Left: PFH Huntsman Jordan Hicks. Middle: Piedmont foxhound. Right: JT MFHs of Piedmont Fox Hounds Tad Zimmerman and Shelby Bonnie.

BLUE RIDGE HUNT | Bottom left: JT MFH of the Blue Ridge Hunt leading the Field Hunter competitors. Middle: BRH ride under fall foliage. Top right: Huntsman Graham Buston.

Photos by Joanne Maisano

MIDDLEBURG HUNT | Left: Members of the Middleburg Hunt. Middle: Middleburg Hunt Huntsman Richard Roberts. Right: Members of the Middleburg Hunt.

ORANGE COUNTY HOUNDS | Left: Members of Orange County Hounds. Right: Orange County Huntsman Reg Spreadborough leads the way.

THEMe y Marshall MARKET

THEMe y Marshall MARKET

THEMe y Marshall MARKET

A festival featuring vintage finds, gifts, & artisanal goods

A festival featuring vintage finds, gifts, & artisanal goods

THEMe y Marshall MARKET

10 am - 5 pm | december 3, 2022

10 am - 5 pm | december 3, 2022

10 am - 5 pm | december 3, 2022

A festival featuring vintage finds, gifts, & artisanal goods frost street + main street in marshall , va 20115

A festival featuring vintage finds, gifts, & artisanal goods frost street + main street in marshall , va 20115

frost street + main street in marshall , va 20115

frost street + main street in marshall , va 20115

10 am - 5 pm | december 3, 2022

10 am - 5 pm

10 am - 5 pm

10 am - 5 pm

Visit vintagemarshallva.com/events or scan for more info!

Visit vintagemarshallva.com/events or scan for more info!

10 am - 5 pm

Visit vintagemarshallva.com/events or scan for more info!

Visit vintagemarshallva.com/events or scan for more info!

vintage

vintage

vintage

vintage

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Marshall Antique Tag Sale

Marshall Antique Tag Sale

Marshall Antique Tag Sale

Marshall Antique Tag Sale

JEWELERS

OUT WEST

$3,000,000

Helen MacMahon

Paul

104 & 106

STREET

Rare opportunity 2 recorded lots with C-3 zoning in the town of Middleburg 2 separate buildings with 8 offices, 5 storage bays and ample parking All buildings are in excellent condition

$1,250,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

UPPERVILLE, VIRGINIA

Tough to find 44.55 acres in prime location Mountain views, large farms and privacy 44.55 acres of which 15 acres are producing grapes | 8.5 acres of Chambourcin, Traminette on 4.3 acres and Vidal Blanc on 2.1 acres | Vineyard infrastructure includes fencing, irrigation system and computerized well | Perc site for 4 bedroom home | Property is in conservation easement Property can be converted to Residential use

$1,300,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

Helen

Brian

Paul

Brian

CLIFTON

$300,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

BELLE VIEW FARM

MINTER-SPILMAN MILL & MILL HOUSE

MARKHAM, VIRGINIA

acres in 2 recorded parcels Frontage on Goose Creek, land rises to great views, mountain meadows on upper portion Access over Railroad and creek Excellent hunting land, surrounded by large tracts

JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY

CATESBY VINEYARD

FAMILY FUN AT COBBLER MOUNTAIN IN DELAPLANE

A Cozy Countryside Cidery Perfect for Families and Pets

Written by Lia Hobel | Photos by Michael Butcher

Cobbler

Mountain is especially beautiful in autumn with vibrant tree canopies dot ting a family heirloom now in its third generation. It’s a majestic, peaceful getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for visitors and even the owners. “Every season on Cobbler Mountain is a gift of nature, wildlife, and chang ing plant life,” says Laura McCarthy Louden, Cobbler Mountain Cidery owner.

A Celtic symbol is etched on the welcome sign, cider bottles, and taproom glasses. It’s an emblem designed by Louden to emphasize the family connectedness that stemmed from her father’s heart when he purchased the mountain in 1959. Louden remembers her father, Lawrence

Daniel McCarthy’s, dream to make the proper ty into a family-owned working farm. “He was a forward-thinker in the early 60s, inviting families with children in wheelchairs, walkers, and limit ed by sight or sound to explore Cobbler Moun tain on hikes and camp-outs,” Louden shares.

Shortly after meeting the future Mrs. McCar thy, he was recruited to direct a facility in South Carolina in 1967, where Louden and her sibling would grow up. Her father passed at the age of 42, but her mother held on to the Cobbler Mountain farmland to save for her grown children.

In 2011, Louden and her husband, Jeff, made her father’s vision for the land a reality. They opened Cobbler Mountain Cidery out of their

basement with a couple of ciders and a few wines, becoming Fauquier’s first cidery. The recipes are her husband’s which he developed as a hobby in their South Carolina basement. In 2006, they took the leap to move close to the Virginia farm. After three years of planning and paperwork, a new infrastructure of road, electricity, and well installation began in 2008 followed by the con struction of their hilltop house in 2009. By 2015, with the growing popularity of their ciders, the Loudens chose to focus on them exclusively and built a separate structure for larger operational use and visitor space.

Today, guests who come to the mountain can

Cobbler Mountain Cidery from afar.

sip on a hot toddy or choose from one of the two dozen handcrafted ciders on the seasonal menu. Currently, autumn flavors are bountiful with the Harvest Pumpkin, Kickin’ Cinnamon, Ginger Snap, Cinnamon Pumpkin, Cider Donut, and Maple Stout being fan favorites. Other in-season ciders include the Jammin’ Cranberry Ginger, Cranberry Hard Tea, Cranberry Hard Seltzer, and the Red Sangria. These are offered in addi tion to other ciders including the Pomegranate

Black Currant, Wild BlackBerry Hop, Original Honey, Traditional Jeffersonian, Mountain Top Hop, Golden Pineapple Sunset, and Razzle Daz zle Raspberry.

On the drive to the cidery, visitors will cross Thumb Run Creek. The creek runs to the Shenan doah Mountains and finally to the Chesapeake Watershed but originates from a neighboring

spring dating to the 1700s, Louden explains. There is a second spring on the mountain above their residence that offers spring water used in the hard seltzer and hard cider production. “Many say it is the best water [they have] ever tasted,” she shares. Around the creek, guests can spot the year-round wildlife visitors including resident families of black bear, deer, fox, raccoon, skunk, wild turkey, heron, and a variety of birds such as the pileated woodpecker, many of which are fea tured on the cider bottle labels.

With over 90 wildlife-protected acres, the ci dery is much more than a place to stop for a crisp beverage. All guests, including children and pets, are welcome to hike the 45-acres of wooded trails with scenic vistas and picnic on the sprawling grounds. Louden notes that hikers are required to sign in to the guest log, leave their ID, and sign out upon return. They are also encouraged to hike with a partner or group.

To enhance the seasonal outdoor experience, warm campfires are scattered about the hillside waiting for guests. Louden recommends walk-ins come early to grab a spot, but they are available

Left: Lawrence Daniel McCarthy, his wife, and daughter, Laura McCarthy Louden. Right: The Louden Family.

