Since 1988 • Priceless
From the Bay to the Blue Ridge
April 2018
Road Trip
SPRINGTIME COMES TO CULPEPER, VA Personality Profile
MR. JON PETERSON Father, Philanthropist & CEO Business Profile
MAURICE BRETON King Of Comfort...One Shoes! Dining Out
TEMPO RESTAURANT Upscale Northern Italian & French Cuisine
ACROSS THE RIVER National Harbor Celebrates 10 Years!
april’18 A Division of Crier Media Group OTC Media LLC PO Box 320386 Alexandria, VA 22320 703. 836. 0132 office@oldtowncrier.com oldtowncrier.com Published the first week of every month. Worth waiting for! PUBLISHER Bob Tagert MARKETING & ADVERTISING Lani Gering Bob Tagert SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Ashley Schultz DESIGN & PRODUCTION Electronic Ink 9 Royal Street, SE Leesburg, VA 20175 703. 669. 5502 Peggie Arvidson Nancy Bauer Sarah Becker F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Sherrie Cunningham Victoria Elliott Doug Fabbioli Nicole Flanagan Lani Gering Frances Killpatrick Miriam Kramer Genevieve LeFranc
CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Liu Jeff McCord Melinda Myers Ron Powers Kim Putens Julie Reardon Ashley Schultz Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lori Welch Brown Molly Winans
© 2018 Crier Media Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The Old Town Crier is published monthly and distributed to select Alexandria residents, hotels, restaurants and retail shops. Also distributed in the Annapolis, Fredericksburg, Blue Ridge and Washington, DC areas and St. John, USVI.
Since 1988 • Priceless
18
28
48
A Bit of History............................................................. 16
First Blush.........................................................................43
Personality Profile.............................................................4
After Hours.......................................................................11
Fitness................................................................................41
Pets of the Month.........................................................19
Alexandria Events............................................................ 3
From the Bay….............................................................22
Points on Pets.................................................................18
April Showers Bring May Flowers..........................15
From the Trainer............................................................42
Arts & Antiques..............................................................13
Gallery Beat.....................................................................12
Behind the Bar................................................................32
Go Fish...............................................................................45
Business Profile................................................................. 6
Grapevine.........................................................................38
Caribbean Connection...............................................20
High Notes.......................................................................10
Dining Guide...................................................................36
Masters of Cuisine.........................................................34
Dining Out.......................................................................31
National Harbor.............................................................47
To the Blue Ridge..........................................................26
Exploring Virginia Wines............................................39
On the Road with OTC................................................... 1
Urban Garden.................................................................14
Financial Focus.................................................................. 5
Open Space.....................................................................46
Virginia Wine Trail Profiles .........................................40
Publisher’s Notes.............................................................. 2 Road Trip...........................................................................28 Social Media Message....................................................2 Spiritual Renaissance...................................................44 The Last Word.................................................................... 9
From the Bay to the Blue Ridge
April 2018
Road Trip
SPRINGTIME COMES TO CULPEPER, VA Personality Profile
MR. JON PETERSON Father, Philanthropist & CEO Business Profile
MAURICE BRETON King Of Comfort...One Shoes! Dining Out
TEMPO RESTAURANT Upscale Northern Italian & French Cuisine
ACROSS THE RIVER National Harbor Celebrates 10 Years!
about the cover "April Showers...." - photo by @srbart
on the road with OTC On a whirlwind trek sponsored by Old Town Alexandria Eagles Club #871 to sunny Key West, Florida in dreary January, several local Alexandrian's had a fantastic time and entertaining themselves with the January OTC as well as seeing local musician Oren Polak perform at a favorite Key West watering hole. Top: John Pann, Oren Polak and Allen Flanagan at Irish Kevins. Left: Abigail Hopkins and John Pann made it a point to check out the southern most point in the USA and the Zero Mile Marker.
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 1
PUBLISHER’S NOTES
After three to four inches of snow on the first day of spring, the temperatures are now continuing to rise each day. Pastures are beginning to green up, flowers are beginning to bloom and the buds of the trees are showing. The Cherry Blossoms along the tidal basin will, hopefully, be at peak bloom between April 8th and 12th. If you have been gripped by cabin fever, April is a great time to head out on a road trip or a visit to some of Virginia’s finest wineries. This month’s Road Trip takes us to the classic little town of Culpeper and deeper into the mountains. The Grapevine tells us about the fine wineries of Fauquier County and how to spend three days sipping wine and dining out. The Business Profile tells of Maurice Breton’s triumphant return to Old Town and we had the pleasure of interviewing Jon Peterson, the recently promoted CEO of Peterson Companies for our Personality Profile. Lori Welch has another compelling Open Space column as well.
BOB TAGERT
On a sad note, Old Town lost one of its restaurant pioneers…Pat Troy. Pat was an institution in Alexandria and founded the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Pat passed away at age 78. His friend PJ Dougherty sent me the following: Pat was proud of his Irish heritage and never lost the tongue or spirit of the Emerald Isle. He was also grateful to his adopted homeland, like many an Irish emigrant, and actively supported all those who serve others, particularly members of the military. Every Saturday night at Ireland’s Own he would lead patrons in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and signing the Star Spangled Banner. He hosted many a patron, visitors, regulars and celebrities, including President Ronald Reagan on a St. Patrick’s Day in 1985. He was a lifetime member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and founder of the HerbertCady Division located at St. Mary’s Basilica, where he was a parishioner. An ending of a different sort, after 46 years Geranio Restaurant has closed. Owner
SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE
and chef Troy Clayton has moved on but luckily for us, not too far. This spring he will open a new restaurant at Occoquan Harbour Marina. Watch for details in this publication when he is fully up and running. I must give a shout out to the Alexandria Police Department. They came to my rescue. During last months delivery I left the tailgate of my pickup down as I left Ramparts Restaurant in Fairlington and by the time I got back to Old Town there were only three bundles (40 papers to a bundle) of the 20 left in the back of the truck. At 9 pm I retraced my route and found papers at the intersection of King and West Streets. I picked them up and continued to where I found the majority at the intersection of Braddock Road and Valley Drive. There were papers everywhere with traffic working their way over and around the mishap. Alexandria officers were already on the scene. They shut down Braddock Road to one lane and sealed off Valley Drive and then began to help
me reload the truck. It took the 7 officers and myself about 40 minutes to get them all picked up. The lady and gentlemen were very helpful and kind to me, although I am sure, a little miffed. I sincerely appreciate their contributions to our community and to me. Thanks!
Even though this issue will only have been on the streets a few days before the 1st, let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Easter!
ASHLEY SCHULTZ
#DeleteFacebook and Cambridge Analytica
C
ambridge Analytica, a datamining firm with ties to the Trump Campaign, is accused of purchasing personal information on millions of Facebook users, which was requested by University of Cambridge psychology professor, Aleksandr Kogan. Kogan was allowed permission to collect data from 270,000 people who filled out his personality survey through an app called, “thisisyourdigitallife.” This survey also collected data from the 270,000’s entire network of Facebook friends, which totaled around 50 million people. Facebook does not allow selling of data to a commercial entity, like Cambridge Analytica, which used the data to target political messages. Since this was discovered, both Cambridge Analytica and Kogan have been banned 2 | April 2018
amounts of data prior to the company’s data-sharing rule changes and would complete a full audit of apps with “suspicious activity.” Until then, Gennie Gebhart, a researcher for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, offers some suggestions on protecting your data as much as possible.
from Facebook. Karen North, a professor of digital social media for USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism stated, “People now feel that they were being spied on, and that their data and their privacy was breached without their consent.” Hence, the #DeleteFacebook has become the newest viral hashtag. Yet, what a lot of people don’t understand is that
just deleting Facebook won’t solve the problem. You would also have to delete your third-party apps that have already and are going to collect your information and possibly share your data. Facebook is working on trying to change their settings, in a statement from Mark Zuckerberg, he outlined the steps the company would take to boost enforcement, including an investigation into apps that had access to large
• Unfriend people you don’t know or barely speak to. • Be aware of what is publicly available from your profile. • Review which apps have access to your data. • Lie-or at least limit what you share about yourself. All in all, there will always be security measures you will need to take to protect your data in this large vast world of digital technology. Old Town Crier
Alexandria APRIL TOURS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS
APRIL MAIN ATTRACTIONS
85TH ANNUAL ALEXANDRIA HISTORIC HOMES & GARDEN TOUR April 21, 2018 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $45 in advance; $55 day of; $25 for single-site admission Various locations throughout Old Town Alexandria 703-838-5005 www.VAGardenWeek.org On April 21st, five of Old Town Alexandria’s finest private homes and gardens will open to the public as part of the 85th Historic Garden Week, the oldest and largest house and garden tour in the nation. The homes will feature beautiful flower arrangements created by the members of the Garden Club of Alexandria and The Hunting Creek Garden Club, which are sponsoring the tour, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A Marketplace at The Athenaeum, boutique shopping, and fine dining are just steps away. In addition, the tour ticket allows
access to two Garden Club of Virginia restoration projects, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Green Spring Gardens, in addition to other local properties of historic interest.
34TH ANNUAL GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKWAY CLASSIC 10 MILE, 5K AND KIDS DASH April 22, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. Admission: $10-$80 Old Town Alexandria; starting places vary www.visitalexandriava.com/ parkwayclassic The George Washington Parkway Classic is Alexandria’s hometown race, and so much more, with the Parkway route connecting two of the area’s most historic spots. The starting gun (sadly, there is no musket) fires steps from the picturesque George Washington’s Mount Vernon. From there, you’ll travel down the tree-lined George Washington Memorial Parkway to another area associated with Washington, charming Old Town Alexandria. In addition to the 10 mile distance, a 5K and kids dash
are available. The George Washington Parkway Classic supports the Boys and Girls Club of Alexandria and has been voted a favorite spring race by RunWashington Magazine. Join Pacers Running for the 34th Annual George Washington Parkway Classic!
MORE SPRING EVENTS & TOURS: THROUGH THE 29TH SPRING PERFORMANCES AT METROSTAGE: CELEBRATING WORK BY WOMEN, ABOUT WOMEN, AND STARRING WOMEN Various times Admission: $45 MetroStage 1201 N. Royal St. 703-548-9044 www.metrostage.org MetroStage will feature two performances this spring celebrating
work by women, about women, and starring women. From March 8-25, 2018, George…Don’t Do That! is a musical entertainment celebrating the wit and wisdom of one of Britain’s most beloved comediennes. From April 1329, 2018, I Did It My Way in Yiddish (in English) features the internationally acclaimed Jewish comic, musician and writer Deb Filler. A brilliant storyteller, she has charmed audiences world-wide with her smash hit.
Highland Divas. Two from Scotland, and one from New Zealand. Three women with diverse musical backgrounds and a common heritage. These uniquely talented artists will take you on a musical journey that spans the folk music of Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand and culminates in the soaring heights of Rock Opera. A journey from the most achingly spare Celtic ballads to the most thrilling, harmonized interpretations of Popular & Classical Music.
APRIL 3RD
APRIL 7TH
SISTER CITY CONCERT: CRAIG WEIR, SCOTTISH BAGPIPER AND THE HIGHLAND DIVAS
THE “GRANDEST CONGRESS”: THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR IN ALEXANDRIA
7:00 -9:00 p.m. Admission: Free The Lyceum 201 S. Washington St. 703-746-4994 shop.alexandriava.gov
12 noon-4:00 p.m. Admission: Free Carlyle House Historic Park 121 N. Fairfax St. 703-549-2997 www.carlylehouse.org
Craig Weir has performed for the Queen, the Dalai Lama, Princess Anne, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Gordon Brown. At the Commonwealth Games, his version of Flower of Scotland played around the world every time Scotland won a gold medal! Craig has played in Ireland, Switzerland, China, Belgium, the Faroe Islands, Germany, the U.S., France Italy, Cyprus, and Iceland. Craig has received numerous awards including a Dundee Hero Award for Performer of the Year, an Angus Cultural Ambassadors Award for his band Gleadhraich, and the Creative Scotland Arts Award at the Young Scot Awards. Craig was also honored with the title of Global Ambassador to the World Peace Tartan. Georgia, Margaret & Marla are The
Visitors are invited to step back in time at Carlyle House and experience Braddock’s visit and the French and Indian War firsthand through costumed interpreters. Imagine, it’s the spring of 1755. Major General Edward Braddock, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s Forces in North America, landed in Alexandria on March 26th to assume command of all North American military forces. He lodged at the grandest dwelling in town, Carlyle House. While staying at Carlyle House, Braddock convened a meeting of five colonial governors. Among Braddock’s objectives was to secure funding for his upcoming campaign against the ALEXANDRIA CALENDAR> PAGE 8
SPRING FUN & THINGS TO DO IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN: 1. Check out VisitAlexandriaVA.com/Spring 2. Stay tuned to the Extra Alex blog at Blog.VisitAlexandriaVA.com 3. Sign up for the Alexandria Insider monthly e-newsletter at VisitAlexandriaVA.com/eNews
VisitAlexandriaVA.com/Spring #ExtraordinaryALX | Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 3
PERSONALITY PROFILE
FRANCES KILLPATRICK
“Call Me Jon” Peterson
J
on Peterson was recently named CEO of Peterson Companies - now one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the Washington, D.C. area. In addition to National Harbor, their developments include Fairfax Corner, Fair Lakes, Virginia Gateway, Downtown Silver Spring, Burke Center, and Tysons McLean Office Park. Milton Peterson, “Milt”, Jon’s father, founded Peterson Companies 52 years ago and Jon, two of his brothers and his sister have long been a part of the organization. The National Harbor development is one of Milt’s pet projects and Jon is carrying on the dream. While Milt passed the baton to Jon earlier this spring, he said, with a smile, “Retired is not the word for my dad. He is doing what he wants to do when he wants to do it and leaving the rest to me.” He acknowledges that his father has been a great mentor. National Harbor is celebrating a landmark birthday this year. The now familiar sight on the Maryland shore is ten years old this month. The Old Town Crier thought it only fitting to profile the man that has taken over the reins. Interviewed in the offices at National Harbor - with their spectacular views of the river, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and the impressive Capital Wheel (which is fantastically lit at night), with water taxis taking people back and forth between Old Town, the DC Wharf and the Harbor in the background - Peterson spoke of his vision for National Harbor in the next ten years. “Not many people have had 4 | April 2018
so much success in so few years,” said Jon, “There were a lot of non-believers in the beginning. We had to start everything ourselves from the bottom up – the hotels, restaurants, and retail as well as the residential.” “One of our challenges,” he said, “is that some people who don’t like gaming – and that’s just fine- think the MGM Casino is in downtown National Harbor. They are a mile apart and totally separate.” One of their goals is to educate people that “National Harbor” is more than just the resort area that encompasses the waterfront from the carousel to the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center. “We consider ourselves an adventurous family - we would have to be to do what we do,” Milt told me when I interviewed him six years ago. Jon added to that during this interview, “But we don’t rush into anything.” “We still have a lot of land for development,” Jon said. “In fact, some of our best real estate is yet to be developed, including the water front area north of the Gaylord Resort.” That said, National Harbor is expanding. A five-story medical office building that will complement the medical facilities already available is already under construction. Additional residential projects are going up on an ongoing basis. He tells me that they are planning another hotel or two and are looking into some new entertainment venues Top Golf will be opening in the very near future. Admit it, it’s intriguing to know what kind of person can stay calm and deal with
millions of dollars every day and even say he often finds his job “fun”. Jon is one of those people. He’s good-looking, fit and with a “Call me Jon” personality. He has been “involved in all aspects of the build-to-suit, purchase and acquisition, sale, leasing and financing of commercial properties” to quote a press release. He also has a very active personal life. “My family is everything” he said, in a previous interview. He and Anne have three grown sons, Chris and Tim out on their own and Nick is a senior at Middlebury College and a member of the lacrosse team where an injury is keeping him on the sidelines for now. Still, Jon goes to every game, a situation any lacrosse parent will understand. Lacrosse has played an integral part in his life. He followed his lacrosse-playing father to Middlebury College in Vermont where he met his wife, Anne, also a lacrosse player and the rest is history.
It became a family tradition. Jon plays lacrosse to this day and it didn’t sound like he plans to give up his helmet, gloves and stick anytime soon. The Peterson families vacation together at their place in Maine and there are ski trips to Colorado. Once a friend asked, speaking of almost the entire family holding executive positions in Peterson Companies, “You work together and you vacation together. What’s wrong with you guys?” Jon has a very philanthropic nature. “We were taught,” he says, “because we were fortunate, we were to give back to the community.” Jon belongs to more organizations than can be listed here, while his siblings and Milt also have numerous charities they promote. One of Jon’s that is definitely worth mentioning is Joe Gibb’s Youth For Tomorrow. Jon has served as president of the Board of Directors and remains very active. “This was started to help atrisk troubled youth,” Jon said. “At first it was only boys, but
now young women are helped. Our issues include teenage pregnancy and sex trafficking. Last year we helped 2,200 young adults.” The Joe Jacoby Golf Tournament which Jon chairs also benefits Youth For Tomorrow. Let’s get back to this landmark tenth anniversary, pretty amazing. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to visit the Harbor, take a walk about the clean streets, do some shopping at any number and variety of stores, maybe buy some “Peeps”, have a casual or formal dinner and perhaps a cocktail, spend a night or two, stroll the waterfront, see a sunset, enjoy some entertainment. It seems to have been there always, but it’s only ten years old and more is coming. Congratulations to Jon and Happy Birthday to National Harbor. Publishers Note: Be sure to check out the National Harbor section in this issue for information about the birthday celebration! Old Town Crier
FINANCIAL FOCUS
CARL TREVISAN, CFP© & STEPHEN BEARCE
Invest In What Matters to You
I
f you’re seeking the ability to align your financial goals with your personal values and social concerns that are important to you, social impact investing (SII) may be a consideration for your portfolio. “Socially responsible, sustainable, values-based, ethical, green, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), and impact” are some of the many terms commonly used to describe social impact investing. While the goals are generally the same – to generate measureable social and environmental impact along with financial returns – the strategies vary in approach. By combining traditional socially responsible exclusions with a disciplined analysis of ESG factors, Wells
Old Town Crier
Fargo has developed an integrated approach to social impact investing.
