Old Town Crier- November 2017 Full Issue

Since 1988 • Priceless

From the Bay to the Blue Ridge

November 2017

Road Trip

WOODSTOCK, VA The Heart of Route 11 Personality Profile

BARNEY BARNWELL Veteran & Volunteer “Passin’ It On! Business Profile

SPÊCS-NY New York Chic in Old Town!

Dining Out

MACKIE’S BAR & GRILL Good Food, Good Friends, Great Steak!

Grapevine

CIDER WEEK VA Old Town Crier

Apple Juice with a Kick!

oldtowncrier.com

November 2017 | C1

october’17 A Division of Crier Media Group OTC Media LLC PO Box 320386 Alexandria, VA 22320 703. 836. 0132

37

office@oldtowncrier.com oldtowncrier.com Published the first week of every month.

Worth waiting for!

PUBLISHER Bob Tagert MARKETING & ADVERTISING Lani Gering Bob Tagert SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Ashley Schultz DESIGN & PRODUCTION Electronic Ink 9 Royal Street, SE Leesburg, VA 20175 703. 669. 5502 Chris Anderson Peggie Arvidson Nancy Bauer Sarah Becker F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Doug Fabbioli Nicole Flanagan Lani Gering Liz Hammond Williams Cat Holladay Miriam Kramer

CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Liu Jeff McCord Melinda Myers Kim Putens Julie Reardon Ashley Schultz Chester Simpson Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lori Welch Brown Molly Winans

© 2017 Crier Media Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The Old Town Crier is published monthly and distributed to select Alexandria residents, hotels, restaurants and retail shops. Also distributed in the Annapolis, Fredericksburg, Blue Ridge and Washington, DC areas and St. John, USVI.

Since 1988 • Priceless

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29

A Bit of History............................................................. 16

First Blush.........................................................................44

Personality Profile.............................................................4

After Hours.......................................................................10

Fitness................................................................................42

Pets of the Month.........................................................17

Alexandria Events............................................................ 2

From the Bay….............................................................22

Points on Pets.................................................................18

Arts & Antiques..............................................................13

From the Trainer............................................................43

Behind the Bar................................................................30

Gallery Beat.....................................................................12

Business Profile................................................................. 7

Go Fish...............................................................................45

Caribbean Connection...............................................20

Grapevine.........................................................................37

Chef's Special..................................................................32

High Notes.......................................................................10

Dining Guide...................................................................34

History of Veterans Day..............................................40

Dining Out.......................................................................29

National Harbor.............................................................47

Spiritual Renaissance...................................................41

Exploring Virginia Wines............................................38

On the Road with OTC................................................... 1

The Last Word.................................................................... 9

Financial Focus.................................................................. 6

Open Space.....................................................................46

Urban Garden.................................................................14

Publisher’s Notes.............................................................. 2 Road Trip...........................................................................24 Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Live and Unseen!.........11 Social Media Message....................................................3 Special to OTC....................................................................8

From the Bay to the Blue Ridge

November 2017

Road Trip

WOODSTOCK, VA The Heart of Route 11 Personality Profile

BARNEY BARNWELL Veteran & Volunteer “Passin’ It On! Business Profile

SPÊCS-NY New York Chic in Old Town!

Dining Out

MACKIE’S BAR & GRILL Good Food, Good Friends, Great Steak!

Grapevine

CIDER WEEK VA Old Town Crier

Apple Juice with a Kick!

October 2017 | C1

oldtowncrier.com

about the cover The Lady Llamas at Posey Thisisit Llama Farm in Shenandoah County.

19 year old Tootsie, 18 year old Mystique, 20 year old Ivy Lace and the one hiding behind the post is 19 year old Butterscotch Mink.

Tootsie likes to be petted and her back rubbed.

Mystique loves to have people feed her apples, carrots and a good back rub. Ivy Lace likes people at a distance but is at the back door of the house at 6:30 in the morning ready for her breakfast - a bowl of llama grain. Mink likes a back rub and wants you to rub really hard.

Photo by Bob Tagert.

Old Town Crier

on the road with OTC Annie Kroenlein Ruller and her husband Ric celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary with a trip along the Oregon Coast and a relaxing stay in a beach house just a few miles south of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Newport. Pictured here with the lighthouse in the background, they tell us that they saw lots of gray whales and sea lions in the area and several beautiful sunsets. The Rullers are from Littleton, Colorado and are longtime subscribers to the OTC.

November 2017 | 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTES

BOB TAGERT

Alexandria

Courtesy of C. Davison for VTC

NOVEMBER TOURS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS

NOVEMBER 3RD ART ON TAP 7-10 p.m.

Admission: $45 The Art League Gallery Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union St. 703-683-2323 www.TheArtLeague.org

Wow! I love this time of year even though I know that winter is not far behind. Crystal clear blue skies, a slight breeze and I am typing this article. Molly Winans captures just what I am thinking in this months From the Bay column. Lenny Campello teaches us about artist in the area whose work is worthy of purchasing in Gallery Beat and dining out this month takes us back to one of our favorites…Mackie’s Bar & Grill.

This month’s Road Trip was special to us and it gave us a chance to drive to Shenandoah County and be with old friends and make new ones. I am going back the first week in November because the leaves will be reaching their peak.

The Potomac Riverboat family just got bigger. They have added two new water taxis to ferry people to the newly opened District Wharf…what we used to call Main Avenue. We will be distributing Old Town Crier to The Wharf in order to have a nice presence, much like we do in National Harbor. A couple of Old Town favorites have dropped anchor at The Wharf including Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar, Mark Kirwan at Kirwan’s on the Wharf, and soon to open Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong’s new addition Kaliwa. Use Old Town’s water taxis to reach all of these destinations for the cost of parking.

Check out the Caribbean Connection and see how the USVI’s are recovering from two hurricanes. Jeff McCord will take you through his beloved islands. Also, check out the newly released Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Live and Unseen by Bill Bentley at book stores or online. The book has over 350 rock & roll photographs including several of our own celebrated photographer Chester Simpson’s images. Congrats Chester!

November is also a time to remember our Veterans and also be thankful for all that we have. Lori Welch took it upon herself to write this month’s Personality Profile featuring Colonel Barney Barnwell, ASA, Ret. -I think you will find his story very uplifting.

Craft beers from local breweries have been artfully paired with a work of art from an Art League instructor. Local restaurants have chosen a brew/artwork coupling to serve as their muse to create the perfect complementary appetizer. Enjoy the brew, bite and artwork trifectas at this event. Sample the creative combinations while drinking from a take-home Art on Tap beer tasting glass, and then vote for your favorite at the end of the event.

NOVEMBER 9TH 11TH ANNUAL ALEXANDRIA FILM FESTIVAL Admission: TBA AMC Hoffman 22 Theater and Beatley Central Library www.alexandriafilm.org Celebrating 11 years of independent film from around the world, the Alexandria Film Festival offers an enriching cinematic opportunity for filmmakers and film lovers alike by bringing high quality, diverse, and thought-provoking films to Alexandria, Virginia.

NOVEMBER 11TH FREE MUSEUM TOURS ON VETERAN’S DAY Times vary Admission: Free Gadsby’s Tavern Museum 134 N. Royal St. Fort Ward Museum & Park 4301 W. Braddock Rd. www.alexandriava.gov Select Alexandria museums will be offering free tours in honor of Veteran’s Day.

NOVEMBER 12TH WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE HALF MARATHON & 6K & WOODY’S KIDS MINI HALF Admission: half marathon entry $90 6K entry $55 Woodrow Wilson Bridge 703-587-4321 WilsonBridgeHalf.com Race starts in front of Bridgeyard Apartments on Washington St. in Old Town and finishes under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. This 13.1 mile footrace stretches along the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway through historic Old Town Alexandria and out and back on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. There is also an accompanying 3.73 mile race.

Enjoy rockin’ tunes, post-race food and drinks like micro-brews after the race.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and safe travels to all who will be heading out to be with family and friends out of town!

ALEXANDRIA CALENDAR> PAGE 5

2 | November 2017

Old Town Crier

SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGE ASHLEY SCHULTZ

Turn Your Phone into a Personal Assistant!

A

WASHINGTONIAN’S TOP 100

nd you thought your over-priced piece of high tech equipment was just for Snap Chat, Facebook, Twitter, and the myriad of other “social” apps available out there. Check these out:

Mondly VR: This app will cost you $5 yet it is perfect for any business person and avid traveler! Mondly VR is a virtual reality app that allows you to fully immerse yourself in situations in which you can practice and learn a language. The app offers a number of preprogrammed situations for you to explore and practice a number of different languages.

Yummly: Can’t figure out what to make for dinner? You can browse over one million different recipes to find exactly the meal you’re craving. You can even set dietary preference, so the recipes you see fit into your lifestyle or restrictions. Once you find a recipe, you can add all the ingredients to a shopping list.

SPECTACULAR SEAFOOD • CREOLE & CAJUN SPECIALTIES Alexandria’s Renowned Neighborhood Restaurant & Bar

3804 Mt. Vernon Avenue • Alexandria 703-684-6010 • rtsrestaurant.net

Venmo: Out to dinner with friends and forget your wallet?

With Venmo it is easy to pay your friends back. Venmo allows users to send money for free. The transactions can be sent to any bank and occur overnight.

SwiftKey Keyboard: Hate autocorrect? You will never again with SwiftKey! It is packed with options, it learns your style and offers sensible suggestions and corrections that will speed up your typing.

Signal: This app is for chat encryption and security. It has military grade encryption for all your messaging and voice calls. It supports sending texts, voice calls, group messages, and media attachments.

Tab: Everyone dreads the moment when it is finally time to split up the check.

Tab makes it easy. The app allows you snap a photo of your receipt, designate items for individuals in your group, and split up the prices, tax, and tip. Your friends in the service industry will love your for this!

Zombies, Run!: This app turns your workout into an exhilarating fight for survival with an app designed to simulate a zombie attack. You can build your base by collecting supplies and avoiding the horde, all by running around your town!

Old Town Crier

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November 2017 | 3

PERSONALITY PROFILE

LORI WELCH BROWN

Colonel Barney Barnwell, U.S. Army, Retired

Photo by Lori Welch

BARNEY BARNWELL IS PASSIN’ IT ON!

L

ife is so busy that you barely have time for a yoga class let alone time to get to know your neighbors, right? Sure you wave as you drive past, buy Girl Scout cookies from their daughter, pass out Halloween candy to their lil’ goblins and all those other ‘neighborly’ things, but you can never remember if he goes by Charles or Charlie and you’re too embarrassed to ask again. Lucky for me, I had the opportunity to spend some time with one of my neighbors in the most unlikely of places—the Joint Replacement PreOp Center at Mt. Vernon Hospital. I was

4 | November 2017

anxious as I reported in to the Center back in August, but relieved to see a friendly, familiar face—the face of my neighbor, Barney, who was manning the desk as a volunteer and checked me in. During the couple of hours I spent being guided through all the exam checkpoints, Barney left an indelible impression. I learned a little about his time in the military, his commitment to his volunteer work, and his passion for serving. Here’s what first hooked me about Barney—at 82 years young, he still gets up at 4:00 AM every morning and starts his day with at least a five-

mile run. But what really struck me about Barney is that he not only had all the very anxious patients in the waiting room talking and laughing, he had them talking and engaging with each other.

His bright, joyful mood was contagious.

When I left that morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about Barney and the positive impact he was making on people’s lives every day.

Barney was born in Charleston, SC and was just five years old when his father passed away. It was an event that would shape Barney’s life in ways he would never dream. With no dad at home, Barney became the man of the house and started working when he was in the ninth grade to help support his mom and little sister. Barney worked the 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM shift at Roper’s Hospital. The doctors and nurses there knew he was in school so they helped him with his homework and made a place for him to sleep in a closet so he would be rested. Barney PERSONALITY PROFILE > PAGE 5

Old Town Crier

PERSONALITY PROFILE | FROM PAGE 4

never forgot their kindness and support.

There were very few scholarships to be had when Barney graduated, but he knew two things: 1) He needed to go to college and 2) he would have to pay for it.

His plan was to go to college for a year and then work for a year and so on until he finished. It was an eight year plan, but he was willing to do what he needed to do. That first year at South Carolina State College, he noticed an ad for a job in the cafeteria. With no dad around, Barney had learned to cook quite well so he applied. That job enabled him to go to school and work at the same time thus cutting his college plan down to four years. It was in college that he met his wife, Jimmi. She was a Chemistry major (not to mention a cute freshman), and he was a sophomore with a major in Biology. She came up to him one day and warned him to be careful or he was going to blow up the lab. “I knew she was just using that as an excuse to talk to me because I knew what I was doing in that lab,” said Barney.

And that’s when the real chemistry took over.

After graduation, Barney reported to Fort Campbell, KY to serve his three year commitment as as a second lieutenant in the Army. After his three years was up, his plan was to return to South Carolina to teach. Once he was back and realized that he could make more in the military, he returned to Ft. Campbell as a field artillery officer. Barney’s military career took him all over the world, including a one year deployment in Korea and one and a half years in Vietnam. After Vietnam, he taught at the artillery school in Ft. Sill before heading off to Germany to serve as commander of a target acquisition company. His wife and three young sons loved Germany and didn’t mind when he was asked to return for a second time—this time to Heidelberg in a position he refers to as the ‘kiss of death.’ “I was the one who was in charge of inspecting all the nuclear weapons within NATO to make sure they were doing the right thing. If they failed inspection, the person in charge could kiss their chance of ever getting another promotion goodbye. They didn’t like to see me coming.

I was the kiss of death.” After Old Town Crier

his stint in Germany was up, he and the family returned to the States where he taught at the Armed Forces Staff College before taking an intelligence position at the Pentagon. Barney can’t talk much about his last duty prior to retirement other than he was one of three colonels responsible for the top secret place that POTUS would retreat to in the event of a nuclear attack.

After close to 26 years in the Army, Barney retired and went into the private arena working another 18 years for Lockheed Martin.“Staying in the military was one of the best things I ever did for two reasons,” said Barney. “One was that I got to travel the world, and the second is that it enabled me to meet all sorts of different people and hear of their experiences. If you listen—which not enough people do—you will capture those experiences and learn from them.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, he retired from Lockheed on a Friday and started his volunteer job at Mt. Vernon Hospital the following Monday. “I told myself many years ago that if I lived long enough to retire, I was going to give back in some way to those doctors and nurses that helped me when I was a boy.”

It’s been 16 years since Barney reported for duty at the hospital, and he is still going strong. When he isn’t running his desk at Mt. Vernon, you can catch him volunteering at the Gum Springs Community Center or teaching Sunday school at Ft. Belvoir which he has done every week for the past 38 years, by the way.

Given his years of service and commitment to volunteerism, it’s pretty clear that Barney’s mantra in life is to ‘pass it on’. “If someone needs something, you take care of them. I like helping people. So many people need help and that is what motivates me. It’s the little kindnesses that you do every day that will come back to you in ways you never imagined.”

Thank you, Barney. In the short time I’ve spent with you, you’ve changed my life in ways I could have never imagined, and I can’t wait to pass it on!

Let the season of giving begin! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

ALEXANDRIA CALENDAR | FROM PAGE 2

NOVEMBER 24TH CITY OF ALEXANDRIA TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY 6-9 p.m.

Admission: Free Market Square 301 King Street 703-746-4343 www.alexandriava.gov At this official kickoff to the holiday season, the city tree is lit on Market Square and a special program includes a welcome by the town crier, the mayor and other city officials, a visit by Santa and holiday performances from the Metropolitan Fine Arts Center.

Find more fall events at visitalexandriava.com

ABOUT ALEXANDRIA, VA Within eyesight of Washington, D.C. on the Potomac River waterfront, Alexandria, Virginia is nationally recognized for its acclaimed, chef-driven restaurants, bustling boutiques and dynamic arts set against a backdrop of 18th- and 19th-century architecture still intact from its days as George Washington’s hometown. Old Town Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel and a walkable lifestyle—a hidden gem tucked beneath the nation’s capital.

CONNECT WITH US! Web:visitalexandriava.com Blog:blog.visitalexandriava.com Facebook:facebook.com/VisitAlexandriaVA Twitter:twitter.com/alexandriava Instagram:instagram.com/VisitAlexVA Hashtags:#ExtraordinaryALX

November 2017 | 5

FINANCIAL FOCUS

CARL TREVISAN, CFP© & STEPHEN BEARCE

Focus on year-end tax planning

O

ur company is committed to helping you succeed across all areas of your financial life.