Cobbler | From page 14

Cobbler

to reserve for larger groups or special occasions. “Throughout November, December, and January, many regular customers bring family and friends to celebrate the holidays,” she says. Children are welcome to visit the little bear cub playhouse which is hidden under the staircase of the cidery. There are also table games and options for col oring at the tables in the back game rooms. As an added treat for little ones, every September, a fresh batch of non-alcoholic cider is pressed and served on tap until it sells out (usually by March). Year-round, youngsters may also order root beer on tap or sparkling fruit spring waters in flavors that change each season.

As their award-winning cidery continues to grow, the Loudens’ twins, Daniel and Olivia, have also joined the cidery business, making it the family operation their grandfather had hoped for. ML

The cidery is open year-round for walkins on Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 12 - 5 p.m., and week days by appointment. Groups of all sizes are welcome with advance planning.

Local dog groups meet monthly; the Fauquier Scottish Heritage Society hosts Game Outings; plus many special occa sions are celebrated throughout the year.

Cobbler Mountain Cidery 5909 Long Fall Lane, Delaplane, Virginia 20144

Top: Cobbler Mountain’s impressive collection of ciders. Bottom left: Daniel Louden shows off what’s on tap. Bottom right: Thumb Run Creek runs through Cobbler Mountain and is ready to be explored.

ANTIQUE

ANTIQUE

www.greersconservation.com

Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132 540.338.6607

Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132 540.338.6607

37627 Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132 540.338.6607

Appointment

Furniture

Furniture

Furniture

Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132

Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132

The Heart of Middleburg

Fox Inn & Tavern opened in 1728. The Reuter family purchased it in 1976 and continues to run it today. The Tack Box was opened in 1947 by Chubb Lee and is now operated by Berk Lee.

The Fun Shop is a retail store opened by the Allen family in 1956, which also continues to be family-owned and operated today. These three families, who have a long history in the Town of Middleburg, are the backbone of what we treasure. They represent Middleburg at its finest and who we are: horses, hospitality, dining, and shopping.

Mrs. Nancy Allen opened a small toy store which was expanded and expanded into what you could almost call a chic department store today. After sixty-six years The Fun Shop con

tinues to be Middleburg's most famous store.

Mr. Howard Allen was a notable photographer who had a studio in the shop. He was known for his iconic photographs of President and Mrs. Kennedy and their children.

Now owned by the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Allen, The Fun Shop offers an excellent and di versified range of carefully selected merchandise and gifts with a total commitment to customer service.  After many years of dedication to the store and the community, the sisters have de cided to retire so they can devote their time to children, grandchildren, and travel.

You can imagine how much push back there was when Laura Farrell and I first listed The Fun Shop for sale. There was an outcry from my friends and on Facebook: “How can you sell

The Fun Shop?” “Where will I go buy candles last minute?” “Where will I go to buy presents?” on and on. Someone once said, “If you can’t find it at The Fun Shop, you don’t need it.”

The property has the shop and three houses on three parcels, totaling almost an acre of land. The storefront is ideally located on West Wash ington Street and the property extends down The Plains Road on the west side, across from the beautiful National Sporting Library & Mu seum. As the Town of Middleburg grows, the property has so many possibilities. The property will be purchased by someone who cares about the town, its rich history, the community, and visitors.

Price Reduction Almost 1 Acre In-Town Middleburg Development Opportunity $3,250,000

Laura Farrell +1 540 395 1680

Bundles Murdock +1 540 454 3499 bmurdock@ttrsir.com

lfarrell@ttrsir.com

Bundles Murdock +1 540 454 3499

bmurdock@ttrsir.com

The Plains Brokerage 6474 Main Street, The Plains, VA +1 540 212 9993

The Plains Brokerage 6474 Main Street, The Plains, VA +1 540 212 9993

Bundles Murdock

elizaBetH Mandros of Mystique Jewelers in MiddleBurg

Written by Diane Helentjaris | Photos by Michael Butcher

Autumnsunshine pours through the plate glass windows of Mystique Jewelers on West Washington Street in Middleburg. It mingles with the shop lights and the soft illu mination coming through the bank of windows at the back of the store. Jewels — crystal-clear, vibrant, and pearly — sparkle. Gold, silver, and platinum gleam. This is a busy season for jewel ers, the time when holiday shoppers and hope ful suitors alike seek the perfect ring, cufflink set, or pendant to express their love. Elizabeth Mandros, certified gemologist, jewelry designer, and Mystique’s owner, is ready to help. She has created a series of trunk shows to highlight the shop’s offerings.

As a youngster full of curiosity and a self-pro claimed tomboy, Mandros enjoyed examining rocks and stones. She had never thought of be coming a jeweler until a trip to Brazil sparked the idea. Brazil is jam-packed with topazes, tour malines, citrines, opals, beryls, aquamarines, and so much more — the dream destination for gem lovers. Once exposed to the possibilities of jewelry-making, Mandros “wanted to know ev erything about it” and became “obsessed.” She went on to acquire the formal education and skills necessary to create jewelry and run a jew elry store. The child who daydreamed of selling macrame bracelets in Key West now heads two

Left: A matching set with stacked necklaces. Right: Eliza beth Mandros in her Middleburg shop.

jewelry shops: one in Middleburg and the other in Old Town Alexandria. Today, her longtime love of gems shows in the wide range of precious and semi-precious gems at Mystique, which she describes as “a chic store that has an elegance, a comforting atmosphere.” Most of the pieces, with the exception of the estate jewelry, are created by Mandros, her goldsmith, and a few hand-selected jewelers.

Mandros enjoys working directly with cus tomers to design bespoke pieces. Wedding and engagement rings evocative of shared values or pendants commemorating special times come to life as she crafts them.

With a mantra of “casual elegance,” Mandros describes herself as a “jeans girl.” Knowing jewel ry is a luxury item which people tend to spend a bit more for, she believes it should last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations. She also believes jewelry should be worn daily or, at the least, weekly, rather than stowed away in a box or reserved for special occasions. To get the most out of a personal collection, she recommends creating versatility by stacking, layering, recom bining, and repurposing earrings, necklaces, and pins. Pieces do not always have to match. Gold and silver can be worn together. To illustrate her point, she removes an earring she is wearing. It’s a dainty gold stud highlighted with diamonds. She picks up a polished pink stone drop and attaches one to her basic earring — voila! A dramatic new look.

Mystique’s Middleburg shop reflects the com munity’s love of horses, hounds, and foxes. There is a section of equestrian-themed jewelry and, this year, Mystique will be offering an Equestrian Holiday Collection. Gold and silver, diamonds, and leather are skillfully combined to create a se lection of pendants, bracelets, rings, and more, all embellished with equestrian motifs.

Mystique’s cuff bracelets, casual jewelry suit able for lunch with friends or a day in town, fea ture painted images burnished with gold leaf. Three in particular resonate with the Hunt Coun try aesthetic. Mandros believes the “fox is our icon” and has created a cuff emblazoned with the head of a “wonderful, happy” fox. Another cuff embodying Middleburg style features a tradi tional hunt scene while a third is illustrated with hounds. Consistent with Mystique’s dedication to personal service, the shop will also make custom

cuffs of a client’s chosen subject such as a fami ly dog or a favorite horse. A new cuff, the design still under wraps, will be released soon, Mandros says. Cuffs are available in small, medium, and large sizes.

