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From the Bay to the Blue Ridge
February 2022
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february‘22 A Division of Crier Media Group OTC Media LLC PO Box 320386 Alexandria, VA 22320 571-257-5437 office@oldtowncrier.com oldtowncrier.com Published the first week of every month. Worth waiting for! PUBLISHER Bob Tagert MARKETING & ADVERTISING Lani Gering Bob Tagert Meg Mullery
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SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Erin Koons
A Bit of History ............................................................... 8
Fitness ............................................................................... 37
CONTRIBUTORS Timothy Long Cindy McGovern Meg Mullery Melinda Myers Billy Phibbs Ron Powers Kim Putens Julie Reardon Ashley Rosson Jaime Stephens Ashley Stimpson Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lisa Velenovsky Lori Welch Brown
After hours ...................................................................... 11
From the Bay ................................................................. 22
Alexandria Events .......................................................... 2
From the Trainer........................................................... 38
Art & Antiques.................................................................17
Gallery Beat..................................................................... 14
Business Profile ............................................................... 4
Go Fish ............................................................................. 40
Caribbean Connection .............................................. 20
Grapevine........................................................................ 34
Dining Guide................................................................... 31
High Notes ...................................................................... 11
Dining Out ...................................................................... 29
Let's Eat............................................................................. 30
Exploring VA Wines ................................................... 36
Let's Get Crafty ............................................................. 33
Festive Facts...................................................................... 2
National Harbor ............................................................ 43
Financial Focus ............................................................... 6
On the Road .................................................................... 1
First Blush ........................................................................ 39
Open Space .................................................................... 42
Stephen Bearce Sarah Becker Alexander Britel Cheryl Burns F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Carolyn Cockroft Scott Dicken Doug Fabbioli Matt Fitzsimmons Nicole Flanagan Lani Gering Christina Hitchcock Tom Horton Miriam Kramer Genevieve LeFranc
© 2022 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 and St. John, USVI.
14 Personality Profile........................................................... 5 Pets of the Month ........................................................ 19 Points on Pets ................................................................ 18 Publishers notes ............................................................ 2 Road Trip .......................................................................... 24 Take Photos, Leave Footprints.................................16 The Last Word ................................................................12 To the Blue Ridge ......................................................... 26 Urban Garden ................................................................. 7
On the road with OTC Gal pals Tonya Meier (left) and Gail Armstrong - new fans of the Old Town Crier - picked up a copy on their “Girls Day Out” at Bluestone Winery in the Shenandoah Valley on a wintery afternoon. Tonya and Gail are local gals who just needed a little respite from husbands, kids, grandkids and the daily grind. Glad to know that the OTC could be part of their day!
About the Cover The Last Rose of "Winter" - The snow storm that hit the region in mid-January and the cold weather that followed finally stopped this rose bush from blooming. Strange weather when we have rose buds in January. Photo by Lani Gering
Old Town Crier
If you would like to see your photograph in this space, take a copy of the OTC with you and snap a high resolution image and send it along with information for the caption to office@oldtowncrier.com. Your photo will appear both online and in the print version. Please include your mailing address so we can make sure you get a hard copy.
February 2022 |
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PUBLISHER’S NOTES
BOB TAGERT
Well, here it is February. As I write this the last week of January, we are once again anticipating another winter storm this weekend. Guesses of accumilation range from a couple inches to possibly half a foot or more. January will give us more snow than we have seen for years. If you are not out skiing or enjoying the snow, it is a good time to build a fire, grab a glass of Virginia wine and enjoy our February issue. Speaking of snow, our February Road Trip took us to Harrisonburg, Virginia close to Massanutten Ski Resort. While we were there they were making snow and have had natural snow the past couple of weeks. February also brings us Mardi Gras with Fat Tuesday falling on March first. With this in mind, we ventured into Del Ray to write about RT’s Restaurant for Dining Out. RT’s is Alexandria’s closest thing to New Orleans-style food. In Exploring VA Wines, Doug Fabbioli gives us some insight into the mind of a wine maker when it comes to planning for the future. If this cold weather has got you down and you want to get away, read about the new luxury eco-friendly resort on the southern coast of Dominica in Caribbean Connection. Timothy Wheeler gives us hope of oysters helping to clean up polluted rivers and the Bay in From the Bay. Grapevine columnist Matt Fitzsimmons takes us to Sweet Vines Winery and introduces us to Seidah Armstrong (Sadie to her friends), Virginia’s first Black female vineyard owner. Meg Mullery interviews one of Middleburg’s iconic residents, Vicky Moon, about her book Sylvia Rideout Bishop Had a Way With Horses! in Personality Profile. In Let’s Get Crafty, Timothy Long describes the Fish Market’s rise from a one beer pub to a craft beer destination and all sorts of tips for that Super Bowl gathering. Lori Brown Welch checks in with an update on her New Year’s resolutions in her popular column, Open Space, as only she can. Gallery Beat celebrates the life of Betty White. Lenny Campello and other local artists pay homage to this National Treasure. The National Harbor column brings us the lowdown on “The Year of the Tiger” and the incredible display in the Conservatory at the MGM. If you were born in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 or 2022 you definitely should check it out. The above and much more await inside these pages and we hope you find something that interests you and thank you for picking us up! Take some time out to attend the George Washington Parade on the 21st and celebrate all things Presidential this month. Don’t forget to acknowledge your loved ones on Valentine’s Day and last but certainly not least….celebrate Mardi Gras all month long! Laissez les bons temps rouler!
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Alexandria ALEXANDRIA EVENTS – FEBRUARY 2022
CELEBRATING OUR NATION’S FIRST PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON BIRTHDAY PARADE DAY ACTIVITIES All events listed below are subject to change. The most up-to-date information about any celebration event is published on washingtonbirthday.com by the George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC).
21ST 9:30-10-30 AM
Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association Breakfast Westin Alexandria 400 Courthouse Square Meet special guests and enjoy a hearty breakfast with members of this historic association. First appearance of the day of General and Martha Washington. Speaker: Mark Jinks, retired Alexandria city manager, relating his “hidden ghost” stories and other anecdotal experi ences. Ticket Price: $45, table of 10 $400. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Bill Kehoe, Secretary, kehoefd@aol.com. 11:00 AM
Wreath Laying Ceremony Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Revolution Old Presbyterian Meeting House 321 South Fairfax Street 11 a.m. FREE Join the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution as they honor the soldiers of the Revolution. No registration required.
Armed Forces Community Covenant Ceremony Corner of King & Royal Streets 12 to 1 p.m. FREE Join us as we honor our Nation’s Veterans, Active Military, and their families with music and demonstrations. Speakers include Alexandria’s Mayor and the commanders of major military installations in the metropolitan area. Sign the Covenant Document and show your support for our Military as we honor our first veteran.
George Washington Birthday Parade 1 to 3 p.m. FREE The nation’s largest George Washington Birthday parade marches a one-mile route through the streets of his chosen hometown! For more information, including parking, maps, route and status, visit washingtonbirthday. com, or call 571-384-8170.
Museums Open on Parade Day Gadsby’s Tavern 134 North Royal Street Stabler-Leadbeater Apothocary Museum 105-107 South Fairfax Street While in Alexandria for the parade, stop by Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Regular admission applies, which means City of Alexandria residents can visit for free. Guests must wear masks that cover their mouth and nose while in the buildings. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum will have costumed guides throughout the museum sharing stories about the many people who worked in and visited the tavern, including George Washington. For more information, call 703-746-4242. The Apothecary Museum will be offering both first-floor admission as well as guided tours at 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15 and 4:15 p.m. Residents interested in reserving space on a guided tour for free can call the museum at 703-746-3852.
Free Admission to George Washington’s Mount Vernon 3200 Mount Vernon Highway February 21st - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. February 22nd - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrate the first president of the United States at his beloved home. Admission is free for Presidents Day and George Washington’s birthday. Admission tickets must be reserved online in advance. Tickets will be released to Mount Vernon members on February 11 and to the general public on February 15. A limited number of tickets are available. 703-780-2000.
Old Town Crier
1ST – 15TH The Restaurant Cherry Challenge In honor of George Washington’s birthday, participating Alexandria restaurants will create unique, cherrycentric dishes. Each restaurant will develop its own cherry cocktail, appetizer, entrée, and/or dessert in honor of our distinguished native son, of course. The competing restaurants and their entries will be listed on the George Washington Birthday Celebration website and Facebook page, and the winners will be announced on Parade Day.
1ST TO 28TH Hunt for Washington A fun and challenging game to uncover clues about Alexandria and George Washington. The hunt, which should take about 60 to 90 minutes to complete, will take individuals and families to places in Old Town Alexandria associated with the General. Start by printing a clue sheet from washingtonbirthday.com at home and bring it with you as you traverse the heart of Old Town and then use your sleuthing skills to find answers to the clues. Submit your findings to gwbirthdayevents@gmail. com any time before the end of the day on February 28. There are prizes and mementos associated with this event. FREE.
American Legion Post 24 Run, Walk, n’ Roll This George Washington Birthday Commemorative event is intended to build community and enhance the physical, mental and emotional resiliency of participants—veterans and non-veterans alike. This month-long event during February 2022 encourages participants to run, walk and/or roll on their own for at least 24 miles in increments and routes they choose. Registration is $24 and open until February 5th. Visit runsignup.com/Race/ VA/Alexandria/GWB24RunWalkRoll for more information.
6TH, 13TH, 20TH & 27TH “George Washington’s Alexandria” Tours 2 to 4 p.m. • FREE On every Sunday in February you can explore historic Old Town Alexandria as George Washington knew it. This popular two-hour guided walking tour will visit sites associated with Washington and his closest colleagues, including Christ Church, Light Horse Harry Lee’s house, the Lord Fairfax home, Washington’s townhouse, Gadsby’s Tavern, Duvall Tavern, Wise’s Tavern, the Carlyle House, Market Square, Ramsay House, the Apothecary Shop and Gentry Row. To register, visit eventbrite.com and search George Washington’s Alexandria.
12TH Chocolate with General Washington GW Masonic National Memorial 101 Callahan Drive 2 p.m. • FREE
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Children (and accompanying adults) are invited to spend an hour with General Washington to talk about the events of the revolution, ask questions of our first citizen, and enjoy hot chocolate and delicious comestibles. Sponsored by First Home Care. Masks will be required.
13TH Join George Washington at Hooray for Books! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1555 King Street FREE Join General Washington as he engages youth with immersive books to children about General Washington, President’s Day, and more at Hooray for Books! Recommended age group is 10 and younger. Masks will be required.
19TH Friendship Firehouse Museum is Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. • $ 107 South Alfred Street The Friendship Fire Company was established in 1774 as the first volunteer fire company in Alexandria. Younger visitors will receive a free fire hat and a take-away bag of fun activities. Guests must wear masks that cover their mouth and nose while in the building. Admission is $2 per person and free to Alexandria residents
26TH Washington Symposium GW Masonic National Memorial 101 Callahan Drive 1 p.m. • FREE The George Washington Masonic National Memorial hosts leading scholars of the life and legacy of George Washington. The theme of the 2022 George Washington Symposium is “The Political Education of George Washington, 1758-1774.” The George Washington Symposium is held annually to honor Washington’s Birthday by providing the public with enlightening contemporary research on the life of George Washington. Free parking is available. gwmemorial.org.
George Washington Birthday Gala GW Masonic National Memorial 101 Callahan Drive 5 p.m. • $ Formal (white tie optional). Reception at 5:00 p.m. Entertainment in the Memorial Theater at 6:30 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. Tickets are $200. To purchase tickets, visit gwmemorial.org. Tickets are limited.
Publishers Note: Information about the events taking place for Black History Month had not been firmed up at the time of this writing but should be available on the 1st of February. For up-to-date information on this and other events that are taking place in Alexandria, call 703-746-3301 or visit www. visitAlexandriaVA.com.
LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS OLD TOWN FARMERS MARKET Market Square 301 King Street Saturdays, 7 am – 12 Noon Year Round The Old Town Market is thought to be the one of nation’s oldest continuing markets operating since 1753. It is said that George Washington sent his products from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Today the plaza is a mecca for farmers and artists to sell their wares. The Market is a primary source for meats, dairy, fish, fruits, vegetables and flowers for all those who visit.
DEL RAY FARMERS MARKET Corner of Mt. Vernon and Oxford Avenues Saturdays, 8 am to Noon Year Round This market is strictly a producer grown market. Lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and salmon, fresh mushrooms, baked goods, hard cider. Farmers are within a 150 mile radius of Alexandria. A non-profit is featured each weekend.
OLD TOWN NORTH FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET Montgomery Park
901 North Royal Street Thursdays, 3 pm – 7 pm Year Round Alexandria’s favorite dog friendly market! The Old Town North Thursday Market is a growers only market with a focus on produce from small family farms and local artisans. Products sold at the market include fresh fruits and veggies from Virginia’s Northern Neck, Micro Greens from an urban farm, Empanadas, Fresh baked pastries with a European flair and much more.
FOUR MILE RUN FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue Sundays, 9 am – 1 pm Year Round This market offers fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels and strives to reflect the diversity of Alexandria’s community. Local artisans display their arts and crafts as well Due to the restrictions of the pandemic, all guidelines suggested by the CDC, the Virginia Department of Health and the City of Alexandria are followed by the market managers and the vendors at these markets. February 2022 |
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BUSINESS PROFILE
LANI GERING
Wine, Food & Art – Wine Gallery 108 Has It All! We were in a bit of a conundrum about what type of small business to feature in this issue since we try to stay with the monthly “theme”. Not a lot of local businesses that cater to Presidential Stuff since America closed on lower King Street and Mount Vernon isn’t exactly a small business. So we decided to go the Valentine route and what says “I love you” better than a few chocolates and a lot of bubbly? Wine Gallery 108 has them both. It is always a pleasure to see the owner, Lisa Katic, every month when we drop off her copies of the OTC and it has also been rewarding to watch how her business has weathered the brunt of the pandemic. Fortunately for her, many people needed wine almost as much as they did toilet paper to get through those first months of the Covid craze. Lisa purchased and rebranded what was formerly Altura Wine and Gourmet in mid-2018. She made significant changes and additions that morphed into the fun, eclectic space that is the epitome of a boutique winery. Wine Gallery 108 features fine wines including organic vintages, craft beer, artisanal foods, local art and handcrafted gifts. The items that she has chosen to accompany and compliment the wine she sells are very unique as well. She recently added coasters that feature her artwork and some other branded items. Her wine selection features quality vintages in all price ranges. You can find a very good bottle of wine for $14 as well as the more pricey labels at a good value. This month you might want to pay special attention to the Villa Jolanda ‘I Love You’ bubbly and the Wine Gallery 108 caramels with sea salt and Miss Maude’s Chocolates. I purchased both after our interview and they are both amazing. Miss Maude concocts her chocolates here in the Commonwealth in Richmond. They are unique to any I’ve had in a long time and worth checking out. Another sparkling wine that caught my eye while I was there was the Spy Pig Sparkling from France. The label is fantastic. I really need to go back and get a bottle – Lisa said it is a good French sparkler for the mere $14 it costs. This is the perfect Valentine gift for the significant other that has been snooping your texts or stalking your Facebook page. Just sayin’! The tastings are back every Friday and Saturday and special events will be announced each month. $40 per month gets you 2 hand selected wines and $60 gets you 2 slightly elevated hand selected wines paired with gourmet selections. All levels receive discounts on purchases and an invite to the monthly Wine Club pick-up party with food, tunes and a taste of the featured wines. There are several choices in Old Town for good wine – almost as many as there are for coffee – but I encourage you to make a visit to Wine Gallery 108 if you haven’t been and give Lisa’s inventory a try. Something she has that the others do not, is her beautiful art displayed throughout the store and a quirky sense of humor and welcoming demeanor that will make you want to go back. 4 | February 2022
WINE GALLERY 108 108 North Patrick Street Old Town Alexandria WineGallery108.com 703-549-9463
Old Town Crier
PERSONALITY PROFILE
MEG MULLERY
Vicki Moon A WOMAN WITH A WAY WITH WORDS & HORSES Middleburg author Vicky Moon spent more than a decade researching and writing about a pioneering African American woman’s career training horses. Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop Had a Way With Horses chronicles the grit and determination of the first African American woman in the U.S. to make it in the white male dominated world of elite horse trainers. Born in 1920 in Charles Town, West Virginia, Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop discovered her love of horses and ultimate talent as a trainer by hanging around the Charles Town Race Track from a very young age. Moon is no stranger to the equine and race track worlds and the political workings of Washington, D.C. As a child growing up in Florida, her mother owned race horses. Vicky herself competed in horse events on the show jumping circuit in Florida and beyond before moving to Washington, D.C., to cover equine sporting events for the Washington Post. Her passion for all things equine brought her to Middleburg, where she was again living, surrounded by her beloved horses, and continuing her writing career. Moon’s unique knowledge and dedication to research provide a story of a fascinating African American female horse trainer put in the historical context of gender discrimination and the civil rights movement. Moon has a way with horses. And words. MM: When and how did you discover Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop? VAM: I love to chat people up, and will talk to anyone. One day about 15 plus years ago I was standing in line for a coffee at a gas station/ McDonalds in Marshall, Virginia and struck up a Old Town Crier
Photo courtesy Middleburg Photo
conversation while waiting my turn. Somehow the man in front of me told me about his “Aunt” who was a race horse trainer in Charles Town. I could tell he was a horse person. I already had a contract at the time to write a book about women who love horses. Two days later I drove to Charles Town to meet Sylvia. I knew this was important and we hit it off. I think the reason we got along was that I speak “horse.” I understood everything she talked about. We made an arrangement to meet every week, something like the 1997 book Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. My book then became just about Sylvia and none of the other women I had in mind. We began in August of 2004. Sylvia gave me notes and old photos and her little black book and I continued to meet with her. Then, during Christmas of that same year she passed, about the time my own father died. I had enough to continue and I dug in and decided this book was important. I PERSONALITY PROFILE > PAGE 10
February 2022 |
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CARL TREVISAN, CFP© & STEPHEN BEARCE
FINANCIAL FOCUS
What Can Market Volatility Teach About the Fundamentals? While market volatility can be painful, it can remind investors of the importance of sticking to the fundamentals. Market volatility, painful as it can be, can actually provide an important lesson for investors about why it’s important to stick to the fundamentals, such as having an asset allocation strategy and reviewing your plan.
