Old Town Crier Full Issue- September 2023

PUBLISHER’S NOTES

Here it is, September 2023, and the local sports scene is on the upswing. After an awful start, the Washington Nationals are now one of the hottest teams in baseball. The Washington Redskins aka Commanders have new owners and a new intensity as well as a new quarterback. Not necessarily “local” but very near and dear to my heart, World Cup Rugby starts in France on the 8th. For World Cup Rugby check out your favorite sports bar for the schedule. Fantastic sport to play and watch. Life is looking good.

This year marks a banner year for the Historic Alexandria Homes Tour. They celebrate 80 years of letting us tour some of the most beautiful and unique homes on the east coast. See the calendar of events for details.

As the weather turns a bit cooler it is a great time to get out and about. For those who read us in the Bay and Blue Ridge areas, it is a great time to visit Alexandria and discover the charm of Old Town and its surrounding “suburbs” – the likes of Del Ray and North Old Town. The outdoor dining will be at its best with the cooler weather and there are many offerings. We paid a visit to one of our longtime favorites in the 200 Block of King – The Warehouse – in this month’s Dining Out.

For those of us who live here, the weather is perfect for a visit to southern Maryland and the Calvert Marine Museum where you can “Discover the Otters” and take a cruise on their Skip Jack. This is a great place to take the family.

September is also a good time to think about getting in some early holiday shopping. We can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than heading south to St. Mary’s county to Leonardtown just off Route 5 and checking out Shepherd's Old Field Market – see the Road Trip column for details. It may just be the one stop shop you need to make to check off everyone on your list.

It is also a wonderful time to visit a few of the wonderful wineries, breweries and distilleries in the Blue Ridge. One of our favorites is the Blue Ridge Whisky Wine Loop which covers Rappahannock County, a part of Madison and the whole of Page counties. Google ‘Blue Ridge Whisky Wine Loop’ to get the low down.

I have had several people ask me why I haven’t written much about sailing this season – I think I mentioned it in pretty much every Pub Notes I wrote last year. To be totally honest, we haven’t even taken her out for a motor around the creek this year. As I get older and the boat gets older, we both are slowing down. She is in need of some work on the interior lights and the anchor rode and I am in need of a miracle to fi x my right ankle. That being said…we are both going to do the best we can to get out on the water this fall and spend a few nights at anchor. Not much else beats a meal prepped on the Magma grill, eating and drinking under the stars and sleeping on nature’s rocking chair.

Life is too short...sail a boat, drink the wine, sip the whiskey and make it last...eat the key lime cheesecake fi rst! Enjoy your day off on Labor Day...you earned it!

Can you nd Lani and I on the wall behind me?

Financial Focus.......................................11

First Blush.............................................39

Fitness...................................................41

From the Bay.........................................20

From the Trainer.....................................40 Gallery Beat...........................................14

Go Fish...................................................44

Grapevine..............................................34

High Notes.............................................16

Last Word...............................................18

Let's Eat.................................................32

Let's Get Crafty......................................36

National Harbor......................................46

On the Road............................................5

Open Space............................................45

Pets of the Month...................................43

Points on Pets........................................42

Publishers notes......................................4

Road Trip...............................................24

Special Feature.......................................17

To the Blue Ridge....................................22

Urban Garden.........................................38

Where is the Mural?.................................6

ON THE ROAD WITH OTC

Well, sports fans….it has come to our attention that we were remiss in not posting this pic of “Louie from Bowie” checking out the OTC in the August issue. While attending the Alexandria Community Appreciation baseball game between the Baysox (Orioles Double AA team) and Senators (Nationals Double AA team) on July 28th we snapped some shots of the Paw Patrol and the real Patrol checking us out in this space. This photo of Louie was submitted by an anonymous fan who felt we should have included him so……..Meet Louie, the official mascot of the Baysox!

If you would like to see your photo in this space, take the OTC with you on your next adventure and take a high resolution photo or photos of you and yours checking us out and send it with information for the caption to office@oldtowncrier.com and put “On the Road” in the subject line.

Where Is This Mural?

We had a winner after two months of many guesses so we have moved on to a very interesting specimen. This artist was very creative! Be the fi rst person to respond with the correct location and receive a $50 gift certificate to a local dining establishment of our choice. In order to participate, you will have to Like and Follow us:

Facebook @oldtowncrier

Instagram @otcregionalmag

Send a PM with your guess and we will contact the winner each month via PM to arrange for prize delivery.

Congratulations to Giovanny Ortez on guessing the correct location of the feature mural in the July and August issues. It paid off to go to Junction Bistro on Mount Vernon Avenue for a cup of coffee and grab a copy of the OTC!

Mural Photo by Lee Moody.

Fall is just around the corner and it looks like our furry pal on the cover is anxiously awaiting the season. Photo by Boys in Bristol Photography.

The photo featured in this space is one of the many amazing wild life pics local musician (maryannredmond.com) and amateur photographer Mary Ann Redmond has taken right in her own back yard. Mary Ann publishes an annual wildlife calendar featuring all of the creatures that frequent her “bench” with the proceeds benefitting local wildlife organizations – maryannredmondphotography.com

Fall Events Feature Art Festivals, Historic Homes Tour and More

Autumn brings favorite art events, outdoor festivals, Halloween haunts and brighthued foliage to Alexandria, Virginia, located minutes from Washington D.C., on the Potomac River. Voted one of Travel + Leisure’s Best Cities in the U.S. 2023, Alexandria boasts beautifully preserved historic architecture to enjoy on the 81st Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour or during a goosebumps-inducing Ghost & Graveyard Tour. Browse al fresco art festivals including the 21st Annual Alexandria Art Festival in Carlyle and Del Ray’s 28th Annual Art on the Avenue, plus attend ever-popular autumn events at George Washington’s Mount Vernon like the Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour.

Dive deeper into fall events and activities in Alexandria with the listings below and at VisitAlexandria.com/Fall

Taste of Old Town North 21st

4 to 8:00 p.m.

Admission: Free Montgomery Park

901 N. Royal Street

oldtownnorth.org

Head to Montgomery Park for a celebration of greater Old Town North featuring localbusinesses including restaurants like Jula’s on the Potomac, Hank’s Oyster Bar, St. Elmo’s and Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House. Plus, enjoy music from New Breed Soul Consortium, formerly Three Man Soul Machine, and Sally and the Mander. Rain date is September 28.

81st Annual Historic Alexandria Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour 23rd

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission: $45 per person

Various locations throughout Old Town Alexandria, VA 22314 thetwig.org/homes-tour

The Twig, The Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital, proudly announces the 81st Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour to be held on Saturday, September 23. New this year, a digital tour book guiding participants through the homes will be accessible to ticket holders via their mobile device. Hard copies of the tour book are available for purchase, in advance, for $5 each. Please note that this event sold out last year, so early ticket purchase is recommended.

21st Annual Alexandria Art Festival

September 30 - October 1

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

300 John Carlyle Street artfestival.com/festivals

Rated one of the top 100 art shows in Sunshine Artist Magazine, the annual art festival features a variety of works exemplifying the gifted artists in regions from all over the country.

ABOUT ALEXANDRIA, VA

Recognized by Travel + Leisure among the Best Places to Travel in 2023 and Best Cities in the U.S. 2022 and voted a Condé Nast Traveler Top 5 Best Small City in the U.S. 2022, Alexandria is a welcoming weekend escape on the Potomac River, minutes from Washington, D.C. Founded in 1749 and boasting the nation’s third oldest historic district, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel. Stroll Old Town Alexandria’s King Street mile to nd more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques plus intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront. Explore vibrant neighborhoods beyond Old Town, trace George Washington and the Founding Fathers’ footsteps and follow the stories of Black Americans who shaped the history of Alexandria and the United States.

Connect with us!

Web: VisitAlexandriaVA.com

Blog: Blog.VisitAlexandriaVA.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/VisitAlexandriaVA

Twitter: Twitter.com/AlexandriaVA

Instagram: Instagram.com/VisitAlexVA

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

OLD TOWN FARMERS MARKET

Market Square

301 King Street

Saturdays, 7 am – 12 Noon

Year Round

The Old Town Market is thought to be the one of nation’s oldest continuing markets operating since 1753. It is said that George Washington sent his products from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Today the plaza is a mecca for farmers and artists to sell their wares. The Market is a primary source for meats, dairy, sh, fruits, vegetables and owers for all those who visit.

DEL RAY FARMERS MARKET

Corner of Mt. Vernon and Oxford Avenues

Saturdays, 8 am to Noon

Year Round

This market is strictly a producer grown market.  Lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, sh and salmon, fresh mushrooms, baked goods, hard cider.  Farmers are within a 150 mile radius of Alexandria.  A non-pro t is featured each weekend.

OLD TOWN NORTH FARMERS &

ARTISANS MARKET

Montgomery Park

901 North Royal Street

Thursdays, 3 pm – 7 pm

Year Round

Alexandria’s favorite dog friendly market! The Old Town North Thursday Market is a growers only market with a focus on produce from small family farms and local artisans. Products sold at the market include fresh fruits and veggies from Virginia’s Northern Neck, Micro Greens from an urban farm, Empanadas, Fresh baked pastries with a European air and much more.

FOUR MILE RUN FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET

4109 Mount Vernon Avenue

Sundays, 9 am – 1 pm

Year Round

This market offers fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels and strives to re ect the diversity of Alexandria’s community. Local artisans display their arts and crafts as well.

Not to be missed on the Waterfront:

Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson

Admission: Free Waterfront Park

1A Prince Street visitalexandriava.com/public-art

Photo Credit: Lee Moody

Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson is the fth temporary public art installation on Old Town Alexandria’s waterfront. Created by Jamaican-born, New York-based award-winning artist Nina Cooke John of Studio Cooke John, the installation is inspired by the ships uncovered on Alexandria’s waterfront in 2015 and 2018 which carried cargo like tobacco, molasses, rum and limes, but also enslaved people who were traded as part of the transatlantic and domestic slave trades. The outer blue of the installation is contrasted with an orange inner surface depicting text pulled from ships’ manifests listing items like herring, coconuts and gin, alongside names and descriptions of enslaved people, such as “Jane Tailor, female, 5’ 2”.” Also listed are “two boxes of oranges” and “Admonia Jackson.”

Payton Services LLC

A One Man Show With Heart

Do you have any idea how hard it is to fi nd a carpet/ rug cleaning business that is willing to give you the time of day about having a set of stairs and two 5 x 7 rugs professionally cleaned? I won’t name any names but I called a big name company and three small local carpet cleaning places only to be told it would be a minimum of $150-$200 to show up and then they would assess the caliber of cleaning that would be needed. Good Grief! They advertise $300 for an entire home full of carpet so what’s up with that?

After consulting a couple of local small business Facebook pages, a member of one of them recommended Payton Services, LLC. I can’t tell you all how happy I was to fi nd someone who was interested in taking on my project. I connected with the owner/operator, Marcel Payton, and we made a plan. I about fell off of my office stool when he quoted $60 for the stairs (includes vacuuming, stain removal and cleaning) and $15 each for the rugs. I thought I was on Candid Camera (for you old folks) or Punk’d (for you youngsters) when he tossed out those numbers. I live in the heart of Old Town Alexandria where a martini costs $15 and you pretty much can’t go have lunch for $60. We set up a date and time and the rest is history.

Marcel was at my door right on time and didn’t waste a minute getting everything squared away - he is one detail oriented man. He took the rugs

outside, placed them on a new tarp and went to work on them. While they dried he started on the stairs. Just vacuuming them is a chore in itself but he did it like a pro. Guess he’s had practice! While he was doing his thing, I asked him some questions about Payton Services. He told me that he started the business in 2019 while still working for a towing company. He decided wanted to be in business for himself and being a handy kind of guy decided “professional cleaning” was his forte. Not only does Payton Services provide carpet and rug cleaning, he cleans tile and grout, upholstery, hardwood flooring, pressure and soft washing of driveways, sidewalks, patio furniture, decks and trash bins. For those of you reading this who are retailers, he also does dumpster pad cleaning. Marcel is a self-made man. He started his company without funding from a bank or investor and has put the majority of his earnings right back into the business. He told me he isn’t in it to get rich but rather to make a decent living providing for his children and grandchildren, Milky Way his ferret, Mars his dog and his three Chinese Jack Dempsey fish. He is an easy-going guy with a huge smile and his goal is to make his clients happy. A happy client means good referrals and repeat business.

Another thing I fi nd very impressive about Payton Services is that he uses environmentally friendly

products. Marcel told me that he operates under the “Four P” mandate. If a product is harmful to “People, Pets, Plants or Property”, he won’t use it. He made sure to show me the cleaners that he was going to use before he started. He also checked the materials in the rugs before he started cleaning them. One was an indoor/outdoor rug that I had planned on taking to a pal’s house and power washing and the other was a wool/acrylic combo. After I found out the charge was only $15 per rug, I gave up my power washing expedition.

If you or anyone you know is in need of any of services mentioned about, do yourself a favor and contact Marcel at Payton Services and tell him that the Old Town Crier sent you.

His website wasn’t up and running at the time of this interview but it should be good to go by the time you all are reading this. His servicing area is Alexandria City and the surrounding areaoperating in a 20 mile radius.

How Much Cash Should I Have On Hand?

“How much cash should I have now?” It seems like a simple question, but the answer can be complicated — especially in times of market volatility. Apart from an emergency fund, the amount of cash or liquid assets you need depends on many factors, including the current state of the market and major life events.

“There isn’t really a general rule in terms of a number,” says Michael Taylor, CFA, Vice President – Investment Strategy Analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “We do say it shouldn’t be more than maybe 10% of your overall portfolio or maybe three to six months’ worth of living expenses.”

Taylor notes that the number could change depending on what’s going on in the economy and markets. “You should make sure your emergency fund and cash reserves can meet your current needs,” he says.

Taylor shares five events that should prompt a conversation with your fi nancial advisor about how much cash to have on hand.

