Old Town Crier - April 2014 Issue by Old Town Crier

Since 1988–Priceless

April 2014

From the Bay to the Blue Ridge

Grapevine

2014 GOVERNOR’S CUP HONORS Personality Profile

MESHELLE ARMSTRONG Fierce, Funny, Fantastic Dining Out

RIVER BEND BISTRO

Cool, Classy, Casual Cuisine Business Profile

GREENSTREET GARDENS More than Mulch & Marigolds Across the Bridge

NATIONAL HARBOR Gearing Up for Spring

oldtowncrier.com

Landini’s

Setting TheZAGAT Standard In Old Town For2006 Over 37 Years AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

AND THE PAST 15 YEARS

115 King Street Old Town Alexandria 115 King Street 703-836-8404 Old Town Alexandria landinibrothers.com 703-836-8404

G -11 pm N I RK :30

PArday 5 T E AL atu

V y&S a

Frid

Valet Parking Friday & Saturday 5-11 pm

Franco and Noe welcome you!

COME FOR THE FUN, STAY FOR THE FOOD!

Old Town’s Favorite Raw Bar Featuring the Freshest Shellfish in Virginia

Fish Market has continued to rise above the tide with its winning recipe for success–good, fresh seafood, excellent service and a great location. Such dedication to high quality and customer service has helped launch Fish Market as an Old Town landmark since 1976!

105 & 107 King St. Old Town Alexandria

703.836.5676 fishmarketva.com

Eat Fish, Drink Beer, Live Longer!

april’14 A Division of Crier Media Group 112 South Patrick Street Alexandria, Va. 22314 phone: 703. 836. 0132 office@oldtowncrier.com oldtowncrier.com Published the first week of every month. Worth waiting for! PUBLISHER Bob Tagert

4 5

MARKETING & ADVERTISING Lani Gering Bob Tagert SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Laura Parker DESIGN & PRODUCTION Electronic Ink 9 Royal Street, SE Leesburg, Va. 20175 CONTRIBUTORS Chris Anderson Vincent Arrunategui Peggie Arvidson Sarah Becker F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Doug Coleman Ashley Denham Busse Jaime Elliott Doug Fabbioli Nicole Flanagan Lani Gering Elizabeth Jones Frances Killpatrick Miriam Kramer Genevieve LeFranc Laura Parker Julie Reardon Chester Simpson Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lori Welch Neil Williamson Molly Winans

A Bit of History After Hours Art & Antiques Behind the Bar Business Profile Caribbean Connection Chef’s Special Civil Discourse Dining Guide Dining Out Easter Fun Facts Exploring Virginia Wines

8 11 15 32 5 18 35 9 28 30 2 36

Financial Focus First Blush Fitness From the Bay… From the Trainer Gallery Beat Go Fish Grapevine High Notes National Harbor On the Media On the Road

24 6 43 42 22 41 14 40 38 10 46 3 1

Personality Profile

Pets of the Month

Points on Pets

12 2

Publisher’s Notes Road Trip

Single Space

Spiritual Renaissance

The Last Word

To the Blue Ridge

24 7

Urban Garden

Virginia Wine Trails

© 2014 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 selected Alexandria residents, hotels, restaurants and retail shops. Also distributed in the Annapolis, Fredericksburg, Blue Ridge and Washington, DC areas as well as St. John, USVI.

On the road with OTC Jana and Mark Florek enjoy morning coffee in the comfort of their Cleveland suburb home with a copy of the OTC they picked up in National Harbor during their stay at the Gaylord Hotel. If you would like to see your picture here, take the OTC with you on your next trip, snap a high resolution photo and send it along with information for the caption

facebook.com/oldtowncrier to office@oldtowncrier.com.

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTES BOB TAGERT

s I write this on March 24, the temperature last night was 26 degrees and is now a balmy 34. The next couple of days will see nights in the mid 20s, but the Weather Channel is forcasting a warming trend through next week. I have heard that before. Hopefully the forecast is correct and our cover shot won’t look too out of place. When one thinks of Restaurant Eve in Old Town the next thought that comes to mind is of chef-owner, the award-winning Cathal Armstrong. They say behind every successful man is a strong woman, and Meshelle Armstrong is no exception. Laura Parker gives us the goods on this member of the team in this month’s Personality Profile. Our Single Space writer, after years of being, well, single, is finally saying yes to the dress and fills us in on all the rest of the frills. From the Bay columnist Molly Winans shows us sailing on the classic schooner Woodwind through the eyes of newly minted sailors. Check out Grapevine and see what winery won the Virginia Governor’s Cup this year.

Fun Facts about Easter Candy! • The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter. • 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made for Easter each year. • 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter.

• Each day, five million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter. • Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday, second only to Halloween. • 88 percent of adults carry on the Easter tradition of creating Easter baskets for their kids. • 76 percent of people eat the ears on chocolate bunnies first. • Red jelly beans are kids’ favorite. • According to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest Easter egg ever made was just over 25-ft high and made of chocolate and marshmallow. The egg weighed 8,968 lbs. and was supported by an internal steel frame. Easter, like any other holiday has its own songs. Here is one of the Old Town Crier’s favorites! Publisher’s note: Many thanks to Arlene Wright-Correll who is a popular American award winning artist, published author, columnist, art instructor for her contribution to this information.

2 | April 2014

Neil Williamson brings you up close and personal with these wines. Doug Coleman again shows us the brutality of war in this month’s installment of Civil Discourse. The Civil War has been raging since 1861 and will continue for another year. This month’s Road Trip takes us to the town of Luray, Virginia and the eloquent Mimslyn Inn. For a true taste of the Old South, take a leisurely drive through Virginia’s countryside and treat yourself to southern hospitality—you won’t be disappointed. After enduring this harsh winter, I think that everyone is burning up with cabin fever. Take a road trip or take a short drive to some of Virginia’s fine wineries, distilleries, or ciderworks. You will also find unusual eateries along the way. Let’s not forget the Cherry Blossoms downtown and the Easter Bunny’s appearance —both are welcome spring time events to celebrate in our fair region.Think Spring!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail Here comes Peter Cottontail Hoppin’ down the bunny trail, Hippity hoppity, Easter’s on its way Bringin’ ev’ry girl and boy A basket full of Easter joy Things to make your Easter Bright and gay He’s got jelly beans for Tommy Colored eggs for sister Sue There’s an orchid for your mommy And an Easter bonnet too. Oh! Here’ comes Peter Cottontail Hoppin’ down the bunny trail Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day Look at him hop and listen to him say, “Try to do the things you should” Maybe if you’re extra good He’ll roll lots of Easter eggs your way You’ll wake up on Easter morning And you’ll know that he was there When you find those choc’late bunnies That he’s hiding ev’rywhere, Oh! Here’ comes Peter Cottontail Hoppin’ down the bunny trail Hippity hoppity Happy Easter Day

Old Town Crier

ON THE MEDIA LAURA PARKER

Offline Data Meets Online Marketing Campaigns

s the first quarter of 2014 comes to an end and we move into the spring fever months of marketing, there has been a rise in the popular trend of using offline data to finely tune an online campaign. Offline data can be defined as any information that is gleaned about an individual while they are not performing online activities. For example, demographic information (age, gender, marital status, income, address, etc.), shopping preferences, and travel destinations are just a few of the data points that are readily available to Big Data companies. This information is then used to directly target individuals while they are online. Targeting can occur through social media networks, email

campaigns, and the pop-up ads that appear on various websites. As you might imagine, this trend has given rise to questions of consumer privacy. However, I want to steer away from that controversial portion and instead speak to the underlying message of the current (and future) marketing trend. Because— let’s face it—offline data points are here to stay. At the base of this trend lie a few quintessential infrastructure points to marketing success: • Know your customer. Understanding your customer on an individual level will promote brand loyalty. • Manage customer expectations. By knowing your customer offline, you can better manage their online

expectations of your brand, product, or service. • Keep your customer happy. People change. That is a pure and simple truth. As such, if you want to continue to market to the same person, then you must be able to spot life patterns that indicate a change in wants, desires, or needs. These patterns are often spotted in both offline and online data. • Attract new customers. Company growth can only occur if one of two things happens: a) your current customers spend more money on your services or b) you attract new customers while retaining your current customer base. In today’s marketing world, the success of this final infrastructure point lies in

offline data. And so, as this month’s marketing segment comes to a close, I want to remind all companies out there that as we move towards the marriage of offline and online marketing campaigns, we must remember that our success is dependent on individuals. Rather than scare them off with Big Data analytics, remember that to succeed you must: Know your Customer, Manage Customer Expectations, Keep your Customer Happy, and Attract New Customers. Laura Parker is a full-time freelance writer and marketing guru. For more marketing tips or to schedule a marketing advice session please contact her at parke425@gmail.com

Mimslyn Inn The

Local Farmers Markets

A Shenandoah Valley tradition since 1931. Offering a sophisticated blend of quality and comfort featuring a fine selection of guest rooms, suites, fine and casual dining, outdoor pool, and spa treatments.

Old Town Farmers Market

Market Square • 301 King Street Saturday 5:30 - 11 a.m. • year round free parking in Market Square garage during market hours People who come to Alexandria on Saturday mornings find themselves in a busy plaza where local farmers and artists have been selling their products since 1753. Old Town Alexandria’s Market Square is thought to be one of the nation’s oldest continually operating farmers markets, serving as a primary source of meat, dairy, fish, fruits and vegetables for Alexandrians. George Washington sent his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Today, the market offers folks a way to reconnect to the past, while participating in an ongoing local and national tradition.

“Amazing Stay! Close to Luray Caverns and Skyline Drive” - Trip Advisor ‘12

401 West Main Street Luray, VA 22835 800-296-5105 www.mimslyninn.com

Circa ‘31

Del Ray Farmers Market

Corner of East Oxford Avenue & Mount Vernon Avenue Saturday 8 a.m. - Noon • year round The Del Ray Market is producer grown, with fresh vegetables and fruits in season. All year round this market offers meats, eggs, fresh pasta and sauces, Amish cheese, yogurt, bakery goods, eggs, jams and jellies, fancy nuts and bakery goods.

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 3

Personality profile Laura Parker

his month the Old Town Crier has the pleasure of presenting a personality profile of one half of the dynamic Armstrong

Old Town Duo: Meshelle Armstrong. If you have ever been to Restaurant Eve, Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper, or Society Fair, then you have seen Meshelle’s handiwork first hand

Meshelle Armstrong while enjoying her husband Cathal’s cooking. While all of Meshelle and Cathal’s restaurants are beautifully adorned and perfectly represent the harmony that exists between the husband and wife team, this month I am focusing on a place that is decidedly Meshelle. In fact, in many ways it has come to represent a “home away from home.” I’m talking about Society Fair. When you walk into Society Fair it is like crossing the threshold of a country circus for the first time. Your mood immediately brightens and a feverish energy overtakes you as soon as you push open the front doors. Bright colors, charming music, decadent smells, and an inviting 4 | April 2014

atmosphere all mingle to create the perfect welcoming sensation. Without the genius of fun-loving entrepreneur Meshelle Armstrong, Society Fair would just be a dream, rather than the brilliant reality that it is. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Meshelle over a glass of wine (or maybe two) to talk about her illustrious career, partnership with her husband, and her amazing kids, who inspire her every day. For those of you who don’t know Meshelle, she is selfdescribed as, “very loud, flamboyant, and funny.” After spending a couple of hours becoming fast friends, I have to say that even as a wordsmith I would have a hard time describing Meshelle with more accurate adjectives. She is a fascinating woman, who has led an incredibly amazing life. Let’s take Society Fair as one of many available examples. Meshelle jokingly states that, “it is the third child” since her two children, Eve and Eamonn, already have their own namesake restaurants. Society Fair is a wine bar, bakery, butchery, market, and demo kitchen all wrapped into one. Only Meshelle would be able to successfully place all of those culinary entities under one roof without losing the authenticity of any of the components. With Cathal’s eye for meticulous attention to detail and Meshelle’s capacity to brighten anyone’s mood, the powerhouse couple has once again opened a truly visionary and extremely popular wining and dining experience in Old Town, Alexandria. Meshelle is responsible for all of the marketing, press, and décor for Society Fair. In short, if it needs to be branded, ordered, or changed, then Meshelle is the woman for the job. Her attention to detail, combined with her ability to always see the glass as half full, has allowed her to take visionary culinary dining to another level. One part country fair plus one part elite dining with just a touch of the avant-garde, PERSONALITY PROFILE > PAGE 13

Old Town Crier

business profile ELIZABETH jones

hile it may be hard to believe that spring is on its way with the weather whiplash the first part of 2014 has presented the East coast (or pretty much everywhere but California), it is safe to say the wait is over. We can finally look forward to the sunshine, warmer temperatures (for more than one day at a time), and the opportunity to spend time outside doing the things we love. At the top of many “To Do” lists is to revisit the garden. Whether it be your love for homegrown produce, or you are competing with the neighbor down the street for best yard; at this point, your window boxes, gardens and general landscaping is screaming for some attention. According to Ray Greenstreet, owner of Greenstreet Gardens, no one does gardening better than Alexandria and it is because we take such great pride in our homes and neighborhoods that we are able to live in such a beautiful area. Greenstreet Gardens is located at the coveted corner of West Braddock and King Street, and is the business we are spotlighting to help prepare you for the seasons ahead. Having seen thousands of garden centers in his career, Ray knew a good opportunity when he saw it when he decided to expand from Maryland to join the Alexandria community. He is committed to providing the best flowers, plants, and supplies to help beautify our neighborhoods, businesses, and homes. Ray has

Old Town Crier

Greenstreet gardens Success grows here! always had a green thumb, and grew up learning agriculture as a way of life. While he will tell you there is still a lot to learn, he knows how to surround himself with a strong team and resources to help even the least experienced gardener find success. Operating on the mantra, “success grows here”, Ray and his dedicated team (to include his wife and three

greenstreetgardens.com 1721 West Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22302 703.998.3030 Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm Sunday 8am-5pm

kids) make it a priority to teach us how plants and flowers can improve our lives, and how to properly care for them so that you get the most bang for your buck. From a family of business owners and hard workers, Ray knows the importance of location and providing you, the customer, with what you really need. Since opening the Alexandria location of Greenstreet

Ray and Stacy Greenstreet, Proprietors

Gardens he and his team of growers have gotten to know our go-to items, and have stocked the greenhouse and garden center to ensure the shopping experience is a success. Always open to feedback and looking to improve, Ray makes it a priority to keep the bar high for himself and his team. As a result, Greenstreet Gardens has become a destination spot, and Ray is honored to be part of the small business community in Alexandria. The Greenstreet Growers make it a priority to be involved in the nearby communities and it is their goal to provide learning opportunities for kids and adults alike. From composting and basic gardening workshops, to the well-known “Tomatomania” and annual spring and fall events, Ray and his team enjoy giving people the venue to get the next generation involved in agriculture. (Please note, playing Farmville does not count as getting involved. It is time to step away from the smart phone, tablet, or laptop and get outside!) There are tons of events coming up at Greenstreet Gardens, from an Easter Egg Hunt to Family Day, to Earth Day; there is a lot to celebrate this year! Be sure to visit Greenstreet Gardens online or drop by the store to learn about the upcoming opportunities to get involved. April 2014 | 5

FINANCIAL FOCUS carl m.trevisan, cfp© & stephen m. bearce

Family Foundations: Building a Rich Philanthropic Legacy

f charity is important to you and you want to build a philanthropic legacy, then starting a family foundation may prove beneficial. A family foundation can form a legacy of community involvement and responsible citizenship for generations to come. What exactly is a family foundation? The Council on Foundations defines it as one whose funds are derived from members of a single family, in which the donor and/or the donor’s relatives play a significant role in governing and/or managing the foundation throughout its life. Family foundations, like the families who create them, come in all shapes and sizes, with equally diverse motivations, mission statements, and methods for pursuing their philanthropic objectives. In general, there are two types of family foundations: private foundations and supporting organizations. • A private foundation is the more flexible and controllable of the two

entities. By establishing a fund into which charitable gifts can be placed, private foundations allow donors and other family members to take charitable deductions in the year contributions are made, without having to make an immediate decision regarding which charity or charities to support. Although private foundations maintain their own Board of Directors and control their own funding decisions, they have less attractive tax benefits than supporting organizations. In addition, the IRS requires private foundations to distribute a minimum of 5% of their assets each year and to pay an excise tax of 1% to 2% on their investment income. • Supporting organizations are neither required to pay an excise tax nor distribute 5% of their assets each year. But what they enjoy in enhanced IRS treatment, they sacrifice in terms of governance and grant making control. For instance, supporting organizations typically

Carter & Coleman Attorneys at Law

Serving Virginia, maryland and DC for over 20 years 703. 739. 4200 cartercoleman.com 602 Cameron Street alexandria, Va 22314

6 | April 2014

can distribute funds only to those charities the family designates in its charter when the foundation is established. Private foundations, on the other hand, can change beneficiaries at will. Furthermore, a supporting organization requires that donors relinquish full control over the organization’s governance. In some cases, the majority of the organization’s Board of Directors must be made up of members appointed by the charity or charities supported.

Special Tax Treatment

Gifts made to family foundations are generally deductible for income tax purposes. These deductions differ depending on the structure, the type of property contributed, and the donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI). Both the donor and the foundation avoid potentially steep capital gains taxes on appreciated assets, as long as the assets are used for the purposes for which the foundation was established. Perhaps most important to donors and their families, no estate or gift taxes are assessed against assets that have been transferred out of an estate into a foundation.

Special Considerations

Whether you are able to pursue a charitable agenda during your lifetime depends largely on your income needs and those of your dependents. While the tax deductions associated with most charitable giving reduce the cost of making charitable gifts, an individual’s own needs will always be the determining factor. To address

“

Both the donor and the foundation avoid potentially steep capital gains taxes on appreciated assets, as long as the assets are used for the purposes for which the foundation was established.

both goals, individuals may want to consider combining a family foundation with other charitable vehicles such as a charitable remainder trust or charitable lead trust. By so doing, you and your family may be able to enjoy an income stream during your lives, earn considerable tax savings, and maintain a significant degree of control over family assets —all while fulfilling your charitable goals. This communication is not intended to be legal or tax advice and should not be treated as such. Each individual’s situation is different. You should contact your legal or tax professional to discuss your personal situation. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications or its sources, neither S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscriber’s

or others’ use of the content. © 2013 S&P Capital IQ Financial Communications. All rights reserved. This column is provided through the Financial Planning Association, the membership organization for the financial planning community, and is brought to you by Carl M. Trevisan, a local member of FPA and Stephen M. Bearce. McLaughlin Ryder Investments, Inc. and McLaughlin Ryder Advisory Services, LLC and their employees are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. These materials and any tax-related statements are not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used or relied upon, by any such taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties. Taxbased statements, if any, may have been written in connection with the promotion or marketing of the transaction (s) or matter(s) addressed by these materials, to the extent allowed by applicable law. Any such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer’s particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor. Securities offered by McLaughlin Ryder Investments, Inc. and investment advisory services offered by McLaughlin Ryder Advisory Services, LLC.

