Old Town Crier- December 2016 Full Issue

Since 1988 • Priceless

December 2016

From the Bay to the Blue Ridge

Road Trip

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Grapevine

HOLIDAYS IN THE VINEYARDS Business Profile

THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC 3rd Generation Driving the Sleigh Dining Out

FISH MARKET OLD TOWN Eat Fish, Drink Beer, Live Longer!

Across the River

NATIONAL HARBOR ICE, ICE Baby! oldtowncrier.com

A Division of Crier Media Group OTC Media LLC PO Box 320386 Alexandria, VA 22320 703. 836.0132

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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

A Bit of History After Hours

Alexandria Events DESIGN & PRODUCTION Electronic Ink Art & Antiques 9 Royal Street, SE Leesburg, VA 20175 703.669.5502 Chris Anderson Peggie Arvidson Sarah Becker Frank Britt Bonnie Browning F. Lennox Campello Steve Chaconas Doug Coleman Jimmy Deaton Doug Fabbioli Nicole Flanagan

CONTRIBUTORS Lani Gering Miriam Kramer Sarah Liu Jeff McCord Julie Reardon Chester Simpson Bob Tagert Carl Trevisan Ryan Unverzagt Lori Welch Brown

Behind the Bar

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Dining Out

30

National Harbor

Egg Nog Recipe

39

On the Road

1

Exploring Virginia Wines

38

Open Space

46

47

15

Financial Focus

Pets of the Month

17

28

First Blush

45

Points on Pets

16

5

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Fitness

40

Publisher’s Notes

Caribbean Connection

18

From the Bay…

22

Road Trip

20

Chef’s Special

34

From the Trainer

41

Spiritual Renaissance

43

Christmas Calories

39

Gallery Beat

14

The Last Word

10

Christmas Trivia

27

Go Fish

42

… To the Blue RIdge

24

Civil Discourse

9

Grapevine

36

Urban Garden

Dining Guide

32

High Notes

11

Business Profile

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© 2016 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 as well as St. John, USVI.

About the cover On the road with OTC The Old Town Crier family wishes you and yours a safe, happy and peacful holiday season and new year.

Our publisher and our good friends and longtime Old Town Crier readers, Kathleen McMannus and Dan Burns, checking out issues from over the years during a visit to their waterfront home in Noank, Connecticut. After many years away from the area, Kathleen and Dan now split their time between Connecticut and National Harbor.

If you would like to see your picture here, take the OTC with you on your next trip, snap a high resolution photo and send it along with information for the caption to office@oldtowncrier.com. Happy Trails!

OldTownCrier

December 2016 | 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTES

BOB TAGERT

Featured Events: City of Alexandria Tree Lighting Ceremony November 25

46th Annual Campagna Center Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend Parade December 3

Del Ray Artisans’ 21st Annual Holiday Market December 2-4, 9-11 16 and 16-18

17th Annual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights December 3

W

ell, we barely made it through the election and are coming up on the end of 2016. Lord knows what our world will be like next year this time, but I, for one, have had enough of political discord. Let us all look forward to the holiday season and time with those we love.

If you are out and about shopping, check out some of the offers in the ads in this issue and shop locally. There are a bunch of great stores in Old Town. If you are looking for that gift that keeps on giving, check out the Pearmund

Cellars ad on the inside back cover. For $199 you can order the twelve wines of Christmas for the holidays. If you order it for someone else, make sure that they like to share because there are some very good wines in this package.

Speaking of wines, Happy 3rd Anniversary to our friends Bill and Caroline Ross and River Bend Restaurant and Wine Bar. For this month’s Road Trip I stayed in Alexandria, as is my habit for December. I like being home for the holidays. This is a beautiful town that is changing rapidly. There is new development on the waterfront while three burger restaurants are within five blocks of each other! Think of Old Town when you set out to celebrate the holidays — when hunger strikes or you want an adult beverage. There are all kinds of great restaurants and bars to choose from. Our favorites are all advertising in this issue!

Many thanks to you all for reading the Old Town Crier and to all who support us with advertising dollars. We wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for all of you. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season!

Historic Alexandria Candlelight Tours December 10

Waterskiing Santa December 24

First Night Alexandria

AN ALEXANDRIA

December 31 De

Old Town Alexandria is filled with nostalgic wonder during the holiday season as old fashioned holiday traditions fill the air with cheer. Learn more about upcoming events, plus why Alexandria is the region’s Shop Small headquarters at VisitAlexandriaVA.com/Holidays.

EXTRAORDINARY

VisitAlexandriaVA.com/holidays

2 | December 2016

ORIGINAL! Alexandria’s Renowned Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar Featuring Creole and Cajun Specialties

JOIN THE TRADITION!

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OldTownCrier

2, 3 & 10 46TH ANNUAL CAMPAGNA CENTER SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS WALK WEEKEND & PARADE Admission: Free for parade, Heather and Green sales; $110-$290 for Taste of Scotland; $35 for Designer Tour of Homes; $20 for Deck the Halls with Santa Don’t miss Old Town Alexandria’s most spectacular holiday weekend. In 1749, the City of Alexandria was officially established by three Scottish merchants and named after its original founder, John Alexander, also of Scottish descent.

Today, the city continues celebrating its heritage with a weekend of festivities.

The iconic Scottish Christmas Walk Parade takes place on Saturday, December 3, at 11 a.m., when dozens of Scottish clans dressed in colorful tartans will parade through the streets of Old Town, joined by pipe and drum bands from around the region, as well

as terriers and hounds.703-549-0111 www.campagnacenter.org/ scottishwalkweekend. More weekend events include a Taste of Scotland (December 2), Heather and Greens sale (December 2-3), the Campagna Center’s Holiday Designer Tour of Homes (December 3), and Deck the Halls with Santa (December 10). The Campagna Center partners with Mazda North America, the Scottish Government, Passport Auto, the St. Andrews Society, and the City of Alexandria to host the annual parade. Consistently ranked by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the top 20 events in the South, this event has grown from a small informal parade to an entire weekend filled with events and festivities. #SCWW16 2&3 MOUNT VERNON BY CANDLELIGHT 5-8 p.m.

Admission: $24 for adults; $16 for youth George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy 703-780-2000 www.mountvernon.org/candlelight This holiday season, experience Mount Vernon in the soft glow of candlelight!

Come join the estate for candlelit characterguided tours of the first and second floors of the mansion, 18th-century dancing and fireside caroling. Guests will hear about the Washingtons’ holiday cooking and see a reproduction of Martha’s Great Cake. “Mrs. Washington” and Aladdin the Christmas camel will also be on-site.

OldTownCrier

Alexandria DECEMBER TOURS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS

2 – 17 THE LITTLE THEATRE OF ALEXANDRIA’S “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” Various times Admission: $17 The Little Theatre of Alexandria 600 Wolfe Street 703-683-0496 www.thelittletheatre.com

are popular in countries across the pond like Germany and France. Traditionally, the markets would transform outdoor town centers where vendors would take up shop in small wooden stalls. Similarly, the Alexandria Holiday Market will encourage shoppers to “shop outside the box” and come outdoors to the festival to find unique art and craft items and enjoy sweets and mulled wine. To help get into the holiday spirit, shoppers will also be treated to live entertainment from local musicians. The Alexandria Holiday Market will cater to the whole family and feature a special children’s corner with special activities for kids, including Santa.

3 17TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS 5:30 p.m.

Admission: Free Waterfront at the foot of Cameron Street near the Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union Street 703-746-3301 www.visitalexandriava.com/holidays On the first Saturday of December, at sundown on the day of the annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, Alexandria’s harbor lights up as dozens of illuminated boats cruise the Potomac River at the historic waterfront. The boats are always dressed to impress a panel of judges who will award prizes in a dozen categories including Best in Show,

Thinking Outside the Christmas Box, and Hardiest Souls. Tommy McFly of 94.7 Fresh FM is the parade announcer.

3 SCOTTISH WALK PARADE OPEN HOUSE AT CARLYLE HOUSE Noon-4 p.m.

Admission: Free ($1 suggested donation) Carlyle House 121 N. Fairfax Street 703-549-2997 apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/ activity_search/779 Step back in time to see Carlyle House ALEXANDRIA EVENTS > PAGE 12

The Little Theatre of Alexandria rings in the holiday season with a return of the classic by Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly Victorian humbug, travels with ghostly guides through Christmas past, present, and future to find the true meaning of the holidays.

Complete with special effects, Victorian carols, and Tiny Tim, “A Christmas Carol” is a must for the entire family.

2 – 4, 9 – 11, 16 – 18 DEL RAY ARTISANS’ 21ST ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET Fridays 6-9 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cost: Free to browse Del Ray Artisans 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue 703-838-4827 www.delrayartisans.org/event/holidaymarket-2016 Del Ray Artisans’ Annual Holiday Market offers unique handmade fine arts and crafts from local artists, including pottery/ ceramics, photography, jewelry, fiber, paper crafts and glass. Artists donate a percentage of their sales back to Del Ray Artisans to help support future exhibits and programs. Different artists will be featured each weekend!

3, 4 9 –11, 16 –22 ALEXANDRIA HOLIDAY MARKET 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Admission: Free to browse 300 John Carlyle Street www.alexandriaholidaymarket.com The highly anticipated Alexandria Holiday Market is modeled in similar fashion to Europe’s festive Christmas markets, which December 2016 | 3

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS OLD TOWN FARMERS MARKET

Happy Holidays from The Christmas Attic & The Urban Attic 125 South Union Street Alexandria, VA 703-548-2829

MARKET SQUARE • 301 KING ST SATURDAY 7 A.M. – NOON, YEAR ROUND Free parking in Market Square garage during market hours People who come to Alexandria on Saturday mornings find themselves in a busy plaza where local farmers and artists have been selling their products since 1753. Old Town Alexandria’s Market Square is thought to be one of the nation’s oldest continually operating farmers markets, serving as a primary source of meat, dairy, fish, fruits and vegetables for Alexandrians. George Washington sent his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold here. Today, the market offers folks a way to reconnect to the past, while participating in an ongoing local and national tradition.

DEL RAY FARMERS MARKET

CORNER OF E. OXFORD & MOUNT VERNON AVES SATURDAY 8 A.M. – NOON, YEAR ROUND The Del Ray Market is producer grown, with fresh vegetables and fruits in season. All year round, this market offers meats, eggs, fresh pasta and sauces, Amish cheese, yogurt, bakery goods, eggs, jams and jellies, fancy nuts and bakery goods.

NORTH MONTGOMERY PARK FARMERS MARKET NORTH MONTGOMERY PARK • 901 N. ROYAL ST THURSDAY 3 – 7 P.M., YEAR ROUND, WEATHER PERMITTING The market will feature local growers, bakers, and other area providers of wholesome foods including Twin Springs, Grace's Pastries, Bread & Water, and Relay Foods.

THE HOLIDAYS are just around the corner …

Shop Early.

Ship Early.