1. When the market is in flux

The state of the market can have an impact on how much cash you should have on hand, how long you decide to hold an asset as cash, or when to convert assets to cash. This can be especially true when you foresee a large discretionary purchase such as a vacation home or a luxury vehicle.

“Plan for those purchases or defer them so you don’t have to liquidate assets at a loss during market uncertainty,” Taylor says.

2. When your job status may change

If you’re contemplating a career move such as starting a business, retiring soon, or facing a possible layoff, consider meeting with your fi nancial advisor. “If you don’t have enough cash on hand during those transition periods, you might have to dip into an investment account or sell a stock at an inopportune time,” Taylor says. “That means you could end up losing money when you can least afford it.”

3. When your marital status is about to change

Getting married or paying for a wedding?

According to “The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study,” on average in 2021, couples spent $34,000 total on their wedding, including ceremony, reception and engagement ring. Note that doesn’t include a honeymoon or the expense of setting up a household.

A divorce can set you back as well, thanks to legal fees, asset division, and other costs. That means you need enough cash on hand to weather the transition from being single to getting married or vice versa. Talking to a fi nancial advisor ahead of time can help you identify how much on-hand cash you need.

4. When your child is ready for college

According to projections by Wells Fargo Advisors based on the College Board’s “Trends in College

Pricing and Student Aid,” the estimated cost of attending a private college for four years (including tuition, fees, and room and board) starting in 2023 is more than $228,000.1

“It’s important to plan so that you have enough liquidity to pay those tuition bills when they arrive,” Taylor says.

5. When you receive a windfall

If you receive an inheritance, a large bonus, or a generous fi nancial gift, ask your fi nancial advisor about investment options relative to the amount of cash you should have in your portfolio. If that money stays in savings or short-term CDs, it won’t decrease in value, but it also may not be able to earn to its full potential.

Total yearly costs for in-state tuition, fees, books, and room and board (transportation and miscellaneous expenses not included). Base is 2022 – 2023 school year. Costs for future years projected by Wells Fargo Advisors in November 2022 assuming a 3.0% national average increase per year for private universities (based on a 10year historical average).

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc., is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice PresidentInvestments in Alexandria, VA at 800-247-8602. 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.

p.o. box 1142 & wernher von braun

“From 1942 through the end of the Second World War, a top secret military intelligence service operated clandestinely on the shores of our own Potomac,” former U.S. Representative Jim Moran [D-VA8] told his Congressional colleagues in 2007. “Known only by its mailing address, P.O. Box 1142, the men and women at this [Fairfax County, Virginia] post provided the military intelligence that helped bring an end to World War II.”

Fort Hunt Park became the property of the National Park Service in 1933. P.O. Box 1142, one of two domestic military intelligence centers, was created not long after the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The wartime facility included multiple structures: a secret set of buildings of the type found only in mystery novels.

“Throughout the war and its aftermath, the post processed and interrogated nearly 4,000 of the most important German prisoners of war,” Moran explained. “The men who performed the interrogations were drawn from across the country. The shared attribute is that they all spoke fluent German.”

Among the German prisoners of war interrogated at the Fort: Major General Reinhard Gehlen, head of the Foreign Armies East section of the Abwehr, the intelligence service of the German general staff. Also Horst Degan, the mine-laying shipsinking Nazi U-boat commander caught in 1942 off the North Carolina coast. Degan, it is said “talked quite freely with his interrogators.”

“Many interrogators were Jewish,” Moran continued, “to ensure their loyalty to America’s mission. These interrogations resulted in the discovery of most of Germany’s secret weapons including the atomic bomb, the jet engine, and the [liquid fueled Vengeance-2] V-2 rocket—all technologies that became essential informational components in waging the Cold War [1947-1991].”

“In advancing the Nation’s interests and uncovering vital secrets, the interrogators at P.O. Box 1142 never resorted to tactics such as sleep deprivation, electrical shock, or waterboarding,”

Moran avowed.

“Their captives were never sexually abused, humiliated, or tortured.”

“Despite the vital work

that the interrogators performed, their activities remained closely held secrets by those who worked at the post,” Moran concluded. Among the former P.O. Box 1142 interrogators: German born Alexandria resident Fred Michel, an Army interrogator, and Connecticut born U.S. Air Force chief crypto analyst Silvio Bindini.

“Intelligence gathered from P.O. Box 1142 contributed to the Manhattan Project,” Interrogator Michel confi rmed. The Project was conceived in 1941-42; the goal: to establish the atomic bomb. Contributor J. Robert Oppenheimer, in charge of the weapons laboratory at Los Alamos, detonated the fi rst atomic bomb on July 16, 1945.

“The writings on World War II are vast, yet almost everyone we consulted was clueless,” then National Park Service Chief Ranger Vincent Santucci, George Washington Memorial Parkway told me in 2010. “Interest was triggered by a tourist’s offhanded comment and veteran Lloyd Shoemaker’s [1990] book The Escape Factory: The Story of

MIS-X, the Super-Secret U.S. Agency Behind World War II's Greatest Escapes.”

“P.O. Box 1142 was one of the country’s most Top Secret locations,” Santucci again confi rmed. “Everyone who worked here had to sign a secrecy agreement and the men of the ‘Greatest Generation’ held to their values.”

“It wasn’t until park rangers from the GW Memorial Parkway uncovered declassified documents and met with former officers of P.O. Box 1142 that the World War II operations that occurred at Fort Hunt Park became known,” Santucci said. “Had we, the Park Service not intervened it was world history doomed to go extinct.”

Fort Hunt accommodated several Top Secret Military Programs including MIS-X, a supersecret Escape & Evacuation program critical to the survival of downed and captured Army Air Force personnel; MIS-Y the larger interrogation program and Operation Paper Clip. Bindini operated secretly from within MIS-Y.

German prisoner of war Wernher von Braun—an early architect of Germany’s deadly V-2 combat

rocket, a rocket used to attack England in 1944— was a beneficiary of both MIS-Y’s Scientific Research Subsection and Operation Paper Clip. The

captured V-2 rockets. In essence, proving he was in fact a research aficionado. Said WvB to the press later on:

“We know that we [Germans] had created a new means of warfare [rocketry], and the question as to what nation [Soviet Union], to what victorious nation [Britain, France and or the United States] we were willing to entrust this brainchild of ours was a moral decision more than anything else. We wanted to

Von Braun died of cancer in 1977 and is buried in the city of Alexandria’s Ivy Hill Cemetery.

From his tombstone, Psalm 191: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the

was attacked by a Japanese yielded to the Allies on September 2, 1945: only

see the world spared another conflict…and we felt that only by surrendering such a weapon to people who are guided by the Bible could such assurance to the world be best secured.” Germany fi red more than 1,000 12-ton V-2s between September 1944 and March 1945.

Wernher von Braun, a member of the Lutheran church was, according to most, “the greatest rocket scientist in U.S. history.” He worked with V-2 rockets at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and was project director of the guided missile development unit at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Redstone Arsenal became his history, as did the

engineer, conceded defeat on May 2, 1945. Magnus von Braun saw Wisconsin born U.S. Army private, Fred Schneikert standing sentry in the Bavarian Alps. He caught Schneikert’s attention and said, in simple English: “My name is Magnus von Braun. My brother invented the V-2 [the Nazi rocket that launched the Space Age]. We want to surrender.” The von Braun brothers, a catch by any measure, were the crème de la crème “of America’s Black List,” a list of German scientists and engineers wanted for immediate interrogation. Wernher, a commissioned Nazi SS officer familiar with concentration camp labor; astronomer and rocket scientist was brought to the United States in 1945 as part of Operation Paperclip. As was Magnus; German General Walter Dornberger author of V-2 [1954] and other members of WvB’s scientific team. All were questioned—regardless of in-state location—by P.O. Box 1142 interrogators.

Under contract to the U.S. Army as of September 1945, Wernher von Braun’s New York arrival was kept secret. Why? Because he was busy testing, assembling, demonstrating and again launching

launch of Explorer 1.

WvB’s book, The Mars Project, a discussion of the problems and possibilities inherent in an expedition to Mars, was published in 1953. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1955. The American lunar program began on President John F. Kennedy’s [1961-1963] watch in 1961. And President Lyndon Johnson [1963-1969] continued the trend.

The country’s fi rst successful interplanetary mission was completed in 1962; the launch of Gemini 3 and Gemini 4 [the fi rst American spacewalk] in 1965. In 1970 NASA brought Wernher von Braun to the Washington, D.C., area to serve as the Administration’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning.

“I came to this country’s shores after a war, a grim and bitter war, as an enemy alien,” WvB told an interviewer in 1972. “And it took me quite a while to get accepted in this country. I ask you, where in the world would a man [a former Nazi] be given a second chance except in America?”

fi rmament showeth his handiwork.”

The National Park Service dedicated a historic marker to the veterans of P.O. Box 1142 in 2007. The Park land was once part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. It remained as farmland until 1892—when the U.S. War Department purchased the land for use as a Fort. Construction began in 1897, with the onset of the Spanish American War [1898].

“Patriotism is not limited to America’s revolutionary era,” Santucci reminded. From the 110 work at Fort Hunt [1942-1946] not only contributed to the Allied victory during World War II, but also led to advances in military intelligence and scientific technology that directly influenced the Resolved, That the

Cold War and Space Race…

House of Representatives honors and extends its sincere appreciation to the soldiers of P.O. Box 1142 for their sacrifice to our nation during a time of war; their pursuit of necessary intelligence through humane means and their service that went too long unacknowledged.”

Fort Hunt Park remains open for many reasons fall picnics included.

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.

The New Art Season Opens in the DMV

As September arrives in the DMV, it marks the beginning of another “art season”, which these days have somewhat returned to old-fashioned openings where people mingle, discuss art and get their creative juice flowing!

Over at Foundry Gallery in the District, and with an opening reception on Saturday, September 9,

4-6 pm, we have “Selected Works” by John Charles Koebert. According to the gallery’s news release, “the work of John Charles Koebert represents a decades-long commitment to craftsmanship. Evolving each geometric work from a painstaking study, the larger piece represents a leap in scope and artistic precision. However, the inspiration for each piece is part of Koebert’s personal history.

Every shape, color, and line call back to a story carried across years of artistic discovery.”

The works show impeccable technical skill, and in spite of their apparent abstraction, Koebert says, “The exhibit is personal statement about my life and my commitment to art. All of the pieces have a story to tell.”

Water Lilies (1906) – Monet, Stephen Hansen, Paper mache, acrylic on canvas on panel, 22” x 23” x 4”. Photo credit: Stephen Hansen

The exhibition runs through October 1, 2023. Congratulations to Zenith Gallery, also in DC, which was recently voted as the “Best Gallery in DC” by the readers of the Washington City Paper – it is a well-deserved win for Zenith and its super-hard working owner and director Margery Goldberg!

Next at Zenith is work by the immensely talented Stephen Hansen, as his GREAT MOMENTS IN ART, VI runs from September 8 - October 9, 2023. The opening is Friday, September 8, 4-8 pm & Sunday, September 9, 2-6 pm at Zenith’s 1429 Iris Street NW, Washington DC, 20012 location.

This show marks Stephen Hansen’s sixth “Great Moments in Art” exhibition at Zenith Gallery, and in this exhibition Stephen Hansen has “meticulously recreated selections from centuries of painting and added his signature paper mâché painters interacting with the paintings in ways both witty and surprising.”

Hansen says, “I started the Great Moments series in 2014, to take a break from sculpture. I then decided I wanted to paint more. After nine years, it still resonates with me. Through this series I have developed late-in-life art appreciation.”

Hansen is a one-of-a-kind fi ne artists – something really hard to be these days, as he has sculpted (no pun intended) an unique niche in the rarified world of the fi ne arts and has had one-man shows in galleries and museums in Detroit, Chicago, Santa Fe, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Scottsdale, Palm Beach, and New York. His unique papier mâché sculptures are included in museum, corporate, private, and government collections including the New Mexico Capitol Art Collection in Santa Fe, The Federal Reserve and Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and United States Embassies in Naples, Italy and Caracas, Venezuela. I expect to see another great entertaining show!

In nearby Bethesda, mark your calendars for the 21st exhibition of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. Nearly 300 artists from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., were juried by Brandon Morse, Jon-Phillip Sheridan, and Naoco Wowsugi. Eight artists were selected to exhibit at Gallery B from Sept. 7 – October 1, 2023. The Best in Show winner will receive the $10,000 grand prize.

The opening reception will be held on Friday, Sept. 8 from 6-8pm, and Gallery B is located in the former spaces of the iconic Fraser Gallery at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. The fi nalists are: Rush Baker IV, Riverdale Park, MD; Rex Delafkaran, Washington, D.C.; Stephanie Garon, Baltimore, MD; Kei Ito, Baltimore MD; Megan Koeppel, Hyattsville, MD; Giulia Livi, Baltimore, MD; Charles Mason III, Baltimore, MD; and Fanxi Sun, Richmond, VA.

About the Author: F. Lennox Campello's art news, information, gallery openings, commentary, criticism, happenings, opportunities, and everything associated with the global visual arts scene with a special focus on the Greater Washington, DC area has been a premier source for the art community for over 20 years. Since 2003, his blog has been the 11th highest ranked art blog on the planet with over SIX million visitors.

Untitled (Calder Mobile with Ladder) – Calder, Stephen Hansen, Paper mache, acrylic, wood and mobile, 24” x 21” x 6”. Photo credit: Stephen Hansen

D'You Know What I Mean?

By Oasis

Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher helped defi ne the music of the 1990s with their rock-n-roll band Oasis. By the mid-90s these legendary Brits had released two hit albums and were probably the biggest band in the world. After producing mega hits like “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, expectations for what would come next from Oasis were high to say the least. It was in this environment that, on July 7th 1997, they released “D’You Know What I Mean?”, the fi rst single off the bands third studio album, Be Here Now. Upon its release, the song reached number one on the UK, Finland, Ireland, and Spain singles charts. Additionally, in October 2016, NME placed it at number 77 on its list of "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".