Mystique is a full-service jeweler. Both the Middleburg and Alexandria locations offer cus tom design services and repairs, and purchase estate and other jewelry. A popular service is the creation of wish lists. Customers can choose piec

es they like and have them placed on a wish list. Friends and family looking for a gift guaranteed to be appreciated, can come by the shop and be shown the selections on a customer’s list. The shop will also work with customers to create up dated pieces from existing jewelry. An inherited or passed-down piece may not be the new own er’s style or size and can be refreshed with new

life breathed into treasures from the past.

As Mandros says, visitors to Mystique can ex pect “a full complement of choices, and the only restriction is your imagination.” ML

Top left: Polo features heavily in the shop. Bottom left: The equestrian theme is found around every corner. Top right: A hunt-inspired cuff. Bottom right: Mystique has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Littleton Farm

153 acres

Upperville – This premier estate is a para dise with the main house for grand living and entertaining; 2 horse barns, riding ring and trails to ride out. Multiple outdoor living spaces perfect for enjoying the stun ning landscape of Virginia’s horse country.

John Coles | 540-270-0094

541 +/- acres

Beautiful rolling hills and pasture located in Flint Hill, Virginia. This scenic property is surrounded by unspoiled countryside and expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering a private and quiet escape to enjoy.

John Coles | 540-270-0094

Middleburg

Estate

30 acres $5,900,000

Middleburg – Spectacular Country Estate with manicured lawns, lush woodlands and towering trees. Superbly built in a classic Tuscan style architecture, it includes 5 bedrooms 8 1/2 baths, 8 fireplaces and wood, stone and marble floors.

Mary Ann McGowan | 540-270-1124

107+ acres $5,750,000

The Plains – Exceptional and surrounded by magnificent countryside with views. Stone and stucco residence, beautiful terraces. Geothermal heating/cooling, heated 20’ x 40’ pool, 8 stall center aisle stable with 14’ x 14’ stalls. Stunning indoor riding arena.

John Coles | 540-270-0094

Mountainview

The

Cricket

Foxglove

18

a utility room. Large open parking area behind offers po tential for expansion of building footprint.

Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

Glatton Folly

.41 acres

Middleburg – c.1820 Victorian-era frame house with 3 BRs / 3 full BAs. Unique 2 story portico w/ balcony. Many upgrades and renovations. Standing seam metal roof, 4 fire places, wide board pine floors. Fenced back yard w/sheds. 1 car garage.

Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

9080 John Mosby hwy

10 acres $715,000

Upperville – Elevated building site offers amazing long distance views in several directions. The land is dotted with mature trees and has a large stonewall, fire pit and sitting area. Certified for a 4 BR septic system. Well and pump installed.

Will Driskill | 540-454-7522

Emily

La

Willisville

Alnell

local traditions: THE SPIRIT PLATE

Written by Bill Kent | Photos by Callie Broaddus

Just before everyone sits down at the table, Chris “Comes with Clouds” White takes a large dinner plate and fills it with small portions of venison leg, fire-roasted oysters, tallow-fried quail, pemmican soup, three sisters stew, a dollop of pawpaw ice cream, and all of the other dishes guests bring to the November Frost Moon feast. But instead of digging in, he takes it outside.

“This is to welcome our ancestors,” explains White, a Cherokee senior elder and medicine man who lives in Bluemont, Virginia, with his wife René Locklear White, a member of the Lumbee tribe and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. “We want them to know we are grateful for the life they have given us and all the good things they have done for us.”

Exactly where he will put the plate on his 22 acres he won’t say. “The spirits would rather not be watched as they’re eating,” he ex plains.

What if birds, squirrels, or even a bear gets to the food first?

“The spirits can handle that,” he says. White adds that he has gratitude for all creatures. “We’re grateful every day for the Creator and what we’ve been given. Living creatures are part of that gift. Gratitude for this is one of the tenets of Native American people.”

What better way to celebrate than in a November ceremony that’s all about being grateful for the harvest? The autumnal chill makes the land and its inhabitants want to rest and relax, and friends, fam ily, and community members come together to enjoy themselves in one big, bountiful feast.

However, this isn’t Thanksgiving.

The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian is clear that some people with Indigenous ancestors find the holiday to be prob lematic. An educator's guide on the museum’s website states that many Native Americans have difficulty with the holiday because “the Thanksgiving celebrated today is more a combination of Puritan religious practices and the European festival called Harvest Home, which then grew to encompass Native foods.” The holiday can also be a reminder for some Native Americans that whatever peace was shared during that famed Massachusetts gathering did not last.

Long before Europeans came to the American continent, Indig enous people held numerous celebrations that involved feasting.

Chris White, René White, and Carrie Fox.

“Different tribes do different things, but we all have ceremonies around the solstices and equi noxes,” White notes.

Thirteen times a year, Chris and René take turns hosting feasts in their extended communi ty that follow full moons. This month they will celebrate the “Frost Moon,” which traditionally marks the end of the harvest, the gathering of seeds, the drying, smoking, and preserving of food, and the distribution of food, firewood, and

Chris and René take what they want, fill a new box or basket with pickings from their gardens, and then take it to the next neighbor in the com munity network.

René says she never sees bruised fruit or overripe tomatoes in the Harvest Bowl. “My sister Jan ice taught me you would never think of keeping the best for yourself. She and our mother taught us many ways to preserve foods. If the receiver

Carrie Fox, a member of the Lenni-Lenape, and her husband, Nathan, a carpenter, former Marine, and Cherokee, have a small farm in Ber ryville where they raise quail, ducks, chickens, honey bees, and seasonal vegetables. For them, the Feast of the Frost Moon is “one more way of reconnecting,” Fox says. “Growing up, we knew about our heritage but we were not immersed in practicing traditions. Chris and René have creat ed a kind of intertribal space for us, and others who want to rediscover the natural world.”

other staples to those in need.

Preparations begin with harvesting. René says that “planting and harvesting food is part of our spiritual DNA. We only take what is in season, when it is at its peak.”

Her mother used to tell her that what isn’t in season is poison. René tries to follow that guid ance because “food is so much healthier, tastier, and beautiful when it’s at the peak season. We try to grow, forage and harvest all we need right here, so you won’t see us in a supermarket that often.”

The best of their harvest goes into the Harvest Bowl: a box, basket, or easily handled container filled with items that neighbors want to share.

looks at the harvest as a gift, then they can’t help but honor that gift by using what they receive and sharing their gratitude with others.”

On the morning of the feast, Chris splashes cold water on his face. “Water is life, life is cere mony,” he says. Then he goes to his outdoor fire pit, places a bit of sweet grass on the wood, and lights it up.

Every guest invited to the feast must bring a dish that has special meaning to them. Some will also bring seeds for next year’s planting.

Fox finds that growing, celebrating, and eat ing food that is part of, or relates to, the world of her ancestors is the most direct and satisfying way to do that.

And she’s not alone. Among this year’s best-selling non-fiction books is “Braiding Sweet grass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants,” by Robin Wall Kim merer. A member of the Potawatomi Nation and an environmental science professor at the State University of New York in Syracuse, Kimmerer wrote the book for her academic peers. She nev er expected it to sell 1.4 million copies, or to be

Left: René White. Middle: Chris White. Right: Carrie Fox.

From page

translated into 20 languages.

“If we use a plant respectfully, it will flourish,” Kimmerer writes. “If we ignore it, it will go away.”