Old Town Crier

THE URBAN GARDEN LANI GERING

Hurry Up, Spring!

ere are a few April garden projects that you can do to help keep your garden looking its best the rest of this season. As you begin your quest for the perfect garden, don’t overdo it! It’s probably been a few months since you gave those muscles and bones a good workout, so start out slowly and avoid that Monday morning backache. Because the world has such a multitude of microclimates, it would be impossible for me to create a list of gardening tasks that would cover everyone. Therefore I am writing this monthly list based on general weather patterns for the northern United States (zones 6-8). Much of the information may also be useful for other areas of the world in coming months.

Shrubs and Trees

There still is time to plant trees and shrubs. However, by mid month it will be a little late to transplant large trees or shrubs, so do them now. The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens. So if you have a Juniper, Cypress or conifer that need shearing or pruning go for it! Remove all dead, diseased, and undesirable wood. However, do not prune back into the bare wood part of the plant. Prune your Forsythia after it finishes flowering. Broadleaf and needle leaf evergreens benefit most from lightly spreading a high nitrogen fertilizer around their bases.

Perennials, Annuals & Bulbs April is the month for planting summer flowering Old Town Crier

bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas and lilies. Mix bulb fertilizer, processed manure and peat moss into the planting soil. Tuberous Begonias and Canna should not be set outdoors until all danger of frost has passed, so wait until next month. Plant annual seeds of asters, cosmos, marigolds, zinnias in the garden. When all frost danger has passed you can move your stored fuchsias and geraniums outdoors. Trim them back, feed and re-pot if necessary. Water them well. When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs. Do not cut off the green foliage yet! These green leaves continue to grow for a few weeks, and provide the bulb with food for flowering next year. Divide perennials like day lilies, delphiniums, iris, chrysanthemums, daisies and phlox. The additional plants you create can be traded or given to friends, or moved to a new area of the garden. Hybrid Tea Roses should be fertilized prior to buds beginning to bloom. Using a systemic fertilizer will help prevent insect infestation later in the summer, as it feeds your rose. Plant new rosebushes before growth starts and buds swell. If you have a pond or pool you should set aquatic plants any time after the middle of the month.

lawn fertilizer that has the moss-killer included, so you can do both jobs in one easy application. Spring is also a good time to thatch and over-seed the lawn. Thatch buildup can smother your lawn and provide an environment for diseases. Remove thatch with a brisk raking, or with a dethatching machine. Over seeding will help fill-in the lawn and deter the re-growth of moss and weeds. Use about one pound

of quality grass seed for every 300 square feet of lawn area. Apply a light compost or soil over the seed to keep it moist and in place. Aerating the lawn will allow water to penetrate deeper into the lawn soil and reduce the need to water during the dryer months ahead. Use a garden fork and punch holes over the surface of your lawn. As mowing becomes necessary, be certain that the blade is sharp to prevent

Let’s Make Banking Fun for Everyone You know us. We know you. Our team of Erik, Ted, Charlie and Pam has been serving the personal and business banking needs of Alexandrians for generations. Being friendly and helpful is natural for this dynamic foursome. Stop by our new branch and let us show you why so many others have made John Marshall Bank their bank. We make banking fun.

tearing the grass tips. Set the blade on your lawnmower to cut the grass at 2½ inches to avoid scalping. (A mulching blade will eliminate the need to rake or bag the clippings, prevent thatch buildup, and the clippings will provide food for the lawn.) Publisher’s note: Many thanks to the contributors to GardenHelper.com for providing this month’s Urban Garden.

Alexandria Branch Grand Opening! ACT NOW! Open a “Grand Opening” Money Market Account between $2,500 to $250,000 in new money with John Marshall Bank and earn up to

% APY*

To qualify for this special rate simply open a new John Marshall Checking or Interest Checking Account with $1,000 or more.

For more details or to open an account, call or stop by today.

*APY is annual percentage yield. APY is quoted with an average daily balance of $2,500 or more as of November 18, 2013 and is subject to change at any time after June 30, 2014. If the average daily balance falls below $2,500, APY will be .50%. The APY of 1.0% applies only to balances of $2,500 or more up to a maximum of $250,000. The APY on balances of more than $250,000 will be .50%. Fees may reduce earnings on this account. Withdrawals of more than six (6) per month are subject to a $10.00 excess transaction fee. If the average daily balance in the related checking or interest checking account opened with this account falls below $1,000, we reserve the right to convert this account to a regular John Marshall Bank Money Market Account. This is a limited time offer and the availability of this account may be withdrawn at any time without notice.

The Lawn

The application of a spring type of lawn fertilizer should perk up the lawn and improve its over-all color and appearance. If there is moss growing in the lawn, use spring

640 Franklin Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-289-5950

Member

JohnMarshallBank.com

April 2014 | 7

a bit of history sarah becker

Woodrow Wilson, 28 President th

The League of Nations: A Pictorial Summary, Geneva: League of Nations, c. 1920. Detail from poster.

8 | April 2014

homas Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, was a child of the Civil War; a pacifist who led his country into WWI, a domestic reformer who failed to fully implement the post-war League of Nations. Tommy was born December 28, 1856 in Staunton, Va., the Scotch-Irish son of Presbyterian minister Joseph Ruggles Wilson and Janet Woodrow Wilson. He remembered the family’s black servants; secession and the Civil War, Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ prison trek, Reconstruction and its 1877 end. The Civil War, Woodrow said, is “but a memory of a short day.” Yet it was Wilson who segregated the federal government in 1913. His Texas-born Postmaster General, former US Congressman Albert S. Burleson disliked “racial mingling in federal offices, particularly in the case of black supervisors overseeing white clerks.” Despite W.E.B. DuBois’ Presidential endorsement, Wilson “had made no promises to negroes.” The problem was different when dealing with his daughters, two of whom were suffragists. The social tensions, some dating from the 19th century, were

many. “Woodrow Wilson may well have witnessed more dramatic changes in national and global affairs than any other president since Washington,” Carter Smith wrote. “He entered Presidential office as a highly regarded reformer.” Wilson served as Governor of New Jersey from 1910 until 1913. Woodrow Wilson was first inaugurated President on March 4, 1913. In his speech he said: “There has been a change of government …What does the change mean? ... No one can mistake the purpose for which the Nation now seeks to use the Democratic Party. It seeks to use it to interpret change.” “We have itemized [what] ought to be altered,” Wilson’s 1913 speech continued. “Here are some of the chief items: A tariff which cuts us off from our proper part in the commerce of the world … ; a banking and currency system based on the necessity of government to sell its bonds fifty years ago … ; an industrial system which … holds capital in leading strings, restricts the liberties and limits the opportunities of labor, and exploits without renewing or conserving the natural resources of the country; a body of agricultural activities never yet given the efficiency of great business undertakings or served as it should be through the instrumentality of science … ; watercourses undeveloped, A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 16

Old Town Crier

civil DISCOURSE DOUG COLEMAN

Civil War,April 1864 Under the Black Flag: Massacre at Fort Pillow

n ugly fact of the Civil War is that the Confederate army on several occasions refused to accept the surrender of uniformed colored troops. At least three such incidents occurred in 1864: Fort Pillow in April, the Crater in June, and Saltville in October. In the spring of 1864, legendary cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forrest and 6000 troopers mount up to drive the Yankees from western Tennessee and Kentucky. This will be a nasty fight – Sherman’s depredations are very much on Southern minds and Forrest’s men are in the mood for payback. Harper’s History of the Great Rebellion, acknowledging that Sherman’s conduct is uncivilized, nonetheless condemns Forrest’s expedition as “characterized by brutality and cowardice such as is not surpassed in the record of even savage warfare.” What Harper’s means by this is that Forrest enforces the ancient rule of no quarter after an initial demand of surrender is refused. Remember the Alamo? Thus on March 24, a detachment of Forrest’s command confronts 500 Yankees garrisoning Union City, Tennessee. After repulsing three charges, the Yankees are cowed into surrender under the shadow of the Black Flag. On March 25, Forrest assaults Paducah, Kentucky. After its occupiers retreat into a fort, Forrest sends them a message: “If you surrender, you shall be treated as prisoners of war, but if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quarter.” The Yankee commander replies he will do his duty and take his chances. Three assaults and 1500 casualties later, Forrest retires. Yankee losses are 14 killed and 46 wounded. Forrest appears before Fort Pillow on April 12. Inside are 557 men two units of colored artillery with six

Old Town Crier

guns, plus a detachment of turncoat Tennessee cavalry. Near the fort live about 100 family members. Surprising the garrison in a lightning attack, the outer works are overrun. The survivors retreat into their citadel. Forrest demands unconditional surrender; else he cannot be responsible for the consequences. The Union commander asks an hour to think it over; Forrest gives him 20 minutes, even as the Confederate assault force uses the truce to creep within 100 yards of the enemy. When the Yankee commander refuses surrender, a bugle sounds and the surrounding Confederates dash forward screaming “No quarter” and “Black Flag.” Ironically, the “Black Flag” referred to may be that of the Yankee cavalry inside, who reputedly had flown such a flag raiding the locals —not much of a plea for hugging it out. Forrest’s assault is brilliant. The first wave of Confederates drops into the ditch of the citadel. The second wave steps on their shoulders and vaults straight across and up the parapet to sweep the ramparts clear of defenders. There is no hesitation and thus few Confederate casualties. It is a textbook example of “violence of action”, defined as “the unrestricted use of speed, strength, surprise, and aggression to achieve total dominance against an enemy.” There is disagreement as to the extent of the massacre following the rout, but there is little doubt atrocities did occur. Here are excerpts from the lurid report of the Union Committee on the Conduct of the War: “Then followed a scene of cruelty and murder without a parallel in civilized warfare, which needed but the tomahawk and scalping knife to exceed the worst atrocities ever committed by savages. The rebels commenced an indiscriminate slaughter, sparing neither age nor sex, white nor black, soldier or civilian. The officers and men seemed to vie with each other

in the devilish work; men, women and even children, wherever found, were deliberately shot down, beaten and hacked with sabres; some of the children, not more than ten years old, were forced to stand up and face their murderers while being shot; the sick and wounded were butchered without mercy, the rebels even entering the hospital buildings and dragging them out to be shot, or kill them as they lay there unable to offer the least resistance. All over the hillside the work of murder was going on; numbers of our men were collected in lines or groups and deliberately shot; some were shot while in the river, while others on the bank were shot and their bodies kicked into the water, many still living, but unable to make any exertions to save CIVIL DISCOURSE > PAGE 13

April 2014 | 9

HIGH NOTES CHRIS ANDERSON

Get a Grip! The Grip Weeds: Inner Grooves

or over a quarter century, one of rock’s best kept secrets has been The Grip Weeds. Over the course of five albums, the Grips have mastered the art of the perfect power-pop record, to the point that they sound like the inventors of the genre. Listening to the Grip Weeds is often like traipsing through the Coolest Record Collection In The World, albeit some parallel world where the songs are all different and, dare I say, better. Bold statement, eh? Folks, it ain’t no lie. The Grip Weeds went from being nowhere near my radar to one of my favorite bands in less than the three minutes it took to hear “Astral Man” on Little Steven’s Underground Garage (aka “The Only Radio Station In The World Worth Listening To”). That’s all it took. Comprised of brothers Rick and Kurt Reil (guitar and drums—both split vocal duties) as well as Kristin Pinell on lead guitar and Michael Kelly on bass, this is a band that was clearly raised on the right sort of records, the kind of records that Record Store Dudes pine over, the kind of records that made the world a better place, the kind of records that influenced everything that came after, whether the influenced knew it or not. I’m talking about original British Invasion bands and West Coast Psychedelic and Detroit Garage Rock and British Psyche and acid-folk, and everything else that rock and roll was really built on. But rather than just rehash those old records, they weed out the best bits and weave them into their

own propulsive sound and make them their own. The proof, my friends, is found within their body of work. Their most recent release is also one of their most revelatory and one that really drives home their genius. Inner Grooves is, as Peter Tork described, “the collected neglected”. Outtakes from previous albums, songs from compilations, alternate versions of album tracks, that sort of thing that generally leads the listener to expect some sort of closet-clearing, slapdash compilation, and I admit that I was dubious when they first announced its release. Their albums are so strong that surely this would lack verve and focus, I thought. I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised when I first put this on. Nothing here ventures anywhere close to being a “throwaway” and, in fact, some of the band’s best songs can be found on this disc. Kicking off with “Rainy Day #1&2”, the band quickly offers up some of the finest power-pop the world has seen since the Posies’ masterful second album, Dear 23. If this world were a perfect place where the masses had actual taste in music, this song would be a landslide hit. “Nothing Lasts” reminds me of Count Five or maybe early Beau Brummels, filtered through Big Star. “Every Minute”, originally from The Sound Is In You, is featured in an acoustic version that would feel at

home on The Who Sell Out, while “Over The Edge” is about as Merseybeat as one can possibly get without being Gerry & The Pacemakers or The Beatles. All suspicions of influence are confirmed on the spot-on take on The Byrds’ “She Don’t Care About Time”, one of the greatest things to come from the pen of Gene Clark. Despite having bits and pieces that are reminiscent of other bands and styles, none of this sounds put-on. It doesn’t even sound intentional. In fact, it sounds like some of the most honest music out there. While drawing from the greatest records of all time, the end result is a sound that is all their own, their influences merely the fabric from which their tapestry is woven. “Love’s Lost On You”, previously released on Summer Of A Thousand Years, is offered up in an acousticbased version that features those two staples of the classic psych record: electric sitar and backwards guitar solo. This is another one of those songs that, at least in my imaginary perfect world, is a smash hit. Speaking of Psych, “It’ll Never Be Me” sounds almost like a lost track from SF Sorrow by the Pretty Things, with one of those shimmering Grip Weeds choruses that brings it right home. “In Waking Dreams”, previously from The Sound Is In You, is presented

in a brash, early take that reminds me of Guided By Voices, especially in the big, pounding Who-isms—I could hear this on Universal Truths And Cycles or even one of GbV’s 80s albums. Such is the case with “We’re Not Getting Through”, originally from the same album, presented here in an alternate version, released as a single, that is even better than the LP version. “Sight Unseen”, originally from the Giant On The Beach album shows up in an acoustic version that reveals the utter beauty of this song, and a harmonized guitar solo that confirms it. Closing out the CD is “Sun Ra Ga”, an epic jam that proves that this band is more than just catchy pop songs. Two parts of this were excised and released on Strange Change Machine but here it is presented in its full glory. A propulsive vamp that reminds me a bit of the Byrds’ (Untitled) version of “Eight Miles High”. This is a direction I’d like to hear more of from this band. Digital copies of the album include a bonus track in the form of the uncut version of “I Believe”, originally from Giant On The Beach, that proves that even the bottom of the Grip Weeds’ barrel is still better than most artists’ whole stash. Do yourself a favor and check these guys out. If a collection like this sounds a bit daunting, it really isn’t. This record plays out that well. But you can also begin with their 2008 best-of, Infinite Soul, compiled by none other than Little Steven. And you know he knows what he’s doing. Whatever you do, just get on the ball now.

Shout Out to Local Musicians! Submit your CD for possible mention in an upcoming Old Town Crier High Notes column Send your latest accomplishment(s) with contact information to: Old Town Crier Regional Magazine Attn: High Notes 112 South Patrick Street • Alexandria, VA 22314

10 | April 2014

Old Town Crier

These establishments offer live entertainment. Call to confirm show times, dates and cover charges. Check our advertisers’ websites.

AFTER AFTER HOURS HOURS

Morrison House 703.838.8000 116 South Alfred St.

Southside 815 703.836.6222 815 S. Washington St.

Ireland’s Own 703.549.4535 111 N. Pitt St.

Murphy’s Irish Pub 703.548.1717 713 King St. murphyspub.com

St. Elmo’s 703.739.9268 2300 Mt. Vernon Ave.

King Street Blues 703.836.8800 112 N. St. Asaph St.

O’Connells 703.739.1124 112 King St.

La Porta’s 703.683.6313 1600 Duke St.

Old Town Theater 703.544.5315 815½ King St. oldtowntheater1914.com

Birchmere 703.549.7500 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. birchmere.com

Flying Fish 703.600.FISH 815 King St. flyingfishdc.com

Bistrot Lafayette 703.548.2525 1118 King St. bistrotlafayette.com Carlyle Club 411 John Carlyle Dr. 703-549-8957 thecarlyleclub.com Chadwick’s 203 S. Strand St. 703.836.4442 Evening Star Cafe 703.549.5051 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. The Fish Market 703.836.5676 105 King St. fishmarketoldtown.com

Las Tapas 703.836.4000 710-714 King St. lastapas.us

Rock It Grill 703.739.2274 1319 King St.

The Light Horse 703.549.0533 715 King St. thelighthorserestaurant.com

Shooter McGee’s 703.751.9266 5239 Duke St. shootermcgees.com

Mango Mike’s 703.823.1166 4111 Duke St.

South Austin Grill 703.836.8969 801 King St.

Taverna Cretekou 703.548.8688 818 King St. TJ Stones 703.548.1004 608 Montgomery St. tjstones.com Trattoria da Franco 703-548-9338 305 S. Washington St. Two Nineteen 703.549.1141 219 King St.

alexandria’S hiStoric gem 1. Songwriter’S ShowcaSe Join The Songwriter’s Association of Washington every Tuesday night for The Old Town Theater’s Songwriter’s Showcase. Welcoming some of the DC area’s best song writers and musicians, this series will be held every Tuesday, 8-10 p.m. with a meet and greet reception following. Hosted by the popular and talented Patty Reese. As always, the Richmond Room will be open early and throughout the show for all of your food and beverages.

2. the richmond room Book the Richmond Room for your private or corporate event. Onsite catering available. 3. children’S ProgramS Held every Saturday. For details, visit theoldtowntheater.com.