With that in mind, here are suggestions for turbulent times that may help you turn today’s worries into tomorrow’s good habits.
Remembering asset allocation When market volatility occurs, investors have the opportunity to get back to fundamentals they may have
OLD TOWN Mini-Mart
NOW OPEN! 822 King Street Old Town Alexandria, Virginia 703.549.7167 Open 5:00 am-Midnight 6 | February 2022
forgotten. This is especially true for asset allocation — the strategy financial professionals return to time and again when investors want help dealing with volatile markets. At its most basic level, asset allocation is how you diversify your investments across different asset classes (stocks, bonds, cash alternatives, etc.). This varies based on a number of factors, primarily: What you want your investments to help you achieve (objectives) How comfortable you are with market volatility (risk tolerance) How long it will be before you will need to access your investments (time horizon) The asset allocation model that best suits any given investor depends on where they land in regard to these three factors. It’s important to remember that asset allocation offers investors a trade-off. During good times, a diversified portfolio’s return will lag the best performing asset class. On the other hand, during down periods, it will do better than the worst performing asset class. It’s up to each investor to decide what’s more important — participating more in the good times by holding more stock or avoiding the worst of the bad by holding less.
Reviewing your plan regularly If you have an asset allocation plan and still find yourself lying awake at night, volatility is a chance to revisit your plan for possible
adjustments. It’s possible you overestimated your risk tolerance when creating your plan. Due to their potential for providing growth and, sometimes, income, stocks have an important role to play in many plans. But with that potential comes the likelihood for greater price volatility than is typically seen with other investments, such as bonds. If concern about your investments when there’s volatility causes you stress, it may be time to see whether you need to scale back the amount you have allocated to stocks. It’s also possible the problem is not with your plan. Over time, market activity can shift your allocations away from your plan’s targeted amounts. Say you started with a hypothetical 60% stocks/40% bonds portfolio. An extended rise in the stock market could shift it to, for example, 75% stocks/25% bonds. As a result, when there’s market volatility, you would experience more of it than intended. You may want to consider rebalancing your portfolio regularly. Rebalancing is simply checking your investments to see whether market activity has caused
them to drift. If they have, you can decide if you want to sell investments that have increased in value and use the proceeds to buy others that may have decreased. Doing this at least once a year — or allowing your investment platform to do it for you — can keep your allocations, and risk level, where you want them. Asset allocation and diversification are investment methods used to help manage risk. They do not guarantee investment returns or eliminate risk of loss including in a declining market. All investment involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. 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 800-2478602. 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. ©2020-2021 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.
REMEMBER: Investment and Insurance Products are: • Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency • Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate • Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested
Old Town Crier
URBAN GARDEN
February In the Garden Even though it may still be cold, damp and miserable outdoors, an occasional dose of sunshine could certainly put the gardening bug into you. With a little luck, Mother Nature will send a few blossoms your way this month. We are now at a time when we can no longer put off those garden projects, waiting for a nice day......don’t be caught off guard though, winter is far from being over! If exceptionally cold weather is forecast, provide protection to early flowering or tender plants by covering them with some type of cloth material. Remove the covering as soon as the weather moderates again.
Shrubs and trees • Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month, once the buds have begun to swell, it will be to late. Click these links for information on transplanting azaleas or moving specimen plants. • Trees which weren’t fed last fall should be deep fed by punching a series of 1-2 inch holes two feet apart around the drip line and filled with an appropriate food. A mulch of well composted manure is also an excellent treat for your tree. • Mid to late February is the time to fertilize shrubs and evergreens. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use dry type fertilizers, be sure to water it in thoroughly. • Prune your summer flowering shrubs now but be aware that spring bloomers have already produced their buds last fall, and pruning them now will result in the loss of flowers. Forsythia, quince, spirea and other early spring flowering shrubs should be pruned a little later, after they have finished flowering. Pruning to improve the shape of the plant, as well as to open up the center of the plant to good air circulation and sun exposure. Always start your pruning by removing all dead, decayed or broken branches. Click these links for information on pruning roses or general procedures. • It’s a good time to stroll around and trim back any branches that were damaged by the ravages of winter. • If you haven’t yet applied your dormant fruit spray, DO IT NOW!! Old Town Crier
Perennials, annuals, and bulbs • Plants which may have been pushed out of the ground by frost heave should be pressed firmly back into place. • Plant daylilies, bleeding hearts, and plantain lilies this month. • Deciduous vines such as honeysuckle should be pruned and shaped. • Most perennials may be divided and moved up until they begin to show new growth. • Check your stored plants such as fuschias and geraniums, and if they are shriveled water them lightly. • Summer flowering bulbs may try to start into growth if they are subjected to heat. They should be kept very dry, and stored at 45 degrees F. If they are shriveling, put them into slightly damp peat moss, but keep them cool! • If you plan to grow lobelia, ageratum, verbena, petunia, vinca, or other slowing plants from scratch, the seeds should be started indoors in the later part of the month. For more information see growing plants from seeds. • Climbing roses should be thinned out to get rid of last years tangled growth. •
Odds and ends • House plants may notice the longer days, and begin growing. You can begin feeding them again, but use a dilute 50% fertilizer mix until the growth is robust. • Continue feeding our feathered friends, you’ll want them to stick around to help you in insect control when the weather warms again. • Did you check your garden tools yet? Don’t wait ‘til the spring rush to get your mower back in shape! • In the event of snow, be sure to shake or brush off the white stuff from the branches of your evergreens and shrubs. • It’s time to turn the compost pile! This column provided by TheGardenHelper.com
February 2022 |
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A BIT OF HISTORY | © SARAH BECKER
“Secesion is Nothing But Revolution” On April 1, 1865, Union General Philip H. Sheridan, in the last important battle of the Civil War, crushed a Confederate assault at Five Forks, Virginia. The Confederate army withdrew from Petersburg the next day. On April 3 Union troops entered Petersburg and Richmond—the Confederate capital—and the South’s War of Northern Aggression, America’s Civil War came to an end. President Abraham Lincoln [R-IL] arrived in Richmond on April 5 and settled into Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ chair. “The South, in my opinion, has been aggrieved by the acts of the North,” Confederate General Robert E. Lee told Confederate General A.L. King in his Memoirs of Robert E. Lee. “I feel the aggression and am willing to take every proper step for redress. It is the principle I contend for, not individual or private benefit. As an American citizen I take great pride in my country, her prosperity, and her institutions, and would defend any State if her rights were invaded. But I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all the evils we complained of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation. I hope, therefore, that all constitutional means will be exhausted before there is resort to force.” “Secession is nothing but revolution,” Lee continued. “The framers of our Constitution never exhausted so much labor, wisdom and forbearance in its formation, and surrounded it with so many guards and securities, if it was intended to be broken 8 | February 2022
by every member of the Confederacy at will. It is intended for ‘perpetual union,’ so expressed in the preamble.” Lee was the son of Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee. Union General Ulysses S. Grant called for Lee’s surrender on April 7. Pined Lee just prior to the army’s surrender, “I know they will say hard things of us: they will not understand how we were overwhelmed by numbers. But that is not the question: The question is, is it right to surrender this army?” Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865— at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Less than a week later—on April 14, 1865— President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by Southern patriot John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre. Vice President Andrew Johnson [D-TN], described as a “hard-drinking, racist, self-made man from Tennessee,” succeeded him. “‘The sovereignty of the States’ is the language of the Confederacy, not the language of the Constitution,” President Johnson stressed in his First Annual Address on December 4, 1865. Reconstruction, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary: “the period 1865 and 1877 during which the states of the Confederacy were controlled by the federal government before being readmitted to the Union.” Segregated Virginia was readmitted to the Union on January 26, 1870—after accepting the 15th Amendment. The last of the three Reconstruction amendments, Amendment 15 was
ratified on March 30, 1870. Amendment 15: Section 1. “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Voting rights remain a hot topic especially when discussing Black Codes and Jim Crow, Jim Crow and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The latter enabled the Federal government to suspend all literacy, knowledge or character tests for voting in areas where less than 50% of the voting age population is registered. Robert E. Lee—former Confederate General, Virginia loyalist, and college president—died as a result of a stroke on October 12, 1870. Thirteen years later, in 1883, the United States Supreme Court ruled the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional. The Civil Rights Act of 1875: “Be it enacted… That all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall be entitled to the full and equal and enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement; subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law, and applicable alike to citizens of every race and color, regardless of any previous condition of servitude. And…That no citizen possessing all other qualifications which are or may be prescribed by law shall be disqualified for service as grand or petit juror in any court of the United States, or of any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” According to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, “White Virginia legislators had ‘restored A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 9
Old Town Crier
A BIT OF HISTORY | FROM PAGE 8
white supremacy through segregation’ in 1890. The ‘Lost Cause’ narrative was developed by former Confederates, who claimed that states’ rights, not slavery, caused the war; that enslaved blacks remained faithful to their masters; and that the South was defeated only by overwhelming numerical and industrial strength.” Confederates made their case the same year two rival women’s organizations—the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association—united and became the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The South’s racial segregation strategy, its Jim Crow strategy began in 1887. Blacks largely disappeared from juries, and soon after “White Only” became the sign of the times. It was in this year that a time capsule, a box of Civil War artifacts was placed in the cornerstone of Richmond’s 1890 statue of deceased Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The box was found in December 2021 when the controversial bronze statue was removed from Richmond’s Monument Avenue. “We are our own trumpeters,” Lt. Colonel Lee wrote in 1847, “and it is so much more easy to make heroes on paper than in the field.” “Our controversy is not one of the past, it is of the present,” Presidential candidate Benjamin Harrison [R-IN] explained in February 1888. “What is it that we ask? Simply that the South live up to the terms of the surrender at Appomattox…We ask nothing more of the South than that they shall cease to use this recovered citizenship, which they had forfeited by rebellion, to oppress and disenfranchise those who equally with themselves under the Constitution are entitled to vote….” Harrison, grandson of Virginia’s Benjamin Harrison a signer of the 1776 Declaration of Independence was elected President in 1888. “How long will those who rejoice that slavery no longer exists cherish or tolerate the incapacities it put upon their communities?” President Harrison asked in his March 4, 1889, Inaugural Address. “I look hopefully to the continuance of our protective system and to the consequent development of manufacturing and mining enterprises in the States hitherto wholly given to agriculture as a potent influence in the perfect unification of our people.” Unify, as defined by the American Heritage dictionary: “to make into or become a unit; consolidate.” “I do not doubt that if those men in the South who now accept the tariff views of [Henry] Clay and the constitutional expositions of [Daniel] Webster would courageously avow and defend their real convictions they would not find it difficult, by friendly instruction and cooperation, to make the black man their efficient and safe ally,” Harrison continued, “not only in establishing correct principles in our national administration, but in preserving for their local communities the benefits of social order and economical and honest government. At least until the good offices of kindness and education have been fairly tried.” Harrison, a former Colonel in the Union army, favored “National aid to education” for Negroes especially and “a free and unmolested exercise of suffrage.” Virginians, for the most part, rejected Harrison’s message. The city of Alexandria’s Confederate Statue—Appomattox—was dedicated on May 24, 1889 [Confederate Memorial Day]. “The statue, a beautiful figure which ornaments the streets of historic Alexandria, is [fated] to become a beaconlight in the work of reconciliation between the North and South,” The Washington Post reported the next Old Town Crier
“I’M THINKING OF THE MEN WHO WERE LOST AFTER I KNEW IT WAS TOO LATE.” — General Robert E. Lee day. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis declined his invitation to attend. In 1890 Virginia declared Robert E. Lee’s January birthday an emblematic holiday. The Commonwealth also confirmed Appomattox’s permanence: “Whereas it is the desire of the said Robert E. Lee Camp of Confederate Veterans and also the citizens and inhabitants of said City of Alexandria that such monument shall remain in its present position as a perpetual and lasting testimonial to the courage, fidelity and patriotism of the heroes whose memory it was erected…the permission so given by the said City Council of Alexandria for its erection shall not be repealed, revoked, altered, modified, or changed by any future Council or other municipal power or authority.” The Robert E. Lee Camp copyrighted The Confederate Statue in 1892. Why, because it was the copycats meow. The soldier, a private, embodied “the complete history of the lost cause graphically presented to posterity.” The bronze Confederate Statue is the creation of Confederate veteran and Fredericksburg, Virginia, artist John A. Elder. It is born of a “clay model of the figure in his painting Appomattox.” Elder’s oil painting, the property of the State of Virginia, includes a Confederate soldier pensively perusing the battlefield. The Confederate soldier—Appomattox—carries no weapon; wears a hat, shoulder bag and canteen. His arms are folded, his eyes cast downward. He reflects on the past—and the surrender. Said Lee
when asked about sadness, “I’m thinking of the men who were lost after I knew it was too late.” “We must expect reverses, even defeats,” General Lee wrote President Davis in 1863. “They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters.” Defeat is “to win victory over; to prevent the success of.” What does the Confederacy’s defeat teach us? That defeat is not the end; it is the beginning of something new. The extent of the defeat is determined by how well the defeated and the victor adjust. On May 1, 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant [R-IL] invited Washington College President Robert E. Lee to the White House. He accepted. “The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged,” Lee thought. “It is history that teaches us to hope.” If hope inspires change, then to what extent have America and the South: Virginia and the city of Alexandria really changed? With regard to: voting rights, elections, and campaign finance reform; districts, gerrymandering, and sway; the literal of woman’s equal rights; schools, elemental education, and the story of the Lost Cause. In January 2022 the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th [2021] Attack on the United States Capitol announced that it is considering changes to the 1887 Electoral Count Act. In 1863 the Union army’s Col. Elmer Ellsworth was shot dead attempting to remove a Confederate flag from atop an Alexandria hotel. Alexandria’s first ever “flying of the Confederate flag policy” was approved in 1970; reviewed in 1991. Alexandria’s Appomattox Statue was separated from its pedestal in 2020 and the Boyhood Home of Robert E. Lee now trades as the Potts-Fitzhugh House. General A.P. Hill’s bronze statue, the last of Richmond’s “major Confederate Statues” is in the process of removal. Of greater interest perhaps, on January 5, 2022, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards [D-LA] pardoned Homer Plessy posthumously. Plessy, a mixed race shoemaker, violated Louisiana’s Separate Car Act in 1892. [Plessy v. Ferguson 163U.S.537 (1896)] The Governor’s “ambitious aim: confronting a painful and shameful history that Plessy’s case came to represent.” Turnaround, as defined by the American Heritage dictionary: “turnabout, a shift or reversal in allegiance or direction.” “Madam, don’t bring up your sons to detest the United States Government,” Lee wrote a complaining mother soon after surrender. “Recollect that we form but one country, now. Abandon all these local animosities and make your sons American.” About the Author: 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. February 2022 |