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Experience the Signature difference

822 King Street Old Town Alexandria 703.549.7167 [fax] 703.549.7168 www.vatopservices.com 4 | December 2016

We’re here for you and your family through every life stage with accounts for every generation. We invite you to join our family and see how we can make a difference in your financial life.

Join today at www.signaturefcu.org (use promo code OTC2016), and visit www.signaturefcu.org/products to view all our products. You can also contact us at (800) 336.0284 to speak with a member care team representative.

Federally insured by NCUA

OldTownCrier

BUSINESS PROFILE

The Christmas Attic

T

hose of you who are new to Old Town Alexandria might be thinking that The Christmas Attic is the second album by the TransSiberian Orchestra, a rock opera, and the second installment of their Christmas Trilogy. Since the mid-70’, The Christmas Attic store in Old Town has lived up to the opening line in the TSO’s classic song …

In this room where shadows live And ghosts that fail learn time forgives Welcome friends please stay a while Our story starts with one small child Who spends her nights in attics dark Where dreams are stored like sleeping hearts

In the early 1970s Nita Whitesel opened The Christmas Attic above her husband’s frame shop at 125 South Union Street in Old Town Alexandria.

There were a lot of galleries in Old Town back in those days and a frame shop was a good idea…buy a painting and go next door to have it framed.

Over time the galleries became fewer and business began to slow but The Christmas Attic was becoming very

OldTownCrier

popular. Nita and her family loved the spirit and joy of the holidays and she had been collecting Christmas ornaments her whole life, a tradition shared with her daughters, so she brought this spirit and excitement to her new enterprise. Her desire was to have a Christmas store that was open year round, and The Christmas Attic would be it.

When I came to Old Town in 1977 and eventually started the Old Town Crier, Nita was hard to miss. She was active in almost every committee, as Old Town became one of the most popular destinations in the 80’s. She was a mentor to everyone and a supporter of all. Under her leadership the business began to grow rapidly.

Soon the frame shop was gone and The Christmas Attic consumed two floors.

As the hay days of the 80s ran wild, The Christmas Attic opened three more stores — Norfolk, Virginia Beach and a second store in Old Town.

These stores also flourished, and about this time Nita’s daughters, Cheri and Fay, were graduating college and began to take an active roll in the business.

BOB TAGERT

Everyone in Old Town knew and loved this close-knit family and the holiday magic their stores brought year-round.

As the retail climate began to change in the late 90s and competition grew, the Christmas Attic stores evolved with the times. Then in 2006 disaster struck. Nita was diagnosed with a brain tumor and although she made a valiant effort she succumbed to her illness shortly thereafter. With the loss of their mother and growing families, the sisters had some hard decisions to make. After serious discussions they realized that a mega business was not what they wanted. With some long term employees retiring, it seemed the right time to downsize, return to their roots and have more time with their families. With their employees in mind, Fay and Cheri began the painful task of closing the satellite stores.

From 2006 to 2014, Cheri and Fay carried on their mother’s dream and managed The Christmas Attic together. During this time period the pair also opened up The Urban BUSINESS PROFILE > PAGE 44

December 2016 | 5

CARL TREVISAN, CFP© & STEPHEN BEARCE

FINANCIAL FOCUS

The Role of Dividend Paying Stocks

N

o matter your age or your approach to investing, there is one kind of investment that may be considered for your portfolio: dividendpaying stocks. That’s the opinion of Scott Wren, managing director and senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

While hardly the sexiest of investment choices, Wren says dividend-paying stocks may offer a difficult-to-beat combination — good quality

and a history of typically lower volatility than the overall market. He likens this kind of investment to the slower competitor in the classic fable of the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise is not flashy or speedy, but over the long haul, he runs a steady and rewarding race. Wren cites an impressive number in this regard. “During the past 80 years, about half of the market’s growth, as measured by the S&P 500®, has come from dividend-paying stocks.”

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The Essentials

Some investors equate dividend-paying stocks with “blue-chip” stocks, but Wren is quick to point out that these terms are not interchangeable.

While there are some longstanding, bellwether firms that pay dividends, such as AT&T and Johnson & Johnson, any number of large, high-profile social media and tech companies pay no dividends. They might be regarded as blue chip based on performance and growth potential, but they are not dividend-paying stocks.

Wren likens the presence of these stocks in your portfolio to breakfast items in your pantry. In the morning, you see staples such as namebrand coffee, cereals, and other breakfast foods, and you know the essentials are there. The quality is what you depend on, and you never have to think twice before starting your day right.

Not long ago, however, these stocks drew little interest and almost no enthusiasm.

“From 1995 to the early 2000s, they fell out of favor while the focus was on the tech boom,” says Wren. After that boom went bust, many investors were risk-averse. But with traditional conservative investment vehicles such as CDs (Time Accounts) yielding miniscule returns, investors started looking again at dividend-paying stocks.

Wren notes that 5% CD yields are not likely coming back any time soon, so the trend is likely to continue.

It’s important to note that CDs may offer guarantees and insurance not available in stock investing. Investing in dividend-paying stocks involves the possible risk of principal.

The Benefits

While younger investors typically may be better served by looking for greater growth at higher risk, Wren says, they also should consider having some dividend-paying stocks in their portfolio. The steady growth may have a payoff over time, especially if dividends are immediately reinvested in additional shares. For those approaching or in retirement, the scenario is a little different, and the importance of having this type of asset in your portfolio may be greater.

There’s another quality, sometimes overlooked, of many dividend-paying stocks. A large number of corporations that pay dividends have significant interest and investment in emerging and global markets, which gives you additional exposure to that potential growth as well as the risk of these economies. Wren says that the populace’s aspirations to reach the middle class in many countries translates to the production of commodities such as better hygiene products, higherquality food, more modern appliances, and other goods that enable a healthier and more productive lifestyle.

“Many of the name-brand, dividend-paying corporations consistently produce these kinds of goods,” notes Wren.

The Drawback

He cautions, however, that any investor needs to understand that when interest rates rise, the returns of dividend-paying stocks could take a hit. And when the market experiences a big boom, these types of stocks do not always match the growth rate of other stock types.

These are all reasons why it’s important to maintain balance in your portfolio.

Even if you’re aggressively seeking growth, it’s important to hold some assets that may provide the potential for consistency.

All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. There is no assurance any investment strategy will be successful. There is no guarantee that dividend-paying stocks will return more than the overall stock market. Dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to change or elimination. Generally, CDs may not be withdrawn prior to maturity. CDs are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor per insured depository institution for each account ownership category. CDs may be issued by out of state institutions U.S. based corporations that have significant exposure to foreign and emerging economies may have their earnings impacted by factors such as currency fluctuation, political and economic instability, as well as different accounting rules for operations within those countries that other U.S. companies may not be subject to which can lead to additional price volatility. Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. (WFII) is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company and provides investment advice to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Advisors and other Wells Fargo affiliates. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Carl M. Trevisan, Managing Director-Investments and Stephen M. Bearce, First Vice President- Investments in Alexandria, VA at 800-2478602. Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANKGUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 0915-02243 [99610-v1BDC]

OldTownCrier

URBAN GARDEN

H

ere we are just a few short weeks away from being visited by ol’ Saint Nick and we are decorating the inside of the house to celebrate the festive season. There are many plants that are sold during the holidays to enhance the festive decor while entertaining.

Following are some tips to help you care for them so they’ll be at their best even after the New Year is rung in.

Poinsettias are probably the most popular of all blooming houseplants and without a doubt are almost always associated with Christmas since the majority are sold during the holiday season. Plants that have been well taken care of can last well into winter’s second half. However, keeping the plants and re-growing them for a second season is quite difficult unless you live in a tropical environment where plants can be kept outdoors.

They prefer bright filtered light and average room temps of 60-70 degrees.

Cool conditions can prolong bloom time but, if possible, do not let them experience temps below 50. Doing so can have the plants dropping their leaves due to being injured by the brisk air. Soil should be kept slightly moist at all times. When purchasing your poinsettia look for plants that have nicely covered branches and deep green leaves. Try to find a retailer who has them displayed well away from entrance ways and other spots that

OldTownCrier

CHRISTMAS More Than Evergreens would expose them to the winter air on a regular basis.

The second plant on the list is one of Angie’s favorites, Cyclamen. This plant is also known as Persian Violet.

The crisp shooting-star flowers make stunning accents in midwinter which is their strongest season of bloom. We have actually had our plants last well over a year with continuous blooming.

They love bright light and up to 2 hours of direct sun in the winter will help them be the show stoppers they are. They love temps on the cool side (60-70 degrees) and can tolerate temps down to about 40. Feed them every 2 weeks with a high phosphorous plant food. Neptunes Harvest fish fertilizer is a great choice with a 2-4-1 ratio.

Keep your cyclamen well-watered but

refrain from getting the crown of the plant wet. The best way is to place the plant in a shallow container of tepid water for about 30 minutes and allow the plant to take up the water from the bottom. If you to keep the plant past the holiday season any welldraining potting medium is good, just make sure to go up one size in pot selection to give the roots room to grow.

Last, and my favorite, of this season’s picks is the Christmas cactus also known as the Holiday cactus.

These heavy blooming rain forest natives are super easy to grow and are available in a large range of colors. The intensity of the bloom is due to the climatic factors it is grown in. Bright light in summer and fall with days

JIMMY DEATON

that become cooler and shorter. One thing about these plants is they will have a tendency to drop their blooms if exposed to a lot of stress. This is why plants bought in full bloom will shed their blooms and buds. They love bright light from late spring till early fall and moderate light from late winter to early spring. Temps on the warm side from late spring to late summer 65-80 and on the cooler side 50-65 in fall and winter. Feed them every 2 weeks with a balanced plant food spring through summer and in the cooler season feed monthly. Keep your soil moist spring through fall and in the winter months allow the soil to almost dry out between watering.

Stems that are showing signs of shriveling indicate too little water. Any good potting soil will suffice although I prefer Espoma cactus mix for the enhanced drainage. Propagation is super easy. Take stem cuttings that have 2 to 3 pads and allow the cutting to callus over for about a day. Place it in a container with some moist potting medium and keep in a low to medium lit place until you see new growth.

So, there you have some choices of plants to give you color and interest during the holiday season. And from Angie and I, Happy Holidays to all of you. We’ll see you next year and until then stay safe. Peace.

Questions or comments about Urban Garden or a garden question for Jimmy: office@oldtowncrier.com. Write “Urban Garden” in the subject line.

December 2016 | 7

A BIT OF HISTORY

SARAH BECKER©

Red Jacket & Religion

In 1754, during the French and Indian War, Benjamin Franklin presented his Plan of the Union to seven colonies at a meeting in Albany, New York. He acknowledged the Iroquois League, its national structure then explained his proposal. His Plan rejected, the Articles of Confederation followed in 1781.

“It would be a strange thing if Six Nations of ignorant savages should be capable of forming a scheme for such an union, and be able to execute it in such a manner as that it has subsisted ages and appears indissoluble; and yet that a like union should be impracticable for ten or a dozen 8 | December 2016

English colonies,” Franklin a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly wrote in 1751. The Iroquois League included six nations or tribes: the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora.