Gaining in popularity Over the past 20 years, there have been big changes in the investment industry. One of the most significant has been the growth of social impact investing. Traditionally known as socially responsible investing (SRI), this approach excluded so called “sin stocks” (alcohol, tobacco, weapons manufacturing, adult entertainment, gambling) from investment portfolios. It has expanded to proactively seek best-in-class companies that incorporate strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies into their business practices.
Invest in issues important to you Do you have concerns about the environment or human rights? Are you interested in supporting the ethical treatment of animals or do you simply wish to avoid investing in companies whose business practices are in conflict with your beliefs? Wells Fargo offers a range of choices to invest in companies whose policies and practices are compatible with what matters to you. We can help you build a portfolio based on research, analysis and products that align with your investment goals and philosophy and avoid selecting companies with poor ESG performance or those that conflict with your philosophy.
Keep in mind, however, that all investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. A strategy’s social policy could cause it to forgo opportunities to gain exposure to certain industries, companies, sectors or regions of the economy which could cause it to underperform similar portfolios that do not have a social policy. A socially responsible investing style may shift in and out of favor. Contact us for more information on how to incorporate social impact investing into your investment planning. Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax and/or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax and/or legal consequences.
This article was written by/ for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing DirectorInvestments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice PresidentInvestments in Alexandria, VA at 800-247-8602. Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANKGUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2017 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. April 2018 | 5
BUSINESS PROFILE
BOB TAGERT
MAURICE BRETON
King of Comfort.....One Shoes
I
n July of 1993 Maurice Breton opened his first shoe store in Old Town Alexandria and named it Comfort Zone Shoes. As it turned out, a wholesaler also had that name and their attorneys addressed the issue so Breton dropped the “z” from the name and the
boutique store. While working at Hofheimer’s in Norfolk, Virginia, he mastered merchandising and learned about Euro comfort sizing and the importance of personal customer service. After seven years at Hofhimer’s, Breton was ready for the next step… Old Town Alexandria.
King Street, he is well on his way to achieving his goal. His first store didn’t stay small for long. On the second floor at 201 King was the Christmas Attic, a popular Old Town store. The Christmas Attic bought a building nearby and moved. At the time, American Artisan occupied
From left to right: Josephine, Maurice, Gracie, Deborah, Alaina and Garrett Breton Comfort One brand took off. He tells me that he had a lot to learn before launching his first shoe store. While still in high school his first exposure to retail was at Barnard, Summer & Putnam, a local department store in Worcester, Mass., in 1970. Thriving on the sales floor, in 1973 Breton joined Hallie’s Airstep Shoes, a popular 6 | April 2018
His first store at 201 King Street was only 800 square feet. “I knew that this store wasn’t going to give me the lifestyle we were used to...I had to create enough critical mass. I always dreamed big. I told my wife and family we were going to build an empire when we started this.” With the recent opening of his 23rd store across the street at 200
the first floor and Breton convinced them to move to the vacated second floor and he expanded into their space. Soon after Jackaroos, an Aussie clothing store, vacated their small space on the first floor and Comfort One took over the whole first floor
BUSINESS PROFILE > PAGE 7
Old Town Crier
Old TOwn Shoe & luggage Repair
BUSINESS PROFILE | FROM PAGE 6
where they remain today. In 1993, most retail stores closed around 6 p.m. in Old Town, however American Artisan stayed open late so Comfort One had to stay open as well. “We opened the store on July 1st, a Thursday and that Friday we were open until midnight, thus making Comfort One a store that helped bring change to Old Town by staying open for the after dinner crowds. Other stores followed suit and found it to be a profitable move. What prompted Breton to choose Old Town Alexandria? “Old Town had everything we were looking for”, he says, “a walking population, restaurants, galleries, nightlife and it was a destination place.” Breton opened his second store in Dupont Circle, his third in Georgetown and then Tysons Corner. These places fit the same MO as Old Town. Breton soon took on the Starbucks model and began to place stores near each and in some cases, directly across the street. In Old Town, not only does he have the two stores on King Street but also has a third on North Washington Street. When the first store opened in Old Town, Breton’s son, Garrett, was 13 years old and immediately went to work at the store. Today he is 37 and is being groomed to take over the shoe empire. This allows his father to take some welldeserved time off. Both of these men believe in customer service and that harvesting customer loyalty is the foundation for success. This model trickles down to all employees who are required to go through a rigorous 21hour training course called “Comfort One University”. After graduating from COU they are required to shadow
• Serving Alexandria for over 17 years • Shoe & Luggage Repair • New Luggage
a seasoned salesperson for another 21 hours. “Lots of stores say they have good service. That’s not even enough anymore,” said Breton. “You have to have extraordinary service and experiences in stores. Customers trust us for unique product, exceptional comfort and fit and exceptional customer service.” The proof is in the pudding…most Comfort One employees have been with the store for a long period of time. The shoe business is always changing and Breton has adjusted along the way. He has competed with the bigbox stores, and “e-tail” giants and has figured out how to eliminate the middleman. “We go directly to manufacturers in different countries and purchase their quality shoes direct,” he says. They have even contracted with some manufactures to develop brands exclusive to Comfort One. “This way we can be sure of the fit and quality and pass the savings on to our customers,” he explains. “Even though we have an e-commerce store, we want
our customers to come to our physical site so that we can give them personal attention,” Breton says. “As I have learned over the years, the sales associates aren’t just trying to sell a pair of shoes…they are also trying to educate the customer. We carry products that no one else has,” Breton tells me. “If someone, say from Montana, is in the store and buys some shoes or boots, when he or she goes home, they can order again from our e-commerce store. But, our main goal is to get them in the store for that personal service.” This is an Old Town Alexandria success story. It all started here and 25 years later Maurice Breton and his grown son return to Alexandria to purchase their flagship building at 200 King Street. I have watched this man succeed and have owned several pair of his shoes. He has never lost his humility. He is pretty smart…in 1993 the first phone call he made for advertising was to the Old Town Crier. Welcome home Maurice!!
824 King Street Old Town Alexandria, Virginia 703.299.0655 Mon-Fri 7:30 am-7 pm • Sat 9 am-5 pm
VOTED #1 SIT & FIT RETAILER 2015 PLUS AWARDS FOOTWEAR PLUS TOP 10 RETAILERS, 2013. 2014, 2015, FOOTWEAR NEWS GOLD MEDAL SERVICE AWARD, 2015 FOOTWEAR INSIGHT 2011 NSRA RETAILER OF WTHE YEAR
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 7
ALEXANDRIA CALENDAR | FROM PAGE 3
French. Carlyle called this gathering “the Grandest Congress … ever known on the Continent.” Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
APRIL 7TH & 8TH CONCERTS WITH THE ALEXANDRIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Admission: $5 for youth 18 and under; $10 for students with IDs; $20-$80 for adults
APRIL 7TH AT 8:00 P.M. RACHEL M. SCHLESINGER CONCERT HALL & ARTS CENTER 4915 E. Campus Dr.
APRIL 8TH AT 3:00 P.M. THE GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL © Orbit
Silver,gold, diamonds, and pearls. Our imagination yields earrings, rings, and pendants one of a kind just for you.
15% OFF all April repairs. Just mention this ad GOLDWORKSUSA.COM 1400 King Street, Old Town Alexandria, VA 703-683-0333
101 Callahan Dr. 703-548-0885 www.AlexSym.org Journey through time as three centuries collide when the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Nicholas Hersh present the season finale. The program begins with C.P.E. Bach’s Baroque Symphony in E-Flat Major followed by Piazzolla’s modern tangoinspired Tangazo: Variations on Buenos Aires. Rounding out the program is Brahms’ Romantic, melancholy and pastoral Symphony No. 2.
APRIL 8TH APOTHECARY MUSEUM GEEK TOURS: CIVIL WAR 11:00 a.m.-Noon Admission: $15 Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum 105 S. Fairfax St. 703-746-3852 www.alexandriava.gov On this guided tour learn about the events in Alexandria during the Civil War through the lens of this family pharmacy. Tour is from 11 a.m. to noon and costs $15 per person; tour is recommended for adults only.
FACETIME WITH HISTORY: HANNAH FAIRFAX WASHINGTON AND JANE FAIRFAX 1:00-4:00 p.m. Admission: $5 per adult Gadsby’s Tavern Museum 134 N. Royal St. 703-746-4242 www.alexandriava.gov/gadsbystavern On the second Sunday of every month, guests will be greeted by a person from the past while journeying through the museum. While the character varies, through conversation and stories, guests will deepen their understanding of the past and how it connects to today.
APRIL 12TH, 19TH & 26TH JANE AUSTEN BALL DANCE CLASSES 7:30-9:30 p.m. Admission: $12 per person; $30 for all three classes Gadsby’s Tavern Museum 134 N. Royal St. 703-746-4242 www.alexandriava.gov/gadsbystavern In preparation for the Jane Austen Ball: Mr. Darcy’s Delight on the April 28, learn 18th century English country dancing from expert dance instructors.
APRIL13TH LATE SHIFT AT THE TORPEDO FACTORY: WHAT IS ART? 7:00 -11:00 p.m. Admission: Free Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union St. 703-746-4590 www.torpedofactory.org
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3804 Mt. Vernon Avenue • Alexandria 703-684-6010 • rtsrestaurant.net 8 | April 2018
Celebrate the work of some of the region’s best up-and-coming talent during the opening reception for Target Gallery’s Emerging Artists exhibition. Meet artists Katie Barrie, Ronald Jackson, Hollis McCracken and Holly Trout and hear them talk about their work. Mix and mingle with the Factory Society young-patrons group. Enjoy music, live performances, refreshments, and more.
APRIL15TH APOTHECARY MUSEUM GEEK TOURS: PHARMACY NERDS 11:00 a.m.-Noon Admission: $15 Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum 105 S. Fairfax St. 703-746-3852 www.alexandriava.gov Spend more time touring the Apothecary
Museum with museum volunteer, Dr. Ken Miller, retired professor of pharmacology. Ken will focus on the historic medicinal ingredients that are still used today in modern medicine while also touching upon the Stabler and Leadbeater family and business history. This tour is great for first time and return visitors and is recommended for adults only.
APRIL 21ST CARLYLE HOUSE GARDEN DAY HERB & CRAFT SALE 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Admission: Free; $5 to tour house; free tours with Alexandria Garden Day ticket Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314 703-549-2997 www.carlylehouse.org Come celebrate spring with the Friends of Carlyle House’s Annual Garden Day Herb & Craft Sale from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Tour Carlyle House, the actual site of the Mansion House Hospital featured in the PBS drama MERCY STREET. Purchase culinary and decorative herbs, plants, and flowers raised in Mount Vernon’s greenhouses. Bring your gardening questions to the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Enjoy live musical entertainment throughout the day, a bake sale, book sale, white elephant table, and more. Proceeds benefit Carlyle House. This event is free, however admission to the Carlyle House museum is $5 for adults, $3 for children, and free for Friends of Carlyle House or with your Alexandria Garden Day ticket. This event will take place rain or shine.
FIREFIGHTING HISTORY WALKING TOUR 1:00 -2:30 p.m. Admission: $6 for adults; $4 ages 10-17 Friendship Firehouse Museum 107 S. Alfred St. 703-746-4994 www.alexandriava.gov Explore Alexandria’s firefighting history on the “Blazing a Trail: Alexandria’s Firefighting History” tour. Participants learn about volunteer firefighting in early Alexandria, three devastating fires, and the five volunteer fire companies. The tour begins at the historic Friendship Firehouse, proceeds east on Prince Street, and returns via King Street. For age 10 and older.
APRIL 28TH JANE AUSTEN BALL: MR. DARCY’S DELIGHT 8:00-11:00 p.m. Admission: $45 per person Gadsby’s Tavern Museum 134 N. Royal St. 703-746-4242 www.alexandriava.gov/gadsbystavern Spring is in the air! Dance to Mr. Darcy’s Delight at this late-1790s era ball. The evening will feature a variety of English Country dances in the historic ballroom, live music, and dessert collation. Period costume optional, “after-five” attire encouraged.
Old Town Crier
THE LAST WORD
I
MIRIAM R. KRAMER
The Great Alone
n March 2018 the New York Times ran a muchdiscussed article called “The Man Who Knew Too Little” about Erik Hagerman, an Ohio man who decided to avoid learning anything that happened in American culture after the November 8, 2016 election. To this day he knows nothing about the current state of American politics. His philosophy and its potentially extreme consequences came to mind when I read Kristin Hannah’s recent release The Great Alone, a novel about a vet with PTSD, Ernt Albright, who inherits a remote piece of Alaskan property from a fallen Vietnam comrade in 1974 and moves his family there to escape the world he knows. What would it be like to remove yourself completely from the blare and hustle of popular culture? To avoid the toxic bombardment of
negative news and social media? Also, how does anyone in the so-called developed world find a better way to live without technological progress, creature comforts, and other modern amenities? The impressionable thirteenyear-old Leni Albright, her emotionally fragile mother, Cora, and former POW father, Ernt, seek such an existence, abandoning anxious, peripatetic lives in California to pioneer in unspoiled Alaska. Leni must adapt both to fresh territory and a new modus operandi, where she attends a one-room school and joins her parents in a life off the grid. As they fix up their ramshackle house during the scant months of summer, Leni and her parents learn to survive with the help of independent and eccentric neighbors who teach them to hunt for meat, grow and can vegetables, fix up their
new home, and survive a long winter without a television or a telephone to call their own. Yet the fissures in their family widen over years when her controlling, troubled father succumbs to the pressures of a northern winter’s constant snow and daily eighteen hours of darkness. As the family works their farm amidst the threats and splendors of the encroaching wilderness, Ernt suffers less from external dangers than his increasing paranoia. Attempting to form a militia, he keeps imaginary foes at bay by building his home into a fortress to protect him and his family when the “---- hits the fan,” as he repeats incessantly. Kristin Hannah’s multifaceted work focuses in large part on a young girl’s development into a woman in a great alone: a place where the alienation and dysfunction that exists within her family
threatens her as much as struggling for sustenance and protecting herself amidst her isolated, harsh surroundings. Leni confronts both her parents and her own nature as she becomes the thoughtful, strong person she is meant to be: a true Alaskan “red in tooth and claw,” surrounded by the neighbors and the beautiful, treacherous wilderness she grows to love. While the plot can become somewhat melodramatic and contrived, Hannah creates an absorbing work of popular fiction, putting her finger directly on contemporary yearnings for a more profound life. Having grown up there, she explores the soul of Alaska and its occupants in an easy-to-read and thoughtful way. Casting Leni’s family as its own final frontier, The Great Alone leaves them to face the ultimate enemy, themselves, without illusions. They will either succumb or find a way to thrive despite all danger and difficulty.
1 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/style/the-man-who-knew-too-little.html
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 9
HIGH NOTES
RON POWERS
DJ
cMellow’s two-track EP ‘Reimagined’ offers a complete representation of what it is to reimagine or recreate something from scratch. The original idea or essence is what remains, the sound in this case though appears as that of a down-tempo EDM project, ‘Quartettsatz’ as an opener in particular. This trip-hop ambiance unfolds around you with mere snippets of strings lingering in the distance, quite literally re-imagining the organic energy of the original work, by Franz Schubert, as something modern and electronically driven. The way in which the track begins offers a notable contrast between what was and what became. There’s a slightly haunting level of dissonance at first, but this soon melts away into something of a blissful ambiance, perhaps to be best enjoyed as you watch the sun set on a long day. These flickers of the past continue to appear, seemingly fading
10 | April 2018
Reimagined DJ cMellow into the ether, into the new realm of audio that has taken the emotion and the musical journey of yesteryear and re-crafted it under a fresh spotlight. As the piece moves along, the music offers up the enjoyably hypnotic qualities of professionally built electronica – this gentle, psy-trance-like energy surrounds you, the notes and the rhythm become familiar and comforting. All in all, it makes for something extremely easy to get lost within. The second stage of the short collection is ‘The Nutcracker Reimagined’, the infamous tones and character of the original piece by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, come through from the title, from the intro, and finally from the last few moments, though again this concept of re-imagining, re-crafting
something to be completely new, is a distinct part of the process here. The track that emerges explodes into brightness and high energy, lifting you out of the mellow calmness that preceded it, raising you high above your former state of feeling – just as you’d hope hard-hitting, allencompassing trance or dance music would do. This second part of the EP presents some stunning musical moments. The structure is fantastic, the break-down to certain riffs, the likes of which contrast with these distant synth waves – it all falls away perfectly, then rises back up with the vibrancy and chaos of any of the best musical drops throughout time. The soundscape is complex and beautiful, and at close to six minutes long you tend to
forget its origins on occasion. Fortunately, those last few seconds bring about the unmistakeable flair of the original work of art. The connection is fresh, perhaps vague, but interesting and never lacking in skill or creativity. This project takes what EDM fans love about the genre – the detail, the layers, the colour, the escapism – and fuses it with some of the world’s first and perhaps most raw modes of instrumentation and creativity. It’s unusual, enjoyably so, and completely entrancing. As a producer you can see the artistry of DJ cMellow’s release, as well as the professionalism, and the passion. The appeal is in the originality of the meeting, and the enjoyment is in how well everything has been composed and created around this. Definitely one to look out for. Ron Powers, is a free lance, multigenre A&R executive for Indie Labels and is constantly searching for and writing about his new hot music discoveries. Old Town Crier
AFTER HOURS Birchmere 703.549.7500 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. birchmere.com The Blackwall Hitch 571-982-3577 5 Cameron St. theblackwallhitch.com Carlyle Club 411 John Carlyle Dr. 703-549-8957 thecarlyleclub.com Chadwicks 203 S. Strand St. 703.836.4442 Evening Star Cafe 703.549.5051 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave.