9
PERSONALITY PROFILE | FROM PAGE 5
drove to Charles Town every chance I had, going to the courthouse to research and meeting with the names Sylvia had given me. I also continued to write articles and work on other book projects in order to finance my research time. MM: Sylvia was one of 17 children in her family. She had an interesting childhood not living with her family but a loving couple not far from her family home. Can you give any insight on that arrangement? VAM: Sylvia’s mother, Bertha Rideoutt was what they called a “baby catcher” also known as a midwife. She delivered many children in the area. And also produced her own. Sylvia was chronologically fourth in line. I was told several different versions as to why Sylvia was sent to live with another couple. The other family, Lavinia and William Payne, had no children of their own and I can only speculate that may have been a consideration. It was a perfectly friendly and amiable arrangement between her birth parents as well as the Payne’s. The Payne’s had “stood up” for the Rideoutts when they were married and Lavinia was also listed as sponsor for Sylvia’s baptism. One telling remark of jealousy came from Sylvia’s sister, Lucille, who, 80 eighty years later, said, “She had a bike.” A cousin recalled that “Sylvia always felt her mother had given her away.” Many friends and neighbors had an opinion that she had a fear of abandonment. All this is curious but in the end, Sylvia eventually inherited a large home and many furnishings from the Payne’s. MM: Talk a bit about how and where you did your research? VAM: I spent half my time in the records room of the big old beautiful Charles Town courthouse. I urge everyone to go there to visit. I kept going back and went over birth, death and marriage records as well as real estate and other records. One revealing piece of information came from the fact that in those days, if someone purchased not just a car but a washing machine or even a wardrobe of clothing on layaway or with a series of payments, it was recorded in the records. If someone bellied up and didn’t pay, it was right there. Those details are very revealing. Life was not always lucrative. MM: For the uninitiated, going to the races was a big event back in the day. Your book notes that a train left Union Station for the Charles Town Race Track as the destination. Do you have any thoughts on why racing has lost popularity? VAM: The track in Charles Town opened Dec 3, 1933 with much fanfare. It was the first track with legalized racing in West Virginia and a total of $44,175 was wagered on seven races that day. The stands were filled with fancy names, like socialites
In a major victory, Tyson Gilpin’s Bright Gem won The Iron Horse Mile at Shenandoah Downs in Charles Town, WV on September 4, 1962 and Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro, a two-time winner of the Triple Crown presented the trophy to Sylvia Bishop. Photo courtesy of Vicky Moon Liz and Jock Whitney. I’m not sure I can agree that racing has lost popularity. Yes, there have been doping scandals but that also went on in Sylvia’s day and there are examples of it in this book. Also, while attendance at most tracks has been down, many, many racing fans – millions - are watching via cable channels devoted to racing, on streaming services on the internet, at off track betting parlors and casinos all around the country. In the past year, a record amount of money was wagered on horses and the amount of purse money would choke anyone. Millions. MM: I didn’t realize the history of Charles Town. Even if horses aren’t your thing, a reader would thoroughly enjoy all you have discovered and uncovered about the town and the area. Anything surprise you? VAM: Yes, yes, yes. Especially when I tell people that Charles Town was the result of the work of George Washington’s youngest brother, Col. Charles Washington, who designed and developed this town. Charles Washington lived on the edge of town at Happy Retreat. He practiced law and his office still stands. He designed the town of eighty acres and donated the four corner lots at the main
intersection of (what else?) Charles and Washington Streets. There are also streets named for his brothers George, Samuel and Lawrence. Charles also named the roads on the main thoroughfare of Washington Street, Liberty and Congress. In addition, he named a street honoring his wife, Mildred. There are more than 70 family members buried in the church yard here. The museum is a treasure trove. Go visit. I also find the history and story of abolitionist John Brown very intriguing. Most horsey people do not have a clue. Some have never ventured beyond the track. He was tried in this great big court house and visitors can still go into the same courtroom. They can walk up the street and see where he was hung. They made him ride on top of his own coffin and the wagon he rode on is on view at the Jefferson County Museum. (jeffcomuseumwv.org) MM: What can we learn from life of Sylvia? VAM: Great question. Her determination and everything to do with a simple NEVER GIVE UP. About the Author: Meg Mullery is a real estate agent with Washington Fine Properties based in Middleburg, Virginia and is also a contributing writer to OTC.
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Old Town Crier
HIGH NOTES
RON POWERS
DAN AUERBACH: Never in My Wildest Dreams Valentine’s Day is coming up so I thought it would be nice to dig up a love song to write about. In 2017 the lead singer of The Black Keys (Dan Auerbach) released his second solo album which includes a heartfelt and sweet love song called “Never in My Wildest Dreams”. The song has a quiet and shy feel to it and reflects a gentle side of an artist that is typically delivering tough blues-rock. Blownout love songs full of fiery passion are all well and good but on “Never in My Wildest Dreams” Auerbach expresses a more endearing side of love that I appreciate. Listening to this song is a pleasant experience from start to finish and might be the perfect tune to share with your Valentine this year. The song begins with a lovely acoustic guitar arrangement that has an up-close and intimate sound. We hear the rhythm acoustic deliver a simple country strum pattern that alternates between bass notes and chord strums while the lead acoustic
plucks out a sentimental melody line. I love the production quality of these guitars. Dan Auerbach captures the raw essence of the instruments in a way that is so sweet to the ears. You can even hear the creek of the strings as callused fingertips press the notes down on the fretboard. For the first verse, we hear Auerbach deliver a pleasant yet catching little melody that sounds like it comes straight from the softest part of his heart. I like the second half of the first verse’s lyrics in particular when he delivers the lines “You’re just too good to touch / I can’t discuss it much / I get too choked up / Don’t what to make a seen / Never in my wildest dreams”. The second half of each verse acts something like a pre-chorus and chorus in that the melody repeats throughout the song. And each time the melody ends Auerbach tops it off with the lyrics, “Never in my wildest dreams”. Listening back to this song I realized there isn’t a clear-cut chorus
section. But the song is so enjoyable. It obviously doesn’t need one. Between the verses, we hear a charming and romantic instrumental. You can almost see two sweethearts on a dance floor slow dancing to it. My favorite part of this instrumental is the horn section. It’s composed of a simple rhythmic melody and combines with the other musical elements to create an extraordinary pleasing and mellow feeling. Under the acoustic guitars and horns, we hear a smooth shuffle drum beat along with a slow quarter-note bass line that emits a nice round sonic shape. Dan Auerbach has been hard at work since the release of his solo
album back in 2017. Since then, he’s released two full-length albums with his band The Black Keys and played shows all around the world. If you’d like to listen to “Never in My Wildest Dreams” or any of Dan Auerbach’s fine solo work, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold. If you’d like to learn more about Dan you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. About the Author: Ron Powers is an independent A&R specialist and music industry consultant and is constantly searching for, discovering and writing about new talent.
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Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
11
THE LAST WORD
MIRIAM R. KRAMER
MODERN LOVE There is no Hallmark Holiday about Modern Love. A book of essays by multiple authors and edited by Daniel Jones from the New York Times’ “Modern Love” column, it does not even feature enough meetcute stories to reach the standards of the Humans of New York interviews. These are real-life; sometimes improbable, sugar cookies fallen on the sidewalk, often more burned than palatable, with a bite or two taken out of them. You can decide where they fall between the saccharine and the over-salted, or if they even qualify as love stories suitable for celebrating February 14th. Jones, after reading tens of thousands of essays on love, still has difficulty defining it. He sees it as “more a wheelbarrow than a rose: gritty and messy but also durable.” He also speaks to vulnerability as the animating quality of all love stories: “In every case… vulnerability means exposing ourselves to the possibility of loss, but also—crucially!— to the possibility of connection. You can’t have one without the other.” Then he boils it down á la Spock from Star Trek: “a combination of three emotions or impulses: desire, vulnerability, and bravery.” Yes, you may think, you have gotten enough out of therapy to understand the surface of these words, if not always feeling them viscerally or having the ability to act on them. In a few stories, I recognized the way
12 | February 2022
younger people in particular distrust themselves in the arena of romance. These are perhaps both self-trusting and self-building stories. Particularly as younger people, we try
to be what we think other people want us to be. We do not trust ourselves, maybe in part because we have not yet figured out who we are. The romantic bogs we slog through help get us there, but even reaching the end of one and taking off our hip waders offers no guarantees that the selves we love will be equally appreciated by others. That being said, we are all we have got. One woman talks about her desperate problems with Bipolar I disease, which did not affect her ability to become valedictorian of her high school, graduate Vassar, and sail through law school to become a successful lawyer, since she could manage her highs and lows around others superficially while looking for psychiatric help. Yet in intimacy, she could never disguise that she had an effervescent, outgoing, sparkling personality at some points and then had to sit day after day, like one at death’s door, because of her chemical imbalances. She could not present someone she might love with her true self, because she questioned: which one was she? Or was she someone else entirely with the proper medicine? What makes sense to me, though, is the editor’s comment that love is less about definitions than examples. Which are my favorites? One of them you may have heard LAST WORD > PAGE 13
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Daniel Jones, who since 2004 has edited the weekly “Modern Love” column in The New York Times, is also the author of Love Illuminated, advisor to the Modern Love podcast, and consulting producer for the Modern Love streaming series. LAST WORD | FROM PAGE 12
of before: “You May Want to Marry My Husband,” by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Struck with ovarian cancer in 2015 just as she and her husband, Jason, were about to become empty-nesters after 26 years of marriage, she had to put away all plans to face a pressing deadline: that of her existence. While nodding in and out of sleep from painkillers, she authored an article for the “Modern Love” column extolling his virtues, discussing him as a great dad, and urging women to consider him as a mate. She ends saying “I am wrapping this up on Valentine’s Day, and the most genuine, non-vase-oriented gift I can hope for is that the right person reads this, finds Jason, and another love story begins.” That, dear reader, is love, as exemplary and generous a form as can be found. Another favorite is by a woman who goes through a process of adopting a baby girl from China with her husband, asking for a little girl with a few to no medical problems. When they find out that they one they have met and loved in China has potential disabilities that will keep her paralyzed for life, they are offered the chance to take another healthy baby. They
consider, yes, we could do that, but what would happen to “our” baby? The couple take the dizzying plunge to adopt her regardless. Their joy, and the unexpected ending to their story, glorify unqualified parental love. So many stories may grab you: the teacher who adopted a foster kid in her English class, the journalist who interviews the founder of a new dating site and persuades him to make another try for engaged woman he once loved, the seniors who have a joint 150th birthday party to celebrate their finding each other, the wife who accepts her husband’s transitioning to a woman because she loves him too much to lose him. This February, maybe you will want to tell someone: a friend, child, parent, sister, brother, family member, why you love them. Perhaps it is something small, simple, and meaningful rather than extravagant, overwhelming, or over-the-top. When I first fell in love what struck me strongly was how generous I felt: I would have given him whatever I could to see him joyful. I wish you a messy, improbable, love-filled St. Valentine’s Day, Week, Month, Year. Give what you can and appreciate your courage in any willingness to love and be loved.
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Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
13
GALLERY BEAT
F. LENNOX CAMPELLO
HOMAGE
TO BETTY
BettyWhiteResponds by Marcie Wolf-Hubbard
Betty White - What A Gal - By Cheryl Elmo 14 | February 2022
By the time that this column appears in print, it will be a month or so since we heard the sad news that the iconic American presence known as Betty White had passed away a few days shy of her hundredth birthday. In spite of the fact that White was almost a hundred, the news of her death still shocked and saddened most of us, as this great figure, through her spectacular decades and decades in the limelight of American television, starting in the 1950s and all through the 21st century, was liked by most of us. She once said, “Retirement is not in my vocabulary. They aren’t going to get rid of me that way,” and she meant it. Locally, Zenith Gallery reacted at the speed of light to the news, and the gallery’s hard working owner and founder, Margery Goldberg noted that “since the passing of Betty White, it has become abundantly clear that she is the one person in America who everyone loves, no matter what your affiliations may be.” Goldberg then reached out to her vast artists’ network (including yours truly) and asked artists about participating in an homage show to White. The exhibition, titled “Betty White Unites!” ran through the month of January and included about 20 artists from around the nation. Goldberg also noted that “Zenith Gallery and our artists wanted to start the year off right with love and positivity by celebrating the life of Betty White.” “She is loved by everyone, and I believe through the celebration of her life we can be united,” said Goldberg. “We have created a website that went live the day of the opening (ww.BettyWhiteUnites.com) for this show and as a means to memorialize her.” Goldberg pointed out that “throughout her 80year career she has touched so many generations… and tributes continue to pour in across the world for ‘cultural icon’ Betty White, as fans from President Biden to Ryan Reynolds to Jay-Z, pay homage.” Included in the exhibition are two works (disclosure, one of them is mine) about a young Betty White who defied television racism in 1954 when she featured Black dancer Arthur Duncan on her television show. When the network complained and demanded that she remove Duncan from the show, as she had creative control, which was rare for any actor at that time but especially for a woman, she responded by saying, “He stays.” Duncan stayed and it kick-started a long career for the talented dancer. Goldberg added that White “broke barriers GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 15
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If you wanna be tough-an Homage to Betty White Charcoal on bisque by F. Lennox Campello GALLERY BEAT | FROM PAGE 14
throughout her career – she was the first woman to win a Game Show Host Emmy Award and won the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. The awards and accolades are too numerous to mention.” The Zenith exhibition included works by Doba Afolabi, Amy Bandel, Holly Boruck, Ram Brisueno, Diane Dompka, Bulsby Duncan, Cheryl Elmo, Ruth E. Green, Mirra Karra, Rebecca Klemm, Michelle Marchello, Carol Newmyer, Gavin Sewell, Helen Silberminz, Bradley Stevens, Paula Wachsstock, Jennifer Wagner, Marcie Wolf-
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Hubbard and yours truly. Amongst my faves from this show was a gorgeous painting titled “Betty” by Cheryl Elmo – it depicts a smiling, glowing, resplendent Betty White, with that smiling, slightly mischievous look that we all loved over the years. I also liked “Golden” by Buzz Duncan, which depicts White in the style of the propaganda slogan posters so popular in the former Eastern bloc during the Soviet era, and which were revived by Shepard Fairey for the first Obama Presidential campaign. One last Betty White quote: “The older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.”
