Since 1988 • Priceless
February 2017
From the Bay to the Blue Ridge
Road Trip
Dining Out
Historic Cambridge, Maryland
Qaulity Seafood in a Nautical Setting
Grapevine
Personality Profile
CHESAPEAKE HYATT RESORT VIRGINIA IS FOR WINE LOVERS!
THE WHARF
KENNETH WIDHALM Pilot & Prospector
Business Profile
RALPH DAVIS
An Old Town Original
oldtowncrier.com
february A Division of Crier Media Group OTC Media LLC PO Box 320386 Alexandria, VA 22320 703. 836. 0132
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office@oldtowncrier.com oldtowncrier.com Published the first week of every month. Worth waiting for! PUBLISHER Bob Tagert MARKETING & ADVERTISING Lani Gering Bob Tagert SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Ashley Schultz
A Bit of History................................................................ 8
First Blush.........................................................................44
Pets of the Month.........................................................17
After Hours.......................................................................13
Fitness................................................................................40
Points on Pets.................................................................16
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Electronic Ink 9 Royal Street, SE Leesburg, VA 20175 703. 669. 5502
Alexandria Events............................................................ 3
From the Bay….............................................................22
Publisher’s Notes.............................................................. 2
Art & Antiques................................................................15
From the Trainer............................................................41
Road Trip...........................................................................20
Behind the Bar................................................................28
Gallery Beat.....................................................................14
Social Media Message....................................................9
Business Profile................................................................. 5
Go Fish...............................................................................42
Spiritual Renaissance...................................................43
CONTRIBUTORS Miriam Kramer Jeff McCord Kim Putens Julie Reardon Ashley Schultz Chester Simpson Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lori Welch Brown Molly Winans
Caribbean Connection...............................................18
Grapevine.........................................................................38
The Last Word.................................................................10
Chef’s Special..................................................................34
High Notes.......................................................................11
To the Blue RIdge..........................................................24
Dining Guide...................................................................32
National Harbor.............................................................47
Urban Garden.................................................................... 7
Dining Out.......................................................................30
On the Road with OTC................................................... 1
Valentine’s Trivia.............................................................26
Exploring Virginia Wines............................................36
Open Space.....................................................................46
Virginia Wine Trails........................................................37
Financial Focus.................................................................. 6
Personality Profile.............................................................4
Chris Anderson Peggie Arvidson Sarah Becker Frank Britt F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Jimmy Deaton Jason Edinger Doug Fabbioli Nicole Flanagan Lani Gering
© 2017 Crier Media Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The Old Town Crier is published monthly and distributed to select Alexandria residents, hotels, restaurants and retail shops. Also distributed in the Annapolis, Fredericksburg, Blue Ridge and Washington, DC areas as well as St. John, USVI.
about the cover on the road with OTC Swans form monogamous pair bonds that last for many years, and in some cases these bonds can last for life. Their loyalty to their mates is so storied that the image of two swans swimming with their necks entwined in the shape of a heart has become a nearly universal symbol of love.
OldTownCrier
New friends and fans of the Old Town Crier, Sam and Matilda Bowden, carried the November issue of the OTC to France where they visited Matilda’s parents in France. Pictured here is Matildas father, Mr. Henry Cochet, holding the OTC in front of the famous Brasserie Saint Maurice in beautiful Annecy, France this past Noel 2016. Henry and his wife live in Annecy, Haute Savoie, France. If you would like to see your picture here, take the OTC with you on your next trip, snap a high resolution photo and send it along with information for the caption to office@oldtowncrier.com. Happy Trails!
February 2017 | 1
PUBLISHER’S NOTES
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LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS
2 | February 2017
o far we have escaped with no major snowstorms this winter. To guarantee that there will be none the rest of Winter is for me to buy a snow shovel to replace the one I broke shoveling last January’s snow. I will just keep my fingers crossed. Has anyone out there checked the Farmers Almanac by any chance? If so, let me know what it says! For those of you who are looking to sample a new restaurant in February check out Alexandria Restaurant Week February 17 – 26. There are special offers from many of Alexandria’s best restaurants during this week. Even though February is an unpredictable month, there is still much to do. As our cover illustrates, on February 14th, love is in the air. The city will also celebrate the 285th anniversary of George Washington’s birth with festivities throughout the month, culminating with the annual George Washington Birthday Parade on February 20 at 1 p.m. This is always a fun family outing as long as the weather cooperates. If memory serves me right, the last two years’ parades were cancelled because of weather.
OLD TOWN FARMERS MARKET MARKET SQUARE • 301 KING ST SATURDAY 7 A.M. – NOON, YEAR ROUND Free parking in Market Square garage during market hours People who come to Alexandria on Saturday mornings find themselves in a busy plaza where local farmers and artists have been selling their products since 1753. Old Town Alexandria’s Market Square is thought to be one of the nation’s oldest continually operating farmers markets, serving as a primary source of meat, dairy, fish, fruits and vegetables for Alexandrians. George Washington sent his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Today, the market offers folks a way to reconnect to the past, while participating in an ongoing local and national tradition.
I hope that you enjoy the stories and information in this issue. One of these days we will take a reader poll — we will make sure that only actual readers fill it out in a concerted effort to avoid poller fraud — and let you weigh in on what you would like to see featured here. Be assured that we have eliminated any “alternative facts” and none is “fake news”… at least as far as we know. Finally, our collective hearts go out to our friend Doug Coleman whose father passed away last month. Doug had been doing double duty caring for his mom and dad while still running his law practice and writing the Civil Discourse column. A lot of us have already been there, and it is not easy. Our thoughts are with you, Doug! Raise a cup of *Flip for George and a glass of *Chatham Artillary Punch to Abe on Presidents’ Day and break out some champagne and chocolates for that wweetheart of yours on the 14th!
*You know how to use google, right?
DEL RAY FARMERS MARKET CORNER OF E. OXFORD & MOUNT VERNON AVES SATURDAY 8 A.M. – NOON, YEAR ROUND The Del Ray Market is producer grown, with fresh vegetables and fruits in season. All year round, this market offers meats, eggs, fresh pasta and sauces, Amish cheese, yogurt, bakery goods, eggs, jams and jellies, fancy nuts and bakery goods.
NORTH MONTGOMERY PARK FARMERS MARKET NORTH MONTGOMERY PARK • 901 N. ROYAL ST THURSDAY 3 – 7 P.M., YEAR ROUND, WEATHER PERMITTING The market will feature local growers, bakers, and other area providers of wholesome foods including Twin Springs, Grace's Pastries, Bread & Water, and Relay Foods. OldTownCrier
Alexandria FEBRUARY TOURS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS
JAN 29 - FEB 12, 2017 CHERRY CHALLENGE In honor of George Washington’s birthday, participating Alexandria restaurants will create unique, cherry-centric dishes in celebration of one of the most cherished legends surrounding our first president. This year features dishes from dozens of restaurants from every area of Alexandria—Old Town, Del Ray, the West End, and along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Patrons rate their favorite dishes, and winners are given special recognition at the George Washington Birthday Parade. A “Frequent Cherry Diner Award” will go to the customer who buys and rates the greatest number of Cherry Challenge entries. FEBRUARY 2, 9 AND 16 18TH CENTURY DANCE CLASSES 7:30-9:30 p.m. In preparation for George Washington’s Birthnight Ball on February 18, learn 18th-century English country dancing from expert dance instructors at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum. Tickets: $12 per class or $30 for series. FEBRUARY 5 WINTER WARMER TEA AT GADSBY’S TAVERN MUSEUM 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. seatings Enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the tavern this winter! Choose from a variety of 18th-century desserts while you sip John Gadsby’s special blend of tea or take a cup of American Heritage Chocolate. Historic guest Martha Washington will catch you up on the latest Alexandria news during the tea. Seatings at 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Arrive early for the 2:15 p.m. or 2:45 p.m. FREE tour before your tea. $35 inclusive. Reservations required.
SUNDAYS IN FEBRUARY (5, 12, 19 & 26) WALKING WITH WASHINGTON TOURS 2 p.m. Walk in George Washington’s footsteps through his hometown of historic Alexandria and view some of the sites connected to the General, like where he filled his prescriptions or wined and dined with important Alexandrians. Meet at the Alexandria Visitor Center (221 King St.) FREE FEBRUARY 20 WREATH LAYING CEREMONY AT THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION 11 a.m.-noon Join the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution as they host colonial military and civilians to honor the soldiers of the Revolution at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House. FREE FEBRUARY 18 GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BIRTHNIGHT BANQUET & BALL 5:30-11 p.m. Don dancing shoes for this famous celebration of Washington’s Birthday at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, set in the year 1799. The evening includes an 18thcentury banquet, English country dancing, dessert collation, character re-enactors plus the General and Mrs. Washington. Period costume optional; “after-five” attire encouraged. Tickets are tiered starting at $125. Advance reservations required. Call 703-746-4242 for ticket availability. FEBRUARY 19 REVOLUTIONARY WAR REENACTMENT AT FORT WARD MUSEUM & HISTORIC SITE 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Historic camp and tactical demonstrations throughout the day, including a Revolutionary War skirmish at 2 p.m. between the Redcoats and the Colonial Army. Participants include renowned
reenactment units from around the United States dressed in authentic period costumes and demonstrating authentic 18th-century weaponry. FREE FEBRUARY 19 WONDERS OF SCIENCE 1-4 p.m. Program includes a tour of the StablerLeadbeater Apothecary Museum and hands-on demonstrations of the scientific interests of George Washington, including period medicine, inventions, and espionage. $6 per person. Tours from 1-4 p.m. Tickets available online. FEBRUARY 20 HISTORIC ALEXANDRIA OPEN HOUSES Times vary In honor of George Washington’s birthday, admission is free at these historic Alexandria sites: Carlyle House, Christ Church, Friendship Firehouse Museum, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Old Presbyterian Meeting House, Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and The Lyceum: Alexandria’s History Museum. FREE FEBRUARY 20 BREAKFAST & MEETING OF THE FRIENDSHIP VETERANS FIRE ENGINE ASSOCIATION 9-10:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association, this annual tradition at The Alexandrian, Autograph Collection features “George Washington’s” first appearance of the day plus an address by retired Four-Star General John H. Tilelli, the awarding of the prestigious Ben Lynt Award and a hearty breakfast. Tickets: $35. Ticket information at www. friendshipfire.net or at 703-751-6416. FEBRUARY 20 MOUNT VERNON OPEN HOUSE 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy free admission at George Washington’s beloved home, the most visited historic estate in the United States. Observe the traditional wreath laying ceremony at Washington’s tomb, hear patriotic music and delight in a meet and greet with the General, who roams the grounds all day. FREE
FEBRUARY 20 ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY COVENANT CEREMONY 11-12:30 p.m. Come honor our nation’s veterans, active military, and their families with music, games, and activities for children with military vehicles, demonstrations, informational booths, and displays at the Parade Reviewing Stand at Market Square. FREE FEBRUARY 22 LECTURE: GEORGE WASHINGTON, AMERICA’S FOREMOST ENTREPRENEUR 7:30 p.m. The United States was conceived in business, founded on business, and operated as a business — all because of the entrepreneurial mind of the greatest American businessman of any generation: George Washington. Using Washington’s extensive but often overlooked financial papers, Edward G. Lengel, Chief Historian of the White House Historical Association, chronicles the fascinating and inspiring story of how this self-educated man built the Mount Vernon estate into a vast, multilayered enterprise and prudently managed meager resources to win the war of independence. Lengel’s book, “First Entrepreneur,” will transform how Americans think about George Washington and how his success in commercial enterprise influenced and guided the emerging nation. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. $12 per person or $10 for Society members and volunteers. Book signing to follow lecture.
part of the Memorial’s celebration of Washington’s Birthday. The lectures begin at 1 p.m. in the North Lodge Room. The George Washington Symposium is held annually on Washington’s Birthday to provide the public with enlightening contemporary research on the life of George Washington. Mark Tabbert, the Memorial’s director of collections, serves as the symposium’s master of ceremonies. Admission is free, and free parking is available. Attendees are asked to preregister via http://bit. ly/101Callahan. Registrants will receive periodic news from the Memorial, as well as a complimentary gift upon attendance. FREE FEBRUARY 25 ANNUAL BIRTHDAY GALA AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL 5:30-9:30 p.m. Black tie. Reception at 5:30 p.m. Entertainment in the Memorial Theater at 6:45 p.m. Banquet in the Memorial’s Grand Masonic Hall at 7:30 p.m. The presentation of the George Washington Memorial Award will take place during the banquet. $125; reservations required. The most up-to-date information about related celebrations can be found on www.washingtonbirthday.net. The George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee also maintains a 24-hour phone line that will report any change of status or the cancellation of any event (in case of inclement weather, for instance). Call the events hotline at 703-829-6640.
FEBRUARY 25 GEORGE WASHINGTON SYMPOSIUM AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL 1-3:00 p.m. The theme of the 2017 George Washington Symposium is George Washington and the Northern Virginia Frontier, 1732 to 1775. The symposium will take place as
CELEBRATING GEORGE WASHINGTON Thousands will join in the revelry for the 285th anniversary of George Washington’s birth in his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. The city celebrates the General’s birthday throughout the month of February with 16 festive events. February 20, 2017 George Washington Birthday Parade, 1-3 p.m. The nation’s largest George Washington Birthday parade marches a one-mile route through the streets of Old Town Alexandria. With nearly 3,500 participants, this community parade honors one of the Alexandria’s favorite sons. Grand Marshal: Retired Police Chief Earl Cook. Special guest: Olympic silver medal winner, boxer Shakur Stevenson. For information about participating units, parking, maps, route and status, go to www.washingtonbirthday.net or call 703-829-6640. In case of weather cancellation, the parade will be held June 3, 2017. FREE Photo: Nina Tisara, Tisara Photography
OldTownCrier
February 2017 | 3
PERSONALITY PROFILE
BOB TAGERT
Kenneth Widhalm: Pilot & Prospector
D
uring the NFL playoff games this past month, I was at one of my favorite watering holes, Stoney’s Kingfisher on Solomons Island, Maryland. Watching the action was a gentleman in a Denver Bronco jacket. My business partner here at the Crier is an avid Broncos fan so I struck up a conversation. That conversation has led to this article. Kenneth Widhalm is a striking man who moves like a 70-year old man whose body has seen some rough days in his youth as well as later in his life. Reserved, yet willing to talk, I learned of his journey through life starting in his native Colorado and ending up in Solomons, Maryland. Widhalm was born in Monte Vista, Colorado and grew up in the high altitude of the San Luis Valley at the headwaters of the Rio Grande in south central Colorado and the Taos Plateau of northern New Mexico. He later attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado where he earned a degree in math. From here he attended the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, California. In his senior year he received his draft notice. With the draft looming over him, Widhalm enlisted with the U.S. Navy and began his flight training in Pensacola, Florida. From there he went to Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas, where he earned his wings in 1971. His first deployment was to Hawaii, with future deployments taking him to Iwakuni, Japan, Cubi Point, Philippines and Naha, Okinawa. Future detachments took him all through Vietnam from 1971 to 1974 then to Diego Garcia an
atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean. From there he was sent to Bandar Abbas, Iran and then to his favorite, Utapao, Thailand. “I would go back there in a second,” he tells me, “a beautiful place.” During his deployments, Widhalm flew with the Fifth Wing in the Lockheed P-3 Orion, a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft. The
aircraft is easily distinguished by its distinctive tail stinger or “MAD boom” used for the magnetic detection of submarines. From 1974 to 76 Widhalm returned state side to become an instructor in Replacement Air Group at Moffett Field in San Jose, California. This is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific frontline aircraft they have been assigned to fly. From 1976 to 78 Widhalm was the operation officer at the Naval facility in Guam. Here he was with SOSUS, and acronym for sound surveillance system, a chain of underwater listening posts located around the world. Basically they were looking for submarines using passive radar. In 1978 Widhalm returned to Naval Post Graduate
School where he earned his masters in engineering, then back to Jacksonville, Florida for advanced flight training. Widhalm was then stationed in Brunswick, Maine during the Cold War, where he was attached to VP26 an organization whose job it was to track Russian submarines. In 1982 he was deployed to Keflavik, Iceland to search for and track Soviet subs. “It snows three to four feet here a winter and the temperature is usually between zero and ten degrees,” he tells me. “Sometime cars were parked on four feet of snow and we had this guy who would come out with his Caterpillar bulldozer and move the snow from around the car and then cut an incline where they could just drive the car down to the newly plowed road. He was good!” In 1983 Widhalm was stationed PERSONALITY PROFILE > PAGE 45
P-26 Aircraft off of Iceland (top); and flight position in a P3C aircraft
4 | February 2017
OldTownCrier
BUSINESS PROFILE
BOB TAGERT
RALPH DAVIS: Grad Student Turned Restaurateur
R
alph Davis is one of our own. He grew up in the Alexandria area and attended Hammond High School in the western part of Alexandria. After graduating in 1967 he attended old Dominion University and graduated with a degree in political science. He did not want to look for a job as he had plans to attend graduate school. Back in those days, Old Town Alexandria was just beginning to lose its seedy reputation as new restaurants and shops began to occupy old warehouses that fed the merchant ships that once came to the Port of Alexandria. It wasn’t until 1969 that bars and restaurants could sell liquor by the drink, and until around 1977 you could not be served if you were not seated. Little did Davis know then what an integral part he would play in the hospitality world in Old Town. During the summer, Davis worked at the old Alexandria hospital on Duke Street. When he got off work he would unwind at the original Warehouse restaurant. Davis ran across an ad for a bartender at the Wharf restaurant that had opened in 1971. The ad read, “No experience necessary, must have a college degree.” This caught his interest so he investigated. The owner of the Wharf and Warehouse, Cliff Cline, told Davis that he could teach anybody to tend bar but he couldn’t teach them to be smart. Back in those days, the sit down bar that adorns the front of the Wharf today was not there, and the only bar was a small service bar in the main dining. He took the job. As Old Town began to become OldTownCrier
more popular, business began to boom. With the need for quality help, Cline offered the hardworking Davis a management position. After some thought, he decided that he would remain for one more year and then pursue his grad school dreams. He would work for Cliff Cline for the next 13 years. Old Town was fast becoming “the place to be.” There was no Pentagon City, west Alexandria or Arlandria. The closest place to go for entertainment was D.C. The first Woodrow Wilson Bridge only opened in 1963 connecting Maryland to Virginia and we began to discover the uniqueness of Old Town. There was nothing else like it. There was entertainment at many of Old Town’s establishments, most of which are gone today. The Seaport Inn at the corner of King and Union streets featured acoustic guitar, as did Masons at the corner of King and Fairfax streets. The Fish Market had dueling pianos on one floor, Daryl Ott and ragtime on another floor and another piano and banjo player in the back room. The Wharf had it all with their second floor bar and stage … Mary Blankemier band and her beautiful voice, Al Williams and his saxophone, Mary Anne Redmon with her strong vocals and Eva Cassidy before she became famous. As more and more folks discovered Old Town, Cline opened 219 Restaurant and offered Davis the job as General Manager. After six years at the Wharf, Davis was in complete control of the new restaurant. “I was
all in at 219,” he tells me, ”It was a great opportunity for me. I learned a lot over the next seven years. I ran the operation on a daily basis hiring and firing employees, developing the menu and wine list and being responsible for the p&l statements. “We would take three day trips to New Orleans to sample the food and see what we wanted to bring back to our restaurant.” Working for others is fine and Cliff Cline was a great mentor and boss but Davis started thinking about his own place. Alexandria had invested in the revitalization of Mount Vernon Avenue and Davis jumped at the chance to open his own restaurant so he bought Brunell’s American and Italian Restaurant on Mount Vernon Avenue. In 1985, after three months of renovation he reopened as RT’s Restaurant featuring his Cajun and Creole menu items. It was the first restaurant to open in that end of town and after a very positive article by Washington Post food critic, Phyllis Richmond; the place became a favorite of locals and Capitol Hill alike. “We had people lined up down the street,” Davis remembers. RT’s got national notoriety after President Clinton and Vice President Gore and their wives had dinner together at RT’s in 1991. This was at a time when Presidents and Vice Presidents typically did not dine out often. In 1987, wanting more time for himself, Cliff Cline began to sell his restaurants. The Warehouse had been renovated and renamed Hamilton’s and was on the market. Davis took in business partner Hossein, and the two of them purchased Hamilton’s. After being closed for a few days they reopened with the former Warehouse name and with some of Davis’s signature dishes. With Hossein in place to manage the Warehouse, Davis opened Polo Grill on route 1 in Lorton in 1991. In 1994 he opened RT’s Seafood Kitchen in the Courthouse Plaza in Arlington. It was more of a
casual and relaxed place. In 1997 Davis went full circle and bought the Wharf. By this time, the bar up front had been built and the entertainment was giving way to more dining seats. Davis remodeled the entire restaurant but most notably the second floor. The bar and stage were removed and the old warehouse wood was covered in soft white and blue wallpaper. He also upgraded the menu by transplanting some of his recipes from RT’s. In 2001, at the age of 53, he opened Circo, an Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, in the Courthouse Plaza in Arlington. Over the next few years the restaurants outside of Alexandria were sold to consolidate their interests in Alexandria where Davis lived. Sometime later around 2014, his son Matt began to show an interest in the restaurant business. Matt started at the bottom and trained in every facet of the business including working with the chef at the Warehouse, waiting tables and bartending before moving on to RT’s as one of the managers. A little while later Davis decided it was time to sell the restaurants in Old Town with the idea of going back to where he started and having the opportunity to work with his son Matt and his good friend Jake who had been brought on board as another manager. Davis put the Wharf and the Warehouse on the market hoping to find a buyer that would keep all the employees. He eventually struck a deal with an existing restaurant group who did keep all the employees. Davis was the only one to leave. Today Davis still is hands on because he knows no other way, but he does give Matt enough room to express his own ideas and grow. “Matt and Jake bring new ideas and energy to the business,” Davis says. Together they hope to make RT’s better than ever and that Matt continues the legacy that they have created over the last 32 years. February 2017 | 5
CARL TREVISAN, CFP© & STEPHEN BEARCE
FINANCIAL FOCUS
Challenges of Fixed-Income Investing
Y
our parents and grandparents may have known better about lots of things when you were younger. But you probably shouldn’t be following their example when it comes to managing your money in retirement. “Most retirement income for [our] parents’ and grandparents’ generation came from Social Security and a defined-benefit pension plan,” says Drew Denning, Senior Vice President and Retirement Strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors. No longer. Defined-benefit pensions, which pay a fixed amount, are fading into history. Social Security is seeing minimal, if any, yearly increases. And interest rates have been at historic lows for years.