703.549.1025 • theoldtowntheater.com 815½ King Street • old town alexandria Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 11

POINTS ON PETS ASHLEY DENHAM BUSSE

King Street Cats Adoption Calendar APRIL 2014 For details & MORE INFO website: www.kingstreetcats.org email: contact@kingstreetcats.org King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email for our Kitten Fostering FAQ at: contact@kingstreetcats.org King Street Cats 25 Dove Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Every Saturday & Sunday 1:30–4:30 pm Pro Feed Bradlee Shopping Center 3690 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 Every Saturday & Sunday 1–4 pm PETCO UNLEASHED AT PENTAGON ROW 1101 S. Joyce Street Arlington, VA 22202 Saturday, April 5 Saturday, April 19 1–4 pm DOGMA 2772 S. Arlington Mill Drive Arlington, VA 22206 Sunday, April 13 1–4 pm Petsmart Willston Shopping Center 6100 Arlington Blvd Falls Church, VA 22044 Sunday, April 27 1–4 pm

12 | April 2014

Don’t Jerk Me Around!

ith the nicer weather on the way, you may be looking forward to longer walks with your dog, enjoying the blossoming trees, warmer breezes, and blue skies along the Potomac. But what if your dog is one of those leashpullers? One of those who makes walks miserable because he’s pulling so hard on the leash that your wrist feels like it’s spraining, and he’s wheezing and coughing and choking himself? Well, the good news is: you’re not alone—a lot of dogs do this—and, there is hope! It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks —with persistence, consistency, and patience. I repeat: this may take a LOT of persistence and patience! Be consistent. Stick with it. Remind your dog that you’re the pack leader by walking tall, deliberately, and confidently. Here are a few other ways to train your dog not to pull on the leash: Keep the leash short but loose. That way you can correct your dog instantly but the leash can quickly return to a relaxed state. Keep the collar up behind the ears (not low on the neck, which encourages and aids pulling, using shoulder strength). High and close to the ears is a more sensitive spot and thus your dog is more responsive to correction there. Some folks have good luck with Gentle Leaders, harnesses, Halti leashes or prong collars. I can say from personal experience with my dog Polly that none of those worked to keep her from pulling. Only much persistence and lots of treats! Make sure your dog is calm before the walk begins. Otherwise, it’s kind of like telling a kid you’re headed to Disney World and then telling him not to get excited! If your pup freaks out when she sees the leash or hears “walk,” it’ll behoove you to do a little training and provide time to calm down before leaving the house. If she races around in ecstasy, allow her to do that a bit, but sit calmly with the leash until she, too, is calm. Do not attempt each next step (putting on collar or leash, gathering your things, etc.) until she has calmed down and is sitting obediently. This may require lots of practice, training, praise and treats itself. You’ll need to model control and

calm behavior as well. Before correcting your dog, warn him with a word such as “stop” or “easy” before he pulls to the end of the leash. If he responds to this, offer praise and a treat. If he doesn’t, tug quickly and sharply on the leash, and turn abruptly and start walking the other way. This will show him that pulling on the leash is bad because it keeps him from going where he wants to go. Once he rejoins you and keeps the leash slack, reward him and turn back to your walk. The ASPCA offers a great training method, for which you’ll need lots of small and desirable treats at hand: “Start with your dog standing at your left side. With several treats enclosed in your left hand, hold your left hand right in front of your dog’s nose (within 1 inch of it). Say ’Let’s walk,’ and walk in your intended direction. Every few seconds, pop a small treat into your dog’s mouth and praise her for walking along at your pace. You’ll need to frequently reload your hand with treats from your left pocket or from a treat pouch attached to your waist. If she pulls ahead or to the side, immediately stop. Get your dog’s attention by calling her name again. Ask her to sit, and praise her when she does. Then put the treat-loaded hand back in front of her nose and start walking again. Go a little bit farther every day that you practice. After at least a week of daily practice with lured walking, stop luring her along with your treat-loaded hand, and instead just carry your empty left hand in a natural position at your waist with elbow bent. Say ’Let’s walk,’ and reward her, about every other step you take, with a treat that you get from your left pocket or waist treat pouch. When she can walk along without pulling for several minutes, begin gradually increasing—over many daily training sessions— the number of steps you go in between treats so that your dog is walking longer

distances between rewards. Reward her every other step at first, then every 5 steps, then every 10, and so on. Eventually, you should be able to walk with your hand comfortably at your side, periodically (every minute or so) reaching into your pocket to grab a treat to reward your dog.” So give it a go! And let us know on our Facebook page how it’s going: facebook. com/doggywalker)

Just a Note

We here at Doggywalker do not recommend flexible/retractable leashes. They can be extremely dangerous for a variety of reasons: they can cut, burn, or even severely injure body parts they come into contact with; they also give you less control over your dog: your pup may see a squirrel in the street and dart out before you realize it and can pull the leash back in. Retractable leashes also make it harder for you to communicate with your dog since they don’t respond to your movements as well. Ashley Denham Busse has worked for Doggywalker.com since 2006. Doggywalker.com is a professional petsitting company located in Old Town Alexandria, celebrating more than 13 years of providing daily walks and customized in-home pet care. Visit doggywalker.com or email info@doggywalker.com.

Old Town Crier

PERSONALITY PROFILE FROM PAGE 4

CIVIL DISCOURSE FROM PAGE 9

the result is the flourishing creation that is Society Fair. In fact, this isn’t the first place that Meshelle and Cathal have jointly opened. It was with a twinkle in her eye and a smirk on her lips that Meshelle remembered picking out the space for Restaurant Eve—the first restaurant that she and Cathal opened 10 years ago. She recalled walking into the space and “simply knowing.” “Something called out to me, whether you call it a gut feeling or intuition, I just knew that this was the place for our first big adventure,” said Armstrong. And adventure it has been, as Meshelle, the ever-vigilant marketing guru, and Cathal, the master at creating culinary delights, have recently renovated the space to more succinctly represent both of their personalities. The Armstrongs ability to work together both professionally and personally is truly the inspiration for a modern-day love story. A testament to their 22 year old story is Cathal’s recently released cookbook and his endearing acknowledgement to Meshelle that, “there would be no book without you.” The two have travelled all over the world together, opened several successful restaurants, jump started a local charity on the importance of healthy eating, and still find time to relax with their two kids. When I asked Meshelle about how they balance their marriage and work life she offered some very sound advice. “First you must know who you are. You each must have your own love, own desire, own passion, and be strong in what you are doing. If I am growing then Cathal is growing. This means that we are growing together. Every Sunday we make a no business day. We put the phones down and have fun doing silly things. Because you know Monday morning is coming. And every Saturday night I stay awake waiting for him to get home from Restaurant Eve. We pop open a bottle of wine and simply relax and enjoy each other’s company.” Well, there you have it; words of wisdom from an incredibly sage, albeit boisterously fun woman, mother, entrepreneur, and marketing genius all wrapped into one. As I finish putting the final touches on this profile a modern interpretation of an old phrase keeps trying to make its way onto the pages: “Behind every great man there’s a great woman.” But in the case of Meshelle and Cathal Armstrong this isn’t quite right. Instead it should read: “Beside every great chef is an equally accomplished and brilliant woman.”

themselves from drowning.” “All around were heard cries of ’No quarter!’ ’No quarter’ ’Kill the damned niggers; shoot them down!’.” The report goes on to accuse Forrest’s troopers of burning wounded in their tents, and even of prisoners crucified on boards and buildings and then burned. The wounded are allegedly buried with the dead. The report concludes that 3-400 of the garrison were killed at Fort Pillow and that of these 300 were murdered in cold blood after they had surrendered. In short, the official report sounds a lot like propaganda. In actuality, the women and children and all but ten civilian men had been evacuated prior to the assault and thus were not present to be “massacred.” Some of the bodies in the burned buildings may have shot down as they torched them to deprive the Confederate snipers cover. The Union commander had (probably unhelpfully) issued a whisky ration just prior to the final assault, which likely contributed to the chaos which followed. Fighting was hand to hand, which would explain the short-range powder burns on some of the dead. Yankees continued to resist at the riverbank, while some rearmed themselves after surrendering. Moreover, the Yankees do not strike Old Glory, such that Forrest may legitimately claim that the fort had never surrendered. He personally intervenes on the beach to reestablish control and stop the killing, which argues against the notion that he actually intended to implement his “no quarter” threat. Nonetheless, his troopers likely take him seriously. Consider further that his troops probably view the Tennessee cavalry as traitors and bandits and likewise see a horde of Nat Turners in the colored troops. Premeditated or not, a massacre occurs and blacks suffer disproportionately.

Of 295 whites, 164 are taken prisoner. For the colored troops, only 80 of 262 survive. Thus roughly two colored soldiers are killed for every white, though Forrest later repatriates 14 of the most seriously wounded blacks over to a Federal gunboat for care. Only fourteen Confederates are killed and about 80 wounded—this disparity is also telling. Southerners do not condemn the massacre. Here is a quote from the Richmond Examiner in August 1864, reacting to an allegation that colored troops are executing wounded Confederates: We beg him [General Mahone], hereafter, when negroes are sent forward to murder the wounded, and come shouting “no quarter,” shut your eyes, General, strengthen your stomach with a little brandy and water, and let the work, which God has entrusted to you and your brave men, go forward to its full completion; that is, until every negro has been slaughtered.—Make every salient you are called upon to defend, a Fort Pillow; butcher every negro that Grant sends against your brave troops, and permit them not to soil their hands with the capture of a single hero. Forrest is investigated but never tried for war crimes. Following the war, he fights on as the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Sources: Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War; Kevin Levin, The Richmond Examiner Remembers Fort Pillow, http://cwmemory. com/2012/01/05/the-richmond-examinerremembers-fort-pillow/ Doug Coleman is an attorney and amateur historian in Alexandria. Comments and corrections are welcome at dcoleman@ cartercoleman.com.

Could your dog use a mid-day walk? Weekend getaway or vacation? Working late?

Pets of the Month

Alexandria 703-838-5898

TWINKIE Are you looking for the perfect pet to hop into your home this spring? If you are, then I’m just the girl for you! Hi everyone, my name is Twinkie and I am absolutely irresistible, just like my name! I’m a sweet girl ready to find a forever home to enjoy some pets and treats. I’m a social girl and love to be talked to. I would love a home with a family that will enjoy me sitting in their laps. Nobody can resist my gray, floppy ears, they are just the cutest!

SHANNON Hi there, I’m Shannon! I’m a sweet feline searching for a forever home to call my own. I’m a young girl but thoroughly enjoy lounging around and getting my beauty

sleep. I also enjoy playing with toys and sitting on your lap. Spring is in the air so it’s the perfect time to bring a brand new addition home!

Arlington 703-336-7315

Professional pet care in Arlington and Alexandria since 1999. Full staff of responsible, reliable and trained, pet-loving employees. Licensed, bonded and insured. References readily available.

BORIS Happy Spring everyone! I’m Boris and I am one happy guy! I love the outdoors and playing with my toys—the squeaky kind are the best! I’m the perfect size, not too little, not too big! I’m a smart little fellow and would love a family that can teach me all kinds of fun tricks. With the nice weather right around the corner I would be the perfect guy to take on nice long walks and hikes. We could enjoy the spring air together, doesn’t that sound great?!

wanna CHANGE A LIFE?

Adopt

4101 Eisenhower Avenue • Alexandria, VA 703-746-4774alexandriaanimals.org Mon-Fri, 1-8 pm • Closed Wed • Sat & Sun, 12-5 pm

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 13

GALLERY BEAT F. LENNOX CAMPELLO

Steve in Rubber Mask, 2001 Graphite on rag paper, 23" x 17" ©Estate of Manon Cleary

Manon Cleary, Self Portrait, Graphite ©Estate of Manon Cleary

Self Portrait, Movement Series #1 1980 Graphite on rag paper, 29" x 23" ©Estate of Manon Cleary

first met Manon Cleary’s artwork sometime around 1993 or 1994. It was at an exhibition at Addison Ripley’s old space behind the Phillips Collection. Back then there were several galleries in that space and I was making the rounds for some art magazine long since gone, and literally walked into the show without knowing anything about Manon Cleary. I was hypnotized by what I saw. It was clear to the most casual observer that here was an artist who not only had the most enviable set of technical skills that I had ever seen, but also an equally enviable ability to grab a slice 14 | April 2014

of energy out of her subject matter and deposit it into the artwork itself. I was so envious of this belligerent dual skill, so powerfully individual in a DC art scene back them that eschewed any sort of confrontational realism and loved acre after acre of abstraction of all hues and shapes. Sometime after that I met her for the first time, and soon after I co-opened the first Fraser Gallery in Georgetown in 1996, and then I became good friends with her and spent many a good time in her splendid apartment in Adams Morgan, including a quite memorable New Year’s in either 1996 or 1997.

Manon Cleary, Obessive Observer My next memory comes when she had an exhibition of her ex-boyfriend’s penis. Multiple paintings of that particular gent’s penis were the talk of Washington in those days, and for quite a long time, there always seemed to be a Manon Cleary penis in every MOCA group show. Then I recall the disturbing scenes in her rape paintings, which I think were first exhibited at MAP’s old space in Baltimore. Here was the artist at her most powerful: taking the ultimate assault on a person and disseminating it to a powerful and beautifully painted series of images on canvas.

Here was Cleary exerting the power of realism over all the other “isms” in a manner and form which only years of concentrated and meticulous work can deliver—the same span of years which eventually delivered the death prescription to this master. Over the years that followed, we saw the quality of her spirit, as she continued to be a key part of the DC art scene, even as her health deteriorated. I last saw her at the book release party for 100 Artists of Washington, DC, in which she is , of course, included. She thanked me for including her in the book and I told GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 34

Old Town Crier

CELEBR A IN OLTDING 20 YEA TOWN! RS

Earth day 2014 Artisans in Indonesia craft this unique chest from “entombed wood” buried in volcanic mud. Salvaged wood is an alternative to the exploitation and devastation of forests on the Indonesian archipelago. $450

HANDMADE SUSTAINABLE fair trade 915 King St • Old Town Alexandria 703.684.1435 • alexandria.tenthousandvillages.com Mon-Sat 10-7 • Sun 12-6 ALWAYS UNIQUE ALWAYS HANDMADE ALWAYS FAIR TRADE

PETER PARKER Art&Antiques ABACA IMPORTS 1120 North Fairfax St. 703-683-5800

ELDER CRAFTERS 405 Cameron St. 703-683-4338

AMERICAN HERITAGE GALLERY 901 North Columbus St. 703-519-7869

FACTORY PHOTOWORKS 105 N. Union St. 703-683-1501

THE ANTIQUE GUILD 113 N. Fairfax St. 703-836-1048 ARTCRAFT 132 King St. 703-299-6616 ARTS AFIRE GLASS GALLERY 1117 King St. 703-548-1197 THE ATHENAEM 201 Prince St. 703-548-0035 AUBURN ARTS GALLERY 110 South Columbus St. 703-548-1932 BANANA TREE 1223 King St. 703-836-4317 BELGRAVIA FINE ART 411 Cameron St. 703-549-2011 BIRD-IN-THE-CAGE ANTIQUES 110 King St. 703-549-5114 BROCKETT’S ROW ANTIQUES 277 South Washington St. 703-684-0464 THE CLASSICAL GALLERY 110 S. Columbus St. 703-836-7736 CURZON HILL ANTIQUES 108 S. Columbus St. 703-684-0667 DIEHL ANTIQUES 614 N. Washington St. 703-706-8191

Old Town Crier

FINE OLD POSTERS 1015 King St. 703-684-3656 FIVE OAKS ANTIQUES 2413 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-519-7006 FOLIOGRAPH GALLERY 217 King St. 703-683-1501 FRASER GALLERY 7700 Wisconsin Blvd. Suite E Bethesda 301-718-9651 FRENCH COUNTRY ANTIQUES 1000 King St. 703-548-8563 GALLERY ’G’ 215 King St. 703-836-5400 GALLERY INDIGO 1607 King St. 703-838-8098 GALLERY LAFAYETTE 320 King St. 703-548-5266 GALLERIE LA TAJ 1010 King St. (Gadsby Arcade) 703-549-0508

JAMES WILHOIT ANTIQUES 227 S. Washington St. 703-683-6595

SPURGEON-LEWIS ANTIQUES 112 N. Columbus St. 703-548-4917

Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts 110A S. Columbus St. (in the courtyard) 703-962-6266

STUDIO ANTIQUES & ART 524 N. Washington St. 703-548-5188

Kelly’s Art & Frame 510 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-549-3313

MARIS ELAINE GALLERY 178 Waterfront St. National Harbor 301-686-0323 MINDFULL HANDS GALLERY 211 King St. 703-683-2074 OLD COLONY SHOP 222-B S. Washington St. 703-548-8008 P & C ART 212 King St. 703-549-2525 PAUL McGEHEE’S GALLERY 109 North Fairfax St. 703-548-7729 POTOMAC WEST INTERIORS & ANTIQUES 1517 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-519-1911

TIME JUGGLER 411 Cameron St. 703-836-3594 TORPEDO FACTORY ART CENTER 105 N. Union St. 703-838-4565 TRASTEVERE 303 Cameron St. 703-683-9555

circa 2012 • oil and alkyds on wood • 23.5 x 19.5”

BY SIMON MONK Available from

VAN BOMMEL ANTIEK HAUS 1007 King St. 703-683-4141 703-629-6521 by appt. Steve Young, Proprietor

ALIDA ANDERSON ARTS PROJECT, LLC

THE VON BRAHLER LTD./GALLERY 1437 Powhatan St. 703-798-8686

for more info: email@alidaanderson.com or 301.437.1054

WASHINGTON SQUARE ANTIQUES 689 S. Washington St. 703-836-3214

Washington, DC

feast your eyes.

PRINCE ROYAL GALLERY 204 S. Royal St. 703-548-5151

GALLERY WEST 1213 King St. 703-549-7359

THE PRINCIPLE GALLERY 208 King St. 703-739-9326

GOSSYPIA 325 Cameron St. 703-836-6969

SCULPTURE GALLERY 115 S. Patrick St. Studio 303 703-683-5056

IMAGINE ARTWEAR 1124 King St. 703-548-1461

STUDIO BIANCO 220 S. Henry St. 703-299-0662

SILVERMAN GALLERIES ANTIQUES 110 N. Asaph St. 703-836-5363

visit a museum. April 2014 | 15

Old TOwn Shoe & luggage Repair • Serving Alexandria for over 17 years • Shoe & Luggage Repair • New Luggage

824 King Street Old Town Alexandria, Virginia 703.299.0655 Mon-Fri 7:30 am-7 pm • Sat 9 am-5 pm

A BIT OF HISTORY FROM PAGE 8

wastes places unreclaimed, forests untended, … unregarded waste heaps at every mine. We have studied as perhaps no other nation has the most effective means of production, but we have not studied cost or economy as we should either as organizers of industry, as statesmen or as individuals.” President Wilson, buoyed by a Democratic election sweep, signed an array of legislation. He lowered tariffs and created the Federal Trade Commission; established a graduated income tax and the Federal Reserve System. Wilson also limited work day hours and banned child labor. The President’s foreign policy was not nearly as aggressive as his domestic. However by the summer of 1914 Europe was bracing for war. On August 1, 1914 Germany declared war on Russia; on France two days later. Wilson responded by ordering wireless telegraph stations to remain neutral. “The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men’s souls,” Wilson explained on August 19, 1914. War talk divided America and neutrality was policy with a presidential pedigree. In 1916 Woodrow Wilson was re-elected President. His electoral decline was partly blamed on his anti-war platform. Wilson won the 1912 Presidential election by 82% of the electoral college votes, his second term by 52% of the electoral college votes.

“It is fearful to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts— for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own government, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal domination of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.” On January 31, 1917 Germany notified the United States unrestricted submarine attacks would continue. They announced Germany would sink on sight all merchant vessels found in a zone around the British Isles or in the Mediterranean. President Wilson broke off diplomatic negotiations and ordered the arming of American freighters. “Although we have centered counsel and action … upon the [domestic] problems … to which we addressed ourselves four years ago,” President Wilson said in his March 5, 1917 inaugural address, “other matters have more and more forced themselves upon our attention—matters … which, despite our wish to keep free of them, have drawn us more and more irresistibly into their own current and influence.” In February 1917 the Germans sank 540,000 tons of Allied shipping; in March 578,000 tons, and 874,000 tons in April. On April 6, 1917 America responded by declaring war. The United States entered the global war on the condition that it could legitimately demand universal liberal democracy from the world. “It is fearful to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and

16 | April 2014

disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance,” President Wilson said. “But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own government, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal domination of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.” Stopping German submarines was only part of Wilson’s naval predicament. America’s once proud merchant marine had withered away. It was the victim of devastation wrought by Confederate raiders during the Civil War as well as post-Reconstruction changes in the American economy. More merchant vessels were needed. Wilson’s 1916 shipbuilding program produced remarkable results including the 1918 Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation located in Alexandria at Jones Point along the Potomac River. VSC employed 7000 men who built and repaired standardized steel cargo ships. The permanent yard was constructed in 85 days, an alleged world record. President Wilson visited the shipyard on May 30, 1918 but, in the end, the military’s need was short-lived. The VSC’s first ship, the steamer Gunston Hall was launched on February 27, 1919. The Big Four’s peace Treaty of Versailles was resolved four months later, on June 28, 1919.