Here are five considerations to think about when it comes to tax planning.

Five areas to consider at year-end:

1. Analyze your investment portfolio.

• Review your portfolio to help ensure your

allocation still aligns with your goals.

• Assess tax consequences if you have sold assets earlier in the year.

• Review tax-loss selling strategies if you have capital gains but wish to keep exposure to a depreciated sector or security.

2. Manage your taxes.

• Evaluate the pros and cons of deferring taxable income, if you expect to be in the same or a lower tax bracket next year.

• Talk to your CPA about increasing your tax deductions.

3. Maximize your tax-saving opportunities.

• Consider increasing your retirement savings for the year.

• Find the right type of IRA for you.

• If suitable for your circumstances, consider consolidating your assets.

• Take advantage of an FSA or HSA for health care expenses.

4. Protect what matters.

Review your insurance coverage to help make sure it is adequate for your needs.

Review your beneficiary designations and make any necessary adjustments due to life changes (i.e., marriage, divorce, birth of child/ grandchild, death, etc.).

5. Leave a legacy.

• Review your estate plan to help ensure it is aligned with your wishes.

• Think about creating or adding to a tax-advantaged college savings plan.

• Consider developing a plan to complete charitable and family member gifts by year-end.

Taking the time to create, review, or update your investment plan can help you reach your short-term and long-term financial goals. Contact us to schedule a review of your financial situation.

Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. However, we will be glad to work with you, your accountant, tax advisor, and/ or attorney to help you meet your financial goals.

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

Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/ NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used

by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2017 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

6 | November 2017

Old Town Crier

BUSINESS PROFILE

W

LANI GERING

Proprietor, Oren Goldberg

ho knew that sunglasses aka eyewear could be such a big business?

Oren Goldberg and his father, that’s who. Opening in New York City in 2013 as a standalone eyewear boutique, Goldberg brought Spêcs-NY to Old Town Alexandria in April of 2016. Located at 217 King Street in the heart of Old Town, Oren says he couldn’t have picked a better location.

It was a pleasure to meet and interview Oren. Not only did I discover how much I don’t know about sunglasses but I met a young businessman who has his heart in the right place. Goldberg grew up in the retail business working in his family’s small clothing store chain, OMG. Yes….you read that correctly.

Only this OMG was established in the early 1980’s and stands for Oren and Mya Goldberg. It seems that his father was way ahead of his time when he named the store. He tells me that he did leave the family fold to go to school and pursue a career in law in 2002.

After graduation, he practiced tax law in a small firm in Bethesda for about 6 years. He got to the DC area via North Carolina (school and meeting his now wife) and now resides in the city. When his father approached him about coming back to his retail roots with the inception of Spêcs-NY, he decided

Old Town Crier

Spêcs-NY

Goldberg tells me that customer service is paramount in all of his stores. The Sales Associates are very well versed in the benefits of different types of lenses as well as being able to help you find a style that fits your face and lifestyle. Eyewear is an extension of your personality as far as I’m concerned. I lean toward the conservative while many of my female friends lean toward what’s new NOW. However, I might just step outside the box and buy those pair that will make me feel like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

If you are someone who wears prescription lenses and would like to have a larger selection of frames for your sunglasses than your optician carries, SpêcsNY has an in-house professional in their original location in NYC that can fill your prescription.

Also available in the Old Town store are a selection of B+D readers for those of us who need a little assistance in that area.

Please make it a point to stop in at the Old Town location and see all that Oren and his crew have to offer. You won’t be disappointed I am sure. Goldberg is a very hands on owner and will most likely be at the store when you visit. Introduce yourself when you see him and tell him you saw his story here.

New York City Chic in the Heart of Old Town that it was the right thing to do. He jumped right into the deep end in 2014 and opened three stores in three months – Metro Centre (since closed), Montgomery Mall and Springfield Town Center. In addition to opening the Old Town location in 2016, he has a store in The District section of the MGM Grand Resort in National Harbor that opened this year.

Spêcs-NY is nothing like Sunglass Hut that’s for sure. Having been in both the Old Town and MGM locations, the inventory at both places is very impressive. There is a style and price range for everybody at the Old Town location while the inventory at the MGM location is geared more toward the “high roller”. As you would expect for a store the caliber of Spêcs-NY, they carry designer brands the likes of Prada, Gucci, Coach and several others and also eyewear from Krewe, Tom Ford, Ray Ban, Oakley and my favorite, Maui Jim. This is a very small sampling of what is available.

November 2017 | 7

SPECIAL TO OTC

CAT HOLLADAY

Discover Treasure at the Library of Congress Young Readers Center

J

ames and the Giant Peach First Edition Roald Dahl classic uncovered by intern in Library of Congress Young Readers Center.

What started as a typical day in the Young Readers’ Center on the desolate lower level of the Library of Congress (LOC), ended with a monumental discovery and a very excited intern.

While shelving books on autopilot as she routinely did, a cracked and discolored spine caught Phebe Miner’s eye. And while she didn’t know exactly what she’d found, her gut was telling her it was important and her breath caught. Turns out, she’d uncovered a first edition.

Between Matilda and The Magic Finger, the red-orange spine of Roald Dahl’s classic, James and the Giant Peach, stood out. As Miner gently pulled it off the mahogany-colored lower shelf, several things spoke to the treasure she had discovered.

“The pages on the fore edge were yellow,” she says, “And the copyright page had a stamp and details about the type of paper used.”

She and another intern “Googled” from 8 | November 2017

the cheery Young Readers Center (YRC) reading room. The room was established as an interactive reading room in 2009

by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and oddly, is the only place one can touch books in the world’s largest library. Those searches revealed that the aged book was a prized first printing of the beloved children’s story.

Miner says she was giddy as only a bibliophile can be. “I get to tell my boss that I found a first edition,” she recalls nearly jumping up and down to this day.

Following discovery, the book was restored by an LOC restorer in the bowels of the Jefferson Building. Holes in the dust jacket were repaired and creases flattened. And while the book doesn’t look new, it’s one of the center’s most prized possessions.

Although its path to the bookshelf in the YRC is unknown, the book, printed in 1961, is believed to have made it to the library during the acquisition and donation process setting up the center.

Children and adults are welcome to visit the center, located down a desolate, arcaded hall on the ground floor of the library and pull a book off the shelf, curl up on a comfy floor pouf and read one

of thousands of volumes in multiple languages. Visitors to the center can also peruse advanced reader’s copies from a number of well-known children’s authors.

If you have a discerning eye, you might just find a lost first edition too.

Though Miner, an English major at George Washington University, is relatively new to the Library of Congress, she’s had a love affair with books her entire life and is proud to work in the nation’s first library. “I never take this building for granted,” she says. Miner doesn’t know what her future holds, but she’s certain it involves books. She writes on the LOC blog, “Hopefully, I’ll still be in a library somewhere, sneezing my way through dusty bookshelves, enthusiastically sidetracked by new words.”

Cat Holladay is a freelance family travel writer whose contributions have been featured in RVing Planet, Washington Post, Digital Travel Guru, and Creative Travel Guide among other publications.

She is currently traveling the US in a Class A motorhome with her husband and son.

You can follow her adventures on www. thecompassiscalling.com.

Old Town Crier

THE LAST WORD

MIRIAM R. KRAMER

A Pocketful of

Mysteries

D

espite our recent unseasonably warm weather, November will always be a month of shuffling through leaf piles and traveling to the Shenandoah and other mountain destination on leafpeeping trips. We dig out our scarves and heavy coats to guard against frigid winds and autumn rains. Most of us want to relax before the holiday whirl of travel, parties, and family get-togethers is underway. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, The Likeness

by Tana French, and Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea by the fire.

This trio of classic suspense novels will give you a respite from hectic reality and take you on a dream trip to Europe as cold rain blows against your windowpanes.

In The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith is a master of psychological suspense. Her clipped, matter-of-fact sentences present one of the most interesting anti-heroes of twentieth-century suspense: Tom Ripley, a small-time crook who dabbles in mail fraud while moving from one shabby apartment to another in New York City. The father of a casual friend, Dickie Greenleaf, offers him a trip to Italy if he will visit Dickie there and persuade him to give up his dilettantish pursuit of becoming an artist to return home and join the family business. Tom, notable only for his lack of notability, takes on this voyage from its inception as a method for metamorphosis.

He lies skillfully and pathologically, making up stories about his origins. In the process, he gradually inserts himself into the life of careless, affluent Dickie and his resentful friend, Marge, who jealously guards against Tom’s intrusion into their idyllic Italian life.

Old Town Crier

Through intertwining himself in Dickie’s life, Tom creates a new persona that he almost believes to be true. Resourceful and completely without scruples, he casts a chilly enchantment on the reader as he pulls off a masterful re-invention of himself that makes us root for him despite his ruthlessness. Rarely have I found myself so drawn in to a character’s psychological journey in a suspense novel. It is rightfully a classic, written in an eerily detached manner that allows us to approach the story on our own terms.

Tana French’s The Likeness is the second in a series of mysteries set in Dublin, with each novel featuring a character briefly mentioned in a previous book. The book begins with a detective, Cassie Maddox, being called in to a murder scene in a small town outside of Dublin.

When she arrives, she sees her own deceased doppelganger. Not only could this woman be her twin, but she also carries an ID identifying herself as Alexandra Madison, an alias Cassie used when working an undercover case years ago.

To solve the murder and understand this illusive shadow, a version of Alexandra Madison, Cassie dons her old guise, pretending that “Lexie” survived the attack as a way of enticing the murderer to finish the job. Going undercover as an amnesiac Lexie, she “returns from the hospital” to infiltrate Lexie’s tight-knit THE LAST WORD > PAGE 13

November 2017 | 9

HIGH NOTES

CHRIS ANDERSON

S

o…I had a different article planned for this month. I was going to talk about exciting new releases by Little Silver, Wolf Alice, and Bent Knee, and of course there would be a tribute to Tom Petty, who we sadly lost this month…

I’m still wrapping my head around that one.

But then I awoke this morning to news that Gord Downie passed away and everything changed.

Talk of iconic Canadian musicians almost always involves nods to Rush – one of the most successful bands in the world – or tongue-incheek jabs at Loverboy and Glass Tiger. More serious music fans will discuss Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Cockburn, while hipsters point to Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene and the pop kids, well, they just love their Drake. However, there is absolutely no band that is more Canadian than the Tragically Hip and no performer more iconic than Gord Downie. His songs lived and breathed Canadiana and that spirit is just as ingrained into the cultural landscape as hockey and good manners.

Downie formed the Hip in 1983 with childhood pals Bobby Baker, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair, and Johnny Fay and they went on to release fourteen studio albums in what is one of the longest unbroken band lineups in history. From their self-titled 1987 debut, the scene was immediately set with “Small Town Bringdown”, which talks of life in a nowhere town. So many of their songs dealt with topics such as these – the human condition and the 10 | November 2017

GORD DOWNIE (1964-2017) struggle of the everyman in “nowhereland” - but many were also about events or figures in Canadian history, or they mention specific place names or images from folklore. It was this sort of thing that drew this band to the hearts of pretty much every Canadian.

This is what also limited their scope to Canada. While the Hip enjoyed massive success in their homeland, the US market proved tough to crack. All of their albums were released here, and they regularly toured clubs to a cult-sized audience, but their mainstream exposure was limited to one 1995 appearance on SNL and then all the news headlines of today, and very little in between. While it would have been nice to see them get some level of respect down here, it’s almost for the better that they didn’t. This is a band that is very much a part of its country’s heritage and culture.

They were, are, and forever

will be Canada’s Band.

While the Hip was priority one, Downie kept plenty busy outside the band, releasing five solo albums (a sixth is due at the end of this month) with a variety of musicians such as Kevin Drew, Julie Doiron, The Sadies, and Chris Walla.

Given how distinct his voice and writing is, these solo albums present the Gord as we all know and love him, but in a less polished setting.

Gord also worked tirelessly on environmental issues as well as working towards reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the rest of Canada. His 2016 album, Secret Path, tells the story of Charlie Wenjack, a boy who froze to death while walking 400 miles home, escaping an Indian residential school. This album was accompanied by a film and a graphic novel and all proceeds support reconciliation efforts.

For all of his work, both onstage and off, Gord (along with the rest of the band)

were awarded the Order Of Canada, earlier this year.

In late 2015, Downie was diagnosed with gliobastoma, a terminal form of brain cancer. This came just as the Hip were finishing up their 14th album, Man Machine Poem and plotting a summer tour. For Gord, the question of his fate was not “if ” but “when” and he was faced with a choice – either give up or go down swinging. The choice was obvious so, in May 2016, he went public with his illness while at the same time announcing the album and the tour, which took the band across Canada for one last go.

The final show of the tour was broadcast live throughout the country – I was in Canada at the time and it was humbling to watch an entire country drop everything and tune in for one extremely emotional evening.

Since then, Gord released Secret Path and performed a few shows in support of that, as well as recording the

upcoming double album, Introduce Yerself. He also mentioned, in his last big interview, that the Hip was working on a new album as well. One of the band’s signature songs is called “Courage” and that man had buckets of it.

My own experience with the Hip involved being dragged by my best friend, against my will I might add, to their show at the 9:30 Club on October 3rd 1998, while they were touring behind Phantom Power. I didn’t really know much about this band other than they were Canadian and my friend loved them (probably because they were Canadian). I was pretty grumpy about going but he insisted. I don’t even think they were done with the first song before I realized just what was happening – it was love at first sight. It wasn’t long before I had all of their albums, and I’ve continued to follow them closely, ever since.

One of the most reliable bands of all time, their albums never faltered. Even when they hired Bob Rock to produce World Container and We Are The Same, in an attempt to simplify their sound, The Hip was still The Hip. Whether the world ever gets to hear that 15th Hip album remains to be seen, but the legacy that Gord and the band left behind is one of the richest of any artist’s output.

Gordon Downie entertained and inspired a nation and his impact went far beyond his country’s borders. He was truly one of a kind, the likes of which we will never see again. Thank you, Gord, for everything you’ve given us.

May you rest easy and live forever.

Old Town Crier

Smithsonian Rock and Roll: Live and Unseen!

Shop Early.

Ship Early.

Congratulations to our friend and accomplice, Chester Simpson, for the inclusion of five of his Rock and Roll photographs in the new Smithsonian book.

The book, Smithsonian Rock and Roll; Live and Unseen, was released on October 24 and represents rock music through more than 350 photographs of its iconic pioneers and performers. Rock fans worldwide submitted their photos and were then paired with professional images for the book. Simpson has been a professional rock and roll photographer his whole life, getting his start shooting the action in San Francisco in the early days of rock. He has also been the photographer of record on numerous USO tours. Simpson is also a valuable source of knowledge and inspiration for us at the Old Town Crier. Check out his ad in this issue and log on to his library of rock and roll legends.

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November 2017 | 11

GALLERY BEAT

F. LENNOX CAMPELLO

Silver Demitasse with Blackberries watercolor, 12 x 23 inches

Tanya Davis

F

or about 1% of the fabled top 1% rich people of planet Earth, art is often bought as an “investment.”

I sometimes feel sorry about those people, because the rest of the planet buys artwork simply because they like it, and it will give them nothing but visual pleasure!

The greater DC area, once coined by me as the DMV many years ago for DC-MD-VA (yes… I invented that term), is one of the planet’s greatest concentration of talented artists, and this week just for fun, I’d like to highlight some of my favorites, while at the same time encouraging all of you to take advantage of the opportunities to see artwork, and then buy artwork to have in your home.

And if you’ve ever purchased “wall décor” at a furniture store, please call me for counseling and to remove those things on your wall for you.

Before I start, here are some suggestions for where to see art: Torpedo Factory, Greater Reston Arts Center, Gallery B in Bethesda, DC Arts Center, Artomatic, Lorton Workhouse, Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, Exposed DC Photography Show, Bethesda Row Fine Arts Show, and the multiple many artist studio areas concentrated in areas such as Capitol Hill Artists Workshop, Artists & Makers Studios in Rockville, Mid City Artists, plus the many independently owned commercial fine art galleries such as Longview, Adah Rose, and artists’ cooperative galleries in the region such as Touchstone, Artists’ Undertaking, etc.