“D’You Know What I Mean” begins with a sonic picture that communicates the giant rock-n-roll attitude that Oasis is famous for. First, we hear the sounds of helicopters and airplanes mixed with low volume guitar noise along with the sound of morse code. Next, Noel adds pick scrapes which are run through a wah wah pedal giving a touch of rhythm to the ominous, almost warzone feeling rolling out of the speakers. A cracking drum fill erupts after this and crashes out introducing a new flavor of effect-soaked guitar notes. Additionally bass guitar is added deepening the power and depth of the music. The intro music starts to come into focus when acoustic guitar is layered in delivering the song's chord structure. Atop the music we hear more drum fills along with singer Liam Gallagher gearing up to deliver the verse with a guttural sound that anybody who has felt the weight of life can understand.

After more than a minute of intro music, the fi rst verse gets rolling with a drumbeat made up of snare smashes, a sharp hi hat sound, and booming kick drum. The percussion and bass work together while acoustic and electric guitars fill up the midrange creating a groove you can’t help bobbing your head to. Midway through the verse Noel adds simple lead guitar notes that have heavy flanger and delay effects giving a slightly spooky feeling to the mix. The subtle sound of morse code also peppers the verse along with reverse guitar sounds and other uniquely processed noises. As the verse progresses, we hear Liam deliver the thought provoking lines: “Look into the wall of my mind's eye / I think I know, but I don't know why / The questions are the answers you might need / Coming in a mess, going out in style / I ain't good looking but I'm someone's child / No one can give me the air that's mine to breathe.”

As the band explodes into the chorus we hear a symphony of rock-n-roll noise referred to by some as the “wall of sound”: Endless layers of electric guitars, swirling lead guitar, rumbling bass, and slamming drums. All this and more supports Liam’s iconic vocal delivery and Noel's epic harmonies to create that unmistakable Oasis sound. The famous lyrics, "All my people right here, right now / D'you know what I mean?" have been echoing through time for the last 26 years. And fans all over the world continue to sing along to this rock-n-roll juggernaut, whether they know what Liam means or not.

Unfortunately, we haven’t heard new music from Oasis since their tumultuous 2009 breakup.

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. shmarketoldtown.com

La Portas 703.683.6313

1600 Duke St.

The Light Horse 703.549.0533

715 King St. lighthorserestaurant.com

Michael’s Little Italy 703-548-9338

305 S. Washington St. Murphys Irish Pub 703.548.1717

713 King St. murphyspub.com

However, there are rumors circulating that the band is scheduling a reunion tour for 2025. Whether or not that means we’ll be hearing new music from this legendary band remains to be seen. In the meantime, if you’d like to listen to “D'You Know What I Mean” or any of Oasis’ other fi ne music, you can fi nd it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold. If you’d like to learn more about Oasis, you can fi nd them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

About the Author: Ron Powers is an independent A&R specialist and music industry consultant and is constantly searching for, discovering and writing about new talent.

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

The Study 703-838-8000

116 South Alfred

Two Nineteen 703.549.1141

219 King St.

Village Brauhaus 710 King St. 703-888-1951

The History of Labor Day –Let’s Celebrate on the 4th!!

Labor Day: What it means.

Labor Day, the fi rst Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The fi rst governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From these, a movement developed to secure state legislation. The fi rst state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the fi rst to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the fi rst Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the fi rst Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who fi rst proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was fi rst in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The fi rst Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the fi rst Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the fi rst proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in

emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

Source material supplied by the United States Department of Labor.

The “can you wear white after Labor Day” debate is an old tradition goes back to the late Victorian era, where it was a fashion faus pax to wear any white clothing after the summer officially ended on Labor Day. The tradition isn’t really followed anymore. EmilyPost.com explains the logic behind the fashion trend – white indicated you were still in vacation mode at your summer cottage.

Did you know Labor Day is the unofficial end of Hot Dog Season? The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans will eat over 7 billion hot dogs.

Becoming Your True Self

This month I decided to navel-gaze with the characters in three non-fiction books about therapy patients: Group, by Christie Tate, Good Morning, Monster, by Catherine Gildiner, and Pageboy, by Elliot Page. Filled with patients, psychologists, psychiatrists, and more-or-less triumphant journeys towards wellness, the books all completely absorbed me on multiple levels. I looked at the

human condition from different angles and through other eyes with these authors.

Christie Tate was ranked at the top of her law class, a twenty-something with a severe eating disorder who thought constantly about suicide and was unable to be close to anyone, let alone fi nd a husband and have children. When she saw an eccentric therapist, he urged her to join one of his therapy groups where she would have to bare her soul and tell all her secrets. It frightened her to a point of paralysis. When she fi nally joined and was urged to talk about her secretive restrictive food habits and sexual experiences, she had an exceedingly difficult time adjusting.

Gradually, though, her turn towards vulnerability, however forced, started giving her a foundation and roots in the community. She had a long, hard journey giving up some of her neuroses and isolation to gain better self-esteem and boundaries, but she fi nally found a better place. Over years in the group and another that pushed her further, she found the self-esteem to look for better work, also chancing attachments to lovers and boyfriends only to be heartbroken multiple times. Yet the groups were there to save her, along with her law school friends. Years later, with the help of her groups and therapist, she fi nally found out who she was and

what she wanted, she received the love she was looking for.

Tate’s messy, funny book shows a radical psychological approach, but her therapist gave her tools and people to create a community and a life for herself. I was completely absorbed. If you like learning from people’s challenging histories, this book is for you.

Then I read Good Morning Monster, by Dr. Catherine Gildiner, a Toronto-based clinical psychologist. She wrote five stories of patients she saw over the history of her practice that she considered heroes not only for their incredible survival skills, but also for their willingness to stick with her through painful excavations into their pasts and presents over years. They, often unwillingly, gave her time and space to lead them carefully towards self-knowledge and a better, if not always ideal, future. Her admiration is evident throughout as she discusses their steps forward and back, her own mistakes along the way, and the dark humor she and her patients experienced. Victims of neglect, physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological abuse, her patients went through messy stages of growth that we absorb and admire. The title of the book is taken from the phrase her sociopathic mother would use to greet one of the five patients every morning.

One of the characters I found particularly interesting was an older Canadian Cree, an indigenous man who was taken from his parents as a little boy connected with nature in northern Manitoba and put in a state Catholic school to assimilate him, stamping out all that was part of his Native culture, making him stoic, quiet, and surrounded by a brick wall. In the process he suffered psychological and sexual abuse, along with the destruction of his identity. Dr. Gildiner realized that she would need to treat him in a more holistic way, asking colleagues for help and doing research to incorporate spiritual techniques connected better to nature and Native traditions along with her Western, Freud-founded, white-centered therapy. Eventually her attempt paid off when he

began to fi nd joy for the fi rst time in years through reconnecting to his roots.

All of her stories are potent and sad, but reminiscent of Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning in that she believes that if her patients could fi nd the why, they could fi nd the how: the way to live meaningful lives. Many do.

Now I turn to the book I have been looking forward to reading since I heard of it. The former actor Ellen Page, now Elliot Page, has written a memoir about his life so far called Pageboy.

I have not met many people who have transitioned, but I am interested in knowing their different stories. After breaking through as an A-list actor in 2008, Ellen Page took the journey not only to declare herself a lesbian in 2014, but also then to become trans in 2020.

Elliot Page’s book about growing up in Nova Scotia and going on to Toronto, Hollywood and the world at large is an unusual, poetic collection of fragmentary observations, along with notes about his feelings from a very young age that he was a boy. His family tried to squelch his urges to wear boys’ clothes and play on a boys soccer team past the normal sports age of separation between boys and girls. In the book’s construction, he flashes back between his experience in Hollywood as an adult and his less affluent childhood in Nova Scotia. Elliot spent his childhood practicing a mixture of video games, sports, and imaginative private play, wearing hoodies and shorts while keeping his hair short. It was the time when he could exercise his prodigious imagination and escape his constant

sense that he was intensely uncomfortable within his own skin.

Discovered young as an actor, Elliott was desperately unhappy as he grew into puberty. Hating the breasts that were growing in, the shift of his weight, and the long hair he was encouraged to have, he tried to keep his breasts strapped in, since looking at himself in the mirror was distressing, a complete disconnect from who he felt he was. He developed an eating disorder to try to keep his body lean as a boy and his breasts flat. Elliott was claustrophobic in women’s clothes on movie sets, feeling as if they were painted on his skin. He wanted to cut his hair short, wear flannels, hoodies, and baggy pants, and act upon his crushes on girls. At that point he only felt he was a lesbian, and stayed fully closeted because of his deep-seated sense of shame.

When he broke through to in Hollywood after being nominated for an Oscar for the celebrated film Juno, Elliot became even more miserable when studios sent him to hair and makeup to wear dresses and heels on publicity tours. Privately he suffered panic attacks and other extreme reactions. Ironically, although like any actor he played characters, he was caught in a Hollywood machine that constantly presented his so-called real self as a glamorous, polished, doll. There was no respite from his pressure. Finally, after extensive therapy, he found the stress so great that he came out as a lesbian. While coming out of the closet relieved him somewhat, his sense of displacement, difficulty connecting during his love affairs with woman, and sense of emptiness remained. It had been hidden beneath the somewhat more societally acceptable concerns of homosexuality.

I asked myself during this book: What must it be like to look in the mirror and shudder because of bulimia or anorexia or a form of body dysmorphia where you cannot see yourself clearly? Elliot’s situation, however, has been a more grueling story. What would it mean to know inside that

who you are, your true psychological gender, will never be recognized as long as your body stays the way it was when you were born, a body that does not match your natural sense of identity. What is like when your family does not validate you and your sense of self unconditionally? How would it feel to know that you cannot get out of situations where you are the subject of avid attention that offers you unwanted feedback on looks that you do not accept as belonging to the real you? That’s a mouthful, and it’s one that Elliot found impossible to choke down.

This book presents a thoughtful, sensitive individual who undertook a radical step: to pursue the route of become a trans man, removing his breasts and taking hormone therapy to become his true self. For anyone, that is an incredibly courageous action. For an actor whose profession consists of winning auditions in the spotlight with people judging him for his acceptability, it is a huge risk.

Luckily, his recent happiness seems to have softened the former trauma from when he felt trapped in his beautiful cage. I wish him well in his quest to soften those wounds, and forgive, or at least separate from, those relatives and friends who cannot accept him as he is.

I enjoyed his acting before, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it now. After the constant misery he has lived with despite great professional success, I hope he attains peace and happiness through the roles he wants to play and the friends and lovers he will meet now that he is comfortable in his own skin.

If you would like to send comments, feel free to send them to the author at krameroldtowncrier@ yahoo.com.

The 2023 Chesapeake Fishing Open (CFO) at Port Covington Marina located within Baltimore Peninsula, the waterfront destination in South Baltimore, will close with a celebration of fresh oysters, soulful blues, and cold brews at the all-new Oysters, Blues & Brews festival. The event calls on seafood lovers, music enthusiasts, and those who are ready to enjoy the best of the Chesapeake Bay seafood and local culture, while supporting conservation.

The event kicks off at noon on Saturday, September 16 with plenty of great seafood, as well as a variety of family activities and educational seminars. Local oysters will be available, both raw and grilled. Food trucks will also be on site providing other food options. For adult attendees, pair your meal with a Bloody Mary or Orange Crush at the Absolut Peppar bar. For beer

lovers, head over to the Chesapeake Beverage beer truck for a variety of cold and tasty beers. Soulful melodies from renowned local blues band, Kelly Bell Band, will accompany the festivities starting at 5:00 pm until the festival closes at 8:00 pm.

This festival is more than just a celebration of food, music, and beer, it is an opportunity to connect with the local community, support sustainable oyster farming initiatives, and help preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Festival-goers are encouraged to take part in a shoreline cleanup organized by the Maryland Waterways Foundation starting at 1:00 pm, as well as a Youth & Family Fishing Derby with boats departing from the festival at 10:00

am and again at 1:00 pm. Event partners include CCA Maryland, Chesapeake Fishing Open, Maryland Waterways Foundation, Minorities in Aquaculture, Blue Water Baltimore, Combos For Kids, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Chesapeake Oyster Alliance. Together, these organizations look to preserve the Chesapeake Bay to ensure its beauty and resources for future generations.

Oysters, Blues & Brews is open to the public and free to attend. Oysters will be sold on-site while supplies last. Those looking to upgrade their festival experience may purchase a VIP ticket for $80. Included with a VIP ticket purchase is a designated lounge area with comfortable seating, and a special VIP oyster bar so you

can cut the line!

For more information and to purchase VIP tickets, visit OystersBluesAndBrews.com.

About CCA Maryland: Coastal Conservation Association Maryland’s mission is to advise and educate the public on the conservation of marine resources. The objective of CCA is to conserve, promote and enhance the present and future availability of those coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. For more information and to support our efforts, visit ccamd.org.

2023 SCHEDULE

Educational Sessions & Activities: 12:00pm to 3:00pm

Shoreline Cleanup:1:00pm to 4:00pm

Rod & Reef Slam Youth & Family Fishing Derby: 1:00pm Departure

Chesapeake Fishing Open Awards

Ceremony: 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Kelly Bell Band: 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Photo Credit: Lani

Secretariat: Racing Into History

In 1989, a painful and chronic hoof condition known as laminitis forced the heart-breaking decision to euthanize the legendary racehorse Secretariat at the age of 19. The vet who performed the routine autopsy made a stunning discovery. Secretariat’s heart was two-and-onehalf times larger than the average heart.

Successful trainers look for commonalities to identify winning racehorses: superior breeding; competitive spirit, awareness of surroundings. But they also agree on another more illusive quality. Heart.

Katy Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Secretariat’s owner/breeder Penny Chenery.