Seneca Chief Otetiani was born in 1758. A British ally during the Revolutionary War Otetiani was also known as Red Jacket. In the 1770s the British employed him as a messenger.

Red Jacket who could not read, write or speak English became famous not only for his oratory—the Seneca renamed him Sagoyewatha—but also his opposition to Christianity and religious conversion.

The United States Constitution, as ratified in 1788, gave Congress the power “To regulate commerce…with the Indian tribes.” In 1790 President George Washington nominated Colonel, and soon-to-be Postmaster General, Timothy Pickering to serve as Indian Commissioner. Pickering’s goals: “peace and gradual civilization of the Indians.”

George Washington first met Red Jacket, leader of the Six Nations, in Philadelphia in 1792. “One of the General’s greatest wishes was to make peace with the Native American nations bordering the United States,” Mount Vernon historian Mary Thompson said. “As President he frequently welcomed delegations of Indians to the presidential mansion.”

“In managing the affairs of the Indian tribes, generally…in introducing among them some of the primary principles of civilization… it appears proper to teach them to expect annual presents conditioned on the evidence of their attachment to the interests of the United States,” President Washington told the U.S. Senate. Red Jacket’s Six Nations received cash. He was given a large silver peace medal, the first known keepsake of its kind.

The son of Cornplanter, a young chief about 25 years of age, was “among the 50 Sachem and Warriors” who arrived in Philadelphia. “When the Marquis de LaFayette went to France, he took this young chief with him, gave him a fine education, and two years ago he returned an accomplished Frenchman,” Rev. Manasseh Cutler wrote while in Philadelphia. Red Jacket, who met LaFayette for the first time in 1825, criticized the conversion.

“Every national church or religion has established itself by pretending some special mission from God, communicated to certain individuals,” Thomas Paine wrote in the Age of Reason in 1794. “The Jews have their Moses; the Christians their Jesus Christ, their apostles and saints; and the Turks their Mahomet; as if the

way to God was not open to every man alike. Each of those churches shows certain books, which they call revelation, or Word of God.” “It is a contradiction in terms and ideas to call anything a revelation that comes to us at second hand, either verbally or in writing,” Paine explained. “It is revelation to the first person only, and hearsay to every other, and, consequently they are not obliged to believe.”

In 1805 Boston missionary Jacob Cram asked Red Jacket’s permission to proselytize the Iroquois settled in northern New York State. An Evangelical, Rev. Cram disapproved of Red Jacket’s defense of native religion.

Indians should be civilized, converted not indulged. Said Rev. Cram to the Six Nations: “Brothers, I have not come for your lands or your money, but to enlighten your minds, and to instruct you how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to his mind and will and to preach to you the gospel of his son Jesus Christ.

There is but one true religion, and but one way to serve God, and if you do not embrace the right way, you cannot be happy hereafter…To endeavor … open your eyes, so that you might see clearly, is my business with you.”

Evangelicalism, a term taken from the Greek word euangelion, means the good news or gospel.

“We have listened with attention to what you have said,” Red Jacket responded. “You requested us to speak our minds freely [and] our minds have agreed…There was a time when our forefathers owned this great island…

The Great Spirit had made it for the use of Indians…But an evil day came upon us. Your forefathers crossed the great water, and landed on this island.”

“You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to his mind, and, if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter,” Red Jacket continued. “You say that you A BIT OF HISTORY > PAGE 17

OldTownCrier

CIVIL DISCOURSE

A

nyone driving around the Warrenton and Middleburg areas has probably seen the signs letting them know they are in the “Mosby Heritage Area.” Once known as “Mosby’s Confederacy” it was made up of Loudoun, Fairfax, Fauquier, Clark, Warren and Prince William counties.

So, who was Mosby?

John Singleton Mosby was born in Powhatan County in 1833. His family moved to Albemarle County in 1840. In 1847 he enrolled in Hampden Sydney College, which did not work out. In 1850 he enrolled in the University of Virginia, where he was expelled for shooting a townie named Turpin in the neck (dueling was considered a violation of the University’s honor code). Mosby was tried for unlawful shooting and given a year in jail. His family had some influence, so he was pardoned by the governor and his substantial fine forgiven by the legislature.

His arrest and trial was a turning point for Mosby. He had grown to respect his prosecutor, William Robertson, and expressed an interest in the law. Robertson encouraged him and gave him access to his law library while he was jailed. After his pardon, he studied law under Robertson and joined the Virginia Bar. He married in 1857 and had two children by the time things were heating up in 1860. He opposed secession. Still, when the North invaded, he joined the army as a private and fought at First Manassas.

He subsequently scouted for Stuart’s cavalry during the Peninsular Campaign in 1862, where he was captured and imprisoned in Washington’s Old capitol Prison. He was exchanged very quickly and returned to service. Following the battle of Fredericksburg in December, Mosby served with Stuart to disrupt supply and communications behind Yankee lines.

Mosby was about to become famous as Lee authorized him to take command of the 43rd battalion of the Virginia cavalry. This proceeded to operate under the rules pertaining to partisan rangers, as authorized by the Confederate Congress — they were not subject to the sort of discipline as regular soldiers and got to keep a portion of what they captured privateers on horseback. In Mosby’s famous “Greenback Raid” each of OldTownCrier

DOUG COLEMAN

Mosby’s Confederacy his men received a couple thousand dollars when a soldier’s pay might be $13 a month.

Mosby continued his disruption of Federal communications in Northern Virginia in January and February 1863. On March 2nd, he led a small band into Aldie, surprising and routing a detachment of cavalry that had been out looking for him. He captured 19 at the cost of one trooper wounded.

On March 8th, Mosby led 29 men to Fairfax Courthouse on a night raid.

He captured Union general Edwin Stoughton in bed, together with two captains, 30 soldiers and a company’s worth of horses. Mosby promptly earned a promotion to captain. By the end of March he was a major. He made Lt. Colonel in January 1864, full colonel in December 1864.

The regiment “formally” organized in Rectortown in June 1863; seven more companies, plus a short-lived battery of light howitzers, would follow. At its height in 1864, the regiment had about 400 men, though about 1900 served over the duration.

These men were dispersed throughout the Virginia piedmont, generally within a day’s ride of Middleburg.

They lived with local families or camped on their land and were largely locals themselves, enjoying warm beds, hot food and up to the hour intelligence on Yankee movements from their neighbors.

They were careful not to dress in the blue uniforms of their opponents, as that would get them shot or hung as spies if captured, but they had no regular uniform and helped themselves to every other piece of Yankee equipment they needed. The Yankees did hang seven of his men allegedly caught out of uniform at Front Royal in September 1864.

Sheridan advocated rounding up the Rangers’ families as guarantors of good conduct and summary executions whenever a guerilla was captured - this at a time when Sheridan was already burning out the Shenandoah Valley, rebel and loyalist alike, to starve the Confederacy.

Mosby, with Lee’s approval, retaliated for his men’s execution by having his Yankee prisoners draw lots for the same fate. Of the seven men selected, three were hanged, two were shot in the head (and recovered) and two escaped. Mosby sent a note to his counterpart that reprisal would be the new normal if the executions

continued; the Yankees stopped hanging his men.

The fact that the Yankees were hanging prisoners suggests a certain sense of desperation, which in turn implies that Mosby’s partisans were effective. Mosby’s himself declared that the goal of his command was to disrupt the enemy’s supply lines and communications, forcing the Union to divert 100 men for each of his own just to guard the rear. Grant is reported to have complained that Mosby diverted 17,000 men from the front. In Alexandria, log stockades and gates went up and blockhouses were erected to guard Duke and King Streets, lest nightriders dash in and burn warehouses and rail stock. The bridges along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad were fortified and garrisoned against Confederate raiders. Supply wagons and couriers needed an escort.

Even this did not always work. On August 13, 1864 Mosby and 300 of his rangers hit Sheridan’s supply train at Berryville. For a loss of two killed, Mosby captured 100 wagons, 200 cattle, several hundred horses and 200 Yankees, killing five and wounding ten.

This last raid more than annoyed Grant. On August 16th, he wrote Sheridan suggesting that he detach a division of cavalry to sweep Loudoun County of all its livestock, Negroes and any male under 50. Sheridan could not spare a division from the Valley campaign against Early, but he did detach 650 troopers. Following Early’s defeat at Cedar Creek, in November Sheridan gave orders to lay waste to Mosby’s Confederacy in earnest, ordering his cavalry to: “destroy all forage and subsistence, burn all barns and mills and their contents and drive all livestock in the region.” But he did temper this by emphasizing no homes should be burned or civilians harmed. Sheridan’s decree fell upon the Unionists and rebels alike. The Yankees burned 230 barns, 8 mills, a distillery, 8000 tons of hay and 25,000 bushels of grain, slaughtered 1000 hogs and drove off 5-6000 cattle, 3-4000 sheep, and 5-700 horses. Twelve rangers were captured.

Mosby wisely avoided combat with this vastly superior force and devoted his resources to driving livestock away from the Yankee dragnet.

Notwithstanding Union efforts to starve him out or hunt him down, Mosby was still conducting operations upon Lee’s surrender. He attempted to surrender to the Union commander in

Winchester, but they could not come to terms. He never surrendered his command. He simply disbanded it on April 21st. Mosby himself ended the war with a $5000 bounty on his head and it was two months before the Yankees stopped hunting him and gave him the same terms as the rest of Lee’s army. He had been wounded three times; a bullet through the thigh at Annandale in August of 1863, a bullet to the groin in September of 1864 and a gunshot wound to the belly in December of 1864. He was just 31 when the war ended.

Mosby returned to his law practice in Warrenton. The occupying Yankees gave him a hard time, necessitating a personal note from Grant for his family’s safe conduct. Mosby ended as a Republican supporter of Grant, which provoked the contempt of his neighbors. He left Warrenton for the District, but had trouble finding clients. He sought a political appointment and became consul to Hong Kong, a position he held from 1878 -1885. Upon his return, he spent 16 years as a railroad lawyer for the Southern Pacific in California. In 1901 he returned to Washington to become a lawyer for the Department of Justice, where he retired at 76. He died on Memorial Day 1916 and is buried in Warrenton.

Doug Coleman is an attorney and amateur historian in Alexandria.

Comments and corrections are welcome at dcoleman@coleman-lawyers.com.

December 2016 | 9

THE LAST WORD

MIRIAM R. KRAMER

The 12 Dogs of Christmas

A

t this time of year Old Town glitters by night with tangles of twinkling lights in the trees lining King Street, as shops and restaurants brace themselves for the onslaught of visitors celebrating events such as the Scottish Christmas Walk. One of my favorite parts of the Scottish Walk has always been the Scottish breeds of dogs that parade through the streets with their kilted humans, supporting Old Town’s dedication to its heritage. In their own way, they also celebrate Old Town’s special dedication to our four-

footed furry family members.