There is no lack of wall space and artists in the DMV. Because I participate in fine art fairs all over the planet, I’ve been able to see the work of tens of thousands of artists over the years, and those numbers are 12 | November 2017

refreshed each year by thousands of artists – as an example, when I head South to Miami for the Art Basel week of art fairs there, with around 26 different art fairs and several thousand galleries involved, the “universe of artists” expands significantly!

Let me start with Tanya Davis, who has a studio at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, and for decades has been one of the Factory’s top artists.

Davis’ mastery of watercolor still life – a widely-practiced subject matter if any – stands her singularly alone in a niche where metallic reflections, china splendor and glass translucency become “aha” moments of awe about a master at work at the hardest of mediums. See her watercolors online at www.tanyadaviswatercolors.com.

Another still life master with a totally unique approach to almost the same set of imagery is the amazing Chris Krupinski. What her enviable painting skills deliver are not just wondrous fruits and elaborate tablecloths, but the powerful visual achievement of a master painter fully in command of her media. See her work at www.chriskrupinski.com.

If there are hyper-realist painters in the world who are better than these two at their subject matter, then I’ve never come across their work.

Want sculpture? Check out Alma Selimovic at www.almaselimovic. com – what this young Croatianborn DMV artist can do with metal is not only refreshing, but also adds a complicated modern nuance to traditional forms of figurative sculpture that I find refreshing. While we’re looking at sculptors working recognizable forms using metal, also check out Adam Bradley (faculty at George Mason University), who has been working with found objects

Silver Pears, Landscape Tapestry watercolor, 18 x 22 inches

Tanya Davis

Modern David, 2016

By Alma Selimovic Welded metal sheet, wire 28” x 9” x 9”

Koi: Night Sky watercolor, 15 x 30 inches

Tanya Davis

ever since he was a young art student decades ago! Bradley is one of the original “green artists”, even before that term was coined! His work is one of those visual offerings that could never be considered anachronistic – they belong here right now, and would look contemporary two centuries from now. If you’re confused by this, check him out at www.adambradleyart.com.

We are also surrounded by brilliant printmakers – the real kind that make prints with their hands (etchings, linocuts, lithographs, woodcuts, etc.) not the kind that have reproductions of their paintings made and then call it a “print.”

In fact, in the DMV we have a gallery just dedicated to printmakers – The aptly named Washington Printmakers Gallery!

Ellen Cornett is easily one of my top favorites – I’ve picked her work several

Art by Adam Bradley Push.

Wood, welded steel, sheet metal, cast aluminum. 68”x42”x16” times for my Top 10 Artomatic artists, and her mastery of the printmaking processes is breath taking. See her work online at www.ellencornett.com.

Also in that favorite list of artists who not only paint, but also push some of the new digital boundaries of printmaking is Ric Garcia (rickgarciastudio.com) who is singlehandedly inventing a whole new genre of Latino-focused artwork.

Like photography? I do, and I almost feel bad just picking a couple of great practitioners of this great genre of the visual arts, so I’ve decided that I should do this type of column at least once a year – but to close this one, let me put forth that we are also surrounded by a lot of great photographers and one place to find made of them is at Multiple Exposures Gallery (in the Torpedo Factory) or at GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 13

Old Town Crier

THE LAST WORD | FROM PAGE 9

and cliquish group of grad student friends, who live in a romantic shambles of a country house.

As Cassie descends deeper into an identity that had once been nothing but a fictional skin, she also insinuates herself into the lives of Lexie’s provocatively peculiar housemates. French plays with the notion of perception as Cassie finds her view skewing, seeing not only them but also herself in a funhouse mirror.

Most of us believe that we have a double somewhere in the world. Tana French takes this concept and makes it a work of art. She writes so beautifully that any of her novels is an exquisite experience. Along with her gift for creating atmosphere and exploring character, her work is tinged with melancholy and magic, creating a sense of unease hard to pinpoint. In this work she offers a plot that instantly puts the reader inside the narrative, as Cassie puts herself in jeopardy to divine the life of her double.

I read widely in suspense and mystery.

Much of the work in those genres is formulaic.

French is the opposite, a writer whose complex, gripping body of work aspires to literature, offering the reader a special world that seems rooted in the commonplace while playing with the reader’s subconscious terrors.

Dame Agatha Christie needs no introduction, yet she has her own distinctive skills in creating and presenting a plot that deserve examination. I could have picked almost any of her books, including the captivating And Then There Were None, but here I choose the classic Murder on the Orient Express.

This quick-reading mystery presents the legendary detective Hercule Poirot traveling via train from Istanbul via Trieste, Italy, to Calais, France. Poirot meets an unpleasant

GALLERY BEAT | FROM PAGE 12

Factory Photoworks.

One of my favorite DMV area photographs is someone whose work many of us see on a nearly daily basis: The Washington City Paper’s

businessman, Mr. Samuel Ratchett, who is traveling with his male secretary. Ratchett, who is concerned about his security, offers Poirot the job of protecting him. Poirot turns down the offer because, as he says, “I do not like your face, M. Ratchett.”

When Mr. Ratchett is killed, Poirot discovers that he is really a criminal named Cassetti.

He realizes that Cassetti was the kidnapper and murderer of a little girl named Daisy Armstrong, whose prominent American family went to pieces after her death, with her mother dying and her father shooting himself. Having gotten off on a technicality, Cassetti has made his way to Europe, receiving death threats along the way.

When it turns out that no one could have left or entered the train between the times Ratchet/ Cassetti was seen alive and discovered dead, Poirot must focus on gathering puzzle pieces to figure out a highly perplexing problem, one that indicates passengers and then discounts them one by one.

Murder on the Orient Express reveals Agatha Christie’s gift for creating suspenseful atmosphere and tricky, tightly plotted narrative. It also highlights her keen ear for dialogue and ability to create realistic everyday connections between characters, with only a few exceptions that play to stereotypes of the 1930s. Here she does so in an exotic setting, as the passengers’ anxiety heightens while Poirot gathers together contradictory evidence.

Although she writes simply, reading her prose is like breathing.

While this particular story has been filmed numerous times, the written novel is much more interesting and atmospheric than any tepid, genteel re-run on PBS. If you have not read Christie, or not read her in a while, dip into this short, compelling book that reminds us why she is one of the bestselling authors of all time.

own Darrow Montgomery – what this wizard can do with his camera, both as a portrait or street photographer or whatever the job assignment calls for, what always comes out is art!

More later!

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Old Town Crier

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November 2017 | 13

URBAN GARDEN

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ase into the hectic holiday season with the help of aromatherapy.

The fragrances of plant-derived essential oils have long been used to improve the health of our mind, body and spirit. We are betting that many of our readers have several of the herbs used in the following elixirs in your gardens.

Boost your energy and increase your focus as you work to balance work, family and holiday fun. Peppermint has long been prized for this and so much more. You’ll find it also helps relieve headaches and indigestion.

14 | November 2017

Freshen your home with the scent of grapefruit. It’s the perfect solution when unexpected guests drop by for a visit. You may also find the grapefruit aroma, along with your company, help to lighten your mood.

Use eucalyptus essential oil in the fight against colds and flu this winter. Just place a few drops into a diffuser on your desk at work, in your bedroom or family room.

The diffusers come in a wide array of shapes and sizes.

Some use heat, ultrasonic vibrations, fans or wood wicks to disperse the fragrance throughout the room. Others,

like the Eden Aroma Diffuser, allow the fragrance to seep through the porous portion of the diffuser pot and into the room.

Or use a eucalyptus eye mask to help relieve sinus pressure and sooth tired eyes.

Just gently heat or cool the mask, cover your eyes and relax into a bit of relief.

End your day with relaxing lavender. It helps reduce anxiety, relieves headaches and improves sleep. Turn up the heat and fragrance with the Ultimate Lavender Wrap (gardeners.com). Simply pop the flax, rice and lavender infused insert into the

microwave. Place it back into the cloth cover and drape it over your neck and shoulders.

This can provide relief for those suffering from tense or aching muscles and winter chills.

Encourage a good night’s sleep by tucking a lavenderfilled sachet under your pillow. Or set a bundle of dried lavender stems in the bathroom, bedroom or anywhere you want to enjoy the fragrance of a summer garden and a bit of relaxation.

When you incorporate some aromatherapy into your routine you’ll find URBAN GARDEN > PAGE 17

Old Town Crier

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Old Town Crier

A BIT OF HISTORY

SARAH BECKER©

C

onflict is often remembered by the men and women who cared: for the home front during war; for comrades and soldiers including burials, for the disabled and others. During the Revolutionary War Martha Washington successfully served as the public face of a women’s fund-raising

campaign, a national campaign to provide soldiers with shirts. President George Washington, the country’s first commander-in-chief supported “a monument…to the American Revolution.”

But for the love of a good woman, George Washington’s Mount Vernon might never have been saved. The restoration effort was born of a boat ride, specifically Alexandriaborn South Carolinian Louisa Bird 16 | November 2017

Cunningham’s 1853 Potomac River cruise. May we always remember George Washington, his military service and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union.

“I was painfully distressed at the ruin and desolation of the home of [General George] Washington, and the thought passed through my mind,” Cunningham wrote her 37-year-old daughter Ann Pamela. “Why was it the women of this country did not try to keep it in repair, if the men could not do it?”

The Dames of 1846 was established in Texas in 1901 in honor of the Soldiers of the War with Mexico. The Mexican War was West Point graduate Robert E. Lee’s first combat experience.

“As the mothers, wives and daughters of the warriors of 1846, we believe that the time is over-ripe for us to commemorate the bravery and devotion of those men who repelled the invader,” Dames of 1846 Founder and National Commandant Mrs. Moore Murdock wrote in 1905.

“The notable men and women of our early colonies have had their fortitude and heroism immortalized by the women [National Society Daughters of American Colonists] who trace their ancestry to gallant hands of pioneers in a New World,” Murdock

continued. “The sublime thunders of the Declaration of Independence find to-day an echo in the song of an army of women [Daughters of the American Revolution].”

“But the most sacred record to the Southern heart, is that greatest one when neighbors having found argument vain, the seried ranks of Northern and Southern giants faced each other upon the bloodiest field that ever marked the conflicts of a world,” Murdock concluded. “As the ‘Daughters of the Confederacy’ the women of the South are correcting history…and rearing monuments to the men who lived and died for a cause that is invincible.”

The Civil War [1861-1865] was bloody and grave sites were in short supply. By January 1864 carnage was everywhere. “Of the look at first of the mortally wounded, (of that indescribable look,)” poet Walt Whitman wrote, “Of the dead on their backs with arms extended wide...”

President Abraham Lincoln, in consultation with his Quartermaster General, decided to bury some of the Union dead on the grounds of Arlington House, George Washington Parke Custis and his son-in-law Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s family home. The property was sold to the federal government on January 11, 1864—illegally so as of 1882—and declared a military cemetery.

On May 5, 1868, the War of Rebellion over, General John Anthony Logan, national commander of

the Grand Army of the Republic, proclaimed May 30, 1868 Decoration Day. The Day was “for the purpose of…decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion.”

Both Union and Confederate graves were decorated. The custom became a celebration, especially in the North. The South disengaged and remembered its soldiers separately.

In April 1885 Edgar Warfield and the R.E. Lee Camp of Virginia Confederate Veterans asked Alexandrians to construct a monument in honor of local veterans.

In 1888 the Alexandria City Council approved the project, permitting placement of the controversial Statue—Appomattox—at the intersection of Prince and Washington Streets.

The Old Presbyterian Meeting House dedicated its Tomb of an Unknown Soldier of the Revolutionary War in 1929. More than 30 veterans of the War of 1812 are buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars 1941 World War I Memorial, located in Alexandria’s Union Station Plaza, celebrates, as of 1918, all who died in America’s wars. The Memorial’s base, its five inscribed steps begin with the War of Independence of 1776. The fourth step honors veterans of the 1898 Spanish-American War. The Lyceum, established in 1839 as a center for learning, opened its World A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 17

Old Town Crier

A BIT OF HISTORY | FROM PAGE 16

War I Centennial exhibit “Alexandrians Fight The Great War” on June 30. The exhibit, which ends Armistice [or Veterans] Day 2019, “examines the actions of local people during this watershed moment in American history.”

The nearby Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum’s WWI exhibit explores “the Leadbeater family’s business contributions to America’s mobilization effort.”

In 1917 Jim Crow America entered Europe’s ongoing war.

President Woodrow Wilson first promoted Peace without victory. Congress passed the Selective Service Act instead.

Then in April the country voted overwhelmingly in favor of war. Soon after, the American War Mothers formed. Would-be voter Alice Paul and other NWP suffragettes picketed silently in front of the White House.

“Prior to World War I the country was happily isolationist,” Lyceum Director Jim MacKay said. “At home the war meant large scale aid programs to help refugees in Belgium and France. The war also meant wartime production jobs for thousands building ships and aircraft.”

By 1918 women constituted 19% of the aircraft industry workforce. In Alexandria Guardsmen and draftees went to war and women “built hydroplanes” for Briggs Aeroplane Company.

“The unanswerable logic of suffrage as a war time issue finds its best demonstration [in the fact] that nine great states have extended suffrage to their women since 1915,” Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association said in 1918.

Congress granted women the right to vote only 14 days before the 1919 peace Treaty of Versailles was signed.

The states ratified the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920. The U.S. Supreme Court, despite Maryland’s refusal, “declared the 19th Amendment constitutional” in 1922. By World War II’s end, in 1945, Rosie the Riveter was a munitions icon and one out every four married women worked outside the home.

America’s segregated military ended with the Korean conflict in 1953.

Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964; six months later Vietcong guerrillas attacked the U.S. military base at Pleiku and the U.S. went to war. The 1973 four-party Paris peace agreement included North Vietnam, the Vietcong, South Vietnam and the United States. Alexandria’s Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was dedicated in 2002.

“To see men without Cloat[hes] to cover their nakedness—without Blankets to lay on—without Shoes, by which their Marches might

get your!

be traced by the Blood from their feet—and almost as often without Provisions as with; Marching through frost and Snow…is a Mark of patience & obedience which…can scarce be parallel’d,” General George Washington wrote from Valley Forge in 1778.

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary marking the end of World War I. Remember the fallen, our soldiers and their families this Veterans Day. 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.

URBAN GARDEN | FROM PAGE 14

yourself smiling and more relaxed. The boost in energy and reduced stress will help you navigate the many gatherings, rich food and busy schedules ahead. And consider giving the gift of aromatherapy to someone you love, so they too can enjoy improved harmony and health into the New Year.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Myers’s web site is www.melindamyers.com.

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POINTS ON PETS

LIZ HAMMOND WILLIAMS

Exotic Pets: What to Consider Before You Adopt

W

hen thinking about adopting a pet, most people focus on traditional animals like cats and dogs.

However, for many people an exotic pet is the preferred choice, and these creatures are becoming increasingly more popular in the United States.

What’s an Exotic Pet? According to the American Pet Products Association, 19.4

ADOPTION CALENDAR FOR NOV. 2017 FOR DETAILS & MORE INFO website: www.kingstreetcats.org email: contact@kingstreetcats.org Are you or someone you know free during weekday mornings? King Street Cats is looking for weekday morning caregivers and vet taxis to transport our cats to the vet. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.

King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we can provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.

18 | November 2017

million Americans had exotic pets in 2013. That’s one in 10 U.S. homes.

Exotic pets are rare or unusual animals kept within a human household that are generally thought of as wild species not typically kept as pets. Exotic pet ownership is vast and diverse. Common exotic pets include birds, reptiles, rodents, and snakes, and many of them can be found in commercial pet stores.

I wanted to know why someone would want to have an exotic pet. I spoke with past and current exotic pet lovers, and I was surprised by the noticeable love and passion the people I met had for their animals.Exotic Reptiles: Bearded DragonsThe most common exotic pet I came across was the bearded dragon.

Their humans described them as fun and playful, with distinct personalities.

All the people I met who had adopted bearded dragons were passionate about their pet’s fun and playful ways. One

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bearded dragon lover showed me a YouTube video of a bearded dragon playing with a Chihuahua (https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=kGS5gFjjMgU), one of thousands on the site featuring bearded dragons dancing, playing with other animals and with their humans, and generally just being cute.

One of the most misunderstood points about exotics, and specifically bearded dragons, is that not all of them belong in a cage. Bearded dragons, for example, enjoy interacting with their owners.