Wilson presented his principles for peace, his Fourteen Points on January 8, 1918. The Points included absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, equality of trade conditions, and a general association of nations [The League of Nations]. The League of Nations, which the US Congress declined to join, convened in 1920. President Wilson, a 1920 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, retired from office in 1921. Upon retirement he moved to 2340 S Street NW in the District of Columbia. The NTHP’s Woodrow Wilson House opens Images of the Great War: The European Offenses, an exhibition on April 3. Wilson and his second wife Edith Bolling Galt Wilson remained in the House until his death on February 3, 1924. His remains are interred at Washington National Cathedral. Edith, who died in 1961, rests with him in the Cathedral’s Woodrow Wilson Bay. Wilson reportedly declined an Arlington Cemetery burial because he “believed that the land for the cemetery had been taken unfairly from the family of Robert E. Lee.” You can contact Sarah Becker at: abitofhistory53@gmail.com Old Town Crier

THE LAST WORD MIRIAM R. KRAMER

The Scandinavian Noir Gows Up

t has always seemed that following a police procedural series is like going to a warm, slightly airless bar where there are always stale snacks on the counter and you know the names of both the bartenders and whatever’s on tap. It may not be the world-famous Cheers, “where everybody knows your name,” but at the very least everybody knows everyone else’s name, and you can occupy your same barstool as a silent and faithful observer. This state of affairs does not take hold when reading two recent releases in Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole detective series, however. Cockroaches, a thriller set mostly in Bangkok and surrounding areas, is the second in the ten-thriller series starring police detective Harry Hole. The last of Hole’s early thrillers to be translated from the Norwegian and made available to an English-speaking market, it takes the reader back to a Harry struggling in earlier stages of his alcoholism while adjusting to the time warp and dislocation of investigating the murder of the Norwegian Ambassador in Bangkok. Hole has an Augean Stables to clean up, as the ambassador has been discovered in a shady hotel room with pictures of child pornography strewn about. As in the first Hole book, The Bat, Harry is an itinerant, a world wanderer who solves crimes abroad while focusing in his spare time on hidden demons such as alcohol and the lost loves that might have given him stability he desperately lacks. His character is clever, patient, and methodical as always, but less tempered by life and less personally interesting as a character. That being said, those who relish shady business dealings and complicated economics underpinning their whodunnits will particularly enjoy this thriller, which intelligently investigates corruption in one of the least transparent countries in the world, Thailand, and its transportation industry. Also, readers who peruse John Burdett’s hallucinatory series of thrillers including Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, and Bangkok Haunts, which star half-Thai police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, may appreciate reading Nesbø’s colorful take on the Thai police novel. Police, Nesbø’s latest entry in the sweepstakes for best Harry Hole novel, has the usual “gang at Cheers” that we have come Old Town Crier

to know and expect: Katrine Bratt, the very attractive, unstable detective from Norway’s second city, Bergen; Beate Lønn, head of Krimteknisk and one of the few women in the world able to remember every face she sees; Bjørn Holm, the Rasta-cap-wearing redhead with mutton-chop sideburns and a penchant for Merle Haggard and Hank Williams; Mikael Bellman, the ambitious young Police Chief and his sidekick goon, Truls Berntsen; and last and most important, Rakel Fauke, Harry’s longterm love, and her teenage son Oleg, Harry’s ersatz child. These characters take their place in a more seasoned drama than Cockroaches, however, as Harry has gone through many intermediary trials that have informed his vision and helped him understand what he now seeks in his life. As is evident from the title, this entry in the Harry Hole series focuses on the police itself. Someone is killing specific members of the police on the anniversaries of crimes and at the very crime scenes they once haunted looking for clues. The former murders focused on young girls and remained unsolved. With the police getting nowhere in solving the investigation, some of Harry’s old cohorts form a small working group to take a fresh look at the old crimes and puzzle together answers regarding the new police murders outside of a large bureaucratic groupthink atmosphere. Hole, while still lecturing at the Police College, is no longer a police officer, and has a dreadful decision to make when they implore him to take part. He must determine whether to follow all his instincts and impulses in trying to solve a dangerous and difficult case, or eschew any involvement in the hopes of keeping the loves of his life, Rakel and Oleg, out of the fray for once and away from the danger that always seems to surround him. The unusually staggered release of these two novels are illustrative in presenting Harry Hole as the main character in very different stages of development: he is first a thirty-something at loose ends, looking for satisfaction in work and dreaming of something more; and second, a more mature individual who has found romantic and family love while seeking a way to balance it with his life’s calling.

The Lamplighter Our staff has 3 generations of experience to assist you in your lamp and lamp shade needs!

1207 King Street Old Town Alexandria 703.549.4040 www.lamplighterlamps.com Haircuts $13 Shampoo, Cut & Blow Dry $16 (extra charge for long hair) Scissors Cut $17+up Color $38+up Permanent $43+up (including haircut & conditioner)

A Very Good Price!

Good Haircut! Beautiful Perm!

Long Lasting Color!

Van’s Hairstylists 107 North Washington Street (near corner of King & Washington streets)

703-836-1916

Monday-Friday 9 am-7 pm • Saturday 9 am-6 pm We care and will give you only the best! Biolage • Vital Nutrient • Socolor • Matrix Perm • Paul Mitchell • Nexxus April 2014 | 17

CARIBBEAN CONNECTION JAIME ELLIOTT

RANIFLY Coral Bay’s Rani Keohane and the Ranifly Bikini Rani Keohane

ith so many beautiful beaches on St. John, it makes sense that the island is home to designer handcrafted bikinis. And now the world is taking notice. Rani Keohane of Ranifly Bikinis has been making her own bespoke suits since she couldn’t find ones that fit or lasted when she worked as crew on a charter boat more than a decade ago. People quickly took notice and before long, Keohane was sewing suits for all of her friends. The designer grew up on a small island in Washington state and began making clothes as a young girl. A beach and water lover, Keohane has called St. John home for more than 12 years. She launched Ranifly Bikinis about five years ago and is based in a small boutique and workshop in the Cocoloba shopping complex in Coral Bay where, in addition to keeping her racks full, she also cranks out an incredible number of hand-stitched custom suits.

18 | April 2014

Lately, Keohane has also been riding a wave of publicity that promises not to ebb any time soon. For the second year in a row, one of Keohane’s RaniFly Bikinis was included in the Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue and her suits were recently chosen as one of five bikini brands recommended for “women who rip” by GrindTV.com. On the 2014 SI Swimsuit Issue website, http://swimsuit/si/com, a graphic printed RaniFly tie-string bottom and triangle top bikini is worn by South African model Natasha Barnard as she’s photographed lounging on a sandy beach in Brazil. On the heels of the huge SI swimsuit issue inclusion, Keohane recently discovered that her suits were also featured by GrindTV.com. They boasted that RaniFly Bikinis were “so comfortable they can double as undergarments.” Which, by the way, is true. All this attention comes welldeserved to a hard working designer who ensures quality and durability in every suit. All RaniFly bikinis are hand-made by Keohane in limited CARRIBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 19

Old Town Crier

Photography: Rolando Garces

Ann Street Gardens

ey west getawa

Ca sua l Ca r ibb e a n Elega nce Key West Getaway One Block from Sloppy Joe’s Contact: historichideaways.com • 1-800-654-5131

Enjoy the world’s most beautiful beaches from the comfort of this luxurious, fully air-conditioned and private 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath Caribbean villa. If you love sunsets, you’ll love Las Brisas Caribe!

LasBrisasCaribe.com VRB O 87283 or 1-800-348-8444 Mention “Old Town Crier ”

CLIFFHANGER

CARIBBEAN CONNECTION FROM PAGE 18

editions with sport-grade Lyrca. Also amazing about RaniFly Bikinis are the prices. Off the rack suits run around $105 to $145 with custom suits about an additional $10 per piece, depending on the fabric. Fabric is one of the really fun things about Ranifly suits. Keohane is continually getting in new prints—she receives a new batch about once every three weeks—and all of her suits are reversible. Keohane also regularly dreams up different cuts to flatter all figures. The designer offers seven different X-back cuts, meaning women of all cup sizes can find a top that actually fits. “I do bikinis big and small, one-pieces, everything,” said Keohane. “I have suits for everyone from teenagers to people who are in their 70s. We’re different from other lines of suits that are made only for one body type. The suits are really comfortable, functional and durable,” she said. “I work really hard to ensure the quality and durability.” The most popular suits lately are the scrunchbum bottoms, which offer coverage and a flirty gather in the back, and the 12way top, which is the only top you’ll need to take on a weeklong vacation. If you’re on island, stop by the RaniFly Bikini shop, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and grab a suit off the rack or choose a print and design a custom RaniFly. Also at the RaniFly Bikini shop, check out Keohane’s line of graphic printed bags, each of which is one-of-a-kind; yoga pants, skirts and headbands all made, like the swim suits, from her sports-grade Lycra. Even if you can’t make it to St. John, you can still enjoy your own RaniFly. Keohane recently added a custom option to her website offering her full range of 25 different cuts of tops and 20 different bottom styles. For more information and to order suits, check out www. raniflybikini.com. To check out Keohane’s feature in SI, go to http://swimsuit.si.com/swimsuit/models/natasha-barnard/ photos/8 and to see the GrindTV.com feature on RaniFly Bikinis, go to http://www.grindtv.com/lifestyle/wanted/post/5bikini-brands-for-women-who-rip/. Old Town Crier

SEE OUR AY HOMEAW 5 AT 6 8 #2 29 LISTING AY.COM HOMEAW

As featured on HGTV and winner of “Bang For Your Buck” in St. Thomas. This recently renovated villa resides on the edge of a cliff 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean crashing onto the rocks below. The best location on the island—a private, secure, gated community of luxury villas—the villa offers spectacular views of the Atlantic and various islands including St. John, Jost Van Dyke and Tortola. The main house has 3 bedrooms with a detached cottage with its’ own queen size bed. Large deck, pool and spa. Phone 703 628-9005 • Fax 703 765-5900

April 2014 | 19

ROAD TRIP BOB TAGERT

The Mimslyn Inn M

y April road trip takes us across the Thornton Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia separating the Shenandoah Valley from the Piedmont region of our state. A short drive into the valley will bring you to the sprawling town of Luray. This area is home to the world famous Luray Caverns, which I wrote about last year, however this visit is to enjoy the comforts of the Mimslyn Inn. The actual purpose for the visit was to attend the Wasmunds Whiskey Dinner and Poetry Reading last month. What a spectacular setting for an event such as this! The Inn rises on a knoll with a massive front lawn and an over-sized patio that beckons you to come closer. Driving up the circular driveway you are drawn to the large portico with huge Doric columns that highlight the front of the Inn. Entering the lobby you are greeted by comfortable couches, hardwood floors and a winding staircase that will take you back to the days of the old South. The Mimslyn Inn has recently undergone a multi-million dollar renovation, but it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when luxury was a novelty and only a few took vacations. During this time, on a knoll of a former army encampment and hospital during the Civil War, an Inn was being planned. The owners of the property, Mr. Henry Mims and his wife Elizabeth, wanted to create a one-of-a-kind place. With a background in hotel ownership and management the Mims now had their vision to create a grand Inn, which required experience and special construction materials, commissioned from around Virginia. A coal-fired steam shovel was brought in from Richmond to begin excavation in February of 1930. The brick is oversized tapestry made in Glasgow. The joints are flamingo from Riverton, the slate for the roof was quarried in Buckingham, and the bathroom tile was brought up from Roanoke. The window frames were made on site by a local blacksmith, and the first Schlage locks used in town were installed at the Mimslyn. J.R. Mims, Sr. designed the winding staircase, the Inn’s most renowned feature and an architectural masterpiece. On Friday, May 22, 1931, The Mimslyn Inn welcomed its first guests. The public was invited and over 700 guests enjoyed dining and dancing as they looked in wonder at the Mimslyn’s modern features. Today vacations are a necessity, or at least a road trip is in order, and the Mimslyn Inn is there to welcome you like it has done for the past 80 years. 20 | April 2014

Old Town Crier

In November of 2005, Mr. And Mrs. Erwin Asam and sons, Christian and David, purchased the Inn. The Asam family has owned and operated the popular Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for 30 years. Like the family before them, the Asams appreciate quality and elegance. They are responsible for bringing the Mimslyn Inn back to life after a complete restoration in 2008. For all of its elegance and finery, this 45-room hotel is very affordable and serves for a great base of operation while exploring the Shenandoah Valley and all of its’ wonders. It is also an excellent destination if you see an ad for another Wasmunds Whiskey dinner, or any other event for that matter. At the dinner last month the Inn was sold out and we met some of the most interesting folks. It seemed like everyone was the life of the party. The formal dining room, Circa ’31, is located a few steps up from the lobby with dramatic floor-t0-ceiling windows, beautiful crown molding, tasteful linens, and a vintage flair. The Mimslyn was known for its pan-fried chicken, country ham and apples, club sandwiches and pies. Circa ’31’s menu includes a few of those favorites as well as many other dishes relating to modern times. The executive chef uses local ingredients and seasonal produce, which compliment freshly baked breads, sumptuous desserts and an impressive wine list. The Mimslyn is true to Virginia and offer a nice selection of Virginia wines. One thing is for certain, their staff is very well trained and exceptionally attentive and responsive. Speaking of Virginia wines and other libations you must take the staircase downstairs to the Speakeasy Bar and Restaurant. This is a trip back in time with Art-Deco décor, a Prohibition-theme drink menu and period music. The restaurant also serves comfort food like chicken pot pie, meatloaf, pulled pork sandwiches, and more. In the evening you can find local bands serving up music to dance the night away. As you can see this is a one-stop destination, however if you want to get out and stretch your legs, there is much to do and see in Luray. The famous Blue Ridge Mountains are home to the Shenandoah National Park and the idyllic Skyline Drive with its 75 overlooks and over 500 miles of hiking trails. The Massanutten Mountain range features George Washington National forest offering plenty of recreational opportunities while the south fork of the Shenandoah River cuts the valley in tow. The internationally acclaimed Luray Caverns is a short drive from the Mimslyn. Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 21

FROM THE BAY… MOLLY WINANS

sailing on the woodwind

Russ Branton racing on a Wednesday night on the Woodwind.

he week she moved to Annapolis 19 years ago, Susan Helbert was strolling along the water by Pussers Caribbean Grille at the Marriott and discovered the Schooner Woodwind at the dock. Although she had done some boating, she had never been sailing before, so she bought a ticket and hopped onboard for a sunset sail. “It was so windy and gorgeous, I was hooked,” she says. “Between that early week of August and the end of the season, I sailed on Woodwind 19 times.” Frequent Sailor Susan, as

22 | March 2014

dubbed early on by the crew, has sailed more than 500 times on the 74-foot schooner. In addition to sunset sails, Susan has sailed on Woodwind for many specialty cruises—lighthouse and fireworks cruises, dinner and beer-tasting cruises—as well as for the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race (GCBSR) and five-day trip home from Portsmouth, Va., a few times. Math swirling in my head, I had to ask: why didn’t she just buy a boat? Susan says, “At the time, boats were depreciating, but houses weren’t, so I bought a house.

I knew Woodwind would be there.” You can’t argue with that—but I went a step further and pulled out the calculator. If you divide 500 sails by 19 years, that equals about 26 sails per year. By today’s sunset sail pricing ($42 per trip), averaging in the occasional specialty sail and schooner race that cost more, the total comes to less than $2000 per year for a whole lot of sailing. Be honest—how many Chesapeake sailboat owners take their big boats out as many as 26 times per year? How many have spent less than $2000? Susan is no dummy. Russ Branton and Joyce van den Berg of Princeton, NJ, who both grew up sailing and boating, write, “Since we don’t live on the water now, we enjoy weekend getaways to Annapolis and other coastal locations. The first thought when arriving to a sailing town is always, ’Wouldn’t it be great to go sailing?’ We had no idea during that first visit in 1997 that sailing a 74-foot schooner was possible.” The couple has sailed more than 30 times on the Woodwind or her twin sister ship Woodwind II, often for Wednesday night sailing races. “Captains Ken and Jen Kaye [father and daughter] are ultra-competitive, and it’s our favorite time to sail.” “The absolute highlight of our sailing experience on

Schooner Woodwind was last fall’s GCBSR… We finished first across the line in 22.5 hours and won first in class and first overall on corrected time. It was an absolutely great race on a very fast boat with the super-experienced team.” Like the others, Carolyn Cordrey and her sister Julie hopped aboard the schooner on a whim. “It sounded like a fun afternoon,” she says. For her, it was a “magical and life-changing experience.” The deckhand who helped her board, Matt (“love at first sight”) Cordrey, became her husband two years later. Carolyn says her first schooner sail was her gateway to realizing her dream of coastal living. The Cordreys honeymooned on his parents’ Sabre, and her hubby taught her the ropes. The couple and their two children, Madeline (5) and Vivienne (2) go sailing as often as they can. “It’s our favorite way to spend time together as a family,” says Carolyn, who likes to entertain her kids by telling them that their daddy was a pirate when she met him. “What sets apart the Woodwind team is that the crew members have as much fun as their guests. They are crewing for the love of sailing, and they share that passion with everyone who comes aboard,” she says. Among the things faithful Woodwind sailors wished

You Are Invited

OTC readers interested in getting into sailing this season are invited to attend SpinSheet’s free Start Sailing Now Q&A and Crew Party Sunday, April 27, at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. The Q&A with local experts runs 3-4 p.m., and the party, with live music, free beverages, and a lot of sailing stories, runs 4-6 p.m. spinsheet.com/ crew-parties more people knew about the experience—that it’s cooler on the water, that you don’t need any experience to try it, that it’s stress-relieving— crew members treating guests like close friends and family topped the list. “They are very kind people,” says Frequent Sailor Susan. “That to me in this day and age is an absolute necessity… They are family to me. When I am not here, I miss them.” To learn more about sailing on the Schooner Woodwind, visit schoonerwoodwind.com. Molly Winans is the managing editor of SpinSheet and PropTalk magazines. Save the date for her free Start Sailing Now seminar Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. in Annapolis.