Therefore retirees, and those preparing to retire, may need to rethink their investment strategies. Every investor is different, Rehling and Denning say, so every strategy will be different. Of the most important considerations — risk tolerance, the income needed in retirement, total assets, and long-term financial goals — the last one could be especially critical. Some retirees focus on maintaining a lifestyle. Others may want to leave a significant inheritance, make charitable contributions, or help children or grandchildren with college. Depending on your goals, it may be prudent to keep a slightly more aggressive strategy for a longer period of time to try to continue building wealth. “I think investors need to have a diversified portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash, and the percentages are going to vary,” Denning says. “The No. 1 variable in how they’re going to invest is their risk tolerance.”
Prioritization as a Beginning “Your expected returns in fixed income [investments] are lower than they have been in the past,” says Brian Rehling, Co-Head of Global Fixed Income Strategy and Managing Director at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
Coleman Law Group Attorneys at Law Serving Virginia and DC for over 20 years (703) 739-4200 coleman-lawyers.com 602 Cameron Street Alexandria, VA 22314
6 | February 2017
Risk and return usually are correlated. Bump up the risk and your returns might be higher — or dramatically lower. Clamp down on risk and you might minimize losses, but you may also reduce your returns.
Bad Assumptions
One of the biggest mistakes investors make, Denning says, is assuming they can use a withdrawal rate — the rate at which they liquidate their assets to cover expenses — that’s actually too high. Although an appropriate withdrawal rate for most investors will differ, the traditional rate is 4% per year, he says. That’s enough to provide someone with $1 million in invested assets potentially a $40,000 a year income stream (on top of Social Security or other sources of retirement income). “Most clients assume they can withdraw higher than the 4% withdrawal rate,” he says. Financial Advisors often have to tell clients, “You can’t support a 7 to 8 percent withdrawal rate.” Inflation can also drain your spending power. That’s why fixed-income investments, which have lower risks but also typically earn less, shouldn’t be the only type of asset in most people’s portfolios — even those already in retirement.
Risk Reduction
Rehling says there are other ways to potentially reduce risk in your portfolio without relying too heavily on fixedincome investments. For qualified investors, alternative investments, such as private equity funds, and real assets, such as commodities and real
estate, may serve a similar purpose. “Alternatives have historically been used to help reduce volatility in portfolios,” Rehling says. “You may give up a little of the upside, but then you may give up some of the downside, too.” Commodities and real estate may act as a hedge against inflation because their value — and therefore the income an investor earns from them — has historically tended to go up as inflation rises. Bear in mind, while investors may benefit from the ability of alternative investments to potentially improve the risk-reward profiles in their portfolios, it’s important to remember the investments themselves can carry significant risks. Government regulation and monitoring of these types of investments may be minimal or nonexistent; returns may be volatile and present an increased risk of investment loss. Rehling and Denning both say that as important as it is to find the right investment mix, it’s just as important to actually start putting money aside. The biggest problem for many people doesn’t end up being how their projected lifestyle impacts their need for retirement income or whether they have the right combination of assets. It’s simply that they haven’t invested enough. Starting early, even with a small amount, can let you take advantage of compounding interest. However, if an investor reaches retirement and finds that he or she doesn’t have enough money to support the lifestyle wanted, there are still options, such as cutting some living expenses or perhaps
going back to work part time. But putting all your money into bonds and certificates of deposit — as your parents or grandparents might have done — may not be able to fund your golden years.
Risk Factors
All investing involves some degree of risk, whether it is associated with market volatility, purchasing power or specific security. Alternative investments, such as private equity funds, are not suitable for all investors. Any offer to purchase or sell a specific alternative investment product will be made by the product’s official offering documents. You could lose all or a substantial amount investing in these products. These funds are speculative and entail significant risks that can include losses due to leveraging or other speculative investment practices, lack of liquidity, volatility of returns, restrictions on transferring interests in a fund, potential lack of diversification, absence and/or delay of information regarding valuations and pricing, complex tax structures and delays in tax reporting, less regulation and higher fees than mutual funds and risks associated with the operations, personnel and processes of the advisor. Real assets are subject to the risks associated with real estate, commodities and other investments and may not be suitable for all investors. The commodities markets are considered speculative, carry substantial risks, and have experienced periods of extreme volatility. Real estate FINANCIAL FOCUS > PAGE 13
OldTownCrier
URBAN GARDEN
O
ne of my new year’s resolutions this year is to make the garden even more pollinator friendly and for good reason. Just recently, the bumble bee was listed as an endangered species, becoming the first wild bee in the continental United States to gain federal protection. This breaks my heart because I have found bumble bees to be very social insects. Every year, Angie and I always have one that hangs out around the deck, and whenever we are outside he/she just loves to hover around us, probably chatting up a storm although we can’t tell. I’m sure it’s not the same one year after year, but it’s nice to see that they have the tendency to being friendly. So what do we do to protect them? And not just the bumble bee, but other bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects? The ones that pollinate the
JIMMY DEATON
photos: Jimmy Deaton
plants that provide us with food and hunt and destroy the bad insects that wreck unwanted havoc in the garden. Well….follow these simple steps to create a pollinator-friendly landscape around your home and/or workplace: Use a wide variety of plants that bloom from early spring into late fall. Help pollinators find and use them by planting in clumps, rather than single plants. Include plants native to your region. Natives are adapted to your local climate, soil and native pollinators. Do not forget that night-blooming flowers will support moths and bats. Bats?!! Yes bats. They are great at keeping the mosquito population numbers down and also love flies in their diet as well. Remember that annual flowers usually bloom all summer long while a good part of perennials bloom for a short period of time. Something to take into
consideration when planning on what to plant and where. Avoid modern hybrid flowers, especially those with “doubled” flowers. Often plant breeders have unwittingly left the pollen, nectar, and fragrance out of these blossoms while creating the “perfect” blooms for us. There are a multitude of flowers that they love and remember the heirlooms when shopping for them. I have found in our yard they especially love lantana, zinnia’s, scaveola and sunflowers and you’ll find a multitude of insects on and around them throughout the day. Herbs such has the various mints, chives, lavender, and Mexican sage are a big hit as well. And don’t forget that a lot of those so called pesky weeds are very beneficial to our pollinator friends - especially clover, buttercups and dandelions. These ‘plants’ are sometimes the first
P O L L I N A T O R S
OldTownCrier
February 2017 | 7
A BIT OF HISTORY
SARAH BECKER©
Steamboats: Rumsey & Fulton
T
he discovery of the Mariner’s Compass Gave Commerce to the World…and the Introduction of the Creative System of Canals…will Give an Agricultural Polish To every Acre of America,” artist turned inventor Robert Fulton wrote President George Washington in 1796. Fulton, born in Pennsylvania, moved to London in 1787 to study painting with artist Benjamin West then relocated to England’s industrial center to learn engineering.
James Rumsey
Robert Fulton
In June 1794 Robert Fulton “received royal patent number 1988 for ‘a machine or engine for conveying boats and vessels and their cargoes to and from different levels…without the assistance of locks.’” Cotton manufacturer, later utopian reformer Robert Owen was a co-partner. Owen, whose third son also studied with 8 | February 2017
artist Benjamin West, owned and operated England’s first steam powered mills. Fulton transitioned to engineer with the 1796 London publication of his Treatise on the Improvement of Canal Navigation. His dilemma: “How to Raise a Sum in the different States” for “the Specific System for America.” Fulton wanted President Washington’s financial support, as well as the aid of selected Pennsylvania officials. Benjamin West, Fulton’s “firm friend’ and fellow Pennsylvanian, was also asked for funding. West
declined favoring former Potomac River Company employee and Virginia (West Virginia) inventor James Rumsey. Rumsey began experimenting with steam in 1774; demonstrated a mechanical Model of a Boat to Washington in September 1784, then a water jet propulsion steam boat in December 1787. He preferred “not
business but mechanical invention.” “Remained at Bath, Virginia (now Berkley Springs, West Virginia) all day and was shewed the Model of a Boat constructed by the ingenious Mr. Rumsey, for ascending rapid currents by mechanism,” Washington noted on September 6, 1784. “The principles of this were not only shewn, & fully explained to me, but to my very great satisfaction, exhibited in practice in private, under the injunction of Secrecy, until he saw the effect of a [patent] application he was about to make to the assembly of this State, for a reward.” Prior to the Patent Act of 1790 inventors’ rights were granted by the states. “The model, & its operation upon the water … convinced me … that it might be turned to the greatest possible utility in inland Navigation; and in rapid currents; that are shallow,” Washington continued. “And what adds vastly to the value of the discovery, is the simplicity of its works; as they may be made by a common boat builder or carpenter, and kept in order as easy as a plow, or any common implement of husbandry on a farm.” Washington gave Rumsey “a certificate [of witness] attesting to the potential value of the invention” prior to leaving Bath. “To describe the usefulness of water transportation would be a mere waste of time,” Washington wrote in October 1784. “Every man who has considered the difference of expense between it, & land transportation…requires no argument in proof of it...I consider Rumsey’s discovery for working Boats against the stream, by mechanical powers principally, as not only a very fortunate invention for States in general, but also the Peltry & Fur Trade....” Washington’s Potomac River Company was established in Alexandria in 1785. Coincidentally, in 1785, a respiratory infection probably tuberculosis brought Fulton to Bath for warm springs’ treatments. A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 9
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Did James Rumsey meet artist Robert Fulton when Rumsey visited Benjamin West’s London studio? Did inventor Robert Fulton borrow any of James Rumsey’s steam boat assembly? A BIT OF HISTORY FROM PAGE 8
Additionally, competing Pennsylvania inventor John Fitch visited George Washington’s Mount Vernon to discuss his steam driven boat; to ask if PRC employee Rumsey “was also experimenting with steam power.” Fitch demonstrated his steam boat — propelled by twelve steampowered oars — in August 1787, and received his first U.S. patent, No.28X a “steam engine applied to navigation” on August 26, 1791. Rumsey’s 1787 launch was delayed due to construction problems associated with of the Company’s Potomac Canal. He showed his water jet propulsion steam boat four months later. Rumsey also received a U.S. patent on August 26, 1791, No. 27X for “application of steam to propel boats or vessels.” On December 11, 1787 — the second of two trials — “Mr. Rumsey’s steam boat, with more than half her loading (which was upwards of three tons) and a number of people on board, made a progress of four miles in one hour against the current of the Potomac river, by the force of steam, without any external application whatsoever, impelled by a machine that will not cost more than twenty guineas for a ten-ton boat, and that will not consume more than four bushels of coals, or the equivalent of wood, in twelve hours,” the Virginia Gazette and Winchester Advertiser reported. “As this invention is applied to boats and ships of all dimensions, to smooth, shallow and rapid rivers, or the deepest and roughest seas, freightage of all kinds will be reduced to one-third of its present expense.” The steam boat traveled the Potomac River between Shepherdstown and Harper’s Ferry, Virginia [West Virginia]. “I [now] throw myself upon the wide world In persuit of my plans, being no longer able to proceed upon my own Foundation,” Rumsey wrote Washington from Shepherdstown in 1788. Rumsey, with the support of Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society, departed for London soon after. “After struggling through the greatest difficulties & obstacles conceivable…Mr. Rumsey is on the point of succeeding,” David Humphreys told Washington in 1790. Rumsey died in London in 1792 while OldTownCrier
aggressively promoting his invention. Did James Rumsey meet artist Robert Fulton when Rumsey visited Benjamin West’s London studio? Did inventor Robert Fulton borrow any of James Rumsey’s steam boat assembly? Rumsey did sit for a West portrait however Fulton’s coal-fired steam engine was built by the British firm of Matthew Boulton and James Watt. Fulton returned to the United States in 1806 and introduced his Hudson River steam boat on August 17-21, 1807. Twenty years after James Rumsey’s successful trial. Fulton had a viable steamer; partner Robert R. Livingston New York’s exclusive operating rights. Livingston, the patriot who administered Washington’s 1789 Presidential oath of office, was U.S. Minister to France as of 1801 and the two men teamed in 1802 while living in Europe. The U.S. Patent Office gave Fulton his patent in 1809, No. 995X for “improvement in steam boats.” By 1813, at Livingston’s death the duo operated steam boats on the Delaware, Hudson, James, Mississippi, Ohio and Potomac Rivers as well as the Chesapeake Bay. Irvington, Virginia’s award-winning Steamboat Era Museum — steamboateramuseum.org — interprets the time period 1813 to 1937. As for Rumsey — the man “who first successfully applied steam to the purposes of navigation” — the West Virginia legislature appropriated funds in 1906 to erect a monument “on the bluff near Shepherdstown overlooking the Potomac River.” Sarah Becker started writing for The Economist while a graduate student in England. Similar publications followed. She joined the Crier in 1996 while serving on the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. Board. Her interest in antiquities began as a World Bank hire, with Indonesia’s need to generate hard currency. Balinese history, i.e. tourism, provided the means. The New York Times describes Becker’s book, Off Your Duffs & Up the Assets, as “a blueprint for thousands of nonprofit managers.” A former museum director, SLAM’s saving grace Sarah received Alexandria’s Salute to Women Award in 2007. Email: abitofhistory53@gmail. com
SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE ASHLEY SCHULTZ
Relationships & Social Media
S
ocial Media has not only changed the way people express their opinions, the way companies reach out to potential consumers, and political campaigns. It has also changed the way some significant others relationships either flourish or suffer. Here are some ways that Social Media and technology in general can have an effect on your relationship. Some of us are still “friends” with our exes on Facebook or whatever platform you might be using. This can be a positive; it might make the struggle from being lovers to friends a little more seamless. Of course, it can also be negative and your current lover might feel uneasy with your continued friendship. Also, there is always the possibility that your ex could be malicious and haunt you with old memories on your wall. Social Media also increases opportunities of infidelity. Old flames send you a friend request and memories are brought back from your past. With Social Media it is easy to click on a picture and send an innocent message that later cultivates into a full-blown affair. Couples often post themselves on vacations or a night out on the town.
This can bring comparison of relationships. You see your friends’ husband has brought them breakfast in bed. This can skew expectations of what a relationship should be like and ultimately cause tension in a relationship where these acts might not be happening. Social Media causes more insecurity between couples. If you see someone else in a photo with your partner, it is easy for jealously to arise. Social Media can make people pay more attention to what they do not have instead of being grateful for what they do have. Social Media can do wonders for long distance relationships. It allows people to communicate better and makes the distance not seem as far. If your relationship is strong and you are strong people individually, social media will not be able to get in the way that much, it all depends on how much you love each other in the end. Ashley Schultz holds a Master’s in Public Relations from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. You will find her social media pages filled with her three cats: Jesse, Walter, and Hank and of course any viral cat video!
February 2017 | 9
THE LAST WORD
MIRIAM R. KRAMER
The Road Not Taken
I
t is very difficult to write about love well. For every realistic, flawed love story, there are hundreds of well-meaning, gooey fabrications: kitschy stories that come neatly wrapped like a box of heart-shaped chocolates. Neither All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, by Bryn Greenwood, nor Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch, fall into the latter category. While diverse in approach and setting, they both celebrate unorthodox and seemingly mundane love, elevating ultimate connection through memorable fiction. Bryn Greenwood has penned a book that I might not have read based on a twoor three-sentence synopsis. Her compassionate, clearsighted writing hooks you
on this reality, one that rings true despite its lack of conformity. Greenwood’s narrative path eschews the road taken by the dramedies littering our cinematic and literary landscapes. It is a singular path, as imperfect and difficult to understand as life’s contradictions and inconsistencies. It is also a beautiful love story, one that lives up to its title by encompassing the ugly and wonderful things life has to offer. Greenwood splices her unconventional, compulsively readable novel with flashing intervals of different narrative voices, including those of her protagonists. She begins with a young female cousin’s view of five-year-old Wavonna Quinn, the daughter of a
MYSTERY READING AT ITS BEST by Virginia author Jeffrey Roswell McCord
CARIBBEAN MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE A dead Marine washed ashore on a Caribbean island leads investigators to otherworldly perpetrators in historic pirate waters and high level abuses in Washington. An intrepid maritime historian working the case for U.S. Naval Intelligence discovers a 60-year record of extraterrestrial activity in the Caribbean basin. History and national security politics meet science fiction in this mystery based on exhaustive factual research and informed conjecture.