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February 2022 |
15
TAKE PHOTOS, LEAVE FOOTPRINTS
SCOTT DICKEN
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
TheWorld’s Most Beautiful Travel Destinations Every now and then I’ll come across articles online that proclaim to identify the “World’s top tourist attractions”, “place to see before you die”, or “the ultimate bucket list destinations”. They always catch my eye, and I inevitably spend the next 30 minutes combing through the submissions to see which I’ve already visited, and where I should add to my own personal, ever-growing, bucket list. In the interests of travel journalism or, more accurately, having succumb to classic click-bait, I’ve decided to take a deeper dive into 10 of the destinations one recent report identifies in an effort to analyze just how accurate I think their list is. And so, with no further ado, here are 10 of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations, together with my thoughts on their inclusion on the list….
VENICE, ITALY: Undeniable Romance and Crowded Canals Ah, Venice…Probably one of my favourite city destinations anywhere in the world, and undeniably one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations. You simply can’t fail to be taken in by the romance of it; from the luxurious settings that house its museums and cultural attractions, to the watery transport arteries that move its population and tourists from place to place. Everything has been designed to exude opulence, romance, and indulgence (don’t even get me started on Italian cuisine). If you can get past the crowds with some careful planning (the shoulder seasons in April 16 | February 2022
and October provide some respite from the crowds whilst still having a good chance of reasonable weather) then Venice is truly one of the most remarkable cities on earth.
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: The Over-priced Concrete Jungle I’m not sure I’d personally classify this urban jungle one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations! Lumbering skyscrapers, overpriced meals, preening socialites, and Instagram influencers are what come more immediately to mind than beauty. However, if you have the chance to escape the humidity of downtown and visit the desert then, arguably, Dubai’s stunning arid landscapes hold appeal. The concrete and steel of the city stand in direct contrast to the beauty of the desert. As such, perhaps the best way to summarise Dubai is by labelling it as a ‘marmite destination’ – you either love it or your hate it; Just make sure to read the Take Photos Leave Footprints guides to visiting the United Arab Emirates, and how to navigate Dubai on a shoestring budget before you go!
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA: Stunning Sights and Medieval Masses The first time I visited Dubrovnik I remember being charmed by the quaint, narrow, cobbled streets and imposing fortresses overlooking the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean. It was a relaxed and,
Victoria Falls, Zambia dare I say, quiet old town that you could explore in relative solitude. On that basis I still think of it as one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations! But that was some 15 years ago, and a lot has changed. The old town, which features several Game of Thrones filming locations, has witnessed a rapid rise in tourism. Largely gone are the quiet cobbled street scenes; replaced by feverish masses of GoT enthusiasts and cruise-goers following umbrellaLEAVE FOOTPRINTS > PAGE 17
Old Town Crier
LEAVE FOOTPRINTS | FROM PAGE 16
that remains visible is ‘Fairy Rock’ - the small hill around which the fairies danced. This, according to our guide, was the legend of how Lake Bled came to be, and what led to the creation of one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations.
wielding guides in full medieval costume (my wife described it as walking on to a Disney set). But behind the gaggles of tour groups the same old Dubrovnik remains intact; it’s just a matter of timing your visit to avoid the crush. If you can manage that then spectacular Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture, stunning sea views and a charming coastal old town await.
GIZA, EGYPT: Ancient Wonder, Modern Nightmare? The Pyramids of Giza need little introduction and are undoubtedly a sight to behold. However, it’s long been known to be challenging when it comes to the sheer numbers of tourists that visit, keeping control of those tourists, and the borderline harassment exerted by hawkers and guides (on my last visit it felt as though I was being chased around the pyramids by a guide desperate for me to ride his camel). Online images inferring that the site is hundreds of miles from civilization also bely the fact that you can take pictures of them from inside a nearby KFC! None of this is to say you should never visit the Pyramids – they truly are one of the most aweinspiring sites a traveller can behold, and a carefully planned visit can help to avoid the potential pitfalls.
PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK, CROATIA: Watery Heaven and Crowded Hell We had been told to expect startling, otherworldly, turquoise, blue and green waters. We’d been told to expect stunning landscapes and autumnal foliage. We’d been told to expect cascading waterfalls in numbers that belie the size of the National Park we were visiting. What we hadn’t been told was to expect tourists in numbers more akin to New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Plitvice Lakes National Park, whilst undeniably capable of being categorized as one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations, is not always suitable for Enochlophobics. A visit to this 115 square mile National Park in Croatia is all about timing.
METEORA, KALABAKA, GREECE: The Breath-Taking, Little Known, Gem Monasteries dating back as far as 1356 sit perched on rocky monoliths that tower high above the haze in the valley below. Ancient cave dwellings, continuously inhabited for over 50,000 years, remain carved into vertical cliff-sides as if in testament to the endurance of man. It’s no wonder that monastics seeking spiritual enlightenment, and those searching for untouched isolation in this breath-taking setting, have done so for millennia. It’s also no wonder that Meteora is viewed as one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations. It has a serene, otherworldly atmosphere that can make you forget that you in fact in central Greece. This is Meteora; a site of religious reflection for the Christian Orthodox and an unearthly and inspirational landscape that must be seen to be believed.
PETRA, JORDAN: The New Wonder of the Modern World
Boulders Beach, Cape Town South Africa for any tourist itinerary in Southern Africa. For a truly spectacular view of the Falls consider a once-in-a-lifetime trip on “The Flight of Angels”, a helicopter ride over the falls.
LAKE BLED, BLED, SLOVENIA: The Fairy-tale Destination Once upon a time there was a lush, fertile valley and in the very centre of that valley was a small hill. The hill, which sat in the middle of the green pastures, was the favourite gathering place of fairies, who liked nothing more than to spend their time dancing around its base. The fairies lived a happy, peaceful existence until, one fateful day, a group of shepherds arrived. As you can imagine, the shepherds were keen to use the fairies’ lush, green pastures as grazing land for their herds. The fairies took umbrage to this most obvious invasion of their peace and, after a bit of a conflab, opted to flood the entire valley. To this day the only part of the valley
BOULDERS BEACH, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA: Peak Penguin In and of itself, Boulders Beach on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa is little more than an average beach. But when you add a colony of 2,0003,000 African Penguins into the mix things start to get a little more interesting! The chance to get up close and personal with this waddling, endangered species is enough to attract 60,000 visitors a year. As the only place in the world where you can get close to the African Penguin, it makes Boulders Beach truly worthy of being included as one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations, even if the beach itself isn’t all that much to write home about! About the Author: Scott Dicken is a seasoned traveller who appreciates all corners of our world. If you want to learn more about any of the featured destinations, make sure to visit takephotosleavefootprints.com – photos by Scott Dicken
Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and undoubtedly the crowning jewel of Jordan’s tourism industry, was the impressive capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and is believed to have been founded around the 6th Century BC. It was pretty much lost to Western society until it was rediscovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Since then its most famous moment came when it featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. Since then, it was also chosen as one of the New Wonders of the Modern World which has engrained its position firmly at the top of the tourist map for tourist hotspots worldwide! It also means that it thoroughly earns its status as one of the World’s most beautiful travel destinations!
VICTORIA FALLS, LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA, AND VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE: The Smoke That Thunders You can hear the Falls before you’re even close to seeing them. A gentle murmur slowly transitioning to a deafening roar as a fine mist generated from the world’s largest curtain of water soaks you through. There’s no doubt that Victoria Falls, one of natural wonders of the world, and a sight locally known as the “Smoke that Thunders”, is a riot for all five senses. Whether it be from the Zambian or Zimbabwean side of the border, a visit is a highlight Old Town Crier
Meteora, Kalabaka Greece February 2022 |
17
POINTS ON PETS
JAMIE STEPHENS
Love And Loss In The Animal Kingdom Love is in the air this month and thoughts turn to love, not just for humans, but in the animal kingdom as well. Unlike birds, where nearly 90% partner for life, and like some humans, not all mammals are monogamous. In fact, only 3-5% of the approximately 5,000 different mammals in existence today form life-lasting bonds with a partner.
strong bonds and exhibit a surprising amount of relationship equality as they raise a family. They care for their young together, groom each other, and spend quality time together. Not every relationship is perfect, though - cheating, breakups, and “remarriage” all occasionally occur within the gibbon community.
Swans
Voles Prairie Voles, a small rodent resembling a hamster, are monogamous, forming bonds that last long after mating (often for life, which, unfortunately, is a short one). According to scientists, a male and female come together, the male courts the female, and then they mate. Dopamine is released at that time and in the hours after that, so that those two animals have bonded and want to stay together always. The males stick around to raise their young and the female clearly expects this follow-through, yanking the male by the scruff of his neck if he’s not doing his part. In the vast majority of mammal species, males mate with as many females as possible and offer no help with raising offspring.
Swans mate for life. If they lose their mate, they go through a grieving process as humans do and either keep to themselves and remain alone, find another place to live, or join a new flock (and hopefully find a new mate). In addition to helping their mates build nests, the males are also good fathers. They are one of only two male birds in the Anatidae family, the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans, that share egg incubation duties.
Coytes Coyotes are dedicated to their mates, including those now frequently seen in urban areas (and frequently sighted in Alexandria, at least in the West End!). Only the alpha pair in a pack mate, with the remaining herd helping to raise their young. Bonds between alpha pairs are only broken upon the death of one of the pairs. Researchers from The Ohio State University followed 236 coyotes in the Chicago area over a six-year period and found no evidence of polygamy or of a mate ever leaving its partner while they were still alive.
Wolves Gray wolves, rare in most of the United States and Europe but found in Canada, Asia, and Alaska, are similar to coyotes, with the alpha female and the alpha male usually only the two that mate. In a larger pack, it is not unusual for a second pair to mate as well. 18 | February 2022
Beavers Beavers are also monogamous and mate for life, raising their young together. Surprisingly, the female is only fertile for a period of between 12 and 24 hours once a year!
Gibbons Gibbons, a type of primate, live in small family groups in the tropical rainforest of Southeast Asia. Their pair-bonds last for many years of their relatively long life. The furry, tree-swinging gibbon doesn’t mess around with a lot of partners during its 35- to 40-year lifespan. Males and females form
As spring and the mating season approaches, the natural instinct to reproduce is rampant. Oxytocin, a hormone found in both humans and mammals, is responsible for the feeling and sensation of love. Mammals, like humans, also have serotonin, a chemical in the body that is responsible for a relaxed, happy feeling. But is this love, or just nature? And do animals have, and show, emotions? Biologists and scientists have long avoided ascribing human emotions or attributes to animals. In the past, animals were not recognized for having emotions, in spite of displays of behaviors including anger, revenge, fear, and love. Those who suggested that animals might be capable of experiencing emotions were accused of “anthropomorphizing,” POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 19
Old Town Crier
POINTS ON PETS | FROM PAGE 18
or “the showing or treating of animals, gods , and objects as if they are human in appear ance, character, or behavior,” and were often ridiculed by their peers. Today, however, the consensus says that many animals do, in fact, experience emotions, both pleasant and unpleasant ones. Dolphins and whales, monkeys, elephants, and wolves – these animals all grieve. Scientists have now observed seven species of whales and dolphins who mourn their dead mates and relatives in their own ways. Researchers have reported seeing dead calves being carried by adult bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, orcas, Australian humpback dolphins, and sperm whales, in some instances for a long time after the youngster had died. Monkeys groom their dead family members and friends and sit with the deceased for, sometimes, hours. Elephants are known for their close familial bonds, for their sensitivity, and their treatment and respect of the dead. They have long been known to linger at the carcasses of other
pachyderms and have been observed trying to lift or pull dead elephants as if trying to raise them and bring them back to life. Mourning is not limited to whales, dolphins, or primates – scientists have documented some form of “death response” in seals, manatees, dingoes, horses, dogs, housecats, and more. Striking examples include 27 adult giraffes holding a vigil for one dead baby giraffe, elephants from five different families visiting the bones of one of the dead, and a strange case of two ducks rescued from a foie gras farm who formed a friendship at their sanctuary home. When one duck died, the other lay with its head on the others neck for hours. This grief, though, is clearly a result of the deep love and affection that these animals have for each other. So, at the risk of being accused of anthropomorphizing, I say, yes, without a doubt, many animals do indeed have feelings and emotions and many of them are incredibly strong. About the Author: Jaime Stephens lives in Alexandria with her husband, John, and a family of very entitled felines.
Celebrate Valentine’s with a new love
By Adopting a Furry Friend!
Meet former King Street Cats Alumnus
Peppercorn She now resides in the office of The Old Town Crier and it has been rumored that she is quite helpful with the paperwork.
ADVERTISE WITH US office@oldtowncrier.com
PETS
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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, 7 year old Baxter wants nothing more than a best friend (or two or three) with whom to snuggle. He may be a bit shy at first, but once he knows you’re his special match, it’s going to be a nonstop cuddle fest with this charming Rottweiler mix. Baxter’s adoption fees have already been pre-paid by a real sweetheart, so learn how to meet him in his foster home by emailing Adopt@ AlexandriaAnimals.org.
Best friends Nugget and Lil Bit might already be the purr-fect pair, but they know you don’t need to stop with two when love is involved. 2 year old Lil Bit might be the one to make the first move, but 7-year-old Nugget will be soon to join in once he knows that you’re the valentine for him. A generous donor has already paid for their adoption fees, so learn how to meet them in foster care by contacting Adopt@ AlexandriaAnimals.org.
Paper is the King of his Castle, and he is looking for his Queen...or a Prince or another King. Paper knows his new best friend is out there for him, and during this Valentine’s season, he is hoping to find them. Paper is a friendly fellow who’s been learning clicker training at the AWLA and can’t wait to show off his skills. His adoption fees have already been paid, so schedule time to meet him at AlexandriaAnimals.org/Adopt-By-Appointment.
The AWLA has a lot of amazing adoptables at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter and even more in foster care throughout the community. Meet some of our foster favorites and schedule time to meet them by emailing adopt@alexandriaanimals.org. February 2022 |
19
CARIBBEAN CONNECTION CARIBBEAN JOURNAL STAFF
COULIBRI RIDGE:
The Caribbean’s Coolest New Eco Resort A new luxury eco-resort is set to open this month on the island of Dominica. It’s called Coulibri Ridge, and it’s a significant addition to the southern coast of Dominica. The resort is a dramatic design, set on a hillside with spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea and the neighboring island of Martinique. Coulibri Ridge has a total of 14 rooms, ranging from studios to duplex suites, all of which have views of Martinique and custom kitchens and furnishings. (Three of the suites have their own private plunge pools). The property is set on a 200-acre site, with two pools, two dining rooms, a spa, a yoga pavilion, a conference room and propertywide, complimentary Wi-Fi. It’s the brainchild of Daniel Langlois, a Canadian native who has been conceiving of the project for years. Langlois, a software entrepreneur, was responsible for some of the biggest developments in animation and special effects in the modern film industry, with his technology being used in films like Jurassic Park, among others. The project has been in conception for several decades, with the idea of creating a self-
20 | February 2022
sustainable, green resort. And sustainability is the essence of the project. Most notably, the resort is completely off the grid, using solar energy as its main source of power. CARRIBBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 21
Old Town Crier
CARIBBEAN CONNECTION | FROM PAGE 20
That’s along with touches like the use of pure rainwater, filtered on site and stored in underground cisterns and even the urge of certified recycled teak furniture and kitchen cabinetry in all of the rooms. Coulibri Ridge the latest addition to Dominica’s growing portfolio of luxury hotels, one that now includes Secret Bay, the Cabrits Kempinski and the Pagua Bay House, among others. The opening of Coulibri Ridge is particularly well-timed, following this month’s launch by American Airlines of the first-ever nonstop
flights from the United States to Dominica. For more, visit CoulibriRidge.com. Publishers Note: We are happy to partner with Alexander Britell, Founder and Editor in Chief of the Miami, Florida based Caribbean Journal and his staff contributing to the OTC and our Caribbean Connection Section. Check out the popular online magazine/website at caribjournal.com for valuable information on all fabulous travel options and things of interest in the Caribbean.
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Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
21
FROM THE BAY
TIMOTHY WHEELER
RESTORING OYSTERS
CAN WE REALLY CLEAN UP OUR POLLUTED WATERS?