Jocelyn presented a fascinating talk on her research to a large, rapt audience. The sculpture on tour is the second casting but with an important change. The fi rst one, installed in Lexington, Kentucky, depicts Secretariat’s win at the Kentucky Derby when he left the gate at post position 1A. The current sculpture shows a number 2 on the saddle pad, Secretariat’s post position at the Belmont Stakes. It was one of the most incredible races in history with Secretariat winning by an astounding 31 lengths.

Kate remembers her mother recounting that Secretariat’s mother, Somethingroyal, was queen of the

A winning horse will put his heart into every single race.

Fifty years ago, Secretariat ran as a three-year-old and became the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown. He set and still holds fastest time records in all three races at Churchill Downs, Belmont Stakes and Preakness.

A big guy at 16.2 hands, his nearly perfect conformation astounded breeders and other experts in the equine industry. A custom-made girth was fashioned to fit around the large chest that encased his huge heart, which he put into every single race.

To mark the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown, the National Museum of Racing organized the Secretariat: Larger Than Life Traveling Tour of an impressive 21-foot bronze monument of the legend in full gallop with his jockey Ron Turcotte astride. Serving as the symbolic centerpiece of the tour, the mammoth sculpture was loaded on the back of a flatbed and trucked to each of the Triple Crown tracks and numerous other venues.

Last month, the acclaimed National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, played host to the statue and its sculptor, Jocelyn Russell, a wildlife and equine artist from the Pacific Northwest, and

The artist spent months doing research before starting the project. She twice visited the jockey, Ron Turcotte, who now lives in Canada. She also visited Secretariat’s foaling shed and yearling barn at The Meadow stable in Doswell, Virginia, and his paddock, stall and burial site at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, his retirement home. She felt a powerful connection when visiting and lingering at the grave site. It spoke to her and provided inspiration. Jocelyn insisted on accuracy, even consulting with the jockey so that every buckle on the horse’s equipment and every wrinkle on the jockey’s boots would be in their proper place.

She measured and photographed the actual Triple Crown saddle and girth strap.

Kate Chenery Tweedy joined Jocelyn and recounted tales of her childhood as the daughter of Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery. Penny was no stranger to the D.C. area, graduating from The Madeira School in McLean in 1939 where she was the captain of the equestrian team.

As a little girl, Kate watched Secretariat mature. He was a lively and precocious foal and very full of himself. A beautiful chestnut color, Secretariat earned a second name and was affectionately known as “Big Red”.

herd with a commanding presence. Penny believed Somethingroyal passed that ‘Hey look, I’m something special’ mantle on to her son. Penny herself was something special. An erstwhile housewife, in 1968 when her father became ill she stepped up and became head of the family’s Meadow Stable and its breeding operation. While somewhat improved today, at that time she found herself in an industry virtually run by men. With guidance from colleagues and her own knowledge about horses and decision-making prowess, Secretariat was born. A surprising and fun addition was a cameo appearance made by Secret Beau, Secretariat’s 14-year-old grandson. Secret belongs to local horse people, Rob and Julie Banner, who acquired him as a foal. The Secretariat gene is evident. Not as large as “Big Red”, but a beautiful chestnut with attitude; totally unfazed standing in the shadow of the huge statue of his grandfather and nonplussed by adoring fans wanting the ubiquitous selfies. After Middleburg, the next stop on the 3500-mile tour that began in March was Colonial Downs Racetrack in Richmond where it will remain through the Virginia Derby on September 9. Then, the sculpture of Secretariat and his jockey Ron Turcotte winning the Belmont Staks will fi nally come home to Ashland, Virginia, where it will be unloaded for the fi nal time and installed near his Meadow Stable birthplace. It will be stored at a private location while the plaza is built. The dedication ceremony in Ashland is planned for spring 2024. For additional information on the Secretariat monument project, please see www. SecretariatforVirginia.com and www. ashlandmuseum.org

A word about the National Sporting Library & Museum. Located near

the shopping, restaurants and other attractions that Middleburg offers, the museum is unique in this region and defi nitely worth a visit. The inviting six-acre campus, worldclass research Library and fi ne art museum highlight the rich heritage and tradition of country pursuits. Angling, horsemanship, shooting, steeplechasing, foxhunting, flat racing, polo and wildlife are among the subjects available to explore in the institution’s general stacks, rare book holdings, archives, and art collection. The NSLM offers a wide variety of educational programs, exhibitions, and family activities throughout the year. The current exhibition that runs through September 17 is Women and Horses Revisited: Charles Rumph Photography.

About the Author: Meg Mullery is a contributing writer and Blue Ridge distribution “assistant” to the OTC and just a great all around person. She is a Middleburg resident and spends some of her valuable time selling real estate for Washington Fine Properties and volunteering at Sprout – a therapeutic riding program in Aldie. All images by: National Sporting Library Museum.

Secretariat Sculptor Jocelyn Russel and Secret Beau

HUNT COUNTRY

Did you know?

The average stride length for a Thoroughbred is 20 feet at full gallop. Man O’ War had a stride length of 28 feet. To fully appreciate this, think about football and how players have four tries to go ten yards or 30 feet. Secretariat had a top stride length of 24 feet 11 inches. American Pharoah’s stride was 25 feet but even with shorter stride length Secretariat was able to win in faster time.

• The bronze monument is hollow and weighs 3800 lbs

• The fi rst edition took eighteen months to complete, including research

• It is life + ½, spanning 21’ hoof to hoof and standing 11.5’ tall, sporting a stainless steel armature extending up into the body of the horse

• It was sculpted and sand cast at The Crucible Foundry in Norman, Oklahoma

Welcome to Shepherd's Old Field Market!

“Whether you are looking for that unique home décor item or special gift, or just feel like spending an afternoon browsing through over 90 shops and services in our 9,000 sq. ft., 2-story mini-mall, Shepherd's Old Field Market (SOF) has something for everyone and there's always something new! Stop in and enjoy a cold, frosty beverage at our Brudergarten Beer Garden, a cup of coffee and breakfast or lunch at Botanic Coffee Shop & Deli or a burger at!

When you're ready to work it off, check out the classes at root SUP & Fitness! Need a haircut? Schedule your appointment at Olde Towne Barbershop. Want to learn to play an instrument? Contact Leonardtown Music Service. Looking to add new artwork to your tattoo collection? Check out Starnes Ink. It's all here, under one roof! We hope you enjoy your visit and look forward to seeing you again soon!”

The above information is on the opening page of this fantastic places’ website and it pretty much says it all. While the OTC has mentioned SOF several times over the years when Leonardtown was the destination for a Road Trip, we never really delved into just how much fun this place is. Coming from me, who isn’t really one who likes to shop for anything, that says something.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gerri LHeureux, the owner, and her right hand woman and Director of SOF, Dawn Campbell on this visit. These two ladies love what they are doing and take great pride in the vendors that they welcome into the mix. They also have a fantastic sense of humor. I encourage you to look for the creative signage as you stroll around the space. This market is ever evolving and every vendor fills a niche of their own. Gerri told me that they make every effort to be sure that each vendor has a particular ware that is unique only to them in order to avoid duplication. There truly is something for everybody in every price range. It doesn’t matter if you prefer the very eclectic or

are on the very contemporary end of the scale, you will fi nd something that you just can’t live without here.

In the interest of space and so that you can see many photos, I direct you to their website and Facebook page for a complete list of vendors and events that take place at the Brudergarten. About the Market

Shepherd's Old Field Market is named after the “Shepard” (yes the spelling is different) family, who donated their land in the 1600's to help create portions of current day Leonardtown. The market is more than just a great place to shop. It is truly is a place that promotes mixed use redevelopment, community interaction, grassroots local commerce, and historic place attachment in Leonardtown, Maryland.

The current SOF Market building was previously the location of Leonardtown Building Supply, owned by the Miedzinski family. The building stood vacant for many years until it was repurposed into what is now.

Many of the items that remained from the days of Leonardtown Building Supply were repurposed in the redevelopment of SOF Market. Upon entering the Market, you will notice an original wood garage door that separates the shops from the larger open back area of the Market. Doors, windows, wood, fi xtures, and other items have been repurposed into the structure of the Market in an attempt to maintain some of the historical value of the building.

The heart of Leonardtown is the Square that is on the main drag. Many of you may have frequented this part of the town and never knew you were only a few blocks away (very walkable) from SOF. Just look for the Volunteer Fire Department and keep walking behind it! There is also ample parking at SOF as well.

Shepherds Old Field Market

22725 Duke Street

Leonardtown, Maryland 240-309-4067

shepherdsoldfield.com

Dawn Campbell, Director and Gerry LHeureux, Owner/Operator Are All Smiles

Grenada- A Postcard-Perfect Caribbean Town

The locals call it the “Portofi no of the Caribbean.” Peering at St George’s, Grenada, you’ll fi nd fishing boats bobbing in the harbor, pastel buildings on the edges of green hills and surely as compelling case for a postcard as its Italian counterpart.

The picture-perfect, nearly 400-year-old

center, cafe, crafts shop and candy parlor. It’s here that you can journey into the deep history of chocolate-making and cacao production in Grenada, where the industry has blossomed again in the last two decades, with the rise of companies like the Grenada Chocolate Company, Diamond Estate, Belmont Estate and others.

The House of Chocolate is generous with its samples, letting you try every manner of dark-chocolate magic, that is, before you inevitably leave with a bag filled with locally-made bars. You won’t fi nd styles like this in other Caribbean towns.

You can wash it all down just up the street at the lovely little City Inn, a corner courtyard just off the street with great drinks and a delicious locally-focused menu (go for the escovitch fish with some boiled provision or festival on the side).

The centuries-old streets of St George’s wind and bustle, as pedestrians vie for space with cars and vendors; it’s an invigorating,

harbor is also home to a rich, vibrant Caribbean capital, home to charming Georgian architecture, scenic waterfront eateries, myriad local shops and some of the best chocolate anywhere on earth.

You can take in an art exhibition at the Grenada National Museum (home to a dazzling new-look mural) and venture up the street to tiny art galleries and even one of the Caribbean’s top batik outlets, the world-class Art Fabrik.

The Museum hosts frequent exhibitions from popular Caribbean artists, but the biggest draw here is certainly the House of Chocolate, a remarkably layered place that is equal parts chocolate factory, cultural

The House of Chocolate

Sails is the perfect spot for a cocktail in St George’s

adventurous downtown with an energy all its own. Just down toward the harbor, past the stunning red-brick government buildings on the water, is the town’s most scenic spot: Sails, the sparkling overwater restaurant and lounge that is easily the best vantage point for gazing at this jewel of a Caribbean harbor (it’s right next to the always-fun BB’s Crabback).

At Sails, it’s all about well-executed, contemporary Caribbean fusion food like fresh-caught tuna tataki or cajun linecaught fish or exquisite cream of callaloo soup.

And then you can look out at the pinks and the corals and the blues and the yellows and spend your afternoon sipping on oceanfront Camparis, much like they might do in Portofi no. But I rather prefer the one in Grenada.

Publishers Note: We are happy to partner with Alexander Britell, Founder and Editor in Chief of the Miami, Florida based Caribbean Journal and his staff contributing to the OTC and our Caribbean Connection Section. Check out the popular online magazine/website at caribjournal.com for valuable information on all fabulous travel options and things of interest in the Caribbean.

Greneda National Museum

The City Inn

House of Chocolate samples

DINING GUIDE

AMERICAN

1799 PRIME STEAK & SEAFOOD

110 S. Pitt Street

571-404-6001

ADA'S ON THE RIVER

3 Pioneer Mill Way

703-638-1400

AUGIE’S MUSSEL HOUSE

1106 King Street

703.721.3970

BLACKWALL HITCH

5 Cameron St.

703-739-6090

BOB & EDITHS DINER

1743 King Street

703-664-0043

CAFE 44

44 Canal Center

571-800-6644

CHADWICKS

203 Strand St.

703-836-4442

CHART HOUSE

One Cameron St.

703-684-5080

CITY KITCHEN

330 South Pickett St.

703-685-9172

fatcitykitchen.com

EDDIE'S LITTLE SHOP & DELI

1406 King Street

571-312-8615

EVENING STAR CAFÉ

2000 Mt. Vernon Ave.

703-549-5051

EXECUTIVE DINER & CAFE

1400 Duke Street

703-299-0894

FIVE GUYS

725 King St.

703-549-7991

FOSTERS GRILLE

2004 Eisenhower Ave.

703-725-1342

GADSBYS TAVERN

138 N. Royal St.

703-548-1288

HARD TIMES CAFE

1404 King St.

703-837-0050

HEN QUARTER

1404 King St.

703-684-6969

HOPS 'N SHINE

3410 Mount Vernon Ave.

703-566-1509

HUMMINGBIRD

220 South Union Street

703-566-1355

JACKS PLACE

222 North Lee St.

703-684-0372

JOE THEISMANNS

1800 Diagonal Rd.

703-739-0777

JUNCTION BAKERY & BISTRO

1508 Mount Vernon Avenue

703-436-0025

KINGS RANSOM

728 King Street

571-319-0794

LAPORTAS

1600 Duke St.

703-683-6313

THE LIGHT HORSE

715 King Street

703-549-0533

LORI'S TABLE 1028 King Street

703-549-5545

LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St.