CARIBBEAN hISToRY AND ADvENTURE Where did the villain General Santa Anna of Alamo infamy retire? Is time travel possible? What was it like on the ground in the worst hurricane of the 19th century? Can a band of rogue sailors from Coral Bay, St. John, defeat ruthless corporate mercenaries? These questions and more are answered in Jeffrey Roswell McCord’s new fact-based novel “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea.”
Available from Amazon or as a Kindle download
10 | February 2017
drug dealer, Liam, and a mentally disturbed and obsessive-compulsive mother, Val. Wavonna has been dropped off at her wellmeaning aunt’s house in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She quickly upsets routine with her obstinate ways, defensiveness, and refusal to speak. While not causing harm, she refuses to abide by the average rules governing her aunt’s household. Yet her cousin, an older child, sees Wavonna with open, empathetic eyes, admiring her quiet rebellion against a normal life thrust upon her. Wavy, who resembles a tiny blond angel, has grown up in the opposite of heaven. She recounts her own story of growing up in an uncertain, violent world, one in which her defenses and instincts to protect herself and her younger brother from neglect and harm are misunderstood. She never knows whether Good Mama or Scary Mama will prevail in her house. Scary Mama draws scalding baths for her daughter to clean her and randomly forbids her to eat foods. She sticks her fingers in Wavy’s mouth to get out “dirty” food and pours Listerine on her tongue to clean it, forcing Wavy to eat secretively out of trash cans at night. Scary Mama warns her against opening her mouth and letting her father Liam “get in,” seeing the mouth as a dirty place where infections can take root. So Wavy mostly refuses to speak. At other times her mother, Val, is extremely depressed and close to comatose, forcing Wavy to try to keep her baby brother clean and fed as she grows older. Her indifferent father, Liam, moves them to a farm near his new meth lab, where Wavy must fend for herself as she moves towards adolescence. On her first day at the
farmhouse, Wavy goes out into the nearby meadow, where she sees someone she calls The Giant ride his motorcycle up the gravel road, wrecking his bike and skidding as he sees her. He mutters, stunned, “You’re not an angel?” I thought later of the scene in Jane Eyre when she rises out of nowhere as Mr. Rochester rides by, making him fall off his horse and sprain his ankle. Rochester says, “When you came on me in Hay Lane last night, I thought unaccountably of fairy tales, and had half a mind to demand whether you had bewitched my horse.” Similarly, when Wavy goes to help the large man lying in the road with broken bones, she recounts “I don’t know why I wasn’t afraid. Maybe because he was so big. Bigger than everyone who made me feel small.” She also thinks to herself “His eyes were so soft, I was sure he wouldn’t get inside me like an infection. Not like Liam and his hard blue eyes.” In coming to the aid of Jesse Joe Kellen, a mechanic who does errands for her father, she feels empowered through meeting one of the first truly kind people she has known in her life. The story of the stubborn Fairy and the tender Giant is a long and often-fractured fairy tale, a narrative mosaic they piece together with the outside observations of family and friends. It is a tale that temporarily upsets all conventions. Blake Crouch’s well-written, fast-moving Dark Matter excites and provokes the reader as a science fiction thriller that presents love in another light: one that may be the result of millions of choices we make, and one that is possible the best compromise we can ever make. Crouch’s protagonist, Jason Dessen, teaches physics at a local college in Chicago. He lives there in a brownstone with his wife, Daniela, an art teacher, and his teenage son, Charlie. Jason had the
drive and ability to become a groundbreaking physicist until his wife, who was a celebrated up-and-coming artist, got pregnant with their son, who needed all their attention when he was born prematurely. He loves his wife and son dearly. While they don’t make a lot of money, they have their health and a good life. Having chosen not to focus his genius through devoting all his time and energy to pure research, Jason sometimes wonders what life would have been like had he not decided to get married and have a son. A colleague with whom he went to school just won the famed Pavia Prize. At a celebratory happy hour for his colleague in the beginning of fall, his friend tells Jason that Jason could have and should have won it himself. Jason notes to himself, “It’s the beautiful thing about youth. There’s a weightlessness that permeates everything because no damning choices have been made, no paths committed to, and the road forking out ahead is pure, unlimited potential. I love my life, but I haven’t felt that lightness of being in ages.” Jason also sees that Daniela sometimes wonders what life would have been like had she picked the path of a committed artist instead of her chosen direction as a wife, mother, and art teacher. One Thursday night, when Jason leaves his cozy house with his wife cooking to have a drink with his scientist friend, he heads for home distracted, wondering what might have been. As a result, a cab almost hits him as he walks home distracted, having picked up ice cream for their traditional Thursday family night dinner. Jolted out of his revery, Jason looks up to see a shadow rushing towards him, a masked criminal who seems strangely familiar, someone who holds him up and forces him to drive to an abandoned power plant where he’s forced to change THE LAST WORD > PAGE 27
OldTownCrier
HIGH NOTES
E
asing into 2017, we’re still shocked at the losses the music world suffered in 2016, but still soaking in all the great music that came. As 2017 promises to be quite significant, with many anticipated album releases, I find myself thinking of other landmark years, many of which end in 7. 1957 saw Buddy Holly’s first album. 1967 had Sgt. Pepper and San Francisco. 1977 saw the rise of punk. And then there was 1987, the year the 80’s came to fruition. Album production became crisp and grandiose and artists were routinely using music as a platform for global-reaching messages. Lasting careers were made on the basis of albums that came out this year. As a 13-year old who was just starting to expand his musical tastes, this was not lost on me. And I’ve yet to shake it. Neither has the music world which is, in some regard, still chasing this monumental year. Here are ten albums that shook my world thirty years ago.
U2: The Joshua Tree
With their first four albums, U2 had found considerable success but this is the album that, thanks to “With Or Without You”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, and “Bullet The Blue Sky”, transformed U2 from college rock darlings into a worldwide phenomenon. Produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, this album possesses a sonic texture that no one has dared to replicate. U2 went on to far greater success in the 90’s but they have never, nor will they ever, replicate the perfection that is this album.
REM: Document
Like U2, REM spent the 80’s building a solid college following and released four of the greatest albums that era had to offer. For no.5, REM got more focused than ever. The guitars got louder, the songs more forceful, and Michael Stipe’s vocals and lyrics were more direct than ever. While politics had made their way into REM songs before, never had it been as explicit, especially on songs such as “Welcome To The Occupation” and “Exhuming McCarthy”, while others such as “The One I Love” helped the band reach new commercial heights.
Guns N’ Roses: Appetite for OldTownCrier
CHRIS ANDERSON
Destruction
Fusing the raw power of punk with the grit of AC/DC and the swagger of the Stones, Guns N’ Roses exploded into public awareness with their debut album. A flawless masterpiece, every song on this album is a classic burst of drinkin’, smokin’, headbangin’ fire, full of sweat, spit, and more hooks than a tackle box. Few bands, if any, have made themselves known in a more realized manner.
30
Rush: Hold Your Fire
Rush always operated in four-album cycles and this was the culmination of a period that began with 1982’s Signals and the rising dominance of synthesizers. This album found guitars returning to the fore alongside lots of bright, shiny synths. Featuring some of the band’s most accomplished writing and arranging, this was not only some of their most complex work to date, but it also boasted some truly impressive songs such “Time Stand Still” and the overlooked “Open Secrets”.
YEARS GONE
The Alarm: Eye of the Hurricane
The Alarm always toiled in the shadows of U2, cranking out albums full of earnest anthems with killer hooks and fierce passion, but never quite getting that hit that they were always looking for. Their fourth album got them closer than ever, thanks to “Rain In The Summertime” and “Rescue Me”, while deeper cuts such as “Newtown Jericho” proved that they were no clones.
Prince: Sign ‘O’ the Times
The 80’s proved that Prince could do just about anything, from funk to soul to pop to psychedelia, and all in between. Just when we thought that he couldn’t possibly get any better, he drops this double album, full of social messages and killer, killer tracks, such as “Starfish And Coffee” and the exquisite title cut. It was years before Prince came close to matching this.
Grateful Dead: In the Dark
Seven years had passed since the Dead had made an album but they’d been chugging along the whole time, writing new songs every now and then. Released in time for all that “Summer Of Love” nostalgia, this album shot up the charts, thanks to the classic “Touch Of Grey” and HIGH NOTES > PAGE 11
turned the Dead from a cult band into a phenomenon. They would never recover from the level of attention this album brought them.
Yes: Big Generator
One of the more overlooked albums in the Yes canon, this was an album fraught with drama and took far longer to make than it should have. It didn’t match the success of 1983’s 90125 but it was still fantastic, thanks to songs like “Rhythm Of Love”, “Love Will Find A Way”, and “Shoot High Aim Low”, and is significant to me as it was their current release when I discovered Yes. I still adore the hell out of this album.
fIREHOSE: If’n
The death of Minutemen frontman, D. Boon, was a mighty blow to the music world. To the surprise of many, the surviving members, along with guitarist Ed Crawford, reformed as fIREHOSE and delivered five of the
best albums that not enough people heard. While their 1986 debut was a bold statement of purpose, If ’n proved that they were for real. The fact that “Sometimes” was not a hit is still a sore spot with me.
Midnight Oil: Diesel and Dust
Nine years after their debut, Midnight Oil was still a bit of a secret outside of Australia. That changed with Diesel And Dust. Aussie-centric, with songs that fought for Aboriginal justice, these were themes that resonated worldwide, especially in songs like “Beds Are Burning” and “The Dead Heart”. A most deserved US breakthrough. That is just a taste of the greatness that was 1987, but this is a mighty pile of albums that completely shaped me as a listener, fan, songwriter, and musician, and are all albums that still stick with me. So the main question now is – 2017, whatcha got? February 2017 | 11
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URBAN GARDEN FROM PAGE 7
FINANCIAL FOCUS FROM PAGE 6
ones available to supply them with the food they need. Eliminate pesticides whenever possible. If you must use a pesticide, use the least-toxic material possible, preferably an organic one. Read labels carefully before purchasing, as many pesticides are especially dangerous for bees. Use the product properly. Spray at night when bees and other pollinators are not active. And remember by hosting the beneficial insects they will seek and destroy those that you wish were not around. Include larval host plants in your landscape. If you want colorful butterflies, grow plants for their caterpillars. They WILL eat them, so place them where unsightly leaf damage can be tolerated. Accept that some host plants are less than ornamental if not outright weeds. A butterfly guide will help you determine the plants you need to include. Plant a butterfly habitat! For the monarch, milkweed is essential. Create a damp salt lick for butterflies and bees. Use a dripping hose, drip irrigation line, or place your bird bath on bare soil to create a damp area. Mix a small bit of table salt (sea salt is better!) or wood ashes into the mud. Spare that limb! By leaving dead trees, or at least an occasional dead limb, you provide essential nesting sites for native bees. Make sure these are not a safety hazard for people walking below. You can also build a bee refuge by drilling holes of varying diameter about 3 to 5 inches deep in a piece of scrap lumber mounted to a post or under eaves. Google will give you multiple ideas if you search bee
AFTER HOURS Birchmere 703.549.7500 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. birchmere.com The Blackwall Hitch 571-982-3577 5 Cameron St. theblackwallhitch.com Carlyle Club 411 John Carlyle Dr. 703-549-8957 thecarlyleclub.com Chadwicks 203 S. Strand St. 703.836.4442 Evening Star Cafe 703.549.5051 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave.
OldTownCrier
The Fish Market 703.836.5676 105 King St. fishmarketoldtown.com King Street Blues 703.836.8800 112 N. St. Asaph St. La Portas 703.683.6313 1600 Duke St. Las Tapas 703.836.4000 710-714 King St. lastapas.us The Light Horse 703.549.0533 715 King St. lighthorserestaurant.com
houses. I actually used an old small diameter wind chime for a mason bee refuge after I found them starting to nest in it. You can add to nectar resources by providing a hummingbird feeder. To make artificial nectar, use four parts water to one part table sugar. Never use artificial sweeteners, honey, or fruit juices. Place something red on the feeder. Clean your feeder with hot soapy water at least twice a week to keep it free of mold. Butterflies need resources other than nectar. They are attracted to unsavory food stuffs, such as moist animal droppings, urine and rotting fruits. Try putting out slices of overripe bananas, oranges and other fruits, or a sponge in a dish of lightly salted water to see which butterflies come to investigate. Sea salt provides a broader range of micronutrients than regular table salt. And remember to plant butterfly bushes and milkweed in your landscape as well. Learn more about pollinators. Get some guidebooks and learn to recognize the pollinators in your neighborhood. Experiment with a pair of close-focusing binoculars for butterflies, bees and humming birds. Jimmy, also known as Farmer D, is native to the DMV and has resided in the Del Ray section of Alexandria, Va. for 24 years. He and Angie currently share their home with their three cats Jax, Scooby and Wilson the feral. He is currently employed by Greenstreet Gardens of Del Ray. Questions or comments about Urban Garden or a garden question for Jimmy can be dorected to: office@oldtowncrier.com. Write “Urban Garden” in the subject line.
Murphys Irish Pub 703.548.1717 713 King St. murphyspub.com O’Connell’s 703.739.1124 112 King St. Rock It Grill 703.739.2274 1319 King St. Shooter McGees 703.751.9266 5239 Duke St. shootermcgees.com Southside 815 703.836.6222 815 S. Washington St. St. Elmos 703.739.9268 2300 Mt. Vernon Ave.
investments have special risks, including possible illiquidity of the underlying properties, credit risk, interest rate fluctuations, and the impact of varied economic conditions. Investments in fixedincome securities are subject to market, interest rate, credit/ default, inflation and other risks. Bond prices fluctuate inversely to changes in interest rates. Therefore, a general rise in interest rates can result in the decline in the bond’s price. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer will default on payments of interest and/or principal. This risk is heightened in lower rated bonds. If sold prior to maturity, fixed income securities are subject to market risk. All fixed income investments may be worth less than their original cost upon redemption or maturity. Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. (WFII) is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company and provides investment advice to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Advisors and other Wells Fargo affiliates. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC,
separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Opinions represent WFII and WFA opinion as of the date of this report and are for general information purposes only and are not intended to predict or guarantee the future performance of any individual security, market sector or the markets generally. WFII and WFA does not undertake to advise you of any change in its opinions or the information contained in this report. Wells Fargo & Company affiliates may issue reports or have opinions that are inconsistent with, and reach different conclusions from, this report. This report is not intended to be a client-specific suitability analysis or recommendation, an offer to participate in any investment, or a recommendation to buy, hold or sell securities. Do not use this report as the sole basis for investment decisions. Do not select an asset class or investment product based on performance alone. Consider all relevant information, including your existing portfolio, investment objectives, risk tolerance, liquidity needs and investment time horizon This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice President- Investments in Alexandria, VA at 800-247-8602. Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANKGUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company© 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.
Taverna Cretekou 703.548.8688 818 King St. TJ Stones 703.548.1004 608 Montgomery St. tjstones.com Trattoria da Franco 703-548-9338 305 S. Washington St. Two Nineteen 703.549.1141 219 King St. These establishments offer live entertainment. Call to confirm show times, dates and cover charges. Check our advertisers’ websites
February 2017 | 13
GALLERY BEAT
F. LENNOX CAMPELLO
ART AS PROTEST
B
ottom line up front: A Congressman selects a painting from his district to hang in the U.S. Capitol building, and the painting depicts cops as animals. The painting, done by a student artist named David Pulphus, shows the protests and riots in Ferguson, Mo. after a police officer shot Michael Brown. It also shows a muscular Brown (I think, because of the graduation cap) as a Christ on the cross, and a feral slim black wolf (in Timberland boots?) encountering the obese police. As a work of art, the painting, 14 | February 2017
done in a naïve style, leaves a lot to be desired, as a narrative work, it is powerful enough that it started a mini art war in Congress! The painting was chosen by or on behalf of Congressman Lacy Clay (D - Missouri), and was part of the well-known Congressional Art Competition. The Pulphus painting sometimes hangs, then gets removed, then gets re-hung, and then was finally kicked out, in a tunnel between the Capitol building and the Longworth House Office Building. Clay represents Ferguson, Mo., where Michael Brown was shot and killed by police after fighting with a cop who
had stopped him. The real life cops (who are depicted as fat animals in the painting, one seems to be a horse, and one seems to be some kind of a wild pig, and curiously, all seem to be black or brown) were justifiably pissed off by the depiction, and complained vociferously about the piece, and where it was hanging. Andy Maybo, president of The Fraternal Order of Police District of Columbia Lodge #1 said, “This piece of art, which depicts officers as pigs, is both offensive and disgusting. During a time in our society when tensions are so high that someone can be offended
by a single word, this painting does nothing but attack law enforcement to its core. The fact that a member of Congress would advocate and praise such a painting is reprehensible. We, in law enforcement, regardless of the police department we work for, are held to higher standards that certain members of Congress have now made a mockery of.” And then Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) personally removed the painting from the wall, and then the painting became a political football, as narrative art often does... you never see anyone bitching about abstract art, GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 15
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do you? It is not the first time that artwork has been censored/ removed/covered up in government buildings in the DMV; and more often than not, artwork is “censored” waaaay before it is ever hung — censored in the selection process, that is. when was it the last time that you saw a nude acquired as a public artwork in the DMV? I will tell you, somewhere between the 1800s and the halcyon days of the WPA. “Older” artwork, even historical pieces, has been censored by political censors routinely around here... Remember when Luis A. Luna, the Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and Resources Management announced a decade ago a decision to install a “temporary screen” to cover up several historical murals on the 5th floor of
the Ariel Rios building in Washington, DC. These murals were created under a 1934 U.S. Treasury art commissioning program, and have apparently been the subject of complaints over the years, and were also once previously covered up during the Clinton Administration, before being apparently exhibited again during the Bush administration, before being hidden from view once more... no idea if they are covered up again, but five gets you ten that they’re either covered up or (worse) have been removed. The murals which have titles such as “French Explorers and Indians,” “Torture by Stake,” “The Red Man Takes the Mochila,” etc. depict a diverse set of panoramas ranging from spectacular scenes of the often violent interaction between the American West’s native nations and the new
settlers, to artistic recreation of historical meetings between European explorers and native Americans. Who was right and who was wrong in the recent Pulphusian saga? As faithful readers know, I’m nearly always on the side of the artwork, and rage against the censor. This case is a tough one for me personally, as I really, really understand the thin blue line perspective on this. In some cases where I have been on the side of the censor, it has always been from the perspective of he who owns the walls, but that doesn’t apply in this case, as those Capitol walls are owned by the people of the United States. Is the painting insulting to police? Of course it is. It was meant to carry a caustic message, and it does that superbly well. Did Duncan have a right
The Batman Brooding From the Naked Superheroes series Charcoal on Paper, 20x16 inches ©2015 F. Lennox Campello Represented by Alida Anderson Art Projects, LLC Washington, DC For more information or images of other works from the Naked Superheroes series, email us at info@alidaanderson.com
to remove it, since it was properly sponsored by another politician? Of course he didn’t — not in the manner in which he did (although I can sympathize as to why he did it). I would conclude, then, that the painting needed to hang freely, lest we approach art as Cuba, North Korea, China, and Iran approach art. How did it end? The painting was removed because it technically violated the rules of the competition, which disqualifies “exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome
nature” and states that such depictions are “not allowed.” I don’t like the painting and the flawed narrative that it relays, but initially I defended the right of the painter and his sponsoring politico to hang it. But then, once you read the rules of the competition, it is clear that (technically) it should never have been hung in the first place — not as part of that competition, anyway. I’m not 100 percent sure, but I suspect that there’s nothing to stop Congressman Clay from purchasing the painting from Pulphus and hanging it in his office.