Matthew Gray, a scientist at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, sits on a huge pile of oyster shells at the center’s Horn Point Laboratory. Photo by Dave Harp.
Can restoring oysters in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers really help clean up polluted waters? For many engaged in the struggle to save North America’s largest estuary, it’s an article of faith to answer that question with a resounding yes. Maryland, Virginia and the federal government have invested $76 million so far in trying to rebuild and repopulate oyster reefs in just six of the Bay’s tributaries. With oyster populations worldwide much diminished, real-world evidence has been lacking to support the belief that restoring shellfish abundance will greatly benefit water quality — until now. A research team led by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science has found a place along Florida’s Atlantic coast, near St. Augustine, where oysters grow so thickly that they resemble what Capt. John Smith and other European settlers reported finding in the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1600s. Close analysis of the number and density of oysters in Florida’s Guana, Tolomato and Matanzas rivers and the locations of their reefs indicates that the bivalve population there filters 60% of the water in that small, somewhat protected system in a little less than two weeks’ time, researchers concluded. “If you were to restore oysters to historic levels, this is the affect they would have,” said Matthew Gray, an oyster researcher at UMCES’ Horn Point Laboratory. He is lead author of the study, published in November in the journal Estuaries and Coasts. It’s been more than three decades since Roger Newell, another oyster biologist at Horn Point, now retired, stirred imaginations by estimating that the Bay’s oysters had been so plentiful before 1880 that they could filter all of the estuary’s water in less than a week. His study and other similar ones helped inspire efforts to restore the Chesapeake region’s bivalve population, now thought to be just one or 2% of historic levels. For Gray, the Florida study provides some contemporary evidence of the role oysters can play in water quality. Gray had been quoted in a 2020 Bay Journal story puncturing the oft-repeated claim that an oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. While maybe true under ideal conditions in a lab, he 22 | February 2022
said, studies indicate individual oysters in the wild siphon water through their gills at a far lower rate: 3 to 12.5 gallons per day. That news story, which Gray likened to “popping somebody’s bubble,” bothered some Bay advocates, who feared it would undermine public support for oyster restoration. Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve protects 76,760 acres of land, reefs and water along nearly 40 miles of the Atlantic coast in Florida. (GTM National Estuarine Research Reserve) After the story appeared, Gray said, another oyster researcher contacted him and suggested taking a look at the densely populated reefs in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. The reserve protects 76,760 acres of land, reefs and water along nearly 40 miles of the Atlantic coast between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. “I’ve been going [there] and looking at those reefs for quite a long time and trying to get other people interested,” said Raymond Grizzle, research professor of biology at the University of New Hampshire, who grew up in Florida. So, Gray and Grizzle teamed up with some Florida scientists to study the oyster community there and try to quantify its impact on water quality. They found that, collectively, those oysters can do a great deal, even though they each filtered a little less than 16 gallons per day, on average. “Oysters each may not filter up to 50 gallons of water daily,” Gray said, “but if there are enough of them out there, meaning a whole lot, they can clean up the water.” They don’t need to carpet the bottom of the estuary, either. In the Florida reserve, the oysters, many on intertidal reefs along the shore, cover only about 4% of the bottom area. But their extent didn’t matter as much as their density and location, the study found. In the reserve, they were clumped together on reefs at an average density of 1,855 oysters per square meter. That’s greater than what’s typically found on harvestable
reefs in the Chesapeake. Filtration rates varied around the estuary but were highest where water flowed over more than one reef before sloshing out into the ocean. There are differences, clearly, between the two estuaries. The Chesapeake has a 64,000-square-mile watershed, while the drainage basin of the three Florida rivers is tiny fraction of that — about 200 square miles. The water is warmer year-round in Florida, giving those oysters more opportunities to feed by filtering algae from the water. And unlike in the Bay, there’s little harvesting of the reserve’s oysters; they face a different threat - frequent boat wakes pounding the intertidal reefs. Oysters cover reefs in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve at an average density of 1,855 per square meter. That’s higher than what’s typically found on harvestable reefs or set as density goals in the Chesapeake Bay region. (GTM National Estuarine Research Reserve) But the study’s findings nevertheless offer tips to those hoping that a restored oyster population will help clean up the Bay, Gray said. The mean density of oysters on reefs in the Florida reserve, he pointed out, is vastly higher than the 50-per-square-meter goal set for the efforts under way to restore oyster reefs in 10 of the Chesapeake’s tributaries. Fishery managers might also want to take a cue from the study to focus restoration efforts on reefs located where the science shows they could do the most filtration. “To have really meaningful water quality improvements,” he said, “you need to have really dense populations of oysters, and they need to be placed in the right spots.” The study also sends a message to Floridians, said Jen Lomberk, the Matanzas Riverkeeper. That river, which flows through St. Augustine and makes up the lower portion of the estuary, is “a lot cleaner” than some other Florida rivers, she said, but there’s no guarantee it will stay that way. “I’m hoping that’s going to be a powerful tool toward getting more conservation efforts in this area,” Lomberk said. “If we want it to stay as clean as it is here, there are some changes that are going to need to be made.” About the Author: Tim Wheeler is the Bay Journal’s associate editor based in Maryland. You can reach him at 410-409-3469 or twheeler@bayjournal.com. Old Town Crier
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In and Around Harrisonburg, Virginia
H
eading out for a road trip in the winter doesn’t lend itself to very many good photo ops since everything is brown and gray but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go on one. One of our favorite destinations during the other seasons has been Route 11 in the Shenandoah Valley. We have visited Strasburg, Thoms Brook, Woodstock, Edinburg and Mt. Jackson. We have written about these towns and shared our adventures of the countryside, wineries and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. This time we decided to take a longer trip down the Valley Turnpike to Harrisonburg. The Valley Turnpike or Valley Pike is the traditional name given for the Indian trail and roadway which now is U.S. Route 11 in the Shenandoah Valley. Before the arrival of the English colonists, Native Americans of the Delaware and Catawba tribes used this well-watered path as a migratory route and hunting grounds, moving between what is now Georgia and Canada. In the 1730’s Scotch, Irish and German immigrants coming from Pennsylvania began to move up (south to the higher elevations) the valley and establish settlements. The Valley Pike was given the U.S. Route 11 designation in 1926, and remained the major north-south highway thoroughfare for the Shenandoah Valley until Interstate 81 was built beginning in the 1960s. After a nice drive down Route 11 we arrived at Harrisonburg, home of James Madison University (JMU). Although the city has no historical association with President James Madison, JMU was nonetheless named in his honor as Madison College in 1938 and renamed as James Madison University in 1977. The city has come to represent a large community of ethnic and linguistic diversity in recent years. Over 1,900 refugees have been settled in Harrisonburg since 2002. As of 2014, Hispanics and Latinos of any race make up 19% of the city’s population. Harrisonburg City Public Schools students speak 55 languages in addition to English, with Spanish, Arabic and Kurdish being the most common secondary languages spoken. Over onethird of students are English as a second language learners. Language learning software company Rosetta Stone was founded in Harrisonburg in 1992, and the multilingual “Welcome Your Neighbor” yard sign originated in Harrisonburg in 2016. 24 | February 2022
Harrisonburg, Virginia is located in the central Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Harrisonburg is located right along Interstate 81 and is only two hours away from both Richmond, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Harrisonburg is recognized as the county seat for Rockingham County. Much like Old Town Alexandria, the Harrisonburg community discussed the possibility of creating a pedestrian mall downtown. Public meetings were held to discuss the merits and drawbacks of pursuing such a plan. Ultimately, the community decided to keep its Main Street open to traffic. From these discussions a strong voice emerged from the community in support of downtown revitalization. In 2004, downtown was designated as the Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Virginia Main Street Community, with the neighboring Old Town Historic District residential community gaining historic district status in 2007. The main intersecting roads in Harrisonburg are, as aforementioned, Route 11 or South Main St. which runs north and south and Route 33, or east Market Street, which runs east west. Obviously, I-81 which lies a little east of Route 11 is a very major artery going north south. All three of these routes can get you from Alexandria to Harrisonburg with just a few connections. The ethnic diversity of Harrisonburg is also found in their restaurants. There are many fine restaurants
to choose from in this town. The restaurants range from the BoBoKo Indonesian Cafe, the Joshua Wilton House, a fine dining establishment featuring Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Filet Mignon, or the Faroe Island Salmon, to the ultimate farm-to-table restaurant Rocktown Kitchen. Also close by is the Local Chop and Grille House, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Bella Luna Wood -Fired Pizza and Vito’s Italian Kitchen. To be fair, this is just a drop in the bucket to what the entire foodie scene is in this Burg. Upon our arrival we met with the tourism contact Jennifer Bell and walked a few blocks for lunch at Jimmy Madison’s. This was our kind of place. A rooftop bar, a blend of soulful music, delicious modern southern cuisine, and premium whiskeys all in one roof. That is Jimmy Madison’s. Unfortunately, it was cold so we had a nice lunch in the renovated warehouse dining room. Located near JMU this is partly a college destination but works very well for everyone. Unfortunately, our choice for dinner wasn’t as expected but our breakfast at the Heritage Bakery & Café was a winner. This little place is located in the same building in the heart of town that houses the Visitors Center. The waffles looked amazing but we chose the breakfast croissants – one bacon and one prosciutto, both with havarti cheese, egg souffle and greens. The Broad Porch coffee was superb and the orange juice is freshly squeezed every day. You have to get to this place early on a Saturday morning if you want any pastries to take home. There are many accommodation choices for a couple of days stay in town. We stayed two nights at the brand new Hyatt Place on a bluff overlooking the town. From our room on the fifth floor we had a beautiful view west of the mountains. The hotel had only been open for three weeks and like most Hyatt’s, they have everything you need - workout room, pool, breakfast, lobby bar, etc. but the really nice feature at this one is the Ridge Room bar on the fifth floor. This place was a real treat. Not only open for the guests but the locals as well. This room faced west toward the mountains and had an extended balcony across the front for outside sipping and taking in the mountain air. Our room was what you would expect, very comfortable, great queen size bed next to the window and no wasted space. I would recommend this “Place” anytime...you have a great room in a hotel very close to downtown with a great view of the mountains. Also, you have what seems ROAD TRIP > PAGE 25
Old Town Crier
ROAD TRIP | FROM PAGE 24
your own bar right down the hall. Then when I found out they had Copper Fox Single Malt Rye, my favorite, I knew we were in the right place. If you are looking for a place with a more “local” feel, the Hotel Madison is the place to stay. It is located right in the Old Town area of the city within walking distance of all of the shops and many restaurants. Our plan is to spend a night or two there the next time we are in Harrisonburg. For those looking for some outdoor activity this time of year, in addition to several hiking trails in the area, the Massanutten Ski Resort is open. When I learned to ski back in my early 30’s, Massanutten was one of the first mountains I skied. The Resort features 6,000 acres of mountain at its very best. Unique in both its size, variety, and outstanding condo and hotel accommodations, Massanutten has secured is spot as one of the premier all-seasons resort destinations on the East Coast. When we were there the temperatures were in the mid 20’s and the mountain was making snow. With the excitement of having weather cold enough to make snow and expecting an actual snowstorm, the line for ski rentals and lift tickets was wrapped around the lodge into the parking lot and was about a football field in length at 11 am. When we left Harrisonburg on Sunday a snow storm was only an hour behind us which promised to turn the whole mountain white. The Shenandoah Valley is noted for its fine wineries, so we decided to visit three of the best on the Shenandoah Wine Trail - all of which have been featured in the Grapevine column over the years. Our first stop was at CrossKeys Vineyard. First of all, the Shenandoah Valley is just a beautiful setting for any winery. Rolling hills create good drainage for the air that drifts down from the mountains. CrossKeys is only 15 minutes from Harrisonburg and is a family owned 125-acre estate winery and produces award-winning wines. Their Tuscanstyle villa and gourmet onsite Bistro offer beautiful panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and an easy to love setting for weddings, private events, or a quick weekend escape. The next winery was Brix and Columns Vineyards. Owners Steve and Stephanie Pence both grew up in a farming world. Steve helped his grandparents on their family farm, and Stephanie was an avid horse rider who welcomed the responsibility that came with raising and riding horses. In 2003, they found the perfect property just miles from both of their childhood homes. The panoramic mountain views were the icing on the cake of this 160 acre farm. The third winery we visited was Bluestone Vineyard, a family owned and operated vineyard and winery, committed to crafting small-batch wines from locally sourced and estate grown fruit that showcase the very best in each varietal and each vintage. Curt and Jackie Hartman have lived west of Bridgewater (a few miles from Harrisonburg) on the hill above Jordan Stretch since 1995. With their friends Phil and Lois Kreider (Misty Ray Winery), they began planting grapes on the hill in 2003 to make wine for personal use. In 2007 they decided to make the vineyard a business and with advice from the researchers at Virginia Tech they laid out the vineyard, tested the soils, and chose the grapes to plant. With the help of friends and family, four thousand red grape vines were planted on the south side of the hill in 2008, and the rest they say, is history. Depending on which route you take to get to Harrisonburg the drive time will be anywhere from 3 hours to a little over two hours. This is not a day trip so plan to spend one or two nights. There is a lot to see on the trip as well as in town. If you go in February or March, check the weather...we made it back a half hour before the snow! Old Town Crier
Ridge Room Lantern Fireplace
Tim the Piano Man Behind th e
Bar at the Ridg e Ro
om.