They can be taken out of their enclosures (with supervision) to explore their home, and both humans and reptiles find this rewarding.…..and SnakesI still couldn’t understand why someone would choose reptiles as pets until the veterinarian I spoke with introduced me to a couple of snake lovers. The first woman I was POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 19

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POINTS ON PETS FROM PAGE 18

introduced to explained that she owns a snake because a more traditional pet would be difficult to care for with her irregular work schedule as a nurse. She thought that compared with other more traditional animals, caring for a snake would suit her lifestyle better. Her snake “Rocky” only needs to eat every 2 or 3 days, and he didn’t mind if she worked various shifts.

I also spoke with a mom of a 9-year-boy who had become fearful of snakes after watching a movie several years ago. She decided the best way to help him overcome his fear and give him the opportunity to learn about and overcome his phobia was to adopt a snake. Her son apparently conquered his fear relatively quickly, and the snake now sleeps (in his tank) in her son’s bedroom.Large Birds: Yes, They’re ExoticI didn’t realize until I started asking

people “why an exotic pet?” that large birds were considered in this category.

I was in a pet store and started a conversation with a gentleman who was looking at birds when he mentioned the most interesting pet he ever had was an African Grey parrot named Louise. He explained that his exotic bird was interesting for a variety of reasons, but he really enjoyed “talking” with Louise. He chose to adopt a bird over a more traditional pet because of his severe allergy to fur— an excellent option many pet lovers with similar concerns might not have considered.

Before You Adopt an Exotic Pet, Consider This…Although exotic animals can make wonderful pets, a vet I spoke with near Williamsburg, VA, who has specialty training in exotic animal care asked people to consider the following before adopting an exotic animal.

Not all exotic pets are harmless. Animals such as

chimpanzees, pythons, big cats, and crocodiles can be dangerous and do not belong in domestic environments. To protect people, many exotic animals have been deemed illegal to be kept as pets. It is not the responsibility of the individual and/or business providing you with the exotic pet to verify it is legal, but yours.

Make sure you can provide the right home for your exotic pet. This includes but is not limited to housing, food, vet care, and the pet’s overall cost.

Many exotic animals have special dietary needs. These can range from the simple, like feeding a lizard insects, to the more complex (and demanding on humans), like feeding a snake live rodents.

Reptiles, for example, have very specific needs in terms of lighting, temperature, housing, and space.

Before you bring home an exotic pet, find appropriate veterinary services nearby.

Specialty training is needed

for a veterinarian to be certified to treat exotic animals. For example, ferrets (which are illegal to own in Washington, DC) are prone to adrenal disease, which requires special veterinary care. If traveling some distance for specialist care is something you’re unwilling to do, please reconsider your decision to adopt an exotic animal.

The decision to adopt an exotic pet is a unique one, and for many people it’s the right choice. Exotic animals can certainly give pet lovers the same benefits and joys as traditional ones like cats and dogs.

One of the

advantages of living with an exotic pet versus a traditional one is the opportunity to learn about an unusual species. However, adopting a pet (of any kind) is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. It’s important before you adopt an exotic pet to do your research. With this in mind, please check out these resources. And here’s to many years of happiness for you and your pet.

PETS OF THE MONTH

Resources JIPSEE

CELLO & CALYPSO

Jipsee – Are you ready to run, run, RUN? Then we’ve got the gal for you with our gorgeous Jipsee girl! This goofy girl is constantly showing off her tongue because she is always in motion, and that can be tiring on a lady, but it doesn’t slow Jipsee down. If you’re seeking an energetic exercise companion, dash down today to meet your new puppy pal!

Cello & Calypso – This combo is a bonded pair with a carefree attitude and willing to snuggle with their human once they get beyond their initial shyness. Cello with his luscious black coat is perfect match with his bonded mate Calypso with her Calico fur. This boy and girl go together, so some lucky person will get double the love and affection, not to mention the joy of watching their relationship and being a part of it. Both senior adults, they will love living in a home where they receive attention and a comfy lap, have room to play and a quiet place where they enjoy a sunbeam and watch the world go by. They’re a perfect match for someone with a busy schedule

WINFRED

who looks forward at the end of each day to being greeting by two loving cats who will treasure your company and care.

Winfred is a beautiful snake looking for a family to love her and treat her to all of the finer things in life. Winfred first came to the AWLA abandoned in our parking lot in a Wegmans shopping bag.

We quickly learned that outside of her aquarium, this beautiful Ball Python was friendly and affectionate with everyone she encountered. Our volunteers describe her as their favorite little snuggle muffin and she has stolen many hearts during her stay. This curious girl loves to snuggle in jackets and have her head stroked gently.

Her friends tease that her favorite hobby may be smelling everyone’s head and tickling them when she wiggles. If you are looking for an exotic beauty to befriend, Winfred is the lady for you!

Please call 703-746-4774 or email adoptions@ alexandriaanimals.org for more information and come visit me at the shelter today!

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

AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AVMA.ORG/KB/RESOURCES/REFERENCE/WILDLIFE/PAGES/ WILDLIFE-POLICIES.ASPX AVMA.ORG/KB/POLICIES/PAGES/RELEASE-OF-WILDANIMAL-SPECIES-AND-EXOTIC-PET-SPECIES.ASPX AMPHIBIANS AS PETS AMPHIBIANARK.ORG/EDUCATION/AMPHIBIANS-AS-PETS/ AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN PETMD.COM/REPTILE/CARE/EVR_RP_5-BEST-REPTILESAND-AMPHIBIANS-KIDS REPTILESMAGAZINE.COM/REPTILE-CARE-FOR-BEGINNERS/ BEST-PET-REPTILES-FOR-CHILDREN/ ASSOCIATION OF EXOTIC MAMMAL VETERINARIANS AEMV.ORG/INDEX.PHP/POLICIES-GUIDELINES-ETC BEARDED DRAGONS AS PETS REPTILESMAGAZINE.COM/CARE-SHEETS/LIZARDS/ BEARDED-DRAGON/ BIRD SPECIES AS PETS THESPRUCE.COM/TOP-FRIENDLY-PET-BIRDSPECIES-390535 THESPRUCE.COM/TOP-POPULAR-LARGE-PARROTS-390719 CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (HEALTHY PETS HEALTHY PEOPLE SITE) CDC.GOV/HEALTHYPETS/INDEX.HTML HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES HUMANESOCIETY.ORG/ISSUES/EXOTIC_ PETS/?REFERRER=HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/ November 2017 | 19

CARIBBEAN CONNECTION JEFF MCCORD

Caribbean Recovery Right Around the Corner (Almost)

S

igns of a slow but steady recovery are sprouting across the U.S. Virgin Islands. A month and a half following the direct hit by Hurricane Irma, a de facto Category 6 storm, and the hard grazing by Cat 5 Maria, the mountainsides are greening, sunsets are majestic and the waters are as clear and aquamarine as ever. Nature leads the human realm in a race to rejuvenation.

Although most heavily damaged, with two-thirds comprised of the Virgin Islands National Park, the island of St. John may show the most signs of satisfactory convalescence among the Virgins. Irma’s eye wall scoured the island with 200 mph plus winds that destroyed or seriously damaged at least half of the human built structures. Wind gusts were so high they stripped the bark off some trees and left the forest an apparent tinder box of brown sticks and shriveled, chopped up leaves.

A natural wasteland was left in Irma’s wake – or, so it seemed. But, humans couldn’t see beneath the ploughed up, plastered soil where half of the bio mass of trees is found in the roots within our tropical dry forests. To most, it seems a miracle that hillsides are already greening, fueled by the rains of Maria and other recent storms.

“Our forest is already recovering,” confirmed Gary Ray, PhD, a St. John based botanist and a leading Virgin Islands environmentalist. “In a matter of months, our hillsides will again become dark green with new branches, stems and leaves.” The key, he said, is in the roots.

“Even in 200 mph wind gusts, the visible canopies often snap off at the main trunk, but the trees still have robust root systems below ground to recover branches, leaves, fruits and seeds. Unlike in a rain forest, our trees are not that often uprooted and killed.”

Dr. Ray assured that this applies to even our prized,

20 | November 2017

fragrant Bay Rum trees, distinctive turpentines and mighty lignumvitae that provided the nearly indestructible wooden beams and masts used by colonists to build the first houses and ships.

“This is true of our more than 350 native woody species,” he said.

But, what of our palms?

“This includes our indigenous Teyer palms, which, unlike coconut palms, are not top heavy with big, weighty fronds and heavy coconuts. Teyer palms are deeply rooted, produce smaller fronds and small fruits. They will bend in winds and are resilient to snapping. Coconut palms, which are Pacific ‘imports,’ have shallow roots that spread out along or beneath the top of sand. They tend to lose their tops if grown inland or topple if growing in beach sand.”

In short, “Our native forests are absolutely adapted to hurricane recovery,” Dr. Ray said. “Within about a year, visitors will see a normal canopy, although lower in height. Within two years, the forest will look more normal and within 3 to 4 years, all the woody litter on the forest floor will have decomposed and visitors will not notice much evidence of the storm.”

Our coral communities will also recover from hurricane trauma within our National Park and other protected preserves where run-off is minimal. But, the long term damage and threats of warming sea temperatures and over development remain.

Birds, including our beloved pelicans, are also returning to normality. A Park Ranger even saw a migratory Oriole recently. Bananaquits, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ official bird, and multiple species of hummingbirds are again competing at bird feeders and over bowls of sugar water put out by adoring humans.

The humans, though, are having a much tougher time than other fauna and flora.

People who have had no

Authority to meet its goal of restoring power to 90 percent of the territory by Christmas.

With an economy almost entirely dependent upon tourism, restoration of public services are understandably prioritized to areas essential for financial recovery. To most weary, stressed residents (and worried property owners evacuated to the mainland) the announcement that Royal Caribbean cruise ships will shortly resume normal visits to St. Thomas seemed unbelievable. Nevertheless, USA Today reported that the Adventure of the Seas - a mega ship with 3,114 passengers will visit the port on November 10th.

Royal Caribbean said that most of St. Thomas’ downtown shops, restaurants and bars - as well as tour operators - will be fully operational when Adventure of the Seas arrives. Among tours that will be available are boat and catamaran excursions around the island and trips to the world famous Magens Bay beach, the company said.

Similarly, on St. Croix, the economically critical Cruzan Rum distillery has resumed operations after a three-week closure for repairs. The V.I. Consortium news service reports that rum contributes

military service are learning to love “meals ready to eat” provided by federal relief workers. Standard complete 8 ounce MRE entrees include: • Beef Stew with Potatoes and Vegetables • BBQ Chicken with Black Beans and Potatoes • Chicken Noodle Stew with Vegetables • Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Veggie Crumbles

• Chicken Rice with Vegetables • Vegetarian Chili • Lentil Stew with Potatoes and Ham Each meal provides 1,200 calories. And, through a miracle of chemistry, they are safe to eat for up to three years stored in 80 degree temperatures without refrigeration.

“Refrigeration and all the other conveniences provided by electricity will be available again for most Virgin Islanders within two months,” USVI Governor Kenneth Mapp said on October 14. “More than 500 linemen visiting from mainland power companies will be working in the USVI by November 3,” the governor announced. Many are already there including workers from Connecticut and Missouri. Hopefully, these reinforcements will enable the Virgin Islands Water and Power

CARIBBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 21

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$200 million annually to the territory’s economy. Few would question that Cruzan is among the world’s finest aged rums. The distillery is a popular destination for visitors.

Residents of St. John are hopeful that electricity will soon be restored to Cruz Bay, the island’s largest town and location of banks and other essential island services. Coral Bay will be without full power for considerable longer.

With conditions too difficult for non-cruise ship based visitors to St. John and St. Thomas, islanders need continued support from federal agencies and private donations.

And, MREs will continue to be haute cuisine for many. Fortunately, the natural wonders that attract visitors to the islands are rapidly recovering on their own.

MYSTERY READING AT ITS BEST

by Virginia author Jeffrey Roswell McCord

k

Jeffrey R. McCord is a free-lance journalist whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Gannett newspapers and Truthout.org, among other publications. For more than 20 years he’s called Northern Virginia home. Jeff is the author of two factbased Caribbean novels available on Amazon.com: “Undocumented Visitors in a Pirate Sea,” a quarterfinalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest; and, “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea,” a finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book contest. He now divides his time between Virginia and St. John, USVI

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CARIBBEAN MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE A dead Marine washed ashore on a Caribbean island leads investigators to otherworldly perpetrators in historic pirate waters and high level abuses in Washington. An intrepid maritime historian working the case for U.S. Naval Intelligence discovers a 60-year record of extraterrestrial activity in the Caribbean basin. History and national security politics meet science fiction in this mystery based on exhaustive factual research and informed conjecture.

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CARIBBEAN hISToRY AND ADvENTURE Where did the villain General Santa Anna of Alamo infamy retire? Is time travel possible?

What was it like on the ground in the worst hurricane of the 19th century? Can a band of rogue sailors from Coral Bay, St. John, defeat ruthless corporate mercenaries? These questions and more are answered in Jeffrey Roswell McCord’s new fact-based novel “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea.”

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November 2017 | 21

FROM THE BAY …

MOLLY WINANS

TO SAIL or Not

To Sail

Y

ou really shouldn’t go sailing today. Your cell phone’s Weatherbug app predicts sunshine and a high of 65 degrees. Accu-Weather forecasts 10 to 15 knots from the west, with gusts up to 20.

The skipper’s swapping out the genoa for the slimmer “winter” jib so that the guests, Karen and Don—sailors who haven’t been on the water for a while—will be comfortable.

Wow, it’s beautiful outside.

The leaves are rustling, yellow and orange, with patches of red. Such beauty does not last for long. Two precious weeks, max, until the leaves drop.

22 | November 2017

But you really shouldn’t go sailing today. Deadlines are deadlines, and you’re a professional on a deadline.

You’re behind schedule. Your penchant for procrastination is taxing on your teammates... and yourself. Remember the many readers who stopped by the booth during the sailboat show to say, “We love your articles!” You bask in such comments. They are your lifeblood. You don’t let yourself think about how these long days at the show will tax your brain, fill your e-mail box, and mysteriously wreck your desk.

Until three days before the November print deadline, and you receive an invitation to go sailing on one of the prettiest days of the year. Then, you remember how much work you have left to do. Sailing would be foolish. All the excuses you have, real ones.

The cat’s sick. Your clothes are dirty. The most nourishing food in your refrigerator are five apples, one egg, and a half cucumber that’s on the soggy side. And you have a heap of work to do. You really shouldn’t go sailing today.

The skipper has even given you an out. “Just send a text if you decide not to go. No big deal.” He’s not short-handed.

He doesn’t need you to entertain his workmate Don and his wife Karen; they don’t even know you, so they don’t care one way or the other. You should just sit your butt down at the laptop and get moving.

Go. Laptop. Go. Write.

You walk out on the porch and see the lethargic cat soaking in the sunshine.

You’ll feel so much better if

you finish your work, go to the grocery store, go to bed at a decent hour. But then, wait a minute. Think it through.

What will you feel like when the crew returns and tells you what an amazing sailing day they had? Oh, the wind, the sun, the perfect Thomas Point Lighthouse reach! Oh, the pretty leaves! How will you feel then?

You’re going sailing today.

You put on the new Gill socks you bought at the sailboat show, grab a goose down vest and some full-finger gloves in case it feels like the 50s out there, and head to the marina.

Don and Karen are already on the boat, looking excited as kids to get out there for their first sail on the Chesapeake Bay. They have taken sailing classes and earned ASA certification and done what many professionals do, gotten so busy with life and family and work that they put off sailing. For years. They are giddy to go sailing again.

Fall sailing days don’t get any better than this. We sail and relax under the bluest of blue skies. Eat peanuts, tell stories. When we tie up safely at the dock, and although sober, feeling a bit drunk on the sun-dazzled day, our new friends say their thank yous.

Don says, “It was heaven.”

Yes, you will pay later for this afternoon procrastination technique. Isn’t a little slice of heaven worth it?

This article first appeared in the November 2012 SpinSheet Sailing Magazine.