Old Town Crier

CalvertCounty

DISCOVER

MARYLAND

ALEXANDRIA’S PLAYGROUND

11 E 20 T 2013 K A C AB RAN ST CR RESTAU E B Y D VOTE ST FAMIL E DB VOTE

SOUTHERN MARYLAND’S ONLY MICROBREWERY

VOTED BEST CRAB CAKES IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND 2012

FEATURING AWARD WINNING ARTISAN CRAFTED BEERS

Maryland Life

A vibrant space paired with artisan crafted food and beer delivered with passion HAPPY HOUR Weekdays 3-7 pm PRIME RIB DINNER Every Friday DINNER 4 pm daily • Saturday LUNcH & Sunday BRUNcH 11 am

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS

410.394.3825 13200 DOWELL ROAD

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC • CRAB CAKE SHIPPING DOG FRIENDLY OUTDOOR PATIO • SUNDAY BRUNCH • HALF PRICE WINE WEDNESDAY OUTDOOR DECK SEATING • TAKE OUT & CATERING • TRANSIENT SLIPS

CORNER OF DOWELL & RT. 4

RUDDYDUCKBREWERY.COM RUDDYDUCKBREWERY @RUDDYDUCKGRILL

STONEY’S KINGFISHERS SEAFOOD BAR & GRILL

14442 Solomons Island Road • Solomons, Maryland 20688 • SolomonsKingfisher@gmail.com

410.394.0236

Where Art & Nature Meet Annmarie After Hours Exhibit Openings • Fridays 6-9 p April 11 Fairies Festival May 23 Sailor-Made Woolies June 20 Beachcomber Show October 17 Feast Your Eyes

Best Art Gallery

Open Daily 10a-5p

Sculpture Garden & Arts Center • 13480 Dowell Rd • Dowell, MD • annmariegarden.org

Old Town Crier

March 2014 | 23

…TO THE BLUE RIDGE JULIE REARDON

And T They’re Off!

photos: Karen Monroe, Middleburg Photo

he never ending winter of 2014, with its claws still firmly clenched in the Virginia countryside, has been hard on man and beast alike. Late winter and early spring storms and frigid temperatures have played havoc with the spring steeplechase season, and weather postponements have the month of April bursting at the seams with point to point races every weekend. For the dedicated lovers of fine horseflesh racing over fences and fine tailgating with friends, the world revolves around the Virginia hunt country for the next six weeks. 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

24 | March 2014

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, paying for staff, vehicles, and insurance. Every hunt member, including non-riding social members, volunteers for the myriad tasks involved, from entries, hospitality tents, parking, programs and admissions, and course maintenance—no small task, since most of the “courses” are actually cow pastures. These point to point race meets, called the “pots and pans” circuit, are considered “unsanctioned” and offer no prize money— BLUE RIDGE > PAGE 25

Old Town Crier

Saturday, April 5 12:00 noon Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point Ben Venue Farm Ben Venue, Virginia (540) 364-4573 (540) 636-1507 Saturday, April 5 1:00 pm Dogwood Classic Races Colonial Downs New Kent County, Virginia (804) 966-7223 www.dogwoodclassic.com Sunday, April 13 12:30 pm Loudoun Hunt Point to Point Oatlands Plantation Leesburg, Virginia (540) 338-4031 Saturday, April 19 1:30 pm Middleburg Spring Races Glenwood Park Middleburg, Virginia (540) 687-6545 (504) 687-6595

Sunday, April 20 1:00 pm Thornton Hill Fort Valley Hounds Point to Point Thornton Hill Farm Sperryville, VA (540) 987-8338 www.thorntonhillraces.net Saturday, April 26 1:00 pm Foxfield Spring Races Charlottesville, Virginia (434) 293-9501 www.foxfieldraces.com Sunday, April 27 1:00 pm Middleburg Hunt Point to Point Glenwood Park Middleburg, Virginia (540) 687-6069 (540) 454-2991 Saturday, May 3 1:00 pm Virginia Gold Cup Races Great Meadow The Plains, Virginia (540) 347-2612 www.vagoldcup.com

POINT TO POINT & STEEPLECHASE SPRING 2014 SCHEDULE

BLUE RIDGE FROM PAGE 24

horses race for trophies and bragging rights only. But the point to points provide an important training ground for horses and riders that will go on to race in the bigger steeplechasing events sanctioned by the sport’s governing body, the National Steeplechase Association. NSA sanctioned steeplechases include the Middleburg Spring Races and the familiar Virginia Gold Cup. And for the fans, it’s a chance to see the action up close and meet the participants. Races are run rain or shine, but for really inclement weather, call the information number listed for each event in the box above. If a meet is cancelled or postponed, the hunt will have a recorded message. These early meets are not the fashion shows and the “see and be seen” outings that the big spring races are, but allow fans a much closer Old Town Crier

Mark S.Allen attorney at law

More than 30 years experience in real estate law … everything from closings to conservation easements. Now with offices in Washington, Virginia and Old Town Alexandria. 111 Oronoco Street • Old Town Alexandria 703-836-8787 markallenlaw.com

311 Gay Street • Washington, Virginia 703-307-0517

A country inn focusing on food grown and raised by our neighbors

Hopkins Ordinary BED & BREAKFAST

47 Main Street • Sperryville, Virginia 540.987.3383 • www.hopkinsordinary.com

look at the horses and people. Fashion is dictated by the weather and head and footwear tend to be practical rather than fanciful. Admission prices and reserved parking spaces are a fraction of the cost of the later meets. Our pick this year for the must-attend point to point is Middleburg Hunt’s race meet, held at the delightful and venerable Glenwood Park just outside of Middleburg on April 27th. This beautiful course has wonderful viewing and a grandstand located amidst tall old trees. Both general admission and reserved tailgate party spots are available for advance purchase. A bit dressier than some of the point to points, this one is fun for families as well as young professionals and serious horsemen. This meet has a hat contest, so dust off the most outlandish hat you can find and you could win prizes. Post time for the first race is 1:00 pm. March 2014 | 25

www.gnarlyhops.com

Apr 26 12pm-6pm

SPENCER ST LOT | DOWNTOWN CULPEPER

discover the charm

CULPEPER 202 e davis st historic culpeper 540.825.8415

S & BARL E HOP

EST YF

GNAR LY

VIRGINIA

* CU

L PE P E R, VA

Clarke Hardware

815 caroline st historic fredericksburg 540.373.1262

540.825.4416 | facebook.com/gnarlyhops

tasteovs.com

The area’s largest selection of Lodge cast iron cookware

201 E. Davis St. Old Town Culpeper 540.825.9178 www.clarkehardware.com

Designer’s Choice

HOURS 10a - 5p Tue-Sat

• Gifts • 18th Century Accessories • Floral Arranging Components • Spectacular Furniture Line

155 East Davis Street • 540-825-7694 designerschoice4you.com 26 | April 2014

Wine Craft Beer Cheese Cigars Unique Pantry Items Complimentary Tastings and Educational Classes for Wine and Beer Enthusiasts

Indulge your curiosity

174 E. Davis Street, Culpeper, VA 22701 540.829.WINE • culpeperwines.com • facebook.com/VINOSITY Tue-Thu 10a-6p • Friday 10a-8p • Saturday 10a-6p • Sunday Noon-5p

Old Town Crier

urant in anI A Modern Irish RAestaModern BN UP BN EBZT B XFFL t #SVODI 4BU EBZ BN UP BN t SJB 7" EBZT ,JOH 4USFFU t 0ME 5PXO "MFAYBMOEod er n Ir is ,JOH 4USFFU t 0ME 5PXO BN UP BN EBZT B ,JOH 4USFFU t 0ME 5PXO "MF

ALXVG_111200_OConnells.indd 1 ALXVG_101200_DanielOConnellsIrishBar.indd 1

DANIEL Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CONNELLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S nedllsI1rishBar.indd 1 ells.i onnd nnOC Coiel _Dan 101200_O AL XVG_11

R IRISH RE A B & T STAURAN

A modern Irish restaurant in an ancient Irish setting

RESTAURANT & BAR

Danieal Onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ci

Dani D IRI

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ll e n n o â&#x20AC;&#x2122;C O l e i n a D Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;C IRISH RESTAURANT & BAR

o n n e ll â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TAUR A N T & BA R Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AURANT & BAR

112 King St. Old Town Alexandria 703.739.1124 danieloconnells.com For music and events like us on Facebook

I R I S H R E S TAIURRIASN OUR SPRING MENU IS SPRINGING IN APRIL!

Daniel Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Co

GEEING READY FOR SPRING!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Finest Lebanese Cuisineâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Washington Post, 2001 Family Owned & Operated Come and Enjoy a Cozy Candlelit Dinner

719 King St. Old Town Alexandria 703.684.9194 â&#x20AC;˘ thepitahouse.com

DDan aniel

A Modern Irish Restaurant in an Anc B BN UP BN EBZT B XFFL t #SVODI 4BUVSE t 0MEE 5PXO "MFYBOESJB 7" t

Chef Santiago is launching his newest seasonal menu featuring amazing new, fresh and local staurant in an Ancient Irish Setti ng sh Reofferings!

Carry-Out Available â&#x20AC;˘ Free Delivery Open 7 Days for Lunch & Dinner

1 Bar.indd dd Irish ls.innells nnelCon OCo DanielO

I R I S H R E S TAU R A N T

A Modern Irish QN BZ 4VOEBZ BN UP Q SE BUV I 4 OD t # SV FL XF T B BZ E BN BN UP PATIO WEATHERXX IS EBOJFMPDPOOFMMT DPN X t t 7" JB BO ES FY ALMOST UPON US! ,JOH 4USFF U t 0ME 5PXO "M Our wonderful patio opens on April 8, so start making plans for the best al fresco dining in Old Town!

Old Town Crier

I R I S HI

anntt in an Ancient Irish Setting OD I 4BUVSEB106Z S. 4V UNION Bwww.virtuefeedgrain.com OE BZSTREET QTOWN N â&#x20AC;˘UP OLD Q N ALEXANDRIA â&#x20AC;˘ 571.970.3669 " t t XXX E BOJFMPDPOOFMMT DPN ant in an Ancient Irish Setting VODI 4BUVSEBZ 4VOEBZ BN UP QN ODI 4BUVSEBZ 4VOEBZ BN UP QN

11/13/10 4/11 10:5 11/2 3:400:38 :26 PM AM

:26 PM AM 3:400:38 4/11 10:5 11/13/10 11/2

dine out! April 2014 | 27

American BILBO BAGGINS 208 Queen St. 703-683-0300 BITTERSWEET 823 King Street 703-549-2708 CARLYLE CLUB 411 John Carlyle St. 703-549-8957 CHADWICK’S 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 chadwicksrestaurants.com An Old Town tradition since 1979 and an original Georgetown pub and restaurant since 1967. CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080 CLYDE’S 1700 N. Beauregard St. 703-820-8300 clydes.com

DUTCH’S GRILL (Holiday Inn) 2460 Eisenhower Ave. Alexandria, VA 703-960-3400

INDIGO LANDING #1 Marina Dr. Washington Sailing Marina 703-548-0001

THE GRILL RESTAURANT/ PIANO BAR AT MORRISON HOUSE 116 S. Alfred St. 703-838-8000

IRELAND’S OWN 111 North Pitt St. 703-549-4535 irelandsownpub.com

EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051

JACK’S PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372

FAST EDDIE’S BILLIARD CAFE 6220 Richmond Hwy. 703-660-9444

JACKSON 20 480 King St. 703-842-2790

FIN & HOOF 801 N. Saint Asaph St. 703-836-4700

JOE THEISMANN’S 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777

FINN & PORTER AT MARK CENTER 5000 Seminary Rd. 703-379-2346

KING STREET BLUES 112 N. St. Asaph St. 703-836-8800

FIRE FLIES 1501 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-7200

COLUMBIA FIREHOUSE 109 S. St. Asaph St. 703-683-1776

FLAT IRON STEAK & SALOON 808 King St. 703-299-0777

Dining Guide

FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342 GADSBY’S TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288 HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050

RED MEI 602 King St. 703-837-0094

MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710

THAILAND, ROYAL ST 835 N. Royal St. 703 535-6622

MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600

TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878

BRABO Tasting Room 1600 King St. 703-894-5252

TEMPO 4231 Duke St. 703-370-7900 temporestaurant.com Northern Italian, French provincial and American cuisine featuring fresh seafood, meats and pasta served in a contemporary, romantic atmosphere.

Caph’e Ban’h Mi’ Vietnamese 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800 Sang Jun Thai 300 King Street 571-312-3377

NOTTING HILL 1106 King St. 703-299-4590 RESTAURANT EVE 110 S. Pitt St. 703-706-0450 CEDAR KNOLL INN GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-799-1501

LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854

CHEZ ANDREE 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-836-1404

LE REFUGE 127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661

TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT 219 King St. 703-549-1141

LA BERGERIE 218 N. Lee St. 703-683-1007 labergerie.com

FONTAINE’S CAFFE & CREPERIE 119 S. Royal St. 703-535-8151

YVES’ BISTRO 235 Swamp Fox Rd. In the Hoffman Center 703-329-1010

28 | April 2014

PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699

MONROES AMERICAN TRATTORIA 1603 Commonwealth Ave. 703-548-5792

RAILSTOP GASTROPUB 901 N. Fairfax St. 703-683-8793

MOUNT VERNON INN Mount Vernon, Va 703-780-0011

RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com

T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com American cuisine with libations from around the world. Bar specials Mon-Fri, 4-7 PM. Brunch served Sat & Sun.

LAPORTA’S 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313 LIGHT HORSE RESTAURANT 715 King St. 703-549-0533

NICKELL’S AND SCHIFFLER 1028 King St. 703-684-5922

MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117

NINA’S DANDY Potomac Party Cruises Zero Prince St. 703-683-6076 dandydinnerboat.com

MANCINI’S 1508 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-838-FOOD MANGO MIKE’S 4580 Duke St. 703-370-3800

BERTUCCI’S 725 King St. 703-548-8500 BUGSY’S PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 bugsyspizza.com FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998

FRENCH BASTILLE 1201 N. Royal St. 703-519-3776 bastillerestaurant.com

SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222

REYNOLDS STREET CAFÉ 34 S. Reynolds St. 703-751-0830 RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 SAMUEL BECKETT’S IRISH GASTRO PUB 2800 S. Randolph St. Villages of Shirlington 703-379-0122

O’CONNELL’S RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 danieloconnellsrestaurant.com

GERANIO RISTORANTE 722 King St. 703-548-0088 geranio.net Still Old Town’s highest-rated Italian restaurant (Zagat). Discerning Old Towners flock here for refined cuisine in this comfortable, yet sophisticated restaurant. With entrees from $14, there is no reason not to enjoy a selection from their Wine Spectator awardwinning list, while being attended by the friendly staff of seasoned professionals. Reservations recommended and casual attire welcomed. IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833 LA STRADA 1905 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-2592 SAPORE D’ITALIA RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA 1310 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-683-9680

LANDINI BROTHERS 115 King St. 703-836-8404 landinibrothers.com Elegant, classical Italian cuisine served in a lovely historical setting. Fresh veal, homemade pastas, and fresh fish are some of the daily choices. An extensive list of wines and champagnes served in a sophisticated and friendly atmosphere. OLD CHICAGO PIZZERIA 2245 Huntington Ave. 703-960-1086 PARADISO 124 King St. 703-837-1245 PINES OF FLORENCE 1300 King St. 703-549-1796 RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873 VILLA D’ESTE 600 Montgomery St. 703-549-9477

TRADEMARK 2800 Jamieson Ave. 703-253-8640 TRADITIONS (Holiday Inn) 625 First St. 703-548-6300 UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com Old Town’s favorite neighborhood tap & grill. Distinct southern style menu, fine steaks, fresh seafood. Sunday brunch, private parties, happy hour. VERMILLION 1120 King St. 703-684-9669

SHOOTER MCGEE’S 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266

VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669

SOCIETY FAIR 277 S. Washington St. 703-683-3247

THE WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILL 214 King St. 703-683-6868

italian • pizzErias

CONTINENTAL BRABO by Robert Weidmaier 1600 King St. 703-894-3440

OVERWOOD 220 North Lee St. 703-535-3340

MURPHY’S IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com Old-world Irish pub featuring a roaring fireplace, serving a variety of imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers in a friendly atmosphere. Serving robust American-Irish meals at fair prices. Favorites include fish and chips and Irish stew. Irish-style entertainment nightly.

asian ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515

McGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE 3650 S. Glebe Rd. Potomac Yard Located at Market Square in the Eclipse next to Harris Teeter on Rt.1 703-414-3555

MEDITERRANEAN LA TASCA 607 King St. 703-299-9810 “Spring into Spain and Feast Like a King.” Offering unlimited tapas at lunch and dinner. Choice of dessert included. Lunch 11:30-4:30 for $20.07; dinner 4:30-close for $30.07. Eat a little, drink a little, have a lot of fun! LAYLA 907 King St. 703-684-3288

CASABLANCA 1504 King St. 703-549-6464

PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194 thepitahouse.com Family owned and operated; carry out available and free delivery.

TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com

DELIA’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. Alexandria, VA 703-329-0006

LAS TAPAS 710 King St. 703-836-4000

seafood Hank’s Oyster Bar 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK RT’S RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 FLYING FISH 815 King St. 703-600-FISH flyingfishdc.com Traditional American and fancy seafood specializing in sushi. FISH MARKET-CLINTON 7611Old Branch Ave. Clinton, MD 301-599-7900 ERNIE’S ORGINIAL CRABHOUSE 1743 King St. 703-836-0046

FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com Internationally known and locally owned! We serve shrimps, a few crabs, tall people and lots of nice people, too! Live music and lively food! THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 wharfrestaurant.com "It’s All About the Seafood," traditional and creative coastal cuisine.

MEXICAN • LATIN SOUTHWESTERN AUSTIN GRILL 801 King St. 703-684-8969 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) INDIAN DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd. 703-660-6085

Old Town Crier

G GERANIO RISTORANTE Redeﬁning Italian Cuisine in Old Town Alexandria Dinner Entrees from $14 722 King Street Old Town Alexandria 703.548.0088 www.geranio.net

Fine Wines

Fine Dining Casual Style

eat like a local!