571-970-6511

MAJESTIC CAFÉ

911 King St.

703-837-9117

MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street

703-548-8800 mason-social.com

MURPHYS IRISH PUB

713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com

NORTHSIDE 1O 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-888-0032

OAK STEAKHOUSE 901 N. St. Asaph St. 703-840-3395

OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 DanielOconnells.com

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

THE PEOPLES DRUG 103 N. Alfred Street 571-257-8851

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

RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com

ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274

RT'S RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com

SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266

SLATERS MARKET 1552 Potomac Greens Dr. 703-548-3807

SMOKING KOW BBQ 3250 Duke Sttreet 703-888-2649

SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550

SOUTH BLOCK 106 N. Lee Street 703-465-8423

SOUTHSIDE 815

815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222

SWEET FIRE DONNA'S BBQ & HOPS 510 John Carlyle Street

571-312-7960

THE STUDY 116 South Alfred Street 703-838-8000

T.J. STONES

GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com

TOASTIQUE GOURMET TOAST & JUICE BAR

1605 King Street 571-312-1909

UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE

121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com

VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED

106 South Union St. 571-970-3669

VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE

101 North Union St. 703-935-8890

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

ASIAN

ASIAN BISTRO

809 King St. 703-836-1515

INDOCHEN

1625 King Street (571) 404-6050

KISSO ASIAN BISTRO 300 King Street 703-888-1513

MALAYA

1019 King St. 703-519-3710

MAI THAI

9 King St.

703-548-0600

NASIME

1209 King St. 703-548-1848

SIGNATURE THAI

722 King Street

707-888-2458

SUNDAY IN SAIGON

682 N. St. Asaph St. 703 549-7777

TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878

CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE

407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800

KAI ZEN TAVERN

1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212

SISTERS THAI

503 Montgomery St. 571-777-8154

RAILBIRD KITCHEN

804 North Henry St. 703-577-9023

CONTINENTAL

CEDAR KNOLL

GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-780-3665

OLD HOUSE COSMOPOLITAN

1024 Cameron Street 703-717-9361

VILLAGE BRAUHAUS 710 King Street 703-888-1951 villagebrauhaus.com

FRENCH

BASTILLE

606 N. Fayette St. 703-519-3776 bastillerestaurant.com

BRABO

1600 King St. 703-894-3440

LE REFUGE

127 N. Washington St. 703-548-4661

FONTAINES CAFFE & CREPERIE

119 S. Royal St. 703-535-8151

LA MADELEINE

500 King St. 703-729-2854

JOSEPHINE

109 South St. Asaph St. 703-683-1776

TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT

219 King St. 703-549-1141

ITALIAN

ALDO'S ITALIAN KITCHEN

2850 Eisenhower Avenue (behind the building)

703-888-2243

ANDY’S PIZZA

107 N Fayette St

571-319-0497

BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT

111 King St. 703-683-0313

FACCIA LUNA

823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998

FRANK PEPE NAPOLETANA PIZZERIA

3231 Duke Street

Alexandria Commons

703-719-2035

HANDOVER BY THE SLICE

728 King Street

571-319-0794

IL PORTO RESTAURANT

121 King St. 703-836-8833

LANDINI BROTHERS

115 King St. 703-836-8404 landinibrothers.com

LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086

MIA'S ITALIAN KITCHEN 100 King Street 703-997-5300

MICHAEL’S ON KING 703 King Street 703-838-9090 Michaelsonking.com

PIECE OUT 2419 Mount Vernon Avenue 703-398-1287

RED ROCKS FIREBRICK PIZZA 904 King St. 703-717-9873

THOMPSON'S ITALIAN 1026 King Street alexandria@thompsonitalian.com

MEDITERRANEAN

BARCA PIER & WINE BAR 2 Pioneer Mill Way 703-638-1100

ELAINE'S 208 Queen Street 571-970-0517

NANDO'S PERI PERI 2462 Mandeville Lane 571-473-5500

TAVERNA CRETEKOU

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

PITA HOUSE 719 King St. 703-684-9194

DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. 703-329-0006

VASO'S MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO

1118 King Street 703-566-2720

VASO'S KITCHEN 1225 Powhatan Street 703-548-2747

SEAFOOD

HANKS OYSTER BAR 818 N St. Asaph 703-739-HANK

FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com

THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834

WHISKEY & OYSTER 301 John Carlyle 703-567-1533

INDIAN

DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd. 703-660-6085

DIYA 218 North Lee, 2nd Floor 703-706-5338

KISMET MODERN INDIAN 111 North Pitt Street 703-567-4507

NAMASTE 1504 King St. 703-970-0615

MEXICAN LATIN SOUTHWESTERN

CASA TEQUILA (next to Crate & Barrel) 1701 Duke 703-518-5312

CHOP SHOP TACO 1008 Madison Street 571-970-6438

DON TACO TEQUILA BAR 808 King St. 703-988-3144

LOS CUATES RESTAURANT 1116 King Street 703-548-2918

LOS TIOS GRILL 2615 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-299-9290

LOS TOLTECOS 4111 Duke St. 703-823-1167

TAQUERIA POBLANO 2400-B Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-TACO (8226)

TEQUILA & TACO 540 John Carlyle Street 703-721-3203

URBANO 116 116 King Street 571-970-5148

The Warehouse

This month we ventured to one of the oldest restaurants in Old Town Alexandria and one of the ones that put Old Town on the restaurant map back in 1969. This iconic restaurant has not only earned its fame from the delicious food but also of the caricatures of local Alexandrians that adorn the walls. Although the restaurant is located in the 200 block of King Street and not in the 100 block which has been turned into a pedestrian mall and has allowed for in the street dining, owner and General Manager Hossein Pishdad took it upon himself to rent the curbside from the city and has built a dining platform along the curb on his own dime. It is the only restaurant in the 200 block that has curbside dining.

In colonial times Alexandria was a formidable seaport town along the Potomac River and most of the buildings along King Street were warehouses associated with the commerce of Alexandria and the east coast of America. The Warehouse Restaurant has maintained that legacy by retaining the name. The restaurant opened in 1969 when the many warehouses were converted to shops and eateries. Back then there was a bar upstairs called the Quarterdeck and was popular with the locals

Cajun Hospitality in the Heart of Old Town

like myself. A local guy named John Nugent was our bartender back then, today John owns Nugent Design Build LLC located in Deale, Maryland. Another successful businessman who got his start tending bar in Old Town Alexandria.

Through the years of changes, the upstairs bar is no longer there but they do have a bar downstairs as you enter. It is a well-stocked and comfortable bar perfect for an afternoon cocktail or a drink before dinner. Coowner and Executive Chef Sert Ruamthong has worked at the Warehouse for over 30 years. Sert has expanded his French-Asian background to include American Creole and Cajun dishes which are the back bone of the Warehouse menu. Sert selects locally grown products that are available in the area and often features local Soft Shell Crabs, fresh Louisiana Crawfish, Chesapeake Bay Rockfish, Oysters and Shad Roe.

Although the menu at the Warehouse has a distinctive Louisiana feel, they are also well known for their steaks and seafood. On our recent visit we opted for the outdoor dining and took a seat along the sidewalk. Although it has been a hot summer, this day was 84 degrees with a light

breeze...perfect. As we settled in behind our white tablecloth adorned table, we were promptly greeted by glasses of water and a drink order.

As is our habit, vodka gimlets were our premeal cocktail of choice. Not only were they made perfectly, the method of serving them was impressive. They serve them half poured and top them off at the table, leaving you a small carafe with the extra. This makes for a very substantial drink.

Cocktails were accompanied with some of the best bread we have tasted in quite a while – it ISN’T sourdough and is accompanied by whipped butter. It’s hard not to eat all of it before your meal arrives. Speaking of which, I ordered the Jambalaya off of the regular menu on this visit. As I mentioned before I have been going to this restaurant since 1969 so I am pretty familiar with this menu and the Jambalaya

General Manager, Hossein Pishdad

is one of my favorites. A sizable portion for lunch, this dish is packed with chicken, Andouille sausage and tender shrimp. The dish was seasoned to my liking which is not so heavy on the spices. It was very flavorful without making me reach for

my glass of water. The Pinot Grigio wine we ordered was crisp and a very nice compliment to the dish. The Warehouse is noted for their great wine list.

Ms. Gastronome ordered the Lobster Cobb Salad from the daily specials menu. It is a flavorful combination of the usual suspects in a Cobb Salad – bacon, blue cheese, hard-boiled egg, etc. – tossed with a creamy house dressing and a hefty portion of lobster mixed in. Unlike any she has had before, it was served in a tomato-basil flour tortilla “bowl”. This was defi nitely and added bonus.

Between the bread – yes we ate it all – and our entrée’s we were pretty full but…how do you pass up Key Lime Cheesecake? You don’t. It was as tasty as the photo accompanying this write-up looks and it really complimented the double espresso….

We would be remiss if we didn’t comment on the suburb service provided at the Warehouse. Their wait staff is some of the best around, and, in fact, we have known some of them for the last 25 years from their service in others restaurants over the years.

Treat yourself to lunch or dinner at the Warehouse next time you are in Old Town. And…if you happen to be in the area on a Saturday or Sunday morning, the brunch here is superb.

The Warehouse

214 King Street

Old Town Alexandria 703-683-6868

Warehouseoldtown.com

a humorous guide to working in a professional kitchen

Recently I accepted the Job as Executive Chef back in a professional kitchen. I'm reacquainting with the grind that is like stepping into a chaotic circus, where pots and pans juggle flames, and the chefs perform culinary acrobatics. (I haven't fallen YET) It's a world of sizzling drama, spicy personalities, and absurdly timed food orders. So grab your apron, tighten that chef's hat, and let's dive into the laughter-filled realm of the professional kitchen!

The Language of the Kitchen:

Entering a professional kitchen is like stepping into a foreign land where the language spoken is a mix of gibberish and expletives. "86 flounder!" you hear, and you're left wondering if you missed a bus or a secret code. But don't worry, you'll soon learn that "86" means they're out of something, and you'll be "in the weeds" when the orders pile up like a mountain of dirty dishes.

The Dance of the Chefs:

The kitchen is a stage, and the chefs are the dancers, moving in a synchronized chaos. It's a tango of sharp knives and slippery floors, where a misplaced step can result in a culinary catastrophe. And let's not forget the chef's secret weapon – the "mise en place" dance, where every ingredient is prepped and ready to go. (Then cleaned! And DON'T touch my knives.) Just hope you take care of your feet and wear great shoes.

The Line Cook's Battle:

Line cooks are the unsung heroes of the kitchen, battling flames and time constraints with their trusty spatulas. They're like culinary ninjas, dodging grease splatters and catching falling pans with lightning reflexes. But be warned, the line cook's arch-nemesis is the "ticket machine" – a neverending stream of orders that seem to multiply faster than rabbits on a farm. (My Grandfather raised rabbits.) It's a race against time, and the victory is served on a plate.

The Mystery of the Walk-In Fridge:

The walk-in fridge is a mystical place where chefs venture to seek ingredients, only to lose themselves in a labyrinth of half-empty jars and forgotten bags of produce. It's a place where time stands still, and the cold air seeps into your bones. If you ever fi nd yourself lost in the walk-in fridge, don't panic – just follow the scent of garlic and hope for the best!

The Art of "Chef's Special":

Ah, the elusive "Chef's Special" – a dish born from a mad scientist's laboratory, combining ingredients that defy logic and taste buds. It's the chef's way of saying, "I dare you to try this!" But fear not, for the Chef's Special is often a delightful surprise, like a blind date that turns out to be your soulmate. Just be prepared for the occasional experiment-gone-wrong,

like the infamous "popcorn topped fish" incident.

Conclusion:

Working in a professional kitchen is no ordinary job – it's a thrilling adventure filled with laughter, camaraderie, and the occasional burnt soufflé. It's a place where chaos and creativity collide, and where every mistake becomes a learning opportunity. So, join the ranks of the culinary warriors, embrace the absurdity, and remember to always keep a fi re extinguisher nearby. After all, what's life without a little spice and a whole lot of laughter? Now hiring…..

About the Author: Chef Glenn Morel spent much of his career as an event producer after stints in restaurants from Florida country clubs and franchise restaurants to Manhattan fine dining, he is available as a private chef at your next event. Check the experience he can bring to you at www.ifihadachef.com.

Meet the Chefs Elevating Food in Virginia Wine Country

Many wineries offer snacks or small dishes, but only a few elevate their food to be on par with their wine. Here are a few local chefs who are doing just that.

Jeff Judge, Chef and Co-Owner of Eagletree Farm (Leesburg)

“I was one of those kids cooking with my grandma, so baking has a special place in my heart,” said Victoria Cosner during a chat at Pippin Hill. “But the joy I found in sitting down and eating with family who may not see each other during the day is what made me fall in love with cooking.

In high school I found a technical school with a culinary arts program. After graduation, I realized cooking is what I wanted to do. I thought about going to culinary school but instead I just put my feet to the ground.”

Victoria started at Pippin Hill in 2015 as a prep cook and worked her way up. She was promoted to Executive Chef in July 2022.

Victoria describes cooking as something of an art form, where the flavors speak for themselves.

“I don’t like to put myself in a box. For me, the importance of creating a dish is texture, but I also want umami and a touch of sweetness. Acidity is still very important to me, which is why I add petit verdot into my cupcakes. When making desserts, people all too often only think of one note, but I’m like; where’s the texture?

I love pairing wine with our sauvignon blanc. It’s a very bright wine and pairs well with just about anything because it can carry different flavors.

I also love our Wild Acre; it’s interesting to pair a food with a robust wine that has so much going on.”

As much as Victoria enjoys creating new dishes, she loves sharing the experience just as much. “Cooks are different than accountants. My team is a bit sassy. I just vibe with the entire kitchen aspect.” This teamwork includes collaborations with her fellow chefs, as she and Tim Moore of Early Mountain Vineyards recently co-hosted a pair of dinners at both locations.

Guests can join the fun as well. Victoria teaches Pippin’s cooking classes, which include everything from sushi to French cooking. Victoria explained her favorite part is when a guest looks at her and asks, “Chef, did I make these?!?”

Eagletree isn’t your typical winery experience, as their focus is food rather than wine. Whereas most wineries have charcuterie plates, paninis or flatbreads, Eagletree feels like a mix of quaint French country cuisine meets your home dining room.

Chef Jeff Judge and his wife Lori purchased the land in the early 1980s, eventually planting a vineyard. When they opened Eagletree as a restaurant in 2019, they already had their own estate wine bottled. Jeff spent 15 years in the communications industry while Lory ran McKeever’s Pub in McLean. He occasionally helped out in the kitchen, which reignited his love of cooking.