One fun, light-hearted way to relieve holiday pressures is to kick back with your dog by your side in front of a fire to read David Rosenfelt’s latest in his line of Andy Carpenter mysteries, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas.

Rosenfelt’s novels feature the quirky, self-deprecating Andy Carpenter, an independently wealthy defense attorney in Paterson, NJ who tries to do as little as possible. If he deigns to take a client, he believes in her. His funny, lackadaisical approach conceals a consuming

MYSTERY READING AT ITS BEST

by Virginia author Jeffrey Roswell McCord

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

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

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

Available from Amazon or as a Kindle download

10 | December 2016

dedication to solving his clients’ problems while simultaneously supporting the Tara Foundation, a rescue operation named after Andy’s beloved Golden Retriever and dedicated to supporting and placing dogs with the right families.

In The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Andy’s brusque, loud-mouthed friend, Martha Boyer, finds herself in an unexpected pickle at the heart of a puzzling murder mystery.

The modest-living Martha has not turned away a puppy for 24 years. Nicknamed “Pups,” she carefully raises newborns at home until they have matured enough to be adopted, rejecting potential adopters who might give a puppy a bad or indifferent home.

Suddenly the police have arrested her for three homicides: that of her beloved husband and a gangster named Big Tiny Parker over a year and a half ago, and the recent murder of the mysterious Randy Hennessey, a new neighbor who had filed a complaint against Pups for violating a zoning law by harboring more than three dogs. Knowing him as a dog-lover, Pups hires Andy to see the case through.

She wants to continue to aid dogs both through her actions and her will, which leaves a considerable fortune to be divided among animal shelters. She also makes sure that Andy and his co-sponsor of the Tara Foundation can take her twelve current puppies while she remains in lock-up during the Christmas season.

Andy brings together his eccentric crew of lawyers, investigators, bodyguards, and assorted characters to tear the

prosecutor’s case to shreds.

This team includes his four IT-savvy octogenarians, who make Lisbeth Salander look like a newbie learning how to turn on a computer. They find themselves in the middle of an increasingly complex case that turns out to be a high-stakes conspiracy. Andy makes sure to take out time, however, to report to the incarcerated Pups and show her pictures of her twelve growing puppies and their new families.

Rosenfelt’s quick-reading Andy Carpenter series is simultaneously light-hearted and serious, filled with Andy’s funny one-liners and sharp sense of humor. Despite his smart-ass attitude and self-proclaimed status as a sports degenerate addicted to watching anything featuring a bouncing ball, his love for his ex–police officer wife, Laurie Collins, and their adopted son, Ricky, centers his life. The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is no exception in this regard. Andy’s focus also always features his love for his Golden Retriever, Tara, who serves as the inspiration for his rescue operation, the Tara Foundation. In this particular novel the reader also senses Rosenfelt’s dedication to issues such as the environment and social justice.

The author’s Andy Carpenter series reflects much of his own personal experience. After meeting his wife, Debbie Myers, and her Golden Retriever, Tara, Rosenfelt started a real Tara Foundation with Myers after Tara’s death. It focused particularly on picking out and placing older Goldens, but also accepted many other large breeds that would have particular problems being

adopted from shelters at their age. They kept numerous dogs of their own and worked continually to place others.

Another very fun book to read is Dogtripping, a real-life account of David and Debbie moving from California to Maine with the help of volunteer drivers and three RVs full of barking canines.

If the author David Rosenfelt, his wife Debbie Myers, and I have a mutual holiday wish, it would be that you do not get a pet at Christmas, or any other time of the year, without research and thoughtful consideration.

You will be happier if you take the important step of looking at different breeds and their characteristics to find out what energy level and personality you or your family require. Mixed breeds are also sometimes healthier, so consider going to shelters to look at those wonderful mutts.

While my review has focused on dogs, this attitude applies to cats as well. Think about getting your dogs or cats from shelters or rescue organizations rather than purchasing them. Also, consider adopting older animals that are just as loving and often much less work than those adorable puppies and kittens. After adopting a ten-year-old Pug named Buzz two years ago, I cannot imagine life without him and his feisty, unadulterated sweetness.

Your four-footed family members represent the soul of the holidays, which we celebrate as a time of illumination and happiness within the gloom of winter.

Their pure love and devotion to you is also a boundless light in the darkness. Happy holidays and much canine and feline love to you!

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HIGH NOTES

CHRIS ANDERSON

ONE OF THOSE VINYL NIGHTS

A

fter that big release day last month, things have slowed down a bit on the album front.

A few things here and there but nothing really to report. So instead, this month we’re going to take a little journey through an evening in my music haven, known simply as “The Room”…and we’re gonna spin some records.

We kick the evening off with The Magnolia Electric Co, the 2003 release that was simultaneously the

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final album by Songs: Ohia and the first album by Magnolia Electric Co. Whatever you call it, this is one of the finest albums by one of the finest American singer/songwriters the mainstream world never knew.

After several years of recording under the name Songs: Ohia, Jason Molina finally settled upon a static band lineup, and forged ahead, assuming the title of this album as his new band identity. Molina went on to record several stunning albums

with Magnolia Electric Co. before his tragic death in 2013. As in most of his work, there is a lot of Neil Young in here….though Molina’s songs feel far more personal. One of my favorite songwriters, I deeply mourned his passing. Listening to the demo versions, which comprise the second disc of this reissue…I close my eyes and I’m instantly transported to a small café in the mid 90s, where Molina is playing solo, ten feet away from me. I sure do miss seeing this

guy play.

After those somber demos, it’s time to crank it up. For that, there is no better choice than the DriveBy Truckers. Their latest release, American Band, is a solid affair that continues to grow on me. However, my money is still on their last album, English Oceans. On this album, Mike Cooley finally matches Patterson Hood, song for song, and he really holds his own. His opening salvo, “Shit Shots Count”, is one of his alltime best, along with the bouncy “Made Up English Oceans”, and the swingin’ honky-tonk of “Natural Light”. Patterson Hood is a barrel of sunshine as always, whether it’s the deep-south desperation of “When He’s Gone” and “When Walter Went Crazy” or the crooked politician of “The Part Of Him”. His songs always have this way of getting under your skin, in both good and bad ways. Long ago, they established themselves as the best band in America. Albums like this and American Band triumphantly reaffirm that.

It’s a bit hard to top the Truckers so the only option is go left-field. The debut album by Soft Machine suits the bill just fine. Their only release to feature Kevin Ayers, this album is Canterbury’s answer to The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. The jazzy grooves that permeated their later work is evident here, and the playing by keyboardist Mike Ratledge and drummer Robert Wyatt is fantastic from the onset. This is British psychedelic at its deepest and darkest, far from the whimsy of Pepper or Piper. The songs on here, mostly supplied by Ayers, are offbeat, HIGH NOTES > PAGE 13

December 2016 | 11

ALEXANDRIA EVENTS FROM PAGE 3

decorated for the holidays in the style of the 18th century. John Carlyle, one of Alexandria’s town founders, was a British merchant of Scottish descent. Come into the museum to warm up after the Scottish Walk Parade and learn more about 18th century Alexandria! This is a free event, suggested donation $1/person 3 ALEXANDRIA ARCHAEOLOGY ORNAMENT DECORATING WORKSHOP December 3, 2016 from 1-4 p.m.

Admission: Free; no pre-registration required Alexandria Archaeology Museum Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union Street #327, 703-746-4399 www.alexandriaarchaeology.org Decorate take-home paper ornaments using shapes, colors, and patterns from the city’s finest 18th- and 19th-century excavated artifacts. It’s fun, it’s free, and it’s for the entire family. No registration required.

3 HOLIDAY ON THE AVENUE IN DEL RAY 6 p.m.

Admission: Free Pat Miller Neighborhood Square Mount Vernon Ave and E. Oxford Ave 703-683-2570 www.visitdelray.com Kick off the holidays with a visit to Del Ray for the annual holiday tree lighting,

Alexandria DECEMBER TOURS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS

featuring a special appearance by Santa Claus, who will lead carols and sit for photos with children. In the true spirit of the holidays, the community will be collecting items such as canned goods, nonperishable foods, and diapers for Carpenter’s Shelter. Continue the celebration and start your holiday shopping with a stroll down Mount Vernon Avenue, which will be illuminated by thousands of luminarias. Pick your favorite in the neighborhood business association’s annual Christmas tree decorating contest.

Cirque du Soleil contortionist. Prestige, power, desperation, and boundless egos are all on display at one of the most exclusive, trendiest restaurants in NYC. Sam, our lowly reservationist, is manning the phones, the pressure and the chaos.

But hope abounds that our out-of-work actor will be cast and escape this circus of bad behavior and entitlement (and maybe even get home for Christmas).

Devastatingly funny. A one man tour de force. Must-see entertainment before, during, and after the holidays.

8 – JAN 8 “FULLY COMMITTED” AT METROSTAGE Admission: $55-$60 MetroStage 1201 N. Royal Street 703-548-9044 www.metrostage.org Forty outrageous characters and one iconic, irrepressible Washington actor. Tom Story plays a restaurant reservationist, juggling phones, personalities and pandemonium with the dexterity of a

10 CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS IN CAMP Noon-4 p.m.

Admission: $2 suggested donation per person; $5 per family Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site 4301 W. Braddock Road 703-746-4848 www.alexandriava.gov/fortward Get in the holiday spirit and learn how Christmas was observed during the Civil War. This popular family-oriented event features a patriotic Civil War Santa Claus,

Tasteful Gifts Give gifts of distinctive flavor and indulgence this holiday season.

Select from our specialty gift sets or create your own.

Visit us and receive 20% off five gifts or more!

Consider our Taste & Learn Chef Series for a truly unique gift.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® 320 King Street | Alexandria, VA | 571-312-8505 | alexandria@spiceandtea.com

12 | December 2016

reenactors in winter camp settings, period decorations, fort tours, and kids’ activities.

No registration required.

10 HISTORIC ALEXANDRIA CANDLELIGHT TOURS 4-9 p.m.

Admission: $25 adults; $20 seniors (65 years and older) and active military; $5 children (ages 6-17) Gadsby’s Tavern Museum 134 N. Royal Street 703-746-4242 shop.alexandriava.gov Travel through centuries of local history as you learn more about Alexandria during the holiday season at Carlyle House, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and the Lee-Fendall House.

Enjoy each site by candlelight, smell seasonal greenery, sip on drinks and taste period inspired food. Seasonal libations will be available for purchase.

10 & 17 FRIENDSHIP FIREHOUSE ORNAMENT DECORATING WORKSHOP 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Admission: $5 per ornament decorating kit Friendship Firehouse Museum 107 S. Alfred Street 703-746-4994 www.alexandriava.gov/ friendshipfirehouse Come decorate and take home ornaments inspired by firefighting. Put your own unique embellishments on fire helmets, fire trucks, and fire hydrants. They make great decorations for the home or office—and excellent gifts! For children ages 4-10, and their caregivers. No registration required.