Molly Winans is managing editor of SpinSheet, PropTalk, and FishTalk Magazines out of Annapolis, MD. Old Town Crier

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ROAD TRIP

BOB TAGERT

Woodstock, VA The Heart of Shenandoah Valley

T

his month’s road trip really worked to our advantage. With the leaves beginning to turn yellow we drove at the beginning of the fall season to Woodstock, Virginia to hear our friends “The Eastport Oyster Boys” play their music at the Woodstock Café. Our tag line on the cover has always been “From the Bay to the Blue Ridge” and after almost thirty years it all came together…our friends from the “Bay” entertained our new friends in the “Blue Ridge”.

Our buddy Kevin Brooks and founder of the EOB’s happened to stop in the Woodstock Café while visiting the Blue Ridge last spring. He met Coe Sherrard, the owner, and eventually conversation turned to Kevin’s band and their music. Coe invited Kevin to bring the band back in the fall and that was the beginning of “Bay Days” in the Blue Ridge. On the last weekend in September the Woodstock Café was

alive with music and a wonderful Bay style dinner including oysters on the half shell, Chesapeake clam chowder, crab cakes and Seafood Boil. It was great!

Kevin mentioned his friends who own the Old Town Crier and that they may want to write about the event… thus became our November road trip. After we contacted Jenna French with Shenandoah County tourism our schedule was set. We would b the guest of the Café for dinner Friday night at the Oyster Boys first of two performances…but first we had to get there.

Getting to Woodstock is pretty straight- forward…west on I-66 to I-81 then south to Woodstock. However, as we found out on our way back, the direct route is not the scenic route.

Having said that, it is still wise to take I-66 partway in order to miss the congestion of Arlington, Manassas, etc.

There are some routes through this area but too difficult to define in this limited space. Your best bet is taking I-66 to Route 29 at Gainesville and pickup Route 55 west. All of a sudden your heart rate will begin to drop.

Route 55 was the main route west before I-66 and is a two-lane road that winds through small towns and the countryside past wineries and farms.

You will pass through small towns like Haymarket and Broad Run where 55 dips under I-66 ad continues to The Plains and Marshall before crossing back under I-66 to Markham and Linden. There are many wineries along this route as well as small shops to indulge your shopping urge.

The first big town you will pass through is Front Royal on your way to Strasburg. If you are hungry by now, take a short detour down Main Street and stop in on our friend Shannon Koprivich and her new Happy Creek

Eatery. Tell her the Old Town Crier sent you!

Picking up Route 55 again you will continue west and will begin to encounter the mountains. By this time of year the leaves may be at their peak and the scenery will be gorgeous. After crossing the Shenandoah River you will turn left towards Strasburg where Route 55 will turn off to the right but you will remain straight on to Route 11 toward Woodstock. Although our destination is the Woodstock Café, a stop at Posey Thisisit Llama Farm in Toms Brook is a must and you can meet the ladies that grace this month’s cover. Here you will find about 30 Llamas on a 27-acre farm located in the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley between Massanutten and Little North Mountains. The farm is bordered on the east by Blue Ridge Berry Farm and Orchard and on the west by North Mountain Vineyard. The owner is Joyce

Jean and Coe Sherrard-Woodstock Cafe.

24 | November 2017

Old Town Crier

Special Secluded Cabin

in the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley The Eastport Oyster Boys.

Hall and is one of the most likely to also find some live entertaining and real persons entertainment. This is where I have yet to meet. To get near the rest of your adventure a llama is a unique and exotic begins. experience. Although pretty Once you have completed docile in nature, they have a this road trip I would presence that gives one pause. recommend that you spend the About a mile from the night and explore for another Llama farm is North Mountain day before you return home.

Winery situated in the middle You might want to check out of the Shenandoah Valley with the Edinburg Renaissance exceptional mountain vistas.

B&B in the neighboring town Sample their wines and see if of Edinburg. This is where we wine maker John Jackson is stayed and it could not have on property. John lives in Old been better. In fact, it was like Town Alexandria and produces going home. Proprietors Bill some award winning wines at and Donna Smith are from North Mountain.

Alexandria and fell in love with Retrace your steps back the Shenandoah Valley over to Route 11 and proceed to 40 years ago. When Bill retired Woodstock and the Woodstock they moved here and bought Café. Coe and his wife Jean this 1850 Victorian home. As run a friendly, easy going café it turns out, Bill retired from that also has a fabulous wine Mount Vernon Real Estate section in addition to other in Alexandria. I had started interesting items. If you are ROAD TRIP > PAGE 27 there on a weekend you are

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Woodstock Cafe v

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v

The only thing you have to be on time for is the Saturday evening wine dinner.

Everything else is at your leisure...sample the wines at three of our outstanding vineyards and the beer at the downtown brewhouse. Take your time and explore this historic area.

You will take home good memories of a pleasant weekend and you will want to come back!

Accomodations at the Hampton Inn are included in the package.

Optional limo service available.

March 3/4

January 27/28 • Italian Wine Dinner at the Woodstock Café, 8 courses/8 wines, Sat at 7pm • Wine tastings at Cave Ridge and Muse, wine and hard cider at Kindred Pointe, Sat & Sun. • Enjoy craft beer at the Woodstock Brewhouse and receive a complimentary pint glass, Sat & Sun • Saturday night accommodations at the Hampton Inn.

• French Wine Dinner at the Woodstock Café, 6-courses/8 wines, Sat at 7pm • Wine tastings at Cave Ridge and Muse, wine and hard cider at Kindred Pointe, Sat & Sun • Enjoy craft beer at the Woodstock Brewhouse and receive a complimentary pint glass, Sat & Sun • Saturday night accommodations at the Hampton Inn.

January and March Packages each: $139 Per Person plus tax ($151.26) based on double occupancy.

Single occupancy rate, $149 plus tax ($161.26). Extra night - $99 plus tax

Reservations: The Woodstock Cafe • 540-459-8888

Info: woodstockcafeva@gmail

Woodstock Virginia TIckets for this package are extremely limited and go fast. Please note that they are not refundable except in the case of an extreme weather condition ~ one that would close the interstate or make local roads impassable. Light snow or rain doesn’t count.

We hope you would persevere. It’s worth it for a lovely weekend in the middle of winter.

CafeShoppes.com • MuseVineyards.com • CaveRidge.com • KindredPointe.com •WoodstockBrewhouse.com • WoodstockSuites.HamptonInn.com

Old Town Crier

November 2017 | 25

VisitRAPPAHANNOCK background photos by John McCaslin

Mark Your Holiday Calendar

HORSE N HOUND 667 ZACHARY TAYLOR HWY. FLINT HILL, VA. 22627 Store Hours: Monday – Saturday 10-5pm

SADDLERY • GIFTS • PET FOOD • OUTDOOR WEAR

•

Full Service Tack Store for the English Horse & Rider

•

Assorted Gifts – some local, leather bags & belts

Annual Christmas Parade

•

All Natural Cat & Dog Foods, leather collars & leashes

Sun., Dec. 10th at 1:30 pm

•

Pet tags engraved while you wait

•

Outdoor Wear – boots, hats, rainwear, gloves & socks 540-675-1650 • www.horsenhound.com

Downtown Little Washington

horsenhound.va

he

fect Holiday r e G P

«

AGE YOUR OWN

« i ft !

T

«

Wasmund’s Barrel Kit Join us Saturday night before the parade

Everything you need to make your own whisky!

For “It’s a Sally Mae Christmas” Dec. 9 6–9pm Enjoy a special performance of Christmas music by singer/songwriter Sally Mae Foster.

Come back Sunday and watch the parade from our patio. For reservations call 703-675-2223 or visit Opentable.com.

Tula’s Restaurant

311 Gay Street Little Washington, VA 540-675-2223 tulasrestaurantandbar.com

26 | November 2017

For the avid mixologist or whisky connoisseur in your life — a twoliter charred American White Oak barrel plus two 750ml bottles of cask strength Wasmund’s Single Malt Spirit, Wasmund’s Rye Spirit or Wasmund’s Bourbon Mash. The reusable barrel evolves new complexities with every fill, for a gift that truly keeps on giving!

Available exclusively at our two locations:

9 River Lane Sperryville, VA 22740

901 Capitol Landing Road Williamsburg, VA 23185

www.copperfox.biz

Old Town Crier

ROAD TRIP FROM PAGE 25

the Old Town Crier before he left Alexandria and he was aware of the publication. The conversations and reminiscing of those times were priceless.

Now that you have arrived at your destination, I will run down some brief history and recommend a few places to visit. Valley Pike or Valley Turnpike is the traditional name given for the Indian trail and roadway which now approximates as U.S. Route 11 in the Shenandoah Valley.

Route 11 runs down the middle of the valley with the Appalachian Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. On this stretch of Route 11 there are five small towns, all within about 5/6 miles of each other.

You would have already driven through Strasburg, which was the first settlement in the Shenandoah Valley and where you can find the paranormal Hotel Strasburg. Strasburg is also a destination for antique shoppers as are all of the towns.

Around the corner from the Woodstock Café is the Woodstock Brewhouse, featuring a wide selection of hand-crafted beers brewed on site in a restored former Casey

Old Town Crier

Jones denim factory. If you are looking for something a little stronger, try the Spring House Tavern on Route 11 in Woodstock, which I believe is the only place you can by an adult beverage after 10 pm.

A short drive to the Woodstock Tower is a must outstanding views of the “Seven Bends” of the Shenandoah River and the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains.

The drive up the mountain is a narrow gravel road with 160-degree switchbacks. As you ascend the mountain the road becomes narrower and there are no guard rails. This is not for the faint of heart. I met one car on the way back down and we had to jockey to get by one another. Once at the top it is a short walk (1/3 mile roundtrip) to the tower and the views are spectacular.

Edinburg exemplifies the quaint, small town atmosphere of the Shenandoah Valley. Here you can find the Shenandoah Valley Cultural Heritage Museum at the Edinburg Mill.

This historic 1848 Mill, one of the few mills to survive the burning during the Civil War, has been tastefully and creatively adapted to house an area devoted to transportation

in the County through the years on the Great Valley Pike, the Shenandoah River and the nearby railroad. There are also places to shop and dine in Edinburg.

Another five miles or so down the road you will come to Mt. Jackson, a town spread out more than Edinburg but with a lot going on, it even has its own airport. Traveling south on Route 11 you will cross over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. The next right turn after crossing the river will take you to the Weems Bottom Covered Bridge, at 204 feet, is the longest covered bridge in Virginia. When we were there at the end of September the bridge was closed for repairs.

A little down Route 11 you will find the Route 11 Potato Chip plant. This is open to the public and you can watch them making their nationally renowned variety of potato chips.

I have mentioned a lot to do but probably all you want to do is look at the fall leaves. They have a great wine and spirits trail in Shenandoah County that might interest you. Check out Cave Ridge Vineyard and Winery. It is a beautiful place and the drive will take you

through the countryside. Be sure to introduce yourself to Randy Phillips - the owner and wine maker - and, you guessed it, tell him the Old Town Crier sent you.

An option for your return trip home would be to pick up Ford Road then Edinburg Gap road toward the Shenandoah River. The scenery is beautiful and the road less traveled. After crossing the river you can pick up Route 211 and cross over the mountain at Thornton Gap and ease on down the other side to Sperryville and Rappahannock

County. You can reference the Road Trip column in the July issue. Enjoy your drive and take your time.

Donna and Bill Smith.

November 2017 | 27

discover the charm!

CULPEPER VIRGINIA CULPEPER DOWNTOWN FOR THE

Annual Culpeper Downtown Holiday Open House | Sunday, November 19, 2017 Noon - 5PM | Community Tree Lighting at 5:15PM | www.culpeperdowntown.com

FREE 2.5 OZ CANDLE WITH PURCHASE!

Gift & Fashion Destination 102 East Davis St. Culpeper, Virginia 540-829-2290 pepperberriesva.com

Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm Fri-Sat 10am-7pm Sunday 11am-5pm Extended Holiday Hours

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

HOME ESSENTIALS & REFINED EVENT DECOR 163 East Davis Street 703.615.5128 • www.latchkeymercantile.com

Indulge your curiosity

Designer’s Choice A NAme to RemembeR A meAl You WoN’t FoRget

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

28 | November 2017

110 e. Davis Street

Open for Lunch & Dinner Wed-Sun

fotisrestaurant.com | 540.829.8400

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

SALE ON SELECTED ITEMS DAILY

149 East Davis Street • 540-825-7694 designerschoice4you.com • 10a-5p, Tue-Sat

Old Town Crier

DINING OUT

W

ith the cool weather approaching we thought it a good time to make a return to Mackie’s Bar & Grill on their 3rd anniversary. We are very familiar with this uptown eatery and enjoy lunch there quite often. We believe the key to their success is the fact that the food has remained consistently way above par since they opened and the service has maintained a high standard as well.

Mackie’s is a 2 for 1 kind of place.

Kind of like a “reverse mullet” haircut – business in the back and party up front.

The bar in the front of the restaurant is always inviting and you can reserve the Ruby Lounge for a group of friends any day of the week. Two cushy couches and a middle table in the front window makes for a great place to meet. And… bottles of wine are 1/2 price all day, every day when you sit in this space!

The “party” bar is usually packed with locals and regulars and can be a bit noisy, especially during sporting events on TV. The “business” section part of Mackie’s is located past the bar behind a half- inch thick opaque glass door. The door is usually open but when the noise level gets a bit high the door is closed and quiet returns.

The décor of the dining room is masculine, which is what one would expect from a steak house. The deep red walls are nicely set off by the artwork, which on one wall depict Old Town and the other showcases local artists. Along one wall are white tablecloth four tops set between chairs and a full length padded bench against the wall. Against the other wall are a series of two tops.

The room is very cozy.

On this particular night we arrived a little early so the room only had

Old Town Crier

THE GASTRONOMES

Mackie’s Bar & Grill Not Just Another Steakhouse

about three tables occupied. This gave us a chance to talk with the owner, Sang Lee. In three years he has created a good following at Mackie’s and is always interested in his customer’s opinion. Introduce yourself…he is very approachable.

We started off by splitting a Caesar Salad and Mackie’s Shrimp. The salad was true to form…very fresh with shaved Parmigiano, house made dressing and croutons. In our case, it was a unanimous decision to skip the white anchovies that come with the salad.

The Mackie’s Shrimp is three large shrimp wrapped in bacon on a bed of baby greens and drenched in a delicious maple glaze. This is always a favorite of ours and is available at the bar. If you like bacon, then Mackie’s is your place.

Nueske bacon is the secret! My favorite at this restaurant is their BLT. Tons of Iceberg lettuce, thick sliced beefsteak tomatoes and smoked bacon, make for a hearty sandwich.

Among their 13 choices for salads or appetizers is French Onion soup. This is a meal in itself. A rich beef broth that is packed with onions is then topped off with Gruyere, Provolone and Italian Parmigiano cheese. This item is also available at the bar and I indulge often.

At the suggestion of co-owner, Susanne Mackie, I opted for the Salmon Oscar as my entrée - sushi grade Norwegian salmon, grilled and topped

with a pan roasted crab cake, Cajun rice pilaf and pecan butter. The portions were generous with more crab cake than I expected. The crab cake was tasty with a reasonable amount of back fin crabmeat, although I thought just a bit too much time in the skillet causing the cake to burn slightly. The salmon was sumptuous and cooked just right almost to the point of getting my sushi fix as an added bonus. I could have used a bit more of the pecan butter but decided to keep my arteries intact. As is the norm for Mackie’s, I required a box to take the remainder home. While this dish is a good deviation from the beef, my favorite is still the pan roasted chicken breast – roasted “skin on” Frenched breast, mushrooms, roasted corn, sautéed spinach with a marsala sauce. If red meat isn’t your thing, try this. Also, on the menu are two great pasta selections – pappardelle alfredo or carbonara and shrimp scampi with linguini – that are both equally tasty.

Over the last three years, we have had more than one of the steaks in the Mackie’s lineup on a regular basis. My G’nome dining partner is a steak snob and has stood by every steak she has had over the course. Mackie’s gets their beef from the Buffalo River Ranch in Amherst, VA so it is basically locally sourced. Her favorite is the filet mignon with the rib eye close behind. In her case, it’s the portions. The filet at 9

ounces is just right, while the rib eye at 16 ounces is too much. However, left over steak travels well. We dove into a rib eye on our last visit. Ordered as is off the menu it comes with roasted shallot Chianti sauce, baked gorgonzola gnocchi and the vegetable of the day.