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Huddy Studio 105 N. Union Street
B&B Art Gallery 215 King Street
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Silverman Galleries 110 N. St. Asaph Street
Enamelist’s Gallery 105 N. Union Street
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February 2017 | 15
POINTS ON PETS
KING STREET CATS ADOPTION CALENDAR FEBRUARY 2017 FOR DETAILS & MORE INFO website: www.kingstreetcats.org email: contact@kingstreetcats.org King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email for our Kitten Fostering FAQ at: contact@kingstreetcats.org KING STREET CATS 25 Dove Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Every Saturday & Sunday 1:30 - 4:30 pm PRO FEED Bradlee Shopping Center 3690 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 Every Saturday & Sunday 1:00 - 4:00 pm PETCO UNLEASHED AT PENTAGON ROW 1101 S. Joyce Street Arlington, VA 22202 Saturday, February 4 Saturday, February 18 Sunday, February 19 1:00 - 4:00 pm THE DOG PARK 705 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Saturday, February 1:00 - 4:00 pm ARE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW FREE DURING WEEKDAY MORNINGS? King Street Cats is looking for weekday morning caregivers and vet taxis to transport our cats to the vet. Email contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.
JASON EDINGER
A
h, insurance: the bane of existence because of its necessity, but a lifesaver when you need it. Regardless of how you feel about it, pet insurance is essentially the same thing: You are paying for a service you hope your pet will never need. Once upon a time, I had been paying for pet insurance for my two cats, Lilly and Tiger. I thought it would be a good idea to have because, well, you never know. Long story short, I don’t carry pet insurance anymore, because for me and my cats, who were healthy, it was not worth the expense. Consumer Reports and other advocacy groups tend to agree: For many pets and their humans, pet insurance often isn’t cost effective. But for other animals and their humans, it might be worth it, particularly for so-called catastrophic care costs.
Pet Insurance: What Do Plans Offer?
Most pet insurance companies have 3 levels of care: a basic wellness plan, an intermediate plan, and what my bosses like to call a Cadillac plan. As you can imagine, the wellness plan covers exams and basic preventative care like spaying/ neutering, vaccinations, flea/heartworm control, nails/grooming, blood/fecal tests, and microchipping, but only up to a certain cost (say, $40 toward the cost of a microchip). The intermediate plan generally includes major medical issues (cancer, surgeries, emergency visits) in addition to basic wellness care. The Cadillac plan includes all of the above but also covers dental work, behavioral issues, diets and supplements, and alternative/holistic treatments. The real decision you have to make, in addition to asking, “Is pet insurance right for me and my pets?”, is which plan do you want or need to cover your animals. A quick Google search of pet insurance yielded me a good number of companies. I took the top 3 and gathered information on what they cover, what the deductibles are, what the yearly maximum I could claim was, what the percentage of reimbursement was, and of course, how much the monthly premium would be.
Premiums, Deductibles & Reimbursements
All pet insurance companies charge more for coverage for your dog than for your cat (about 30% to 60% more).
16 | February 2017
Pet Insurance What are your best options?
They will also charge more to cover your so-called exotic animals. Where providers differ is that some offer the wellness care as an add-on to their other plans or as their base-level plan. Some may also have a maximum-claims benefit versus an unlimited amount. Two of the three companies I reviewed gave the option of customizing annual deductibles ($250/$500/$750) as well as reimbursements (60%/70%/80%/90%). For exotic pets, your insurance options are quite limited. Although there are many companies that will provide you with liability insurance for your exotic pet, a search for traditional pet insurance for exotic pets yielded only one result: Nationwide. Their plans for animals other than cats and dogs (such as chinchillas, goats, iguanas, and “most birds”) were available only by phone, and only during normal business hours. However, here’s what I found. First, let’s start with what Nationwide does not cover: No horses and no fish. I didn’t ask about fish because I found that to be rather obvious. Horses, however, are just too costly, they said. I asked for pricing on a scarlet macaw as well as a chinchilla. The plans they offer for exotics work slightly differently than the cat and dog plans. These plans are a $50 deductible per incident, then 90% reimbursement via a filed claim. I didn’t get too much on specifics of what exclusions they had other than pre-existing conditions. The monthly cost for a 4-year-old scarlet macaw was $14.35/month ($172.20/year). The monthly cost for a 2-year-old chinchilla was $11.50/month ($138/year). In addition, Nationwide does have a
wellness plan, but only for birds. For the scarlet macaw, this was an additional $8.25/month ($99/year) and covered exams, parasite tests/treatments, blood work, and beak/nail/wing trimming, among other things. However, each item was up to a preset allowance, just like the cat and dog wellness plans. (For example, there was a $25 allowance towards exam fees, $20 for parasite tests, and $7 each for beak/nail/wing trimming.) When I had pet insurance for my cats, I had an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible. Lilly had a preexisting condition (chronic UTI), while Tiger was always healthy. He had only been to the vet once in 7 years for something not routine. That all said, my insurance did not cover flea/ heartworm treatments (which amount to roughly $360/year), the meds for Lilly’s UTI, or even the yearly exams (which I did not realize when I signed up). All of that for only $25/cat/month! Now the fun part: MATH! The monthly premium cost me $300/ year (per cat). On top of that, I had a $250 deductible. Add that up, and that is $550/year per cat that I would have to pay no matter what — literally, the cost of doing business. If your pets never get sick, you would never see any of that back in the form of a reimbursement. This is where people have the most issue with purchasing pet insurance. However, and I cannot stress this enough, you never know if your pets are going to need it. My cats were healthy. But one major illness or surgical procedure could make pet insurance worth the cost. POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 17
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POINTS ON PETS FROM PAGE 16
So Is Pet Insurance Worth It?
For Lilly and Tiger, it was easier (and cheaper) to not have pet insurance, since I could not claim anything on the plan anyway. I’ve not purchased any pet insurance since and still have no plans on buying it for my cats, though you may decide that your pets need to be insured. To help you decide, check this list of 20 questions to ask before you buy pet insurance: http://bit.ly/2iUHevr.
Other Options for Essential Pet Care
If you decide against buying pet insurance, vets and consumer advocates suggest you set aside funds in a dedicated saving account for the essential, regular care your pets will need each year. How much should you have on hand? Consumer Reports noted that in 2014, “Dog owners spent an average of $235 on routine vet visits and $551 on surgical visits; for cats, the averages were $196 and $398, respectively.” (I generally set aside $150/month, and that has worked out very well.) Local animal welfare groups and clinics offer options for quality lower-cost vet care and services. (For all services mentioned here, please see Resources below.) For example, certain vaccinations for cats and dogs, like rabies and distemper shots, are necessary but can sometimes be done at a lower cost at a sponsored clinic. Vets consider flea and tick treatments essential, too, because your pets can develop anemia or parasites if not treated. Some humans decide to go with treatments other than commercial “spot-on” products applied directly on their pets (http://www. consumerreports.org/cro/news/2009/07/10ways-to-safely-keep-your-pets-flea-and-tickfree/index.htm). Other shots or procedures may be optional, depending on what your vet advises. Some, like microchipping, can also be done at lower-cost clinics. Spaying/neutering of cats and dogs helps prevent various forms of cancer, keeps unwanted kittens and puppies
from ending up abandoned or feral, and can be done at discounted prices at area vet clinics and through animal welfare groups. The best thing you can do for your pet is your homework. If you decide to get pet insurance, find the plan that fits your budget, has a deductible you can manage, covers wellness care for your pets without an insurance rider (as Consumer Reports recommends), and gives you the biggest warm and fuzzy feeling for your buck. After all, they’re not just your pets; they’re your family.
Resources for Lower Cost Essential Vet Services SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS Spay/Neuter Assistance Program Animal Welfare League of Alexandria 703- 746-4774 adoptions@alexandriaanimals.org alexandriaanimals.org/programs-and-services/ snassist/ SPAY, Inc.SPCA of Northern Virginia 703-522-7920 spayrequest01@spay.org spay.org/ RABIES SHOT & MICROCHIPPING CLINICS
The DC stands for Dog and Cat For more info: www.dcPawsRescue.org
SHELTER PET & LIFE OF THE PARTY
Animal Welfare League of Arlington 703-931-92412017 schedule and fees: awla.org/services/low-costrabies-and-microchip-clinics/ VACCINATION CLINICS Humane Rescue Alliance Washington, DC Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. humanerescuealliance.org/vaccination-clinic Spay/Neuter Clinics for Feral Cats Virginia Metro Ferals Arlington, VA 703-655-6710 metroferals.org/clinic/locationsschedule.htm Amazing stories start in shelters and rescues. Adopt today to start yours.
PETS OF THE MONTH
MY ADOPTION F HAVE BEENEES PAID!
MAISY (A069780)
OBERON (A067978)
LILLITH (A069588)
Meet the magnificent Maisy! This pretty little hound is bound to brighten your day in any kind of weather! If you’re looking for a friend to help you get through the winter, Maisy just might be the girl you are looking for! She does well with other dogs, but prefers a feline-free household. If you’d like to get to know more about this sweet girl or even maybe meet her for a little while, please stop by the shelter today!
Oh, my! Oberon is still waiting to be adopted. This dashing lad came to the AWLA as a stray last June and he’s been waiting patiently for his “purrrfect” family. Because he came to us as a stray kitty, we don’t know anything about his life before the shelter. We do know that he is still learning manners and proper cat-human etiquette. He needs a patient owner. In addition to his extraordinary good looks and sultry gaze, Oberon is playful and affectionate.
Little Lilith is just waiting for a friend to come and bring her a carrot and give her a forever home. Lilith came to us from a severe hoarding situation, so is still a little shy around people due to lack of socialization in her previous environment. With a little TLC, this sweet girl has the potential to be quite the companion! If you’ve got a little bit of patience and want to add a new member to the family, Lilith would be ever so happy if you chose her!
HAMILTON 75K+ Instagram Followers
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ADOPT
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February 2017 | 17
CARIBBEAN CONNECTION JEFF McCORD
F
ebruary is the high season on the Virgin Island of St. John. Our beaches are full and the usually quiet island bustles with thousands of visitors and more special events and activities than islanders can take advantage of. Two February occasions embody St. John’s happy, healthful and busy high season: The romance of Valentine’s Day and the island’s growth as a wedding destination; the 8 Tough Miles race that begins and ends at sea level but reaches an elevation of 999 feet and attracts hundreds of marathoners each year. Virgin Island wedding festivities have long been simple and joyous. A couple of goats, a few demijohns of rum and cakes would be required for a wedding feast typically attended by 20 to 100 people. A traditional wedding cake is a Black Cake made of flour, brown sugar, butter and available fruits. The dried fruits are soaked in rum for two or more weeks
and the cake is served with a hard rum sauce. Typical main courses could be curried goat or spicy chicken jerky served with fried plantains and other side dishes. Long-time British Virgin Island resident Andria Flax (in her memoir “The Way We Were”) recalled that people at the wedding feast who went back for seconds or thirds were called “raven” (short for ravenous). And, of course, “invited guests are treated best.” Cane rum and Mordecai wine (made from red and black berries and spices) “flowed freely,” she recalled. Romance continues to be “a perfect match” with the Virgin Islands says Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ (USVI) Commissioner of Tourism. “Greater accessibility to our islands, coupled with no need for a passport for U.S. citizens, makes this a key market for the Territory,” she says. Among the leading all inclusive VI resorts hosting weddings are The Buccaneer
on St. Croix, Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef Resort and the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas and Caneel Bay Resort on St. John. Outside of hotels, though, the island of St. John — with the Virgin Islands National Park comprising two-thirds of its land — offers majestic landscapes, some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and picturesque historic sugar plantation ruins as wedding ceremony venues. Anne Marie Porter, a nondenominational wedding officiate known as “St. John’s Barefoot Minister,” has been helping visitors marry on St. John for more than 20 years. She has organized and officiated at weddings on famed beaches and in the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation, built about 1800 by Danish colonists. Ms. Porter’s website (stjohnweddings.com) provides a Virgin Islands marriage license application (no residency requirement, no blood test, no waiting period) and other valuable
information. Each Valentine’s Day, she also arranges a renewal of vows ceremony held at 5:00 pm on the National Park’s Trunk Bay beach. The cost is free and between 75 and 100 couples usually participate. Last year, married couples from towns as diverse as Boulder, Colorado, Pass Christian, Mississippi and Reston, Virginia renewed their oaths in the sand. “Beyond our National Park beaches, St. John also offers wedding parties world class sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving and restaurants,” she explains. “Our variety of accommodations ranging from camping to incredible private villas makes us unique.” “Although several experienced island wedding planners stand ready to assist, unlike most Caribbean destinations, St. John remains mostly a ‘do it yourself ’ island and that stimulates event creativity and use of local resources within our unique culture,” says Tyler Anderson, President of Catered To
Vacation Homes, St. John’s leading villa management and booking company. “We love to accommodate families gathered for weddings.” With 47 villas under management, Mr. Anderson says he can arrange for a large wedding party to occupy more than one villa — often within walking distance of each other. “Receptions are typically held at restaurants and groups, which have the infrastructure to handle large parties,” he explains. Wedding parties often organize group boat charters and other activities. Catered To works with its own wedding consultant to help villa clients manage the details. Although relatively small islands, the USVI have talented photographers, videographers, musicians and other performers experienced with weddings. For those wishing a traditional religious ceremony, clergy from Catholic, several Protestant and Jewish congregations are happy to officiate. Of particular note CARIBBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 19
Romance and Sweat Mark the Season
18 | February 2017
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CARIBBEAN CONNECTION FROM PAGE 18
among the VI’s historic houses of worship is St. Thomas’ synagogue. Constructed in 1833, it’s the oldest synagogue in continuous use under the American flag and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Although romance has flourished on St. John for more than two hundred years, 2017 marks only the 17th year in which the 8 Tough Miles foot race has been held. On the event website (8tuffmiles. com), founder Peter Alter says the race — held annually on the last Saturday in February (this year, on the 26th) — grew from a solo run he made from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay back in 1996 when he was trying to quit smoking. Although the race begins and ends at sea level, the 8.36 mile course traverses St. John’s central hills with the highest point reaching 999 feet. Mr. Alter likens it to walking up the Empire State Building’s stairs to its 86th floor observatory. Once you make it, he asks, “Which location provides the better view?” Personally, I choose the St. John pinnacle view of
all of Coral Bay and the green mountainous British Virgins of Norman, Peter and Salt Islands, part of Tortola as well as the multiple shades of blue provided by the Caribbean Sea and sky. Most St. Johnians participate in 8 Tough Miles. They run or line portions of the route to encourage runners. St. John weddings also garner the interest and support of St. Johnians who must be somewhat romantic to live there.
journalist whose work on international economics and consumer protection has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Gannett newspapers and Truthout. org. Jeff is the author of two fact-based Caribbean novels: “Undocumented Visitors in a Pirate Sea,” a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest; and, “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea,” a 2016 Next Generation Indie Book contest finalist. He divides his time between Virginia and St. John, USVI.