11 COLONIAL HANDBELL RINGERS CONCERT 2 & 4 p.m.

Admission: Free 201 S. Washington Street www.colonialringers.com Enjoy your favorite holiday music performed by the Colonial Handbell Ringers! Ten “ringers,” in period costume, will be playing a full five-octave set of 80 handbells. The ringers will perform children’s classics, timeless holiday tunes, and original showstoppers. Audience participation in the singa-long encouraged.

16 & 17 CHRISTMAS ILLUMINATIONS AT MOUNT VERNON 5:30-9 p.m.

Admission: $34 adult/$24 youth with mansion tour; $30 adult/$20 youth

without mansion tour George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy 703-780-2000 www.mountvernon.org/illuminations Join Mount Vernon for an evening of familyfriendly fun and fireworks choreographed to holiday music, with fireworks beginning around 9 p.m. Take a stroll through the estate while being serenaded by local choirs, visit with re-enactors from the First Virginia Regiment in winter encampment, and learn 18th-century dance moves from costumed guides in the Greenhouse. “George and Martha Washington” will also be on-site to greet Mount Vernon’s holiday guests. Watch as colonial artisans demonstrate the 18thcentury process of creating chocolate. Keep toasty by warming up by a bonfire, visiting the blacksmith shop, or enjoying some hot chocolate or cider. Additional tasty food will be available for purchase. Still haven’t found the perfect holiday gift? Take some time to complete any last minute gift needs at the Shops at Mount Vernon, open late during Christmas Illuminations. Christmas Illuminations takes place rain or shine.

24 WATERSKIING SANTA 1 p.m.

Admission: Free Alexandria’s Waterfront King and Oronoco Streets www.waterskiingsanta.com Now in its 31st year, this favorite DC-area Christmas Eve event comes to Old Town Alexandria for the third time. Gather at Alexandria’s Potomac River waterfront for a spectacular show by the Waterskiing Santa and his wakeboarding reindeer, plus flying elves, the Grinch and his friends, Frosty the Snowman and Jack Frost. Prime viewing area is along the waterfront between King Street and Oronoco Street, which includes Founders Park and the Alexandria City Marina.

31 FIRST NIGHT ALEXANDRIA 2 p.m.-midnight Admission: $20 December 1-11; $30 December 12-31 Afternoon activities: 2-5 p.m. including the Seventh Annual Fun Hunt Performances: 7 p.m.-midnight; venues throughout Old Town and one at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue Midnight fireworks: Potomac River at the foot of King Street 703-746-3299 www.firstnightalexandria.org This annual New Year’s Eve bash takes over Old Town Alexandria with more than 150 performances at 25 indoor venues, with live music, dancing, children’s face painting and games. The afternoon’s Eighth Annual Fun Hunt is accompanied by all-new activities for families and pets.

There’s a venue at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray filled with fun activities for children 10 and younger.

There is dancing in the street at the east end of King Street beginning at 10 pm.

First Night’s fireworks finale returns with a spectacular display over the Potomac River at midnight. Go to www.VisitAlexandriaVA. com/holidays for events and more.

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HIGH NOTES FROM PAGE 11

unconventional in just about every way. But they are honest.

There is no time where this band sounds like a put-on.

I have always considered A Love Supreme to be the greatest album ever recorded.

Not just because this four-part suite was saxophonist John Coltrane’s most important work, the apex in his quest for enlightenment. And not just because the tunes are out of sight, and not just because the Quartet is at the peak of their powers. But also because you can put this record on at any time, in just about any situation, and the mood will instantly change — one of the greatest musical reset buttons. From the instant you drop that needle and you hear that flurry of tenor notes that Trane unleashes, this record absolutely owns the moment.

Trane had reached wicked new heights as a composer, and this band is on fire, every note and nuance perfectly accenting this major work.

Sadly, the Quartet would splinter soon after this session, as Trane ventured further into the avant garde. But on this afternoon, in December

1964, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones showed the world exactly how good music could be.

Another product of jazz’s experimental side is “fusion” — the joining of jazz and rock approaches into a visionary new style of music.

Mahavishnu Orchestra, led by guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin, was one of the most impressive of all the fusion bands. Their music never got cheesy like so many others…their sound was dark, heavy, and frenetic and stayed that way. Birds Of Fire, the band’s second album, from 1973, is my favorite of their works. The title track is six minutes of some of the most intense playing I’ve ever heard, and they never let up.

Everyone in this band is a phenomenal player, especially

AFTER HOURS Birchmere 703.549.7500 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave. birchmere.com The Blackwall Hitch 571-982-3577 5 Cameron St. theblackwallhitch.com Carlyle Club 411 John Carlyle Dr. 703-549-8957 thecarlyleclub.com Chadwicks 203 S. Strand St. 703.836.4442 Evening Star Cafe 703.549.5051 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave.

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The Fish Market 703.836.5676 105 King St. fishmarketoldtown.com King Street Blues 703.836.8800 112 N. St. Asaph St. La Portas 703.683.6313 1600 Duke St. Las Tapas 703.836.4000 710-714 King St. lastapas.us The Light Horse 703.549.0533 715 King St. lighthorserestaurant.com

drummer Billy Cobham, one of the finest to ever play.

After that instrumental whirlwind, it seems I only have time for one more.

One From The Vault is the recording that officially turned me from a curious listener into a full fledged Deadhead.

Recorded during a rare year in which the Grateful Dead was retired from the road and working on an album, this performance found the band introducing the newly-written Blues For Allah material to the stage. Bill Graham’s spoken intro that leads into the first-ever “Help > Slip > Frank” gives me chills every time I hear it. Throughout the course of this show, the Dead perform all of their new material, as well as a handful of classics, and they do so with a renewed sense of purpose.

The Dead at their absolute best, it’s no wonder this show was selected as the band’s very first vault release.

So that’s it…a snapshot into a typical evening in the life of this writer. Stay tuned next month for the big yearend best-of list. There are sure to be some doozies on there.

Until then, the happiest of holidays to ya!

Murphys Irish Pub 703.548.1717 713 King St. murphyspub.com O’Connell’s 703.739.1124 112 King St. Rock It Grill 703.739.2274 1319 King St. Shooter McGees 703.751.9266 5239 Duke St. shootermcgees.com Southside 815 703.836.6222 815 S. Washington St. St. Elmos 703.739.9268 2300 Mt. Vernon Ave.

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

Call to confirm show times, dates and cover charges. Check our advertisers’ websites

December 2016 | 13

GALLERY BEAT

F. LENNOX CAMPELLO

clockwise from left: "Duchamp's Bike Repair" by Roger Cutler "Angel Can" by Schroeder Cherry "Sing" by Schroeder Cherry

A

rtomatic, the planet’s greatest open visual arts show is back (through December 9), this time in Montgomery County, Maryland. And, because this is the smallest Artomatic ever (by Artomatic standards anyway) since it only has about 380 artists, it was perhaps the easiest to see.

I’ll start with work that caught my eye, my usual Artomatic “Best Awards” and finish it with my top ten picks, perhaps the hardest job that any art critic ever has, since the trite saying “art is in the eyes of the beholder” has never been more applicable than after a visit to any Artomatic.

I liked the paintings of William Tinto (great deals by the way — all around $300-$400), Nils Lofgren, Nancy Abeles and Praveen Thaivalappil. I also liked some very unusual paintings by Yumiko Hirokawa - “unusual” because they’re on a substrate of aluminum paint and boast superb technical skills (as do all the previously noted painters) with a hard-to-pin-point sense of macabre to them. I also liked Joyce McCarten and Laurie Breen. And now, the awards!

Artist Most Likely to Attract Gallerists: Kathy Lindert... I can’t find a website for her, so I’m assuming that 14 | December 2016

this talented painter is unrepresented...

Get a website!!

Best Naive Art: Schroeder Cherry - this artist initially fooled me into thinking that he was a self-taught artist (he’s not), until on my third visit to his booth, I did a closer examination of his works, and realized that he’s perfectly accomplishing one of the most difficult tasks in the visual arts, which is to use a naive visual approach to deliver intelligent and resonant works of social commentary and narrative complexity. Cherry focuses on African-American themes that reflect powerful imagery, augmented by striking presentation (chopped frames, etc.), found objects, etc.

Best Frida Kahlo Art: Marily Mojica - The Washington Post once called me a “Fridaphile” and I know my Fridas. Having curated two worldwide international homages to the Mexican icon, I really know artists working the Frida angle. And Mojica is easily one of the best that I have ever seen! Her approach is a clever re-invention of how we see Kahlo depicted.

Best Erotica: Jenny Wallace - She runs away with this coveted award, although I must also add that this Artomatic doesn’t have the usual large numbers of erotica as part of its roster of artworks; Wallace also wins the

ART

O

MATIC

“Sexiest Image Award” with her photo titled “Resignation.” Wallace could be the best fetish-focused artist that I have ever seen. The second place for sexiest image goes to Julia Mazur’s photo of a nude woman sitting on a window sill. The image is back-lit and highlights every single hair on her body, each one seductively outlined by the light.

Best Mobiles: Rita Mortellaro - This is a spectacular departure for this award, which is usually the domain of someone channeling Calder. Mortellaro rocks this category with mobiles made out of tiny metal and/or fiber hoodies with rocks and found objects!

Best “Is it Abstract or Not” Award: Anne Cherubim is one of the most interesting painters around the DMV, and her dream-like paintings are deceptive images which showcase her formidable painting skills - they leave the viewer wondering as to the subject matter, while all along Cherubim has been hypnotizing them with her mastery of the subtle psychological effects of color!

Coolest Idea Award: Victoria Thompson - In her booth “Object”, this photographer takes old vintage photos and then modifies them, exposing breasts here and there; a clever GALLERY BEAT > PAGE 15

OldTownCrier

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GALLERY BEAT FROM PAGE 14

depiction of the objectification of women.

Best “Better not have fallen asleep in Art History class” Award: Roger Cutler - This is not a surprise, as Cutler is a master of his genre, and his Duchamp’s Bike Repair sculpture should be included in the next edition of Janson’s!

Best Record Keeper Award: Greg Benge His “Vinyl Countdown” series is very attractive and could also get the “Recyclable Art Award.”

Benge notes that he “found a really great deal on hundreds of scratched unplayable discs (don’t worry, I haven’t ruined any rare finds).”

For older readers: “disc” = “LP” or “record.”

Best Bug Art: Emily Uchytil - Surprisingly, although not for most AOM’s, this was a highly contested award! The very talented Uchytil also gets second place in the “Best Birds Art” category; she has enviable painting skills!

Best Erotic Fruits: Tara O’Neil - Her sliced peaches got me all fuzzy!

Best Animal Art: Sandra Perez-Ramos - She also gets the “Coolest Use of Pocket Protectors” award.

Best Landscape Artist: Sarah Wardell Elegantly muted plein air landscapes, where one can feel the sunlight and smell the grass.

Best Mono-Chromatic Art: Alex L. Porter Impressive what Porter can do with just black and white.