The Fish Market 703.836.5676 105 King St. fishmarketoldtown.com La Portas 703.683.6313 1600 Duke St. Las Tapas 703.836.4000 710-714 King St. lastapas.us The Light Horse 703.549.0533 715 King St. lighthorserestaurant.com Murphys Irish Pub 703.548.1717 713 King St. murphyspub.com
O’Connell’s 703.739.1124 112 King St. Rock It Grill 703.739.2274 1319 King St. Shooter McGees 703.751.9266 5239 Duke St. shootermcgees.com Southside 815 703.836.6222 815 S. Washington St. St. Elmos 703.739.9268 2300 Mt. Vernon Ave. Taverna Cretekou 703.548.8688 818 King St.
TJ Stones 703.548.1004 608 Montgomery St. tjstones.com Trattoria da Franco 703-548-9338 305 S. Washington St. Two Nineteen 703.549.1141 219 King St. These establishments offer live entertainment. Call to confirm show times, dates and cover charges. Check our advertisers’ websites
Submit your best images to be featured on the cover of the Old Town Crier each month in 2018! Dimensions: 10.75 x 15.25in @ 300dpi Photographer must be Local to the DMV Subject Matter must be relative to the season (holidays included) Info for Photo Credit with any copyright info must accompany submission Please include a short blurb (1-2 sentences) about your image & contact info. for the ToC page Compensation: Photo credit and front cover exposure Submit images to office@oldtowncrier.com Photo: Lauren Fleming lfbphoto.smugmug.com
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 11
GALLERY BEAT
F. LENNOX CAMPELLO
Artwork by Matthew Langley, Katherine Hope and Seth Fairweather at the Alida Anderson Art Projects booth at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City.
...That is the Question
I
’m always harping in this column about how 21st century artists and galleries must go to art fairs. And one of the more eye-opening things in attending an art fair is seeing the dynamics that go onto the decision to buy a piece of art. Put together a few thousand people, most of them paying an entry fee to enter the fair, an assortment of international dealers, and a huge diverse variety of art offerings and it’s an education in people watching.
The married couple: “Do you like it?” “Yeah, I like it- it’s just what we’ve been looking for.” “Where would we put it?” “We have a couple of spots that it’d fit.” “Do you really like it.” “Yeah, how about you?” “Yeah, I kinda of like it.” “Should we get it?” “If you want it.” 12 | April 2018
Her: “Do you like it?” Him: “Sssoright” Her: “Where would we put it?” Him: “Dunno.” Her: “Do you really like it.” Him: “So’OK.. Yeah, how about you?” Her: “Yeah, I kinda, sorta, really like it.” Him: “Dunno though” Her: “What? You don’t like it?” Him: “If you want it.” (5 minutes later) Him: “Let’s think about it.” Her or Him: “OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!” Friend: «I have a friend who does work just like this...» SW: “I am really drawn to it!” Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?” SW: “Uh - yeah!...why? Don’t you like it?” Friend: «Yeah... it›s OK» SW: “I think it’s really good... I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.” Friend: “There’s a few more booths we haven’t seen.” SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.” Friend: «Are you sure?» SW: “Uh - yeah!... It’s a good price too.... why? Don’t you like it?” (5 minutes later) SW: “Do you have a business card?”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!” Friend: «I think it›s a lithograph» [it’s actually a charcoal] SW: “I am really drawn to it!” Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?” SW: “Uh - yeah!...why? Don’t you like it?” Friend: «I have something like it... I got it cheaper though...» SW: “I think it’s really good... I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.” Friend: “You like lithographs?” SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.” Friend: «Are you sure?» SW: “Uh - yeah!... It’s a good price too.... why? Don’t you like it?” (five minutes later) SW: “Do you have a business card?”
The Single Woman (SW) with a Woman Friend:
The Single Woman (SW) with a Man Friend:
The Single Focus Dream Buyer:
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!” Friend: “Yeah... it’s nice”
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!” Friend: “Yeah... Cool”
(five minutes later) “Let’s think about it.” “OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”
The couple (not married):
[Walks straight up to one piece, never looks GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 13
Old Town Crier
GALLERY BEAT | FROM PAGE 12
at the rest of the work in your booth] “I’ll take this” [Me] “Thank you... it’s a very striking charcoal drawing - will be that be a check or charge?” “Charge” [Me] “I can send you more information on this artist...” “That will be great - I love this work - it’s exactly what I’m interested in!” [Me] “I have a few more pieces here, would you like to see them?” “No, thanks...”
The “I’m glad you’re here guy (IGYHG)”: IGYHG: “Hey! I’ve been looking for you!” [Me]: “Hi, how are you?” IGYHG: “... been walking this whole fair looking for you!” [Me]: “Yeah... lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!” IGYHG: “Howsa been goin’?” [Me]: «Yes... quite good actually...» IGYHG: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!” [3 minutes later] IGYHG: “Well... I’m glad you’re here... see ya next year!”
The “I Shudda Bought It Last Year Guy (Shudda)”: Shudda: “Hey! You’re here again!” [Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah... It’s our 7th year here...” Shudda: “... been walking this whole fair looking for you!” [Me]: “Yeah... lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!” Shudda: «Howsa been goin’?” [Me]: “Yes... quite good actually...” Shudda: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!” [three minutes later] Shudda: «Where›s that really good watercolor of the fill-in-the-blank?» [Me]: «Uh... I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.» Shudda: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?” [Me]: “Well, no... it was an original watercolor,
and I sold it; but I have ---” Shudda: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too...” [Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work...” Shudda: «I shudda bought it last year” [Walks away] Shudda: “You gonna be here next year?”
ART&ANTIQUES
The “Where’s That Piece Guy (WTP)”: WTP: “Hey! You’re here again!” [Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah... It’s our 7th year here...” WTP: “... been walking this whole fair specifically looking for you!” [Me]: “Yeah...lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!” WTP: «Howsa been goin’?” [Me]: “Yes... quite good actually...” WTP: “OK... last year I saw this piece... it was a fill-in-the-bank and I should have bought it then! “ [Me]: “Yeah... that is a nice piece.” WTP: «I›ve been thinking about it for a whole year» [Looks around the booth and doesn’t see it] WTP: “Do you still have it?” [From here there are two paths...] Path One - [Me]: «Uh... I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.» WTP: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?” [Me]: “Well, no...it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have ---” WTP: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too...” [Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work...” WTP: «I shudda bought it last year” [Walks away] WTP: “You gonna be here next year?” Path Two [Me]: “Let me get it for you... I have it in the back!” WTP: «Great» [I bring it out and give to WTP] WTP: “Yeah this is it! It’s great!” [Me]: “This artist has done really well this last year and ---” WTP: [Handing it back] “Excellent! I’m glad you still have it... until what time are you going to be here?”
ANTIQUES
is on the way
It’s time to freshen up your warm-weather wardrobe! Come in to see all the new arrivals—outfits, both casual and dressy, and lots of accessories. We’re open until 7 pm Monday through Saturday and until 5 pm on Sunday. Come see our entire line of amazing American-made clothing, jewelry and crafts.
Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union Street
Spurgeon-Lewis Antiques 112 N. Columbus Street
Principle Gallery 208 King Street
BW Art, Antiques & Collectibles 108 N. Fayette Street
Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery 105 N. Union Street
Imperfections Antiques 1210 King Street
St. George Gallery 105 N. Alfred Street
The Antique Guild 113 N. Fairfax Street
The Art League 105 Union Street
Silverman Galleries 110 N. St. Asaph Street
Local Colour Old Town 218 N. Lee Street
Red Barn Mercantile 1117 King Street
Icon Galleria 101 N. Union Street
Washington Square Antiques 425 S. Washington Street
B&B Art Gallery 215 King Street
Susquehanna Antique Co. 608 Cameron Street
Gallery West 1213 King Street
Old Town Antiques 222 S. Washington Street
Enamelist’s Gallery 105 N. Union Street
Verdigris Vintage 1215 King Street
Printmakers, Inc. 105 N. Union Street
Cavalier Antiques 400 Prince Street
Kelly’s Art & Frame 510 N. Washington Street
Sumpter Priddy III 323 S. Washington Street
Oerth Gallery 420 S. Washington Street
Henry Street Antiques 115 S. Henry Street
Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts 110A S. Columbus Street
Curzon Hill Antiques 108 S. Columbus Street
Johnston Matthew 105 N. Union Street
The Hour 1015 King Street
Huddy Studio 105 N. Union Street
A Galerie 315 Cameron Street
Mezzanine Multiples 105 N. Union Street
Random Harvest 810 King Street
Silverman Galleries 110 N. St. Asaph Street
Acme Mid-Century + Modern 128 S. Royal Street
Cochran David 105 N. Union Street
Van Bommel Antiek Hous 1007 King Street
Betty Grisham Studio 105 N. Union Street
Lloyd’s Row 119 S. Henry Street
Imagine Artwear 112 King Street
Version 1
Summer
GALLERIES
Version 2
Recently found vintage 1997 stone lithographs! Mermaid – The Deep (Version 1) Limited Edition of 10 signed and numbered stone lithographs on 11x14 inches paper. Circa 1997 Mermaid – The Deep (Version 2) Limited Edition of 10 signed and numbered stone lithographs on 14x5 inches paper. Circa 1997
Get a vintage Mermaid stone litho by well-known DMV area artist
Linen pieces by Kiyo.
F. Lennox Campello! 1124 King Street | Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (703) 548-1461 | www.imagineartwear.com Mon – Sat 10 am – 7 pm
Old Town Crier
•
Sold loose and ready for framing! Each signed and numbered print from this tiny unique edition of 10 prints is $100, packing and shipping included. Email info@alidaanderson.com to order – once this edition is sold out, it is gone forever!
Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
April 2018 | 13
MELINDA MYERS
URBAN GARDEN
Caladiums planted in container gardens to dress up patios and decks.
Longfield-Gardens.com
Colorful Caladiums Brighten
T
uck them into the garden, pop some in a container or dress up a window box. Then water as needed, add a bit of fertilizer and wait for the color explosion. The showy heart-shaped leaves of caladiums come in combinations of pink, red, white and green. These heatloving plants provide beautiful color all season long. Best of all, no deadheading is needed. Caladiums can be used to create a stunning garden almost anywhere around your home. These tropical beauties grow well in full to partial shade, and some varieties grow equally well in full sun. Choose varieties that will provide the color, size and look you want to achieve, and that match the light conditions in your yard. Compact caladiums, such as lime and dark pink Miss Muffet, grow about 12” tall and are perfect for lining a pathway, edging a flowerbed or dressing up a container. Florida Sweetheart’s bright, rose-pink leaves have ruffled green edges, and Gingerland has creamy white leaves that are decorated with splashes 14 | April 2018
of green and red. All of these miniature varieties combine nicely with larger caladiums and elephant ears. Step up the color impact with caladium Red Flash. This full-size caladium grows about 20” tall and has brilliant red centers, decorated with pink dots that pop against the large, deep green leaves. Use these anywhere you want a big splash of color in a garden bed or container. Combine caladiums with shade-loving annuals like begonias, coleus, and mildewresistant impatiens or other summer bulbs like cannas and elephant ears. Visit Longfield Gardens (longfield-gardens. com) for a bit of inspiration and container design ideas. You’ll find simple combinations that provide big impact on a deck, patio or entryway. When planting caladiums directly into the garden, wait until at least two weeks after all danger of frost has passed. Nights should be warm, and the soil temperature should be at least 65 degrees F. Prepare the soil before planting. Add compost or other organic matter to improve drainage
Shade Gardens All Season
in clay soil and the moistureholding ability in fast draining soils. Plant tubers about six inches apart and two inches below the soil surface. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Those gardening in cooler climates may want to start the tubers indoors for an earlier show outdoors. Plant indoors four to six weeks before moving them into the garden. Set the tubers near the surface of a shallow container filled with a well-drained potting mix. Grow them in a warm sunny spot indoors, keeping the soil barely moist. Move outdoors once the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. As the summer temperature rises, watch your caladiums shine while many other flowers fade in the summer heat and humidity. Continue to water as needed and fertilize throughout the summer to encourage new growth. Those gardening in zones nine through eleven can leave their caladiums in place year-
round. Others can either treat these colorful beauties as annuals or dig up the tubers and overwinter them indoors. Dig tubers in early fall when soil temperatures drop to 55 degrees. Spread them out in a warm, dry location for at least a week. Label each variety, remove the foliage and place tubers in a mesh bag or pack loosely in dry peat moss. Store in a cool, dark location at around 60 degrees. Make this the year you add caladiums for beautiful splashes of color throughout your landscape all season long. Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Longfield Gardens for her expertise to write this article. Myers’s web site is www.melindamyers.com. Old Town Crier
April Showers Bring May Flowers The poem as we know it today originated all the way back to 1157, in the form of a short poem written by Thomas Tusser. The poem can be found in the April section of a collection of his writings titled, “A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry.” The poem goes as follows:
“Sweet April showers Do spring May flowers” While this poem is clearly a direct ancestor to the version we know today, let’s travel back in time a bit further to the end of the Fourteenth Century, where legendary poem Geoffrey Chaucer had his own say on the month of April in his famous collection of stories titled, “The Canterbury Tales.” Chaucer’s version goes as follows:
Original:
“Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour;”
Translation:
“When in April the sweet showers fall That pierce March’s drought to the root and all And bathed every vein in liquor that has power To generate therein and sire the flower;” While Chaucer speaks of April in relation to March rather than May, it could certainly be said that while Thomas Tusser may be the father of this saying, Geoffrey Chaucer is certainly the grandfather.
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April 2018 | 15
A BIT OF HISTORY
SARAH BECKER ©2018
Abrahan Lincoln
John Letcher, Governor of Virginia, (1860-1864)
James Madison (1751-1836)
Jefferson Davis (1808-1889)
1861—delegates to Virginia’s secession convention voted 8855 to depart the Union. The vote came only two weeks after the convention roundly rejected an April 4 secession proposal. What changed the delegates and, in turn, the public’s mind? Kentucky-born Abraham Lincoln took his Presidential oath of office approximately three weeks after Virginia’s secession convention began. The 1860 Republican platform was clear: “That the normal condition of all the territory of the United States is freedom.” Lawyer Lincoln’s 1861 inaugural message was also clear: “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.” Still the Union was dissolving; seven states had seceded. “The people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, on the 26th day of April, 1852, declared that the frequent violations of the Constitution of the United States, by the Federal Government, and its encroachments upon the reserved rights of these States, fully justified the State in then withdrawing from the Federal Union,” South Carolina’s December 24, 1860 Declaration of Secession said. “But in
deference to the opinions and wishes of the other slaveholding States, she forbore, at that time, to exercise this right.” In 1852 businessmen from eleven southern states met in New Orleans to discuss the South’s economic dilemma. “In the year 1765, that portion of the British Empire embracing Great Britain, undertook to make laws for the government of that portion composed of the thirteen American colonies [The Stamp Act],” South Carolina’s Declaration of Secession continued. “A struggle for the right of selfgovernment ensued, which resulted, on the 4th of July, 1776, in a Declaration, by the colonies, ‘that they are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES’… They further solemnly declared that whenever any ‘form of government becomes destructive of the ends for which it was established it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government.’” “The [constitutional] right of property in slaves was recognized by giving to free persons distinct political rights,” South Carolina’s secession conventioneers explained. “We affirm that these ends for which Government was instituted have been defeated…the election of a man to the high
office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.” “On the 4th day of March, 1861, this [Republican] party will take possession of the Government,” South Carolina’s Declaration of Secession concluded. “It has announced that…war must be waged against slavery until it shall cease throughout the United States…The slaveholding States will no longer have the power of self-government.” “The cumulative force of the secession movement in the South is as much a matter of surprise to friends and foes as was that of the Republican movement in the North,” The New York Times noted in January 1861. “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world,” Mississippi’s January 9, 1861 Declaration of Secession stated. “Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun…[A] blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization…Our decision is
The South Secedes!
M
ore Civil War battles were fought in Virginia than in any other state. The majority of the clashes occurred between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, an interesting fact given Virginia’s initial reluctance to secede. “In spite of all excitement, rash conduct, and reckless language indulged in by the ultras at the South, we plainly perceive that the calm attitude and conservative course of Virginia, so far, is exercising its influence in several of the States around South Carolina,” the Alexandria Gazette reported on November 16, 1860. “Enough is known now to satisfy every body that Virginia will not favor ‘precipitate action… that she does not consider the election of Lincoln, as, of itself, ground for an attempt to break up and dissolve the Union….” “What is secession?” The New York Times then asked. “The Southern Disunionist journals are laying great stress on their assumed right to secede.” Said James Madison father of the Constitution in 1832, “It is high time that the [nullifiers] claim to secede at will should be put down by public opinion, and I shall be glad to see the task commenced by one who understands the subject.” After much political pondering—on April 17,
16 | April 2018
A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 17
Old Town Crier
The New York Herald wrote. “Indeed, the honest people are rejoiced at their occupation.” The Alexandria Gazette shut down its presses rather than publish a Union declaration of martial law. “Many hamlets and towns have been destroyed during the war,” The New York Herald noted in 1863. “But of all that in some form survive, Alexandria has most suffered…Its streets, its docks, its warehouses, its dwellings, and its suburbs, have been absorbed to the thousand uses of war.”