Jeffrey R. McCord is a freelance
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February 2017 | 19
ROAD TRIP
BOB TAGERT
CAMBRIDGE,
MARYLAND & the
HYATT CHESAPEAKE RESORT
T
his month’s road trip takes us to the Eastern Shore and the waterfront town of Cambridge, Md. and the beautiful Hyatt Chesapeake Resort along the banks of the Choptank River. Getting to Cambridge is simple. Take the Beltway to Route 50 and head east. Within two hours you will cross the bridge that spans the Choptank River into Cambridge. The Choptank River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay and the largest river on the Delmarva Peninsula. The river begins at Choptank Mills, Del. and empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Its watershed area in Maryland is 1,004 square miles of which 224 square miles is open water. The $155 million Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa & Marina is situated on the east shore in Cambridge. Completed in 2002, the resort is the only one of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic. Settled by English colonists in 1684, Cambridge is one of the oldest colonial cities in Maryland. At the time of English colonization, the Algonquianspeaking Choptank Indians were already
20 | February 2017
living along the river of the same name. During the colonial years, the English colonists developed farming on the Eastern Shore. The largest plantations were devoted first to tobacco, and then mixed farming. The town was a trading center for the area. In the late 19th century, Cambridge developed foodprocessing industries by canning oysters, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Cambridge was designated a Maryland “Main Street” community on July 1, 2003. Cambridge Main Street is a comprehensive downtown revitalization process created by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. It plans to strengthen the economic potential of select cities around the state. The initiative has led to enhancements of its heritage tourism attractions. Together with other cities on the Eastern Shore, Cambridge is attracting more tourists. It has revitalized its downtown business district, part of which was designated a historical district in 1990. Cambridge was the inspiration of the fictional town Patamoke in James Michener’s novel, Chesapeake. Cambridge’s historic district is a great place to get out of the car and OldTownCrier
take a stroll. This authentic, historic waterfront community, rich in colonial heritage and maritime traditions, celebrates its 333rd anniversary this year. Cambridge features a brick paved street for strolling though the historic district to parks, marina, museums and a lighthouse on the Choptank River. You are never too far from water as the Choptank Channel runs through town. Downtown is also the location of several annual festivals and events, including the Taste of Cambridge Crab Cook-Off and Festival, and the monthly Second Saturday festivities. For those coming by boat, the town has a municipal yacht basin with a maximum depth of 13 feet. The yacht basin is on the Chesapeake Bay side of the Route 50 Bridge allowing sailboats with a mast height of over 49 feet to find a safe harbor for the night. Maximum height over the water of the Route 50 Bridge is 50 feet. Upon our arrival we stopped along the Choptank Channel at the Portside Seafood Restaurant. Originally an oyster house, Portside has been a family owned and operated restaurant since 1997. In this neck of the woods, oysters are king. The oysters produced from the waters of the Choptank are OldTownCrier
some of the best around. (Old Town’s own Fish Market Restaurant has partnered with a local oyster company to supply the Old Town eatery with Eastern Shore oysters). Portside is a two- story restaurant that offers views of the channel with both indoor and outdoor dining. Clearly it is a place that the locals support. There were very friendly folks at the bar enjoying lunch and $2 Natty Bo’s. Even thought we already had reservations at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Resort, I found it interesting that the owner of Portside recommended that we check it out while in town. Clearly the people of Cambridge are proud of this jewel on the Choptank. The Hyatt Resort sits on 342 acres leaving plenty of room for their 18-hole golf course designed by Keith Foster, a 150- slip marina and a full service spa. There is a path that winds its way throughout the property making for a relaxed stroll or a bike ride. The path meanders over wooden bridges that span the wetlands below your feet. Here you are likely to see Blue Heron, Bald Eagles and a few of their resident deer. Other wildlife abounds in this natural wildlife rookery. ROAD TRIP > PAGE 25
February 2017 | 21
FROM THE BAY …
MOLLY WINANS
Love at 48 Degrees
H
e still tells people about it. “It was her idea,” he says pointing at me with a that’s-my-girl kind of grin. Apparently, having a high tolerance for physical discomfort is a sexy trait to some men. Men who are sailors, to be exact. Friends have it backward; they think because I am a sailing magazine editor, I must be the more passionate
sailor, the one who would go out in the rain, cold, and fog, and who would step onto the docks exuberant and exalting the merits of the sport. They are wrong. My partner is the sailing addict. He’s the one who, despite his full-time desk job, may sail five times a week in season and once a week in winter. Yes, he is a little crazy. He sails in December, January, and February
Spa Creek in Annapolis under a wintry full moon
22 | February 2017
photo: Al Schreitmueller
once a week, sometimes twice. If not, I hear, “The boat’s not gone out for three weeks. She’s itching to go out.” Even in summer, I have heard him say, “I haven’t been sailing all week.” Knowing that he has raced on a friend’s boat on Saturday and on Sunday and then raced with a different crew after work on Wednesday — which to me, equals three sailing days — I will look at him puzzled. I might say, “Really?” Then, he will clarify. “I haven’t sailed on my boat all week.” Much like an alcoholic who might not count a light beer as a real drink, to my guy, sailing on other people’s boats is not really sailing. As much as I love sailing, I have plenty of other pastimes to keep me occupied, even in peak season. I can arrive home after a sailing weekend and pass one, two, even three whole weeks without sailing and not feel as if I am getting the shakes. Then come winter, for four months, I am delighted to stay home, make tea, take an art class, read novels, and cook comfort food in the crock pot. So when I suggested late last winter that we spend a night on the sailboat, I stopped my beau in his tracks. “At anchor?” he asked with a stunned look. I said, “Why not?” The weatherman called for 50-degree Fahrenheit temperatures to match water temperatures in the upper 40s. I figured people go camping in colder weather than that. We could cook lasagna in the propane-fueled oven and then bake a breakfast casserole in the morning to warm up the boat. I donned fleece layers and wool slippers. I could do this. The thing to remember about most boats is that they retain no heat. If you have an electric space heater running for hours and then you turn it off, within two minutes, the boat will be as cold as it was before the running of said heater. Boats tend to feel about as warm inside as the water temperature outside. On an average winter day on
the Chesapeake, you can count on your boat in 38-degree water to feel 38 degrees warm inside. Space heaters on boats do not work without electricity or generators, so when I suggested unplugging from the dock to have a quiet dinner and sleepover at anchor in 48-degree waters, I knew what I was getting myself into. The oven and snuggling with my skipper would be my only heat sources. For us, dropping anchor in Annapolis is the equivalent to camping in our backyard. It’s a 10-minute hop under power from the Back Creek slip to the anchorage by the Naval Academy, yet somehow, it always feels like an escape. We make the minijourney a few times a year, sometimes on a Friday night after a long work week. We may return as early as 9 a.m. on Saturday without ever hauling up our sails, yet we feel refreshed from a little excursion. I may humor my guy with a twohour afternoon sail here and there in the winter, maybe even in February, but I intend to save the cozy anchoring plan for when the water warms up a bit. Just when he least expects it, when the water temperature reaches 48 degrees or higher, I will propose a little overnighter on the boat, right around the corner in the Annapolis Harbor anchorage. For a sailing addict like him, that’s as romantic as it gets. At print time, the water temperature at Thomas Point Lighthouse registered 40.8 degrees and in the Potomac near Point Lookout, 41.9 degrees. Find such measurements anytime at buoybay. noaa.gov. When she is not working as managing editor of SpinSheet and PropTalk magazines, Molly Winans is holed up this winter trying to finish her second novel.
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February 2017 | 23
TO THE BLUE RIDGE
A
ll the things I love about winter would be a pretty short list. It’s my least favorite season even though, as winters go, Virginia’s aren’t too bad and this one has been relatively mild thus far. The form of depression resulting from not enough daylight, called SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is real: I’m pretty sure SAD affects me and a number of other folks I know, especially after long stretches of gray, overcast winter days. It’s hard for me to fathom how people stay sane in places like Alaska and the Scandinavian countries, where the sun never clears the horizon for weeks at a time. So my challenge this year is to seek out and embrace positive reasons to enjoy the season, instead of my usual
The Beauty
JULIE REARDON
funk and tendency to dwell on the worst of this time of year. Initially what came to mind were little things, such as the smell of smoke from fireplaces and woodstoves, flannel sheets and pajamas, and the pristine beauty of the first snow. But, we don’t have a wood stove and our fireplace has gas logs. And that first, pretty light snow? Usually happens in late fall, not winter. New fallen snow is lovely, especially when you see it in photos and not mounded up outside your door. The mountain views Fauquier County and surrounds are known to open up when all the leaves are off the trees. Sometimes you can see distant Blue Ridge vistas that are hidden behind the canopy of tree leaves, and
get a better look at many area historic homes and farms obscured by acres of trees most of the year, with the added benefit of less traffic on the prettier roads. Some of the pretty winter views remind me of good black and white photography since the palate is so muted. For the many people that hunt, winter is a favorite season. Winter months are usually less crowded with weekend warriors and fair weather hunters, so it’s easier to locate a good spot, and easier to track and see your quarry. Around here, mounted fox hunting goes on through March, and in the days when I was foxhunting, I preferred the smaller number of riders in the field to the giant cavalry charges of October and November. The fall blaze of color fades
to shades of grays and browns, and the leafless trees heighten sights and sounds, making it easier to see and hear hounds working and often, view a glimpse of a hunted fox or coyote you’d miss earlier in the season. While my dogs don’t care about the weather, I do, so I live vicariously through friends that absolutely love winter waterfowling. For most, it’s their favorite time to hunt birds. Waterfowlers are a hearty bunch and winter storm fronts that send the rest of us hurrying to our fireplaces, are their signal that ducks and geese are on the move. Wind and weather stir up the ducks and geese, and many migratory species don’t even arrive in Virginia until January. Like waterfowl, deer and small game become more wary late in
photos: Julie Reardon
24 | February 2017
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of Winter
the season, but this is when skill trumps luck, so the successful hunter truly has something to be proud of. By February though, most hunt seasons are finished so it’s a little harder to find reasons to like the season. Race horse training is in full swing for the early season point to points as well as area flat tracks. For those without access to a training track like many steeplechase trainers and foxhunters, snowy fields and gravel roads are just some of the creative ways to get or keep their horses fit. Pleasure horse and farm animal chores fall into the drudgery column. Keeping livestock fed and, especially watered, has to happen every day, whether you feel like it or not. Scooping poop can be an exercise in chiseling and prying
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frozen mounds off the ground, and muscling a frozen hose into the house to thaw is just a nasty, dirty job. Here our horses prefer to drink from the spring fed ponds, but they freeze after a prolonged cold snap. So sometime in December, out comes the big metal watering trough, the longest hose and the 100-foot extension cord for the floating tank de-icer. Fortunately the trough is downhill from the hydrant, so once filled, the hose can be disconnected, straightened out and stretched downhill to drain. If you forget that little task, then it’s a wrestling match to get that frozen bad boy inside the house to thaw, and make another dirty mess. And if you forget to move it before a big snow, it can be a bit of a job to find and then dig it out.
ROAD TRIP FROM PG 21
I love the look of nice gloves. But I’m not one who uses gloves much, except when it’s bitterly cold. Some people wear them year-round, for every chore, from washing dishes, to house cleaning, to gardening. I’m not one of those. I wish I liked wearing them better, my hands would probably look nicer too, but they seem to interfere with every chore. It’s a tossup between losing that dexterity to frozen fingers or trying to do simple things like connect hoses with gloves on. I’m in the camp of finding gloves awkward to work in and easy to lose. My real favorite thing about winter, and the solstice December 21, is that the days gradually get longer even if the thermometer doesn’t follow suit for a few months.
The 400-room hotel is massive, but because of its crescent shape you feel like you are in the midst of something special. The infinity pool in the courtyard sits dead center in the crescent and from ground level it appears to emptying into the Choptank River, which lies beyond the pool. There are fire pits and fireplaces scattered around for that cool spring or fall evening and during the evenings the resort offer s’mores for their guest’s pleasure. There is also a huge indoor pool that lies adjacent to the infinity pool. There is also an indoor/ outdoor jacuzzi (for those of you who have been to the Boardwalk Hotel in Rehoboth — this is a mini version of theirs) that was a welcome site at the end of the day. Something else that we found to be a lot of fun was the fact that they show movies on a big screen at 6 pm and 8 pm at the far end of the pool! And….while the little kids are watching the movie on a floaty, the big kids can enjoy an adult beverage from the poolside bar and grill. This place is very “user” friendly and they most certainly want you to enjoy yourself. The River Marsh Marina is protected from waves by a seawall that faces north across the Choptank. Guests who choose to dock their boats at the marina overnight will enjoy guest’s privileges throughout the resort (did I say there is a swim up bar in the infinity pool?). Slips range from 30feet long and 16 feet wide to 80-fet long and 25-feet wide and have all of the amenities. The hotel itself is spectacular. When you walk into the second floor lobby you are greeted by a wall size window that looks directly out on the pool and the Choptank River beyond. Below the lobby level is the bar, which continues with the outdoor view and houses two massive gas fireplaces. The lounge is very comfortable with tables and chairs and comfortable leather couches for kicking back. Around the corner is the spacious dining room, which also looks out on the courtyard. The rooms are spacious and done in muted tones. Our large balcony opened up to the courtyard and the Choptank. From the resort you can see the cars traversing the Route 50 Bridge and at night the lights are almost mesmerizing. The resort is beginning the process of redecorating the guest rooms, so what we describe today will not be the same this summer. Good, now I have a reason to go back when the weather is warmer…maybe by boat. Even though I love Old Town Alexandria, occasionally it is nice to “get out of town” and explore the region around us. The Eastern Shore is always a sure bet any time of year as a top- notch getaway. The natural beauty and serenity will melt away your worries. I hope that you have a chance to visit Cambridge and the fabulous Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Resort. February 2017 | 25
15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day. 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27% are women.
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About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. That’s the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.
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About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.
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Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone, an “Improvement in Telegraphy,” on Valentine’s Day, 1876.
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California grows 60% of American roses, but the vast number sold on Valentine’s Day in the U.S. are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three day time period.
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Cupid, another symbol of Valentine’s Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on valentine cards holding a bow and arrows as he is believed to inspire feelings of love.
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During the late 1800s, postage rates around the world dropped, and the obscene St. Valentine’s Day card became popular, despite the Victorian era being otherwise very prudish. As the number of racy valentines grew, several countries banned the practice of exchanging Valentine’s Days cards. During this period, Chicago’s post office rejected more than 25,000 cards on the grounds that they were so indecent they were not fit to be carried through the U.S. mail.
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During the Middle Ages, the belief that birds chose their mates on St. Valentine’s Day led to the idea that boys and girls would do the same. Up through the early 1900s, the Ozark hill people in the eastern United States thought that birds and rabbits started mating on February 14, a day for them which was not only Valentine’s Day but Groundhog Day as well.
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On February 14, 270 A.D. Roman Emperor Claudius II—dubbed “Claudius the Cruel”— beheaded a priest named Valentine for performing marriage ceremonies. Claudius II had outlawed marriages when Roman men began refusing to go to war in order to stay with their wives.
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Humorous valentines of the 19th century were called Vinegar Valentines or Penny Dreadfuls. Vinegar Valentines were introduced in 1858 by John McLaughin, a Scotsman with a New York City publishing business. Penny Dreadfuls, with comic designs drawn in 1870 by American cartoonist Charles Howard, became known as Penny Dreadfuls.
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In 1929 in Chicago, gunmen believed to be employed by organized crime boss Al Capone, murdered seven members of the George “Bugs” Moran North Siders gang in a garage on North Clark Street. The so-called St. Valentine’s Day Massacre stirred a media storm centered on Capone and his illegal Prohibition era activities and motivated federal authorities to redouble their efforts to find evidence incriminating enough to take him off the streets.
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26 26 || February February2017 2015
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. The expression “To wear your heart on your sleeve” now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling. In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine’s Day card.
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In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, “You unlock my heart!”
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On February 14, 1779, Captain James Cook, the great English explorer and navigator, was murdered by Hawaiian natives during his third visit to the Pacific island group.
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One single perfect red rose framed with baby’s breath is referred to by some florists as a Signature Rose and is the preferred choice of many on Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or birthday.
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Only the U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the U.K. celebrate Valentine’s Day.
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Sir Alexander Fleming was a young bacteriologist whose accidental discovery led to one of the great developments of modern medicine. Having left a plate of staphylococcus bacteria uncovered, Fleming noticed that a mold that had fallen on the culture had killed many of the bacteria. He identified the mold as penicillium notatum. On February 14, 1929, Fleming introduced his mold by-product, called penicillin, to cure bacterial infections.
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Some used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.
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Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, and then sweethearts. Children ages 6 to 10 exchange more than 650 million Valentine’s cards with teachers, classmates, and family members.
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A hopeful maiden of the 17th century would eat a hard-boiled egg and pin five bay leaves to her pillow before going to sleep Valentine’s eve. It was believed this would make her dream of her future husband.
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The ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses on February 14. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage.
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The Empire State Building in New York City played a prominent role in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Many couples take (or renew) their vows on the 80th floor of this famous landmark.
The first televised tour of the White House, hosted by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, aired on February 14, 1962.
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The heart is the most common symbol of romantic love. Ancient cultures believed the human soul lived in the heart. Others thought it to be the source of emotion and intelligence. Some believed the heart embodied one’s truth, strength and nobility. The heart may be associated with love because the ancient Greeks believed it was the target of Eros, known as Cupid, to the Romans. Anyone shot in the heart by one of Cupid’s arrows would fall hopelessly in love. Because the heart is so closely linked to love, its red color is thought to be the most romantic.
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The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day.
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The Kama Sutra is believed to be the oldest sex manual in existence. Generally considered the standard work on love in Sanskrit literature, the book is thought to have been written around 300 A.D.
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The biggest gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife, who died in childbirth. Construction began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years, requiring the labor of 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.
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The oldest known valentines were sent in 1415 A.D. by the Duke of Orleans to his French wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is still on display in a museum in England.
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The oldest surviving love poem is written in a clay tablet from the times of the Sumerians, around 3500 B.C. It was unromantically named Istanbul #2461 by the archeologists who unearthed it.
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The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Red stands for strong feelings which is why a red rose is the flower of love.
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Wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was believed that the vein of love ran from this finger directly to the heart.
Valentine’s Day Trivia
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The first American publisher of valentines was printer and artist Esther Howland. During the 1870s, her elaborate lace cards were purchased by the wealthy, at a cost of $5, with some selling for as much as $35. Mass production eventually brought prices down, and the affordable Penny Valentine became popular with the lower classes.
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The first photograph of a U.S. President was taken on February 14, 1849 by Matthew Brady in New York City. President James Polk was the subject.
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OldTownCrier Old Town Crier
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THE LAST WORD FROM PG 10
clothes with the stranger. When the stranger asks him “Are you happy in your life?” he says “My life is great. It’s just not exceptional.” When he further questions Jason “Do you regret your decision to stay with Daniela and make a life with her?” Jason truthfully answers “No.” The stranger subsequently drugs him. Jason wakes up disjointed in a very different world, albeit one in which everyone recognizes him. In this version of reality he is a world-renowned scientist, the person he might have been, and a man who has devoted himself to research, never having married Daniela or had a child. He wants his old life back. I have always been fascinated by the idea that multiple realities are created by each small choice we make in life, and that while each choice and action creates a new fork in the road, the other fork has also occurred in a separate universe. As Crouch presents this aspect of quantum physics, our mere observation of that choice or action collapses the alternate fork to our eyes as we move forward in time. From this viewpoint, all paths actually exist in a OldTownCrier
multiverse—not a universe. Unobserved, and therefore unaltered, life continues to unfold everywhere in different directions according to the millions of choices and actions that have taken place and are currently taking place. It is a dizzying and fascinating idea, one that Crouch manages to explore successfully through laymen’s terms. Jason Dessen finds himself in a life that he knew he might have had, one influenced by his past, while remembering the life that he has lived and loved until now. Dark Matter evoked other literary and cinematic influences. In C.S. Lewis’s classic children’s fantasy The Magician’s Nephew, in which the main characters reach a grassy area filled with small, identical-looking ponds called “the world between the worlds.” In that first chapter of Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, donning green or red rings allows the child characters to jump into or out of each pond, some of which were ancient worlds and others which were just being born. As a seven-year-old I was transfixed by this idea. Dark Matter also reworks the more simple Christmas movie classic
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It’s a Wonderful Life, in which Jimmy Stewart discovers what Bedford Falls might have been like had he never been born. Crouch’s quickreading, commercial and compassionate thriller also brings to mind the classic sci-fi film The Matrix, in which IT specialist (Thomas A. Anderson) by day and computer hacker by night (Neo) is offered the choice of viewing the world stripped of
its usual veils through taking a “red pill.” Taking the “blue pill” would allow him to remain in a computer-designed existence known as the Matrix, one that keeps people in a linear, comprehensible world of denial. As a hacker interested in alternative realities, Neo picks the “red pill,” which takes him on a ride to a postapocalyptic world he had not seen when wearing ordinary human blinders. Jason Dessen
has not been given a choice. In Crouch’s story, he is forced to take a “red pill.” In All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and Dark Matter, Bryn Greenwood and Blake Crouch have illuminated unusual paths towards achieving the profound human connection. May you enjoy these compelling and multifaceted stories of enduring love. February 2017 | 27
BEHIND THE BAR
Frankie Koval
Frankie serves up The Dirty Hitch Martini; Kettle One, Tabasco, Olive Juice, Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
How did you get started in the business?
I started out waiting tables for Steak and Ale Corp., aka Bennigans, and it mushroomed from there until I landed at Blackwall Hitch.
What is your biggest bartender pet peeve? A disorganized bar.
What is the most clever line anyone has ever used to get you to give them a free drink? 28 | February 2017
Back in the day, before my time with Blackwall Hitch, a woman asked, “How much are tickets to the gun show?”
What is the best/worst pick-up line you have overheard at the bar?
Man says to a woman, “You must be able to bench a lot.”
Tell us an interesting encounter you have had with a customer.
FRANKIE KOVAL IS BEHIND THE BAR AT BLACKWALL HITCH No. 5 CAMERON STREET OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 571-982-3577 THEBLACKWALLHITCH.COM
If you could sit down and have a drink with anyone in the world, past or present, who would that be? Ronald Reagan. I admire that man for everything he’s ever done. If you would like to see your favorite bartender featured in this space, send contact information to office@ oldtowncrier.com.