Sunday Brunch 10 am - 3 pm Only $8.95 So Many Delicious Choices Pancakes with Sausages Irish Country Breakfast Three Egg Omelette Eggs Benedict Homemade Quiche French Toast

Wine Tastings every Saturday 2 - 4 pm 7966 Fort Hunt Road

(In the Hollin Hall Shopping Center)

703-347-7545 RiverBendBistro.com Plenty of FREE parking

Old Town Crier

Hamburger Platter Steak & Egg Special $9.95

713 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1717 • murphyspub.com April 2014 | 29

DINING OUT VINCENTARRUNATEGUI

RIVER BEND BISTRO & WINE BAR 7966 Fort Hunt Road Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 RiverBendBistro.com Atmosphere: Upbeat, contemporary Service: Coordinated, reserved Hours: Lunch (everyday) 11:30am-4pm Dinner (Mon-Sat) 4pm-10pm (Sunday) 4pm-9pm Brunch (Sunday) 11:30-4pm Plates: $12-24 Wine Glass: $6-16 Reservations: 703-347-7545

River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar A modern neighborhood spot

hen I hear the word bistro, I get excited. I think of the early dinner my parents and I shared my graduation weekend at Petit Louis in Roland Park. I think of fresh ingredients, passion, hospitality, good friends and good memories. I want to go to a bistro because bistros want me to come to them. When 30 | April 2014

Bill Ross and Caroline Bruder Ross

driving through the Fort Hunt area of Alexandria, I was quickly reminded of the suburbs I called home as a kid in New Jersey: beautiful homes, green grass, and a warm sense of community. Walking into the space, formerly held by The Village Wharf, there is much to be drawn to in the simplicity of the layout. On your right there are loafers, sandals, Vans, and pumps all dangling from the bar stools

as regulars are comfortably chatting over the low set music. On the left there are friends and lovers both old and new chowing down on dishes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; faces glowing in the consciously lit dining area as everyone is enjoying their neighborhood spot. In an effort to increase their marketability some restaurants compromise their very existence DINING OUT > PAGE 31

Old Town Crier

Since opening last fall owner Bill Ross and executive chef Caroline Bruder Ross have worked diligently to bring diners in Fort Hunt a fulfilled dinning experience with their realistic approach to neighborhood dining. by incorrectly branding themselves. This makes me furious. I could list the “inns” and “taverns” that do not actually offer room and board or the numerous “cafes” without liquor permits or any food offerings other than overly sweet, microwaved, pre-baked breads. The one that bothers me the most is corporate giant Texas Roadhouse, which boasts over four hundred locations in forty-nine states. It is hardly a traditional roadhouse, which Webster’s defines as “an inn or tavern usually outside city limits providing liquor and usually meals, dancing, and often gambling.” Sure the staff will perform a choreographed line dance at the request of a guest celebrating a birthday or anniversary, and almost certainly will the hostess boast about their “hand-cut steaks and legendary margaritas,” but what about gambling and lodging? Staying true to your title is important for me because sometimes owners and

managers get carried away thinking about potential customers rather than their current ones. I believe a neighborhood bistro should be both convenient and affordable. It does not need to have French inspired food, cassoulet, bean stew, or black and white pictures of the Champs Elysees on the wall. It needs soul. With their location in Hollin Hall shopping center, Bill and Caroline have managed to keep the neighborhood community in mind—folks who are looking to escape the hectic parking circus of King St., and the $8 M Street beers. The soul of River Bend bistro will come when locals turn into regulars and the business turns into an establishment. This will be easy, however, as the fair pricing and ingenuity of both their food and wine menus were one of the most notable parts of the restaurant. Three ounce, six ounce, half bottle, and full bottle portions of wine all priced out to make a

second, third, or in my editor’s case—fourth glass work within an evening’s budget. The list in itself was smartly assembled with crisp Chenin Blanc’s from South Africa, Rosés from Texas, and even a local Virginia red. Countless options just waiting to be paired with the sumptuous yet simple plates brought out from kitchen under the watchful eyes of the classically trained executive Chef Ross. The one glaring problem with the River Bend Bistro is that it is damn near impossible to escape the aroma of the kitchen. This is a way good problem to have. I could not fathom going to the bar, ordering a drink, and leaving. There is just no way. Thankfully for those with little self-restraint, like myself, there is a quaintly crafted “snacks” section of the menu with some standbys like their flat breads. I was impressed to see that they offered homemade chicken liver mousse, which I had to order and was delighted to see it served with mustard, pickles, and warm bread. Magnifique.

For the dining crowd I would like to point out that the amount of food on the plate for both appetizers and entrees is exactly the size I look for. Caroline has found harmony between miniscule portions of haute cuisine and “what two sides come with that?” platter-like dishes served in traditional American joints. As for quality, I have to say I was not served one thing I was not deeply satisfied by. Very cohesive dishes like roasted cod loin served with red potatoes, oven dried tomatoes, and black olives and pan roasted chicken breast, situated atop fresh noodles and tossed in morel cream sauce. My favorite part of my meal, however, was my appetizer—caramelized onion tater tots. I am not the biggest fan of fried foods, but they completely nailed the gussied up comfort food thing with this one. Savory little bites of potato and onion served with a creamy horseradish sauce— I will definitely come back for these. Restaurant economics often begin and end with location.

The popularity of waterfront dining in the summer, and cozy main street corners in the winter are great indicators of a consumer’s circadian rhythms. But with prime real estate comes a lack of affordability. What Bill and Caroline are doing is laudable because they are gambling their futures on the hopes that people will return to their restaurant for good service, good food, and good wine; creating their own identity rather than having a location create it for them. I believe that they are doing an excellent job so far. There are still a lot of inevitable growing pains and changes that they will make over time but I have no doubt each and every decision will be made with the soul of their business in mind—the customer. I hope to return this spring and am eager to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves in both the kitchen and with the sommelier.

american and greek easter join us as we celebrate a traditional greek easter april 20 • noon - 8 pm live traditional greek music plate-breaking & dancing easter soup al fresco dining in the garden and more! call 703.548.8688

703.548.8688 • TAVERNACRETEKOU.COM 818 King Street • Old Town AlexandriA

TAVERNA CRETEKOU REGIONAL GREEK CUISINE SINCE 1973

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 31

BEHIND THE BAR CHESTER SIMPSON

MILES Chopra

Myles offers up a Ginger Byrrh. He is behind the bar Fridays through Tuesdays, 5:30 pm - close.

How did you get started bartending? When I came out of high school I started looking for a part time job. I found that I excelled at the fast paced atmosphere and got into a groove and found some people that I worked well with and we kind of hopped around Reston until we made our way into the city. Found my way behind a bar and I’ve been enjoying it since. What is your bartender pet peeve? Impatience. I sometimes have more to do than meets the eye and I’m trying to get to customers as fast as possible. I try not to leave people hanging, but it happens. I always try to recognize it and make up for it. What’s the best line somebody has used to get a free drink? I haven’t had anyone use any lines, per 32 | April 2014

to medical school with the owner of this place and the first thing they teach you in medical school is there’s a difference between men and women.” I apologized and tried again. As they got their entrees the fire alarm decided to go off. This man decided to stand next to the table and start a contest to see which could be more obnoxious— him or the alarm. Literally yelling in rhythm to the alarm. He then wanted his check and decided that snapping Tell us an interesting story. at me from across the dining room I had a gentleman and I assume his was an acceptable daughter, sitting at a way of expressing this table. I approached miles chopra request. As I handed the table and said, IS BEHIND THE BAR AT him the check he told “Hey guys how the bar at bastille me, “I’m not paying are you doing this 1201 N royal street that son,” and left. He evening?” The man old town alexandria immediately slams did stop at the door 703-519-3776 to turn around to give his fist down on the bastillerestaurant.COM me a $5 handshake table and says “I went se. But I have had people expect that the next one should have just been free. What’s the most memorable pickup line you’ve heard? I haven’t really been bartending long enough to have heard any great pick up lines but the latest and greatest has been someone who’s asked me my name and then said, “Damn, you look as good as your name.”

and then said something racist to one of our hosts and left. Who would you want to have a drink with and why? I would say Teddy Roosevelt for his absolute talent to drink me under the table as well as tell all those interesting stories. I’m sure over the years, with all the people he encountered and all the stories about the wild west to the presidency and everything beyond, he would have some good ones. I just think he’s probably one of my top three people of all time that I would like to have met and definitely the one that I would liked to have a drink with. If you would like to see your favorite mixologist featured here, send contact information to chester@chestersimpson. com. Old Town Crier

BITE!

GRABA

@societyfair

Coffee, Cakes, Cheese, Charcuterie, Breakfast Sandwiches & more! featuring signature

Thursday French Steak Night

Steak & Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ami Louis Potatoes, Salad, & Dessert!

Sunday Sparkling Brunch

Eggs Benedict, Beignets, Mimosas & more!

277 S washington st | alexandria, VA 703.683.3247 | Societyfair.net

taste original. try rye.

At Copper Fox we malt our own barley, gently kiln dry the grain with soft sweet apple wood and cherry wood smoke, and pot-still in small batches, one barrel at a time.

Sip it. Mix it. Love it.

DISTILLERY ENTERPRISES, L.L.C. SPERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA

Tours daily. Go to www.copperfox.biz

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 33

GALLERY BEAT FROM PG 14

her how honored I was that she was part of it. Manon died in 2011... I used to call her “Manoncita” or Little Manon, and after she died, it struck me as ironic to see that term of endearment applied to such a giant of an artist. Manon Cleary, Obsessive Observer: A New Perspective Through Her Photographic Studies at the Arts Club of Washington is one of the visual arts shows that showcases the immense artistic muscle of this late, vastly talented DC area artist. I say “one” because we will continue to hear about the great Manon Cleary for many more years to come, as her artistic footprint—already quite formidable while she was alive—is further cemented in the nation’s arts treasure chest. The exhibition, produced by her husband F. Steven Kijek, “explores for the first time Cleary’s use of photography in creating her paintings and works on paper. Within the arc of these works one can follow Cleary’s observation and exploration of composition, shadow and light in her photographs and her final works. Cleary, who passed away in 2011, was an acclaimed artist and was heavily involved in the DC arts scene for several decades.”

Cleary loved to discuss and talk about her work and she “explained that she worked primarily from photographs, stating that she used ’graphite or oils to produce works that are photographically convincing but not necessarily with fidelity to my photo sources. I would like the viewer to notice the unique interpretation—the “me”—I bring to my work.’ Cleary wrote in the early 1980s, ’abstraction of forms successfully freed me from reliance on photo images, with results being photographically convincing, but not photographically accurate.’ ” The Arts Club of Washington will host additional events open to the public to further explore the art of Manon Cleary. A symposium, “Between Painting and Photography: The Vision of Manon Cleary,” will be held on April 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Panelists will include Susan Hauptman, whose drawings are in numerous museum collections including those of the National Portrait Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Corcoran Gallery, Judy Greenberg, director of the Kreeger Museum, Jared Miller, a former student of Cleary’s, Jack Rasmussen, director and curator of the American University Museum at the Katzen

The exhibition runs through April 26 at the Arts Club of Washington’s galleries located at 2017 I Street, NW, Washington, D.C. My good friend, Dr. Jack Rasmussen, director and curator of the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, is the guest curator for the exhibition. This exhibition is the first to focus on the “artist’s use of photographic studies and provides fresh insight into Cleary’s creative process. The show presents works from the Estate of Manon Cleary, as well as a few private collectors, including selections from Cleary’s Mystery Series, Breathless Series, and graphite drawings, all to be displayed beside her photographic studies.”

34 | April 2014

Art Center, Eric Denker, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art, and Erich Keel, former head of education at the Kreeger Museum. A catalog produced for this exhibition features an essay by Stephen May, a frequent contributor to Art News and other publications. In addition, F. Steven Kijek will present an illustrated lecture on Manon Cleary’s life and art on April 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The Arts Club invites the academic community to use the exhibition for its fine art and art history students and plans additional opportunities for use by professors and students.

Old Town Crier

CHEF’S SPECIAL CHESTER SIMPSON

Sert Ruamthong

When did you first become interested Horseradish crusted salmon with in cooking? Why did you decide to lobster and leek champagne sauce. pursue a culinary career? I love food. Ever since I was little, What do you do to insure the quality I always enjoyed helping my mother of the food going out to customers? in the kitchen. That way, I inspect every dish I could taste the food. before it leaves the sert ruamthong My mother’s food was kitchen and I select IS THE executive chEF of the best. I studied at The locally grown food and the warehouse Culinary Institute of ingredients. bar & Grill America (CIA) which is 214 king STREET an American culinary If any chef in the world old town alexandria college located in Hyde could prepare you a meal, 703-683-6868 Park, New York. who would it be? Michel Roux, a Who has been the French-born chef and biggest inspiration for your career? restaurateur working in Britain. Nobuyuki ’Nobu’ Matsuhisa is a celebrity chef and restaurateur What is your guilty food pleasure? known for his fusion cuisine blending Korean Noodles—the kind that traditional Japanese dishes with South come in the package. American (Peruvian) ingredients. His signature dish is black cod in miso. If you would like to see your favorite What dish on the menu are you most curious to see how it is received by patrons?

chef featured here, send information to: chester@chestersimpson.com.

Chef Ruamthong presents fresh Maine Lobster Cobb Salad and Wasabi crusted Maryland Oysters.

Chef Ruamthong preparing the Fresh Maine Lobster Cobb Salad and Wasabi crusted Maryland Oysters.

Old Town Crier

April 2014 | 35

EXPLORING VIRGINIAWINES DOUG FABBIOLI

Here Comes the Sun!

t is about time that this warmer season finally decided to show up. It is still too early to see how this winter affected the vines. I know that there is plenty of water in the soil for the hay

growers and for the new vines that we—and many others— will be planting this spring. We are all hoping that once our little green buds have broken open in the vineyard, the killer frosts stay away until November. Last year’s

GREENHI LL W I N E RY & V I N E YA R D S

Our Hours:

Open Daily Noon until Sunset WWW.GREENHILLVINEYARDS.COM 23595 WINERY LANE MIDDLEBURG, VA 20117

36 | April 2014

frost hurt many vineyards in the industry and we all are looking for a strong and productive vintage. One thing is for sure, there will be more customers visiting more wineries this spring. There are even more wineries in Virginia than at this time last year and many of them are growing in volume. It was announced at the Virginia Governor’s Cup gala that Virginia wineries’ 530,000 cases of wine last year is a record number. To put that number in perspective, the winery where I worked in California (it was not Gallo) made 400,000 cases in 1995. Also the figure holds strong that of all the wine purchased in Virginia, about four percent is Virginia wine. We have great potential. We may be tied with Texas within the U.S., but we have a growing reputation for quality well

beyond our borders. Our continued growth will depend not on our marketing at this time, but on our farming and weather. There really is nothing much that we can do about the weather, just find new ways to protect our vines. That goes back to the farmer. As we are expanding our vineyard here on the estate, we purchased another Shurfarm frost protection machine. When we use it, this will remove the cold air from our vineyard on those cold, vulnerable nights. We also need to be ready for very dry periods, wet and disease filled years, high winds and hail. I have a feeling that Mother Nature may come up with some new weather phenomena to challenge us. We will face those too. I was fortunate enough to be chosen by the governor

to sit on the Virginia Wine Board. One of our tasks is to keep the success of our wine industry moving forward. This goal fits right in with what I have been talking about. We will need more vines planted and more people to plant them. As we grow I am always concerned about having enough people to do the work needed in the field and in the tasting room. We have been fortunate to address the challenges as needed, but now I need to think about these challenges on a state level. Well, I guess we are talking about repeatable models. I am looking forward to working with others in the industry to address the challenges and growing pains that are upon us. It is an honor to be chosen. I guess this means that the wine neighborhood I helped to build is getting a little bigger. Old Town Crier

VIRGINIA WINE Trail Profiles Bedford County Wine Trail bedfordwinetrail.com The Bedford Wine Trail in the Central Virginia region includes five vineyards and wineries surrounding Bedford. Blue Ridge Wine Way www.blueridgewineway.com The Blue Ridge Wine Way features eight wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains of the Northern Virginia region. Botetourt County Wine Trail botetourtwinetrail.com The Wine Trail of Botetourt Country features 3 wineries in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Eastern Shore Wine Trail esvatourism.org The Eastern Shore of Virginia Wine Trail hosts three wineries along the Land Between Two Waters. This area is a unique rural coastal environment. Hundreds of miles of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay shoreline provide a wealth of recreational opportunities for beachlovers, fishermen, and boaters in addition to wine lovers. Fauquier County Wine Trail fauquiertourism.com/wineries.html Fauquier County is home to 16 wineries and vineyards —each with its own unique flavors. Enjoy awardwinning Virginia wines, wine tastings and tours. Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail svwga.org The Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail is an association of six vineyards and wineries. Loudoun Wine Trail visitloudoun.org Loudoun’s Wine Trail in Northern Virginia takes you through Virginia’s hunt country to 23 participating wineries. Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail chesapeakebaywinetrail.com The Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail, in the Chesapeake Bay region, highlights six different wineries. Heart of Virginia Wine Trail www.hovawinetrail.com The Heart of Virginia Wine Trail in Central Virginia presents several events throughout the year at four wineries located in the central region of the state.

Tasting Room Hours - Open Year Round Thursday-Saturday, & Monday 11-5 pm • Sunday 12 pm (noon)- 5 pm

joinMention us for these specialthis events! aprila 19complimentary easter egg roll &tasting april 26for third corn12/23/2010 hole tournament or bring ad for twoannual through 10100 Three Fox Ln. • Delaplane, VA • 540-364-6073

Taste the Altitude! Climb the Mountain— Stone Mountain Vineyards

GOVERN2006 O GOLD MR’S CUP E WINNE DAL R

Blue Ridge Wine Trail blueridgewinetrail.com The Blue Ridge Wine Trail features five wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains all within minutes of the Blue Ridge Parkway. General’s Wine & History Trail thegeneralswinetrail.com In 2009, 10 wineries banded together to form a new type wine trail experience. The new wine trail experience was to tie our rich wine heritage with our rich historical heritage and thus the General’s Wine & History Trail was born.

Call: 434-990-WINE

Monticello Wine Trail monticellowinetrail.com The Monticello Wine Trail leads to 24 wineries from its hub in Charlottesville. Source: Virginia Wine Marketing Office

1376 Wyatt Mountain Road Dyke, Virginia 22935

www.StoneMountainVineyards.com

info@stonemountainvineyards.com

Town Crier Ad 1/4 page ad 6"w x 6.5"h 6/07

Visiting Virginia’s Wine Country

It’s always a good idea to call before visiting. Many Virginia wineries are small, familyowned operations and may be closed during the time you are planning to visit. If you are a group of eight or more, call ahead to help the winery prepare for your visit and to make sure they can accept groups. Most of our wineries have grape cluster highway signs within a ten-mile radius pointing the way to the winery. Many of these signs also tell you how many miles to go before reaching the winery.