Best Portrait Artist: George Carr - He also gets the “Best Figure Painter” award - not an easy double award to get in two very hotly contested categories!

Best Textile Art: Diane Tuckman - a master of the craft!

Best Illustration Art: Annie Lunsford - She also “illustrated” her booth’s drywall! This was a highly competitive category, as there is a lot of high quality illustrative work in this iteration of AOM. Best Installation: Liliane Bloom - Her “Pink - A Cherry Blossom Fantasy” is not only mesmerizing to the eyes, but also a perhaps unintended tip of the hat to DMV installation artist Dan Steinhilber.

Best Glass Artist: Sherry Selevan - Opaque and mysterious works that stand from the usual glass menagerie of bowls and vessels. She shares the award with Trish Kent’s very cool fused glass dresses.

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Best Color Pencil Artist: Amanda Spaid Wonderful control and intelligent employment of color - really, really good at a very difficult technique.

Best Clay Artist: Kasse Andrews-Weller Busy and intelligent!

Best Action Painting: Kim Foley - One can almost feel the energy pop out of her works!

Best Flower Art: Malathi Jayawickrama Superb use of light and very painterly - this is one of the toughest categories at AOM, as there are many flower aficionados.

Best Sculpture Award: Gloria Chapa - Her Placebo Piňata did it!

Best Encaustic Art: Marcie Wolf-Hubbard easy pick when a master of the genre is in the show.

Best Veggie Painter: Kathleen Carroll - Do not be deceived by the focus of the work; this is a really good painter!

Scariest Painting Award: Josh Gorsky - The angry mandrill did it!

Best Student Art Award: Dionnia - From Holy Trinity Catholic School 7-2A class! Her use of color, and replay of the color on the ground, on the pyramids and in the sky is playful and attractive!

And here are the Top 10 Artists in this gigantic group show (in alphabetical order): Shiri Achu - Powerful African art in a marriage of contemporary skills with strong African imagery from this Africa-born new American artist.

Ralph Baden - His ridiculous paintings are over the top!

George Carr - Spectacular painting skills! A total master of the figure and of the portrait.

Shanthi Chandrasekar - Over the years she has developed her own style of painting that is almost magic in context.

Schroeder Cherry - Read what I raved about him earlier.

Ellen Cornett - A spectacular artist! I’m so jealous of her drawing skills!

Ric Garcia - Continues to invent and define a new genre of Latino pop art.

Glen Kesler - An easy pick... and I think that I’ve picked him before in previous AOMs! Kathy Lindert - Get a website!

Phyllis Mayes - Another repeat pick for me one of the best painters around the DMV.

The Batman Brooding From the Naked Superheroes series Charcoal on Paper, 20x16 inches ©2015 F. Lennox Campello Represented by Alida Anderson Art Projects, LLC Washington, DC For more information or images of other works from the Naked Superheroes series, email us at info@alidaanderson.com

ART&ANTIQUES ANTIQUES

GALLERIES

Spurgeon-Lewis Antiques 112 N. Columbus Street

Torpedo Factory Art Center 105 N. Union Street

BW Art, Antiques & Collectibles 108 N. Fayette Street

Principle Gallery 208 King Street

Imperfections Antiques 1210 King Street

Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery 105 N. Union Street

The Antique Guild 113 N. Fairfax Street

St. George Gallery 105 N. Alfred Street

Silverman Galleries 110 N. St. Asaph Street

The Art League 105 Union Street

Red Barn Mercantile 1117 King Street

Local Colour Old Town 218 N. Lee Street

Washington Square Antiques 425 S. Washington Street

Icon Galleria 101 N. Union Street

Susquehanna Antique Co. 608 Cameron Street

B&B Art Gallery 215 King Street

Old Town Antiques 222 S. Washington Street

Gallery West 1213 King Street

Verdigris Vintage 1215 King Street

Enamelist’s Gallery 105 N. Union Street

Cavalier Antiques 400 Prince Street

Printmakers, Inc. 105 N. Union Street

Sumpter Priddy III 323 S. Washington Street

Kelly’s Art & Frame 510 N. Washington

Henry Street Antiques 115 S. Henry Street

Oerth Gallery 420 S. Washington Street

Curzon Hill Antiques 108 S. Columbus Street

Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts 110A S. Columbus Street

The Hour 1015 King Street

Johnston Matthew 105 N. Union Street

A Galerie 315 Cameron Street

Huddy Studio 105 N. Union Street

Random Harvest 810 King Street

Mezzanine Multiples 105 N. Union Street

Acme Mid-Century + Modern 128 S. Royal Street

Silverman Galleries 110 N. St. Asaph Street

Van Bommel Antiek Hous 1007 King Street

Cochran David 105 N. Union Street

Lloyd’s Row 119 S. Henry Street

Betty Grisham Studio 105 N. Union Street Imagine Artwear 112 King Street

December 2016 | 15

POINTS ON PETS

CAROLYN COCKCROFT & SARAH LIU

KING STREET CATS ADOPTION CALENDAR DECEMBER 2016 FOR DETAILS & MORE INFO website: www.kingstreetcats.org email: contact@kingstreetcats.org King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email for our Kitten Fostering FAQ at: contact@kingstreetcats.org KING STREET CATS 25 Dove Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Every Saturday & Sunday 1:30 - 4:30 pm PRO FEED Bradlee Shopping Center 3690 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 Every Saturday & Sunday 1:00 - 4:00 pm PETCO UNLEASHED AT PENTAGON ROW 1101 S. Joyce Street Arlington, VA 22202 Saturday, December 3 Saturday, December 17 Sunday, December 18 1:00 - 4:00 pm THE DOG PARK 705 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Saturday, December 10 1:00 - 4:00 pm 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. Email contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.

16 | December 2016

Fat Cats & Pudgy Pups Managing your pet’s weight

D

uring the holiday season, we may find it especially hard to resist pampering our pets with food when everyone else in the family is celebrating. Indulgences are fine if we practice moderation.

In fact, paying attention year-round to diet and weight is a critical part of safeguarding your pets overall health and, ultimately, its happiness. According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), more than half of all dogs and cats are either overweight or obese, making this the most common nutritional disorder identified by veterinarians. Being overweight leads to many health problems, including trouble breathing, heat stroke, pancreatitis, diabetes, orthopedic problems, a shorter life span, mammary tumors (particularly in un-spayed females), skin and heart problems, arthritis, and an increased risk for cancer.

Kittens and puppies require more calories to nourish their rapidly growing bodies. As they age, they will gradually need less food, typically only about half of what they needed to support their development in the first two years. In fact, a 10-pound cat only needs 180 to 200 calories per day, while a 10-pound dog only needs 200 to 275 calories. Older, less active pets may benefit from a diet slighter lower in calories.

To determine if your pet weighs too much, run your hand over its body. If you cannot feel the ribs, your pet may be overweight. Also, you should be able to see a noticeable waist when you stand over your pet. If your pet has thick fur, you may have trouble detecting a waistline. Press gently but deeply to see if you can feel ribs, spine or hip bones. You can also compare your pet to the body condition charts developed by Purina

diets that are used by all veterinarians (http://www.foothillpethospital.com/pet_ info-bcs_charts.html).

My Pet Is Overweight — Now What?

Consulting your pet’s veterinarian is an important start to determining a weight loss plan. The doctor can rule out diseases or conditions that could cause weight gain, such as thyroid disease. A recommended diet will include not only the type of food but also the amounts your pet should receive based on age, breed and any health conditions.

Free Choice Feeding

Making food available all the time and the pet eats whenever it wants has probably been the biggest single factor contributing to obesity. Knowing the proper portion of food is critical for successful weight loss. Often the packaging will provide information or the company will include charts on their web sites. Many factors, however, such as the pet’s size, can affect the appropriate amount. Follow your veterinarian’s advice on how often and how much to feed, based on your pet’s individual condition.

At first, reducing food portions can be tough, especially if Fido and Fluffy tell you they are starving between meals.

In most cases, your pet is accustomed to eating frequently and is not quite as

hungry as it appears.

Begging is a behavior not related to nutritional needs, or even necessarily to hunger, according to the AAHA, which recommends some solutions to a pet’s nagging. Provide social substitute, such as play, grooming, walking, affection.

Distribute a portion of the diet as treats instead of meals or use food as a reward the pet must earn, perhaps placing food to encourage exercise (e.g., cat tree/ fetch). If possible, divide food into more frequent, smaller meals and remove the pet from human feeding areas. And NEVER feed treats to stop a pet from begging because it has the exact opposite effect and actually reinforces the pet’s nagging behavior.

Limit Treats

“Very often, it is not the … official food that is causing the weight problem; it is all the additional treats or snacks between meals,” says Louise Murray, DVM, director of medicine for the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. We love our pets and often that affection translates into too many “rewards” and indulgences. During the holidays, fattening and sugary treats for humans tend to be more available. Avoid sneaking foods such as chocolate, fat trimmings, sugar—even sweeteners—to POINTS ON PETS > PAGE 17

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Monitor the Weight and Aim for Gradual Loss

POINTS ON PETS FROM PAGE 16

your pets. These and other non-pet edibles can be toxic.

Gradually Introduce the New Diet

Another hurdle is if your pet is not crazy about the new menu. Pet food prescribed for weight loss is typically lower in fat and not as tasty as the richer meals that your pet may have been eating. Some ways to overcome this adjustment are to provide food alternatives with different textures and moisture content or use treat allowance of up to 10% of the overall calories of the diet as a palatability enhancer.

Gradually introduce the diet food offering it side-by-side with the current diet, while steadily removing the usual food over a period of one to two weeks. Avoid offering alternatives if the pet skips a meal; however, do not allow cats to go longer than 24 hours without consuming food.

Exercise Is Important, Too!

Exercise is a vital part of helping your pet’s wellness. Dogs naturally crave playtime with their humans and enjoy such activities as fetching or jumping at sticks or balls, and catching Frisbees.

Exercising your cat can be challenging but it can be done. Many cats enjoy a game of fetch as much as dogs do. If you have a fenced-in yard, try tossing your cat’s favorite toy. Some cats enjoy a walk on a harness and leash. Play balls and puzzles filled with kibble are available at pet stores and encourage the pet to exercise while being rewarded. Provide places for the cat to jump or leap to retrieve their food.

Senior pets may not move as freely or comfortably as they once did. Providing supplements such as glucosamine or omega-3 fatty acids to ease joint problems, may prove helpful.

Weigh your pet at least every month. Use a scale at your vet’s office or your own at home.

First weigh yourself, then step on again while holding your pet, and subtract the first number from the second one. The difference in the two numbers is your pet’s weight.

“Regardless of the method, it’s imperative that your pet is weighed on the same scale consistently.” says Todd R. Tams, DVM, and chief medical officer of VCA Antech.

Aim for gradual weight loss and expect significant improvement to take several months.

The desired rate of weight loss per week is 1–2% for dogs and 0.5–2% for cats. More than that could be harmful to your pet’s health.