A BIT OF HISTORY | FROM PAGE 16
made.” One month later former US Senator Jefferson Davis [D-MS] was elected President of the Confederate States of America. Virginia then was involved in a Washington Peace initiative, ongoing meetings at the city of Washington’s Willard Hotel. “The Sumter question of Charleston is evidently on the eve of crisis,” the Alexandria Gazette reported on April 8, 1861. “The excessive state pride and warlike spirit of the Carolinians have been excited to the highest pitch by the incomprehensible course of the present Administration.” Virginia’s predicament became sure on April 12, 1861 with the Confederate shelling of Fort Sumter. Sumter’s Union commander, lacking adequate supplies, surrendered on April 13. Two days later President Lincoln declared a state of insurrection and requested that 75,000 troops be sent to provision the South Carolina Fort. On the same day, April 15, 1861 Secretary of War Simon Cameron asked Virginia to contribute her sons to the federal cause. “I have received your communication, mailed [April 15] in which I am requested to detach from the Militia of the State of Virginia ‘the quota designated in a table,’ which you append, ‘to serve as infantry or riflemen for the period of three months, unless sooner discharged,’” Governor John Letcher replied. “[T]he Militia of Virginia will not be furnished to the powers at Washington,” Letcher said. “Your object is to subjugate the Southern states, and a requisition made upon me for such an object—an object, in my judgment, not within the purview of the Constitution or the Act of 1795, will not be
Map of Succession complied with. You have chosen to inaugurate civil war….” Virginia became the eighth state to secede from the Union. “The Governor of the State has put forth his counter Proclamation,” the Alexandria Gazette reported. “And the Convention has passed an Ordinance of SECESSION. The madmen at the Federal Capital—urged on by the sectionalists at the North, who, we believe have been secretly working to effect permanent dissolution of the government—have struck Haircuts $15
a fatal blow, at Peace and Union...” “If the Union is to be dissolved for any existing causes,” Senator Henry Clay (Whig-KY) said in 1850, “it will be dissolved because slavery is interdicted or not allowed to be introduced into the ceded Territories; because slavery is threatened to be abolished in the District of Columbia, and because fugitive slaves are not returned to their master….” One week before Virginia’s May 23, 1861 referendum vote President Lincoln,
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“accompanied by Secretary [of State] Seward and [New York publisher] Thurlow Weed, made a tour of observation down the Potomac. “The secession flag floated over the city of Alexandria,” but Lincoln “did not think it would wave there long.” “The Constitution requires an adoption in toto and for ever,” James Madison claimed in 1788. Alexandria, a transportation hub, was the first, federally occupied, southern city. “Alexandria is loyal today,”
Sarah Becker started writing for The Economist while a graduate student in England. Similar publications followed. She joined the Crier in 1996 while serving on the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Board. Her interest in antiquities began as a World Bank hire, with Indonesia’s need to generate hard currency. Balinese history, i.e. tourism provided the means. The New York Times describes Becker’s book, Off Your Duffs & Up the Assets, as “a blueprint for thousands of nonprofit managers.” A former museum director, SLAM’s saving grace Sarah received Alexandria’s Salute to Women Award in 2007. Email: abitofhistory53@gmail.com
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April 2018 | 17
POINTS ON PETS
VICTORIA ELLIOTT
Fostering Our Special Needs Animals
“I
fell into it by necessity,” says Lisa Velenovsky, a volunteer with King Street Cats. Velenovsky was first introduced to special needs animal care when she began fostering a kitten with congenital deformities. Like Velenovsky, Patti Gross, also a volunteer with King Street Cats, says her initial work with special needs cats was unintentional, when an undernourished and immunocompromised kitten was placed in her care. Both fosters learned as they went along, becoming a more valuable resource to the organization as a specialist in the field of special needs animal care.
What makes an animal “special needs”? Special needs can encompass a wide range of differences in ability from the average animal. These differences can be: • Congenital (differences that the animal is born with) or developed over time due to age, injury, or illness. • “Invisible” differences, such as blindness or deafness, or differences that are obvious at first glance, such as loss of a limb.
• Static needs - differences that are fixed in nature and do not require much change in care planning over time – or dynamic needs, such as autoimmune disorders, progressive diseases, and other illnesses where care needs may change suddenly or evolve over time. Sharing a story of a time she caught Mitte, her foster cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, halfway up a screen door, Gross says: “Nobody told him he’s different. He just climbed up the screen like any kitten would.” Cerebellar Hypoplasia is a condition of an underdeveloped cerebellum that causes difficulties in physical coordination, often causing tremors and/or a wobbling walk. Mitte’s sister, Marissa, also has special needs - she only has three legs. With both cats, they have differences in ability from the average cat, but their conditions are static in nature and both have a normal life expectancy. Petrie, a cat in the care of Velenovsky, is a good example of dynamic special needs. Petrie has dealt with Feline Plasma Cell Pododermatitis (an inflammatory condition causing sore, puffy paw pads), acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis (a nasal passage disorder causing regurgitation of food and anorexia), and
ADOPTION CALENDAR FOR DETAILS & MORE INFO website: www.kingstreetcats.org email: contact@kingstreetcats.org Are you or someone you know free during weekday mornings? King Street Cats is looking for weekday morning caregivers and vet taxis to transport our cats to the vet. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details. King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we can provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.
18 | April 2018
megaesophagus (a condition causing an enlarged esophagus, also causing regurgitation of food and anorexia). Fosters of special needs cats like Velenovsky become quite proficient in rattling off the complex medical diagnoses of the animals in their care. When Petrie came to Velenovsky’s attention, he was just 5 lbs. and was likely to be euthanized at the shelter where he was being held if he stayed there. Velenovsky recognized in Petrie a will to live – he had no intention of giving up. In her care, Petrie received stent surgery to expand his nasal passage. This surgery corrected his breathing and his megaesophagus resolved itself. Velenovsky is proud to report that Petrie currently weighs 12.5 lbs. Velenovsky shared her advice for care for dynamic special needs animals: “be willing to look for and consider new avenues of treatment and to try new things.” The best path of treatment may not be the first one tried, so an openness to new methods of treatment is necessary for this type of caregiving. One of the biggest aspects of special needs animal care
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is determining quality of life. For fosters, this means weighing the difficulties caused by the illness or differences in ability with the animals’ overall health and comfort. Gross has become a de facto cat hospice caregiver and says that she can now see the signs of an animal who is done fighting. She has cared for several cats who have crossed the rainbow bridge over the past year, including one of her own. On multiple occasions, cats who have continued fighting through the uncertainty of shelter care begin to decline once they are in the safety of Gross’ home. This hospice care work is bittersweet: despite the sadness of end of life care, Gross knows she is providing a safe haven, “giving them a chance to be in a home, in a sunny spot, doing what they want for as long as they want.” Despite the challenges that come with special needs animal care, Gross wanted
Special needs pups, Ohio and Jersey, were adopted and are now living the high life, with their human parents and animal siblings.
Photo: Rachael Sawchak
people to know that it is “very rewarding, very heartwarming to take care of a fragile, uncertain creature… and watch them blossom.” Velenovsky echoed this sentiment: “special needs cats appreciate the care they get – maybe even more than regular animals” and that there is a “special bond and special joy” between special needs animals and their caregivers. If you are considering getting involved with special needs animal care: • Be patient. The path of care can be a roller coaster. • Be adaptable. Focus on what will improve the animal’s limitations and understand that the process for finding the best care POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 19
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Old Town Crier
POINTS ON PETS FROM PAGE 18
options can be trial and error. • Recognize that every animal is different. Even within animals with the same condition, learn what works best for each individual situation. • Previous experience with special needs animals is not necessary, so long as there is a
willingness to learn. • Understand your limitations and be realistic about your ability to provide proper care. • Never be afraid to ask for help. • Have a good support system. Rely on the animal rescue system, trusted veterinarian(s), and other fosters/special needs animal adopters.
LCTA'S 5TH ANNUAL Student Talent Show DUE ADS BY L9 P A RI
Join us for a DOGGONE good time while we support our amazing students as they showcase their talents for these worthy animal welfare and rescue organizations!
• If adopting, keep the rescue organization informed of any issues. Victoria Elliott is an animal rescue advocate. She lives in Alexandria with two brown tabby boys of her own.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at 6:30 PM Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy 530 S. Saint Asaph Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Event Admission Fee: $5/person or $20/family- purchase in advance or at the door. Purchase your Living or In Loving Memory ads for the 2018 Animal Benefit program: Full-page pet ad - $75 ½ page - $50 ¼ page - $30 Full-page corporate ad - $100 Send your pet’s photo, ad size, and any sentiments you would like to print to lylescrouch@alexandriaanimals.org. Please make your check payable to LCTA and drop off at the LCTA office. All photos and checks for ads are due by April 9, 2018.
Resources
Thank you for your support!
CORNELL FELINE HEALTH CENTER HTTPS://WWW2.VET.CORNELL.EDU/ NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION HTTPS://WWW.NCBI.NIH.GOV/ PET HEALTH NETWORK HTTP:/WWW.PETHEALTHNETWORK.COM/ PETCARERX HTTP://WWW.PETCARERX.COM/
PETS OF THE MONTH
HONEYDEW
Pit Bull Terrier, Neutered Male, 1 year old Honeydew is a hilariously goofy and absolutely amazing dog! This handsome hunk is intelligent, loving, and athletic to the core. Honeydew adores learning new tricks and will literally do anything for a piece of hotdog. This smarty learns quickly and is already learning his basic commands thanks to training time with our wonderful volunteers. Honeydew is also quite a big fan of toys with squeakers and firmly believes that they must all be squeaked and given a good shake. If you are looking for a dog with the stamina to run five miles with you, Honeydew is your guy! He loves to go, whether on foot or by car! After a long day of playing and exercise, Honeydew is ready to settle in for the night and cuddle while he catches up on his favorite TV shows. If you are looking for an exercise buddy who likes to snuggle, Honeydew should definitely be your new
TIGER
Domestic Shorthair, Neutered male, 2 years old best friend! Thanks to a generous donor, my adoption fees have been paid! Photo courtesy of DeSilva Studios
This two-year-old Tiger burns brightly in the night and will stalk your attention and care (apologies to Robert Burns). Tiger is a gray tabby, soft-spoken, loves attention and has an innate curiosity about the people and places in his life. He’s warm and outgoing, though he can be a bit shy until he knows you and has the lay of the land. Tiger loves to play and absolutely adores his time spent chasing ribbons and string. He is an avid toy pouncer, but also loves a good nap in snuggly blankets soaking in a sun beam. Really, he is the best of both worlds - playful, yet chill and
JULIET
Shorthair Rabbit, Spayed female affectionate. If you are looking for a special guy to warm your home and your heart, Tiger is your kitty! Thanks to a generous donor, my adoption fees have been paid! Photo courtesy of Shelley Castle Photography
Juliet is a unique looking lady with glamorous eyes and super soft fur. She knows how important it is to eat her veggies and loves to nibble on fresh produce in addition to her favorite timothy hay. When she isn’t enjoying tasty ‘noms, Juliet likes to say hello to everyone who stops at her door. She never turns down a good ear rub and is as gentle as can be. Juliet is still looking for her Romeo, will it be you?! Photo courtesy of Shelley Castle Photography
4101 Eisenhower Avenue • Alexandria, VA 703-746-4774 • alexandriaanimals.org Mon-Fri, 1-8 pm • Closed Wed • Sat & Sun, 12-5 pm Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 19
CARIBBEAN CONNECTION JEFF MCCORD
Although business is still only about 30 percent of what it should be in March, everyone is thankful. A slow resurrection is underway just in time for Easter, a holiday that brings to mind a large, spear head shaped rock of volcanic origins towering over St. John’s North Shore Road. Among the first to record in writing the story of this remarkable rock that dwarfs cars and touring safari taxis is Guy H. Benjamin, a Virgin Island patriarch who died at age 98 on St. John in 2012. In “Me and My Beloved Virgins,”
T
decorated with “festoons of flowers and coconut palms” as well as the “flowers of the century plant.” Following the service, the congregation had a feast of bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, green and yellow papaya, okra, soup made from bonowiss (a bean that grows on running vines), tarts, sugar cakes and bread. Easter Monday was a day for sailboat races starting in the waters off the stone Danish Dock in Coral Harbor that today can be found on a path through the mangroves behind Skinny Legs’ bar. Departing at
flora are leading the Virgin Islands’ rebirth. Restoration of buildings and services (beyond electricity) are following more slowly. Many hotels – including St. John’s Westin and Caneel Bay resorts -remain closed for repairs. But, hundreds of vacation villas, smaller hotels and AirBnB apartments are open for business. Cruise ships have resumed service to St. Croix and St. Thomas with day trips to St. John. Air travel has increased dramatically with more flights being added in May. Cleanup and restoration of services within the Virgin Islands National Park is on-schedule. World famous Trunk Bay beach with its showers and rest rooms is fully open. At our own home, we see increasing numbers of hummingbirds, banana quits (the official Virgin Islands’ bird) and tree frogs. Trees and bushes in our yard are growing at a pace we’ve never seen before. I grew up in the Pine Barrens region of southern New Jersey where forest fires every 20 or so years are critical to the health of the forest. They clear the dead wood, thin the canopy so sun light can reach the ground and crack open pine cones so seeds can grow. Similarly, periodic storms are healthy for Caribbean islands. Irma and Maria, though, were a bit extreme. Old-timers
Virgin Island Resurrection In-Progress at Easter
his year, the annual St. Patrick’s Day on St. John, USVI, was led by a BBC electric “bucket” truck (with the Irish flag spanning the grill) and ended with revelers from the first wedding party to come since the Irma/Maria catastrophe in September. To me, BBC always meant British Broadcasting Corporation. For today’s Virgin Islanders, though, the letters stand for recovery in the form of BBC Electric Utility Construction and Repair Services, the Joplin, Missouri based contractor who is restoring and rebuilding our electric
20 | April 2018
infrastructure with stronger, hardened lines and fiberglass poles designed to bend rather than snap in strong winds.. Power has now been restored to all Virgin Islanders. Electricity enables the return of the visitors who provide our archipelago’s economic lifeblood. So, it was noteworthy a few days ago when my son and I were enjoying St. John’s beautiful Hawksnest Beach and a friend pointed to a large group of happy visitors rehearsing a beach wedding. We all felt pride and relief. On St. Patrick’s Day, we happened to be standing near the Quiet Mon Pub watching the parade next to the bride’s grandmother. We thanked her and the bride’s father for bringing the 65 member strong wedding party and all the business they represented to St. John. They said everyone on-island had been kind and helpful making it very special.
he recalled being a high school student on St. Thomas trying to return to his remote Hansen Bay, St. John village in time for Easter. After a six hour sail (due to contrary winds) on a wooden sloop bringing mail from Charlotte Amalie, he arrived at Cruz Bay in the middle of the night and started walking to Coral Bay by way of the unpaved cart trail that would later become North Shore Road. He planned to stop at his aunt’s house in the small village of Milan on Maho Bay. “I passed a great big rock; this was the rock which takes a bath in the sea every Easter morning.” Some say that Easter Rock rolls down the hill in the early morning to take a drink. It’s always back in place before the first people go by, regardless. On that Saturday night in the late 1920s, Guy Benjamin made it to his aunt’s Maho Bay house. The next morning, he and his aunt traversed Kings Hill to Emmaus Moravian Mission in Coral Bay to celebrate Easter. His aunt rode a donkey up the steep trails broken with switch backs while he walked behind holding the donkey’s tail. The Emmaus sanctuary was
8 am, the fleet would race out into Coral Bay to Flanagan’s Island and back, usually returning by 2 pm. Nearly 100 years later, in another sign of recovery, many sailboats have returned to their Coral Harbor moorings, although Emmaus Mission lost its roof in the storms and awaits repair. And, the ball field across from the Mission and adjacent to the closed Guy H. Benjamin elementary school is now a temporary collection and transfer station for metal and organic refuse from the category 5 hurricanes. Clearly, natural fauna and
CARIBBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 21
Escape to paradise Hillcrest Guest House is located within a residential area, rising two stories above Cruz Bay, on the crest of a hill and minutes from the beach and the US National Park, Virgin Islands. Six suites available, $185-$235/day Call 340-776-6774 or 340-998-8388 hillcreststjohn.com
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Old Town Crier
CARRIBEAN CONNECTION FROM PAGE 20
don’t expect to see their like again for years. Just in case, though, everyone is re-building stronger. Virgin Islanders’ spirits are high and hopeful. Our St. John St. Patrick’s Day parade is always sponsored by the Quiet Mon Pub. Its’ 2018 commemorative T-shirt displays this “Irish Blessing”: “The cards you have been dealt may be wrong; The road you have traveled may be long; But, in the end we know this is where we belong, Because we are V.I. strong!” Jeffrey R. McCord is a free-lance journalist whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Gannett newspapers and Truthout.org, among other publications. For more than 20 years he’s called Northern Virginia home. Jeff is the author of two fact-based Caribbean novels available on Amazon.com: “Undocumented Visitors in a Pirate Sea,” a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest; and, “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea,” a finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book contest. He now divides his time between Virginia and St. John, USVI.
You Could Be Swimming in Warm Waters Right Now MYSTERY READING AT ITS BEST
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Park Place
Apartment on St. John. $170/Night, no minimum stay. Pets allowed with some restrictions. Pool, kitchenette, private bathroom, screened porch overlooking tropical forest with banana and papaya trees, double bed, and separate living area. Perfect for a couple or young family. Amenities include kayaks, snorkel gear, and bamboo walking sticks. More than 60 percent of this spectacular Caribbean island is Virgin Island National Park, offering hiking, snorkeling, and unbelievable views. Reservations: Get out of traffic and mjtoomey1995@yahoo.com come to paradise.
CARIBBEAN MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE A dead Marine washed ashore on a Caribbean island leads investigators to otherworldly perpetrators in historic pirate waters and high level abuses in Washington. An intrepid maritime historian working the case for U.S. Naval Intelligence discovers a 60-year record of extraterrestrial activity in the Caribbean basin. History and national security politics meet science fiction in this mystery based on exhaustive factual research and informed conjecture.