Old Town Crier

A small, family winery focused on quality, sustainable farming and our community Visit us and other quality wineries on the Loudoun Wine Trail–www.loudounfarms.org Serving your local red wine needs since 2006 Open Daily 11am - 5pm Educational wine events

Fabbioli Cellars Douglas Fabbioli Colleen M. Berg 15669 Limestone School Rd Leesburg 703-771-1197 www.fabbioliwines.com

April 2014 | 37

GRAPEVINE NEIL WILLIAMSON

2014 GovernorsCup ’ images courtesy virginiawine.org

n energetic Virginia Governor Terry McAulliffe presided over the Virginia Wineries Association (VWA) annual gala. While Williamsburg Winery’s 2010 Adagio, a blended red wine, garnered the top award—the Governor’s Cup— nine other wineries contributed gold medal winning wines to round out the Governor’s case. The historic ball room of the John Marshall Hotel was converted into a high end Virginia wine tasting room featuring each of the gold medal winning wines being sampled by winemakers. Grapevine was privileged to garner an invitation to this private industry event. In his remarks at the event, Governor McAulliffe said, “It is no secret the Commonwealth’s wine 38 | April 2014

industry has experienced tremendous growth both in quantity and quality in recent years. Such growth has an enormous impact on Virginia in terms of economic development and job creation. The Virginia’s Governor’s Cup, now recognized as one of the nation’s most stringent competitions, helps raise awareness of the world class wines grown and blended right here in the Commonwealth”. Williamsburg Winery’s 2010 Adagio is a blend of 42% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 28% Petit Verdot. A true Virginia blend the Cabernet Franc was grown by Benevino Vineyards in Winchester, half of the Merlot was estate grown in Williamsburg with the other half grown by Breaux Vineyards in Purcellville, the Petit Verdot was 100% Williamsburg estate fruit. The wine is aged in French,

American and Hungarian oak barrels with 43% of the barrels being new oak. The newer oak provides strong tannic backbone to the wine while the older barrels (1, 2, and 3 year old) help round the tannins on the finish. Deep and dark in the glass, the 2010 Adagio has a nose filled with dark fruit. The attack highlights blackberry and blueberry notes. The mid-palate is most expansive with smooth tannins, molasses, dates and cinnamon. The finish lingers likely with a nutty undercurrent. This wine has matured nicely and has great flavor integration. According to Matthew Meyer, vice president and winemaker of the Williamsburg Winery, “Adagio, from the Italian ad agio, or ’at ease’, is a musical term indicating the tempo of a composition that is meant to be Old Town Crier

TheGovernor’s Case Williamsburg Winery 2010 Adagio Governor’s Cup Winner

Barboursville Vineyard 2008 Malvaxia Passito 2010 Nebbiolo Reserve 2010 Octagon Barren Ridge Vineyard 2009 Meritage Fabbioli Cellars 2011 Tannat Horton Vineyards 2010 Tannat

Matthew Meyer, Governor Terry McAuliffe, Patrick Duffeler II, Patrick Duffeler of Williamsburg Winery.

slow and stately, so named in honor of the extraordinary depth, elegance and grace of this wine.” With its jammy fruit and earthy undercurrents the 2010 Adagio is a very food friendly wine. Suggested pairings include hearty, savory flavored main dishes such as herb crusted rack of lamb or Angus tenderloin medallions with black truffles. Any wine made in 2008 or after and is from 100 percent Virginia fruit was eligible to be entered in the Governor’s Cup competition. In total 410 of the best Virginia wines were presented to a world class judging panel. After two rounds of judging over the course of 13 days, each wine receives a score. Jay Youmans, one of only 31 Masters of Wine (MW) in the United States, directed the competition. Youmans who is also a Certified Wine Educator and the owner of the Capital Wine School said, “The new format for the Virginia Governor’s Cup will make it one of the preeminent competitions in the U.S. today. It will become the benchmark with which all other wine shows will be measured, not simply because of the quality of the judges or the rigorous selection process, but because of the critical feedback given to each participating winery. The competition will send notice to the industry that Virginia is serious about producing high-quality wines”. Twenty wines earned scores resulting in Gold Medals. Nine of the twenty were from the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA) located around Charlottesville. Interestingly, many of the other Gold Medalists were either from Loudoun County or were made from grapes grown in Loudoun County. The 12 wines with the highest scores are identified as the Governor’s Cup Case® Old Town Crier

[including our friend and fellow Old Town Crier Columnist Doug Fabbioli]. The wine with the highest score is the 2014 Governor’s Cup Winner. The 2013 Governors Cup winner Barboursville Vineyards had three wines included in the Governors case. Our highlight was the 2010 Octagon - a Bordeaux style blend (60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot) that features interwoven ripe berries and earthiness. A touch tannic now it will age nicely over the next three to seven years. The aforementioned Doug Fabbioli was in great sprits at the Gala as his winery Fabbioli Cellars received two Gold Medals. Their 2011 Tannat is actually a blend of 76% Tannat, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. Deep and dark in the glass, the nose is complex with layered aromas of smoke, raspberry and spice. The expansive mid-palate exposes pomegranate, plum and vanilla. Orange County’s Horton Vineyards Gold Medal winning 2010 Tannat (100% Tannat) is a chewy full bodied earthy wine with dark stone fruit on the mid-palate. Aged in both new and neutral French barrels, winemaker Mike Heny has created a balanced wine with a strong tannic backbone and a long spicy finish. Winemaker Matthieu Finot has done it again as King Family Vineyards 2011 Meritage received a gold medal. For the third time in as many years, King Family Meritage is a part of the Governors Case®. The 2011 vintage includes 49% Merlot, 30% Petit Verdot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 6% Malbec. The nose is filled with cherry, blueberry and notes of cocoa. The Merlot contribution is evident on the nice round attack. The long vanilla accented finish includes a strong

photo: Jay Paul Photography

raspberry component With an even blend of 37.5% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the balance of Sunset Hills Vineyard 2010 Mosaic includes 18.75% Cabernet Franc and 6.25% Petit Verdot. The multilayered nose on this wine includes dark elements like, tar, tobacco and blackberry. The mid-palate is surprisingly fruity with licorice and smoke. Finish lingers nicely with elements of baked bread or toast. For the first time in this writer’s memory a new, yet to be opened winery has landed in the Governor’s Case. Two Twisted Posts Winery’s 2012 Chardonnay from Purcellville received the only white wine Gold medal in the competition. This full bodied Chardonnay was aged on the lees which help to absorb oxygen, assisting in maintaining a slow and controlled oxidation during maturation. In addition, the youth of the winery resulted in the use of 100% new oak barrels for aging adding an unexpected layer of rich complexity to the wine. Virginia wine is one of the most vibrant sectors of the state’s agricultural interests. In 1979, there were only six wineries in Virginia; today there are over 250. The Commonwealth boasts over 3,000 acres planted to wine grapes. As one who has been engaged in the industry for over a decade, I encourage everyone to “Discover their Local Crush” by visiting a Virginia winery and tasting the quality.

King Family Vineyards 2011 Meritage North Gate Vineyard 2011 Meritage Sunset Hills Vineyard 2010 Mosaic Two Twisted Post Winery 2012 Chardonnay

Neil Williamson is the chairman of The Virginia Wine Club Tasting Panel and the editor of The Virginia Wine Journal. He can be reached at trellisgroup@ earthlink.net.

April 2014 | 39

GO FISH STEVE CHACONAS

A Free On

friday

fter guiding full time for 15 years, some clients become very good friends. In February I lost one of those friends. Arvid Knutsen always made me laugh. Sometimes I would fall to the deck laughing so hard. His was a self-deprecating humor. Booking his first trip with me many years ago, he told me he had never caught a bass with a guide. He was willing to learn and researched me as the guy for the job. On our first trip Arvid did catch “a” fish. I could see that he had a long way to go and I told him I could see why he had never caught a bass with a guide. He said “Understood,” smiled and our friendship began. Fishing once or twice the first year, then eventually every Friday, we hit the water and had fun! He improved slowly, very slowly, but quickly I learned he was really out to enjoy himself. If he caught fish, so much the better. On days where I would have normally canceled due to poor conditions, Arvid would ask what he could expect to catch; I replied “One, if you are lucky!” He accepted the challenge and would catch one. And he would spend the day and months ahead quoting me, including my accurate prediction. Arvid was so excited about getting on the water; he would arrive at the dock in a total panic. Running late was routine. Tangled line and tackle started every trip. I would get him to a fishing spot and prepare his gear for the day. Often I would go to his house to organize his tackle as he kept bringing more and more gear onto the boat. Rain or shine, he even packed rain gear! I admired his stick to it attitude! No matter the weather, no matter how the fish were biting, he kept casting! We were together for the best fishing day I ever had, big ones and lots of them. I asked him to take a photo of me with my biggest that day. He obliged, however he cut the head and tail off the fish, including my

Bassing IN APRIL Potomac River

Big females are working their way to shallow spawning flats, constantly aware of water temperature changes. Warmer water into the mid to upper 60s and they move up to find beds by the end of the month. Cold snaps send them out to the first available cover or drop off! Use lipless crankbaits like a Lucky Craft LV-500 and LVR D-7. Slow retrieves with heavier LV-500 will dredge areas nearly void of emerging grass. Use with 12-14 pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line to keep the nose of the bait digging into the bottom. If there is grass, try the lighter and thinner LVR D-7. This bait can be easily snapped free from emerging grass and with a slight pause will drop! This is when most bites occur. In

40 | April 2014

head as well! After that, we both laughed every time we took photos. We were together on tough days too. Arvid found the positive light, knowing that guides work their butts off on tough days, remarking on what he learned that day and recalling successful past fishing trips. He gave me a promotion, calling me “Admiral.” I’ll miss that. He was the only one who could outtalk me on the boat for 8, 9, or 10 hours! Phone conversations crammed those hours into 30 minutes. Never a conversation went by without an update on his 3 wonderful kids. After meeting the 2 boys, Arvid emailed a photo of his beautiful daughter. She was so amazingly beautiful that I questioned his paternity, requesting a DNA test, to his belly laughter! This became a long running joke for us, as I could find a way to work this query into just about any conversation to catch him off guard. Every trip with Arvid was memorable! The trips weren’t all about him either; he was fascinated by my career travels, claiming to have learned more about me on every trip. We chatted about everything, finding we had entirely different views on everything. He liked Sammy Davis Jr.’s version of Mr. Bojangles. I preferred Jerry Jeff Walker. We did agree on politics. This winter he relied on me to drive him to doctor appointments. I was relatively free and it was fun hanging out with him. We had scheduled another chauffeuring appointment for February 14. When I told him that was Valentine’s Day, he told me he would get me a box of chocolates and some flowers. This season, while my schedule may fill in, my Fridays without him will be empty. Capt. Steve Chaconas is a Potomac bass fishing guide, and a BoatUS “Ask the Expert” (http:// my.boatus.com/askexperts/bassfishing/) Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. To book trips/ purchase gift certificates: info@NationalBass.com.

the early part of the month, try red or craw patterns. As water clears and around grass, chartreuse patterns work best especially on sunny days. Another sure-fire technique is the Carolina rig with ¾ oz. Round Valley Tungsten weights to allow better feel with more noise. Also smaller than lead counterparts they come through grass and cover better. Use Mann’s HardNose lizards soaked in garlic Jack’s Juice Bait Spray on a 3/0 Mustad Mega Bite hook tied to 12-pound test Edge with a Torque braid 30-pound test main line. Mizmo tubes with an insert head on spinning gear, 6-8 pound test line, can be skipped under docks and cast to just about any target. Try green pumpkin varieties, specifically River Craw with orange inside a green pumpkin body. On shallow cover, cast Mann’s Baby-X square bill cranks on 10-pound test GAMMA Copoly to tree laydowns and rock. Works better at high tides with fish pushing up to the bank. Crank to feel cover, then hesitate and twitch. A good cranking rod like the KVD at least 7 feet will cast these a mile!

Old Town Crier

FROM THE TRAINER RYAN UNVERZAGT

the renegade row

❶

❸

❷

pril is my favorite month for a number of reasons. My mom, grandma, aunt, uncle, a few close friends, and yours truly were all born this month which calls for many celebrations. April also means that spring is here! I don’t want to jinx anything, especially the way winter has misbehaved, but we should be able to count on more sunshine and warmer breezes. This is the perfect time to add a variety of outdoor activities to your fitness lifestyle. This month’s exercise is called the Renegade Row. This is an advanced exercise designed to improve core strength, however, it also challenges the shoulders and legs. I used a pair of kettlebells, but dumbbells work just fine. The start position is shown in Figure 1. Place the feet slightly wider than shoulderwidth apart, arms straight, palms facing each other, and kettlebells directly underneath the shoulders. The exercise

Old Town Crier

starts before you even lift anything from the floor. First, tighten up the abdominals and then shift your bodyweight onto the left hand. Next, lift the right kettlebell off the floor by pulling or “rowing” it to your side (Fig 2). This sounds easy enough but several things have to happen to keep this position. Balance will be a major issue if your feet aren’t set wide enough. Also, if your bodyweight isn’t shifted to the opposite arm, you might fall to the floor! Notice how the hips, abdominals, and chest are still facing the floor. It’s a common mistake to rotate the hips when trying to lift the kettlebell. If you find yourself doing this, the kettlebells are too heavy. Core strength is tested to the max because without it, the row part wouldn’t happen. Slowly lower the kettlebell to the floor while keeping your position, but don’t let it slam back down. This counts as one repetition. Perform

another row with the opposite arm (left in this example). The same things need to happen except this time shift your bodyweight to the right arm (Fig 3). Breathing is another important aspect to mention. Inhale before lifting the kettlebell, hold your breath

while lifting and lowering, exhale once you set it down on the floor. Try at least one set of ten reps to start, then progress to multiple sets of twenty reps with a thirty second rest break in between. Enjoy!

Unverzagt holds a BS in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He is an active member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA).

April 2014 | 41

Experience the Difference Lulu Sage–an upscale, comfortable salon, with an approachable environment for you to relax and be pampered. The Lulu Sage team is dedicated to the newest technology and latest innovative styling techniques that offer the highest quality hair, skin and nail services you deserve. CheCk our website for April speCiAls And Client referrAl progrAm

610 MADISON STREET, SUITE 100 OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 703.894.0709 LULUSAGESALONANDSPA.COM first time Clients reCeiVe 15% off serViCes!

Come be bLoWN aWay... “Fashion is seasonal. style is Forever. Bad hair is unacceptaBle.” -masoN shupe, oWNer bLoWN...the saLoN

hair Cuts meN & WomeN CoLor highLights (FuLL & partiaL) CoNditioNiNg treatmeNts

FITNESS NICOLE FLANAGAN

Spring Forward!

pring is finally here! At last we can enjoy the longer daylight hours and the warmer weather. It’s time to pack away those heavy winter jackets and pull out our warm weather wardrobes. This month is a good time to focus on stepping up your workout and getting the results you desire for summer. Changing seasons is a great time for a fresh twist on an old routine. This spring do something different with your workout. Head outside, get some fresh air and try some of these exercises to target your arms, abs and thighs. The best part about this workout is that there are no weights required so you can exercise any time anywhere!

shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold this position for 20-30 seconds. Relax for 10 seconds. Do a set of three planks. As you gain strength with this exercise hold it longer. • Oblique Crunch: kneel on the floor and lean all the way over to your right side, placing your right palm on the floor. Keeping your weight balanced, slowly extend your left leg and point your toes. Place your left hand behind your head, pointing your elbow toward the ceiling. Next lift your leg to hip height as you extend your arm toward your leg keeping your palm facing forward. Lower your leg to starting position. Do 8-10 repetitions and then switch sides.

Awesome Abs

Get a better butt in just a few minutes with these awesome exercises. • Squat Jump: Start standing with your knees slightly bent and your feet about hip width apart. Keeping your abs tight jump straight up. When you land sit back into a squat and hold for a count of 5. Keep in mind that when you squat your knees should not bend farther than your toes. From this squat position you will go into your next jump. Do ten consecutive jump squats and then rest. Do three sets.

Give your abs a killer workout in just fifteen minutes with these exercises. • Abdominal sit and hold: Start sitting on a chair and place your hands on the edge with your finger tips facing forward. Tighten your abs and lift your feet a few inches off the floor then lift your butt off the chair. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds and then relax. Rest for ten seconds and repeat. Do this for 2 minutes. • The plank: Start in full push-up position with your hands on the floor under your

Better Butt

FITNESS > PAGE 43

ask about our happy hour bLoWout speCiaL! appoiNtmeNts suggested WaLk-iNs WeLCome! 703-683-5555 WWW.bLoWNsaLoN.Com at the CorNer oF patriCk & kiNg streets iN oLd toWN aLexaNdria

1002 king street alexandria, va 22314 703.683.5555 www.blownsalon.com Blown Ad.indd 1

42 | April 2014

11/25/13 11:49 AM

Old Town Crier

FIRST BLUSH GENEVIEVE LEFRANC

That certain … je ne sais quoi

here are few cultures whose fairer sex garner more attention than the sexy, moody, natural nonchalance of French women. Perfectly imperfect locks; fresh, minimal makeup; luminescent skin; and an almost military-strict skin care routine that is as French as brie and Beaujolais all combine to create the alluring mystique of the femme fatale. It’s a disciplined lifestyle that fosters a beauty and style that is as coveted as it is timeless. Some say when French girls finally become teenagers they get their first visit to the dermatologist to learn how to properly care for their skin. But what are those of us to do who haven’t been blessed with a personal aesthetician since high school? If you haven’t before, you know you’re now wondering what they’re doing over there to get that certain … je ne sais quoi. Although every woman possesses a wealth of natural beauty and allure, it’s the combination of time-honored traditions, techniques, and rituals, along with that uniquely Gallic and enlightened attitude that make French women the envy of women worldwide. Read on to discover what it takes to steal the look of an entire sexy nation for yourself. Bon chance!

Adopt a Different Wrinkle Attitude Here in America we are quick to jump to extreme and invasive procedures like Botox or facelifts at the first sign of what we think of as imperfection. The French have adopted a much gentler and more FITNESS FROM PG 42

• Hip lift: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count, and then lower back down. Focus on pressing your heels into the ground and forming a straight line with your shoulders, hips and knees. • Toe touches: Lie on your back with your arms on your sides. Lift your feet, bending both knees Old Town Crier

therapeutic approach to caring for the delicate skin on your face, as well as a much more enlightened attitude when it comes to aging. Next time you apply your daily moisturizer, instead of slapping it on willy-nilly as you run out the door, take the time to sit back, relax, and give yourself a facial massage. Opt for a richer, more decadent face cream and work it into drained skin with a deep massaging motion. It’s like working out your body for more fit, firmer, toned muscles, but for your face! Start with kneading the heels of your palms along your jawline, up toward the ears, over the temples, and from the brows and hairline down to your nasal and sinus passages. You’ll glow and feel surprisingly refreshed— seriously! Short of slowing down and making facial care more of an enjoyable task, adopt the Gallic attitude that wrinkles are the mark of an experienced, worldly woman who lives life fully and has a deeper, more knowing attitude that speaks of experience.

beauty powers. It will clean your makeup brushes or remove a face full of product in a flash without the slightest hint of grease. For all your makeup removal needs, this is your new best friend.

Keep It Simple, Look to the Pharmacie

Mask It

This year Paris Fashion Week honored all of us drugstore junkies by utilizing the best of what French pharmacies have to offer. It’s worth doing a bit of research to see where you can find these gems, but if you do you’ll not only look great but feel très chic when you casually bust out these products in front of your girlfriends.

Homeoplasmine

If you’re the type that likes to go au naturale, give this homeopathic salve a try on chapped lips. It’s not at all greasy, so it’s perfect for layering pigment or product without worrying it will slide right off. Best part? The matte finish and the fact that it doubles as a healing ointment for itchy skin or those mysterious weekend scrapes (last Saturday night, anyone?).

Embryolisse

This is a French pharmacy allstar that works as both the perfect lightweight moisturizer and the ultimate go-to for creating dewy makeup looks on eyes and cheeks. Simply dab onto lids with your favorite powder product for an edgy glossy eye or feminine, glowing cheek.

This product is a repeat fashion week favorite for its all encompassing

The French are all about enjoying life’s little pleasures and hair and skin masks—equated with relaxation and indulgence— are no exception. Whether you find the ingredients in your fridge for a homemade concoction or try a store bought product, masks should be a part of every woman’s routine to hydrate and brighten skin and hair. True

to 90 degrees so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Now tap your toes on the floor alternating your feet. Do this for one minute. Tone your arms and shoulders with three simple steps. • Push-ups: Start in the full push-up position. Lower your body to the ground until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Watch your lower back and be sure to keep your abdominals tight to support your core. If full push-up are too difficult start with your knees on the floor.

• Chair dips: Sit on the edge of the chair with your feet together. Place your hands on the seat on either side of your thighs and keep your feet flat on the floor. Bend your elbows 90 degrees and lower yourself toward the floor. Raise your body by straightening your arms. Do 8-10 repetitions. • Opposite arm and leg lift: Begin on all fours, knees under hips, palms beneath shoulders, and abs engaged. Slowly extend left arm forward parallel to floor and right

Bioderma

to form, French women take this to a whole other level. Simply put, they grow up learning to mask at least a few times a week, and to make your own if you can’t afford to buy a commercial preparation. But unlike most French beauty rituals, this is no time to sit around. French women make the most of their time by wearing their masks during their morning coffee or while they tidy their flats. Try Caudalie (a French obsession) Moisturizing Cream Mask for a great dry-skin remedy or as a night cream for sensitive skin. Diminished pores, plumper complexion, et voila! Genevieve LeFranc holds a BA in writing, rhetoric and communication from James Madison University. She researches and writes about the beauty and fashion industries.

leg behind you to hip height. Hold for 2 or 3 counts, lower, and repeat on opposite side. Do 8 to 12 reps per side. Try adding these new exercises to your old routine for a change. The best part is that you can perform these exercises with very little or no equipment. Try adding these exercises either before or after an outdoor run or walk. Changing up your workout will make it more interesting, which will make you more likely to stick to it. April 2014 | 43

SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE PEGGIE ARVIDSON

hances are you have an Apollo Star or your life purpose on one or both of your Apollo (ring) fingers. It’s the most common purpose I see in my practice. It’s also one of the top three gift markings I, and many of my colleagues, see in our hand analysis businesses.