Persistence, lots of patience and encouraging, loving behavior on your part will go a long way to helping your pet lose that excess weight, enjoy a healthier, happier life, and continue to provide you with many more years of devotion and companionship.

Resources

• http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/ overweight-dogs-and-canine-weight-lossdiets • http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/ dog-health/dog-checkups-preventivecare/7-surprising-ways-help-your-pet-loseweight-and-why-its • http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/weightmanagement/ • http://noahsarknova.com/index. php?newsletters=29930 • https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/ professional/guidelines/weight_ management_guidelines.pdf Sarah Webber Liu resides in Alexandria and is a long-time volunteer at King Street Cats. She is devoted to her cat, Mrs. Huggins, and loves animals of all kinds.

A BIT OF HISTORY FROM PAGE 8

are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as you…why did [the Great Spirit] not give our forefathers the knowledge of the book…? We only know what you tell us about it.”

“Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit,” Red Jacket concluded. “If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it?...

We do not wish to destroy your religion or take it from you. We only wish to enjoy our own…As we are going to part, we will come and take you by the hand, and hope the Great Spirit will protect you on your journey.…” Rev. Cram declined their hand, declaring “there can be no fellowship between the religion of God and the works of the devil.”

“We will wait a little while, and see what effect your preaching has upon the white people in this place,” Red Jacket told Rev. Cram. “If we find it makes them good, makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said.”

“The key issue was land,” Christopher Densmore wrote. “The Great Spirit had given the land to his Red Children, and George Washington had [allegedly] made it sure.”

“The speech of Red Jacket was delivered in my presence,” Erastus Granger Indian Agent for the Six Nations wrote President Thomas Jefferson. “The speech goes far in confirming the Opinion…that nature has been as bountiful in bestowing rational faculties on the human species of the New World, as she has to those of the Old.” Jefferson wrote the Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom in 1786. President Jefferson acknowledged “freedom of religion” in his 1801 Inaugural speech and addressed the “wall of separation between Church & State” in his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists.

In 1817 Agent Granger described the Seneca as starving.

The tribe split in 1819, Chief Red Jacket’s pagans and another’s Christians. Red Jacket died on January 20, 1830, a factional leader who mostly survived Andrew Jackson’s Indian removal policies and America’s Second Great religious Awakening.

Email: abitofhistory53@gmail.com

PETS OF THE MONTH

THANKS TO A GENEROUS SPONSO MY ADOPTION FEE R HAS BEEN PAID!

CHINA (A068766) This beautiful girl is an energetic Pit Bull Terrier/Bulldog mix, just over one year old. Truly a social butterfly, China always wants to be where the action is and she loves belly rubs just as much as play time! We want to give a huge thank you to Your Dog’s Best Friends, who offered to foster China until Thanksgiving. She is having a blast at this doggie daycare center, but is ready to find her new permanent best friend!

APOLLO (A068496) Apollo is a sweet soul who would make the perfect companion for any couch potato. His love of people is only rivaled by his love of tennis balls. While Apollo is mellow and mushy around people, he’s not so fond of other dogs and will need to be an only pet. He is taking medication for his chronic bronchitis, which his new family will need to keep him on indefinitely. Apollo was transferred to our shelter in July and he’s more than ready to find his new home!

THANKS TO A GENEROUS SPONSO MY ADOPTION FEE R HAS BEEN PAID!

FUZZ (A068753) You know those warm fuzzy feelings you get when you’re snuggled up with a sweet kitty, purring by your side? We’re pretty sure that’s how Fuzz got her name. Just spend a few minutes with her and you’ll discover why!

She came to us with a cancerous wound on her ear, so we removed most of her right ear tip and she has felt like a million bucks since.

Fuzz is a spry senior at about 14 years of age, but she’s so sharp you’d never guess it! Come fall in love with Fuzz today!

The DC stands for Dog and Cat For more info: www.dcPawsRescue.org

CHANGE A LIFE.

ADOPT

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

December 2016 | 17

CARIBBEAN CONNECTION JEFF McCORD

F

or the people of the United States and their often overlooked Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), December marks the 60th anniversary of a gift of incalculable value. On December 1, 1956 in the small port of Cruz Bay, St. John, a small group of private philanthropists and fare-sighted public officials oversaw the transfer of more than 5,000 acres of mostly undeveloped land on the island of St. John to the

and Republican Administration of President Dwight Eisenhower did just that with the help of a billionaire famed for his generosity.

Although the term eco-tourism had yet to be coined, VINP’s founders understood that preservation of exceptional natural resources for the public’s edification would yield substantial economic benefits to local communities.

Nowhere is the value to locals of eco-tourism more striking than in

that underwrites VINP’s outstanding archeological work, its’ eco-camps and School Kids in the Park activities, among other programs.

“The U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John) have five NPS units: VINP, Coral Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Site, Buck Islands National Monument and Salt River Historic Park and Ecological Reserve. This gives us 4.7 national park units per 100,000 people. In second place is

Diamond Jubilee for a Tropic National Park federal government to form the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park (VINP).

In today’s political climate in which some elected federal representatives advocate privatization of national parks and recreational areas for economic exploitation, Congressional authorization of a new national park purely for the enjoyment and enlightenment of the public seems impossibly idealistic. Yet, 60 years ago this month, the U.S. Congress 18 | December 2016

the U.S. Virgin Islands where tourists contribute $1.3 billion annually to the territory’s economy, the VI Consortium says. What attracts them?

In addition to a congenial Caribbean climate, the Virgin Islands has more National Park Service (NPS) assets than any other state or territory in the United States, according to Joe Kessler, President of the non-profit Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park, the Park’s philanthropic partner

Alaska at 3.7/100,000 people (27 parks, 731,000 people), and Washington DC is third with 3.6/100,000 people (23 parks, 632,000 people).”

To commemorate the VINP’s establishment, the Friends and NPS are erecting a granite monument with the images of Laurance Rockefeller, Virgin Islands Senator Julius Sprauve, Sr. and Mr. Frank Stick. These three formed the “partnership that established Virgin Islands National

Park,” a bronze caption explains.

“The founders were adamant that the proposed park should not only benefit the nation as a whole, but should also benefit the locals,” wrote local historian Bruce Schoonover in a paper for the St. John Historical Society. As then USVI Senator Julius Sprauve explained, St. John’s remaining private acreage outside Park boundaries “includes all established communities, ninety percent of all arable land, all present port or boat entries and those which might be used for such purposes in the future.”

Although Laurance Rockefeller is the best known VINP founder, another conservationist, Frank Stick, actually donated more land to the Park. Mr. Stick, a well-known American illustrator and developer, had previously helped establish the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Park before he put together and donated to VINP much of the land on St. John’s Lamshur and Reef Bays.

Beyond giving more than 400 acres for VINP’s creation, Laurance Rockefeller deployed family resources to facilitate the federal legislative and legal package necessary to establish a CARIBBEAN CONNECTION > PAGE 19

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CARIBBEAN CONNECTION FROM PAGE 18

national park.

In the USVI legislature, St. John Senator Julius Sprauve, Sr. moved an enabling bill setting the territory’s conditions for establishing the VINP. These included improving roads and trails to encourage the anticipated “winter resident trade.” Above all else, VINP would have no entrance fees or restrictions, remaining open to all -- visitors and residents alike.

Simply laying the ground work for VINP and Rockefeller’s environmentally sensitive Caneel Bay Resort was a major boost to St. Johnian’s standards of living. Senator Sprauve described the benefits in a March, 1956 letter to the Virgin Islands Daily News editor: “As the sole result of this generous and far seeing man’s [Rockefeller’s] efforts, our people have enjoyed greater prosperity than at any time in the memory of our oldest inhabitants.

And without these efforts, many of our people would have been in a condition approaching destitution and would have been forced to seek precarious employment in distant lands, as has been the unhappy rule in years gone by.”

To some, Senator Sprauve’s comments must have brought to mind the dire circumstances described by President Herbert Hoover’s comments following his 1931 visit to the USVI, as reported by the Virgin Island Daily News: “[When the United States purchased the Virgin Islands in 1917 for $25 million], we acquired an effective poorhouse, comprising 90 percent of the population. The people cannot be self-supporting either in living or government without the discovery of new

methods and resources.”

Establishment of VINP and the flourishing tourism it fosters answers the need for “new methods and resources” called for by President Hoover and foreseen by Senator Sprauve.

Each year, the 500,000 plus visitors to the Park generate about $60 million in benefits and at least 781 jobs for the USVI, according to data compiled by the National Park Service.

More important, though, than the economic impact of VINP is the psychic benefits to visitors and residents alike. Unspoiled, beautiful tropic vistas can help heal stressed bodies and minds by providing nature’s respite.

Beyond more than a dozen bays and white sand beaches (many palm fringed), VINP offers 26 hiking trails through upland tropical damp forests, low-lying dry woods, walks along dramatic cliffs and promontories and plenty of expansive views of blue and turquoise seas dotted with other green islands and islets.

Jeffrey R. McCord is a freelance journalist whose work on international economics and consumer protection 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 his home.

Jeff is the author of two fact-based Caribbean novels: “Undocumented Visitors in a Pirate Sea,” which was a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest; and, “Santa Anna’s Gold in a Pirate Sea,” a finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book contest.

He now divides his time between Virginia and St. John, USVI.

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December 2016 | 19

ROAD TRIP

BOB TAGERT

Home for the Holidays For those of you who read us regularly, you know that each month I take you along on a road trip to a different destination. But each December I stay home and write about our hometown, Old Town Alexandria.

The last few years have seen a lot of activity along the waterfront as old warehouses have been torn down and new development has begun. The Carr Companies are in the home stretch for their new hotel at 200 South Union Street, The Indigo. The Old Dominion Boat Club has been deeded to the City for a payout of $5 million dollars and construction has begun for the new boat club along The Strand and the Potomac River. The old 20 | December 2016

Robinson Terminal between Wolfe, Union and Duke streets has been completely removed, save a few old buildings, which look like they will be incorporated into the new retail, town homes and condos being developed there. The views from these new buildings are not only of the Potomac River but also National Harbor and the new MGM hotel and casino, which opens this month. Much has happened in the last two years on both sides of the river.

While we can’t stop the development, let me take you back 320 years. The first settlement along the Potomac was established in 1695 a half mile down river at the mouth

of Hunting Creek, which today is flood plain. The location was not well suited as a harbor as the shoreline was very shallow, so the settlement, which was to become Alexandria, was re-established at its present site where the channel comes close to shore. Oronoco and Duke streets extended into deep water, but between the two lay an arc of swampy flatland backed by bluffs. Beginning in 1759 the filling in of this marsh and flatland began and a wharf was eventually constructed. This was the beginning of Alexandria’s future as one of America’s leading seaports.

Soon warehouses were built to store all of the commerce that was coming

to, and leaving, Alexandria. Today, these warehouses are home to the many shops and restaurants that make up Old Town. By the end of the 18th century Alexandria was among the ten busiest ports in America and had been designated an official port of entry.