CARIBBEAN hISToRY AND ADvENTURE Where did the villain General Santa Anna of Alamo infamy retire? Is time travel possible? What was it like on the ground in the worst hurricane of the 19th century? Can a band of rogue sailors from Coral Bay, St. John, defeat ruthless corporate mercenaries? These questions and more are answered in Jeffrey Roswell McCord’s new fact-based novel “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea.”
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April 2018 | 21
FROM THE BAY …
Photo courtesy of Annapolis Boat Shows
IT’S...
SHOW TIME! OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE TRIED AND TRUE BOAT SHOW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE WHILE EXPANDING IN-SHOW MARITIME ACTIVITIES. — Paul Jacobs, president of the Annapolis Boat Shows
22 | April 2018
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he Annapolis Boat Shows, an events management company that produces four in-water boat shows and coordinates many boating educational programs, announces its 2018 spring sail and power boat show schedule. “For the past few years, we have strived to make our boat shows more interactive and fun. We have added boating classes, experiential programming, and lessons for the beginning sailor,” said Paul Jacobs, president of the Annapolis Boat Shows. “Our goal is to improve the tried and true boat show shopping experience while expanding in-show maritime activities.” “Our shows include grand prize giveaways, seminars, on-board classes, boat demo rides, and an optional VIP
Experience all designed to introduce people to the boating lifestyle. These new and expanded programs have proved so successful that the company is dedicated to continue expanding these offerings in 2018,” said Jacobs. Spring boat shows are just around the corner. Either sail or power, there is no better place to plan a family summer vacation on the water. Always guaranteed to be a fun outing with friends exploring sailboats of all styles and sizes in downtown Annapolis or climbing aboard hundreds of powerboats on Kent Island. For seasoned boaters or soon-to-be boaters, these are the boat shows not to miss. The Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show will run April 20th-22nd. The show features Cruisers University and First Sail Workshops. There are sailing
lessons, live music, entertainment, tasting venues, and a demo dock to see all the new water activities and toys. The Bay Bridge Boat Show, featuring more than 400 powerboats up to 75 feet in length, is an exciting annual springtime in-water boat show held in Stevensville, MD at the Bay Bridge Marina. As one of the largest spring boat shows north of Florida, this show traditionally marks the beginning of the boating season on Chesapeake Bay and is eagerly anticipated by fisherman and family boaters throughout the MidAtlantic region. The Bay Bridge Boat Show is open April 27th-29th. Tickets and detailed information available at AnnapolisBoatShows.com Old Town Crier
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TO THE BLUE RIDGE
W
JULIE REARDON
ho doesn’t love to peek through the closed doors and through the windows and walled gardens of others, especially the wealthy? There’s a bit of voyeurism in all of us, and online pictures and videos can only scratch, not satisfy, that desire to really see how others live. Even if you’re not a gardener, Historic Garden Week in Virginia April 21st -28th offers a rare chance to visit some of the area’s loveliest estates during a time when they’re all dressed up in spring colors.
the village of Middleburg is the location of the Loudoun and Fauquier Garden Club Chapter’s 2018 tour, held Sunday and Monday, April 22nd and 23rd. Four spectacular properties in Upperville and Paris will open their doors. From an iconic Federal period mansion, to a French stone farmhouse, visitors will be delighted by the diversity of these grand estates
worked to preserve the natural beauty of landscapes along Virginia’s highways and promoted the elimination of billboard blight. It has prioritized education about the importance of clean air and water. Over the last decade, the GCV has supported and recognized conservation projects along many of Virginia’s rivers and waterways. Each year, the Garden Club of
Historic Garden Week is a statewide event, sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia and its local chapters. During that last week in April, 250 of the most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks statewide will be open during “America’s Largest Open House.” This 8-day event provides visitors a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia’s springtime color, as well as beautiful houses and historic sites sparkling with over 2,000 flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members. In hunt country, two different tours will be held April 21st-23rd. On Saturday the 21st, Clarke County/ Winchester area features four different properties in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Headquarters alone is worth a visit—the State Arboretum at Blandy Farm off Route 50. The two clubs sponsoring are the Winchester-Clarke Garden Club and the Little Garden Club of Winchester; tickets are $30 in advance for this day and $40 on site, or you can purchase single tickets for just one property for $20. The horse country around
and landscapes that celebrate the open spaces of Virginia’s Piedmont. The National Sporting Library and Museum, housing world-class collections and exhibitions of fine animal and sporting art, enhances your tour in the heart of hunt country, an area also filled with unique shops and quaint restaurants. The fabled Blue Ridge mountain views, the stone walls, the dogwoods, and the redbuds in bloom for the backdrop, there is no better time to see these spectacular houses and their gardens. Tickets for any/ all of the Sunday-Monday Middleburg area tours are are $40 in advance, and can be purchased online, or available the day of the tour for $50. For information, visit www. vagardenweek.org Back in 1927, a flower show put on by the Garden Club of Virginia raised $7,000 to preserve some of the trees on the lawn of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, a huge sum at that time, and Historic Garden Week was born. The Garden Club of Virginia operates as a nonprofit organization comprised of 47 member clubs and 3,400 volunteers. Proceeds go
Virginia sponsors workshops and a Forum that takes a balanced look at environmental issues. These efforts go hand in hand with educating members and the public about relevant topics, like using native plants in the landscape. Its most well-known public event, Historic Garden Week is a beloved spring tradition with a fascinating history. Coming originally from England, early Virginians brought with them an inherent love of the land. They created splendid plantations with noble homes and handsome gardens. Without organized protection of this irreplaceable inheritance, the Garden Club of Virginia foresaw its inevitable destruction. Starting in 1929, they made it their mission to preserve our state’s historic public gardens. The first tours were organized to support restoration work at Kenmore in Fredericksburg. From Monticello, Mount Vernon, Bacon’s Castle, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, to the State Arboretum in Winchester, to name just a few – a full diversity of gardens is represented in the GCV’s projects. Tickets for the Fauquier
Loudoun Garden Club’s tour can be purchased in advance online and are $40 on the day of the tour. For online purchase, go to vagardenweek.com and on the day of the tour, they can be purchased locally at Buchanan Hall in Upperville or at the National Sporting Library in Middleburg. For the Monday tour only, box lunches can be ordered in advance for $15. For details, email flgc.hgw@gmail. com
More Garden Goodies The Upperville Garden Club’s 53rd annual Daffodil Show will
Budding Interest toward the restoration and preservation of Virginia’s historic public gardens. The first statewide tour was in 1929, and since then over $17 million has been contributed to this worthwhile cause. The nearly 50 active Garden Club of Virginia restoration projects statewide include Mount Vernon, the Pavilion Gardens at the University of Virginia, and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, which benefit from Historic Garden Week tours. In addition to funding the restoration and preservation of Virginia’s historic gardens, the tour proceeds provide graduate level research fellowships for building comprehensive and ongoing records of historic gardens and landscapes in the Commonwealth, and support the mission of the Garden Club of Virginia. The Garden Club of Virginia (GCV) has been committed to preserving the beauty of Virginia for all to enjoy. The GCV advocated for maintaining the pristine beauty of Goshen Pass and the wilderness of the Great Dismal Swamp. It has
have thousands of daffodils on display at Buchanan Hall on the south side of Rt. 50 in Upperville on April 12th. Here, you can see every kind of daffodil, from the mundane to the exotic. More than 50 exhibitors are expected to enter from Virginia and nearby states; this year’s theme is Historic Virginia Mansions. Themed arrangements will highlight the Federal styles of historic Virginia homes such as Mount Vernon, Monticello, Morven Park, Montpelier and Oatlands, and more. The doors open at 2 p.m., and although admission is free, donations are welcomed. According to organizers, anyone can enter an exhibit. If you think you have some prizeworthy daffodils and/or are good at arranging them, just pick them, arrange them and plan to arrive between 8 and 10 a.m. on April 12th; volunteers will be on hand to assist you. In addition to the themed exhibits, there are a wide variety of divisions; including large and small cupped daffodils, double daffodils, Jonquilla, one or multi stemmed, and more. For information, call (540) 5544551.
SPRING POINT TO POINT SCHEDULE SUNDAY, APRIL 1 | 1:00 PM Orange County Hounds Point to Point Locust Hill Farm, Middleburg (540) 687-5552 pippy@vafallraces.com 26 | April 2018
SATURDAY, APRIL 7 | 12:00 NOON Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point Ben Venue Farm, Ben Venue (540) 364-4573 (540) 636-1507 olddominionhounds.weebly.com
SATURDAY, MAY 5TH | GATES OPEN AT 10:00 AM Virginia Gold Cup Great Meadows The Plains 540-347-2612 vagoldcup.com
Old Town Crier
HORSE N HOUND 667 ZACHARY TAYLOR HWY. FLINT HILL, VA. 22627 Store Hours: Monday – Saturday 10-5pm
SADDLERY • GIFTS • PET FOOD • OUTDOOR WEAR • Full Service Tack Store for the English Horse & Rider
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Farm to Table Dining - Virginia Wines & Craft Beers Outdoor Patio Opening Soon!
Come join us and enjoy sophisticated country life at its best!
American Rustic Cuisine
Washington, Virginia, was originally surveyed by a young George Washington in 1749, and officially became a town in 1795. Now the county sits in Rappahannock County, where Little Washington is home to 145 residents and nearby wineries, antiquing, hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and exciting dining options. Tula’s Restaurant and Bar offers farm to table dining, excellent wines, craft beers, and fun with friends and visitors alike. Come join us and enjoy sophisticated country life at its best!
311 Gay Street Little Washington, VA 540-675-2223 • tulasrestaurantandbar.com For reservations call or visit www.opentable.com
Tula’s Restaurant
311 Gay Street • Little Washington, VA 540-675-2223 • tulasrestaurantandbar.com
Celebrate the Beauty of Spring Visit our 1760s Southern Georgianstyle mansion on 83 acres in gorgeous Rappahannock County and enjoy: Breathtaking mountain views and star-filled nights Relaxing, comfortable understated elegance Rooms, suites, and efficiencies Rooms available at $189 per night. 15% off your two-night stay. Visit GreenfieldInnVA.com or call Audrey Regnery at 540.675.1114. Unmatched Southern hospitality and treasured memories await you!
30 September Song Lane Washington, VA 22747 540.675.1114 ▪ GreenfieldInnVA.com
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 27
ROAD TRIP
BOB TAGERT
SPRINGTIME COMES TO
CULPEPER VIRGINIA I
t has been a few years since I wrote about Culpeper, Virginia. Although the town of Culpeper is large with box stores, big name grocery and farm equipment stores, it is the historic district that I will write about. The historic district, or Downtown Culpeper, is marked by the intersection of Davis Street and Main Street or Route 522. Main Street divides Davis Street into east and west with most businesses on Main Street or East Davis. The only downside with Culpeper is getting there. In recent years I have learned to not trust traffic on I-95 any time or day. This road not only serves locals but also the entire east coast going north/south. If you do take 95, once you make it to Fredericksburg, taking Route 3 to Culpeper is a nice drive. Another option is I-66 to Gainesville and then Route 29 to Culpeper. It is a bit longer but traffic moves. Whichever way you choose, Culpeper is worth it! The original plan of the town called for ten blocks, which form the core of Culpeper’s downtown area today. A young George Washington, who at age 27, was a protégé of the 28 | April 2018
6th Lord Fairfax, surveyed the original town. During the Civil War Culpeper was a crossroads for a number of armies marching through central Virginia, with both Union and Confederate forces occupying the town by turn. In the heart of downtown, the childhood home of Confederate General A.P. Hill stands at the corner of Main and Davis streets. Culpeper began to grow dramatically in the 1980’s, becoming a “bedroom community” of more densely populated Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. suburbs. In 2011 East Davis Street was named as a 2011 America’s Great Place by the American Planning Association. The secret to the success of the downtown area is the diversity of the shops and restaurants. In a short two-block stretch you can find anything from bees making honey and freshly baked goods to seriously sweet treats and wine to elegant and casual dining. Anchoring Davis Street at Main is Pepperberries. Their mantra is “Uptown style, Downtown charm!” Just about anything you want, they have…and then some. Here you can
find the latest gift and fashion accessories from Brighton, Pandora, Kendra Scott, Lauren James, Simply Southern and The Thymes. That is just the beginning; they also have other unique gifts and jewelry that will help you find either the perfect gift or a little special something for yourself. You can tell it is spring by all of the bright colors at Pepperberries. Across the street and down the block is Green Roost, a boutique that is eco-conscious and socially responsible. Kelsey and her staff believe in gifting with a purpose. Their mission is simple…provide Culpeper with a unique gift shop that specializes in kind-to-the-earth gifts. A few doors down is Designers Choice, one of the longest tenured stores that specializes in antiques and collectibles, floral arranging components, a Christmas shop and home furnishings. A little farther down the street is Harriet’s General, a store that as something for everyone. Because of the leather goods…outer wear and ROAD TRIP > PAGE 29
Old Town Crier
ROAD TRIP FROM PAGE 28
boots, I like to call this “a man’s store.” It is certainly an original. Right next-door is Vinosity…a first class wine, cider and cigar store, the perfect place to pick up a bottle or case of good wine. As I mentioned, there are a number of good restaurants including Grass Roots, It’s About Thyme, Copper Fish and Flavor on Main, but my two favorites are Foti’s and Piedmont Steakhouse. Foti’s is on Davis Street and is a casual dining establishment with fine dining food and service. Owners Frank and Sue Maragos take great pride in their food and service. Piedmont Steakhouse is located behind Davis Street and is a steakhouse that is rated as the 4th best in Virginia according to OnlyInYourState. com . Here you will find great food in a beautiful setting. If you decide to stay the night there is the Fountain Hall B&B in town or motels outside of town. If you want to make this road trip last another day, I would recommend picking up Route 522 to Sperryville and check out Cocoa Manna Brewing Cocoa in Boston, Virginia. Cocoa Manna is dedicated to finding and sharing the world’s best small-farm cocoa beans. Cocoa beans are vegan, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, low fat, low calorie and packed with powerful antioxidants associated with more energy, a healthier immune system, and stress reduction. They roast their cocoa in small batches with lots of love in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Continuing on Route 522 will bring
Old Town Crier
you to the town of Sperryville and Rappahannock County. Sperryville is a great little town to explore as is Washington Virginia which is about seven miles east on Route 211. Both of these towns have places to spend the night in case you didn’t stay in Culpeper. Our favorites are the Greenfield Inn B&B between Sperryville and Washington and The Loft at the Spa in Little Washington. Have a bite to eat at Tula’s Restaurant while there. From Rappahannock County you can make your way back to Route 66 for the return home. In Fauquier County you will find some of Virginia’s finest wineries. Check out the Grapevine column in this issue for some good recommendations. If you happen to be out that way on April 28th, you can check out the 2nd annual Tulip Festival at Philip Carter Winery. The festival will feature wine, beer and cider as you enjoy the beautiful tulip garden. Food will be available from area food trucks as well. Reservations are required With spring finally here it is a good time for a road trip. Culpeper is a magical place to visit and a great destination. The drive back through Rappahannock and Fauquier Counties will be a treat during the spring as trees begin to bud, flowers are blooming and fields and pastures are turning green. Spring blooms in Culpeper! Clockwise, from top left: Vinosity, Piedmont Steakhouse, the tulips at Philip Carter Winery,the Original Hope Company, Pepperberries, and Designers Choice.
April 2018 | 29
GNARL Y
*
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Depot District - Downtown Culpeper
*
4.28.18 12P-5P
PS & BARLEY O H
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A P E P E R, V
S EATS GNARLY LOCAL EAT
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HT TO YOU B Y 540.825.441 6 | facebook.co m/gnarlyho ps
WS! S! BREW T BRE FT CRAF R 70 CRA OVER OVE
! IC SIC US MU M E VE LIV LI LOVE CANON |
Cdiscover ULPEPER the charm! VIRGINIA
the unsuitables
TICKETS available @ FAR GOHN BREWING COMPANY VINOSITY | Randy’s Flowe rs by Endless Creations online @
www.gnarl rl ly yh yhop ps s.com
PRICING: ADVance VIP $70 I ADVance Standard $35 gate standard $45 | No n-Drinking ticket $5
SPO NsORed by: SPONsO
Culpeper’s Finest Steak & Seafood Restaurant 110 E. Cameron Street • Historic Culpeper, Va. 540.825.4444 • piedmontsteakhouse.com Wine Craft Beer Cheese Cigars Unique Pantry Items Complimentary Tastings and Educational Classes for Wine and Beer Enthusiasts
Indulge your curiosity
A NAme to RemembeR A meAl You WoN’t FoRget
Gift & Fashion Destination 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
110 e. Davis Street
Open for Lunch & Dinner Wed-Sun
fotisrestaurant.com | 540.829.8400
102 East Davis St. Culpeper, Virginia 540-829-2290 pepperberriesva.com
Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm Fri-Sat 10am-7pm Sunday 11am-5pm
Designer’s Choice Still Closing Sale! ALL SALES FINAL!
149 East Davis Street • 540-825-7694 designerschoice4you.com
30 | April 2018
NEW Location!