Kimmerer told The Washington Post that she “was sensing, as an environmentalist, this great longing in the public, a longing to belong to a place. I think about how many people have no culture, have no ancestral home….That sense of not belonging here contributes to the way we treat the land.”

Just last month, Kimmerer was among several artists, writers, scientists, and educators to get an $800,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

Chris and René call this newfound awareness of Indigenous knowledge a “New Tribe Rising.”

Earlier this year, René received a fellowship from the Lumbee Tribal University at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to map out Amer ica’s native food trail. In December, she will go to Minneapolis to meet Oglala Lakota Chef Sean Sherman, whose restaurant, Owami, was just named the best new restaurant in the United States by the James Beard Foundation.

Owami is one of a dozen or so American restaurants now serving what Sherman calls In digenous cuisine. (Among the first is the Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.)

In his 2017 cookbook, “The Sioux Chef’s In digenous Kitchen,” Sherman asks, “Why isn’t the Indigenous diet all the rage today? It’s hyperlocal, ultra seasonal, uber healthy….This is a diet that connects us all to nature and to each other in the most direct and profound ways.”

In a recent New Yorker Magazine profile, Sherman spoke of the importance of seasonal feasts. “The best food just happens to us when we get together with friends and we just try things. As long as it's fresh, grown by us, in season, or, if it comes from somewhere else, without any pre servatives and processing — and we maintain our respect for the food as a gift we have been given — the results are almost always amazing for all of us. This isn’t about one of us being a great chef and the others sitting in awe of what that person makes. It’s about all of us sharing what we have, what we can do, what we can teach and enjoy.”

That’s why Clay Morris is invited so frequent ly to celebrational feasts. A restoration ecologist, ethnobiologist, and native wisdom keeper, he also teaches seasonal foraging courses at the Salaman der Resort & Spa. Whenever a feast is scheduled, he takes his time to thoughtfully select a dish to make from over a hundred locally foraged Indig enous dishes that he knows.

How about an appetizer of pickled cattail shoots, pine cones, wild onion flowers, ramps and elderberry capers? Or smoked trout with mashed sunchokes, lamb’s quarters sauteed with wild on ions, garlic mustard pesto, roasted burdock root, pashofa (pork with hominy), washed down with dandelion root tea and, for dessert, heirloom pears poached in elderberry syrup?

“All are made with ingredients that are right here in our backyards, prepared through the lens of traditional knowledge, and then brought to the level of fine, contemporary cuisine,” Morris says. Thinking it over, he decides he will bring the paw-paw ice cream. “Everybody loves it.”

Morris isn’t at work on a cookbook — yet.

Guests tend to arrive early to finish cooking their dishes or just sit around the fire and talk. “The fire is always a safe place of conversation,” White says. “It’s a time to catch up on how we’ve been, what new things are happening in our life and, as always, what we have to be grateful for.”

Any kind of complaining — about jobs, traf fic, politics, social media, sports teams — is dis couraged. A smudge bowl of burning sage and sweetgrass sits near the fire pit. The fragrant aro ma helps guests cleanse themselves of negative feelings.

Children help with some of the cooking. “Kids will show an interest in everything and anything, if you will let them. It doesn’t matter if they grow up to be chefs. It’s important that they learn our ways so that they can feel a connection to the land and the Creator, and pass that on to their chil dren,” White notes.

As the night darkens, guests sit around the fire in a circle. Each guest takes a turn talking about their dish and why they brought it.

Chris takes samples for the spirit plate. When he returns, there is a brief pause “in which we thank the Creator for the gift of life and every thing else we have received.”

Then they dig in. ML

Top: René’s homemade soups. Middle: Makings for a harvest basket. Bottom: Honey made by Carrie Fox and seasonal gourds.

local Markets for Holiday sHopping

Written by Will Thompson | Photos courtesy of Old Bust Head

meals, indulgent desserts, decorations and ornaments, and of course gifts — all of the elements that make the holiday season bright — can be found locally produced by our friends and neighbors in Hunt Country. Farmers markets and country stores make perfect hubs to explore the foods and crafts that give holiday gift-giving a special, home-grown touch. Here are a few of the farmers markets that we are looking forward to this holi day season here at Middleburg Life!

Home-cooked

and their signature sweet pickles, a 100-year-old family recipe that requires 14 days in a crock. For interesting gift ideas, the farm offers tours which include visitors leaving with a mini-garden in an egg carton or vegetables and flower seedlings. The farmstand is self-serve on Mondays through Fridays with the farmers on site on Saturdays. 34788 Bloomfield Road Round Hill, Virginia 20141 Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to dusk

Gilbert's Corner

School Hill Garden and Tiny Acre Farm

Set in the original Unison Bloomfield School built in 1916, the School Hill Garden and Tiny Acre Farm is tied to Hunt Country’s past and re flective of Loudoun County’s agricultural history. The School Hill Garden and farm offers local ac cess to farm-raised beef, pork, chicken, duck, tur key, and eggs as well as seasonal vegetables grown onsite. They also source from local vendors to give visitors a variety of choices. The farm offers seasonal baked goods, jams, and jellies – visitors can expect their rum cakes around the holidays

Along with farm-fresh produce and meats, shoppers at Gilbert's Corner can connect directly with producers of delicious prepared foods in cluding authentic French pastries, famous barbe cue, kettle corn, Maine lobster rolls, rich coffee, ice cream, and even traditional British fare.The market is owned by the Piedmont Environmen tal Council and managed by the Loudoun Valley HomeGrown Markets Cooperative with the mis sion of creating a place for visitors to source local products and experience the quality of the Pied mont’s farms. The market is just one piece of the

more than 340 acres of land at Gilbert’s Corner that the Piedmont Environmental Council has worked to protect and enhance. Gilbert’s Corner has become an access point for outdoor recre ation, natural resource conservation and resto ration, and historic preservation. This holiday season, be sure to stop by to sample a variety of festive treats, or even purchase a Christmas tree!

39958 John Mosby Hwy

The Intersection of Routes 50 and 15 Aldie, Virginia 20101 Saturdays and Sundays 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Archwood Green Barns Farmers Market

2022 will mark the 24th anniversary of Arch wood Green Barns, a farmers market in The Plains purveying locally grown produce and ar tisanal gifts set within a historic estate and horse stable once owned by H. Teller Archibald, the “Candy King'' of Chicago and Miami. Among the stables that once housed Archibald’s prized thoroughbreds, the market’s approximately 35 eclectic vendors offer a variety of farm-fresh pro

Left: Market goers connecting with local vendors. Middle: Handcrafted coasters are a unique find. Right: Decorations add to the holiday spirit.

Markets | From page 28

duce, vegetables, and meat, and even specialty goods like soaps, lotions, and dog treats! Arch wood Green Barns prides itself on being a pro ducers-only market meaning those who are sell ing the products are those who produced them. November 27 through December 18, Archwood Green Barns will be transformed into a holiday market where visitors can find all of the holiday gifts, treats, and decorations needed to make this season bright!