I guess it was handing Michael Jordan four bottles of Jack Daniels and two bottles of Jose Cuervo for his table. OldTownCrier
Alexandria’s Finest Dining • Veteran-Owned Brunch • Weddings • Private Events
214 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.683.6868 • warehousebarandgrill.com
This is where your new favorite whiskey comes from. Visit us in Sperryville. Tours daily. www.copperfox.biz
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February 2017 | 29
DINING OUT
T
he Wharf has been one of Old Town Alexandria’s iconic dining establishments since 1971. Residing in the same block as the other two icons — Landini Brothers and Fish Market — the Wharf maintains a true seaport vibe. The restaurant comes with much history. The bar and the main floor are housed in 1790’s style architecture that includes original wood columns and beams that are charred from a fire that took place during the Civil War. That in itself is a good reason to visit this eatery. For those of you who have been frequenting Old Town for the last 2530 years, you might remember the funky second floor that was home to one big bar with one little bartender,
LANI GERING
Sammy T, and music provided by of this caliber these days, they have some of the best local talent around. a nice Specialty Cocktail menu and The likes of Al Williams, Mary Ann a very well-rounded wine list. The Redmond, Mary Blankemeier, the late price points are commensurate with Roger Henderson and a host of others others in the area and are one of the entertained us nightly. It was definitely few that offer half bottles. They also the place to go for music “back in the have a “Featured Wine of the Month” day.” In the late 1990’s, the ownership at a good price. This is a good way changed and the second floor was to sample a wine that you may not converted into the beautiful space that necessarily pay attention to otherwise. it is today. I have to admit that I still They aren’t all twisted up in the Craft miss my Monday nights on the second Beer craze but have something for every beer connoisseur out there. The floor but the revamp was a good idea night bar is under the guidance of our and has proven to be a good move. longtime friend Miguel Lemus who The décor is warm and inviting and serves a great vodka gimlet. the nautical theme sets a great stage Let’s get to the food. for the many seafood I won’t bore you with a dishes that they serve recitation of the menu up on a daily basis. THE WHARF since you can see it in Like most restaurants 119 KING STREET OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 703-836-2836 WHARFRESTAURANT.COM
its entirety on their website, however, I want to touch on some highlights. Both the lunch and dinner menu are easy to read and are divided into sections. The dinner menu is much more descriptive in that the Wharf Classics and Wharf Specialties are separate from the rest of the entrees. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the live lobster tank and the steakhouse offerings. You also have the option of combining those two on one plate if you select something from the Steak & Shellfish Combo menu. A warm basket of bread and whipped butter are served upon seating. The key word in that last sentence is “warm.” It makes a big DINING OUT > PAGE 31
THE WHARF
Quality seafood in a nautical setting
30 | February 2017
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DINING OUT FROM PG 30
difference to me. Experience has taught us to share an appetizer instead of ordering two and then not being able to finish the rest of the meal so we settled on the scallops wrapped in bacon with a maple-soy glaze and spicy onion crisps from the hot appetizer menu. This is a fantastic combination of scallops, bacon and onion rings (sliced very thin and fried perfectly). The sweet and salty flavor that the maplesoy glaze adds is a great final touch. And…how can you go wrong if bacon is involved? This was plenty for two people. I picked my entrée from the Wharf Specialties menu — Horseradish Crusted Maine Salmon with fresh asparagus and a honey citrus beurre blanc sauce. I have to admit that I OD’d myself with salmon, sourdough bread and chardonnay in the mid 80’s so haven’t ordered salmon in quite some time. The horseradish crust and beurre blanc sauce caught my attention and I decided to give it a whirl. I am glad I did. The portion is substantial and it was cooked to order. I also love fresh asparagus so it was good all around. BT picked his entrée from the Wharf Classic menu — Stuffed Chesapeake Flounder with crawfish-crab imperial and crab butter cream sauce. Having had a memorable experience with stuffed flounder in his younger days, Bob is always on the search for something comparable. He wasn’t disappointed with the Wharf ’s version. The fish was tender and flaky; the crawfish/ crab stuffing was very tasty and a nice combination. The portion on this plate was just right. Each entrée is served with a choice of side which makes for a lot of food. If you have a hearty appetite you won’t be disappointed. Dessert is something that we don’t normally order unless we are dining for a review and I am really glad we did this time. Neither of us are big chocolate eaters so decided on the Wharf ’s version of Key Lime “Chess” Pie with raspberry coulis and whipped cream. It was worth every calorie for sure! Make it a point to visit this fine establishment for lunch or dinner; they also serve brunch on Sunday and host Happy Hour Sundays through Thursdays, 4-7 at the bar! Reservations for dinner are suggested.
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uary r b e F
14
Enjoy a Very Special Menu Call for Reservations! Free Wine Tastings Every Saturday 2-4 pm 7966 Fort Hunt Road (In the Hollin Hall Shopping Center)
Call 703-347-7545 RiverBendBistro.com Plenty of FREE parking
February 2017 | 31
Dining Guide AMERICAN ASHAR RESTAURANT AND BAR 116 South Alfred St. 703-894-6356 BILBO BAGGINS 208 Queen St. 703-683-0300 BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 571-982-3577 BURGER FI 111 N. Pitt St. 703-746-9242 CARLYLE CLUB 411 John Carlyle St. 703-549-8957 CHADWICKS 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 chadwicksrestaurants.com An Old Town tradition since 1979 and an original Georgetown pub and restaurant since 1967. CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080 CITY KITCHEN 330 South Pickett St. 703-685-9172 fatcitykitchen.com USA City inspired menu choices that bring together traditional American and global cuisine with their own personal touch. Casual dress. $30 and under. Lots of free parking. Open 7 days a week with brunch on Sat & Sun 11-3. AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa COLUMBIA FIREHOUSE 109 S. St. Asaph St. 703-683-1776 EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051 FIN & HOOF 801 N. Saint Asaph St. 703-836-4700 FIRE FLIES 1501 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-7200 FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342 GADSBYS TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288
INDIGO LANDING #1 Marina Dr. Washington Sailing Marina 703-548-0001
RAILSTOP GASTROPUB 901 N. Fairfax St. 703-683-8793
ASIAN ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515
JACKS PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372
RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com
JACKSON 20 480 King St. 703-842-2790
REYNOLDS STREET CAFÉ 34 S. Reynolds St. 703-751-0830
MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600
JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777
RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com
RED MEI 602 King St. 703-837-0094
KING STREET BLUES 112 N. St. Asaph St. 703-836-8800 LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313 LIVE OAK 1603 Commonwealth Ave. 571-312-0402 LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511 MACKIE’S BAR AND GRILL 907 King St. 703-684-3288 MAGNOLIA’S ON KING 703 King St. 703-838-9090 MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street Old Town Alexandria 703-548-8800 mason-social.com MOUNT VERNON INN Mount Vernon, Va 703-780-0011 MURPHYS IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com Old-world Irish pub featuring a roaring fireplace, serving a variety of imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers in a friendly atmosphere. Serving robust American-Irish meals at fair prices. Favorites include fish and chips and Irish stew. Irish-style entertainment nightly. NICKELLS AND SCHIFFLER 1028 King St. 703-684-5922 NINAS DANDY Potomac Party Cruises Zero Prince St. 703-683-6076 dandydinnerboat.com
HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050
OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 danieloconnellsrestaurant. com
HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-837-0050
OVERWOOD 220 North Lee St. 703-535-3340
HUNTING CREEK STATION 801 King St. 703-684-8969
PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699
32 | February 2017
ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 RT's RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com SAMUEL BECKETTS IRISH GASTRO PUB 2800 S. Randolph St. Villages of Shirlington 703-379-0122 SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266 SOCIETY FAIR 277 S. Washington St. 703-683-3247 SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550 SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222 T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com American cuisine with libations from around the world. Bar specials Mon-Fri, 4-7 pm. Brunch served Sat & Sun. TRADEMARK 2800 Jamieson Ave. 703-253-8640 UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com Old Towns favorite neighborhood tap and grill. Distinct southern style menu, fine steaks, fresh seafood. Sunday brunch, private parties, happy hour.
MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710
STREETS MARKET AND CAFE 3108 Mt. Vernon Ave. 571-431-6810
LA BERGERIE 218 N. Lee St. 703-683-1007 labergerie.com
PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194 thepitahouse.com Family owned and operated; carry out available and free delivery.
ITALIAN BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 bugsyspizza.com FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998
SANG JUN THAI 300 King Street 571-312-3377 KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212
HANKS PASTA BAR 600 Montgomery Ave. 571-312-4117
THAILAND ROYAL 801 N. Fairfax St. 703 535-6622 TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878 CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800
THE SUSHI BAR 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue 571-257-3232 CONTINENTAL BRABO by Robert Weidmaier 1600 King St. 703-894-3440 BRABO TASTING ROOM 1600 King St. 703-894-5252 CEDAR KNOLL INN GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-799-1501 RESTAURANT EVE 110 S. Pitt St. 703-706-0450 TEMPO 4231 Duke St. 703-370-7900 temporestaurant.com Northern Italian, French provincial and American cuisine featuring fresh seafood, meats and pasta served in a contemporary, romantic atmosphere. FRENCH BASTILLE 606 N. Fayette St. 703-519-3776 bastillerestaurant.com
VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669
LE REFUGE 127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661
THE WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILL 214 King St. 703-683-6868
TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com
GERANIO RISTORANTE 722 King St. 703-548-0088 geranio.net Still Old Towns highest-rated Italian restaurant (Zagat). Discerning Old Towners flock here for refined cuisine in this comfortable, yet sophisticated restaurant. With entrees from $14, there is no reason not to enjoy a selection from their Wine Spectator award-winning list, while being attended by the friendly staff of seasoned professionals. Reservations recommended and casual attire welcomed.
VERMILLION 1120 King St. 703-684-9669
VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890
YVES BISTRO 235 Swamp Fox Rd. (in Hoffman Ctr.) 703-329-1010
FONTAINES CAFFE & CREPERIE 119 S. Royal St. 703-535-8151 LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854 TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT 219 King St. 703-549-1141
IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833 LANDINI BROTHERS 115 King St. 703-836-8404 landinibrothers.com Elegant, classical Italian cuisine served in a lovely historical setting. Fresh veal, homemade pastas, and fresh fish are some of the daily choices. An extensive list of wines and champagnes served in a sophisticated and friendly atmosphere.
DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. Alexandria, VA 703-329-0006 BISTRO DU SOLEIL 1116 King St. 571-312-2754 SEAFOOD HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK RTS RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com Internationally known and locally owned! We serve shrimps, a few crabs, tall people and lots of nice people, too! Live music and lively food! ERNIES ORGINIAL CRABHOUSE 1743 King St. 703-836-0046 THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 wharfrestaurant.com "Its All About the Seafood," traditional and creative coastal cuisine. FISH MARKET-CLINTON 7611Old Branch Ave. Clinton, MD 301-599-7900
LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086
INDIAN BOMBAY CURRY COMPANY 2607 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-836-6363
PARADISO 124 King St. 703-683-5330
DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd. 703-660-6085
PINES OF FLORENCE 1300 King St. 703-549-1796
MEXICAN LATIN SOUTHWESTERN DON TACO TEQUILA BAR 808 King St. 703-988-3144
RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873 TRATTORIA DA FRANCO 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 MEDITERRANEAN LA TASCA 607 King St. 703-299-9810 Offering unlimited tapas at lunch and dinner. Choice of dessert included. Lunch 11:30 am - 4:30 pm for $20.07; dinner 4:30 pm - close for $30.07. Eat a little, drink a little, have a lot of fun!
LOS TIOS GRILL 2615 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-299-9290 LOS TOLTECOS 4111 Duke St. 703-823-1167 TAQUERIA POBLANO 2400-B Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-TACO (8226)
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February 2017 | 33
CHEF’S SPECIAL
CHESTER SIMPSON
MARGARET LONG HATFIELD IS A CHEF INSTRUCTOR AT L'ACADEMIE DE CUISINE LACADAMIE.COM
Margaret Long Hatfield
Who/what has been your greatest inspiration in your career? Throughout my childhood, most of my free time was spent performing. Whether that was a dance recital, choir concert, play, or musical, both my sister and I have always been artistically inclined. I vividly remember the moment that I realized food was art. My sister had been accepted to graduate school for opera
in Manhattan and she, my mom and I traveled up to spend a weekend helping her find an apartment. We decided to treat ourselves to a nice meal and, somehow, ended up with a reservation at Gramercy Tavern (back when Tom Colicchio was the chef). This was the first tasting menu I had ever experienced and I remember just being in awe of each plate; I had never seen food look so beautiful. Anytime I feel uninspired, I think back to that meal and find the excitement I felt all over again. Now that I am teaching at L’ Academie, I try to instill that excitement in my students. These days, I also draw a lot of inspiration from my husband, Nathan Hatfield, and his work. Nathan owns Junction, Bakery and Bistro in Del Ray and is the chef and head baker. He truly makes some of the most beautiful bread and pastries I have ever seen and he never seems to get bored or lose his passion for his art. With long hours and the hard work, it is not always easy to stay passionate. What made you decide to take on pastries as your specialty? I did not originally begin cooking with any focus at all on pastries. I went to school for the culinary arts and spent my time in restaurants (six years in Old Town at The Majestic and Virtue Feed and Grain, and later as chef at Grape and Bean) working as a savory chef. I absolutely loved my culinary school experience at L’Academie de Cuisine and stayed in touch with the LADC family. When a faculty position became available, teaching pastry techniques to professional culinary students, at
photo: ©2017 Chester Simpson
When did you first become interested in cooking and why did you pursue a culinary career? I grew up with a keen awareness of good food; both my maternal grandmother and mom are wonderful cooks. My grandma, Lola, moved in with my family when I was only three so I grew up cooking alongside her and my mom. My family sat down to dinner together every night, and most days when I got home from school it would be me and grandma in the kitchen together before anyone else had gotten home. When I went to college, I started cooking for myself and my roommates and realized I really loved it. I was in school at University of Virginia and started to think seriously about wanting to cook professionally. I had never even waited tables, so I got a job at HotCakes (a cafe, bakery, gourmet shop, and catering company all in one). There I was, able to get my hands on everything from delivering lunch orders, running the kitchen for offsite catering events, to helping in the bakery. I was hooked. I was accepted to culinary school at L’ Academie de Cuisine before I even graduated and started the following fall.
first I was unsure that I would enjoy the pastry side of things as much. I was wrong. There is something so calming about the way pastries come together; the science and chemistry behind combining ingredients to become something so beautiful. The amazement on my students faces when they see a few simple ingredients transformed into a pastry so intricate and delicious is the best feeling.
Left to right: Genoise Layer Cake, Raspberry Frangipane Tart, Gateau St. Honore, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream pies.
34 | February 2017
What do you do to ensure your product is of a high quality? I am very fortunate to work at a school that puts quality of instruction and the students’ experience above everything else. LADC is ranked one of the top 10 culinary schools in the nation and I work alongside some of the most talented chefs I have met. Restaurants all over DC, Md., and Va. look to us to provide quality cooks and CHEF’S SPECIAL > PAGE 35
photo: ©2017 Chester Simpson
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CHEF’S SPECIAL FROM PG 34
apprentices. Since I teach a set curriculum of techniques there is an element of repetition to my job, but, like all of my fellow instructors, I strive to make every dish and every pastry more perfect every single time I make it. If you could have any chef in the world prepare you a meal, who would that be? Ana Ros. Very few people know who she is, but she is a completely self-taught chef who runs an inn in the mountains of Slovenia with
her husband. Her passion and drive to learn and her success story is amazing. I also love the fact that she is a woman who has helped to transform the way cuisine and cooking is thought about both in her country and internationally. She’s a badass. What is your guilty food pleasure? Chocolate. Always. Every time. If you would like to see your favorite chef featured here, send contact info to chester@ chestersimpson.com.
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February 2017 | 35
EXPLORING VA WINES
DOUG FABBIOLI
Let’s Get Back to Science
T
he great thing about science is that, to the best of our abilities, humans are able to research, replicate, analyze, study and conclude with relative accuracy, what happens to matter and why. Good scientists need to be able to defend their conclusions but also be transparent on how these conclusions came about. They also need to be open to the procedural critique that may help the scientist become more accurate in his or her conclusions. This almost sounds like a wine judging, except there are no points for artistic style. Remember that most winemakers are both scientists and artists. As winemakers here in Virginia, we knew we wanted a bit more scientific research done in our industry to help us make better decisions in the vineyard or in the cellar. These decisions are critical to the quality of our wine as well as the cost to produce it. Virginia Tech has done a lot of work in this area over the years. Many wineries were doing their own experiments as well but often those 36 | February 2017
trials and their findings may not leave the winery. The winemakers of the Monticello Wine Trail created a research exchange where the winery experiments were presented to other winemakers for their analysis, feedback and education. There is a coordinator who checks the protocol of each experiment for sound scientific practices as well as making sure each winery is doing different trials. This year the Virginia Wine
Board has approved and funded the Winemakers Research Exchange, which is the expanded version of the project done in Monticello. This effort brings together experiments done at wineries across the state of Virginia. The results will be documented and shared with other wineries and wine regions as requested. I was involved in a program like this in California many years ago, so the model is there. Also, having this work well in Monticello, gave the Wine Board the confidence that it could be successfully expanded. (To be honest, I was quite jealous of my brother and sister winemakers in Charlottesville and I wanted that program here in Northern Virginia.) In the end, it is kind of geeky, but critical to making wines that can express artistry, show quality, maintain consistency, and help us manage costs. This is an example of the industry stepping up to help itself instead of asking others for help. We did lots of trials on our Chambourcin this year. In the end, these wines will not make it to the bottle individually, but will be sampled
and then blended together. Our trials were mainly based on testing the practices that I use on this wine each year. We were basically scientifically testing the art that I have put in practice over the past 12 years. The first tastings of these trials have already started. At our winery, we presented our experiments to our wine club. We felt that if the consumers cannot taste a difference or show a preference, that may make a difference in our decision as well. The results are still pending, but I am confident that I will learn plenty from this, even if it is confirmation that my practices are relatively sound. So in the end, the perception of our products are quite subjective, but we use a significant amount of science to be successful, every single day. Doug is the proprietor and winemaker of Fabbioli Cellars in Loudoun County and has been penning this column for several years. He has been instrumental in the success of many of the Commonwealth’s vineyards and wineries. OldTownCrier
n THREE FOX VINEYARDS FEBRUARY EVENTS n 5: PAINT NITE n 11: ROMANCING THE FOX n 18-20: PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND 19: PAINT NITE n 27: MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
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BLUE RIDGE WINE WAY www.blueridgewineway.com The Blue Ridge Wine Way features eight wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains of the Northern Virginia region. BOTETOURT COUNTY WINE TRAIL botetourtwinetrail.com The Wine Trail of Botetourt Country features three wineries in the Blue Ridge Mountains. EASTERN SHORE WINE TRAIL esvatourism.org The Eastern Shore of Virginia Wine Trail hosts three wineries along the Land Between Two Waters. This area is a unique rural coastal environment. Hundreds of miles of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay shoreline provide a wealth of recreational opportunities for beach-lovers, fishermen, and boaters in addition to wine lovers. FAUQUIER COUNTY WINE TRAIL fauquiertourism.com/wineries.html Fauquier County is home to 16 wineries and vineyards — each with its own unique flavors. Enjoy award-winning Virginia wines, wine tastings and tours. SHENANDOAH VALLEY WINE TRAIL svwga.org The Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail is an association of six vineyards and wineries. LOUDOUN WINE TRAIL visitloudoun.org Loudouns Wine Trail in Northern Virginia takes you through Virginias hunt country to 23 participating wineries. CHESAPEAKE BAY WINE TRAIL chesapeakebaywinetrail.com The Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail, in the Chesapeake Bay region, highlights six different wineries. HEART OF VIRGINIA WINE TRAIL www.hovawinetrail.com The Heart of Virginia Wine Trail in Central Virginia presents several events throughout the year at four wineries located in the central region of the state. BLUE RIDGE WINE TRAIL blueridgewinetrail.com The Blue Ridge Wine Trail features five wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains all within minutes of the Blue Ridge Parkway. GENERALS WINE & HISTORY TRAIL thegeneralswinetrail.com In 2009, 10 wineries banded together to form a new type wine trail experience. The new wine trail experience was to tie our rich wine heritage with our rich historical heritage and thus the Generals Wine & History Trail was born. MONTICELLO WINE TRAIL monticellowinetrail.com The Monticello Wine Trail leads to 24 wineries from its hub in Charlottesville. Source: Virginia Wine Marketing Office
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VISITING VIRGINIA’S WINE COUNTRY It’s always a good idea to call before visiting. Many Virginia wineries are small, family-owned operations and may be closed during the time you are planning to visit. If you are a group of eight or more, call ahead to help the winery prepare for your visit and to make sure they can accept groups. Most of our wineries have grape cluster highway signs within a ten-mile radius pointing the way to the winery. Many of these signs also tell you how many miles to go before reaching the winery. February 2017 | 37
GRAPEVINE
VIRGINIA IS FOR WINE LOVERS
38 | February 2017
OldTownCrier
T
he landscape and climate of Virginia offers countless choice sites for vineyards. Each of the state’s main regions boast vineyards and wineries. Given Virginia’s varied grape-growing sites with ideal soil conditions, fine wines now come from all over the state. Spectacular landscapes, picturesque vineyards and fascinating people make up Virginia’s wine industry. Whichever direction you travel, you’ll experience world-class wines, and the realization of a dream shared by many.” When you uncork a bottle of Virginia wine, you’re tasting not only the uncommon flavors of Viognier, Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot, but also how those grapes grew in one of Virginia’s distinct soils and climates across the state. Seven American Viticultural Areas are in Virginia. These grape-growing regions are defined by geographic features that influence the wines they produce.” Jamestown settlers had such hopes that Virginia would become a major source of wine for the British Empire that in 1619 they signed into law a requirement for each male settler to plant and tend at least ten grape vines. Little came of it. Every effort to grow vinifera, or vines of European origin, met with failure from an unknown pest, Phylloxera as well as diseases in a new environment. The booming tobacco trade diluted British interest in the possibilities of American wine. Americans themselves lost interest. While fine wine could be had only from Europe, cider, whiskey, beer and brandy were plentiful. In hopes of one day realizing the promise of fine Virginia wines, Thomas Jefferson cultivated European grapes for more than 30 years. His experiments at Monticello vineyards never produced a single bottle of wine. He wasn’t alone in trying. After 11 years of efforts at Mount Vernon, George Washington, too, had nothing to show for it.