February 2022 |
25
TO THE BLUE RIDGE
JULIE REARDON
SPRING FEVER Racing Over Fences Starts March 5th It surely doesn’t feel like spring in February, with no signs other than a lonely crocus or two struggling up through the snow. But there are signs. The sun rising earlier and setting later as daylight gradually increases. The occasional taste of warmth on a bright sunny day. We know it’s coming: the hunt country’s harbinger of spring - opening of the point to point season. For true horse lovers, those suffering from cabin fever, and those looking for a social distancing-friendly country outing, there’s nothing like the early race meets in March. These races tend to be smaller more informal affairs but there’s no shortage of equine talent as the country’s top steeplechasers as well as hot young prospects make their debut racing over fences after a winter layoff. This year’s season opener is Saturday March 5th at a new venue on the calendar. The Rappahannock Hunt races opens the 2022 season at The Hill, a spectacular 600-acre farm just north of t he town of Culpeper. Post time for the card of races over fences and on the flat is 1 pm, gates open at 10 am. Rain date is Saturday, March 12. With over $4 million in total purses, meets in 12 states, and millions of spectators, steeplechasing is big business. Some of the best horses and horsemen thoroughbred racing has to offer race over fences, and it all starts right here in Virginia next month. The governing body, the National Steeplechase Association, sanctions the big meets later in the spring, including the best known Virginia Gold Cup races in May. But point to points, run under rules similar to the NSA, are where it all starts for both horses and riders and offer a wonderful social outing for fans as well. Virginia holds more meets than any other state during the season and most are about a scenic, hour-long drive from the DC area. Both serious fans and casual spectators are able to get closer to the action and rub elbows with owners, trainers and riders as well as the local landed gentry starting March 5th. Their new course, established in 2020, provides arguably the best views on the circuit. Snow and cold weather are par for the course at the early meets — but part of the fun, too. 26 | February 2022
Dress warmly (fashionable attire takes a back seat to comfort) and pack plenty of adult antifreeze in your tailgate. Plan to rub elbows with local celebrities in a way you can’t at the larger spring meets – that is, if you recognize them under their winter layers! Admission fees are generally less than half of what the big sanctioned races cost, and most of the courses offer spectacular scenic views of the racing as well as the iconic Blue Ridge splendor in the background. Rappahannock’s season opener has a variety of reserved railside tailgating spaces and tent rentals are available by advance reservation as well. (Call 540-222-9887 or email bartonhitchcock@ gmail.com for info) The location, at the Hill farm between Culpeper and Sperryville, has a long history of sport with horse and hound, and has been a long time favorite fixture for hunting for its rural beauty and sweeping vistas. The farm owner, himself a horseman and active participant
SPRING RACE SCHEDULE 2022 Saturday, March 5 - 1:00 p.m. RAPPAHANNOCK HUNT POINT-TO-POINT 13257 Durante’s Curve, Boston VA Information (540) 222-9887 Saturday, March 12 - 1:00 pm RAIN DATE FOR RAPPAHANNOCK POINT-TO-POINT Woodley Farm, Berryville Information (540) 837-2262 (h) Saturday, March 19 - 12.30 p.m. WARRENTON HUNT POINT-TO-POINT Airlie Race Course, Warrenton Information (540) 219-1400
in racing over fences as an owner, trainer and rider, has worked hard to install a first class course in a splendid little valley with sweeping views of not only the entire course, but the panoramic mountain vistas. “He [Hill farm owner Larry Levy] has pulled out the stops to make it perfect. You drive through the beautiful, pristine farm to get to it, and it’s in a natural bowl, with parking on three of the four sides of it. All will have really good views of the course,” said Rappahannock Hunt’s Barton Hitchcock, race committee co-chair. In addition to general admission parking, tailgating spaces and party tents are available to reserve for tailgate parking. “We’re having good food, too,” Hitchcock added; and said there would be plenty of food trucks and vendors, if visitors don’t want to bring their own. Rappahannock’s general admission is $10, and tailgate party spaces are available by advance reservation. Having your vehicle railside provides a place to warm up should the weather be inclement. And should you wish to invite a bunch of friends, books of admission tickets are available at discounted prices prior to Feb. 22; go to the hunt’s website at www.RappahannockHunt.com for information. Point to point races are the minor leagues of steeplechasing, or racing over fences, a sport popular in our state since colonial times. It has its roots in the hunt field--hundreds of years ago, a pair of Irish foxhunters raced cross country using a church steeple as a landmark, to settle the question of who had the faster foxhunter. The local hunt clubs are still the backbone of the sport here in Virginia, where each sponsors a race meet every weekend in the spring. For most foxhunting clubs, their point to point is a major fundraiser to offset maintaining a kennel of hounds and paying for staff, vehicles, and insurance. The pandemic cancelled most meets in 2020 and 2021, although some larger meets were held with no spectators or fans allowed. Cancellation of the hunt meets was particularly devastating because these races depend on spectators. In inclement weather, call the information number listed below; if a meet is cancelled or postponed, the hunt will have a recorded message. Old Town Crier
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Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
27
DINING OUT
THE GASTRONOME
RT’s Restaurant A slice of the Big Easy In Alexandria With Mardi Gras falling in February and Fat Tuesday on March 1st, we decided it was time to feature one of Alexandria’s unique restaurants...RT’s Louisiana style restaurant – quoting their tagline - “Serving the best Creole and Cajun food outside of Louisiana”. Located in the Del Ray area of Alexandria, these folks have been providing unique dining experiences to the DC area for over 30 years. RT’s has a habit of being frequented by celebrities and politicians as well as famous musicians who perform nearby at the Birchmere. RT’s has always been noted for their authentic southern flavor and spectacular seafood and has been named one of the Top 50 Southern Restaurants in the Country chosen from Open Table’s list of over 27,000 restaurants by Forbes Magazine. This restaurant has been a fixture on Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top 100 Restaurants” list in the metropolitan area and is one of the highest rated seafood restaurants in the nationally acclaimed “Zagat Survey”. RT’s is a casual dining spot that also has a large bar for enjoying a fine cocktail at the end of the workday. The floor is laid out with booths for 4 in the bar area with an adjoining dining room. There is also a separate dining room for overflow or special parties. There is street parking and also lots of free parking across the street in the shopping center lot. The menu features many Creole and Cajun specialties including Jack Daniel’s Shrimp, Spicy She-Crab Soup, Cajun Veal Oscar and their popular Crawfish Etouffee. In addition to their extensive menu they also offer specials each day. Local Alexandrian’s Maria and George Christou purchased the restaurant from founder Ralph Davis
28 | February 2022
two years ago. Not unfamiliar to the restaurant scene (Maria’s family owns a few other restaurants in Alexandria) Maria and George soldiered through the early stages of the pandemic and have stayed the course of maintaining a first rate dining establishment. I am going to highlight a few menu items in each category. If you want to see all they offer you can “like and follow” them on Facebook or check out their website. All of the items on the appetizer menu come from the sea. They have the usual Oysters on the Half Shell followed by Crawfish & Shrimp Beignets. You
can get Oysters Rockefeller, Bienville and Uggie or a combination of all three. Their specialty for over 36 years is “Jack Daniel’s” Shrimp with Jumbo Crabmeat. One of our favorites is the Acadian Peppered Shrimp – these are New Orleans Style “BBQ” head-on shrimp in a fantastic spicy butter sauce. They are a little messy to eat so a bowl of warm water with lemon and some fresh naps are served on the side! They also offer six different salads to which chicken, salmon, shrimp or steak strips can be added. Their soups and gumbo are a lunch favorite of mine and include She Crab Soup (a popular choice of the regulars), Alligator Stew and Chicken & “Comeaux” Andouille Gumbo. These spicy delights come in a cup or bowl size...go for the bowl! RT’s Specialties include “Death” by Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee, Spicy Crawfish Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp & Grits, Crab and Crawfish Imperial and RT’s Special Crab at Market Price. Their seafood options run from Southern Fried Catfish, to Shellfish in Parchment, Trout Orleans, Baked Stuffed Jumbo Gulf Shrimp and All Lump Crab Cakes (they are famous for these). Meats and Poultry include New Orleans Steak Frites, Steak “Jimmie”, Spicy Crusted Chicken and Cajun Veal Oscar. Your meal begins with a basket of some great crusty on the outside, fresh and soft on the inside - bread and butter, which is a nice touch since it’s really good to have on hand to soak up that extra sauce you end up with from your entrée. On our recent trip I ordered an all-time favorite, DINING OUT > PAGE 29
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DINING OUT | FROM PAGE 28
choux. You can order it on the side. We had to opt out on dessert on this trip Stuffed Flounder. First off, the flounder was since we were taking leftovers home but meaty and flaky and cooked just right. The they have a nice selection that includes some stuffing of backfin crabmeat and crawfish incredible key lime pie and a creole bread imperial added a nice contrast. The crabmeat pudding (their version has crushed pineapple, was light and succulent while the crawfish raisins, pecans and is served warm with was tender and added a different flavor. Now, Bailey’s Irish Cream if you like rich food toffee sauce and chantilly this place is for you. whipped cream) that are RT’s RESTAURANT The flounder is bathed worth saving room for. 3804 Mount Vernon Ave in a crab butter cream Needless to say, don’t 703-684-6010 sauce and costs less bother to count calories Alexandria, VA than $25.00. I will also when you decide on a Rtsrestaurant.com say that the portions dessert here. are hearty along with We would be remiss their signature Cajunif we didn’t mention the style rice. My dining full service bar and the availability of some partner stayed true to form and ordered the red New Orleans classics like the Hurricane. They beans and rice with andouille sausage grilled also have nice beer and wine lists. There is to perfection. This item was on the pre-Covid something available for every cocktail palate. bar menu so isn’t currently listed on the main The restaurant is all decked out for Mardi menu but it is available at both lunch and Gras and is waiting for you to come in and dinner. She is a red beans and rice fanatic and RT’s measures up to any she has had in New celebrate all month long - Laissez les bons Orleans. She is also fond of their corn maque temps rouler!
LIVE MUSIC 7 NIGHTS A WEEK WITH NO COVER IRISH HAPPY HOUR 4-7 PM MONDAY-FRIDAY Featuring all draft beers, rail liquor plus half price on select appetizers 713 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1717 • murphyspub.com
VALENTINE OR GALENTINE WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BRUNCH SPECIALS FOR 2 OR YOU
GALENTINE'S COCKTAIL BAR SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 5PM-11PM IN THE WHISKEY BAR ONLY
121 S Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 703.548.1785
Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
29
LET’S EAT
CHARLES OPPMAN
Valentine’s Day Decadence With Valentine’s Day “almost” upon us, you probably need to come up with a gift for that special someone. Why not make a gift of food, but not just any food, it must be chocolate. Lovers the world over consider chocolate to be sexy, sensual and few other gifts can say “Je t’aime ma chérie” like chocolate. Ever since the Spanish Conquistadors brought this wonderful food back to Europe, chocolate has been one of the most prized foods in history and the perfect gift for special occasions. We usually just hand over chocolates that someone else made. Why not make this Valentine’s Day extra special and hand-make your gift of chocolate this year. When I think Valentine’s chocolate I think chocolate mousse. Why not? Here’s a quick and easy chocolate mousse recipe served in a chocolate cup no less. This will be the most memorable Valentine’s Day ever. While there are more complicated recipes involving meringue and gelatin, this one will do just fine.
Photo: Recipes.com
Ingredients • 1 3/4 cups whipping cream • 16 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate chips OR chopped bar (reserve 4 oz. for cups) • 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in warm water • 3 tablespoon dark rum • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
The Mousse Chill whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl. Place 12 ounces of chocolate chips in metal bowl and place in a double boiler or over a sauce pan with simmering water. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while small chunks are still visible. Cool to nearly room temperature. Taste it, if it’s too hot to taste, allow
continuing to cool. Add butter, rum and coffee mixture to chocolate. It might coagulate and clump at first, but continue to stir until smooth. In the chilled mixing bowl, whip cream to medium peaks. Fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse or it will deflate into chocolate “soup”. Cover mousse and place in refrigerator for later use. The Cups Repeat same procedure for melting 4 ounces of chocolate over double boiler. Allow to cool to nearly room temperature. Place four paper muffin cups in a muffin pan. With a pastry brush, paint
the inside of each cup with melted chocolate. After each coating place cups in refrigerator for 5 minutes to allow chocolate to harden. Once chocolate has hardened apply another coat of chocolate until 5 or 6 coats have been applied. Place cups in freezer to allow chocolate cups to harden completely. Remove cups from freezer and peel paper off now-hardened chocolate cups. Fill each chocolate cup with an equal amount of mousse. Garnish with strawberry slices or mint leaf. Refrigerate filled cups uncovered until presentation. Since this luscious dessert is to be served on that very special day for lovers it must be accompanied by a special beverage. And only one beverage will do. Champagne! This lively libation is capable of doing more than tickling your nose. Champagne can fan the flames of romance and what better day of year for that. If champagne isn’t available— true champagne is produced only in France’s Champagne region—there are many excellent domestic sparkling wines from which to choose. I’d recommend brut or extra dry with this dessert since they are on the dry side and compliment its sweetness. Here’s to Love! Now Offering:
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30 | February 2022
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February 2022 |
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DINING GUIDE AMERICAN
ADA'S ON THE RIVER 3 Pioneer Mill Way 703-638-1400 AUGIE’S MUSSEL HOUSE 1106 King Street 703.721.3970 BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 703-739-6090 CAFE 44 44 Canal Center 571-800-6644 CHADWICKS 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080 CITY KITCHEN 330 South Pickett St. 703-685-9172 fatcitykitchen.com EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051 EXECUTIVE DINER & CAFE 1400 Duke Street 703-299-0894 FIVE GUYS 725 King St. 703-549-7991 FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342 GADSBYS TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288 GRATEFUL KITCHEN 727 N. Henry Street HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050 HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-684-6969 HOPS 'N SHINE 3410 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-566-1509 HUMMINGBIRD 220 South Union Street 703-566-1355 JACKS PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372 JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777 JUNCTION BAKERY & BISTRO 1508 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria 703-436-0025 LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313 THE LIGHT HORSE 715 King Street 703-549-0533 LORI'S TABLE 1028 King Street 703-549-5545
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LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511
MACKIE’S BAR AND GRILL 907 King St. 703-684-3288 mackiesbarandgrill.com MAGNOLIA’S ON KING 703 King St. 703-838-9090 MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street 703-548-8800 mason-social.com MURPHYS IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com NORTHSIDE 1O 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-888-0032 OAK STEAKHOUSE 901 N. St. Asaph St. 703-840-3395 OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699 THE PEOPLES DRUG 103 N. Alfred Street 571-257-8851 RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 RT's RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266 SLATERS MARKET 1552 Potomac Greens Dr. 703-548-3807 SMOKING KOW BBQ 3250 Duke Sttreet 703-888-2649 SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550 SOUTH BLOCK 106 N. Lee Street 703-465-8423 SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222 SWEETGREEN 823 King St. 571-319-0192 SWEET FIRE DONNA'S BBQ & HOPS 510 John Carlyle Street 571-312-7960
Please Contact your favorite restaurants for updates on their "Social Distancing" policies. T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com TOASTIQUE GOURMET TOAST & JUICE BAR 1605 King Street 571-312-1909 UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669 VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890 THE WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILL 214 King St. 703-683-6868 warehouseoldtown.com ASIAN
ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515 KINGS RANSOM 728 King Street 571-319-0794 KISSO ASIAN BISTRO 300 King Street 703-888-1513 MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710 MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600 NASIME 1209 King St. 703-548-1848 SIGNATURE THAI 722 King Street 707-888-2458 STREETS MARKET AND CAFE 3108 Mt. Vernon Ave. 571-431-6810 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 KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212 SISTERS THAI 503 Montgomery St. 571-777-8154 CONTINENTAL
CEDAR KNOLL GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-780-3665 OLD HOUSE COSMOPOLITAN 1024 Cameron Street 703-717-9361
TEMPO 4231 Duke St. 703-370-7900 temporestaurant.com VILLAGE BRAUHAUS 710 King Street 703-888-1951 villagebrauhaus.com FRENCH
BASTILLE 606 N. Fayette St. 703-519-3776 bastillerestaurant.com BISTRO SANCERRE FRENCH 1755 Duke Street BRABO 1600 King St. 703-894-3440 LE REFUGE 127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661 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 ITALIAN
ALDO'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 2850 Eisenhower Avenue (behind the building) 703-888-2243 BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998 IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833 LANDINI BROTHERS 115 King St. 703-836-8404 landinibrothers.com LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086 MIA'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 100 King Street 703-997-5300 MICHAEL’S LITTLE ITALY 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 PIECE OUT 2419 Mount Vernon Avenue 703-398-1287 RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873 MEDITERRANEAN
DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. 703-329-0006 VASO'S MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO 1118 King Street 703-566-2720 VASO'S KITCHEN 1225 Powhatan Street 703-548-2747 SEAFOOD
HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 WHISKEY & OYSTER 301 John Carlyle 703-567-1533 INDIAN
DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd. 703-660-6085 DIYA 218 North Lee, 2nd Floor 703-706-5338 KISMET MODERN INDIAN 111 North Pitt Street 703-567-4507 NAMASTE 1504 King St. 703-970-0615 MEXICAN LATIN SOUTHWESTERN
CASA TEQUILA (next to Crate & Barrel) 1701 Duke 703-518-5312 CHOP SHOP TACO 1008 Madison Street 571-970-6438 DON TACO TEQUILA BAR 808 King St. 703-988-3144 LOS CUATES RESTAURANT 1116 King Street 703-548-2918 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) TEQUILA & TACO 540 John Carlyle Street 703-721-3203 URBANO 116 116 King Street 571-970-5148
BARCA PIER & WINE BAR 2 Pioneer Mill Way 703-638-1100 TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194 Old Town Crier
TIMOTHY LONG
LET'S GET CRAFTY
This Super Bowl Weekend Support Your Local Brewery! In 1991 I was in graduate school and bartending at the Fish Market in Old Town Alexandria. It was the beginning of my love for what would become my adopted hometown. The Fish Market in those days was owned by a man affectionately known as Mr. Ray. Ray was a short, loud, stocky, gruff man and not always the easiest person to work for. If you followed his rules and did things the way he asked, you were fine…usually. Conversely, he could be quite charismatic and charming. And he was an astute businessman. Mr. Ray was quite a colorful character. I learned a lot from him during my time there. The Fish Market was, and still is, famous for its schooners of beer. A schooner is a large, thick 32-ounce glass supported by a short stem. The schooners were served chilled and were to be poured in a way that allowed for a 2-inch head on the top. Mr. Ray thought it was important to have a good head on a beer, and he was right. A good head on a beer releases the aromatics of the brew and makes for a better overall presentation. It also ensures that there are a couple less ounces of beer in the glass. Mr. Ray would walk up to your bar to check the beers you had just poured, holding two fingers up to the head to make sure it was correct. This could be a little unnerving, Mr. Ray had big fingers. The Fish Market today serves a large variety of craft beer. But in 1991, they only served draft and the beer was Old Town Crier
not a craft beer. It was labeled Fish Market Beer, but we all knew what it was. It was Schlitz. Schlitz was at the end of its run, a beer in decline. And Mr. Ray was able to convince the company to let him label their beer as his own. This was at the very beginnings of the craft beer movement and the marketing move fooled many of the guests into thinking the beer was brewed especially for the Fish Market. To this day, the Fish Market still has their own draft beer. But trust me, the beer with their name on it is not Schlitz. They have a great variety of draft, bottle, and can beer. It’s a fun place for a beer lover. Schlitz was once the great American beer. It was a bitter lager, as were most of the original large brewery beers in the U.S. These lagers ruled the market until the mid-1960s, when brewers like Anheuser-Busch began to sweeten their beer to appeal to the younger generation. By the time the decade of the 1970s was ending, these beers had become “old man” beers. They were the beers of your dad and grandfather, not brands cool or hip to be seen drinking. Like most of the older breweries, Schlitz was dying and struggling to hold on during most of the 70s. But at the beginning of the decade, they were still a force to be reckoned with. Schlitz holds the distinction of being the first beer to buy advertising during the Super Bowl. According to a great article on
BrutalHammer.com, “Super Bowl XV Was the Last Call for Schlitz”, the company had run neck-andneck with Anheuser-Busch for beer supremacy in the U.S. for decades. They were running Super Bowl Ads well before Anheuser-Busch ever considered doing so. But as their business declined, Schlitz made a series of advertising blunders. These culminated in 1981 in a commercial shown during Super Bowl XV between the Raiders and the Eagles. As the article states: “Its position deteriorating by the year, Schlitz had one more Super Bowl splash to try, the Michelob/ Schlitz Great American Beer Switch. MC’d by an actual NFL referee in zebra stripes, 100 people sampled the beers off air, and when the commercial went live, (each participant) pulled a lever to indicate their preference. An electronic football scoreboard tallied the results: 50 Michelob drinkers “switched” to Schlitz. Of course, macrobrew was no better in 1981 than it is now, and by the law of probabilities any random group of people were just as likely to find any other pair of macrobrews indistinguishable. Schlitz spun it as a win — at the then-staggering cost of $1.7 million for 60 seconds of airtime.”