But Jeff had higher goals than pub food. He trained at L’Academy de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, which was one of the nation’s top culinary schools. Such was its fame the US ‘pastry Olympics’ team would train here before going overseas to compete. While explaining the inspiration behind Eagletree’s menu, Jeff expounded on the importance of “mirepoix”, describing the 2-parts onion, 1-part carrots, 1-part celery combination as the foundation of French cuisine. But he insists the term “French inspired” only tells half the story.

“When people say ‘French cooking,’ it’s the technique, not the dish. That’s what sets French cuisine apart from all other traditions. It’s not superior to dishes from other locations, but it’s the highest level of technique there is.”

Jeff prefers to cater to a more mature palate but he’s well aware of what casual diners are looking for. To that end, wood-fi re pizza is offered alongside filet mignon and Bombay chicken.

Regarding food and wine pairings, Jeff feels his rosé goes very well with sweet & spicy, one of his favorite food profiles. He also spoke highly of cabernet franc as a wine that goes with a variety of dishes. Yet Jeff prefers diners seek their own pairings.

“I like our guests to experiment. It’s not always white wine with chicken or fish and red with meat; it’s what you taste.”

Picnicking is a popular pastime at most wineries, but sometimes, a charcuterie board isn’t enough. “If they don’t have food, it’s hard for me to justify going there on my one day off. I want to expect good food,”

- Victoria Cosner, Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyard’s Executive Chef.

About the uthor: Matthew Fitzsimmons is a blogger who has visited nearly every winery in Virginia –most of them twice. Track his progress at https://winetrailsandwanderlust.com/

In true chef fashion,

Tim kicked-off his interview by insisting he can’t talk with a guest until he’s fed you. Otherwise; how would someone know what his cooking is about?

In short order, a dish of sweet crab and gazpacho appeared. Who was I to decline the hospitality of someone who cooked at a three star Michelin restaurant?

As with many chefs, Tim’s journey was a circuitous one.

Punk music was Tim’s original love, but he took dishwashing and server jobs when not rocking with his band. Realizing the kitchen staff was having more fun than the servers, Tim made the switch to line cook. He was hooked.

Eventually Tim began looking for a place to hone his craft. He set the bar high – The Inn at Little Washington.

“I knew it was a swanky place, so I bought Executive Chef Patrick O’Connell’s fi rst cookbook to get an idea what they were about. I didn’t have the experience to be a cook, but they saw I had expediter experience, which they needed. I took the job to get in the door.

I started in September 2012, planning to only spend four years here. The Inn would be my ‘university’.” Most cooks stay at the Inn for around three years. Tim stayed for eight, rising to Lead Sous Chef. Afterwards, he was hired by Early Mountain which was looking to elevate their food program to match the caliber of their wine.

“My dishes are ‘elevated-casual’. Some guests weren’t happy when I took away the grilled cheese, but we stuck to our guns and eventually people realized what kind of experience is available to them. Guests are greeted by our hosts and get to experience a menu that is technique driven and done with love.

My favorite pairings include petit manseng, a variety that’s very specific to Virginia. One of my favorite combinations was a bison tartar dressed with a black garlic aioli, pickled ginger and spring

onion. One bite of this with petit manseng was straight to umami town!

Another thing I love about Early Mountain is our Best of Virginia program, where in addition to EMV we serve an ever-rotating lineup of wines from all over Virginia.

It highlights what we’re about. We’re not just about Early Mountain but Virginia wine as a whole.”

Victoria Cosner, Executive Chef at Pippin Hill (Charlottesville)

Tim Moore, Executive Chef at Early Mountain (Madison)

Another Wine Festival?

Not much is easy about the wine business. Scratch that. Drinking great wine that you grew and produced, is easy. Translating the process into a consistent business that covers all of the costs and gives back a bit of a profit, that part is hard. Between our tasting rooms, event facilities, off site tasting rooms, farmers markets, retailers, distributors, restaurants, box stores and on line sales, some may think that selling wine is easy. Well, selling wine has been pretty hard lately. Each of the above outlets have a cost to them, and when people buy less, the costs to operate remain the same. Our local wine industry is having some growing pains and many folks are looking at ways to increase sales. One outlet that has been on the schedules of wineries and wine lovers here in Virginia, is the wine festival.

When I arrived in Virginia 26 years ago, I did not have a lot of experience selling wine, let alone experience with wine festivals. We didn’t have anything like this in California. Sure they had events in the square of Sonoma, or at a park with food and wines, but we did not sell wine. These events were for marketing and press. Here in Virginia, the wineries can obtain a “remote license”, to set up sales and tastings in another location. There are legal steps, insurance and safety considerations, but, we can bring the wine and experience to another location, present the wine and sell by the glass or bottle to those that want to take it home. With bigger events, event companies run the show. The wineries are the attraction, as well as the music, food, location, seminars and such. Back in the day, wineries would bring a large volume of wine to the festivals, as folks would buy wine to take home. Guests would have a chance to taste wine from a winery they had not visited, or stock up on their favorite bottles. Over the years, sales at the festivals dwindled. More drunk customers at the end of the day, and more wine that did not sell, was left to take back to the winery. The goal of these festivals is to have a win-win for all involved. The event company, the wineries and the customer all come out feeling that it was worth doing, and look forward to next year. I feel each wine

festival has its own feel and clientele. There are some great folks attending that want an exposure to Virginia Wine without the travel. There are an incredible number of folks that are new to wine, let alone Virginia Wine, and we want them to have a great experience, especially if it is their fi rst time.

Our winery was initially doing the festivals back in 2006 or so, in order to meet folks, show our wines, and build our customer base. Over time, we focused on bringing the folks out to the winery to get the full experience of what we have to offer. But, as visitation has dropped off a bit at the winery — with so many other venue and craft beverage choices out there — we are looking at other opportunities to take our wines on the road. Staffing is always a challenge as having a well-trained wine person on the road will make all of the difference in welcoming a taster — all the way through to closing the sale. This staffing issue is critical in the tasting room as well.

Some of our best road show spots have been smaller. Farmer Johns Market right down the road from us, the antiques stores and other smaller venues can give a more intimate feel and give the wine educator an opportunity to connect with the guest. Less scheduling issues, less set up and breakdown, mean less costs in doing the event. That being said, back to the larger wine festivals, they attract many people who are looking specifically for wine! Some of those people will buy wine, and some of those people will come out to experience the wineries. As we all reach out to sell a bit more wine, each opportunity will be considered and evaluated for what could add to our success.

It is almost harvest season here in the Mid Atlantic wine region. Harvest begins in September. Come visit the wineries. Ask what is happening in production that day. We love what we do and we love to talk about it. Many wineries will give you an opportunity to see, smell and maybe even taste the happenings. The grapes come in every year and your purchases give them a home. Thanks for supporting Virginia Wine!

About the Author: Farmer, winemaker, entrepreneur, educator, and leader, Doug Fabbioli has been accelerating the growth and quality of Virginia’s wine industry since 1997. With his wife Colleen, Doug is the owner/operator of Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, VA. He is the founder and director of The New Ag School, which focuses on teaching the next generation of farmers and agriculture-related leaders. No wonder they call Doug Fabbioli the Godfather of DC's Wine Country.

Tailgating Season is HERE

I love fall. It is by far my favorite time of year. Oktoberfest begins in September and brings us many wonderful new festbiers to enjoy. Blue Crab season runs well into October. The torturous humidity of the DC area dissipates. It’s a time for blue jeans, sweatshirts, and sweaters. But the best part of fall is the way it kicks off, pun intended. In the last weeks of August, College Football returns and tailgating season begins!

The great thing about every subject mentioned in the previous paragraph is that you can enjoy them all together. You can easily put on your college sweatshirt and blue jeans, go to any crab house, and drink festbier while watching your game and devouring crabs. My wife and I will do this a couple of times this season. However, as much as I love them, blue crabs are not the best tailgate food. They are messy. They draw tons of flies. And the set-up takes way too much room. So, we’ll deal with crabs another time.

The tailgate is a huge American tradition. And it is not just about drinking before a football game. These types of celebrations occur in the fall, and have for centuries, when growing season ends and the crops have been harvested. The football tailgate is merely an extension of those celebrations. University of Notre Dame cultural anthropologist John Sherry states that:

The idea of getting out of your house and feasting and drinking somewhere else is a pretty old tradition. People eat and drink and build up community in the process. It's one last blowout before we hunker down for winter.

It is believed that fans partied before the fi rst college football game between Rutgers University and Princeton University in 1869. And legend has it that Green Bay Packers fans coined the phrase “tailgating” back in the early 1900s. Statistics show that 35% of people who tailgate do not even attend the game. I have been part of that 35%. Sometimes you just get too wrapped up in the fun. One of the great things about our area is that there are so many universities within a short driving distance. And many of them are perfect for tailgating. Beer is the most popular tailgating drink by far. But what beers should you have? First, make sure you have a varied selection both in brand and style. Just like the tap handles at a bar, you should have a diverse selection. Second,

remember to always check the ABV of the beers you purchase. People tend to assume that all beers have the same ABV, about 5%. So be careful. My suggestion, of course, is to go all craft. Trust me, some dweeb will show up at your tailgate with Bud, Bud Light, or Miller High Life and then drink your good beer. It’s inevitable. It’s the Murphy’s Law of Tailgating.

Tim’s Tailgating Beer Menu Suggestions:

Your styles of beer should also vary as fall progresses. You’ll need a different mix each month as the temperature declines.

This is not a list of specific beers. It is a suggested way to properly offer a good variety each month.

September: 50% Pilsners or Light Lagers, 25% American or West Coast Pale Ales, 25% Indian Pale Ales. As it starts to cool down through September, adding some heavier beers will work. But you still want to have mostly lighter beers. Remember, tailgates are marathons, not sprints. Lighter beers with lower ABVs are essential. Oh, and be sure to mix in some Oktoberfest beers as part of your lagers. Prost!!

October and November: 25% Pilsners and Light Lagers, 25% American or West Coast Pale Ales, 50% IPAs, Porters, Stouts, or Browns. It’s colder out, and a heavier beer can really hit the spot. Now you can really have fun planning your tailgate beer menu. Winter is coming, and a good stout is always a great cold weather choice.

Tim’s Tailgate Food Menu Suggestions:

Everyone knows the usual suspects: hamburgers, hotdogs, wings, and chips and dip. But why not mix it up and give it some flare? Try a couple of these.

1. Bratwurst. Nothing says fall like Bratwurst. These fantastic sausages are not expensive, are easy to grill, and go great with beer. You’ll need a bun a little heartier than a hotdog bun, and some good mustard. Dijon is great, but

Tim’s Whiskey and Cigar Recommendations

German mustards are the way to go. That’s it. Brats are different and fun.

2. Beer-based Chili. You can fi nd a hundred recipes on the internet. I prefer beef, but the protein can be whatever you like. Make it the night before, heat it up before heading out, then keep it hot on your grill or a hot plate. The accoutrements are easy: sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped onion. A few plastic bowls and spoons and you are all set to go.

3. Beer Can Chicken. You’ll need to buy a special stand online to stand it up on the grill, and they’re cheap. Take a whole chicken, season it however you like, then shove your favorite can of beer up its butt and stick it on the grill. Start it early so it has time to cook. Beer Can Chicken always comes out juicy and moist. It’s always a huge tailgate hit.

4. Beer Cheese Dip with Soft Pretzels. Again, there are a ton of cheese dip recipes online, all of which are easy to make. The key is soft pretzels. That’s what makes it unique. You can also offer a couple of good mustards to really spice things up.

Links to recipes are available with the online version of this article.

As I stated earlier, we have an array of universities either in the immediate area or within a short drive: Maryland, Virginia Tech, UVA, Navy, Howard, or, if you dare, WVU. Take a weekend, go tailgate, and enjoy the game. It does not even need to be at your school. That’s the great part. Tailgating at any school is fun! It’ll take some planning, but the planning is worth it. Get out and enjoy this great American tradition.

About the Author: Timothy Long is an educator, writer, consultant, and experienced restaurant operator. Email: tlong@belmarinnovations.com . Instagram and Twitter: @wvutimmy. Blog: What is that fl y doing in my soup? http://whatfl yinmysoup.com

Bulleit Rye Whiskey

As August becomes September, this whiskey is perfect. You get cherry and vanilla on the nose, with a hint of leather. It starts off a little spicy on the palate. But then it cools off with smooth citrus and peach flavors. The fi nish is peppery and spicy with hints of cinnamon and mint. It’s aged four to five years and is 90 proof. At around $38 per bottle, it is well worth the price.

Monte Cristo Platinum Series Toro

Monte Cristo is one of my go-to brands. Their cigars are always easy to light and have an excellent draw. This Platinum Series Toro does not disappoint and is a medium-bodied delight. It starts off with earth and hickory flavors. After a few puffs, hints of citrus and sweet fruit come through. It fi nishes light with mostly hickory. It’s a great hanging out at a tailgate cigar.

This cigar, and many other fine cigars, are available at John Crouch Tobacconist at 215 King St. in Old Town Alexandria. Mention this article and get 10% off the purchase of this month’s recommended cigar.

A Campaign for September!

Autumn is approaching – here are some tips to ease the gardener into that time of mists and mellow fruitfulness. September is the start of autumn, when nature is having a fi nal fl ing of beauty before quieting down for winter. And it is helpful to prepare a program or campaign for your autumn activity.

We will be taking cuttings of our doubtfully hardy and tender favourites - verbenas, diascias, felicias, argyranthemums and pelargoniums. Do not forget the violas, rock roses, dianthus and fuchsias that are useful for infi lling after the tulips are over. Most of our cuttings go on the mist bench, carefully noted with the name, number and date. If you don’t have the facilities to create a mist, put these cuttings in pots with a polythene bag over the top to conserve moisture. Hardwood cuttings are easy. We have a well-drained shady bed where cuttings 1012 inches long are lined out, with half their length buried. For an extra shrub or two put these round the parent plant. By late spring they will have enough roots to move them to their permanent home. Try ribes, spiraea, privet, rue, honeysuckle, philadelphus, weigela, hebes and willows.