➽
Gifts 18th Century Accessories Floral Arranging Components Spectacular Furniture Line
NEW • VINTAGE • MID-CENTURY • CLOTHING & FURNITURE 146 North Main Street • Historic Culpeper • 540 825-6200 A Heywood-Wakefield Furniture Dealer and Custom Furniture Maker
Old Town Crier
DINING OUT
THE GASTRONOMES
TEMPO RESTAURANT 4231 DUKE STREET ALEXANDRIA 703-370-7900 TEMPORESTAURANT.COM
Upscale Italian & French Cuisine at Tempo
T
his month for our dining out experience we returned to one of our favorites and one that is considered Alexandria’s Best Kept Secret! West of Old Town on Duke Street is Tempo Restaurant, a former gas station turned first class restaurant. This conversion was an impressive feat on its own.
scene in Alexandria. Twenty nine years ago they opened this innovative restaurant and have been featuring a very impressive blend of northern Italian and French cuisine ever since. We changed it up a bit this month and decided to do something different than heading there for dinner. We picked an early Sunday
The décor is very contemporary with understated white walls adorned by beautiful, simple thought provoking artwork. We will leave it up to you to decipher the images in the photo on this page. There are floor to ceiling glass walls that let in sunlight and gives the diner an unobstructed view. Tempo is a small venue but still has a dedicated space where you can hold special occasions or business gatherings in a semiprivate room. We say semiprivate because it is visible from the main dining area because of the floor to ceiling windows that separate the rooms. Tempo is owned and operated one of the area’s most popular husband and wife culinary teams - Serge and Wendy Albert. As a matter of fact, they were the first husband and wife restaurant team to come on the
afternoon. When we arrived for brunch, it was on a nice sunny day and it was great to be welcomed by a nice stand of daffodils near the entrance. We were seated next to the outer glass wall in the middle of the room – a perfect place to watch all of our dining companions as they filtered in. They serve the full lunch menu in addition to several specials and the brunch entrée’s. We sat down and ordered the prerequisite Mimosas and I was prepared for some eggs benedict, but when I saw their other lunch offerings I quickly changed my mind. I left the benedict to my partner – who, by the way, aspires to be an aficionado of eggs benedict. She wasn’t disappointed in the benedict by any means but she felt that the side of mashed potatoes that it comes with a little “odd”. There is the option
Old Town Crier
to substitute the spuds for a vegetable and in hind sight she wished she had opted for some asparagus. The fresh fruit that also accompanies the dish was fantastic. A combination of fresh apple, grapefruit, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and cantaloupe is a nice compliment. I opted for one of the ten options they had the “menu for the day” - the Stuffed Flounder. This filet was adorned with crabmeat, diced asparagus, and a creamy white wine sauce. Stuffed flounder has always been a favorite of mine and this did not disappoint. The flounder was white, flaky meat that was cooked just right. The sauce, with the asparagus imbedded, covered the crabmeat but it was easy to dig out the hunks of back fin meat to savor. The combination of flavors was impressive and too soon it was gone. The flounder was complimented by light and creamy mashed potatoes. I also had one of the aforementioned fruit cups. This was a meal that really hit the spot and left a wonderful taste in my mouth. If you are a lover of dessert, this is the place for you to come. The dessert tray is a masterpiece on its own. We were both on full so decided to pass on the sweet ending. We did converse with the couple at the table next to us who told us they were regulars and have sampled many of the choices on the tray and have yet to be disappointed. There is something for everyone. In addition to lunch, dinner and brunch, Tempo invites you to join them for their Monday and Tuesday Dinner Specials. This is a 3 course dinner for
2 with a bottle of house wine for a mere $55. A good way to experiment with something new. Tempo has a nice selection of wines from local regions as well as their European selections. All reasonably priced and some with the option of ordering a split, there is something for
everyone’s palate. There is full bar service available, however, this is strictly a dining place. There isn’t a television in the place – unless there was one hidden under some of the art – and that was a welcome amenity. The next time you are looking for somewhere to go to enjoy a quiet, sophisticated yet unassuming meal, Tempo should be at the top of your list.
April 2018 | 31
BEHIND THE BAR
BOB TAGERT
Union Street Public House Whiskey Bar
UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE WHISKEY BAR 121 SOUTH UNION STREET OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 703-548-1785 UNIONSTREETPUBLICHOUSE.COM
T
he latest fad in the world of mixology and the consumption of adult beverages – The Whiskey Bar - has come to Old Town Alexandria. Secluded in a specific area of the restaurant, the whole idea is to set a different tone and to offer over a hundred whiskeys and bourbons as well as some unique selections of scotch, vodka, gin, tequila and rum. Union Street Public House has recently opened the Whiskey Bar 1986 1986 was the year USPH opened. Those of you who are familiar with Union Street will be familiar with the space. The former Oyster Bar has been transformed into a room with dark woods and a copper topped bar that seats about a dozen customers. The Whiskey Bar is open Wednesday through Saturday nights from 5 p.m. until closing and the resident bartender is Mike Reid. Reid conjures up all of the house inspired cocktails ranging from I Cannot Tell a Lie…Knob Creek/Cherry Brandy/Apple randy/ Cream Sherry to On Island Time Flor De Cana 7 year/ Carmaro/Crème de Cacao/Lemon Juice. The 1986 Whiskey Bar offers over 130 brands of Bourbons and Whiskeys, 32 Scotches and numerous Gins, Vodkas, Tequilas and Rums. The prices are very reasonable and you can also order from the restaurant menu if you are hungry.
While this column normally highlights a bartender and his/ her likes dislikes and commentary, we thought it might be fun to change it up a bit to give the Whiskey Bar concept some exposure. As always, if you would like to see your favorite mixologist featured in this space, send contact information to office@oldtowncrier.com.
32 | April 2018
Mike Reid Mixes it up at The Whiskey Bar! Featured here is the $6 Manhattan - Old Forester Signature/Dolin Rouge/ Angostura bitters.
Old Town Crier
dine out! It’s Spring at
OUR SPRING MENU IS HERE! Old Favorites and Soon To Be NEW ONES! FREE Wine Tastings Saturday 2 - 4 pm 7966 Fort Hunt Road
Fine Seafood, Historic Setting Outdoor Seating • Happy Hour • Private Events 119 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.836.2836 • wharfrestaurant.com
(In the Hollin Hall Shopping Center)
Reservations:
703-347-7545
RiverBendBistro.com Plenty of FREE parking
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 33
MASTERS OF CUISINE
CHEF DARRYL BOLLING MCLOONE’S PIER HOUSE 141 NATIONAL PLAZA NATIONAL HARBOR 301-839-0815
Chef Darryl Bolling
C
hef Bolling was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Before beginning his career as a banquet chef for Hyatt Hotels, he perfected his craft and graduated from Pennsylvania Culinary Arts in Pittsburg. Working for Hyatt Hotels is where he learned how to be very well organized as a chef, due to cooking in large quantities and for hundreds to thousands of people. Later he decided to take his skills to work for Bravo/ Brio which was an Italian concept. He was brought on as a culinary chef to help develop menus and open restaurants in different states. He was asked by Al Copeland, a man who once owned all the Popeye’s restaurants, to move to New Orleans in 2005 to become his Executive Chef for one of his fine dining establishment. In New Orleans is where he learned the creole side of cooking and the great hospitality the city gives. During the aftermath of Katrina, he was part of the rebuilding stage. He considers it a great honor to have helped them restore the city back to the New Orleans we all love
34 | April 2018
today. He is now back in the DMV area doing what he loves to do…..”cook!”
What inspired you to pursue a career in the culinary field? My love and passion for food and people. Food is universal and can bring people together from all walks of life. Everyone needs food, and there’s no denying good food! Cooking allows me to play a role in bringing people together.
Who or what has made the biggest influence on you during your career? Mike Bomberger, he was the epitome of “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”. Early in my career he was considered one of the toughest Chef ’s to work for, but I learned a lot from him that I still carry with me today, such as flavor profiles and the distinct way that I prepare my dishes.
What is your “personal favorite” dish on your menu and why? Rack of Lamb, it’s a French cut rack served on a
bed of mashed potatoes and asparagus topped with a red wine demi glaze. The meat is succulent and tender, and the red wine demi glaze enhances the natural flavors of the meat.
What do you feel sets your cuisine apart from others in your field? What sets my cuisine apart from others are two special ingredients called “love” and “fun”. Food isn’t hard….people make it hard. I like to smile, laugh, and enjoy what I do and I honestly believe that that transends into my cooking. When you indulge in a Chef Darryl dish I want you to taste the love and fun in every bite. If any chef in the world (past or present) could prepare you a meal, who would you want that to be? Chef Darryl enjoys his succulent Rack of Lamb with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. The incomparable Gordan Ramesy.
What is your guilty food pleasure? My guilty food pleasure is pasta. If you would like to see your favorite Master of Cuisine featured in this space, send contact information to office@ oldtowncrier.com.
Iris
Norberto
Patty
Old Town Crier
The Whiskey Bar & Cocktail Den Wednesday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. “Over 150 whiskeys & cocktails dedicated to the adventurous” Whiskey Wednesdays! “Enjoy a taste of the rare & interesting” weekly beginning at 5 pm Saturday & Sunday brunch 11am-3pm, $3 bloodys & mimosas
APR IL EV ENTS
121 South Union St. Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1785
unionstreetpublichouse.com
April 1st
EASTER BRUNCH • 11AM TO 3PM FEATURING SPECIAL BRUNCH INCLUDING LAMB $3 BLOODY MARY'S & MIMOSAS
April 14th
GREAT LAKES BREWING JONES PARK CLEAN-UP AFTER PARTY
April 22nd
LAGERS FOR JOGGERS • 10AM TO 4PM FOUR STYLES OF LAGER ON DRAFT AFTER THE GW PARKWAY CLASSIC!
What you see . . . . . . and what you get
Reservations 703.780.3665 reservations@cedarknollva.com 9030 Lucia Lane Alexandria, VA 22308 cedarknollva.com Old Town Crier
la dolce vita, inside and out. www.LaTrattoriaOldTown.com
April 2018 | 35
AMERICAN
ASHLAR RESTAURANT AND BAR 116 South Alfred St. 703-739-6090 BILBO BAGGINS 208 Queen St. 703-683-0300 BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 703-739-6090 CAFE 44 44 Canal Center 571-800-6644 CARLYLE CLUB 411 John Carlyle St. 703-549-8957 CHADWICKS 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 chadwicksrestaurants.com An Old Town tradition since 1979 and an original Georgetown pub and restaurant since 1967. CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080 CITY KITCHEN 330 South Pickett St. 703-685-9172 fatcitykitchen.com USA City inspired menu choices that bring together traditional American and global cuisine with their own personal touch. Casual dress. $30 and under. Lots of free parking. Open 7 days a week with brunch on Sat & Sun 11-3. AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa COLUMBIA FIREHOUSE 109 S. St. Asaph St. 703-683-1776 EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051 FIN & HOOF 801 N. Saint Asaph St. 703-836-4700 FIVE GUYS 725 King St. 703-549-7991 FLAT TOP BURGER 529 East Howell Ave. 571-970-1006 FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342 GADSBYS TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288 HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050 HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-684-6969 HUMMINGBIRD 220 South Union Street 703-566-1355 JACKS PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372 JACKSON 20 480 King St. 703-842-2790 36 | April 2018
JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777 KING STREET BLUES 112 N. St. Asaph St. 703-836-8800 LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313 LIVE OAK 1603 Commonwealth Ave. 571-312-0402 LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511 MACKIE’S BAR AND GRILL 907 King St. 703-684-3288 MAGNOLIA’S ON KING 703 King St. 703-838-9090 MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street Old Town Alexandria 703-548-8800 mason-social.com MOUNT VERNON INN Mount Vernon, Va 703-780-0011 MURPHYS IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com Old-world Irish pub featuring a roaring fireplace, serving a variety of imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers in a friendly atmosphere. Serving robust American-Irish meals at fair prices. Favorites include fish and chips and Irish stew. Irish-style entertainment nightly. MYRON MIXON PITMASTER BBQ 220 North Lee St. 703-535-3340 NECTAR COFFEE & WINE BISTRO 106 Hume Avenue 571-431-6150 NICKELLS AND SCHIFFLER 1028 King St. 703-684-5922 NORTHSIDE 1O 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-888-0032 OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 danieloconnellsrestaurant.com PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699 RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com REYNOLDS STREET CAFÉ 34 S. Reynolds St. 703-751-0830
RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 RT's RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com SAMUEL BECKETTS IRISH GASTRO PUB 2800 S. Randolph St. Villages of Shirlington 703-379-0122 SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266 SNACK BAR 2419 Mt. Vernon Avenue 703-566-1283 SOCIETY FAIR 277 S. Washington St. 703-683-3247 SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550 SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222 SWEETGREEN 823 King St. 571-319-0192 T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com American cuisine with libations from around the world. Bar specials Mon-Fri, 4-7 pm. Brunch served Sat & Sun. TRADEMARK 2800 Jamieson Ave. 703-253-8640 UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com Old Town’s favorite neighborhood tap and grill. Southern style menu, fine steaks, fresh seafood. Sunday brunch, private parties, happy hour. VERMILLION 1120 King St. 703-684-9669 VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669 VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890 THE WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILL 214 King St. 703-683-6868 ASIAN
MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600 NASIME 1209 King St. 703-548-1848 RED MEI 602 King St. 703-837-094 STREETS MARKET AND CAFE 3108 Mt. Vernon Ave. 571-431-6810 THAILAND ROYAL 801 N. Fairfax St. 703 535-6622 TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878 CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800 SANG JUN THAI 300 King Street 571-312-3377 KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212 THE SUSHI BAR 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue 571-257-3232 CONTINENTAL
BRABO by Robert Weidmaier 1600 King St. 703-894-3440 BRABO TASTING ROOM 1600 King St. 703-894-5252 CEDAR KNOLL INN GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-799-1501 RESTAURANT EVE 110 S. Pitt St. 703-706-0450 TEMPO 4231 Duke St. 703-370-7900 temporestaurant.com Northern Italian, French provincial & American cuisine featuring fresh seafood, meats and pasta served in a contemporary, romantic atmosphere. FRENCH
BASTILLE 606 N. Fayette St. 703-519-3776 bastillerestaurant.com LE REFUGE 127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661 FONTAINES CAFFE & CREPERIE 119 S. Royal St. 703-535-8151 LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854
ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515
TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT 219 King St. 703-549-1141
MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710
YVES BISTRO 235 Swamp Fox Rd. (in Hoffman Ctr.) 703-329-1010
LA BERGERIE 218 N. Lee St. 703-683-1007 labergerie.com ITALIAN BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 bugsyspizza.com
FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998 THE ITALIAN PLACE 621Wythe St. 571-777-8981 HANKS PASTA BAR 600 Montgomery Ave. 571-312-4117 IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833 LA TRATTORIA 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 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. LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086 PARADISO 124 King St. 703-683-5330 PINES OF FLORENCE 1300 King St. 703-549-1796 RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873 MEDITERRANEAN
LA TASCA 607 King St. 703-299-9810 TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194 thepitahouse.com DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. Alexandria, VA 703-329-0006 SEAFOOD
HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com Internationally known and locally Old Town Crier
owned! We serve shrimps, a few crabs, tall people and lots of nice people, too! Live music and lively food! ERNIES ORGINIAL CRABHOUSE 1743 King St. 703-836-0046 THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 wharfrestaurant.com "Its All About the Seafood," traditional and creative coastal cuisine.
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NANCY BAUER
GRAPEVINE
With nearly 30 wineries less than an hour’s drive from the DC Beltway, Fauquier County is a quiet powerhouse in Virginia Wine Country.
A
favorite trek for in-theknow fine wine lovers, Fauquier is home to the state’s most acclaimed winegrower (Jim Law, Linden Vineyards) and best high-end wine experience (RdV Vineyards appointment-only tour and tastings), plus numerous crafters of notable small-lot Bordeaux-style blends (Delaplane Cellars, Boxwood Winery, Granite Heights, Pearmund Cellars, among others), Even before the county’s wine was making news, the rolling landscape and mountain views were a draw at Naked Mountain Winery, Three Fox Vineyards, and, more recently, Barrel Oak Winery. New arrivals like Blue Mountain Vineyards and Morais Vineyards introduced imposing architecture on wide-open acres, juxtaposed with the warm and cozy tasting rooms of Rogers Ford Winery and Upperville’s The Local Taste (tasting room for Slater Run Vineyard). One of Virginia’s unique claims to fame is its unparalleled place in U.S. history, and that history is everywhere in Fauquier, from Philip Carter Winery’s long ancestral link to winemaking in Virginia to Aspen Dale Winery’s 200+-year-old tasting barn. This weekend itinerary gives you a taste of the county’s diversity. When you visit, the Virginia Wine in My Pocket smartphone app
WINE FINDS IN
Airlie, or upscale and dressy twenty minutes away at The Manor House at the Inn at Poplar Springs. A drive into downtown Warrenton brings you to Claire’s at the Depot for casual yet elegant dining in a historic train station, with a nice assortment of highly-regarded Virginia wines.
Fauquier County
38 | April 2018
(iTunes, Google Play) can tell you which wineries you’re near. All are worthy of a visit.
DAY ONE On Friday afternoon, head out Route 66 to Delaplane. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the towering yellow building on the hill (Barrel Oak Winery) overlooking the valley. But bypass that for now and instead start your weekend at Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery next door. The Zissios family has a history of winemaking in Greece that inspired owners John and Helen to buy this property 20 years ago. The winery opened in 2015 - their estate Sauvignon Blanc is a special treat and the views can’t be beat. Next, head to BOW they’re open late on Fridays. Barrel Oak Winery is a center of social activity. “We didn’t want to just sell wine,” says Brian Roeder. “We wanted to create a place of community.” He and his wife Sharon, who makes the wine, have succeeded in this plan. Along with the typical varietals, you’ll find Virginia’s newest love interests, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, and more. Extremely dog friendly, too.
For dinner, head over to Marshall. Field & Main opened to happy crowds in 2016. Owner Neil Wavra is a wine connoisseur par excellence and his skill at pairing wine and locallysourced food is second to none. For your base of operations, check in to Airlie, a sprawling yet somehow still cozy hotel spread over 300 acres. Rooms are housed in seven outbuildings and cottages tucked into corners of the property. Bikes are provided for getting around (or you can phone for a lift to the main building and restaurant).