4559 Old Tavern Road

The Plains, Virginia Sundays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Giving Tree

In 1669, John Lederer and John Catlett be came the first non-Indigenous people to explore the Shenandoah Valley. On their journey, they came across the site of what is now The Giving Tree market. Set in the heart of Shenandoah’s wild beauty, complete with a historical marker to commemorate Lederer and Catlett’s exploration, this family-run farmers market and gift shop spe cializes in farm-fresh, seasonal produce, meats, eggs, honey, cheese, dairy, and even wine from locally grown grapes. The Giving Tree also fea tures a nursery where patrons can build their gar dens with starter plugs, flowers, shrubs, trees, and herbs. Providing seasonal produce and farmed goods means that there’s always something new

and delicious to try at The Giving Tree! Shoppers can get into the holiday spirit while wandering among seasonal foods, gifts, and in December, Christmas trees and wreaths!

13485 John Marshall Highway Linden, Virginia 22642

Monday through Friday 12 - 7 p.m. Saturdays 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sundays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Lucketts Christmas House

The Old Lucketts Store is a 138-year-old re stored general store and farmhouse in Leesburg that is home to more than 35 local small busi nesses and dealers offering antiques, vintage finds, and handmade crafts. Every November and December, the Old Lucketts Store is transformed into the Holiday House, a 3,000-square-foot hub of holiday cheer where shoppers can find gifts, dé cor, ornaments, clothing, and kitchenware. Each room of the Holiday House will be curated and styled with a unique Christmas theme complete with Christmas carols and holiday classics play ing throughout. Refreshments will be served in the kitchen, and the Holiday House is a frequent stop for mobile food vendors. While the grounds of Lucketts will remain free to enter, the Holiday House is ticketed in order to give shoppers visit ing this extremely popular venue a pleasant and stress-free experience. In a nod to the spirit of giv ing, patrons of the Holiday House can feel good

purchasing their wares knowing that a portion of all proceeds are donated to the Special Olympics. The Holiday House begins on November 10 and will be open Thursdays through Sundays until December 11. Tickets will be on sale through the Lucketts website and Eventbrite.

42350 Lucketts Road

Leesburg, Virginia 20176

Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Old Bust Head Holiday Market

Every December Old Bust Head Brewery transforms into a holiday market to rival those in Germany. Complete with an abundance of greenery, twinkling lights, and even baby goats to pet, the market is a must-visit for holiday shopping. This year, the market is on Decem ber 3 and will run from 12 to 9 p.m. with food trucks, live music, and hot drinks like Glühwein and boozy hot chocolate made with Old Bust Head Caramel Macchiato Stout. This one-stop shop is a great place to do holiday shopping while supporting local vendors who offer a little bit of everything including baked goods, candles, pottery, elderberry products, jewelry, and more! The open-air market is kid and dog friendly and free to attend. For more information visit: oldbusthead.com. ML

7134 Farm Station Rd

Vint Hill Farms, Virginia 20187

Holiday Market Hours: December 3, 12 – 5 p.m.

Left:

The

Art Show and Sale

A Christmas Opportunity

Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec 11

Art Show and Sale A Christmas Opportunity

Noon to 6pm

Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec 11

At Long Branch Baptist Church 5541 Long Branch Lane

The Plains, VA 20198

New and established artists

Noon to 6pm At Long Branch Baptist Church 5541 Long Branch Lane The Plains, VA 20198

Light refreshments

New and established artists

Bring a friend and enjoy the wonders

Light refreshments

Bring a friend and enjoy the wonders

MIDDLEBURG FILM FESTIVAL: still Magnificent 10 years on

Written by Laticia Headings Photos by Shannon Finney Photography

While walking the 340-acre property where the Salamander Resort & Spa now stands, actor Robert Redford suggested to his friend, owner Sheila Johnson, that she start a film festival. The conversation ig nited a chain of events that ultimately led to the launch of the inaugural Middleburg Film Festi val in 2013, the same year the Salamander Resort opened.

Now celebrating its tenth year, the Middle burg Film Festival is a tour de force that rivals the likes of Sundance and Telluride. It quickly

gained a reputation as a must-attend contender festival on “the road to the Oscars,” and has even received a prominent write-up in the October 5, 2022, issue of Variety Magazine, the entertain ment industry’s leading weekly publication. “We set out to build something special that would be embraced by film lovers and ten years in, we’re proud of where we are and of what this festival has become,” Johnson says.

Longtime film producers Ron Yerxa and Al bert Berger, founders of Bona Fide Productions, have been on the festival’s advisory board since

year one. Over the past three decades, they have produced dozens of Oscar-winning and nominat ed films and audience favorites, including “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Election,” “Cold Mountain,” and “Nebraska.” Five of their films have been screened in Middleburg, including this year’s “Somewhere in Queens,” starring and directed by Ray Roma no, who was also in attendance. Yerxa says, “I’m a big, big supporter of this festival because no other film festival has music, the kind of community, discussions and films, and this level of guests.”

Other prominent guests attending the festi val this year included actor Brendan Fraser and screenwriter Samuel Hunter (“The Whale”), writ er-director Rian Johnson and film editor Bob Ducsay (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”), director Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Wom an King,” “Love and Basketball”), director Noah Baumbach (“White Noise,” “Marriage Story”), director J.D. Dillard (“Devotion”), and actors Micheal Ward (“Empire of Light''), Anna Diop

Top: Sheila Johnson and Susan Koch. Bottom: The Sala mander ballroom packed with movie lovers.

(“Nanny”), Stephanie Hsu (“Everything, Every where All At Once”), and Dolly De Leon (“Trian gle of Sadness’).

Yerxa adds that the international acclaim the four-day event has received makes it a desirable destination. “Studios and production companies feel like they need to have their film here, their clients, their director. They want to be here,” he says. “The festival has a lot of pre-existing con ditions to support it but it’s mainly Sheila and Susan [Koch] being unrelentingly ambitious, and it’s paid off.”

Executive Director Susan Koch explains that the hard-earned success comes with year-round planning and extensive logistical execution. “It takes a tech crew of 15 working for four days to turn four venues —Salamander Ballroom, Mid dleburg Community Center, Hill School’s Sheila Johnson Performing Arts Center, and the Nation al Sporting Library — into state-of-the art movie theaters,” Koch says.

A large outdoor tent is also set up to accom modate additional events, special concerts, and Saturday night’s after party at the Salamander. The resort’s elegant library is a favorite spot to hear Q&A’s with notable filmmakers, writers, di rectors, actors, and composers. “I love the library for conversations,” Yerxa says. “For seeing films and meeting people, this is the best film festival out there.”

This year’s milestone celebration was preced ed by a Middleburg Film Festival 10-Day Count down. Each night, a different local business host ed a free community event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. “We’re very grateful to the Town of Middleburg for all their support,” Koch emphasizes.

The Salamander Resort & Spa kicked off the countdown followed by Mt. Defiance Cider Barn, Boxwood Estate Winery, Lost Barrel Brewing, Masters of Foxhounds Association, McEnearney Associates with co-sponsors Middleburg Life & Greenhill Vineyards, the National Sporting Li brary & Museum, Middleburg Community Cen ter, The Hill School, and Old Ox Brewery.

Terry Harrak and David Leifer, residents of Vienna, Virginia, attended three of the commu nity events. “It was the best. We met all of these people and everyone was so welcoming, it was

just like a big hug,” Leifer says. “We come to Mid dleburg all the time but have never been to the festival and didn’t really know anyone.”