Mackie’s welcomes substitutions so if gnocchi isn’t worthy of your Weight Watchers points, there are options.

We would be remiss if we didn’t bring up the award winning Mackie’s Dry Aged Burger. Voted as the #1 burger in the Alexandria Burger Battle, it is a burger lovers’ delight. Go in and check it out.

The wine list here is very comprehensive and offers something for everyone’s taste and price point – remember the ½ price bottles in the Ruby Lounge? They have several beers available including the array of prerequisite craft brews. I am personally happy that they serve Bud Light!

Pricing at Mackie’s is very competitive with other restaurants of its caliber in the area and offers a great Happy Hour and Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

They will be open on Thanksgiving and are serving a traditional menu of turkey and all of the trimmings. If you haven’t been to Mackie’s, give it a shot. You won’t be disappointed.

November 2017 | 29

BEHIND THE BAR

Todd Shlanta

T

odd serves up “The Big Mary” – Old Bay rimmed 32 oz Schooner of Tito’s handmade vodka and house made Fish Market Bloody Mary mix garnished with Italian Salami, fresh celery, two big shrimp and a lemon!

Todd is behind the bar Wednesday and Friday nights and from open to close on Saturdays.

How did you get started in the bartending business?

I started waiting tables in college and as soon as I turned 21 I jumped behind the bar.

What is your biggest bartender pet peeve?

People who ask me for a FREE drink.

What is the cleverest line anyone has given you with the hopes of getting a “free” drink?

See above.

What is the best/worst pick-up line you have heard at the bar?

There are NO good pick-up lines, but one of my favorites is one of my regulars. “Hi, I’m “Steve”, want a Fireball?”

Tell us about an interesting encounter you’ve had with a customer(s).

One night George Clooney came into the bar I was working at in D.C. It was a slow night and we just hung out and watched/talked sports for a few hours.

Awesome guy!!

If you could sit down and have a drink with anyone – past or present – who would that be?

I would love to have a drink with Andrew McEvoy. He passed away earlier this year. He was my best friend.

If you would like to see your favorite mixologist featured in this space, send contact information to office@oldtowncrier.com.

30 | November 2017

TODD SHLANTA FISH MARKET ANCHOR BAR 105 & 107 KING STREET OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA 703-836-5676 FISHMARKETVA.COM

Old Town Crier

dine out!

®®

JOIN US FOR STEAK NIGHT Thursdays 5-9 PM Starting at $15.95

Book Your Holiday Party Now on Our 2nd Floor LIVE MUSIC WEEK SUNDAY BRUNCH7 NIGHTS AHome of 10 AM-3 PM • ONLY $9.95NO COVER WITH So many delicious choices

PATRIOTS FOOTBALL!

IRISH Pancakes with HAPPY Sausage HOUR 4-7 PM Irish CountryMONDAY-FRIDAY Breakfast 713 King Street Three Egg Omelette Featuring all draft beers, rail Alexandria liquor Old Town Eggs Benedict plus half price on select appetizers Homemade Quiche French Toast Platter • Old Town murphyspub.com 713 Hamburger King Street Alexandria • murphyspub.com STEAK703.548.1717 & EGG SPECIAL only $10.95

703.548.1717

Champagne

4th Annual

Dinner

Saturday, Nov. 25

6pm to 9pm

13 Champagnes 5 Course Tasting Menu $150 each

(tax and gratuity not included) Seating is Limited. Call for Reservations.

Happy Thanksgiving!

River Bend will be closed all day

Contact us for your Christmas Parties from 10 to 80 people

Fine Seafood, Historic Setting Outdoor Seating • Happy Hour • Private Events 119 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.836.2836 • wharfrestaurant.com

7966 Fort Hunt Road * 703-347-7545

RiverBendBistro.com Old Town Crier

November 2017 | 31

CHEF’S SPECIAL

CHESTER SIMPSON

Food Film Strip - (L to R) Chopped Salad, Fried Shrimp & Calamari, Seafood Spaghetti, and Prime Dry Aged Tomahawk Steak

Photos ©Chester Simpson

Chef Amadou Quattara When did you first become interested in cooking and what made you choose a culinary career?

When I was 15. I did a lot of cooking with my mother on the Ivory Coast of Africa.

She is my inspiration.

Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella and Pepperoni. People always think it’s a pizza.

What do you feel sets your cuisine apart from others in your field?

Big portions and Big flavor.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration(s) during your career?

If any chef in the world (past or present) could prepare you a meal, who would you want that to be?

Francis Lavendour was a chef in Washington DC. I was a Sous Chef under him.

My Brother. Chef Morou Ouattara from Kora Restaurant.

What dish on the menu are you most curious to see how it’s received?

What’s your guilty food pleasure?

For sure the Chicken Pepperoni Parmigiana. It’s unlike any Chicken Parm you have ever had. We pound the chicken into a 10 inch circle.

Bread it then add Pomodoro

Szechuan Chicken.

If you would like to see your favorite chef featured in this space, send contact information to chester@ chestersimpson.com

BOND 45 149 WATERFRONT STREET NATIONAL HARBOR 301-839-1445 BOND45.COM

32 | November 2017

Old Town Crier

“The Finest Lebanese Cuisine” –Washington Post, 2001 Family Owned & Operated Come and Enjoy a Cozy Candlelit Dinner Carry-Out Available • Free Delivery Open 7 Days for Lunch & Dinner

719 King St. Old Town Alexandria 703.684.9194 • thepitahouse.com

Now open for BRUNCH Saturdays & Sundays at 10AM Live musicopen Sundays beginning at noon!

Now for BRUNCH New Fall Menu Saturdays & Sundays at 10AM Whiskey Wednesday at 5PM

121 South Union Street, Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1785  unionstreetpublichouse.com

Air-Conditioned in Summer

Fireplace in Winter

Piano Bar every Saturday Night

Italian food can take you to a different place...

Let us take you to a different time.

LA TRATToRIA RESTAURANT AND PIZZERIA Luncheon • Dinner • Cocktails Open 7 Days 305 S. Washington Street

Old Town Crier

703-548-9338

November 2017 | 33

AMERICAN ASHLAR RESTAURANT AND BAR 116 South Alfred St. 703-739-6090

HUMMINGBIRD 220 South Union Street 703-566-1355 HUNTING CREEK STATION 801 King St. 703-836-5126

BILBO BAGGINS 208 Queen St. 703-683-0300

JACKS PLACE 222 North Lee St. 703-684-0372

BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 703-739-6090

JACKSON 20 480 King St. 703-842-2790

CAFE 44 44 Canal Center 571-800-6650

JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777

CARLYLE CLUB 411 John Carlyle St. 703-549-8957

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

CHADWICKS 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 chadwicksrestaurants.com An Old Town tradition since 1979 and an original Georgetown pub and restaurant since 1967.

LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313

CHART HOUSE One Cameron St. 703-684-5080 CITY KITCHEN 330 South Pickett St. 703-685-9172 fatcitykitchen.com USA City inspired menu choices that bring together traditional American and global cuisine with their own personal touch. Casual dress. $30 and under. Lots of free parking. Open 7 days a week with brunch on Sat & Sun 11-3. AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa COLUMBIA FIREHOUSE 109 S. St. Asaph St. 703-683-1776 EVENING STAR CAFÉ 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-549-5051 FIN & HOOF 801 N. Saint Asaph St. 703-836-4700 FIRE FLIES 1501 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-548-7200 FIVE GUYS 725 King St. 703-549-7991 FLAT TOP BURGER 529 East Howell Ave. 571-970-1006 FOSTERS GRILLE 2004 Eisenhower Ave. 703-725-1342 GADSBYS TAVERN 138 N. Royal St. 703-548-1288 HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050 HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-684-6969

LIVE OAK 1603 Commonwealth Ave. 571-312-0402 LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511 MACKIE’S BAR AND GRILL 907 King St. 703-684-3288 MAGNOLIA’S ON KING 703 King St. 703-838-9090 MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street Old Town Alexandria 703-548-8800 mason-social.com MOUNT VERNON INN Mount Vernon, Va 703-780-0011 MURPHYS IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com Old-world Irish pub featuring a roaring fireplace, serving a variety of imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers in a friendly atmosphere. Serving robust American-Irish meals at fair prices. Favorites include fish and chips and Irish stew.

Irish-style entertainment nightly.

MYRON MIXON PITMASTER BBQ 220 North Lee St. 703-535-3340 NICKELLS AND SCHIFFLER 1028 King St. 703-684-5922 NORTHSIDE 1O 10 East Glebe Rd. 703-888-0032 OCONNELLS RESTAURANT & BAR 112 King St. 703-739-1124 danieloconnellsrestaurant.com

34 | November 2017

PORK BARREL BBQ 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-822-5699 RAMPARTS 1700 Fern St. 703-998-6616 rampartstavern.com REYNOLDS STREET CAFÉ 34 S. Reynolds St. 703-751-0830 RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 RT's RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com SAMUEL BECKETTS IRISH GASTRO PUB 2800 S. Randolph St. Villages of Shirlington 703-379-0122

VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890 THE WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILL 214 King St. 703-683-6868 ASIAN ASIAN BISTRO 809 King St. 703-836-1515 MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710 MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600 NASIME 1209 King St. 703-548-1848 RED MEI 602 King St. 703-837-0094 STREETS MARKET AND CAFE 3108 Mt. Vernon Ave. 571-431-6810

SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266

THAILAND ROYAL 801 N. Fairfax St. 703 535-6622

SNACK BAR 2419 Mt. Vernon Avenue 703-566-1283

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

SOCIETY FAIR 277 S. Washington St. 703-683-3247 SONOMA CELLAR 207 King St. 703-966-3550 SOUTHSIDE 815 815 S. Washington St. 703-836-6222 SWEETGREEN 823 King St. 571-319-0192

CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800 SANG JUN THAI 300 King Street 571-312-3377 KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212 THE SUSHI BAR 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue 571-257-3232

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

BRABO

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

TRADEMARK 2800 Jamieson Ave. 703-253-8640

CEDAR KNOLL INN GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-799-1501

UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com Old Town’s favorite neighborhood tap and grill.

Southern style menu, fine steaks, fresh seafood. Sunday brunch, private parties, happy hour.

RESTAURANT EVE 110 S. Pitt St. 703-706-0450

VERMILLION 1120 King St. 703-684-9669 VIRTUE GRAIN & FEED 106 South Union St. 571-970-3669

CONTINENTAL

BRABO TASTING ROOM 1600 King St. 703-894-5252

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

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

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

PINES OF FLORENCE 1300 King St. 703-549-1796

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

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

LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854

MEDITERRANEAN LA TASCA 607 King St. 703-299-9810 TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com

TWO NINETEEN RESTAURANT 219 King St. 703-549-1141 YVES BISTRO 235 Swamp Fox Rd. (in Hoffman Ctr.) 703-329-1010 LA BERGERIE 218 N. Lee St. 703-683-1007 labergerie.com ITALIAN

BUGSYS PIZZA RESTAURANT 111 King St. 703-683-0313 bugsyspizza.com FACCIA LUNA 823 S. Washington St. 703-838-5998 THE ITALIAN PLACE 621Wythe St. 571-777-8981 GERANIO RISTORANTE 722 King St. 703-548-0088 geranio.net Still Old Towns highest-rated Italian restaurant (Zagat).

Discerning Old Towners flock here for refined cuisine in this comfortable, yet sophisticated restaurant. With entrees from $14, there is no reason not to enjoy a selection from their Wine Spectator award-winning list, while being attended by the friendly staff of seasoned professionals. Reservations recommended and casual attire welcomed.

HANKS PASTA BAR 600 Montgomery Ave. 571-312-4117 IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833 LA TRATTORIA 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 LANDINI BROTHERS 115 King St. 703-836-8404 landinibrothers.com Elegant, classical Italian cuisine served in a lovely historical setting. Fresh veal, homemade pastas, and fresh fish are some of the daily choices.

An extensive list of wines and champagnes served in a sophisticated and friendly atmosphere.

LENA’S WOOD-FIRED PIZZA & TAP 401 East Braddock Rd. 703-960-1086 PARADISO 124 King St. 703-683-5330

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

DELIAS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 209 Swamp Fox Rd. Alexandria, VA 703-329-0006 SEAFOOD HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK FISH MARKET-OLD TOWN 105 King St. 703-836-5676 fishmarketoldva.com Internationally known and locally owned! We serve shrimps, a few crabs, tall people and lots of nice people, too! Live music and lively food!

ERNIES ORGINIAL CRABHOUSE 1743 King St. 703-836-0046 THE WHARF 119 King St. 703-836-2834 wharfrestaurant.com "Its All About the Seafood," traditional and creative coastal cuisine.

FISH MARKET-CLINTON 7611Old Branch Ave. Clinton, MD 301-599-7900 INDIAN BOMBAY CURRY COMPANY 2607 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-836-6363 DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd.

703-660-6085 NAMASTE 1504 King St. 703-970-0615 MEXICAN LATIN SOUTHWESTERN DON TACO TEQUILA BAR 808 King St. 703-988-3144 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)

Old Town Crier

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

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November 2017 | 35

t.j. stone’s grill house and tap room

celebrating american cuisine with libations from around the world

Join us Thanksgiving Day!

GRAB ABITE

3 courses - $32 per person wood burning fireplace over 300 beer & wine

tjstones.com 608 Montgomery St Alexandria 703.548.1004

$10 LUNCH SPECIALS

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GRAPEVINE

NANCY BAUER

B

ack in the eighties, I took a seat at the bar in a London pub.

This was before pubs got all tricked out with pendant lights and scrummy snacks. Smoke was thick, beer was warm, and wine was for tossers.

I was stymied on a drink choice, but the barman sussed it out and pulled a pint of hard cider from a tap hidden among the bitters and lagers. Lightly chilled, apple juicy but dry, lovely little sparkle. Mind: blown. May I have some more, please?

Cider. Yum. And still surprisingly underappreciated. Despite a craze that’s seen cider drinkers increase from 6 to 18 million in the US since 2012, the sale of hard cider in bars and restaurants is still just a tiny fraction of beer sales. In Virginia, on-premise sales compared to beer are twice the national average, but miniscule nonetheless at just 3%.

As a lower-alcohol, gluten-free beverage crafted for a wide variety of palates, cider is deserving of your attention. Especially this month, as we move into firepit and roast pork season.

Here’s how to get more Virginia cider into your life. Cheers, mates.

Virginia Cider Week Cider Week runs from November 10th to the 19th. Tastings, tours, and tap takeovers are happening all over Old Town Crier

Low-Key Fun.

Virginia. Pick a couple events and harvest a bushel of new experiences.

See Cider Week events ideas at ciderweekva.com/events.

Thanksgiving.

Think outside the Riesling and Beaujolais Nouveau this year. Cider styles are wide enough to pair a different bottle with each course, but if you want to keep things simple, try Foggy Ridge Cider’s ‘First Fruit’ The versatile sparkler will lighten the mood and both complement and balance the maze of flavors and textures on the holiday table. Save the last bottle for a post prandial Stone Fence by the firepit. Here’s the recipe: In an Old Fashioned glass, stir together and pour over ice 1.5 ounces Bullet rye whiskey, dash of bitters, 4 ounces Foggy Ridge First Fruit Cider, ¼ ounce maple syrup, and a mint sprig. (First Fruit available online and in select restaurants and wine shops.)

Where wine can lean toward spikey heels and starchy shirts, cider is more Uggs and flannel. Fabbioli Cellars (15669 Limestone School Rd, Leesburg; fabbioliwines.com) offers four Uggs-worthy ciders, including the dry and fruity “Perry”, made from pears, or the dry and crisp “Attitude Adjuster”, which is apple with Chinook hops, along with the sweeter “Ladies Man,” which blends raspberry in with apples, and “Berry Good Friends,” a strawberry cider crafted from local berries. (Fabbioli Ciders available online and in the tasting room.)

Day Trip Destinations.

A dozen craft cidermakers are within easy driving distance of Northern Virginia, including two in the Shenandoah Valley. The Winery at Kindred Pointe (3575 Conicville Rd, Mt. Jackson; kindredpointe.com) offers a traditional cider line with varying degrees of sweetness, plus several infused with flavors of ginger or hops. At Old Hill Cider nearby (17768 Honeyville Rd, Timberville; oldhillcider.com), you can outfit your Thanksgiving dessert tray with a bottle of “Season’s Finish,” an ice-style dessert cider that pairs beautifully with a final course of dried fruits and GRAPEVINE > PAGE 39

Cider vs. Juice:

What’s the Difference?