DAY TWO Head north to Delaplane Cellars, known as much for its wall of windows and second-to-none view as for its small-production red blends and sedate, adults-only environment. Next stop is the friendly Philip Carter Winery of Virginia. Owner Philip Carter Strother traces his heritage all the way back to America’s first gold-medal-winning wine, in 1762, produced by his ancestor Charles Carter. Stop for lunch in the village of Orlean at Orlean Market and Pub, where you can grab
a burger, pick up a pie, and fill your gas tank. A scenic drive through winding back roads brings you to Granite Heights Winery. The farm is huge, but the production so far is small, and owners Luke and Toni are elbow-deep in every aspect. Don’t mistake their lack of size for lack of sophistication: Granite Heights has won more gold medals in a few short years than most wineries can hope to win in a decade. A Portuguese palace is your next stop. Morais Vineyards’ roots shine through in their distinctive wines: Battlefield, a “Vihno Verde” (green wine) made from the Portuguese Albarino grape; Touriga Nacional, best known as a component in the finest ports; and three dessert wines: Moscatel, Jeropiga and Cherry Wine. The Cherry will have you so addicted so quickly that you’ll need to keep the bottle you inevitably purchase stashed in a very inconvenient location just to keep you from day drinking. And if you are by chance looking for a spectacular wedding venue, you are in the right place. Saturday’s choice for dinner can be simple and casual with a fresh burger or some chili or wings at Harry’s at
DAY THREE
Your Sunday itinerary can be as ambitious or as leisurely as you like. Be prepared to drop some bucks, though; today’s not cheap, but you won’t be disappointed. About a half hour west, in Markham, the adults-only Chateau O’Brien offers an eclectic selection of vinifera varietals and apple wines. Reserve in advance for the Cellar Collection Tasting, $25 per person, before making your high-end selections. Continuing westward, Linden Vineyards is the property of Virginia wine founding father and guru Jim Law. Jim’s reputation in the industry is unparalleled - he is the acknowledged inspiration for a host of young winemakers throughout the Commonwealth. Consider buying a case to join Linden’s wine club. In addition to access to great wines, only club members can take a table on the members-only deck overlooking the meticulously groomed vineyards. RdV Vineyards in Delaplane burst onto the local wine scene with quite a splash. Touted as the most expensive – and arguably best-made - wines in Virginia, RDV’s Lost Mountain and Rendezvous have been praised GRAPEVINE > PAGE 40
Old Town Crier
EXPLORING VA WINES
DOUG FABBIOLI
DOGS, BREWERIES AND BUILDING REGULATIONS,
WHERE ARE THE VIRGINIA WINERIES GOING?
T
he ball keeps bouncing and the vines keep growing. I have seen a lot of change in the Virginia Wine scene over the past 21 years - from great improvements in red wine quality to high profile owners and investments purchasing and building new operations. I have also seen how our customers have evolved, grown and changed.
As so many things in our industry are built for the long term run, there is not a lot of flexibility with wineries to change with the wind. That being said, we need to have the ability to adjust in parts of our business in order to stay relevant and current in the lifestyles of our customers. A piece of legislation was passed by the Virginia State government to allow dogs
to be inside at wineries and breweries. Dogs have always been a member of families at home but now they are traveling a lot more with their families and have created a social subculture within many hospitality industries. This law allows the dogs to come into buildings with their owners and enjoy another level of social interaction that is not weather dependent.
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Businesses have the right to keep their current policy and not change the culture of their operation, but those that have dog owners as a key component to their customer base, can expand their offerings. The farm breweries continue to build and open in the rural areas of Loudoun and the rest of the Commonwealth. There are more local plantings of hops and grains that go into the beer, but the farm breweries do not have the production requirements from the state as the farm wineries do. I do see the effort by many brewers to source local if the products are available. I believe the breweries are here to stay and the wineries will have to adjust to the changing demographics and patterns of the customers. Also, many wineries are building breweries and vice versa, taking advantage of the customers that want more choices. The law changed last year to allow the commingling of adult craft beverage types. As a consultant, I have two clients that are doing this. No, I am not building a brewery but I will not say never. I will
say personally, I will not be a brewer. But I also will not be an airline pilot or medical doctor! The other challenge for our farm wineries and rural venues is the potential change of building requirements. Currently, a building used for production of agricultural products is exempt from the universal building code. This gives the businesses the opportunity to start smaller with value added operations on the farm and increase the overall impact on the industries and economy. This issue is a bit more complex than I can explain in a brief column, but will be a subject that will be studied and addressed again in the general assembly. The key takeaways are that as winemaking is tradition and heritage based our Greater DC culture is strong and ever changing. We need to stay current on changes so timely decisions can be made protecting the business and industry. Stay properly informed, work with others - especially those with opposing views - and keep the bigger picture in view. We will always be better if we are together! April 2018 | 39
GRAPEVINE FROM PAGE 38
by no less than British wine maven Jancis Robinson. RdV is by appointment only ($65/ person) and includes a tour of the impressive Euro-styled cave and a wine tasting with charcuterie pairings. This
aging cellar is quite simply world-class. Also in Delaplane, Arterra Wines is co-located with Hawkmoth Arts. Husband and wife team Jason Murray and Sandy Gray-Murray are authentically living the artisan
lifestyle. Jason studied with the aforementioned Jim Law and his wines are testament to his studiousness. Sandy’s creations echo the precision, delicacy and balance of the Hawkmoth (also known as the hummingbird moth) and
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include ceramics, paintings, etched glass and carved wine barrels. Share a bottle on the secluded deck and review the weekend’s highlights before heading back to a newly refreshed workaday life. Nancy Bauer is the author of the new book, Virginia Wine
Country Travel Journal, and the founder of the wine country travel app and website, Virginia Wine in My Pocket.com. The book is available on Amazon and at selected wineries, and the app is available on iTunes and Google Play. Contact Nancy at nancy@ vawineinmypocket.com
VIRGINIA LIBATION TRAILS BEDFORD WINE TRAIL thebedfordwinetrail.com 6 wineries in the Virginia Mountain Region’s Bedford County
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CHESAPEAKE BAY WINE TRAIL chesapeakebaywinetrail.com 8 wineries along the Northern Neck and Middle Neck coasts
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FAUQUIER COUNTY WINE TRAIL visitfauquier.com/things-to-do/wineries 40 wineries in Northern Virginia’s Fauquier County FOOTHILLS SCENIC WINE TRAIL foothillsscenicwinetrail.com 2 wineries near Shenandoah National Park HEART OF VIRGINIA WINE TRAIL hovawinetrail.com 6 wineries near Richmond LOUDOUN: DC’S WINE COUNTRY visitloudoun.org 40 wineries in Northern Virginia’s Loudoun County
Your Guide to Virginia Wine Country Winery Maps Check-off lists Virginia’s top wines & wineries Dog-friendly wineries Family-friendly wineries + much more! Available now at these select wineries: Pearmund Cellars, Barrel Oak and Philip Carter ONLINE ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW! virginia-wine-in-my-pocket.myshopify.com Use code OTC to save 25% before March 31!
MONTICELLO WINE TRAIL monticellowinetrail.com 30 wineries around Charlottesville MOUNTAIN ROAD WINE EXPERIENCE mountainroadwineexperience.com 5 wineries and a meadery near the Blue Ridge Parkway NELSON 151 TRAIL nelson151.com 9 wineries, cideries, and breweries along Rt. 151 in Central Virginia’s Nelson County SHENANDOAH SPIRITS TRAIL shenandoahspiritstrail.com 40 wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries throughout the northern Shenandoah Valley SHENANDOAH VALLEY WINE TRAIL shenandoahvalleywinetrail.com 24 wineries along the Shenandoah Valley SOVA WINE TRAIL sovawinetrail.com 12 wineries in Southern Virginia BOTETOURT WINE TRAIL botetourtwinetrail.com 3 wineries in the southern Blue Ridge This information compliments of the Virginia Wine Country Travel Journal.
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Old Town Crier
FITNESS
NICOLE FLANAGAN
Spring Into a New Workout
A
s March rolls into April and the nicer weather starts to make a more permanent appearance it is time to give your workout a make-over. Warmer weather means we get to ditch the long pants and jackets and trade them in for shorts and t-shirts. If you are not feeling quite like you are ready, don’t worry, you still have about six weeks to do a quick overhaul on your existing workout. Many times all we need to bust that plateau is a new workout! If you feel like you are still holding onto a few extra pounds from the winter try some of these exercises and
amp up the cardio to get the results you need for the spring. The idea of this workout is to use minimal equipment to get maximum, total body results. All you will need are a set of 5-12 lb dumbbells and either a stability ball or workout bench. • Sumo Squat with Tricep Extension: Stand with feet more than shoulder width apart, toes turned slightly out with a dumbbell in each hand. To get in the start position, bend elbows 90 degrees and bring them beside your ears so the weights are behind your head, palms should face each
other. Maintaining arm position, lower into a wide squat, return to standing position and extend right arm toward the ceiling. Lower the dumbbell to start position. Repeat the squat, this time extending the left arm toward ceiling as you return to standing. Do 12-15reps • Single Leg Squat and Bicep Curl: holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides, palms facing forward, stand with back to a stability ball with feet hip-width
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Old Town Crier
apart. Reach leg behind and place your shin on the stability ball. Lower yourself to the ground for a single leg squat. As you stand up, do a bicep curl. Do 8-10 reps on each leg • Side Lunge with Shoulder Raise: holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms by side, stand with feet hip-width apart. Lunge to the right side with right leg, toes should be pointing toward the right. Keeping your left leg straight, raise your left arm directly out to the side with palm facing the floor. Then step back to start and lower your arm. Do 8-10 reps each direction. • Hamstring Curl on the Stability Ball: start by lying face-up on the floor with your arms by your sides, palms flat on the floor. Place your right heel on the stability ball and left knee bent in toward the chest. Dig your right heel into the ball and bend the knee 90 degrees to lift your hips off the floor and roll the ball towards your butt. Slowly lower your body to the ground as you extend your right leg to the start position.
• Chest Fly on Stability Ball: with a dumbbell in each hand start lying face up on a stability ball with upper back resting on the ball, knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat so your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing each other. Keeping your arms slightly bend lower your arms toward the floor until they are parallel to the floor. Then return to the starting position. Do 1215 reps. • Reverse Fly: lie face down on the stability ball, holding a dumbbell in each hand with elbows slightly bend and palms facing in. Extend your legs behind you hip-width apart to balance on toes. Maintaining a slight bend in your elbows raise dumbbells out to the side up to shoulder level with palms facing the floor, then lower to start. Do 12-15 reps. Adding a few new exercises to your workout can help you bust that plateau that’s been hindering your progress. The success of any good strength workout is to include as much calorie blasting cardio as you can. Make sure you are getting at least 3 40-minute cardio workouts per week. A good way to add a difference to your cardio routine is to take what you do inside, outside. Walking on the trail can be more of a challenge than the treadmill and riding your bike through Old Town will be just as beneficial, but much more interesting than a spin class. April 2018 | 41
FROM THE TRAINER RYAN UNVERZAGT
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pring is in the air and hopefully those bone chilling cold days and the last snow storm will be a distant memory. April is one of my favorite months because the weather is usually making a turn for the better (my birthday is in April too!). If you like the warmer weather, chances are you will be spending much more time outside, which means less time at the health club; but don’t let your fitness routine melt away like the winter snow! If you are a weekend warrior who loves to compete in various sports throughout the year, or just an Ordinary Joe who’s looking for something new, you should consider adding plyometrics to your exercise program. Plyometrics is a form of jump training that has been proven to increase the muscle’s ability to produce power. Why is this important? An increase in power results in an increase in speed, strength, or a combo of the two, which means you will have an advantage over your competition and be lighter on your feet. Another benefit of plyometric training is it can be performed outside (where it will soon be nice) with minimal equipment needed. There are a few things to remember before even trying plyometric exercises - age, strength, body weight, 42 | April 2018
previous injuries and training experience. Because of the intense nature of plyometrics, the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) recommends a lowerbody strength prerequisite before starting any jump training. A person must be strong enough to freeweight squat at least 1.5 times their own body weight. For example, a 180 lb person must be able to squat a minimum of 270 lbs! Don’t worry; you will need about six months of progressive resistance training to reach this strength guideline. The minimum age requirement depends on the physical and mental maturity level of the adolescent. Please check with your family physician to help determine if your child is physically ready to start with basic plyometric training. The maximum age relies heavily on current health conditions such as obesity, arthritis, or past joint surgeries. Several studies have shown that lowlevel plyometrics can help increase bone density in older participants. The NSCA recommends those who weigh more than 220 lbs should not depth jump from a height higher than 18 inches. Depth jumps are one of the most advanced techniques in which a person stands on a higher surface, steps off, lands on a lower
STRENGTH TRAINING WITH PLYOMETRICS surface and jumps as high as possible. This should only be performed after a solid strength base and previous training experience has been established. Besides having a solid strength base, you must also have great technique, especially upon landing from a jump. Most injuries happen during the landing and rarely on the take off. Landing mechanics need to focus on proper foot placement and flexion of the hips, knees and ankles. Foot placement should be shoulder-width apart with
hips flexed about 130 degrees, knees flexed to 110 degrees, and ankles flexed about 75 degrees. I always teach my clients to “land softly” as to absorb the impact by pushing the hips back and flexing the knees, similar to sitting in a chair. Your torso should be leaned slightly forward at the waist with good posture in the low back. Avoid slamming your feet down on the landing surface. A correct landing should be as quiet as a mouse. These are just a few things to consider before trying any jump training. I will list
and explain the physiology, program design, and some basic plyometric drills in the next month’s issue of the Old Town Crier…….stay tuned! Unverzagt holds Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Old Town Crier
KIM PUTENS
FIRST BLUSH
WHAT TO WEAR AND HOW TO WEAR IT
T
he smell of spring is in the air. With the smell of spring brings about the desire to try a new fragrance. Switching to a new fragrance in the warmer months is like shedding our heavy winter clothes. I’ve even heard of fragrance referred to as woman’s clothing. And, the type of fragrance notes chosen are referred to anything from a spring dress to a fur coat. Since we are all ready to put our fur coats away after this
crazy winter, allow me to guide you toward your “spring dress” and teach you how best to wear it. What to Wear – Warmer months call for lighter fragrance notes – floral, citrus, and clean are most common. Floral is by far the most popular fragrance category. It becomes even more popular when the temperatures rise. Consider floral notes such as gardenia, orange blossom, lily, rose and peony. These
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are most often found in fragrances. In fact, Casablanca lily is the most popular fragrance note sought out by customers. Citrus Notes – Orange is too fruity, grapefruit too ordinary. But, bergamot, bitter orange, and mandarin are just right. For a greener smell, look for fragrances that pair citrus notes with green leafy notes. Some examples of common combinations are verbena, lemon and cedar or lemon, basil and oak. Because citrus notes tend to evaporate quickly, pairing them with woody notes will make them last longer. Ozonic (or clean) Notes – When sniffed, these fragrances are reminiscent of the seashore or fresh water. Most often people will refer to them as clean and fresh. The scent will remind them of a breeze coming off the ocean or the way we expect a summer breeze to smell. When mixed with floral notes, these ozonic fragrances gain more depth, last longer and are unique. How to Wear It - Believe it or not, there are many ways to apply a fragrance to ensure maximum impact for the occasion or event in which you are wearing it. For day, the objective is to smell good and leave behind in your path a waif of your scent. It’s not meant to overpower those around you, but make you feel elegant and sophisticated. The movement of our body throughout the day makes a fragrance rise which makes it important to apply it low on the body. Behind the knees, on the wrists and even applied to your skirt or pants will ensure the fragrance
rises and lingers as you move throughout the day. Night brings out a different objective for fragrance. Sensuality is usually associated with applying a fragrance at night. To create the allure of fragrance at night, proper placement is of utmost importance. Target areas of sensuality such as behind the ears, around the neck, and on the hair. There is also the decadent way of applying fragrance. We all need a little decadence every once in a while. Keep in mind, unless you want to replace your perfume bottles often, apply your fragrance with decadence on rare occasions. The decadent approach is to spritz an area in front of your body and walk through it. This approach allows the fragrance to settle lightly on the skin and clothing. In order to be effective, you must spritz a fair amount of fragrance before you walk through it. Finally, some general rules about applying fragrance. Hold the fragrance bottle a minimum of 5-7 inches away from the body and mist it over you. Spray each area only once. If the body or clothing is “wet” after spraying, then you’ve held it too close. Enjoy the art of choosing a new spring fragrance and applying it with decadence! April 2018 | 43
SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE PEGGIE ARVIDSON
or
Y
our intuition works when you set an intention, take action to make the intention real, AND release your attachment to the outcome. This seems a little counterintuitive, right? Releasing your attachment to a specific outcome does not mean that you sit on the couch, watching reality TV for hours and just hope that your intention manifests. It’s not an excuse to let yourself off the hook when the intention doesn’t come through, rather it’s a state of being – that lets you hold the vision clearly and specifically, all the while believing that your outcome exists. This is an important and often over-looked nuance when tapping into your intuition and noticing signs. A few weeks ago you learned how to frame your request for a sign and today you’ll learn how to tell if your sign is just “wishful thinking.” It’s all about attachment to the outcome. Are you struggling more than you need to earn what you’re worth? Maybe you’re putting up with a less than stellar work situation, or stagnating with their direct marketing company or floundering to bring in clients to their freelance business. BLECH. The good news of course is that you’re not alone. And the even better news is that changing the situation is literally in your hands. The really good news is that you can make a choice 44 | April 2018
and decide to get out of the blech and into the flow of abundance at any time and you can ask for Divine guidance and information about how to do it. Really. No one is more blessed or talented or worthy than you. Conversely no one is less blessed or worthy than you either. Here’s how to make a stand for your worth and trust the signs that you receive in the process: Laser in on specifically what you want. “More Money” or “Less Debt” doesn’t count. You have to specifically state what number you want. Do not get worked up over whether it’s the right or wrong number. No one but you need to feel it’s accuracy. So if you are determined to manifest 500 dollars or 5000 dollars in the next week or month or quarter, it’s completely up to you. Make sure the number is one you believe in. Sure, it can be a stretch, but not so much of a stretch that your ego is shouting, “You may as well sit on the couch and eat bon-bons, because that shizz ain’t happening!” Now write that decision down. When you’re writing it down use a pen and paper rather than computer – it works to keep your body involved in this way. As you’re writing pay attention to how you feel. Write down how your choice makes you feel and write down how it feels to have that intention fulfilled. (If you think this doesn’t work, or you’ve heard it
before, ask yourself honestly if you’ve actually put your all into this step in the past!) Ask the Universe/God/ Angels/Guides to give you clear and specific insight on what is the perfect next step to make this intention a reality. Listen closely. You may receive an idea out of the blue right away, or you may come up with an idea, get a picture in your mind or trip over a random note in the coming days or weeks. It helps to be specific in your request for guidance, for instance, “Hello Guides, I’d like your assistance in manifesting this dollar amount by the 15th of this month. If you were me would you say now is a good time to
launch my new 1-1 freelance coaching class? Can you send me a clear sign in the form of a request from someone else by tomorrow? Thank you so much for your help. Oh and if there’s something else you want me to know, I’m open to receiving.” Now, let it go. If you are interested in pursuing your launch, take specific steps each day to make that launch happen because you need to be prepared when the request comes in. If you have an emotional, heart-wrenching sense about the sign (or no sign) this is wishful thinking. For instance, if you’re secretly hoping that a request does not arrive, and your heart sinks when it does,
the real sign is that you don’t want to create the product and do the launch, and therefore, it’s not actually the right idea or the right time. On the other hand, if you are curious about what does or does not arrive in the form of your sign, what you do receive is, in fact, a sign! Always remember you have free will in all areas of your life, including the way in which you earn money. Therefore spend some time each day reconnecting with your true desires and examine how your beliefs are creating the life you’re currently living. Do this without judgment, simply observe. Here’s to you fine-tuning your intuitive muscle.