The couple attended all four festival days. “When we saw everything that the town was do ing to support this, the 10-Day Countdown, we said let’s really dive in,” Harrak remembers. “If it weren’t for the countdown, we wouldn’t have extended our AirBnB and I wouldn’t have felt as comfortable as I did coming into this. I already felt like we had built a community and knew peo ple.”

Community is a big part of what makes the Middleburg Film Festival run smoothly. It relies heavily on its local volunteers and those who

make the annual autumnal pilgrimage from sur rounding areas just to be part of the excitement. Roanoke resident Warren Dreiling says, “Getting to share and draw on that excitement…is some thing I really enjoy.”

Dreiling is a first-year venue manager at the National Sporting Library and has volunteered at four previous festivals. “Being able to build peo ple up – our volunteers, special guests, sponsors, film goers — and also help to enable all of this to happen is a big aspect of why I enjoy it,” he says.

Romey Curtis is a Middleburg resident and volunteer who was born and raised in Hamp shire, England. As a former actress, Curtis ap preciates having the film festival in her backyard. “I love meeting the people and feeling that I’m making a contribution by supporting an artistic event, which is my particular interest,” adds the

Top left: White Noise director, Noah Baumbach sits for a Q&A. Bottom left: Ray Romano in the Salamander Library. Top right: From left to right: “The Whale” writer Samuel D. Hunter, Variety Senior Awards Editor Clayton Davis, Brendan Fraser, and Sheila Johnson. Bottom right: Micheal Ward accepting his award.

second-year volunteer who wants to lend her time again next October.

From the beginning, Sheila Johnson focused on making music a key cornerstone of the festi val. Classically trained in piano and violin, John son has an esteemed musical background and taught music at Sidwell Friends School for three years. “It’s also about celebrating the film com posers and the other unsung heroes behind the camera whose names you might not know but whose contributions are invaluable to the great films we screen at the festival,” Johnson says.

Every year, a “Distinguished Composer Award” is given to honor the achievements of a film composer or songwriter, and the honoree is invited to give a live performance. Past recipients include Emmy and Oscar-winning artists such as Mark Isham, Marco Beltrami, Kris Bowers, Charles Fox, Nicholas Britell, Terence Blanchard, and songwriter Diane Warren.

For the 10th anniversary, a special concert fea turing this year’s honoree, Michael Abels (“Nope, Get Out, Us”), in addition to many past recipi

ents, captivated the crowd. During the 90-minute event, each artist gave a live performance accom panied by a 45-piece orchestra while clips of their films and television shows were shown.

“It was such an honor to be a part of that concert with so many incredible composers and artists who I’ve admired for some time. I great ly appreciated being included in that list,” says composer Kris Bowers (“Green Book,” “King Richard,” and “Bridgerton”). “Sheila Johnson is an inspiration, and it means such a great deal to have her support.”

The Middleburg Film Festival is known for its heavy-hitting Hollywood blockbusters, but it also offers a well-rounded roster of something-for-ev eryone films and documentaries. “I brought my nieces because I wanted them to see all of these powerful leaders and women of color in the in dustry who reflected what we look like,” says Terry Harrak, who is half Moroccan, and whose nieces are Moroccan and Latinx. “I wanted them to watch a film and then have the experience of diving deeper into its meaning.”

Diversity is a significant consideration when selecting films for the festival, and this year’s 45

carefully curated films were no exception. Sherrie Beckstead joined the Board of Directors in Feb ruary 2022. "The festival’s mission recognizes and supports the power of film to inspire, educate, and engage audiences of diverse backgrounds and perspectives – and through this it helps build bridges of empathy and understanding,” says Beckstead, partner of Liljenquist & Beckstead and president of The Lockkeepers Collection.

Films like “Good Night Oppy” harness the educational component of storytelling. The doc umentary chronicles the remarkable true story of two NASA robot rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, and their mission on Mars to find evidence of wa ter. Oppy, as she was affectionately nicknamed by NASA scientists, was only expected to stay func tioning for 90 days, but remained in operation for 15 years.

“Kids are buzzing about the film. We love that an 8-year-old girl seeing a Black female engineer who’s one of the lead NASA scientists on the mis sion may say, ‘I can do that!’” says Director Ryan White. “This film is about the best of humanity and coming together to do something extraordi nary.”

In fact, extraordinary may be the best way to describe this year’s festival of films. “Those who were here felt it! It’s been magical and it will be lasting,” Harrak emphasizes, noting that she and Leifer will mark this weekend on their calendar every year.

The future is bright for the Middleburg Film Festival and for those who want to share in its spotlight. “I am excited to begin planning for the next 10,” Beckstead says. “The human connection and camaraderie is a synergy and the best of what life offers to us.”

“There’s so many rewarding moments but I think the ones that mean the most to me are the comments from filmgoers who tell me they look forward to returning every year and that this is their favorite weekend of the year,” Koch says. “It’s very special to us to experience the genuine sense of community that’s created by a shared love of film.”

Until next year, that’s a wrap! ML

For more information, visit: middleburgfilm.org.

Left: Salamander Executive Pastry Chef Jason Reaves lights up a celebratory cake. Right: Scenes from the Terence Blanchard Concert.

Festival | From page 33

Leeton Hill: C. 1902, is offered to the market for the first time since 1928. A truly rare opportunity offering an exquisite lifestyle and excellent long term investment opportunity. This impressive brick residence in the style of Colonial Revival with a Flemish flair, has a very private setting, yet within walking distance into Warrenton’s wonderful historic district. 11-foot ceilings, magnificent crown and wainscot moldings, beautiful parquet floors, columns with Ionic capitals, and graceful staircase. Genuine formal gardens, 60 foot heated pool with brick bath house, tennis court, 2 guest houses, 5-car garage w/apartment, nine stall center aisle stable, clouds of 10’ boxwood, Norway Spruce, dogwood, maple, pin oak, azalea, arborvitae, rhododendron, etc. Privately situated on 48-acres on the literal edge of Warrenton. $3,950,000

Joe Allen, Jr.

PRINCIPAL BROKER

Tray Allen

Clearview Farm: Consisting of 28 recorded parcels situated on a prominent site with outstanding views in every direction. The large 4 level, all-brick residence has high ceilings, spacious rooms, three fireplaces, center hall and a covered porch across the back of the house with pastoral and mountain views. Very private setting offers a serpentine brick-walled lawn, center aisle stable, large detached garage/shop, parking front court. The land offers numerous investment, conservation easement potential, and family options in that the farm includes 28 separate, recorded parcels with almost 1 mile of state paved road frontage. - very rare offering. $4,800,000 540.229.1770 (cell) 540.347.3838 (office) jkallenjr@allenrealestate.com www.allenrealestate.com

ASSOCIATE BROKER 540.222.3838 (cell) 540.347.38358 (office) tray@allenrealestate.com www.allenrealestate.com

This October marked the 10th anniversary of the Middleburg Film Festival, bringing with it A-list celebrities, exclusive screen ings, packed houses, and standing ovations. Ray Romano made his directorial debut with “Some where in Queens” and Brendan Fraser’s trium phant return to the spotlight was celebrated by raucous applause as credits rolled on “The Whale.” But, arguably, the most powerful moment of the festival occurred on its closing afternoon in the intimate and understated auditorium of The Hill School in front of a modestly sized crowd.