Hard Cider is apple juice that has gone through fermentation, during which its sugars turn into alcohol.

Sweet Cider is the murky juice often sold at farmer’s markets and fall produce stands. It is pure apple juice that often hasn’t been filtered, preserved, or pasteurized (thought that’s getting more difficult to find, due to health concerns).

Lose it in the back of the fridge and you may unearth a bottle bloated by natural fermentation. Some happily drink it; others put their trust in Google’s advice.

Apple Juice is the clarified juice pressed from apples and sold on grocery store shelves.

The juice will have been filtered and pasteurized.

November 2017 | 37

EXPLORING VA WINES

DOUG FABBIOLI

PHOTO: LAUREN FLEMING

Exploring VA Wine

I

was very fortunate to arrive in Northern Virginia at a time when the rural lands were just starting to be recognized for their value. Clearly the land was valued for many generations as farmland and room to grow.

The “room to grow” part has been the challenge as more houses and sprawl come with traffic, school taxes, congestion and loss of open space.

Keeping the land open has been important to many, especially in Western Loudoun, and building large housing developments in the west has generally been frowned upon. A number of years ago, I got involved with the Loudoun County Rural Economic Development Council as a way to continue the growth of agriculture related businesses in our rural lands and to keep our lands available for further Ag development, much as it has been for centuries.

Back in August, I took a family vacation to Ireland. There is a lot of open space on the Emerald 38 | November 2017

Isle, and it has been inhabited for a few thousand years or so. What I was impressed with was how well the tourism integrated with the residents and the landscape. We stayed on the tourist route pretty much with a few diversion stops. Folks were very welcoming, the bed and breakfasts seemed to be everywhere as well as the points of interest. Each point had parking, restrooms, a little gift shop, walking trails, plenty of historic learning and even a pub or two with a local musician. We never seemed to be left wanting for anything. Some may say that Ireland “sold out” to the tourists, but in reality, the tourism brings in the money, employs the locals and helps preserve the heritage, culture and landmarks that make Ireland a great place to visit.

Will this model work for Northern Virginia?

Will the historic sites, open landscapes, and quaint villages survive because of people enjoying the land?

The folks that settled in our open western lands

in the 1700s were British royalty. They chose this area because the landscape was similar to Northern England. That feel of countryside with open lands, stone walls, horses, agriculture and tranquility still remains and can continue if the land is respected and the history is promoted. Having folks visit the castles in Ireland helped with funding the restoration of the castles as well as the knowledge of the heritage. In many cases, this kind of tourism is already happening with Morven Park, Oatlands and other historic sites in the area.

This region will continue to grow with new housing, retail and commercial space. By finding the right locations for each, redeveloping our urban areas and recognizing the consequences of the actions of each kind of development, we can make a more sustainable landscape for future generations.

Let’s keep working together so we all get “a win” now and for the future.

Old Town Crier

GRAPEVINE FROM PAGE 37

nuts and stinky cheese. Ciders available in the tasting rooms.

(Old Hills Cider also ships – contact them directly to order).

It’s So Agro.

Virginia’s hard ciders are almost all small-scale productions using local apples. Old Hill Cider gets fruit from its family-owned Showalter Orchards, which has been in business 50 years.

Albemarle CiderWorks, near Charlottesville, specializes in growing apples that thrive in Albemarle County. Foggy Ridge grows cider apples you’d never snack on; ones with high-acid and hightannin lend more complexity than the ubiquitous McIntosh and Gala.

At these cideries, each bottle comes from an orchard, not a large-producer apple juice concentrate stripped of color, aroma and oftentimes, sadly, even flavor.

MORE NORTHERN VIRGINIA CIDERIES TO CHECK OUT Cobbler Mountain Cellars (5909 Long Fall Ln, Delaplane; cobblermountain. com) – Red Delicious rules here, with added flavors of maple syrup, oranges, honey, hops, blackberries and more.

Corcoran Vineyards and Cider (14635 Corky’s Farm Ln, Waterford;corcorancider. com) – With ciders ranging from off-dry to seriously sweet, there’s something for everyone.

BEYOND NOVA These two are a little farther afield, but Cider pilgrims won’t want to miss out.

Bold Rock Cider (1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy, Nellysford; boldrock.com) – In just a half dozen years, two smart guys grew a local cidery into the largest independent cider producer in the U.S. Beautiful venue for tastings.

Foggy Ridge Cider (1328 State Rd 656, Dugspur; foggyridgecider.com) – Owner Diane Flynt has been nominated for James Beard Awards three times for her commitment to artisanal cider, nurturing the return of many heritage apples, and tirelessly promoting Virginia’s cider industry.

For a complete list of Virginia cideries, go to VirginiaWineInMyPocket. com

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Nancy Bauer is co-owner of Virginia Wine in My Pocket, a travel website and smartphone app for Virginia Wine Country.

Contact her at Nancy@ VaWineInMyPocket.com

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History of Veterans Day

W

orld War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially

40 | November 2017

recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production.

Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.

The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Publishers Note: This piece provided in part by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Old Town Crier

SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE PEGGIE ARVIDSON

Doing Hard Things

“You can do hard things.”

This phrase first came up as I was talking with a friend who hiked from rim to rim in the Grand Canyon -- in one hike -- it took more than 12 hours but she did it. And in the retelling, she told me the biggest takeaway was that she can do hard things.

I’ve been thinking about this in terms of life. I’ve been thinking about all the things we tell ourselves we just can’t do -- “have more than enough money” “find and live with a true love” or “have a career that’s satisfying”.

The thing is - you can. I can.

However, all the mindset talk in the world won’t change your situation if you don’t go a little deeper.

You’ve got to get beyond wanting the thing and repeating to yourself that you can have the thing -you have to move into the doing of the thing.

For instance, with money, people always say they want more money (who doesn’t?) but when you start to outline all the things to do to earn and receive that money they shake their hands, scrunch up their lips and say “EWWW”. They don’t want to work that hard.

They want money and they want it easily. So they repeat the mantra.

(And trust me...I’ve done that...sometimes years on end...just ask all my creditors how well that worked!)

Then we get an outcome in our head and don’t want to “settle” for less. Let’s say you’re a person who only has a dollar at the end of the month and you want more money in the bank each month. You set your sights on $10,000 for next month - because, you know, everyone tells you can do it.

(And you absolutely can do it - BECAUSE YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!) However, if you balk at changing what you’ve been doing to bring in the cash (that’s netting you a dollar at the end of the month) because whatever you need to do to increase your month-end cash to $100 or $10,000 is too uncomfortable, you just won’t do it.

Old Town Crier

It’s not because you can’t, it’s because in your hierarchy of priorities you don’t want to (or maybe your life at the moment just won’t let you do the hard things - but either way - the change is hard. Inertia is a powerful thing) Here’s a simple example: I have wanted to entertain in my home for a while but my house is pretty messy for various reasons. Bottom line -- I just didn’t feel like making time in my day to clean the house.

I really wanted to entertain, so much so that I proceeded to give invitations to my neighbors for a happy hour. My house was still in need of a deep cleaning and all my mantras about having a clean house and mopped floors weren’t doing jack.

You see, for me, mopping the floor is a HARD THING. I’ll gladly cut down a tree and bundle it all into piles for re-use before I’ll get out a mop bucket and do the floors.

Still. I wanted clean floors. I knew what I had to do to have clean floors. I knew I wasn’t going to like

doing it. (It was hard for me - not physically, just mentally I guess). I went out and bought myself a new mop (because I thought part of what I hated was the old mop -- it wasn’t) and I filled up the bucket. And I mopped the dang floors. I swore the whole time that I would never again have tile like the tile we currently have.

As I was finishing the last square, my dear friend who has gone through the hell of medical emergencies for the past 3 and half months called to talk. She is a soul sister of the deepest meaning. She has had medical procedures and diagnoses that I can’t imagine enduring and she is still funny, deep, spiritual and amazing. As we talked about her current situation we concluded that she can do some seriously hard stuff.

I told her about the mopping and that I was thinking it’s all the same - (but not at all) - wrapping our heads around doing the hard stuff. We agreed that the key to doing hard stuff is to choose to do it, not to wait for it to change.

Because without that choice - to do one thing differently - no matter how hard it is to take action we stay where we are.

So I want to remind you-you can do hard stuff. But you don’t have to do all the hard stuff.

If you want 10 grand in your bank account - and you know WHY you do and what it will do for you and your life - then by all means - do the hard stuff.

If, however, you decide you really want an extra $150 each month to feel whole and complete - don’t sweat the 10 grand hard stuff and only do the hard stuff for that extra 150.

You see, doing the hard stuff requires you to decide which hard stuff is of greatest value to you and to be okay with your choice. Let yourself off the hook for the stuff you don’t REALLY want and focus on doing the hard stuff for your true purpose and self.

Are you at a crossroads and need to make some serious decisions?

If you’re feeling stuck at work, in love or in general, it can feel impossible to get out of your own way.

Peggie helps you assess your situation, using ancient and modern tools to help you move forward with a specific plan of action.

Private Sessions are available by phone or Skype.

PeggieArvidson.com Peggie@peggiearvidson.com November 2017 | 41

FITNESS

NICOLE FLANAGAN

Staying Fit For The Start Of The Holiday Season

N

ovember marks the beginning of the holiday season. This is the time of year when we start making all those yummy baked goods and delicious homemade soups. Instead of letting all this wonderful food catch up to us this year, let’s make a goal to maintain our fitness routine. Fall is also the best

time to get yourself back into a fitness routine and gear up for the cooler months ahead.

Hopefully everyone has been able to stick with his or her routine, however, in case you are starting to falter from your schedule, here are some tips to keep you motivated for the next month.

I’m sure that some of you

have had a little extra time to set aside for your workout now that the kids are back in school.

Just remember that dedicated workout times are great but you can get your exercise other ways as well. You don’t necessarily have to set aside a whole hour to workout.

Exercising can actually be a lot of fun. Wondering what to

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42 | November 2017

do on a Saturday afternoon?

Look for an activity that suits the whole family! Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it.

If you get bored, try something new. If you’re moving, it counts!

Exercise helps us deal with stress and can increase the energy we have to deal with all of our daily activities. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Use regular exercise as a way to improve your own well-being and as a way to keep with your busy life. If your weekdays are anything like mine you are running around from the minute you wake up in the morning until you climb into bed at night. While exercise can help you have more energy throughout the day it can also help you sleep better at night.

Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you, but if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep. When you sleep better at night you wake up feeling more energized

for the day. Having a good night’s sleep can improve your productivity, mood and concentration.

As if there weren’t enough good reasons to exercise, here is another one that will keep you motivated through the cooler months. Exercise helps improve your immune system.

We are exposed to viruses and germs every day. As the weather gets cooler we tend to spend less time outdoors and more time inside. The average adult will get sick with a cold about two times a year. Some people are less susceptible to becoming sick because their immune systems are stronger. More and more research is finding a link between moderate, regular exercise and a strong immune system. Regular exercise has been linked to a positive immune system response and a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria.

It is believed that regular, consistent exercise can lead to substantial benefits in immune system health over the longterm.

With the holiday’s right around the corner and things becoming more hectic we can all count on exercise as one way to de-stress and stay healthy.

Aside from the many benefits I have mentioned already I’m sure that you have come to find that exercise is something that can help many aspects of our busy lives. Whether you work out to distress from work, keep up with your family, or simply for the feeling of a good hard workout, exercise is something that you can always fall back on.

Old Town Crier

FROM THE TRAINER RYAN UNVERZAGT

❶

❷

FITBALL LEG CURL This month’s exercise is the FitBall Leg Curl. This exercise focuses on the hamstrings, but also involves the glutes, low-back, and spinal extensor muscles. Begin by lying flat on your back with your legs straight. Position the center of the FitBall underneath your heels. Lift the hips up by contracting your glutes and low-back. You should form a straight line from your shoulders to the feet. Arms can be parallel at your sides or out perpendicular (like a “T”) for better balance. This is the start and finish position.

Slowly roll the FitBall toward yourself using your hamstrings while maintaining the bridge position. Do not let your hips drop during the exercise. Keep the movement controlled as you roll the ball back to the start position. The slower you go, the more difficult the exercise.

An advanced move is to perform this exercise with a single leg. From the bridge position, lift one foot off the FitBall a few inches while the other leg does all the work!

This simple maneuver takes much more effort and focus.

You will appreciate how much balance is required even though you are lying down!

I hope you are keeping up with your exercise routine going into the holiday season, will make it a lot easier to justify eating your way through Thanksgiving! Have a good one.

Unverzagt holds Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Old Town Crier

November 2017 | 43

FIRST BLUSH

JACKIE EDWARDS

Easy Tips for Perfect Skin

D

o you worry about your skin looking dull and lifeless? Many people today, especially women, worry about the appearance of their skin and spend lots of money on products which promise youthful, soft skin. However, there are many simple and inexpensive things you can do to get perfect, glowing and healthy skin without blowing the budget. Here are five simple tips to get your skin glowing:

1) The Importance of Nutrition We all know that what you eat and how much you drink greatly affects your energy levels. However, nutrition also

affects the skin, which can look dry and suffer from breakouts if we don’t follow a healthy diet or allow ourselves to get dehydrated. A good skincare regimen will never balance out the effects of bad nutrition.

Make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and choose whole foods instead of refined foods.

Whole foods are packed with nutrients and provide us with everything our body needs, such as minerals, vitamins and fibers. They can also help you lose weight and clear up your digestive tract, as they are low in added fats and sugar. Our skin is around 64% water, so the best way to hydrate it is from the inside. Dehydration will make your skin dry and flaky, and also more prone to

Experience the Difference

wrinkles. Drink lots of water to prevent under eye circles and bags, prevent aging and wrinkles and repress acne.

You also need to be drinking around eight large glasses of water per day. This roughly means around 64 oz. Drinking lots of water not only keeps your skin healthy but also helps your digestive system and strengthens hair and nails.

2) Wash Your Face Every Night Although this can sometimes feel like a chore, it’s an essential step in your daily skincare routine. Makeup residues can cause breakouts and make your skin dull.

Furthermore, washing your face each night helps you remove dead cells and dry skin. The best part? It only takes a few minutes each night to wash your face, so you really have no excuse to skip it.

3) Natural Skincare is Better Cosmetics are filled with harmful chemicals, and America seems to be particularly behind in the game. Not only are cosmetics not required to have FDA approval, but America has banned only a few of the 1200 substances that have been

banned in Europe. Read up on natural skincare and try to be as educated as possible; this will help you identify good choices in facial moisturizers, masks, scrubs and washes.

Technology can also help you: apps such as Think Dirty quickly rate your skincare products on a scale of toxicity from one to ten. You may be surprised to find out that some drugstore facial products are actually better and more natural that other very expensive ones. Become an aware consumer and go for a natural skincare routine. Your skin will thank you for it.

4) Stop Smoking Smoking is terrible for your skin, as well as for your whole body, affecting teeth, nails, lungs and generally worsening your health. It speeds up the aging process, causing premature wrinkles. It gets worse too. Smoking also gives you uneven coloring, dry, coarse skin and baggy eyelids.

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. So do yourself (and the people around you) a favor and just quit. Seek medical help if necessary.

5) Limit Sunlight Exposure Too much sunlight can

dry out your skin, making it dry and wrinkly. Excessive exposure is also a big factor in causing skin cancer. Do not expose yourself to the sun during the hottest hours of the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. And when you do spend time in the sun, use lots of high protection sunscreen and wear a large hat. Remember to reapply every two hours or so and be generous with the quantities. In fact for the highest level of sun protection, you should actually wear sunscreen every day. Also, remember that the upcoming winter sun can be as potent as the summer sun.

So there you have our top tips for healthy and glowing skin. Remember to be consistent with your skincare routine and you will soon see results. Even if you haven’t adopted a good skincare routine up to now, it’s never too late to start. Start following these tips today and enjoy wonderfully healthy and youthful looking skin.

After taking a career sabbatical to become a mother, Edwards now writes full time on health, beauty and wellness. She loves making her own versions of store bought beauty products and has an interest in holistic skincare.