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In the 1820s, wines made from Native American grapes met with great success. Then a Virginia Norton wine was named “best red wine of all nations” at the Vienna World’s Fair in 1873; plus a gold medal for Norton at the Paris World’s Fair of 1889 when the Eiffel tower was constructed. The discovery in the late 1800s that native and European vines could be grafted gave Virginia’s nascent wine industry a lift — but in the early 20th century, Prohibition promptly brought it to a standstill. The industry was slow to bounce back. Some 17 years after Prohibition’s repeal, Virginia had all of 15 acres of commercial wine grapes. In the late 1950s, experimental plantings of vinifera showed promise. With the establishment of six new wineries in the 1970s, the recovery was officially underway. A renewed effort to grow a European Chardonnay succeeded at the Waverly Estate in Middleburg in 1973. Then in 1976, Italian pioneer vintner Gianni Zonin hired Gabriele Rausse to grow and harvest vinifera grapes near Charlottesville. He established Barboursville Vineyards and then helped other vineyards do the same. By 1995, Virginia had 46 wineries. By 2005, there were 107. In 2014, Virginia surpassed 254 wineries and counting today, only California, New York Oregon and Washington State have more wineries than Virginia. The persistence of generations of winemakers is paying off. And the vision of one of Virginia’s most renowned native sons, Thomas Jefferson, is now coming true.”
Tasting Virgina Wines These days you don’t have to look far to find great wine in America. Great winery experiences? That’s another thing. Unless one is a wine connoisseur stepping across the threshold and into a winery tasting room can be a daunting experience. Not so in Virginia where the winery experience is anything but stuffy and pretentious. Virginia’s wineries are festive, spirited, welcoming places that put a premium on giving guests a fun, happy and memorable experience. Oh, and the wine itself? Virginia’s is among the very best produced in America.
WHEN YOU UNCORK A BOTTLE OF VIRGINIA WINE, YOU’RE TASTING NOT ONLY THE UNCOMMON FLAVORS OF VIOGNIER, CABERNET FRANC OR PETIT VERDOT, BUT ALSO HOW THOSE GRAPES GREW IN ONE OF VIRGINIA’S DISTINCT SOILS AND CLIMATES ACROSS THE STATE.
The Virginia winery experience usually starts with a flighted tasting guided by friendly staff who help you find that certain wine destined to become your new favorite. A behindthe-scenes tour of the barrel room and crush pad gives new insight into how great wine is made. Then comes a lovely afternoon in the vineyard, on the winery’s deck or verandah, at a table with friends sharing a bottle of that wine you just discovered, with good music and tasty munchies as accompaniment. That’s the essence of the Virginia winery experience — the best of times shared with friends. What could be better than that? Maybe a Virginia wine festival. Starting in the spring you’ll find wine festivals big and small and suited just to your liking. The big festivals might feature 20-30 Virginia wineries, with local food vendors, live entertainment and perhaps something extra-special such as hot air balloon rides. Sit in on short classes, lectures and workshops with Virginia’s top winemakers to learn more about Virginia wine, how to pair it with food, how best to store it at home. Become an expert and impress your friends back home. New experiences at Virginia wineries include oyster pairings, personal blendings, workshops, overnight stays, special events and festivals. Chrysalis Vineyards along with Locksley Estate Farmstead Cheese Company recently launched “The Ag District,” designed to connect visitors to Virginia’s rich agricultural scene. By 2016, the district will house a cheese production facility — open to the public to watch the process — and a futuristic-style tasting room where visitors use tasting cards at different stations to learn about and sample various Chrysalis wines, like their famed Virginia Norton. Publisher’s note: Many thanks to the Virginia Wine Marketing group and the Virginia Tourism gang for furnishing the content for Grapevine this month. Go out and buy some Virginia Wine for that Valentine of yours. Check out virginia.org/wine for information on planning a wine getaway.
February 2017 | 39
NICOLE FLANAGAN
FITNESS
Healthy Habits
N
ow that the New Year is in full swing and we have all climbed back on the treadmills and weight machines, it’s time to make sure we can keep going. The most difficult part of changing your habits is the change itself. The best way to make a lasting difference in your life is to change things a little bit at a time. Even when you have the workout part down to a science it’s what you do outside the gym that counts as well. We all know that exercise is not the only answer to solving our weight loss problems. With a well-balanced exercise and nutrition plan you will get much more out of your workout and your everyday life. It is not your imagination, sitting at your desk all day can really make your behind as wide as the chair that you sit in. Many people who work in an office building don’t get
much of a chance to be active throughout the day. As a result, that nine to five job just gave them an extra 10 to 20 pounds. Here are some ways to whittle that waistline while you’re hard at work. 1. Reduce those rolls: Replace that ordinary desk chair with a ball. By trading your chair in for an exercise ball you will help your posture and strengthen your core improving your stability and burning calories. 2. Walk and talk: If you tend to take a lot of calls during the day get headset and walk while you talk. Get a pedometer and track how many extra steps you take in a day. An Extra 500 steps per day burns about 25 calories. Over the course of a whole year that can mean a weight loss of up to two pounds without even changing your diet. 3. Schedule snack time: An American Dietetic
Association report found that 75 percent of workers ate lunch at their desks at least two to three times per week. Instead of trying to multi-task, minimize mindless eating by making time to step away from your desk for snacks. If you are aware of what you eat you’ll be less likely to nibble all day. 4. Go Green: Drink green tea! A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who drank tea that was fortified with green tea extracts every day for three months lost 2.4 more pounds than those who drank plain tea. Also antioxidants found in green tea may stimulate the body to burn fat and increase metabolism. 5. Keep the candy away: Give your willpower some help and keep that candy in an opaque jar. If you can’t
see it you won’t want it. If you have a sweet tooth try hard candies rather than chocolates. Hard candies last longer and have fewer calories. 6. Make your fitness a group effort: When you go out to lunch with your coworkers walk instead of drive. Better yet get some of them to take up a class with you at the local gym after work. Working out with a partner helps to keep the commitment for you and your friend. Changing your habits at your desk can help you to burn a few extra calories and save you from consuming a few hundred. So what can you eat that isn’t going to add too many calories and still leave you feeling satisfied until your next meal? A small hundredcalorie snack can stave off hunger but sometimes that exact amount can be hard to eyeball. You could pay more at the grocery store for those pre-measured hundred calorie packs, or you could just make your own. Here are a few snack ideas that will keep your waistline and your wallet in check. 1. Quaker instant oatmeal (regular style); high in fiber and protein its good for breakfast or a snack 2. Yoplait light yogurt: packed with calcium and vitamin D 3. Banana: quick, easy and filling plus the potassium in bananas will help prevent muscle cramps later on 4. 3 cups air popped popcorn:
40 | February 2017
light fluffy and filling go ahead and nibble mindlessly 5. 1 cup of baby carrots with 2 tbsp. hummus: this snack is healthy and energizing which will help you keep going through your six o clock spin class. 6. 1 cup of raspberries with 2tbsp of plain yogurt and 1tsp of honey: this snack mix satisfies your sweet tooth without hurting your diet. 7. 18 fat free Rold Gold Tiny Pretzel Twists: kill a carb and salt craving in a single snacking. 8. 1 Starbucks tall skinny latte: Get that caffeine fix you crave along with 10g of protein and about a third of your daily calcium needs. Trade some of these snacks for those vending machine packs for a more energizing and satisfying break from your work. To make it easier pack your snacks ahead of time. Make enough for the week and just grab them as you go for work. Things like popcorn and oatmeal can be stashed in a desk drawer for a quick and healthy pick me up if you are feeling hungry between meals. Eating more often will keep your feeling full so you will be less likely to snag a snickers for the drive home. Keep your cravings controlled and your commitment on the top of your list and you will stay on the right track to a healthy lifestyle. Remember that the little changes you make each day will have a lasting impact. OldTownCrier
FROM THE TRAINER
RYAN UNVERZAGT
SWEATIN’ WITH Y♥UR SWEETIE
I
f you’ve been following any of my advice, you may have discovered that exercising with a friend is a fun way to get that not so easy “chore” done and over with. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and would provide that perfect opportunity to exercise with your sweetheart. I have four partner designed exercises to share with you this month. In future Old Town Crier issues, my articles will consist of an “exercise of the month” in which I will explain the benefits and have pictures to show the techniques. The first sweetheart exercise to try is the FitBall Squat. This is performed by placing a FitBall between you and your partner’s backs, then squatting together keeping the ball from falling to the floor. This one requires teamwork, great timing, and trust to pull it off successfully. Since you will be facing in opposite directions, communication is essential. Try 15 reps and if you want to increase the difficulty, just pause at the bottom of your squat for a ten second count, then repeat ten times. The second sweetheart exercise is the seated medicine ball (MB) rotation. Sit on the floor beside your partner with knees bent as if you were to perform a sit-up. There should be about a two foot space in between. Both of you lean back about 45 degrees and lift your feet off the floor to balance on the tailbone. Now this is the start position. To begin, grab one MB with elbows bent 90 degrees and rotate at the waist away from your partner, then back toward the two foot space in the center to set the ball down on the floor. Your sweetheart then grabs it off the floor and rotates away from you and back to set it down in the same spot. You should maintain the 45 degree lean with heels off the floor when your partner has the MB. This position keeps constant tension on the abdominals during the exercise. Try 10 reps each before resting completely. The third sweetheart exercise is a “tug-o-war.” This time sit on the floor facing each other with feet together and knees slightly bent. Both of you grab the end of a bath towel while sitting with good posture. You provide resistance for your sweetheart as they pull using the upper back muscles by squeezing the shoulder blades together. Try 10 reps each without leaning back for leverage. The final sweetheart exercise is the “match ‘em” pushup. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but you will try to “match” your sweetheart pushup for pushup. So you will start with a pushup, then your partner will perform one as you wait for your turn. Keep alternating pushups to see who can finish with the most! (Hint for the fellas: If you want a great Valentine’s Day, let your sweetheart win this contest!) I wish everyone a Happy Fit Valentine’s Day this year…and keep up the hard work! Unverzagt holds a BS in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). OldTownCrier
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February 2017 | 41
GO FISH
STEVE CHACONAS
Grass Comeback
F
or Tidal Potomac bass fishing, find grass, find bass. Subaquatic vegetation comes in many species, taking root in shallow flats, bays and creeks. This changes every season, but one thing is sure, milfoil is the preferred grass for bass and bass anglers. Native grass like water celery would be preferred, but fish have adapted to non-natives like, milfoil that used to dominate the SAV landscape. Architecturally unique, milfoil
POTOMAC RIVER BASSING
Water temperature dropped into the mid 30s in January. Tie on Silver Buddy lures, ½ ounce silver in clearer water on sunny days, gold when clouds are present or water is slightly stained. Use 10-pound test GAMMA Edge on 15-pound GAMMA Torque braid main line. Gently burp down drops. Fish are in areas with steep drops, close to flats and out of the current. After that it’s slow presentations with Mann’s Stingray Grubs on ¼ ounce ball head jigs, Mizmo tubes with insert
FEB.
42 | February 2017
grows vertically and creates top to bottom cover and allows access for anglers. More importantly, it emerges pre-spawn and allows early cover for bass nests and fry and supports microhabitats. Dr. Joe Love, MD DNR Tidal Fisheries Manager says highly dense SAV, like Hydrilla, may be more prone to low oxygen events and perhaps limit aquatic organisms that use that habitat. Shortly after 2001, grasses disappeared GO FISH > PAGE 45
heads, Punisher Hair jigs and Mizmo Barbwire shaky heads with Doodle worms. Soak baits in Jack’s Juice Bait Spray. Use 6-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line on Quantum Smoke spinning gear. Spraying Real Magic makes line easier to cast in cold weather. In warmer discharge areas like Quantico Creek, Blue Plains and Four Mile Run, use Lucky Craft Pointer 78 suspending jerkbaits and Lucky Craft Bevy Shad crankbaits in deeper spots. Vary length of pauses. Use 6-pound test line and make long casts. Dropshot with 1/0 Mustad Mega bite hooks with 5 inch Mizmo Doodle worms on Edge 6 pound test. A 3/16 or ¼ ounce Water Gremlin BullShot weight will keep this presentation in the same spot a while. Leaders about 6 inches or a bit shorter. Slowly dragging split shot rigs with either a 1/8 or 3/16 ounce BullShot bullet-shaped split shot. Small creature baits like the Mizmo Swamp Monster can be paused and then moved. Mizmo Doodle worms work too.
OldTownCrier
SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE PEGGY ARVIDSON
Do You Ever Feel Like You Can’t Be Your True Self?
I
read hands and have been a professional palmist for more than 13 years. I also talk to animals, listen to messages from Nature, meditate and have a deeply personal practice with A Course in Miracles. These are not necessarily things that come up in mainstream conversation. While I’m a proponent of “being me” and encourage others to find their inner bliss and live it out loud, I also have a very stubborn Saturnian streak – that is about practicality, nuts and bolts and to an extent, fitting in which is at a polar opposition to my unbelievable need to live my eccentricities out loud. It’s hard to tell people that I read hands and never mind the struggle I have about how much is too much to share about the rest of my beliefs. My beliefs are all hard won, lots of soul searching, researching and practical testing have gone into my stances on everything from eating meat to working for the man to reincarnation. All of these are intrinsic to who I am and how I see myself, but they aren’t always easy to share. I’d rather blather on about some funny story or a tidbit of what happened on my last hike in the Canyon than tell you some of these deep-seated beliefs of mine. It seems I don’t care if you think I’m too talkative or even too bossy, but I do care what you think about my deepest beliefs. I guess I’m just afraid I won’t fit in. In that I’m not so different from everyone OldTownCrier
else in the world – we all just want to be loved and we are all desperately afraid that if someone knows the “real” person residing inside, then we will be unlovable. Right? I’m telling you this in case you ever find yourself in a position where you feel you can’t be “you.” Now I’m not talking about overt bias and bigotry — that’s a real problem that cannot be shifted with a few mindset shifts primarily, because the bigotry resides in the mind of the bigot. I’m talking about plain old-fashioned selfdefeating fear that says you can’t fit in and be you. I’ve heard people of all ages tell me that they don’t give a hoot what anyone thinks of them. I admire that stance but I also sense in many of their declarations a defensiveness that comes from a desire to, in essence, ostracize themselves before they can be ostracized. What do you do if you feel like you can’t be you? How do you deal with those feelings that make you want to hide out — at least from a part of who you know yourself to be? I posed the questions, “Do you ever feel like you can’t be yourself, and if so, how do you overcome that feeling?” to one of my private Facebook groups and was intrigued and delighted by the responses. Being yourself in all situations can be hard, but here are some tips, thoughts and insights from my brilliant group members: “Really the idea of one’s ‘whole self ’ is a misnomer. It usually means the self to
which I am most attached, that I accept as ‘me’ — that I wish others to accept as ‘me’. This no more ‘my whole self ’ than the selves I keep private. Feeling constrained in the presence of others is a matter of comfort — not essence. Advice? I like ‘follow your bliss’ — just not sure what it means at 4 a.m., third wakeup for the night tending to a baby, or elderly relative, or … any number of things that still require presence regardless of how the ‘whole self ’ feels about it. Don’t do things that make you feel lousy, keep your word, back your own experience, recognize how much you don’t know, how much vaster the world (and I) am than I can possibly
The
conceive. Don’t blame others for your disinclination to be in clear disagreement with them.” Ruth “I have often felt like that (like I couldn’t be myself) my entire life. Learning my Myers-Briggs type helped a lot with understanding the why of it but it has taken years (hand analysis and learning to read hands over the last couple of years added another layer of understanding) to feel like it’s OK to be me. There are times when I still “hide out” depending on the situation and people.” Kim “I share the parts of me that I want to share with each
person. It’s not the same with everybody and that feels completely right.” Pamelah So I bring the question to you fine reader, do you ever feel you can’t be yourself? What does being “your true self ” mean to you? And what do you do to find your truth when you’re feeling afraid to share it? Have a wonderful rest of your winter. Here’s to a warm and sunny Spring! Peggie Arvidson is a mentor who uses ancient and modern tools to help people clear blocks that keep them stuck so they can truly live in prosperity, joy, and peace.
Pragmatic Palmist PEGGIE ARVIDSON
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February 2017 | 43
FIRST BLUSH
KIM PUTENS
Y-O-U-N-G
Stuff We Dig!