Seed gathering continues into the September program. Gather seeds in paper bags, then

transfer them into sealed envelopes and store them in your fridge. Sow some now in drills and watch out for slugs eating the young growth.

We order new bulbs every August, many of you may have done the same. Some crocuses, both species and Dutch, scillas and puschkinias and others ring the changes, and keep up a selection each year. Plant the prepared hyacinths in September so they are in flower at Christmas. Paper white narcissus are wonderful for forcing. Put them on the surface of a flat bowl with a sandy gravel mixture, keep them in the light, and they will be in flower in six weeks, sometimes sooner. Plant them at intervals so you have a succession and can enjoy their strong scent.

As your bulbs arrive, if you have ordered them by post, open the packets and stand them in a cool corner, preferably on a table so the mice don’t get at them. List them and note which bed they will go in. Over the years I have tried to keep each bed to a colour theme, especially for spring. Bed 1 has white and yellow, bed 2 white and pink, bed 3 stronger pinks with Tulip ‘Mariette’ and T. ‘China Pink’. Bed 4 has a variety of tulips in the purple spectrum to go with the hellebores and honesty. Our tulips are always underplanted with forget-me-nots.

Dead-head where necessary allowing some attractive seed heads to remain. Make sure you have enough mulching material, leaf mold, mushroom compost and Cocoa Shell (Sunshine of Africa) to cover the borders as they are fi nally put to bed. September is a ‘go-between’ time and you must be restrained but also look ahead. It is not possible to make a complete clearance in any border, but we take small areas where the penstemon or lobelias are past their best, dig and pot them and keep them in the polytunnel for next year. Your fi rst tulips and special narcissus can go in groups in their place. Remember to label your dahlias before the frost cuts them down. Eventually, dig and store them for next year. You can also plan to clip your yew hedges. Greenhouses must have their good autumn clean and disinfectant before the tender plants are brought in. We use smoke bombs to get rid of lurking greenfly and red spider mite. Paint the walls with white distemper and dowse the floor with Jeyes Fluid. Finally, clean the glass and mend any cracks.

About the Author: Rosemary Verey is a regular contributor to The Backyard Gardener. For more of her articles and answers to all of your gardening questions log on to BackYardGardener.com.

Fine Lines, Dark Circles & Puffiness – Ugh!

than the rest of our skin. A moisturizer should be delicate in addition to being the appropriate weight.

Dark Circles

The eye area is the most delicate and where the fi rst signs of aging begin to creep up on us. Most often, it is the area that is most neglected until we see that fi rst wrinkle. The most important thing to realize is that prevention is the best defense against the inevitable aging process. Choosing to use an eye cream at an early age is the best defense against those fi ne lines creeping in before we’re ready. There are also a few other remedies to weaken the defenses of those fi ne lines and to address other eye concerns.

Aging

When we begin to age, the eye area is the fi rst to show those signs. That is why it is the most important area to take care of. Taking care of our eyes is quite simple – moisturizer. Keeping the eye area moisturized is key to maintaining its elasticity and keeping the crows feet and wrinkles away. Choosing an appropriate moisturizer is important. Too light of a moisturizer won’t be effective and too heavy of a moisturizer will just make your make-up a runny mess. To determine the right weight of a moisturizer, look for a moisturizer that absorbs into the skin just enough to still provide relief and still be a little slick. Furthermore, the right moisturizer must not be too intense. The eye area is the most delicate skin on our face and requires that we take great care to ensure it is treated accordingly. A moisturizer designed specifically for the eye area is the best choice. Choosing any facial moisturizer isn’t appropriate because they often contain too many active ingredients that are too much for the eye area to handle. It’s also important to recognize that, for most of us, our eyes are more sensitive

As a life-long dark circle sufferer, I have particular sensitivity to these concerns. I also understand what it is like to try every eye cream under the sun to attempt to deal with my dark circles. I’m here to tell most of you – put down the eye cream, walk away and grab a concealer. The reality is that eye creams formulated to combat dark circles do not address most dark circle concerns. Eye creams that claim to fight dark circles are designed for dark circle conditions involving broken capillaries. These broken blood vessels create a darkening under the skin that these dark circle-fighting creams work to disintegrate. Unfortunately, for the majority of us (myself included), our dark circles are the result of discoloration or excess pigment around our eyes. This is a function of the way we are built and no eye cream can change that. But, there are ways to reduce them and hide them. Most effective is making sure to get good sleep because those dark circles will only get darker from the lack of sleep.

Puffi ness

Puffy eyes come in two forms: chronic and circumstantial. Chronic puffiness is typically a condition in which pockets of fluid (or bags) have collected under the eye area. Aside from surgical methods to treat this, there are some eye creams available to address these issues. Circumstantial puffiness is the result of a lack of sleep, hay fever or an allergic

reaction. These types of puffy eye conditions are easily treated with cold compresses to the eye area when there is an occurrence. Using somethinglike a bag of peas - that can mold to the eye area will be the most effective. In both circumstances – chronic or circumstantial – there are eye creams loaded with an anti-inflammatory to help regulate the puffiness. To know if a particular eye cream will work for you, test-drive it in the store. Most of these eye treatments have immediate results that can be seen from the moment they are applied. Try this – apply the eye treatment to one eye and leave the other untreated. Check in the mirror to see if it has made a difference. Continued use of these eye treatments will improve the continued puffiness over time and help to enlighten the eyes area.

“How can I get rid of the fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness around my eyes?”

Blame It on the Bosu Balance ❶

September is one of my favorite months because college and pro football are in full swing. Athletes have been grinding it out for the past month and a half in training camps and the weight room. Now is their opportunity to showcase their talents to the world. I can only hope that you can fi nd that same type of motivation to keep working hard on your health. Think of how exercise makes you feel better. You have more energy, sleep soundly, stress less, and think clearer, but more importantly, you have more confidence and happiness in your life. If these benefits don’t get you going, I’m not sure what will!

This month’s exercise is called the Bosu Balance Single-Leg Abduction. A great challenge for balance and concentration. You want to get comfortable standing on top with both feet before attempting just one. This exercise can be included in your warm-up and performed at the beginning of your routine. To start, step on top of the Bosu with a single foot directly in the center of the rings. I think of it as a bulls-eye. Line the opposite foot next to the planted one (Figure 1). Keep only one foot in contact with the Bosu before moving the leg out to the side (abduction) and away from the center (Figure 2). This movement should be slow and under control. Pause for a few seconds once your leg is abducted before bringing it back to the start position.

If your balance gets thrown off (and it will), simply touch the non-planted foot back on the Bosu to regain balance. It’s also ok if you just step off completely and start over. I suggest using a mirror for feedback, but the goal is to maintain balance without looking down at your feet. You want to establish that connection between your brain and foot. The main benefit of balance training is to improve your proprioception which is the ability to sense the position, location, orientation, and movement of your body parts in space.

If you’re a beginner on the Bosu, I suggest placing it next to something solid that you can grab on to such as railing, wall, or an exercise machine. A training partner can also come in handy when balance is lost. Try at least two sets of ten repetitions with each leg. You might fi nd that you have better balance on your dominant side. In this case, add an extra set to the more challenging side for practice. This exercise not only improves body awareness, but will help strengthen your hips, ankles, and feet. The next time you’re at the gym, grab a Bosu Balance Trainer and give this one a whirl!

About the Author: Unverzagt holds a 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.

Exercise - It's MENTAL

We all have mental hurdles that we need to jump before getting into workout mode. For some of us it’s just getting up and out of bed and making it to the gym fi rst thing in the morning. Sometimes it’s the end of the day exhaustion that you have to convince yourself will go away once you get on the elliptical. Whichever problem you may be having here are a few ways to rethink a preworkout hesitation.

Don’t think: "The scale doesn’t budge, why bother working out"

Do think: "Keep up the good work and it will pay off "

Stick with the scale: Love it and you'll probably lose pounds. In a study at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, of 3,026 adults who were watching their waistlines, those who weighed themselves more frequently lost more weight over two years or regained fewer pounds. Plateaus are part of the process, Stay motivated in the meantime by giving yourself credit for how much better your clothes fit and for improving your overall health. Fix the problem by changing up your routine. As your metabolism changes to accommodate your smaller size, you are going to have to change what you're doing to keep your body responding and shedding fat. If you're eating light already (around 1,500 calories a day), don't cut back more; turn up the intensity and/ or increase the length of your workout session

a smidge. This will not only burn more calories but also increase your cardio capacity, meaning that everything feels easier to do, so you can keep exercising. Crank the resistance on your stationary bike, push the pace of your walk or run for oneminute intervals, or add step-ups or jumping jacks between sets of toning moves: The cardio-strength mix of circuit training burns 512 calories per hour, more than double that of lifting alone.

Don’t Think: "Run a mile? No way"

Do think: "If I can walk a mile I CAN run a mile"

Split your run into walking and running parts at fi rst. Jog a quarter of a mile, walk for half a mile, and fi nish by jogging another quarter. As you improve, stretch out the jogging and shrink the walking segment before jogging that fi nal quarter mile. Do this three or four times a week and you'll be able to run the whole distance in about six weeks.

Don’t Think: "I hurt my knee, I will be out of the gym for a few weeks"

Do Think: “There has got to be another type of exercise I can do”

Your body starts to lose conditioning within three days of your becoming a couch potato. Depending on your injury, moderate elliptical training, cycling, or jogging in water can be an appropriate

alternative. As with any injury, be sure that your doctor clears you for exercise and follow his recommendations.

Don’t Think: "Classes like Spinning and boot camp seem too intense for me."

Do Think: "Any exercise can be done at my pace"

The great thing about Spinning is that you control your experience, If the instructor tells you to turn up the resistance, go to where you feel you can keep up; then if you get tired, lower it. In any group exercise class, your main goal is to get the hang of it, so aim for form over speed.

Don’t Think: "I simply can't shake the after-work energy slump to exercise."

Do Think: "Just 10 minutes."

There's a difference between being mentally tired and being physically tired. Doing something physical will actually help combat some of the mental fatigue. Tell yourself that you're not going to do more than 10 minutes of exercise. Often this leads to extending the time once you get into it. If you do make it to 10 minutes and still feel completely exhausted then you probably do need the rest. In that case missing one day at the gym is not going to do any harm.

Should I Care if My Cat is Overweight?

I have adopted two wonderful companions from King Street Cats (the only all-volunteer, cats only, nokill rescue in Alexandria, Virginia). My fi rst was a shy boy who is very solid and muscular. When I took him to his fi rst vet appointment, I was surprised that the doctor said, “this cat should not gain any more weight.” Turns out, at the shelter he had been hiding all day only coming out at night to chow down on dry food. His sturdy frame was disguising a growing waistline. When he began to feel comfortable at my house, he started getting more exercise and, heeding the veterinarian’s advice about weight control, I switched him to canned food. He slimmed down a bit.

Now enters Cat Number Two –younger, more active but with a bit of a belly on him, and a great love of eating. Again, to my surprise, at his fi rst checkup the doctor said his weight was perfect; he just had an unusual body shape for a young cat! The cats became good friends. So much so that Cat Number One let cat Number Two eat some of his food at every meal. Suddenly I have one cat who is a bit trimmer and another who has become overweight.

Obesity in cats is defi ned by the animal medical community as 20% above normal weight. Just like us humans, this condition is a growing problem and it has serious health consequences. Obesity is the most common preventable disease in cats in North America, affecting almost 60% of domestic cats. This condition shortens cats’ lives and increases the risks of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and urinary bladder stones.

How do you determine if your pet is overweight and, therefore, at risk for these serious health complications?

Your cat’s medical provider is a good place to start, but there is also something called the “Body Condition Score”. A chart provided by several pet food manufacturers like Hill and Purina can help you with the assessment. What it asks you to do is gauge by touch and observation the visibility of your pet’s ribs, the presence of a “waist”, and how easy it is to feel the vertebrae.

If you determine that your cat does need a weight loss program, don’t undertake it without advice from a

veterinarian. Cats that are put on diets where food intake is severely restricted are at risk of developing a life-threatening condition called fatty liver disease. Even a healthy cat who quits eating for a day or two needs immediate medical attention because of the threat to liver function. In view of the delicate balance between over and under feeding, a thoughtful program that results in gradual weight loss is the only way to go. Obviously, your strategy will depend to some degree on your current feeding practices and how overweight your cat is.

According to Dr. Carolyn McDaniel of Cornell, “free feeding” of dry food all day is the frequent cause of an overweight cat so switching to canned food (which is higher in protein, lower in carbohydrate and has increased fluid content) is a logical fi rst step. It is not recommended that you reduce the volume of food you offer your cat so temporary reliance on weight management products may be in order. Having distinct, regular mealtimes can also help keep you in control of your pet’s food intake.

Once the desired weight is achieved, you can switch to a maintenance diet, gradually adding/changing the food over a 2 to 3-month period and always checking that good weight is maintained. Using a baby scale is helpful to this whole process so that you can weigh your pet at regular intervals.

Also adding exercise to your cat’s day is good for their weight and mental health. This can range from things as simple as playing with your cat to providing an outdoor enclosure, an agility course or cat trees. Food puzzles are also a good challenge especially if, like my cat, your furry friend is a treat hound. Appropriate use of treats is another good subject to

discuss with your vet. If this all sounds like a lot of unnecessary work because your cat seems pretty happy at the moment, just remember that our pets’ longevity and quality of life is in our hands. At least on this particular health issue. My two boys now get several canned

food small meals a day served in separate rooms. I like to think that I am in charge of the timing of those meals, but there is some question about that as the two of them are masters of the hard-eyed stare. Kibble is mostly a much-desired treat, not a diet staple. My approach does seem to keep them content and,

I hope, healthy for many years to come. The course of action you take will, of course, be dictated by your own circumstances, the advice of experts and importantly, the nature of your cats; but I hope you

Resources:

make weight management an important part of their care.