The documentary, “Searching for Sugar Man,” produced by Sony Classic Pictures, tells the most curious tale of Mexican-American, Detroit-based singer and songwriter, Rodriguez. If the name

Rodriguez in Detroit.

searcH for sugar Man & find yourself

Written by Kaitlin Hill Photos courtesy of Sony Classic Pictures

Editor’s Note: This article includes a mention of suicide.

doesn’t ring a bell, that’s the point. Unlike Prince, Elvis, Sting, or Madonna, the single name is not a signifier of notoriety. Instead, the documentary explores how an artist of a similar caliber of tal ent could live in absolute obscurity in the Unit ed States with, unbeknownst to him, Elvis-level fame in South Africa.

“Searching for Sugar Man” opens on a wind ing Cape Town highway with a disturbing rumor. “He set himself alight on stage and burnt to death in front of the audience,” says Stephen Segerman, a South African record shop owner, as he navi gates a twisting road high above an endless ex panse of steel gray water.

Over the course of 86 minutes, interviews with Segerman, guitarist Willem Möller, Amer

ican music executive Clarence Avant, “Bonanza” actor and record producer, Steve Rowland, De troit bar owner, Rick Emmerson, and others ex plore the rise of Rodriguez in South Africa and the shroud of mystery surrounding him as they seek to discover whether he is dead or alive.

Rodriguez’s story unfolds to the soundtrack of his on-the-nose lyrics, percussion guitar, and soulful voice. In his song, “This is Not a Song, It’s an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues,” from his first album, “Cold Fact,” released in apartheid South Africa in 1971, Rodriguez lays bare the de lusion of the American dream, pinpointing con cerns that still dominate headlines over fifty years later.

“The mayor hides the crime rate council woman hesitates Public gets irate but forget the vote date Weatherman complaining, predicted sun, it’s raining Everyone’s protesting, boyfriend keeps suggesting you're not like all of the rest Garbage ain’t collected, women ain't protected Politicians using, people they're abusing The mafia’s getting bigger, like pollution in the river And you tell me that this is where it’s at.”

“To many of us South Africans, he was the soundtrack of our lives,” Segerman explains in the film. “The message it had was ‘be anti-es tablishment’…We didn’t know what the word anti-establishment was until it cropped up on a Rodriguez song, and then we found out it’s okay to protest against your society, to be angry at your society.”

And music journalist Craig BartholomewStrydom adds, “This album somehow had lyrics in it that almost set us free as an oppressed people.”

While some songs provided inspiration for the anti-apartheid movement, years later, others of fered clues for Segerman and Bartholomew-Stry dom in their search for Rodriguez’s origin and outcome.

As the film demonstrates, they used the fol lowing lyrics from “Can’t Get Away,” on Rodri guez’s sophomore album, “Coming from Reality,” to find him.

“Born in the troubled city

In Rock and Roll, USA In the shadow of the tallest building I vowed I would break away.”

To share too much more of the plot would be to deny potential viewers the chance to experi ence a masterfully captivating mystery, complete

with dead ends, breakthroughs, multiple identi ties, moments of self-reflection, and a surprise ending. But perhaps the biggest plot twist was the Q&A following the film, where Rodriguez, yes, the Rodriguez, appeared.

As the audience heaped on their praise, Ro driguez proved to be witty, soft-spoken, and above all, humble.

When asked how he managed to stay so grounded considering his fame in South Africa, he answered simply and with a small laugh, “I’m from Detroit. We are accustomed to some noise.”

And responding to an inquiry from the crowd on what message he would share to inspire oth ers, he stopped, contemplated, and said, “Copy right your music.”

A shot from Rodriguez’s sophomore album “Coming from Reality.”

Though the crowd gathered at The Hill School was undoubtedly eager for more, Rodriguez, purposefully or not, didn’t deliver, continuing the legacy of mystery that has characterized his whole life. He ended simply by saying, “Goodbye, good luck, and stay well,” a sentiment similar to his song “Forget It” from “Cold Fact.”

“If there was a word, but magic's absurd I’d make one dream come true

It didn’t work out, but don't ever doubt How I felt about you But thanks for your time

Then you can thank me for mine And after that's said Forget it.” ML

RIDE TO THRIVE

RIDE TO THRIVE POLO CLASSIC

RIDE TO THRIVE POLO CLASSIC

RIDE TO THRIVE POLO CLASSIC

POLO CLASSIC

The 16th annual Ride to Thrive Polo Classic to benefit Cloverleaf Equine Center took place Saturday, September 24 at Great Meadow in The Plains. The Cloverleaf Equine Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps each individual realize their highest potential by providing equine-assisted services to people with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities, and recovering military personnel. Will Thomas, vice president with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and Sherrie Beckstead, partner with Liljenquist & Beckstead served once again as co-chairs. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts served again as honorary chair. The Polo Classic broke all previous records raising more than $300,000. “My favorite part of the Polo Classic is seeing so many people come together to help others. We are so grateful for this community,” Kelsey Gallagher, Cloverleaf Executive Director.

The 16th annual Ride to Thrive Polo Classic to benefit Cloverleaf Equine Center took place Saturday, September 24 at Great Meadow in The Plains. The Cloverleaf Equine Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps each individual realize their highest potential by providing equine-assisted services to people with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities, and recovering military personnel. Will Thomas, vice president with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and Sherrie Beckstead, partner with Liljenquist & Beckstead served once again as co-chairs. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts served again as honorary chair. The Polo Classic broke all previous records raising more than $300,000. “My favorite part of the Polo Classic is seeing so many people come together to help others. We are so grateful for this community,” Kelsey Gallagher, Cloverleaf Executive Director.

The 16th annual Ride to Thrive Polo Classic to benefit Cloverleaf Equine Center took place Saturday, September 24 at Great Meadow in The Plains. The Cloverleaf Equine Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps each individual realize their highest potential by providing equine-assisted services to people with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities, and recovering military personnel. Will Thomas, vice president with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and Sherrie Beckstead, partner with Liljenquist & Beckstead served once again as co-chairs. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts served again as honorary chair. The Polo Classic broke all previous records raising more than $300,000. “My favorite part of the Polo Classic is seeing so many people come together to help others. We are so grateful for this community,” Kelsey Gallagher, Cloverleaf Executive Director.

The 16th annual Ride to Thrive Polo Classic to benefit Cloverleaf Equine Center took place Saturday, September 24 at Great Meadow in The Plains. The Cloverleaf Equine Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps each individual realize their highest potential by providing equine-assisted services to people with disabilities, youth from marginalized communities, and recovering military personnel. Will Thomas, vice president with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and Sherrie Beckstead, partner with Liljenquist & Beckstead served once again as co-chairs. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts served again as honorary chair. The Polo Classic broke all previous records raising more than $300,000. “My favorite part of the Polo Classic is seeing so many people come together to help others. We are so grateful for this community,” Kelsey Gallagher, Cloverleaf Executive Director.