Schlitz fell to the wayside in the U.S. market. And Anheuser-Busch became the dominate brand led by their flagship beer, Budweiser, the so-called “King of Beers”. My suggestion for this year’s Super Bowl is no different than my everyday suggestion when it comes to mass produced beers, don’t drink’em. Yes, we all grew up drinking them during the Super Bowl. It’s become a tradition, almost like turkey at Thanksgiving. You’re at a party and feel like you must consume a Bud Light or Miller Lite for old times’ sake. Well don’t. Support your local breweries. Local brewers are becoming as common as local pubs once were and are great economic generators for your community. Most people live within 10 miles of one. So, if you are planning on consuming your share of the 325 million gallons of beer guzzled on Super Bowl Sunday, get your beer from your favorite local brewer. Support their great efforts, their contribution to your community, and celebrate the Super Bowl with a great beer that actually has good taste. And what bourbon and cigar should you enjoy during the game? Bulleit Bourbon is perfect for a Super Bowl party. The nose has vanilla and caramel. You get vanilla again on the palate, along with a peppery oak flavor and some cinnamon. This bourbon is smooth, delightful, and very affordable. Perfect as a host gift for a party, or as the house bourbon at your party. For your cigar, I recommend the Camacho Connecticut. It’s a mildmannered cigar, but with great flavor. You can give it to your “buddy”. You know who I mean. The guy who claims to like cigars but has probably never smoked a cigar and wants one for the Super Bowl. It’s a smooth cigar with a bold spicy kick that doesn’t overpower. Perfect for watching football. Shortly after I started working at the Fish Market, Mr. Ray switched from Schlitz to Shaefer, another old American bitter lager. I once asked Mr. Ray why we served only one older beer instead of carrying a variety of newer beers on tap. It turned into 20 minutes of my life that I will never get back. He was either teaching me or yelling at me, I’m not sure which. With Mr. Ray it was sometimes hard to tell. Still, a helluva guy. About the Author: Timothy Long is an educator, writer, consultant, and experienced restaurant operator. Email: tlong@belmarinnovations.com. Instagram and Twitter: @wvutimmy. Blog: What is that fly doing in my soup? whatflyinmysoup.com February 2022 |
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GRAPEVINE
MATT FITZSIMMONS
SweetVines Makes Some FineWines
T
his December, the Virginia wine industry welcomed Sweet Vines Farm as its newest member. But for owner/ winemaker Seidah Armstrong – Sadie to her friends – it’s all about going back to her roots. After all, she’s one of a handful of local winemakers who can trace their winemaking lineage back multiple generations. Sadie loves to tell the story of her maternal great-grandmother and great-great grandmother, both of whom made wine using muscadine grapes. While not as popular as its European Vitis Vinifera cousins, this indigenous American variety was widely grown until the early 20th century and still popular among home winemakers due to its natural aromatics, high yield, and resistance to disease. Although her background is in the field of education, Sadie caught the wine-bug in 2009 and started to make wine on her own. But a few years ago
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SWEET VINES FARM WINERY 14376 Tower Road Unionville, VA 703-942-9336 Thevines.com this hobby turned into a calling, so she and her husband started searching for property to pursue winemaking fulltime. “I didn’t find this place – it found me,” Sadie explained while we toured the farm, located in rural Unionville. The main building is a former residence she and her family turned into a tasting room. Fortunately, Chateau MerrillAnne is only 10 minutes away and Lake Anna is just south of here, so they have the makings of a mini wine trail. As for the farm, the winery has lots to offer despite being open for a short time. Outside you’ll find a gigantic chess board and fire pit ready for visitors. Sadie and I spent a lot of time chatting at her Ancestors Garden. Saying the farm is warm and adorable is an understatement. Sweet Vines sources grapes from the former Oak Crest winery, but they have 1 acre planted here with 3 more on the way. In keeping with family tradition, these vines include plantings of muscadine, her ‘ancestor’ grape. But don’t be fooled by the name; while sweet wine lovers will likely enjoy her “Typo” cinnamon-flavored dessert wine and muscadine, she is also serving a chardonnay and wine from the now-closed Hammerstone Cellars. Sadie also has several fruitbased wines. “Summer Evening”, a strawberry-lavender wine made from plants grown on the property. But my favorite of the day was her “Pearolicious”, a pear wine that while dry had a “fruit sweet” quality to it. Sweet Vines Breaks New Ground – But Black-Owned Wineries Still a Rarity Sadie has another claim to fame; out of the state’s 300 establishments she’s the first Black female winery owner, and part of only a handful of Blackowned wineries in the Mid-Atlantic. The importance of this milestone isn’t lost among the local wine community. Blacks are vastly underrepresented in the American wine scene, in everything from ownership, the diversity of tasting room staff, to wine writing. According to a 2019 survey of 3,100 wine GRAPEVINE > PAGE 35
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GRAPEVINE FROM PAGE 34
industry professionals by SevenFifty Daily, only 2% of the wine industry identified as Black. The high starting cost of professional certifications and greater difficulty in securing business loans are cited as among the greatest bars for entry. The Virginia wine scene doesn’t fare much better. While members of the local wine industry have observed a slow-but-steady increase in Black wine drinkers over the past decade, the lack of Black wine professionals and limited marketing outreach creates a disincentive for even greater patronage.
More industry representation would help but it’s not the only issue Black wine lovers face. Blacks are more likely to avoid asking wine questions out of fear of being talked down to, which causes them to miss out on the educational component of wine tastings. But even for those well-versed in wine, Black patrons face the reality that local staff are more likely to assume they know nothing about the subject. So it’s little wonder this community is among Sadie’s most vocal supporters. Still, change is afoot. This past year also saw the
opening of Fifty Leven wine, a wine brand owned by Kindra Dionne, a local Black entrepreneur mentored by Doug Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars. Delaplane Cellars and Vintner’s Cellar of Yorktown recently became Black-owned businesses, and Preston Ridge has long been Black-owned. In the scope of only a few years, Virginia went from
having a single Black-owned winery to several. None of this is lost on Sadie. Yet at the same time, she emphasizes her background is irrelevant to her winemaking. The two of us tasting through her lineup and the wine is worth your time. So whether you want to toast to a bit of Virginia wine history in the making or you just want
to kick back and enjoy a tasty beverage, you should definitely visit. Author: Matthew Fitzsimmons is a blogger who has visited nearly every winery in Virginia – most of them twice. Track his progress at winetrailsandwanderlust. com.
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Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
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EXPLORING VA WINES
DOUG FABBIOLI
As I sit back and think about planting and the types of vines I want to put in the ground, I realize that there is a good bit of guessing and prospecting to it. What will the customers be drinking in ten years, and how much of it? What styles will be popular? Is there a grape that will grow in both current and future growing conditions that will fit the bill? Is there already enough of that variety grown in this region? Lots of questions, but how about some answers? As a relatively seasoned winemaker, I have learned a few things over the years about wine styles and about making guesses as to future demands. Experimenting with new varietals helps us find out what works and what doesn’t, and can lead to “the next big thing” that the customers fall in love with. Planting what grows best in your climate and on your particular site is the most important choice, but experimental plantings can be fun. When you’re trying out a new grape on a small scale, though, it’s important to make sure your experiment fits into the reality of a larger scale operation. This means you can’t coddle the dozen or so vines in your trial in a way that you could not do on a larger scale. On the other hand, you can’t ignore any special needs they may have,
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What’s Your Style? either. If planting some vines to experiment, make sure you make time for said experiment. Getting those grapes through the cellar
and into the glass is where the style comes in. Many grapes are used as varietal wines, highlighting the fruit characteristics, tannin structure, and acid balance that each particular grape variety is known for. Other grapes can be processed and blended to become a house style wine or a Rosé, to be sweeter, drier, port styled, or something else. Winemakers have many tools available to create the wines that will sell. Blending varietals can make some fabulous wines that show more balance, fruit, and style. We can use alcohol content, sweetness levels, and acid adjustments to highlight the flavors, softness, and weight of a wine. Barrel aging and influence can make a strong impact, too: oak characteristics can bring dynamic flavors and tannin structure to balance the fruit, acid, and alcohol. There is plenty of culture and legal structure keeping wine true to its base and traditions, but with today’s everchanging craft beverage palate, we want to have wines that are approachable and consumer friendly. By using science, market research, local farm products, and a bit of artistry, I think we can have it all, meeting the demands of a broad customer base. One hundred percent of the liquid in every wine you drink comes from the plants the farmers grow and reflect the farmer’s work and efforts. Recognizing that wines can break away from tradition, staying true to the local farmer, and creating some great flavors and styles that will please the consumer, all while paying off some bills, is important. Virginia is fortunate to have many, many great wineries, winemakers, and farmers producing some fantastic wines. Get out and explore them, and don’t be afraid to try something new with some older roots.
Old Town Crier
FITNESS
NICOLE FLANAGAN
Cold Weather and Your Heart Health Although winter is a beautiful time of the year, it brings low temperatures, shorter daylight hours and snow (only once every few years here). Cold weather can strain the heart, and according to research, increase the risk for a heart attack. Many people are not even aware that they are at risk until they have a heart attack, so it’s very important to know the risk factors. The risk of heart disease increases if you’re older, a smoker, overweight, have high blood pressure, don’t exercise enough or have a stressfilled life. Heart problems can also be hereditary. If you’re at risk, you must be especially careful during the winter months. Why? Colder temperatures cause your blood vessels to get smaller, which reduces the flow of blood and oxygen supply to your heart. Your blood becomes thicker when temperatures drop, and this can cause an increase in the risk of clotting. Cold weather can also lead to an increase in blood pressure, which puts more stress on your heart. If you’re not used to exercising, your risk of a heart attack during winter weather may increase from overexertion. If you are not accustomed to exercise, shoveling snow or even walking in deep or
heavy snow can trigger a heart attack. If you don’t know the dangers of being outdoors in cold weather, you could suffer from hypothermia—an abnormally low body temperature. Most deaths from this condition are caused by heart failure. Heart healthy living can be part of your lifestyle year round. Factors like diet and exercise contribute to a healthy heart every day. For heart healthy nutrition, avoid foods that are high in saturated fats such as cheese, whole milk and butter. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Different fruits and vegetables are available at certain times of the year, try and stick to produce that is in season. Eating lean meats and fish will get you those heart healthy omega-3’s. Limiting sodium intake can keep blood pressure in normal range and decrease your risk for heart attacks. When it comes to exercise the American Heart Association recommends at least 30minutes of exercise about five days per week. Exercise can include anything that makes your body burn calories such as jogging, swimming or biking. Walking can be one of the easiest ways to improve your heart health. Even though it does not look like
It is important to know the signs of a heart attack: If you experience any of the following signs you should call 9-1-1. ■
Chest pain, pressure or discomfort
■
Pain, pressure or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
■
Shortness of breath
■
Cold sweat
■
Nausea
■
Lightheadedness
we will be doing much shoveling in Old Town this month, it has been quite cold. Just remember that when temperatures drop, the risk for heart attacks and hypothermia go up. Dress in layers and know the signs and keep yourself protected with a healthy diet and daily exercise.
OLD TOWN DENTISTRY Frinet Kasper, DDS • Family & Cosmetic Dentistry • Crowns & Bridges • Invisalign • Sealants • Fillings • Whitening • Same Day Appointments 1203 Prince Street • Alexandria, Va. 22314 • 703.683.0800 • www.oldtowndentistry.com Hablamos Español
Old Town Crier
February 2022 |
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FROM THE TRAINER RYAN UNVERZAGT
Sweetheart Workouts I will admit that sometimes exercise can be boring, but working out with a friend is always better. As in years past, since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I would like to share a few “Sweetheart” exercises designed to keep you and your significant other from falling out of love with working out.
Medicine Ball (MB) Sit-Ups: This exercise is done with both people on the floor. Sit facing each other with your knees bent about 45 degrees. Then interlock your feet behind each others lower leg.
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There are many variations to this exercise, but start in the upright or top position of the sit-up. You can hold a medicine ball at chest level. Both you and your partner lower yourselves to the mat until the upper back touches, and then perform a sit-up toward your partner. Hand the MB off to your partner at the top of the sit-up. Keep exchanging the MB until you have completed at least 15 reps.
Partner Leg Pushdowns: If you want to turn up the intensity in your workout, try
this ab exercise. Lie on your back with your legs straight, hips bent to 90 degrees, and the bottoms of your feet toward the ceiling. Your partner will stand with his or her feet at your shoulders and beside your head. First, grab your partner by the ankles so you have some leverage when performing this exercise. Next, have your partner push your feet or lower legs away from them and towards the floor. Your job is to tighten up the abs and hip flexors to resist the pushing forces and keep the back of your heels from touching the floor. You also want to keep the legs straight and bring your feet back toward your partner during each repetition. Try at least 10 reps without rest. This exercise is performed very quickly to maximize its effectiveness. DO NOT try this exercise if you have any back, spine, or hip problems.