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Old Town Crier

GO FISH

STEVE CHACONAS

Bass Tournament Angler OR Guide? Or Both?

T

ournament bass fishing offers income from winnings and sponsors.

Not many make a very good living from this occupation. Expenses and prize money don’t often allow them to break even. Guiding is another way to cast for cash. Expenses, limited season and licensing keep this from becoming a lucrative endeavor.

Why not do both?

A good number of recreational anglers opt for tournament fishing at some level. Many dream of turning their hobby into a career. Former full-time toplevel pro Pete Gluszek fished the FLW and B.A.S.S. trails with an impressive 4 wins, more than 30 top ten finishes and appearances in both championship events. At the peak of his career, Gluszek fished 15 tournaments a year.

Many pros round out their tournament time with part time jobs or with guiding.

Tournaments and guiding require fishing skills, but that’s where the similarity ends. Fishing pro tours since 1996, Gluszek says his mission was simple. “I have to do my job and that means catching everything I possibly can, bringing every ounce to the scale.”

Dabbling in guiding about 10 years ago coincided with a cutback in his tournament schedule. Today, Gluszek fishes 3 events a year and guides a bit. In the beginning, he took around 10 guide trips

Bass Pro Pete Gluszek. a year to fill in gaps between tournaments. More recently he was doing around 100 trips a year. Guiding is unlike tournament fishing. The focus is on clients and each client is different. “I want my clients to advance their fishing to have the best chance to catch a fish.”

Often this entails teaching everything from basics, like casting, to advanced strategy tactics. He admits there’s crossover with fishing skills.

Gluszek says guiding on his home water has some advantages. Less time is available to “pre-fish” which is fine since he knows his home waters. Rather than preparation, he relies on history and extensive experience. He must evaluate quickly if the fish are where they should be and if they are biting. Locating fish in real time keeps client confidence up. But sometimes he has to revert to tournament mode to accomplish this, fishing focused and intently. “I fish

somewhat aggressively once things get tight…once fish are located and patterned, I can go back to teaching and focusing on my clients.” A day on the water is a continuous back and forth between focusing on the fish and focusing on the client.

Even though tournament competition is tough, Gluszek says the time pressure on guiding is intense. “It’s all about using time as efficiently as possible so they can learn more effectively.”

Participating in tournaments as well as guiding comes with drawbacks. Good habits for a guide are bad habits for a tournament angler. Switching gears from guiding where he is focused on clients to competitive fishing, where he must focus on only the fish, is challenging. Boat positioning is different for clients, as their casting skills require them to be closer. Something as simple as parallel casts to banks has to be relearned by the pro. No more Mr. Nice Guy, Gluszek puts on his game face. “You can make mistakes or miss opportunities because you are fishing like a guide.”

Avoiding his home waters for fishing tournaments is part of being a good guide.

This allows him to spend time on his best spots, rather than saving them for tournament day. Opting out of tournaments prevents him from competing against possible and potential clients fishing the same event, which could cost him guide business. It’s also

counterproductive, as his spots and successful fishing strategies have been revealed to his clients. Additionally, if he wins, some would cry foul, as he is a guide. No win? His credibility as a pro is challenged.

Gluszek says not catching fish is unacceptable as a guide.

“I feel like I didn’t do my job well.” Successful tournament anglers are always making decisions. Guiding provides benefits for tournament performance as the sense of urgency to make decisions is elevated. Prior to guiding, Gluszek says he might have lingered too long in unproductive spots.

Pete Gluszek has added the highly successful The Bass University to his resume.

Known today as the “Dean”, he continues to teach fishing skills and techniques in the

classroom, online and on the water. He admits he has benefitted from the teaching side of fishing, winning a tournament and taking 5 top ten finishes, while only fishing 3 events a year. “Learning to find fish fast and relocating fish has improved my tournament angling.” But can you be a tournament angler and a guide? Gluszek sums it up. “To compete at the highest level, focus on tournaments.

To be a great guide, focus on guiding. You can be good at both, but you can’t be great at both.”

Author Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac bass fishing guide & contributing writer for BoatU.S. (BoatUS.com) Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: info@NationalBass.com.

Potomac River Bassing in November Cool water starts the month with cold water by the end.

Using suspending Lucky Craft Pointer 98 or 100 jerkbaits can entice fish through the month. Varying the length of pauses and choosing bigger size for deeper applications make this a versatile fish catcher this month.

Cranking comes into full swing. Start the month by covering water, looking for grass remnants, with a Mann’s Baby 1-Minus. By the end of the month find deeper hard cover with a Mann’s Baby-X crankbait. Use 12-pound test Gamma Edge. Replace trebles with Mustad KVD short shank triple grips.

Texas rig with Mizmo tubes on 3/0 Mustad Mega Bite hooks. Soak in garlic Jack’s Juice Bait Spray. Start with 14-pound Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line and downsize, as water gets colder.

Mann’s Classic spinnerbaits cover water. Use ¼ ounce for grass cover and 3/8 for contacting deeper wood cover. Also slow roll near drops with a 3/8 Colorado willow combo. Use white skirts on 12 pound test Gamma Edge.

Old Town Crier

November 2017 | 45

OPEN SPACE

LORI WELCH BROWN

Shining a Light on Darkness

L

ike me, I’m sure your heart is breaking over the recent attack in Las Vegas. For the life of me, I cannot get my brain around how someone could open fire into a crowd of innocent people. How did it happen? WHY did it happen?

And how can we keep it from happening again? Those are the bazillion dollar questions to which none of us seem to have answers, and it is disturbing on so many levels.

The Wednesday after the shooting, I boarded a plane to Florida to check in on my 87 year old dad who had taken a fall which resulted in a broken pelvic bone. My husband XXL and I generally travel together, but this was to be a quick trip just to help out so I went solo. I was a bit nervous and anxious to start with as it was my first trip since having surgery myself, and I just wasn’t feeling great. The day I arrived, my dad’s significant other and I butted heads—as has been known to happen. We are both strong, independent and somewhat controlling women who happen to love and care 46 | November 2017

for the same man, albeit in different ways. The argument ended with her storming out of my dad’s room. She was stressed and overwhelmed. I was angry and frustrated.

That night I went back to my hotel room and although XXL was only a phone call away, I felt very alone.

Alone with my thoughts in a hotel room. My head was spinning in a million different directions. Mentally tired and physically exhausted, my mind went to dark places. If she and I couldn’t get along now, what would happen if/ when my dad was critically ill and/or near the end? What if this WAS the beginning of the end? What if there were lifesaving or critical care decisions to be made? I tried to distract myself with the hotel TV, but my mind wouldn’t let me. Modern Family wouldn’t be enough to pull me back to my happy place. My usual balancing connections, my husband and my fur babies, were hundreds of miles away. I couldn’t glance over at the picture of my mom on my nightstand for comfort. I couldn’t wrap

myself up in my favorite fleece blanket that has all my familiar smells. I couldn’t shuffle out to my kitchen and put on a pot of chamomile tea to calm my nerves or soak in my tub. All I had was that empty hotel room and the few things I had packed.

I walked into the hotel bathroom, grabbed my lavender oil and put a drop on my wrists to help me relax and went back to bed, but sleep would not come. The negative thoughts were like Nascar drivers on a track, whirring, spinning, and crashing out of control. I could hear every hotel noise.

The nothingness noises of an occasional door opening and closing, the hum of the air conditioning. In that moment, all I could think about was the Vegas gunman, Paddock, alone in that hotel room with the darkest thoughts imaginable for three long days plotting to kill. What noises did he hear? Who was he thinking about? What dark thoughts were racing through his mind? What kind of pain had he endured in his lifetime that would make him want

to inflict so much pain on the world? Was he watching something on the TV that kept fueling his anger? Three days alone with those dark thoughts. Three days to build and plan and plot. Three days to envision the senseless murders of countless people.

I began to wonder who was in the hotel rooms on either side of me. Were they happy people on vacation with their families or deranged psychopaths? I wanted to get up out of the darkness, knock on their doors and say, “Hi, I’m Lori. I just need to look in your eyes for a moment and know you. I’m your neighbor.

I am a fellow human being and we are connected by more than this hallway.”

We may never know what was going on in the dark recesses of Paddock’s mind, but I know that whatever he was hoping to achieve, he failed. In the end, he brought people together and made them stronger. He may have caused unbearable loss, but he made heroes out of every day people and turned strangers into lifelong friends. Love wins. Every time. We are not

only Vegas strong, we are World strong. We cannot be divided. If you are walking this Earth, we are connected, you and I. I want to hear about your dark thoughts and understand your pain. I want to comfort you in whatever way I can and not judge you— which will be hard because I can be “judgy” like that. I am not a religious person, but I need the religion of community and connection right now. Let us not be alone with our dark thoughts.

Throw open the door, step out into the brightness and then reach out and offer a hand to pull your neighbor out with you. Spread the light. Spread the love. One light at a time.

This day and every day, I’m grateful for all of our service men and women, as well as all the first responders and the everyday heroes all around us.

Happy Thanksgiving. Let your light shine through this holiday season. Let’s make a commitment to never meet a stranger and make everyone a neighbor.

Old Town Crier

NATIONAL HARBOR

LANI GERING

Heading Into the Holidays W ell……I re-read my November columns from the last few years and it seems that there is a common theme. Every year I try to do my best to avoid starting up with the Holiday Hype - with the exception of Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving – but this year there really isn’t any way to avoid it. The weekly free workout and yoga sessions are done for the season, just like the Friday Night Fun and the Saturday concerts and the weekly movies on the plaza season ended. The only things of any consequence that are happening here in the Harbor this month (other than the fact that it is just a cool place to live and visit in general) are centered around the Christmas season.

The Harbor Tree Lighting takes place on the 12th and the Gaylord Resort kicks off ICE 2017 and Christmas on the Potomac on the 18th! We will have barely done our duty as good Americans and voted – Election Day is the 7th – and honored our Veterans – Veterans Day is the 11th - and aren’t even close to turkey and dressing time – Thanksgiving isn’t until the 23rd - before we are lighting trees and sitting on Santa’s lap. I do have to give some kudos to my friends in Old Town Alexandria, they aren’t lighting the big tree at City Hall until the 24th! As a matter of fact, as I write this column, Halloween is still 5 days away! Guess you are getting the picture – I’m not really ready to jump into the deep end of the holiday pool yet. I’m sure I will go through an attitude change after I take my annual ride down the ICE! Slide at the media day opening on the 17th.

I do want to give a big Thanksgiving shout out to Stonewall Kitchen here in the Harbor. Those of you who have been following this section of the Old Town Crier know that I am a huge fan of this store. I was ordering out of

Old Town Crier

"The Kiss"

Conservatory at the MGM Grand

Stonewall Kitchen their catalog for years before I moved to the east coast and was so happy when I was able to just walk into this beautiful store. They have such a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving edibles along with their impressive dishware and linens. Make this a go to

place for those things that will make your holiday dinners extra special.

I understand that there is a lot of competition for retail $$$ during the holidays and it makes some sense to stagger the tree lightings, etc. in order to give people the opportunity to attend both events and the opportunity to spend some of those coveted $$$ not just once, but twice. It is definitely a great marketing ploy.

Remember, we have the MGM Grand added to the mix this holiday season. They celebrate their first anniversary on December 8th and they also have some great entertainment lined up during the holidays. Bruno Mars is even coming

back! I am so looking forward to seeing what holiday theme the Conservatory will take on this year.

As a matter of fact, check out the fall décor that is gracing the space now – it is impressive.

All of the above being said, see the next page for the November holiday happenings. Keep in mind that many of the events are ongoing through New Year’s Day. We will publish a calendar of the events in the upcoming December issue for your quick reference.

In the meantime, don’t forget to go vote on the 7th, Salute our Veterans on the 11th and have a very Happy Thanksgiving on the 23rd!

November 2017 | 47

NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE AC LOUNGE 156 Waterfront Street 301-749-2299 BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445 BRASS TAP 164 Fleet Street 301-965-9116 BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8860 CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet Street 301-839-1100 CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 158 National Plaza 301-749-2016 CRAB CAKE CAFE 140 National Plaza 240-766-2063 ELEVATION BURGER 108 Waterfront Street 301-749-4014 FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE 152 National Plaza 301-839-1811 GRACES MANDARIN 188 Waterfront Street

301-839-3788 GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY 200 American Way 240-493-3900 IRISH WHISPER 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8859 McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224 McLOONES PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 NANDO’S PERI-PERI 191 American Way 301-567-8900 NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com PIENZA ITALIAN MARKET Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000

gaylordnational.com POTBELLY SANDWICH WORKS 146 National Plaza 301-686-1160 PUBLIC HOUSE 199 Fleet Street 240-493-6120 REDSTONE AMERICAN GRILL 155 National Plaza 301-839-3330 ROSA MEXICANA 135 Waterfront Street 301-567-1005 SAUCIETY AMERICAN GRILL 171 Waterfront Street 240-766-3640 SUCCOTASH 168 Waterfront Street 301-567-8900 THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022 WALRUS OYSTER & ALE HOUSE 152 Waterfront Street 301-567-6100

NEW WATER TAXI

Connecting The Wharf with Alexandria

Experience new shops, dining and entertainment, just 25 minutes from Old Town by water.

Frequent Departures | One-way & Roundtrip

POTOMAC RIVERBOAT COMPANY PotomacRiverboatCo.com | 703.684.0580

The Harbor is Heating Up for the Holidays National Harbor Calendar of Events - November 2017 ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING & FIREWORKS Waterfront Street & The Plaza November 12th 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm

CHRISTMAS ON THE POTOMAC KICK-OFF

The Harbor starts celebrating the Holidays with a fun line up for your afternoon and evening.

2:00: Santa’s Frosty Follies 2:00-5:00: Card making for our deployed troops 3:00: Holiday Movie 3:00: Dog pictures with Santa at The Black Dog 4:00: Santa at the Carousel 5:30: Radio King Orchestra 6:30: Tree lighting & fireworks program starts 7:00: Santa in the tent on the Capital Wheel pier 7:00: Radio King Orchestra 7:00: Holiday “Harbor Eats” at participating restaurants

Gaylord National Resort November 18th Everything happens within the confines of the Resort making this a great one stop adventure.

Below are some highlights of what is taking place. For detailed information log on to ChristmasOnThePotomac.com.

ICE! – Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - Open Daily through January 1st JOY – A Holiday Spectacular - Live Entertainment Every night except Wednesday 6:30, 7:30 & 8:30 Tree Lighting and Laser Light Show Following JOY. Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Breakfast Experience- Pienza Christmas Village – Ice skating, Cookies with Mrs. Claus, carousel & train rides, Build-A Bear Workshop, gift shop and more!

ONGOING IN THE HARBOR Saturdays through December 23rd 1 – 2 pm – Live Holiday Entertainment on the Plaza | 1 – 3 pm – Street Performers throughout the Harbor 2 – 4 pm – Santa at the Carousel & Capitol Wheel | 2 – 4 pm – Holiday Moves on the Big Screen

48 48 || November November 2017 2017

OldTownCrier Old Town Crier

stonewall kitchen

Celebrate the holida y season with our dail y

Holi - d e a l s !

Visit us online or in

store for details.

170 American Way | National Harbor, MD | 301.749.6902

stonewallkitchen.com

The Washington, D.C. Region’s Must-See Holiday Attraction Returns!

November 18, 2017 – January 1, 2018 ICE! is an indoor winter wonderland featuring: • Walk-through ice sculpture attration, kept at a chilly 9 degrees • Depicts the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Tickets Starting at*

32

$

* ADULT

(ages 12+)

24

$

* CHILD

(ages 4-11)

Military Discounts Available

Tickets and Packages on Sale Now! ChristmasOnThePotomac.com |

(301) 965-4000

• Enjoy four two-story ice slides

Also, don’t miss JOY – a new live musical atrium show, part of Christmas On The Potomac.

Located in National Harbor, MD –Just minutes from Washington, D.C. and across the river from Old Town Alexandria.

ICE! PRESENTED BY

PRESENTED BY

*All ticket prices are subject to 10% entertainment tax and transaction fee per ticket which is automatically added at the time of purchase. Package pricing, components, show schedules and entertainment subject to change without notice. See website for restrictions. PEPSI, PEPSICOLA and the Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC. FUJIFILM and INSTAX are trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation and its affiliates. © 2017 FUJIFILM North America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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