Are you at a crossroads and need to make some serious decisions? If you’re feeling stuck at work, in love or in general, it can feel impossible to get out of your own way. Peggie helps you assess your situation, using ancient and modern tools to help you move forward with a specific plan of action. Private Sessions are available by phone or Skype.
PeggieArvidson.com Peggie@peggiearvidson.com Old Town Crier
STEVE CHACONAS
GO FISH
Snakeheads, the other white meat
I
f thoughts of eating fish from the Potomac River don’t turn your stomach, then concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), should. PCBs are linked to cancer, skin irritations and lesions, developmental fetal impacts, and disruption in hormonal functions. Eating fish is the major PCB exposure source. First manufactured in 1929, PCBs are man-made compounds used for a variety of industrial applications, including coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment. They’re also included in pesticides, fire retardants, paints and coatings, printing inks, caulking, and wood treatment. PCBs were released into the atmosphere, water, and land through sewers, smokestacks, stormwater runoff, spills, and direct application to the environment. These toxins do not occur naturally and continue to be a common environmental contaminant because they don’t break down over time. PCB commercial use is restricted in the US. PCBs stick to particles in sediments, like organic matter, clay, and micro-particles and can remain buried for a long time. They are slowly released into the water and build up in living organisms via food sources and by being in the aquatic environment. Fish store PCBs in fatty tissue and remain through the life cycle, returning to the bottom disseminating PCBs back into the environment, replenishing the
food chain with PCBs. Recently the Virginia Department of Health released eat or don’t eat fisheries data for the Potomac River. As expected, blue catfish, carp, and flathead catfish exceeded VDH’s upper level of concern. The VA Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), collecting fish from Potomac watersheds, based this data on 2016 studies. They issued two stage warnings: limit consumption of contaminated fish species to two 8-ounce meals per month, or at the highest levels avoiding consumption of contaminated fish species. Conspicuously absent from the warnings are the Northern Snakehead. None of the sample results exceeded VDH’s lower level of concern. VDGIF biologist John Odenkirk is the leading Northern Snakehead expert in the US and likely in the world. He points to several reasons PCB levels are not as high for this invasive. First of all, adult snakeheads feed almost exclusively on other fishes. These are small fish and don’t contain a lot of PCBs. Low body fat, where PCBs are stored, is also a factor. A relatively fast growth rate leads to harvesting of younger fish before they accumulate toxins. Characteristics inaccurately attributed to the Frankenfish are walking on land and attacking people or small pets. However, culinary accolades are true as this native to northern China and eastern Russia is a popular food fish, raised in aquaculture settings
and sold in fish markets. The northern snakehead arrived as a live food fish in 2004. This illegal invasive has done well as numbers grew rapidly after the original colonization, however Odenkirk says trends suggest these increases have slowed or stabilized. It’s widely accepted that one probable reason for the decline in population has been the realization these fish make great table fare. Odenkirk is fairly certain that a high level of commercial and recreational exploitation, which includes the increase in bow fishing, has helped suppress numbers. Wholesale fish supplier Profish in Washington DC is the primary supplier of snakehead meat. They describe snakehead as “fantastic white and flaky meat, always fresh when available!!” Availability is tricky as it’s difficult to selectively target by commercial fishermen, often a by-catch when fishing for other reliable species. Supplies are replenished by bow fishermen reportedly selling them for $6/ lb. Virginia State law does not allow the commercial sale of this fish. Fillets range from 4 to 8 pounds. A few local chefs are turning lemons into snakehead dishes. Laporta’s Executive Chef Douglas Laporta says the first
time he evaluated snakehead meat, he was surprised with the texture and it reminded him of swordfish. It wasn’t a flaky fish, rather a tender but meaty fish. Serving samples to his customers, it surprised them as well as they expected something dark as these fish have been portrayed as a toothy fish monster. Instead, it is white and great eating. The Chef ’s creative juices began to flow as this fish held up to a variety of spices and could be grilled, lightly floured and sautéed, or deep-fried. With tempura style
cooking, it remains moist and tender. Served with an orange marmalade horseradish sauce, it is a patron favorite. The light flavored fish can also be served lightly sautéed with a sweet soy sauce reduction and a side of spicy Asian slaw. Laporta’s test for most fish offerings includes a basic French butter wine lemon sauce reduction. According to Laporta, snakehead is sweet enough and has the right texture for nearly every recipe and based on demand and availability, he will be serving more in his family’s Alexandria restaurant. Fortunately edible and lean Snakeheads are safe to eat and, in spite of its appearance, won’t bite back. Author Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac bass fishing guide & contributing writer for BoatUS (BoatUS.com) Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: info@ NationalBass.com
Potomac River Bassing in April From now on, fish will remain shallow. Mann’s Baby 1-Minus will be a go-to lure on 12-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line. Engage grass and snap free. This lure also comes through wood cover well. Also using lipless crankbaits on 12-pound Edge can snap free from grass. It’s time to Texas rig Mizmo tubes with a 1/8-ounce bullet weight. Also drop shot and split hot rigs with soft plastics soaked in garlic Jack’s Juice will produce. When water is clear, try suspending jerkbaits. For this, I prefer 10-pound test Gamma Copoly line on Quantum Smoke spinning reels. A few taps and pauses will get fish to bite. Mann’s Classic 3/8-ounce willow/Colorado spinnerbaits with white skirts on 10 pound test GAMMA Edge line works in areas close to deep drops. For creek mouth points and flats with deep water close by, use Mann’s Baby-X crankbaits to cover shallow areas with riprap and wood cover. Use casting gear with 10-pound test Edge.
Old Town Crier
April 2018 | 45
OPEN SPACE
ACTION IS HOPE. THERE IS NO HOPE WITHOUT ACTION. —Ray Bradbury
T
he book has closed on the first quarter of the year and tax season is in full swing. Your fools’ jokes have been played. The Easter bunny came a little early this year— felt early, right?! Tucked behind those Cadbury eggs and malted milk balls is some much needed hope with a capital ‘H’. Hope for a cleaner house, a leaner physique, a new love interest, warmer temps, or maybe even a new administration. Even if you love frolicking in the snow and wrapping yourself in 18 layers of LL Bean thermals, you’ve got to be at least a little 46 | April 2018
LORI WELCH BROWN
bit excited by the prospect of birds chirping, blossoms of color, and driving with the windows down. Pedicurists are belting out a big hallelujah as all our winter hooves will need to be prettied up in time for their spring debut. So, what is on your hope list? Safer classrooms? Smaller numbers on your bathroom scale? Tighter gun laws? A clean mammogram? An organized garage? I have a rather lengthy ‘hope’ list that grows daily and includes some of these things and more, but the reality is that while hope keeps me, well— hopeful, all of these desires require action on my end. Someone has gotta make the s#*t happen. If I want lower scale readings, I’ve got to hit the gym consistently and watch my diet. If my hope is for political change and/ or better gun laws, I have to figure out how I can jump into the discussion and make a difference. I’m still a little unclear on that, but I am blissfully aware that I can no longer sit on my Pottery Barn couch doing nothing but watching and kvetching. On the days I feel confused about the ‘hows, whens and whats’ of action, I have realized that I just need to start. Start moving. Start walking. Start driving. Start writing. Start. Somewhere. While coffee is my friend, coffee also beckons to me in the morning, “Sit awhile. Let’s think about your day. It’s cold outside. Maybe that can wait until tomorrow. What’s the rush?’ Then the ‘thinking’
kicks in, and opens the door for procrastination. Right. I don’t HAVE to go to the gym now. I could go this afternoon. I could go later. I could EVEN go tomorrow. When those voices start chatting, I start walking. Walking to my closet to grab my sneakers and workout clothes. I try to stay laser focused on getting into my car. Those voices follow me into the car and say, ‘Ok. We will go, but we don’t like it. We aren’t on board with moving so early. We’d like to request a light workout. Maybe we will walk on the treadmill for ten minutes, but that’s all we are promising.” I agree. That’s fine. We’ll just do that and see how it goes. Once I get on the treadmill, at about minute #7, the other more motivated voices wake up and say things like, “let’s go for 15 minutes. Maybe we can even do a mile. If you turn up
the speed, we can cover more distance in a shorter amount of time, and then we can do some weights. That would be fun!” There are choruses of people in there, and it is my decision who gets the most air time and at what volume. I’m learning to turn up the voices and give center stage to the voices that are aligned with my goals. But, I also have to know what my goals and priorities are, and, be aware of my distractions. There are SOOO many decisions to make every day, and it is sooo easy to get off track. My hope for an organized sock drawer often ends up with every article of clothing I own piled into its own Everest atop my bed. Sigh. The best of plans are often…SQUIRREL! Yep. Subject to distraction. I was just talking with a new friend about company cultures and mission
statements—which gets me weirdly excited. Successful companies stay true to their core values and missions and block out everything else. If the new idea or concept or proposal doesn’t fit within their mission, it is immediately dismissed. They focus on THE ONE THING. While I’d like to do that at home, my husband would probably object if I said, ‘sorry—doing the dishes doesn’t fit into my mission of losing ten pounds and I am currently focused on THE ONE THING which is reading this really deliciously, gossipy magazine.” So see, even this article has gotten wildly off topic. What were we talking about again? Oh, yeah. Hope. I sure do hope I can stay focused long enough to see my way to Spring. #hopespringseternal
Old Town Crier
NATIONAL HARBOR
. . …
w o It’s Been 10 Years!
W
S
LANI GERING
eems like just yesterday that we were on board the Matthew Hayes heading out of City Dock in Old Town for the first of many PR cruises to the site of the biggest development to hit the Prince Georges County waterfront in years. The only thing that was immediately visible was the infrastructure of the Atrium at the Gaylord Resort. Little did we know what the end result would be then. The Harbor celebrates 10 years this month. It wasn’t all a bed of roses and there were times in the first 3 or 4 years that I am sure Milt Peterson should have “thrown in the towel” but he stayed true to his commitment and followed his dream. And we are very glad that he did. It is amazing how much it has grown and even more astounding is how much it continues to grow. Our interview with Jon Peterson of Peterson Companies fame in the Personality Profile of this issue highlights some of the things yet to come.
Old Town Crier
The Old Town Crier was one of the first entities on the Virginia side of the Potomac to fully embrace the Harbor. There were many “naysayers’ that were convinced the NEW destination was going to take tourist business away from the OLD destination. The exact opposite is true – the Harbor has brought many a visitor to Old Town and vice versa. Old Town has almost 270 years of history to experience while the Harbor has a sense of the new. We have met many wonderful people on both a professional and personal level in these last 10 years. We wouldn’t have been able to add this section to the issue if it weren’t for the advertising support we received from Rocelle Viniard, the first Marketing Guru for the Harbor, Jennifer Cerasani, the current Marketing Guru for the Gaylord Resort and our friend Jon Ball, then GM at Public House and David Spinogatti, then GM at Bond 45. Stonewall Kitchen has been a good seasonal supporter as
well over the years. While the advertising comes and goes, we have been able to maintain enough revenue to justify the pages. On a personal note, those of you who follow this column know how much I love living here. The amenities have grown exponentially since I moved here 7 years ago. The beautiful townhomes on the hill continue to be constructed and with the addition of another condominium complex there are ample opportunities for new residents. The restaurants and shops have multiplied substantially and the waterfront has changed quite a bit with the addition of the Capital Wheel and Flight Deck and the River View Terrace at the Gaylord. The latest addition is the planting of 100 cherry trees along the basin. It won’t be long before the Harbor will be added to the Cherry Blossom cruises. I have to admit that I am pretty disappointed in the marketing efforts of the Harbor in regard to this 10 year anniversary. I was positive that
there would be some fun lead in events over the last couple of months that would culminate in to a big splash in April. What is taking place, however, is a weekend of activities on the 7th and 8th. There are going to be fireworks on the evening of 7th after some events prior and culminating with a community parade (of which I have no clue what that is) on the 8th with some other events between. One of the said “events” – if it is considered an event – is the availability to buy tickets to participate in Silent Disco on the 7th. According to Wikepedia, a silent disco or silent rave is an event where people dance to music listened to on wireless headphones. Rather than using a speaker system, music broadcast via a radio transmitter. I am guessing that this is supposed to take the place of live music since there is none scheduled for that day. I don’t see many of our readers jumping on this band wagon (pun intended) but I may be surprised. There is LIVE music on the 8th at 4 p.m. for those
WATERFRONT DINING
NationalHarbor.com
1-877-NATLHBR
of you not in the mood for Silent Disco. The information on the events for the weekend that I was provided are on the following page. On April 25th, the Gaylord Resort celebrates its 10th anniversary. The resort, which was the first to open in National Harbor, will kick off its year-long celebration with a ‘Deal of the Decade’. They are offering special room rates starting at $110 on select dates throughout the year and will be introducing a new celebratory package Gaylord National’s 10 Best, which offers 10 of the resort and Harbor’s best experiences including tickets to experience The Capital Wheel, a luxurious spa experience at the resort’s Relache Spa, two-night stay in one of its premium atrium view rooms, dinner at its signature restaurant, Old Hickory Steakhouse, and more. Detailed information can be found at www.GaylordNational. com, calling 301-965-4000 and following Facebook.com/ ´ GaylordNationalResort.
April 2018 | 47
National Harbor Anniversary Events SATURDAY, APRIL 7TH Potomac River Cleanup 8:00am – 12:00pm National Harbor Cares Spring Kickoff 12:00pm – 4:00pm Free Carousel Rides 10:00am – 10:00pm Sidewalk Sale 12:00pm – 4:00pm Beer Garden 4:00pm – 9:30pm Kid’s Silent Disco 4:00pm – 6:00pm Tickets Silent Disco 8:00pm – 12:00pm Tickets Fireworks by Pyrotecnico 9:00pm – 9:10pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 8TH Free Capital Wheel Rides 10:00am – 10:00pm Kid’s Corner 12:00pm – 5:00pm Community Parade 3:00pm – 4:00pm Live Music 4:00pm – 5:00pm
AC LOUNGE 156 Waterfront Street 301-749-2299 BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445 BRASS TAP 164 Fleet Street 301-965-9116 BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8860 CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet Street 301-839-1100
48 | April 2018
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 158 National Plaza 301-749-2016 CRAB CAKE CAFE 140 National Plaza 240-766-2063 ELEVATION BURGER 108 Waterfront Street 301-749-4014 FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE 152 National Plaza 301-839-1811 GRACES MANDARIN 188 Waterfront Street 301-839-3788
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL APRIL 15TH On the Waterfront and American Way 12 Noon to 5 pm Join in the celebration by attending a traditional Japanese picnic and shopping at the market. Japanese music and entertainment.
NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY 200 American Way 240-493-3900 IRISH WHISPER 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8859 MASON'S FAMOUS LOBSTER ROLLS 156 National Plaza 410-298-7850
McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224 McLOONES PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 NANDO’S PERI-PERI 191 American Way 301-567-8900
NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com
PIENZA ITALIAN MARKET Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com POTBELLY SANDWICH WORKS 146 National Plaza 301-686-1160 PUBLIC HOUSE 199 Fleet Street 240-493-6120 REDSTONE AMERICAN GRILL 155 National Plaza 301-839-3330
ROSA MEXICANA 135 Waterfront Street 301-567-1005 SAUCIETY AMERICAN GRILL 171 Waterfront Street 240-766-3640 SUCCOTASH 168 Waterfront Street 301-567-8900 THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022 WALRUS OYSTER & ALE HOUSE 152 Waterfront Street 301-567-6100
Old Town Crier
Brandywine residents since 2014
BRANDYWINE LIVING...
because we still do what we wanna do
OPENING SOON! Call Samantha or Susan at 703.940.3300 5550 Cardinal Place (next to Cameron Station) Alexandria, VA 22304 | www.Brandycare.com