Cloverleaf Equine Center would like to thank our top 2022 Polo Classic partners

Will Thomas

Cloverleaf Equine Center would like to thank our top 2022 Polo Classic partners

Will Thomas

Michael Day, Amy Tessier

Barry Dixon

Will Thomas, Sherrie Beckstead, Sheila Johnson, Jean Edelman

Juan Salinas-Bentley, Greg Gregorian, Kristiane Pellegrino, Tom Rice, Kelicia Rice

Eric Latcheran, Vernon Davis, Melissa Castellanis

Dr. Michael Olding, Chris Morrison

Tara Neumann, Patrice Brickman, Sonja Morgan, Valerie MacIntyre

Cloverleaf Equine Center would like to thank our top 2022 Polo Classic partners

Will Thomas

Kelsey Gallagher

Kelly and Alan Harbitter

Michael Day, Amy Tessier

Barry Dixon

Will Thomas, Sherrie Beckstead, Sheila Johnson, Jean Edelman

Juan Salinas-Bentley, Greg Gregorian, Kristiane Pellegrino, Tom Rice, Kelicia Rice

Eric Latcheran, Vernon Davis, Melissa Castellanis

Dr. Michael Olding, Chris Morrison

Tara Neumann, Patrice Brickman, Sonja Morgan, Valerie MacIntyre

Cloverleaf Equine Center would like to thank our top 2022 Polo Classic partners

Will Thomas

Kelsey Gallagher

Kelly and Alan Harbitter

Michael Day, Amy Tessier Barry Dixon

Will Thomas, Sherrie Beckstead, Sheila Johnson, Jean Edelman

Juan Salinas-Bentley, Greg Gregorian, Kristiane Pellegrino, Tom Rice, Kelicia Rice

Eric Latcheran, Vernon Davis, Melissa Castellanis

Dr. Michael Olding, Chris Morrison

Tara Neumann, Patrice Brickman, Sonja Morgan, Valerie MacIntyre

international

& Horse

Photos by Joanne Maisano

Bottom left: 1st-place winner Tamara Smith on Solaguayre. Top Middle: 3rd-place winner Mia Farley on Phelps. Top right: 2nd-place winner Will Coleman in front of Davis Mansion.

Bottom middle: Will Coleman on Chin Tonic HS. Bottom right: Ryan Wood on Cooley Flight.

Our Favorite Local Gifts for Pets and Pet Lovers

Photos by Callie Broaddus

Fox Toys, $17.60 and $21.49,

at Loyal Companion

Kids Pet Care Set, $30, Available at The PLAYroom

Cat Mug, $14, Sophie Allport Tea Towel, $15, and Oven Mitt, $22,

at The

Dog Collars, $29.50 to $63, Available at The Tack Box

Reusable Cat Tote, $10, and Reusable Dog Tote, $8, Available at Sherrie's Stuff

Shrimp Toys, $10 - $12, and maxbone Talon Raincoat, $82, Available at Lily and Oliver's at

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

YURI GORBACHEV’S 19TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION AT THE BYRNE GALLERY

November 2 - December 31 | thebyrnegallery.com

The Byrne Gallery welcomes internationally-ac claimed artist Yuri Gorbachev back to Mid dleburg for his 19th annual exhibition with the gallery, which is in conjunction with the gallery’s 27th anniversary this year. Gorbachev’s paint ings on display, which are made with rich, glossy enamel finish, will include pieces from his private collection in addition to new works. There will be a special reception for the artist on Saturday, November 12, at the gallery from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are not required.

SUNDAY FUNDAY AT LOST BARREL BREWING

November 6 | 12 - 4 p.m. | lostbarrel.com/calendar

Join Lost Barrel Brewing for a Sunday FUN day benefiting Lu’s Labrador Rescue. As always

the event will feature delicious beer, wine, hard seltzer, and food with great ambiance. 10% of beer sales will be donated to Lu’s Lab Rescue, an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit, foster-based rescue for labrador retrievers and lab mixes.

GIRASOLE'S 18TH ANNUAL WHITE TRUFFLE DINNER

November 6 | 6:30 p.m. | girasoleva.com

Hosted by Giuseppe Vaira of G.D. Vajra in Baro lo, Italy, this exclusive event will feature a lavish six course menu with wine pairings. Known as the ‘diamonds of the kitchen’, the white truffle from Alba, Italy, is difficult to find and almost impossible to cultivate. Guests are invited to cel ebrate the world’s most magnificent and sought after fungi, and nearly two decades of friend ship with the Vaira family. Each course and wine pairing is thoughtfully curated to enhance the aroma and unique flavor of the white truffle. Gi useppe Vaira of G. D. Vajra will be presenting his family’s wines at the dinner. Reservations

required. Call to reserve: 540-253-5501.Visit girasoleva.com for the full menu and pairings.

LUCKETTS HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE OPENING WEEKEND November 10 - 13 | luckettstore.com/design-house

Visit the Old Lucketts Holiday Design House. This magical holiday event is filled with Christ mas shopping, holiday murals and photo vi gnettes, a Vanish wine garden, and more. This is a fully ticketed event with open houses through December 11. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite and are $25 per person.

SEASONAL WINE DINNER WITH SIDE SADDLE CAFE & FIELDS OF ATHENRY

November 11 | 6:30 - 9 p.m. | middleburgcommunitycenter.com/calendar Join Side Saddle Cafe and Fields of Athenry for a seasonal four course dinner at the Middleburg

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Community Center. The event is $150 per person and reservations are required. More information and tickets can be found on eventbrite.com

WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP AT NATURE COMPOSED

November 19 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | naturecomposed.com/classes-workshops

Nature Composed owner Jenn Pineau will lead a holiday wreath-making experience. Participants will learn the art of garland and wreath making from forage to finish. Tickets for this event are $125 per person and available on eventbrite.com

CELEBRATING THE HARVEST: A FARM-TO-TABLE DINNER

November 19 | 5:30 - 9 p.m. | osgf.org Enjoy the bounty of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s Biocultural Conservation Farm

while learning about the foundation’s work. On this special evening, guests are invited to gather around the table and celebrate the harvest with a menu created by Chef Jason Neve. His dishes will highlight a medley of Appalachian and Vir ginia Piedmont heirloom crops grown at Oak Spring's Biocultural Conservation Farm (BCCF). The event will open with sparkling wine and hors d'oeuvres in the Nora Mellon house, followed by a dinner served at 6 p.m. in the Schoolhouse. Tickets are $200 per person and can be purchased on eventbrite.com

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT PAINT, SIP, AND POUR

November 20 | 1 - 3:30 p.m. | fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

Guests will make four Christmas ornaments with the art of acrylic pouring. This package also comes with a glass of wine from Fleetwood Farm Winery! Guests have the option of tak

ing their ornaments home, however, organizers suggest leaving them at the winery to dry and then picking them up after a couple of days. Tick ets are $65 per person and can be purchased on eventbrite.com

SALAMANDER RESORT & SPA

THANKSGIVING BUFFET

November 24 | 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. | salamanderresort.com/play/event-calendar

Give thanks this holiday and join Salamander Resort & Spa for an elaborate Thanksgiving buf fet. Indulge in a cornucopia of flavors, featur ing a raw bar display, pumpkin and sage ravioli, bourbon glazed country ham, roasted turkey, an endless selection of desserts, and so much more. Start a new family tradition and come celebrate with us. The event is $125 per adult and $45 per child. Reservations are required, please call 866-888-5124. ML

Now More Than Ever

When finding a proven agent matters most, join the flight to quality with WFP.