Y
ou haven’t found the fountain of youth yet, but you’re afraid to go under the knife. You sit in wonder of how to keep your skin looking young, particularly during these harsh winter days. Many people ask me how I keep my skin looking young. They want to know my beauty tricks and if they involve botox. There is no doubt that at 41 it’s much harder to fight the signs of aging than at 21. But, I will avail you of the routine that helps me keep my skin looking Y-O-U-N-G and, no, it does not involve botox. I’m too afraid of the needles.
Y: Yoga
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I can’t live without yoga in my life. It helps relieve the daily stresses associated with running a business, keeping up with my two children and maintaining a busy household. Research has shown that stress not only impacts your body, but your skin too. As your mom always told you – if you keep making those faces, your face may stay that way. Well, there is something to be said for that. Your frowns and furrows leave their mark when you make them often enough.
O: Oxygen
Recent studies have shown that as the skin ages, there is a reduction in oxygen in the skin. Luckily, there are ways to get oxygen back into the skin. I am an exfoliating queen. I always have been. I use a scrub on most days to help unclog my pores and reveal softer skin. By opening up your pores, you’re allowing more oxygen to get into the skin. Depending how clogged your pores are, a deep exfoliation or exfoliating mask will help to slough off dead skin cells and unclog surface pores. If you’re FIRST BLUSH > PAGE 45
44 | February 2017
OldTownCrier
GO FISH FROM PG 42
from the immense flats above and below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge north into DC and south below Dogue Creek. A few theories include the simultaneous Wilson Bridge and National Harbor projects, and storms. In its place came the early summer emergence of hydrilla, choking out fishing locations, which made fishing very difficult. Virginia Institute of Marine Science data indicated a major decline in tidal Potomac and upper Chesapeake Bay SAVs after 2011. Since, there’s been increase in SAV cover. 2016 was a great year of SAV growth. Specifically, DC reports their low point was 24 acres in 2003 but expanded to nearly 1200 acres in 2016. The big mat above and below the Wilson Bridge has revegetated, albeit not with milfoil. Additionally, only about 3% of the SAV in DC is milfoil, a far cry from its dominance in the 1990s. In 2012, DC began SAV restoration efforts of native wild celery near the mouth of the Anacostia River. Enclosures allowed the grass to take root. Since, it has expanded onto former grass flats. In addition, Star Grass has taken root. While it can provide benefits, it is not apparent fish utilize it as they would milfoil. Daniel Ryan, Fisheries Research Branch Chief, says SAV coverage is highly variable and driven by turbidity and spring flow rates more than anything else. VA and MD agree SAV coverage was much better this year however many historically covered areas were still vacant. While DC planted grasses, for three years Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has harvested tons of highly invasive Water Chestnuts out of Pohick Bay. Last year their hand pulling efforts were aided by a lot of spring storms. It will be monitored this year as this plant can spread rapidly and has a Potomac track record of blocking navigation and costing millions to remove. This plant is not very good fish cover and crowds out beneficial grasses. In areas where grass cover has been slow FIRST BLUSH FROM PG 44
skin has been neglected or has really clogged pores, try a cleanser with salicylic acid which cleans the pores and kills the bacteria clogging them.
U: Uncover
At the end of the day, I can’t wait to wash my face. I can’t wait to get my skin clean and wash away the gunk from the day. And, if I have a day that I don’t have anywhere to be, I simply wash my face in the morning and put nothing on. I’ve always believed you need to give your skin a break and let it breath every once in a while.
N: Nourish and Protect
I have very dry skin (particularly in the winter). To that end, I’m a moisturizing freak. I use heavy moisturizers to replenish and nourish my dry skin. And, I am a HUGE advocate of eye cream. It is the fountain of youth if you start using it when you are young. I have been using eye cream since I was 19 because I have always believed in making sure to take care of the delicate skin around my eyes. Antioxidants are also my lifesaver. I believe strongly in the virtues of Vitamin C. It definitely has made a difference in the elasticity OldTownCrier
to return, Maryland DNR has spearheaded an effort to plant cover for bait and bass in National Harbor. Reef balls were constructed and later placed on a former grass flat. A follow up wood cover placement is planned for spring. Regional biologists agree there will continue to be assaults on Potomac grasses. Nature, development and invasive plants are factors. But it’s when water is too cloudy, often caused by pollution from excess nutrients and sediment, for sunlight to reach them, that grasses die. Pollution from many sources, including farms, sewage, fertilizer and development influence the dynamics of SAV. Dr. Love says SAVs require the same elements needed by a garden, light penetration, soil and seeding, and nutrients. Storms or dredging can negatively affect water clarity, affecting SAV growth. Dredging also affects the seed bank and water clarity and causes longterm negative impacts to SAV. But there are other issues more difficult to contend with. The commercial fishing practice of haul seining has a direct impact on grass and fish. This fish harvesting process not only destroys grass beds, but also disturbs fish during the spawn, making it an obvious target to improved habitat and the fishery. Restrictions on commercial fishing are difficult, but are on the table for MD’s Black Bass Advisory Subcommittee and Virginia guide Capt. George Martin, who continues to appeal to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Rather than singling out angler behavior, it’s time to get serious about pursuing actions to allow Mother Nature to do her job with undisturbed grass beds for more effective spawns. Capt. Steve Chaconas is a Potomac bass fishing guide and contributing writer for BoatU.S. (BoatUS.com) Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: info@NationalBass.com.
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in Italy where he continued his cold war observations and monitoring until he was sent back to the States in 1984. There he worked with Program Management Air and was in charge of production of their sonobuoy program. This is a relatively small buoy expendable sonar system that is dropped or ejected from aircraft or ships conducting anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic research. “It was nice,” he says,” my budget of my skin. But, most importantly, I was taught was $300,000,000 a year.” After retiring in 1989 at the rank of Commander, Widhalm and truly believe antioxidants are the best protectors of your skin. Combined with a zinc- did some consulting work in the Aeronautical field for a few oxide based sunscreen, there is no better way to years. “After awhile I got bored, so I decided to go gold mining,” he laments. “This was one area that, in order to make a small protect your skin from the sun’s very harmful fortune, you must start with a large one,” he says. “Three of us rays. ponied up our money and bought the “Two Brothers Mine” in Idaho Springs, Idaho.” The miners spent 1.5 million dollars on a G: Glow vibrating jig for sifting the gold from the rocks. Sifting through With dry skin, it’s definitely a challenge to 100 tons of rock a day was not producing enough gold to meet keep my skin glowing. But it’s a challenge I’m willing to tackle head on because glowing skin their obligations. One partner left and with just two remaining they could not bring up enough rock to survive. “I paid my is often associated with youthful skin. There share of the debt and walked away.” are a couple of ways I help to bring the glow After the mining adventure, a long time friend, Larry Coar, back. First, I like to use masks and serums was a program manager with the Navy in Key West, Florida, weekly that work to bring the blood flow to and asked Widhalm to help him. He signed on as a contract the surface of the skin. These products are employee and began to settle into the life that Widhalm refers to often labeled as ‘revitalizing’ and contain botanicals that help to improve the skin’s blood as…the real Key West back in 1993. In 1998 he came north and took a position at Patuxent Naval Station working on acquiring flow. Keeping my skin hydrated and properly moisturized also contributes to skin that glows. replacement parts for the P-3 aircraft but eventually there were not enough parts to be found so the P-3 was decommissioned. Finally, I’ve recently been experimenting The P-3 had been replaced with the newer P-8 Poseidon. with creams and liquid based makeup that Widhalm continued to work at Pax River until June of last year. contributes a little luster to the skin. When Today he is enjoys his home on Solomons Island and watching applied strategically along the cheekbone and his Broncos play football. His family has had season tickets around the eye area, it awakens the skin and since 1964. Solomons is a long way from Utapao, Thiland…but diffuses harsh lighting to make the skin look it is still a pretty cool place! smooth.
February 2017 | 45
OPEN SPACE
LORI WELCH BROWN
Goin’ for the Goal
H
i, my name is Lori and I’m an addict. I’m addicted to achieving, accomplishing and producing. I’m a “goalaholic.” My days are besieged by a relentless desire to do do do! Who wants to just ‘be’ when there’s all this stuff to be done and tasks to accomplish. I came out of the womb multi-tasking. It’s a symptom of controlfreakitis. “Hey, Mom. Great to meet you. Is the nursery ready? Got the bassinet in place? How about milk? Are you stocked up? What’s my education plan? Any goals for saving for the future?” What can I say? I’m a product of the selfimprovement generation. Personally, I blame Oprah, as well as the creators of Photoshop and Pinterest. I yearn to live my best life while looking like a Kardashian and cooking like the Barefoot Haircuts $15
Contessa while posting about it so everyone can share in my domestic bliss and covet my lean thighs. Compulsive goal setting is my dirty little secret. I can spend days locked away, isolated from the world plotting out my strategy for making myself a better person and, like Oprah, creating my best life with the help of some Sharpies, my favorite planner and some artfully inspired notebooks. If I’m really in the zone, there may be magazines, foam board and glue sticks involved. Voila — vision board! For a seasoned “goalaholic” like myself, that’s about as good or better than a week at the beach. Of course, it’s not all azure crayolas and the smell of Elmer’s wafting across my desk. When you’re constantly seeking to achieve, there are bound to be upsets. Mostly, it’s due to
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poor planning and/or dried up glue sticks which can really throw a wrench into a fun evening. Like a lot of resolution junkies, I’ve been known to throw some goals out there a bit willy nilly which is definitely not one of the 7 Habits of Successful People. Willy nilly goal setting is akin to waking up on New Year’s Day with a hangover the size of Trump’s toupee and vowing to become a teetotaler. While well intended, it is about as short lived as Kanye’s resolve to give up public rants. Giving up anything that we hold near and dear to our hearts and/or livers is never easy. Not to worry — if you screw up your New Year’s resolutions by January 5, there’s always Lenten season for making promises you can’t keep. Okay, so maybe years of failed resolutions have left me a little cynical and snarky. Next year I’ll resolve to be softer and kinder. Resolutions get a bad rap, but they really don’t rank up there with goals. Goals require planning
and strategy. Resolutions are more like fleeting epiphanies to me. They’re this (in that moment) brilliant thought that pops into your head at 11:28 pm on December 31 after seven glasses of flat, cheap champagne. They really don’t have staying power — even if you were sober enough to remember them on the 1st. On the flip slide, achieving a wellplanned goal is like a lab puppy rolling in a pile of freshly raked leaves. Hello, Nirvana! That feeling of accomplishment is euphoric. Runner’s high ain’t got nothing on a success high. Rolling up your sleeves and putting in some blood, sweat and tears to accomplish something meaningful is profoundly rewarding. It’s waking up with a purpose —doesn’t matter if it’s a career goal or a personal goal, a low-hanging fruit goal or a stretch goal. There’s so much happiness and joy to be found in the actual journey — even if you miss your intended target. The plotting and planning —as well as stretching your
limits — is the essence of living passionately, at least to geeks like me. I guess you could say that ‘to do’ lists and check marks are my jam. Granted — there’s probably a dark side to my insatiable need for productivity and accomplishment. I was the consummate teacher’s pet. Is that so wrong? One (ie. my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Matt) might say it’s a healthy motivation. A therapist might say it’s filling a void and seeking external valuation for self-worth. To that I say, “pick me!” Anyhow, my “goalaholic” tendencies are about #33 on the list of things to discuss with a paid professional so it’s probably a safe bet that I’ll go to my grave with that as an unsolved mystery. This year, however, I’ve decided to try a slightly different approach. Instead of a deep dive, self-improvement metamorphosis goalapolooza, I’m slow rolling my way into small, accomplishable intentions. Baby steps, people! At the beginning of each month I’ll set a new one. For January, my intention was to meditate every day for 15 minutes. For February, I’ll write for 30 minutes each morning. Regardless of your intention, every day represents a big, beautiful blank slate just waiting to be colored in with all your hopes and dreams. Time to Sharpie up! Happy Valentine’s Day, XXL! Stay sweet, everyone.
OldTownCrier
NATIONAL HARBOR
LANI GERING
WHY I LOVE THE HARBOR
F
or some reason I was having a hard time getting inspiration for this month’s column. Realizing, however, that February has long been thought of as the Month of Love (with Valentine’s Day smack dab in the middle), I decided I would write about the things I love about the Harbor. Here are my Select Six.
5:
Friday Summer Nights on the Plaza
There are always fun things happening Friday nights. Music, including the mobile dueling pianos from Bobby McKey’s and other special events.
my destination (since I combine the water taxi ride with a ride on the free Trolley that runs from the Old Town waterfront to the King Street Metro), it gives me some time to gather my thoughts and plan my day or evening, depending which way I’m going.
6:
4:
Christmas On the Potomac at the Gaylord National Resort
I have been to the tree lighting every year since COTP began. This is also when ICE comes to town for the season. I haven’t missed going through any of those exhibits, either. Sitting at the Belvedere Lounge next to the lobby with an adult beverage watching the nightly tree lighting and fountain show along with the indoor snowfall is hard to beat.
2:
The Statuary along American Way
3:
The Water Taxi Between National Harbor and Old Town
1:
The People!
The MGM Grand
My latest favorite addition to the Harbor. Back in the day I loved to play Black Jack but the tables were only $5 a hand. I now have an affinity for the penny slots! I guess that’s because I have won money every time I have played so far (however, that has only been about 4 times!). I am also looking forward to checking out the restaurants including Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse and José Andrés seafood restaurant, Fish.
NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE AC LOUNGE 156 Waterfront Street 301-749-2299 BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445
OldTownCrier
BREWS & BITES Capitol Wheel Pier 301-749-1300 BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8860
I work in Old Town so this is a great alternative to driving. Although it takes considerably more time to get to CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet Street 301-839-1100 cadillacranchgroup.com CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 158 National Plaza 301-749-2016
FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE 152 National Plaza 301-839-1811 GRACES MANDARIN 188 Waterfront Street 301-839-3788
CRAB CAKE CAFE 140 National Plaza 240-766-2063
GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY 200 American Way 240-493-3900
ELEVATION BURGER 108 Waterfront Street 301-749-4014
McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224
Erecting the statuary along this Main Street has been an ongoing project for the last several months. Two of my favorites are located across Fleet Street from each other — Marilyn Monroe and Louis Armstrong — with my other fave, Rosie the Riveter, located about midway in the first block. These are just a few of many impressive pieces. Very worth checking out. I love the diversity in the harbor, both in our residential community and those who visit each
day. It is definitely a great place to people watch at any given time! In addition to the people who live and visit here, I have made great friends in several of the restaurants and bars. I want to give a shout out to two of my favorites — Bond 45’s Al Green and Biagio Cepollaro. I have been a customer there since the first day (I even have a brass plaque with my name on it). I can walk out one of the “secret” side doors to my condo complex and head right across the street to Bond. No need to wear a coat or carry an umbrella if it’s raining — it is that close! Obviously there are many more things I love about living at the Harbor and many, many people I could mention as well. Space just doesn’t allow for it all. Since we celebrate love this month, make a special effort to tell those you care about that you love them. In this day and age, it is the right thing to do!
McLOONES PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 mcloonespierhousenh.com
OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com
PUBLIC HOUSE 199 Fleet Street 240-493-6120 publichousenationalharbor.com
NANDO’S PERI-PERI 191 American Way 301-567-8900
PIENZA ITALIAN MARKET Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com
REDSTONE AMERICAN GRILL 155 National Plaza 301-839-3330
NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com
POTBELLY SANDWICH WORKS 146 National Plaza 301-686-1160
ROSA MEXICANA 135 Waterfront Street 301-567-1005
SUCCOTASH 168 Waterfront Street 301-567-8900 THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022 WALRUS OYSTER & ALE HOUSE 152 Waterfront Street 301-567-6100
SAUCIETY AMERICAN GRILL 171 Waterfront Street 240-766-3640
February 2017 | 47
A Special Valentine’s at Relache Spa Our friends at the spa in the Gaylord Resort have definitely geared up for Valentine’s Day. They have introduced three new February-only treatments at Relache Spa with services infused with honey. The treatments – a massage, facial and pedicure – can be purchased individually or through a package called Be My Honeybee. Relache Spa also is introducing a new, exclusive package: A Night at Relache. This experience offers an intimate escape to an oasis of relaxation. One couple can enjoy exclusive, after-hour access and custom amenities together at the spa from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The package experience includes: • Private use of the Spa including its sauna, steam room, whirlpool and relaxation room •
Welcome champagne toast
• Two personal Relache Spa robes to take home after the experience • An 80-minute couple’s massage in the spa’s couple’s suite
Includes
2 Tickets to The Capital Wheel 2 Glasses of Champagne from The Walrus Oyster & Ale House
and Milk Chocolate Truffles or Milk Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Savannah’s Candy Kitchen
• A freshly prepared, gourmet small-bites display ranging from savory to sweet including
individual charcuterie palettes, fruit, mini lobster club sandwiches, desserts and more – all set within the spa’s candlelit Riverview Relaxation Lounge *Option to add a one-night stay in a luxurious room or suite for an additional cost
Pricing starts at $1,500. The A Night at Relache package must be booked and pre-purchased at least 7 days in advance. Cancellations must be received at least 72 hours in advance. Prices and treatments are subject to change without notice. To make a reservation, call 301-965-4400. This would be the ultimate Valentine’s Day!
$
50 x plus ta
SPONSORED BY
Offer good all month long. Buy Online at TheCapitalWheel.com
fti
116 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745 • (301) 857-0145
Cannot be combined with any other offer. Package must be purchased and redeemed by 2/28/2017. Management reserves all rights.
CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE AT OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE A gourmet three course dining experience with wine pairings recommended by our Sommelier.
$150 PER COUPLE* $250 Per Couple with Paired Wines Available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays During the Month of February & February 14th
Reservations: (301) 965-4000
OldHickoryRestaurant.com Artisanal Cheeses • Handcrafted Cocktails • 1855 Black Angus Beef • Elegant Dining
Located in National Harbor just across the river from Old Town Alexandria *Price is per couple and does not include drinks, tax and gratuities which are extra. No substitutes and not valid with any other discounts. Not Valid for groups larger than four. Subject to availability. Reservations recommended.
48 | February 2017
OldTownCrier
AL ING MP, FEE N GI UR HRI OU I T OR EA S S ET IA S F IEL ISH R F R ND EA DAN AW BO A Y EX 30 CK , CR UM L A R JA UP Y G E N A OV US SO H B R MO AB AT O F FA CR DE R E & OU Y SH IC SP
WHERE IT’S MARDI GRAS ALL FEBRUARY LONG! JOIN US FOR RESTAURANT WEEK FEBRUARY 17-26 DON’T FORGET VALENTINE’S DAY!
Alexandria’s Renowned Neighborhood Restaurant & Bar 3804 Mt. Vernon Avenue Alexandria 703-684-6010 • rtsrestaurant.net
Will You Be Our Valentine?
How Do You Say I Love You? Say It with Dinner at Cedar Knoll
Food & Ambience Befitting Its Waterfront Address Saturday & Sunday Brunch, 11A-2P • Happy Hour, 4-6:30P, Tues-Fri • Dinner 5-9P, Tues-Sun Contact Us for Private Event Information
9030 Lucia Lane Alexandria, Virginia 22308 • 703-780-3665 cedarknollva.com • reservations@cedarknollva.com