Towel Tug-O-War: This exercise also has many variations, but try this one by sitting on the floor facing your partner. Put the soles of your feet together with knees slightly bent. You will need a long bath or beach towel. Grab one end of the towel with both hands just like you would if it was a rope. (Avoid wrapping the towel around your hands.) Have your partner do the same with the other end of the towel and have him or her provide resistance as you pull the towel toward yourself. Your partner should provide enough resistance so that you can still pull without leaning back. Keep your back straight by sitting tall with good posture. Focus on engaging the muscles in your mid- and upper back by squeezing your shoulder blades together and not just pulling with your arms. Finish the rep by having your partner pull the towel toward them while you provide the resistance. This exercise is great for improving back, arm, and grip strength. Try at least 15 reps in good form. The three exercises mentioned above require minimal equipment and setup time. So go ahead and
grab your partner and fall in love with working out this February. About the Author: Unverzagt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He Haircuts $15 Shampoo, Cut & Blow Dry $18 (extra charge for long hair) Scissors Cut $17+up Color $43+up Permanent $45+up (including haircut & conditioner)
is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
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Old Town Crier
FIRST BLUSH
KIM PUTENS
Y – O – U – N – G 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 in your mid-40’s 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 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 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
Old Town Crier
You 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.
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 of my skin. But, most importantly, I was taught and truly believe antioxidants are the best protectors of your skin. Combined with a zinc-oxide based sunscreen, there is no better way to protect your skin from the sun’s very harmful rays.
G – GLOW With dry skin, it’s definitely a challenge to keep my skin glowing. But it’s a challenge I’m willing to tackle head on because glowing skin is often associated with youthful skin. There are a couple of ways I help to bring the glow back. First, I like to use masks and serums weekly that work to bring the blood flow to the surface of the skin. These products are often labeled as ‘revitalizing’ and contain botanicals that help to improve the skin’s blood flow. Keeping my skin hydrated and properly moisturized also contributes to skin that glows. Finally, I’ve recently been experimenting with creams and liquid based makeup that contributes a little luster to the skin. When applied strategically along the cheekbone and around the eye area, it awakens the skin and diffuses harsh lighting to make the skin look smooth.
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GO FISH
STEVE CHACONAS
Fly-Fishing Mecca…Maryland? In 2016, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission (SFAC) recommended the creation of a Black Bass Advisory Committee (BBAC). Originally a loose group of volunteers meeting annually to discuss black bass management, the Black Bass Roundtable provided many of the original members of the BBAC. What began as a 13 member group is now down to 10, and only two of the original members. Seven attended last month’s virtual meeting for a fly fishing presentation. SFAC Chair John Neely and BBAC Vice Chair Richard Batiuk co-created a vision for a Maryland fly fishing trail. The goal is to lead anglers on a fly fishing journey across Maryland to enjoy the state’s numerous fresh and saltwater opportunities. In addition to the wide variety of species, Maryland’s Fly Fishing Trail would lead fly anglers to public and handicapped accessible locations and thus invigorate local economies including tackle shops, lodging, restaurants as well as historic sites. Such a program would be the first of its kind in the country and reach out beyond Maryland anglers to bring tourism dollars to the state. Business is to be had as there are over 7 million fly fishers looking for new waters and new species. Maryland boasts wild brook trout, striped bass, sailfish, and even largemouth bass, all within a few hours. With so many opportunities, Maryland’s Fly Fishing Trail would enhance efforts to introduce fast growing fishing segments, such as women, youngsters, and minorities to fishing. Members of different cultures and classes would get the opportunity to experience fly fishing without extensive and expensive excursions to better known areas. Land or sea, Maryland waters enable fishing from shore, boat, canoe, or kayak. More than attracting new anglers, Maryland Fly Fishing Trail opportunities could retain anglers when it’s time to renew their fishing licenses. More than an economic boost, the Fly Fishing Trail would also provide access to local fishing knowledge and gear. Lists of licensed guides and charters across Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City will be on-line and in pamphlet maps with seasons and target species listed for fresh and saltwater, cold and warm weather fishing, and tidal and non-tidal fishing. Maryland is inviting anglers to pick up their fly rods, make a back cast, where able, and learn, hone, and enjoy statewide fly-fishing. Articles, from local experts, will be featured online and in the soft roll out in July/August and will include photographs of various sites, tackle shops, and area restaurants and lodging. Maryland’s Office of Tourism’s website Fish and Hunt Maryland will contribute. Eventually, the DNR licensing site will promote the trail as well. Resident anglers benefit from instate license fees and because they can travel up to 2 hours in any direction to find superb fishing opportunities. Out-of-staters face the reality of higher nonresident license fees, but with lodging, meals and other activities close to fishing, setting up a fly fishing trip is very convenient. The Maryland 40 | February 2022
Fly Fishing Trail website will not be publicized in the soft rollout so it can be fully tested for functionality and accuracy. Articles published on other sites or in magazines will be solicited to add content. A possible awards program attached to the existing Maryland Awards Program would recognize the number of visits to trail sites and species caught. This year-round program should satisfy all fly-fishing seasons and introduce anglers to various spots in the state. A public launch is expected in September. After Batiuk’s presentation, members were asked by the BBAC Chairman to go on record to support the trail. Members showed some interest; however, several were not sure how a fly fishing trail would affect management of the black bass resources, nor how it would enhance the fishing experience for bass anglers. Despite this, the Chairman added the trail to the committee’s list of issues to address at future meetings. Certainly, this trail would be a great resource for Maryland anglers and even attract anglers from nearby states. In the months to follow, Neely/Batiuk are asking the BBAC to contribute ideas on trail sites, vendors to be recognized, identify supporting or engaged organizations and recommend content providers for written and photographic content. Eventually Maryland could find itself listed among top fly-fishing destinations around the world, if for nothing else but for the variety of fish and fisheries. Trailblazing the template for this trail will certainly trigger other states to follow, creating more opportunities to fish all over the country. Watch out Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado, Maryland is looking to become the fly-fishing destination of the US.
Potomac River Bassing in FEBRUARY With water temperatures around 38-45 degrees, Silver Buddy lures are the best to cover water. Look for out of the current areas with steep drops. Cast slightly ahead of the boat and work down drops with short burps of the bait. Tie Silver Buddys to 10 pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line on a medium action rod. Drop shot in the same areas with leaders about 6-8 inches. Use Water Gremlin 1/8 to 3/16 BullShots on spinning gear. Small drop shot hooks with 4 inch soft plastics doused in fish attractant tied to main line of 10 pound Gamma Torque braid with a 6 pound test Edge leader. 3 inch stingray grubs on ¼ ounce ball head jigs tied to the drop shot line set-up can work as well. Use a sight lift and glide presentation. Keep hooks sharp. the best colors are avocado or other greens and brown. Also use the same set up for 4 inch curl tail grubs. Chartreuse and smoke colors are good in clear water. Green pumpkin and pumpkin seed when the water has a slight stain. In very clear water warming to the mid 40s, try slow rolling a spinnerbait in water 6 feet or shallower, using 10 pound test Edge. About the Author: Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac River bass fishing guide. Potomac fishing reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: info@NationalBass.com. Old Town Crier
Make It Personal This Valentine’s Day!!
This year may be a good one to make your own Valentine cards. While we are sure that the good portion of our readership is full of wit and wisdom, maybe the following quips and quotes may be of some use for those who draw a blank when it comes to the perfect saying!!
Must, bid the Morn awake! Sad Winter now declines, Each bird doth choose a mate; This day’s Saint Valentine’s. For that good bishop’s sake Get up and let us see What beauty it shall be That Fortune us assigns.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
~Michael Drayton
tter fate e b a e r kissesthaan wisdom. mings m
~e.e. cu
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE • WASH YOUR HANDS THROW PROTECTIVE ITEMS AWAY IN THE TRASH YOURSELF! AND PLEASE... WEAR THAT MASK!
I’ve fallen in many time love always wit s... h you. ~Author Un known
~Author Unknown
ROSES ARE RED VIOLETS ARE BLUE I WEAR MY MASK BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
Who, being loved, is poor? ~Oscar Wilde
For you see, each day I love you Anyone can catch more Today more than yesterday your eye, but it and less than takes someone tomorrow. special to catch your heart.
~Rosemonde Gerard
~Author Unknown
A hundred hearts would be too few To carry all my love for you. ~Author Unknown
Old Town Crier
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February 2022 |
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OPEN SPACE
LORI WELCH BROWN
February Weigh In Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to step up onto the scale. Consider this more of a friendly check in, but feel free to weigh in as well. We’re a month plus into the new year, and I’m curious. Did you make any resolutions? If so, have you been able thus far to stick with them? Personally speaking, I like resolutions because I’m a fan of goals, shiny new planners, and the belief that each new year brings a fresh, clean slate. I’m also a bit of a self-improvement junkie, always stretching and reaching to be the best version of myself. Frankly, I’m not even sure I’ve gotten to a ‘better’ version of myself, but at least I’ve written down some thoughts on how to get there in my planner. As of this writing, I have managed to abstain from alcohol for 18 days with a goal of 31. ‘Dryuary’ has quite a buzz around it. Sorry—I couldn’t resist the pun. Millions of people take a hiatus from drinking during the month of January as a reset. I’ve done it in the past, and wanted to give it a shot again. It was time. The over-indulgence of the past two years has been weighing me down in more ways than just the number on the scale. COVID-19 provided a nice excuse to indulge and coddle myself so, like many, I found myself drinking more and using comfort food as a security blanket. Hello, pistachio ice cream. While that plan provided some immediate gratification along with a false sense of security, I’m left with a pillow around my midsection. The progress I had previously made with the nutrition app, Noom, went by the wayside, directly onto the waistline. I now find myself staring down at the scale in disbelief as if a steady diet of chocolate croissants and potato chips might have had a slimming effect. In my dreams… I’m also finding more and more excuses to not do things that once brought me joy, as well as energy, such as taking yoga classes, riding my bike, and running. It’s cold outside. Too cold. Too many people. Omnicron. Achy joints. Not enough time. Tomorrow. Guess you could say, I’m in a slump. Maybe it’s February weighing me down, maybe it’s the aftermath of two years of pandemic-fueled anxiety, or maybe it’s just general malaise. Whatever the reason, I’m not liking how I’m feeling. I hate the way my pants fit, or rather don’t fit. I tried on my jeans the other day, and let’s just say it didn’t go well. I countered that by purchasing two new pairs in a size I’m not happy about, and 42 | February 2022
caught myself before I ordered more. “This is temporary,” I thought. “It won’t be, however, if you stock your closet full of them.” All of my poor choices have left me feeling sluggish, often waking up tired. That’s no way to live. I want to greet the day with energy and enthusiasm without needing two cups of coffee to fuel up. Although I do love my coffee so no dry java months in my future. There’s no going back so I’m not beating myself up over yesterday’s bad decisions. It’s been a challenging time, but it’s time to move upward and onward. It’s also time, however, to stop leaning on a wine bottle, a box of pasta, and a pound of chocolate for support. It’s time to put the big girl panties on and get back to a life of purpose, meaning, and movement. One that is not fear-based or reliant on external stimulants and mac n’ cheese motivators. Here’s the thing I’ve learned about goals. You can’t tackle everything at once. You can’t overwhelm yourself. Start small and increase the goal or add another small goal once you have a win under your belt. In my case, I couldn’t fit anything under my belt—including a win, if I tried. Notice I didn’t start with giving up alcohol and sugar and losing 20 pounds and riding my bike six miles every day. No, I kept it simple with one thing. Hopefully, achieving my goal will give me the confidence and motivation to tackle something else like maybe no desserts on weekdays. If I slip up—or fall back on the wagon in this case—that’s okay too. I’ll dust myself off and get back up (or off?). I’m trying to be a bit kinder to myself this year too. Let’s break some bad habits and move the dial just a bit to healthier, more energetic version of ourselves. What better way to begin a new year than with a fresh outlook and a little kindness towards ourselves. Shake off the February blues and remember Spring will be here before we know it. While this might be the time to start thinking about a marathon, I don’t think February is when we are supposed to be running one. Winter is about rest and restoration. There’s a reason bears hibernate ya know. Enjoy some time cuddling up in front of a fire (or heater) with a good book, a fur baby, or your sweetheart and don’t feel guilty about it. Just try not to eat the entire sleeve of cookies while you’re doing it. Speaking of which, isn’t it Girl Scout cookie time? P.S. Happy Valentine’s to all of you, but especially the singles. Give yourselves a big hug and buy yourself some chocolate—the really good stuff. You deserve it. About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been penning a column for the OTC for over 20 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this. Old Town Crier
NATIONAL HARBOR
LANI GERING
National Harbor Celebrates The Year of the Tiger I just love the Chinese New Year “stuff ” every year. I really get excited when I go to a Chinese restaurant and they have the place mats that have all of the years and animals on them. You know, the ones that tell you who you are and aren’t compatible with, what your personality is like, etc. According to my reliable source - Chinesenewyear.net - Tigers are the third of the Chinese zodiacs. “According to legend, Tiger was confident that no one could compete with its speed and vigor for the celestial race that would decide the order of the zodiacs. However, when Tiger climbed out of the river, thinking it was first, it was informed that Rat placed first for its cunning and Ox placed second for its diligence. This left the king of the jungle having to settle for third place.” According to my source: “People born in years of the Tiger are fiercely independent and possess strong self-esteem. They like to act alone and are not very gregarious. They are most likely optimistic and enthusiastic by nature, and always seem to have endless energy, especially at work. Their energetic presence and intense eyes are the greatest charm of Tiger natives. Their vitality is apparent to anyone at a glance, and people are instinctively drawn to this larger than life quality in them. Tigers are lively and cheerful, and they love freedom and independence. They are a zodiac sign that absolutely must have their personal space. Tigers usually have a keen sense of justice. When faced with injustices, whether against themselves or others, you can be sure Tigers will not stand aside. However, Tigers may also appear unrefined or thoughtless in the way they handle things. In a less developed person, these traits can easily turn into ignorance or foolhardiness. In general, Tigers possess great tenacity. They are loyal, quick and the center of attention in everything they do. However, a king needs a domain to be truly Old Town Crier
in possession of their power. For any Tiger, male or female, their ambition will come before they allow themselves a break to enjoy other parts of life.” I’m guessing you all have figured out why I’m using this column space for this kind of important info since the accompanying images pretty much say it all. Every year the Conservatory at the MGM National Harbor features a display that coincides with Chinese New Year. Last year’s display of the Ox was amazing but they have outdone themselves with the Tiger. Like previous displays, this one has moving parts and sound effects. The Tiger’s head moves back and forth and you can hear the sound
of his roar as well as birds chirping, water falling and other sounds of nature. While the Tiger is the centerpiece with a fantastic gold and white Koi fish jumping out of a pond, there are other parts of the display that are very impressive – the Money Tree, the overhead lanterns and the Pagoda-looking structure that I’m not sure of the exact name. Keep in mind that this display is two stories in height and takes up the entire conservatory area. Photographs really don’t do it justice. You really need to see the display up close. The giant sequins NATIONAL HARBOR > PAGE 44
February 2022 |
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that make up the Tiger are amazing and the Koi is right up there as are the plants and water features and don’t forget about the sound effects. I always tell people that they don’t have to care about the Casino to visit the Conservatory. There are a wide range of food and drink options that cater to those looking for fine dining and those who want an affordable meal. The parking is FREE and it doesn’t cost anything to just go look at something beautiful and do some very interesting people watching! My suggestion is to visit on a Wednesday or Thursday to avoid crowds (unless there is a big concert in the Theater) and avoid Mondays and Tuesdays since some of the stores and restaurants aren’t open at this point. February in the Harbor is pretty mellow but if you want to see what is happening, check out the Harbor Facebook page and the Gaylord National Facebook page as well as their websites to see what other interesting adventures you can get yourself into.
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44 | February 2022
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Old Town Crier
L G NA RIN B I IG TU RA & OR EA E C MP IA S F SH RI R H R Y ND EA PIC S’ S O”! A Y EX 36 L S IEL MB L A R NA AN GU E I N A OV IG K D BY R OR AC TH FO UR , “J EA O UP “D SO
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