How to Identify the Apollo Star Check out the fleshy mount below your ring finger. Look for a series of lines shooting

Accessing Your Fame and Fortune out from a center location, forming an asterisk. If you have six or more lines forming this asterisk, you’ve got an Apollo star. Don’t have one on that mount? Look down further, still under the base of the ring finger and see if you have an asterisk below the heart line because that counts too. [Heart lines begin under the pinky and travel horizontally toward the thumb side of the hand.] Each has a slightly different meaning, but are real gifts that have been granted to you, to help you live your life with purpose.

interested in living your purpose at work & beyond? Check out PeggieArvidson.com where you’ll find: • Live and virtual workshops • Private coaching opportunities • Personalized hand analysis readings • And discounts on services for newsletter subscribers

For more information contact : Peggie@peggiearvidson.com 44 | April 2014

To keep things concise I won’t detail the identification of the Apollo purpose, but you have an Apollo life purpose if one of your highest ranking fingerprints are on one or both of your ring fingers. It would take more than 800 words to detail the fingerprint ranking system, so for now, let’s stick to the stars. We refer to the Apollo Star as “Fame in the Arts” or “The Artist” or “Creator” and all are accurate depictions of this gift. With an Apollo star you are called to a big spotlight and have a high need for creative expression. If you’re in denial of these attributes you’re cringing right now, shaking your head and insisting that you Do. Not. Have. A. Creative. Bone. In. Your. Body. … Mmmmmmmmkay. Look, if that’s where you are, I’m happy to meet you there. I won’t let you off the hook, but I’ll meet you on the hook and we can go from there to unearth your unique brand of creativity. If you have this gift you are the embodiment of the Creator Archetype and are called to create the world in which you wish to live. You’re also called to own your groove. Recognize that your style, your gift, your creative ways are not meant to please everyone, but they are meant to give you the outlet you need to get on with your life in a big and joyful way. Most of my clients have found themselves in the penalty or challenge phase of this gift and it feels crappy. When you’re in the penalty box you might feel: • that you have no talent whatsoever • that if you get on stage, paint the picture, sing the song or write that story the entire

world will laugh at you (or worse, ignore you) • that you have nothing new to offer • that you don’t belong Ugh! I hate this phase. What’s wild though, is that when you’re in the penalty phase you are probably getting a lot of attention. You know, when you spend the entire happy hour "entertaining" your pals with your latest drama, or when you always get stuck behind the slowest car on the road on your way to yoga so you have to come in late and tell the instructor how you’re so sorry to disrupt. Yep. That’s an Apollo star on the Grasshopper path. So how do you get out of the ugh and into the ahhh? The easiest path is the most simple. Create. Create where you are with what you have. It doesn’t have to be for public consumption (yet). It can be picking up an instrument that you’ve moved with you for three years but haven’t dusted off in 10. Or it could be coloring Easter Eggs with your nieces and nephews. Be willing to be a beginner and lean into creation today. See what comes out of this. (I’ll bet you’ll find creative solutions to some of the challenges that have seemed insurmountable!) From a practical perspective what does it mean to have an Apollo star? You must use this gift in order to feel fulfilled and satisfied. This doesn’t mean

you have to quit your job and join the Joffrey Ballet. It does mean you make time in your schedule to pursue and enjoy creative time. While you may work by day as a suit-wearing, bottom-line decision-maker, by night you can break out the crayons and doodle to your heart’s content. In addition, you can choose to accept the opportunities that come up for you to lead groups, get in front of the organization or simply share your creative problem-solving ideas. Put your creative side out into the world and watch the magic happen. Peggie Arvidson is the Money Mindset Coach for Healers. She helps healers charge what they’re worth and get it by helping them break the pattern of self-doubt so that they can attract their perfect clients. One of the hardest things for those in healing professions is to recognize the monetary value of the services they provide, so they can keep their businesses thriving and stop struggling to pay their bills. Peggie walks them through the five steps they’ll be able to apply, using their genuine strengths. to bring them a steady flow of perfect clients for their practice. You can learn more at GrowYourMoneyMojo.com Old Town Crier

SINGLE SPACE LORI WELCH

Say’Yes’ to the Dress

t’s on like Donkey Kong, folks. The Big ’W’ is officially less than six months away! Yes, that’s right! On September 13, XXL and I will profess our love to each other in front of God, family, friends, two wedding coordinators, two photographers, a DJ, a handful of caterers and maybe a harpist and a videographer or two. We are TBD on them. At this rate, we might as well throw in a therapist or two. Who knew that when I said, ’yes’ to XXL, I would also be signing up to say ’yes’ in front of an entourage of wedding professionals. Seriously, I’ve heard of some of the popular wedding shows on cable, I knew weddings are a bazillion dollar industry (right behind gourmet pet treats), and I’m aware that the term ’bridezilla’ isn’t an urban myth. None of that knowledge, however, prepared me for the barrage of information and number of decisions required of me. If only it were as simple as saying ’yes’ to the dress—which, by the way, is not that simple. I really had no clue. Not unlike most women, I had ohhh’d and ahhh’d over a few wedding dress pictures that might have slipped into my Cosmopolitan or Vanity Fair over the years. One or two may have even ended up on a vision board at some point. Why yes, even Single Space girl fantasized about finding her ideal mate (notice I didn’t say ’perfect’). Anyhow, let me start by saying that I’ve lived in the Alexandria area for 20+ years, and I had no idea the number of bridal boutiques there were within a five mile radius of my home. Holy Mother of God. Don’t laugh, but I was so clueless about the process that I had no idea that they weren’t like Nordstrom— you actually have to call and make an appointment to be seen. I wasn’t clueing into my friend Kim’s subtle clues about ’planning’ our wedding dress shopping time. I was proud of myself because I had actually googled a handful of dress shops in the area the day before Kim and I were going to venture out into the world of Old Town Crier

bridal gowns. “So, what time are we supposed to be at the first place?,” asks Kim. “Huh? I guess whenever we finish our Bloody Marys.” Beeeeeppppp … Wrong Answer. I frantically started calling all the shops to arrange appointment times. Again, I found myself flunking Bridal 101. I am such a rookie, and the embarrassing part is that it’s not like I’m 19 and flunking— I’m 40 something! I made it through the first round of dress shopping (yes— there was more than one), fairly unscathed. Although, let’s just say I immediately went to Target and purchased a set of 8 lb. weights. Hello, arm jiggle. After an exhausting day of tulle tryouts, with Kim’s help, I narrowed my selections down to two dresses at two different stores. I never thought I’d be that girl, but I did find myself caught up in the race to find the ’perfect’ dress. There are some beautiful dresses out there so it’s hard to choose. There are also some really, really expensive dresses out there (as well as hideous), and I can see how a Bride-to-Be (B2B) could get sucked into the evil vortex of “more expensive = more beautiful.” I recently caught my first ever episode of Say Yes to the Dress where a young B2B cajoled her (apparently wealthy) Mom into bankrolling a $34,000 dress. Trust that I am never going to be that girl. In a perfect world (no such thing), it is her Big Day, the day she’s dreamed of her entire life, but reel it in, people! For the record, I was never that girl. I didn’t start subscribing to Modern Bride at the age of 12. Don’t laugh as I’m sure you and I both know that girl. I have to say that the women that work in these boutiques, for the most part, are amazing. They know their stuff and they can dive into mountains of chiffon and tulle (that looks the same to the untrained eye) at the speed of light and pull out two or three dresses that are spectacular for your body. It’s an astounding feat. Wedding Dress Fitting should

probably be an Olympic sport. And, it’s pretty competitive. It would be a blast to watch. Even a seasoned competitor could injure herself stepping into a dress with a 40’ circumference, weighing in at 30 lbs. I digress. I was really liking Dress #2, but Kim was head over heels with Dress #1. She went home and emailed me pictures of the dress she had found online, and it was ethereal. I felt like a princess in that dress, but I was leaning toward Dress #2 which I felt was more ’me’. In the days between Round One and Round Two, I went online, and there’s where the trouble really started. Google images and Pinterest are a rabbit hole for anyone, but a serious danger for any struggling B2B. Holy Guacamole. I did a search for Dress #2, which was a mistake because what pops up? A B2B in Texas had a brand new one in my size that she had purchased and wanted to sell. She had bought it for her big day and found another dress she liked better. Yes, that’s right. She now had two gowns which apparently is a pretty common pitfall. B2Bs find their dream dress and then keep looking. Huge mistake. Before you get all judgy-judgy, let me just say that I can relate. You find the awesome dress and then you go home and continue your planning which means looking at images of cakes, flowers, décor, etc., and what is next to all those images? Beautiful brides wearing beautiful dresses—dresses

that may be more beautiful than yours. Curiosity kicks in and you find yourself googling that dress and now you’re on some designer’s website and—lo’ and behold— there’s a trunk show this coming weekend in your zip code and these fabulous one-of-a-kind dresses will be just miles away. And— here’s the kicker—they’ll be marked down 15 percent! Oh, the agony! Armed with the info that I could now buy Dress #2 online for half the price, I set out for Round Two accompanied by two more sets of eyes and two brains that weren’t muddled by bridal magazines and Pinterest images: my niece, Mandy, and my dear friend, Peggy. We did a revisit to Dress #1, circled back to Dress #2, and added a yet unchartered dress shop to the mix . This, of course, only added to the confusion. And when we circled back to see Dress #2, the shop owner whipped out a couple of new arrivals that totally sent my B2B brain spinning. As you’d expect, they were fabulous and amazing and so I had to try them on. I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret—I loved every minute of trying on all of them. I felt like a princess, a queen, a movie star and a Victoria’s Secret model all rolled into one. Even though I have a beautiful engagement ring, and XXL and I had signed the contract for the venue, I don’t think it actually hit me that I was getting married until I stood up on that pedestal surrounded by 832 yards of white fluff and saw myself in the mirror. When I put on the perfect dress (which was not Dress #2), I teared up and said, “yes.” If you would like to comment or suggest a subject for Single Space column, contact me at mysinglespace@aol.com February 2014 | 45

A S

M F

S F

appy Easter! This month we are highlighting one of my very favorite Easter By Lani Gering candies— PEEPS. These marshmallow chicks and bunnies have been staples in almost every Easter basket I have ever had in my 60 years of life. In fact, I can’t remember an Easter without a Peep involved in one way or another. I very clearly remember the Put the Peep in the Microwave trick that was popular with the invention of said kitchen appliance. Not sure who the genius was that decided it was a good idea to put one of those squishy delights in a microwave, but I’m glad they did. My mother, on the other hand, didn’t see the humor in it!

A Bit of History*

Few products have achieved the iconic status of PEEPS®, the yellow, chick-shaped marshmallow confection beloved by children and adults alike. But, as popular as PEEPS® has become, it is only one of the many delicious products produced by Just Born, an 87-yearold, family-owned confectionery company based in Bethlehem,

C S

hot in the harbor PEeps and company 150 National Plaza national Harbor, md 301-749-5791 peepsandcompany.com

WATERFRONT DINING

NationalHarbor.com

1-877-NATLHBR

PEEPS are Popping Out All Over!

Pennsylvania. The Just Born candy tradition actually began in 1910 when Sam Born emigrated to the U.S. from Russia. A candy maker by trade, Born used innovative technology to produce chocolate sprinkles, known as Jimmies, and the hard

made candy with a sign that declared, “Just Born.” Not long after opening the Brooklyn store, Born invited his brothers-in-law, Irv and Jack Shaffer, to join him in the business. The company thrived in spite of the economic depression of the 1930s and, in 1932, moved its operations to an empty printing factory in Bethlehem, Pa. The company continued to grow, aided by several key acquisitions. In 1935, Just Born acquired the prestigious Maillard Corporation, well known for elegant handdecorated chocolates, crystallized fruits, Venetian mints, jellies and “the best bridge mix in the country.” In 1953, Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company of Lancaster, PA. Although Rodda was best known for its jelly beans, it also made a small line of marshmallow products that included a popular Easter´ Peep that was made by laboriously handsqueezing marshmallow through pastry tubes. Sam Born’s son, Bob, who had joined the company in 1946, helped mechanize the marshmallow forming process and Just Born has become the world’s largest manufacturer of novelty marshmallow treats. Other popular products have been introduced over the years; including MIKE AND IKE® chewy fruit flavored candies in 1940, spicy, cinnamon-flavored HOT TAMALES®

chocolate coating for ice cream bars. In 1916, Born invented a machine that mechanically inserted sticks into lollipops. In 1923, Born opened a small candy-making and retail store in Brooklyn, New York. He marketed the freshness of his line of daily-

*This information is taken from the Just Born website. For more information about all of the products and online ordering log on to justborn.com.

46 | March 2014

Old Town Crier

C S

A S

D S

W S

Loc Riv Wil from and Ale Mt. from

FAC

hot in the harbor, cont. in 1950, TEENEE BEANEE® gourmet jelly beans in 1977, and sour ZOURS® in 1999. Under the current leadership of Co-CEO’s Ross Born and David Shaffer, Just Born acquired Goldenberg Candy Company, makers of PEANUT CHEWS® and CHEWETS®, in 2003. Today, Just Born products are exported to many world markets and the candy is available to more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. In 2009, Just Born opened its first retail store here in National Harbor. We were fortunate enough to be included in the grand opening ceremonies and it was a lot of fun. You can’t miss the store since the PEEPmobile is usually parked right out front. It is the anchor retail store on the waterfront right at the bottom of the stairs leading to the water. The store is located at

the very center of National Harbor’s main plaza at a converging point for residents and visitors arriving by bus, car, and the water taxi, which docks at the pier near the front of the store. I had the pleasure of touring the PEEPS & COMPANY® factory in Bethlehem as part of a tourism meeting a couple of years ago. It really is quite the operation. It is amazing how they generate all of the fun “stuff ” and worth the tour if you are in the area. The local store prides itself in being “a fun, energy filled retail experience appealing to all five senses. Shoppers of all ages will be entertained by captivating music, lights, interactive displays, and videos featuring historic and present day elements of all their favorite Just Born brands.” In addition to great tasting candy, my favorites are Mike & Ike, PEEPS & COMPANY® offers an array of high-quality branded items such as apparel, accessories and gifts. Do yourself a favor and visit the store here in the Harbor and stock up on everything you need for those Easter baskets you are putting together! graphic courtesy of Just Born. Inc.

CRAB&BEER MENU $5 oFF

CoME tRy oUR NEw CRAB & BEER PAIRINGS! Yuengling & Mini Crab Cake Sliders Blue Moon & Spicy Crab Roll Fat Tire & Crab Dip Heineken & Crab Fritters Peanut Butter Porter & Open Faced Crab Melt

301.839.0815 mcloonespierhousenh.com 141 National Plaza • National Harbor, MD

NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE AROMA D’ITALI 156 National Plaza 301-839-3492 BAJA FRESH MEXICAN 186 Waterfront Street 301-839-1377

Opens April 1st

BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445 CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet St. 301-839-1100 cadillacranchgroup.com All-American cuisine ELEVATION BURGER 108 Waterfront Street 301-749-4014 FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE 152 National Plaza 301-839-1811 GRACE’S MANDARIN 188 Waterfront Street 301-839-3788 Harrington’s Pub and Kitchen 177 Fleet Street 301-909-2505 harringtonspubandkitchen.com Enjoy traditional Irish fare and more! McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224

Old Town Crier

wHen YO BRing in THiS aD u !

McLOONE’S PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 mcloonespierhousenh.com NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Hotel 301-965-4000 OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE Gaylord Hotel 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com PIENZA ITALIAN MARKET Gaylord Hotel 301-965-4000 POTBELLY SANDWICH WORKS 146 National Plaza 301-686-1160 PUBLIC HOUSE 199 Fleet Street 240-493-6120 publichousenationalharbor.com Whether it’s lunch, happy hour, dinner or a late night party, we can meet your needs. ROSA MEXICANA 135 Waterfront Street 301-567-1005 SAUCIETY AMERICAN GRILL 171 Waterfront Street 240-766-3640 THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022

March 2014 | 47

spring

into

Easter

GAYLORD NATIONAL RESORT B

f eaturing

Springtime has never been sweeter at Gaylord National Resort as we partner with PEEPS & COMPANY® to create a magnitude of one-of-a-kind events PEEPS ® Easter Event Package – April 5th & 19th

The perfect getaway includes $50 resort credit, Easter egg hunt, PEEPS® craft activity and much more!

PEEPS ® Pursuit Scavenger Hunt – April 1st to 20th

Search high and low throughout our garden atrium for plush PEEPS® chicks that are hidden in this free scavenger hunt. Find them all and win a free treat from the PEEPS & COMPANY® store in National Harbor and be entered to win a giant PEEPS® plush! v “PEEP icures” at Relache Spa – April 5th, 6th, 19th & 20th -

Add a little sparkle for the little ones looking to be pampered with a Princess Manicure or Pedicure as they choose from an assortment of PEEPS® sparkling, candy-scented nail polish. Experience includes a special PEEPS® nail polish kit.

Pienza Easter Brunch – April 20th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Enjoy brunch favorites like fresh-baked pastries, a made-to-order omelet station, a seafood bar, and more in the lush gardens of our hotel. Little ones will delight in a special appearance from PEEP®, the beloved character from PEEPS & COMPANY®.

Win big with our “PEEP-tastic” Giveaway! “Like” us on Facebook and enter to win a luxurious getaway in an executive suite on April 19th, a giant PEEPS® Easter Basket, Easter brunch and more!*

GaylordNational.com

Visit or call (301) 965-4000 for more information.

Located just minutes from downtown Washington, D.C. and Old Town Alexandria in the heart of National Harbor, Maryland – the capital region’s most exciting waterfront entertainment destination. *Restrictions apply. See our Facebook page for details. Unless noted

GN14MK015[ad]OldTownCrier_PeepsEaster.indd 1

48 | March 2014

3/24/14 2:52 PM

Old Town Crier

A cut above.

For the most discerning. For those who refuse to compromise. These are the exquisite new townhomes at Potomac Yard. Gourmet inspired kitchens. Luxurious master bedroom suites. Highest quality finishes. Elegant design.

Potomac Yard. Metro DC’s most desirable place to call home. It’s The Place-To-Be.

Phone (866) 711-6237 • 2400 main line BouleVaRd, alexandRia, ViRginia 22301 • Pulte.com/PotomacYaRd Residences Range fRom 1,500–4,200 sq. ft. & PRiced fRom the $600s to $1 million Plus. Prices listed are base prices, do not include lot premiums or options, and are subject to change without notice. Square footage shown is approximate. Please see a sales consultant for details. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required or if void by law. Equal Housing Opportunity. MHBR #516. © 2014 Pulte Home Corporation. All rights reserved.