About the Author: Alberta Frost is a longtime volunteer at King Street Cats and proud owner of two very bossy cats.

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-andinstitutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/ feline-health-topics

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-cats

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/liver-disease-fattyliver-syndrome-in-cats

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-andinstitutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/ feline-health-topics/obesity

Selected Metro DC Animal Shelters/Rescues

Animal Welfare League of Alexandria alexandriaanimals.org/

Animal Welfare League of Arlington www.awla.org

PETS OF THE

Fairfax County Animal Shelter www.fairfaxcounty.gov/animalshelter

Friends of Rabbits and House Rabbit Sanctuary

www.friendsofrabbits.org/ King Street Cats www.kingstreetcats.org/

Operation Paws for Homes, Inc. ophrescue.org/ Rikki’s Refuge Animal Sanctuary www.rikkisrefuge.org

Meet the Bronte Sisters- Emily, Branwell & Charlotte

This month we need your help to nd some very special adopters for 3 little, playful kittens. Emily, Branwell, and Charlotte (the nal Bronte sister Anne has been adopted) are some of the sweetest, happiest, snuggliest kittens you could ever nd. They will make wonderful companions — sure to provide their families with lots of entertainment and love.

Unfortunately, they have all been diagnosed with FeLV (or feline leukemia virus). It is a common disease in cats, and we suspect inherited from their mom. FeLV cannot be cured, but it's not a death sentence. Cats diagnosed with FeLV can live whole and happy — symptom-free — lives. However, their lifespan is usually shorter. The average lifespan of an FeLV+ kitten is 2-3 years, but they can live longer! FeLV+ cats should not live with other cats who do not already have the disease, as the virus can be spread to other cats.

While we encourage you to consider adopt these siblings together, as long as they go to loving homes, they will be happy! All three are healthy and exuberant! They enjoy tasty Churus (wet cat treats), pipe cleaner toys, and feather wands. They're just happy-go-lucky kittens! They deserve a chance to nd homes and enjoy as much time as possible with a loving family. We know there are families out there for them!

If you’re interested in talking with our adoption and veterinary teams about caring for an FeLV+ cat, please email us at info@ AlexandriaAnimals.org or call 703-746-4774.

alexandriaanimals.org

Emily Branwell Charlotte

Take Me Fishing... Ladies First!

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) recruits people into fishing and boating, targeting young children, teenagers, and college kids. Women, the low hanging fruit, rock the cradle, bait youngster hooks, and are fishing’s future.

When thinking of someone who fishes or is good at fishing, 8 in 10 women think of men. Ignoring this background noise, veteran Green

Top pro staff angler Christie Bradley thrives on competition and opposition. Earning the esteemed position as the highest fi nishing female angler in a top level “men’s” Bassmaster tournament, Christie encourages and educates women and young girls on fishing’s benefits. “I’ve been examining what is it about me that makes me enter into male dominated stuff, like working in cyber security. I like challenging myself.”

Along with barriers and participation challenges, RBFF research indicates that women who fish are happier and healthier than those who don’t. Christie says fishing encourages confidence. “It’s a snowball effect. As you master skills, you want to learn the next thing and you’re more confident and proud of what you’ve learned and you share it, a sense of accomplishment and that feeds the desire to continue to perfect other skills.”

As female participation in fishing hits record levels, nearly half of female anglers don’t feel respected by the angling community and 1 in 3 feel stereotyped. While appreciating that the industry targets women Christie, pro staffer for Pure Fishing, Mare Marine, and Ranger Boats, says women complain about being underrepresented. “It’s our own fault. If we can’t put aside excuses, we can’t blame the industry for lack of support for us…companies are seeking us to represent their brand if we’re good

representatives. We shoot ourselves in the foot, damaging our own brand when complaining. We have more opportunities than men, but women are so preoccupied with reasons why they can’t succeed.”

A 2022 Southwick Associates study found the average female angler in the U.S. spends $962 annually on fishing gear and services. A 10 percent increase could provide an additional $1 billion in revenue to the sportfishing industry. Producing women’s gear for decades, fishing gear specialist Simms recognizes that women in fishing is a fast growing sector.

Eighty percent of women don’t think fishing gear or apparel is designed with women in mind. Simms offers women stylish gear and apparel meeting the same technical fishing gear demands as men. More than stylish, Simms women’s waders, jackets, and a variety of sun protective gear contain cutting edge technologies. Simms steers clear from taking existing designs and tweaking a color or pattern or making the piece smaller. From the ground

up Simms utilizes premium fabrics, technologies, and fishing features to form fit the female shape. Hardcore female Simms fishing team member’s field test, insuring women get what they want.

When the Women’s Bassmaster Tour ended, Christie entered “men’s” tournaments. “I jumped at the chance to take advantage of the Opens, time to step my game up, competing against the guys, surrounding myself with better competition to make me better.” RBFF reports women who fish have greater perseverance and are more likely to not let setbacks discourage them. Almost half of women say fishing teaches them patience and develops confidence. Christie summarizes. “A difference for a man and woman in fishing is accepting boat challenges. You need to handle adversity when you have a breakdown on the water, selfconfidence helps you handle it.” Confidence in one life aspect can spill over to another. “Fishing is just accepting another challenge.”

Of women who fish, 1 in 4 say it improves their mood, brings them

Potomac River Bassing in SEPTEMBER

A seasonal shift has fish moving and eating. Moving lures cover water as grass beds dissipate. Fish are shallow. Lots of bait around, so use bulkier lures and bigger soft plastics.

For small targets, wood, grass and docks, pitch Texas rigged Mizmo tubes on 12 pound test GAMMA EDGE fluorocarbon line with a 3/16 ounce weight.

Bladed jigs and shallow diving crankbaits on 12 pound test EDGE line can bounce off wood and snap from grass.

Topwater lures cover water in most conditions. Poppers and walkers worked quicker in clear and shallow water or slower in slightly stained or deeper water can locate fish.

Frogs produce under docks and over mat remnants. When bass explode on it, set the hook upward and horse them out of thick cover. White frogs make it easier to see strikes.

peace, and helps them manage their mental health and long-term stress. The RBFF campaign inspires more females to feel comfortable trying this life-enhancing activity. Christie says, “The outdoors continues to be where I’m able to absolutely focus, to shut out all other things, and enjoy being in nature and seeing the cool things out there.” Visiting new bodies of water and troubleshooting the fishing puzzle is exhilarating and alone time helps center her and reduces stress levels thinking through things. Studies state women who fish have higher self-esteem and a clear mind. Moms are gateways to families, planning activities, managing calendars, and more likely to introduce children to fishing, so industries are working to overcome barriers wherever they exist. Many women anglers, guides, and outfitters can fish, row, pole, and run boats with the best of them. No matter the weather or body of water, Simms provides women with gear to remove barriers. Interestingly, clothing color choices allow femininity, but maintain Simms’ hardcore vibe.

Take Me Fishing‘s 2023 campaign confronts barriers and inspires women to challenge themselves to try something new to fi nd their best self while supporting a more inclusive fishing and boating environment. Christie says if a girl shows interest in fishing, make it a priority to take her out. “I’m willing to help any girl to shift from only taking the boys fishing and hunting…if you see a spark, chase it down.”

Inspire women to try fishing and boating, visit takemefishing.org/fi ndyour-best-self

About the Author: Capt. Steve Chaconas is a Potomac bass fi shing guide & freelance writer. Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube channel NationalBassGuide.

Rockin' into September

There are LOADS of reasons to celebrate this month. First—it’s my birthday. Even though I have approached the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ stage of life, I am still 1000 percent on board for celebrating. “Bring on the cake,” I say, and then I silently pray it’s German chocolate.

Second, it’s mine and XXL’s wedding anniversary (No. 9). Upon doing some research aka a quick Google search, I’ve discovered that the traditional gift for year nine is pottery.

“Made of clay, pottery is carefully molded into something of great beauty and lasting presence,” per Brides.com. “A modern alternative would be leather. A strong, durable, and enduring material that can also be quite flexible, and only gets better with age.” Leather it is! I do like to think we are getting better with age, and flexibility is the key to life as well as a happy marriage.

Lastly, and perhaps most excitedly, it’s back-to-school month!

Okay—that’s not actually true. Somehow, against all rules of nature, August has become back-to-school month. What the bloody H-E-double-toothpicks?!

How is that possible? Well— since we’ve pushed Halloween to March, I guess it only makes some sense in some alternate universe.

But, I’m a Gen X’er and for me, back-to-school month will forever be September. It just makes sense. Summer isn’t over until after Labor Day.

Actually, scratch that. Summer isn’t over until the U.S. Naval Observatory says it’s over, and this year in the Northern hemisphere the fall equinox arrives on September 23, marking the end of summer.

So stop rushing things. September is our ‘tween month when we get to have our cake (German chocolate, please) and eat it too. We can still enjoy some pool time, and if we’re lucky dig into our closets for a crisp leather jacket. Y’all know how much I love my jackets and boots!

September isn’t about saying goodbye to summer—it’s about refocusing our play and reengaging our sense of wonder as we head into fall. It’s not just back-to-school, it’s backto-nature with some hikes through the beautiful Virginia countryside. Maybe it’s a picnic along the Potomac or a brisk morning walk up the trail from Mt. Vernon.

Like January, September brings us a fresh slate—a new term or semester in which to hunker down and focus on learning. It’s a new classroom, a new subject, a new book. Newness abounds. I can practically smell those No. 2 pencils. Be still my heart. It’s also a time for community. A time to come together— inside the classroom and out— to reacquaint ourselves with old friends and embrace new ones. For kids, this is a natural course of action. For adults, perhaps we push ourselves to attend a new yoga class or register for an extended learning course, and make a new friend in the process.

Personally speaking, I’m looking forward to rejoining my classmates at the Art League in Alexandria. I took the summer semester off, and I can’t wait to grab my brushes and canvases and see what new things I can learn. Even this old dog can learn some new tricks. You’re also never to old to pick up a new hobby and/or dust off an old passion.

While the heat and oppressive

humidity of August left me feeling tired and cranky, September uplifts me. September reminds me that change is in the air—literally and figuratively. A new season is always just around the corner. I love it when you walk outside that fi rst time and head back in, realizing you need a sweater layer. The air has a slight chill to it, and it’s exhilarating. You know what else is exhilarating? Being able to appreciate the beauty of all those yellow school buses lined up without the anxiety of a pending exam or algebra quiz. There may be something to be said for middle-age—no more pop quizzes, tardy notices, or locker combos to remember. I can’t remember what I had for lunch so God knows I’d never be able to keep that in my head. One of my recurring nightmares is standing at my locker, unable to open it, while my high school algebra teacher is trying to pull me back to class for a quiz. Panic attack central. For those of you who don’t think math is traumatizing, I beg to differ. While I’m busy celebrating the September in all her grandeur, I’m also going to hunker down on a few personal goals that I may have let slide this summer. More ice cream, anyone? No regrets and no apologies, but it’s time to double down and re-focus. While I’m at it, I may even change up my wardrobe. Who says I can’t take advantage of the back-to-school sales? Oh, wait. Those bargain days were in August.

About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been writing for the OTC for over 25 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this.

Sending off Summer....

I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad that summertime is coming to an end. I just celebrated my 70th birthday the end of last month with a very fun “Come Fly With Me” themed party at the Flight Deck at the base of the Capital Wheel a week or so ago and I guess I sort of consider that my send off to the season. I realize we still have a few weeks of “official” summertime left to cram

and Dance run from 7-8 pm and Yoga is a 10-11 am event. They are all weather dependent so you might need to consult the Harbor website to see if there are cancellations.

The weekly live entertainment is also coming to an end this month.

New to the Harbor entertainment venues this year, Spirit Park - located at 115 National Plaza under the huge Flag - is home to the Wednesday evening Stars & Stripes Concerts that take place in the amphitheater. The last concert of the season on September 6th features the Navy Band Cruisers – these ladies and gentlemen are amazing performers and a joy to watch. Be sure to secure your seat before the show starts at 7 pm.

some last minute adventures in but I really do look forward to the fall kind of activities. Football games and tailgating, roasted marshmallows and fi re pits, Blue Ridge Mountain leaf peeping (during the week), Fall Wine Festivals, etc. I also look a whole lot better in fall clothes – you know...jeans, denim shirts, sweaters and cute fall boots! No more worrying about making sure my legs are shaved and tan and that my swimsuit tummy control panel is in full “working” mode. If you know, you know.

September is also the prelude to the holiday season and Halloween is one of my favs. It also means that we are that much closer to the Christmas hullabaloo at the Harbor. Looking forward to welcoming Rudolph back to the Gaylord as this red-nosed icon is the subject matter of this year’s ICE display. Watch this space in the upcoming months for detailed info about Christmas 2023 at the Gaylord and the rest of the Harbor.

Coming to an end this month are the all of the free weekly fitness classes –Monday Cardio Blast, Tuesday Dance Fitness and Saturday Yoga. All of these “get in/stay in shape” classes take place at the foot of the Plaza Stage. Cardio

The Salute to Sunset Saturday Evenings winds up the season with only two performances this month. They Navy Concert Band performs on the 2nd and the Navy Sea Chanters end the season with a grand send off on the 16th. They perform on the Plaza Stage and welcome you to bring a folding chair and enjoy an evening with performing ensembles from a variety of our military bands. All performances start at 7 pm.

One of the most popular summertime happenings that is coming to an end are the Movies on the Potomac. Date Night on Thursdays and Family Night on Sundays officially ends this month but we are betting that there will be a few movies on the big screen as we go into holiday mode next month. I’m hoping they show “Hocus Pocus 2” on Halloween this year!

Remember- Family Night shows start at 6pm & Date Night shows start at 7pm.

The Movies are Done for the Season... Almost!

Guests are invited to gather in front of the Plaza Screen on the waterfront to watch recent releases and classic films. Movie goers are encouraged to bring chairs and order take-out from one of the many restaurants right around the plaza. Free and subject to weather.