The town derives its Scottish Heritage from Scottish merchants John Alexander, William Ramsay and John Carlyle. The celebration of that heritage continues today with the 46th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and parade, which is held the first Saturday every December. This year the Scottish Weekend is December 2-3 and is consistently ranked by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the OldTownCrier

All photos courtesy of City of Alexandria except bagpipe parade marchers, courtesy of Campagna Center

top 20 events, regularly drawing 30,000 visitors. For a complete accounting of the weekend, refer to the Calendar of Events in this issue.

The Christmas Walk Parade will begin at 11am and originates at Wilkes and South St. Asaph streets and ends at Market Square with massed bagpipes, something you don’t want to miss! The Walk has more than 100 Scottish clans, pipe and drum bands, Scottish dancers, reenactment groups, service bands and, of course, Santa.

This is a great day in Alexandria, but dress for the weather — it can be cold.

The evening of the 3rd will feature the 17th Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade. Dozens of brightly OldTownCrier

lit boats from both Virginia and D.C. will stretch along the Potomac River during the colorful parade at Alexandria’s historic harbor. The parade is usually led by the fireboats Vigilant and John Glenn. The boats are decked out to impress a panel of judges who award prizes in a dozen categories, including Best of Show.

Dockside festivities begin at 3 pm with the parade passing in review at 5:30 pm. This is a fun event. I know this for a fact because my sailboat won a prize a number of years ago!

All of these events are on the 2nd and 3rd, but don’t forget the rest of the month. From the “Waterfront to the Metro”, Old Town has unique

retail shops, antique shops, furniture stores and restaurants sure to satisfy any taste. Unlike a mall, this is a place to find a one-of-a-kind outfit, piece of jewelry, gift, a unique treasure or a work of art at the internationally recognized Torpedo Art Center.

Let’s not forget about the dining options here in Old Town! Just take a look at the Dining Guide in the restaurant section. There is everything from BBQ to Sushi within walking distance of Metro and the waterfront.

Speaking of the waterfront and Metro, a free trolley runs every 15 minutes between the waterfront to the King Street Metro, stopping several times along the route to enable you

to get on and off at your leisure. Even though King Street is the main drag in Old Town, there are a lot of other shops and restaurants on adjacent streets throughout town. The addition of the sandwich boards at the corners of the intersections let you know what awaits on Old Town's many charming side streets.

I encourage you all to consider the advertisers in this publication as your first stops for dining and shopping.

They are the people that make printing this column every month possible!

Take time this month and discover the magic of Old Town Alexandria.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

December 2016 | 21

FROM THE BAY …

MOLLY WINANS

The Best of Nothing

photo courtesy of Easport Lights Parade Committee

T

here is nothing to do around here in winter. Except for walking along the seawall of the U.S. Naval Academy, as neighbors and fit Midshipmen jog by and a couple hundred sailors breeze past in the Annapolis Yacht Club Frostbite Races on Sunday afternoons.

Nothing to do but head over to Quiet Waters Park and find some friends frolicking with their pets in the dog park, go to the public ice rink and skate around in circles to classic rock, and grab a hot chocolate and some 22 | December 2016

chili. Nothing, really, except for the first three Thursdays in December— the first two for Midnight Madness and the third for the Eleventh Hour— when all the downtown shops remain open late for shopping, pub-crawling, alpaca-petting on the sidewalk (you can’t make this stuff up), chocolatecovered strawberry and free Christmas cookie eating, and watching groups of carolers sing on Maryland Avenue, so lovely framed in garlands and twinkling lights, with the State House as a backdrop and a horse-drawn carriage jingling by, that you think

maybe you’ve been transported into a Norman Rockwell painting.

What am I doing the second Saturday night in December? Duh! What everyone in Annapolis is doing: checking out the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade. Usually, we wander down into the crowd and watch the spectacle of boats and lights from the Eastport Bridge, until it gets cold, which it almost always does. Then, we walk briskly through the nippy night air to a friend’s house for our Curried Christmas dinner tradition, because, as we like to say, nothing says Christmas like curry.

A few years back, we took the tradition to the water and entered into “the forest of trees.” Translation: we decorated a sailboat by stringing yellow lights up and down the mast and rigging in a tree-like formation (yellow to stay true to the curry theme), joined a bunch of other nuts who had decorated their boats with some sort of tree (much more attractive than ours), and paraded around the harbor for two hours in the dark. Blessed with unusually warm temperatures in the 50s, we merrily motored along, waving to the crowds, and figured we were just about the luckiest parade participants ever until the fog rolled in at the end. (Thanks to GPS, we safely found our way home to the curried feast awaiting us on land.)

There’s not much to do around here in winter unless it snows. It does

not need to snow a lot here. An inch will do. It’s a town filled with sailors.

As soon as there’s a dusting of snow in this place, everyone makes a mad dash for the nearest bar as if it’s the only shelter. Walk into McGarvey’s Saloon and Oyster Bar after five inches of snow have fallen, and you’ll find customers five deep at the bar. I’m not always proud of this boozy mentality, but let’s be honest. It’s a small town.

That’s how we roll.

There’s not much to do around here except drive over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the popular Talbot Street Parade in St. Michaels at 10:30 a.m. December 14, which may outNorman-Rockwell the Maryland Avenue scene in quaintness and make a Grinch’s heart grow a notch.

Maybe I’ll just walk down and say hello to my sailing friends, who live on their boat with their two dogs on the City Dock along Ego Alley in winter. They have learned over the years that the best way to enjoy the delicious nothing-to-do-ness of our fair city is to sit on deck, hot buttered rum in hand, and watch our quirky little world spin.

When she is not working as managing editor of SpinSheet and PropTalk Magazines, Molly Winans plans to hole up this winter to finish her second novel.

OldTownCrier

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JULIE REARDON

A Christmas Story Merry Christmas from the Blue Ridge! A friend who lives in the mountains shares this story every holiday season and it’s one of my favorites. I only recently found out the author’s name since various versions have been around for many years, variously titled A Christmas Prayer and The Rifle, and that it’s not actually a true story. The author was a sheep herder and wrote it one freezing night while pondering how to explain the true meaning of Christmas to his children. I think you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Julie Reardon

BY RIAN ANDERSON Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted so bad that year for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. So, after supper was over, I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn’t in much of a mood to read scriptures. But Pa didn’t get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn’t figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn’t worry about it long though, I 24 | December 2016

was too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. “Come on, Matt,” he said.

“Bundle up good, it’s cold out tonight.”

I was really upset then. Not only wasn’t I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see.

We’d already done all the chores, and I couldn’t think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one’s feet when he’d told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens.

Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house.

Something was up, but I didn’t know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn’t going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load.

Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn’t happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. “I think we’ll put on the high sideboards,” he said. “Here, help me.” The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

When we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I’d spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. “Pa,” I asked, “what are you doing?” ”You been by the Widow Jensen’s lately?” he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road.

Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I’d been

by, but so what? “Yeah,” I said, “why?”

“I rode by just today,” Pa said. “Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips.

They’re out of wood, Matt.” That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading. We went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.

“What’s in the little sack?” I asked.

“Shoes. They’re out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little candy.”

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing.

OldTownCrier

We didn’t have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn’t have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn’t have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked and the door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?”

“Lucas Miles, Ma’am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?”

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all.

Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp. “We brought you a few things, Ma’am,” Pa said and set down the sack of flour.

I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.

OldTownCrier

I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn’t come out. “We brought a load of wood too, Ma’am,” Pa said, then he turned to me and said, “Matt, go bring enough in to last for a while. Let’s get that fire up to size and heat this place up.” I wasn’t the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn’t speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I’d never known before. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference.

I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn’t crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. “God bless you,” she said. “I know the Lord himself has sent you.

I’ve been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us.”

In spite of myself, the lump returned

to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I’d never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true.

I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on a first name basis with the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen’s face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn’t want us to go.

I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, “The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow.

The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We’ll be by to get you about eleven. It’ll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn’t been little for quite a spell.”

I was the youngest. My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, “Thank you,

Brother Miles. I don’t have to say, “’May the Lord bless you,’ I know for certain that He will.”

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn’t even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, “Matt, I want you to know something.

Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn’t have quite enough.

Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle. I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and knew what I had to do. So, son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand.” I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more.

He had given me the look on Widow Jensen’s face and the radiant smiles of her three children.

For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensen’s, or split a block of wood, I remembered; and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle.

December 2016 | 25

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1. In Frosty the Snowman, who brought Frosty back to life?

2. Who lost $8,000 in It's a Wonderful Life?

3. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, what biological shortcoming made the Grinch so mean?

4. Who tells you she's in town by tap, tap, tappin' at your windowpane?

5. What is the biggest selling Christmas single of all time?

6. What was Scrooge's first name?

7. Where was I when I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus?

8. What was the name of Rudolph's dogsled driving friend?

9. Who said "God Bless Us, Every One!"?

10. What carol contains the line "O tidings of comfort and joy"?

11. In The Night Before Christmas I sprang from my bed to see what?

12. Name the three reindeer whose names begin with a "D"?

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14. What was the first gift my true love sent on the sixth day of Christmas?

15. In what city did Miracle on 34th Street take place?

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17. Who kept time with the Little Drummer Boy? 18. In The Night Before Christmas, where were the stockings hung?

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80. What does Alvin want for Christmas? reindeer is never mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"?

Chipmunk Song"?

31. St. Nick's beard is like what feature of winter?

56. In It's a Wonderful Life, what part of George's house is always broken?

32. Name the two reindeer whose name begins with a "C"?

33. In It's a Wonderful Life, what did Clarence receive for accomplishing his mission: wings or a halo?

34. What carol contains the word "Fa-la-lala-la-la-la-la-la"?

60. Whose eyes were made of coal?

62. What holiday film annually appears on television more than 300 times?

37. Who were nestled snug in their beds?

63. In It's A Life, Wonderful Life what two friends share their names with two Sesame Street characters?

38. What 1990 movie told of a boy's experience when two men break into his house during Christmas?

64. What is Frosty's nose made

83. What men's grooming appliance became a sled for Santa in commercials of the sixties?

84. What do most elves wear on the tips of their shoes?

85. After red and green, what are the two most popular Christmas colors?

86. What song contains the line "Somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me"?

87. What popular Christmas toy is based on a 1903 political caricature?

88. Who first recorded "Here Comes Santa Claus"?

89. What song does a caroler sing outside Scrooge's office?

90. What two words are normally preprinted on gift tags?

91. Where was Mommy when she was kissing Santa Claus?

92. What film told the plight of a poor mountain family during the days of the Depression?

93. On every street corner you hear what song?

of?

40. What glittery bits of metal are hung on a Christmas tree?

65. How does Scrooge improve Cratchit's life the day after Christmas?

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66. What country started the tradition of exchanging gifts?

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67. In A Charlie Brown Christmas, what winter recreation is the cast of characters doing in the opening scene?

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44. What is Charlie Brown's complaint about Christmas?

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47. Counting Rudolph, how many reindeer are there?

26. What did the traffic cop holler to Frosty?

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96. Elvis Presley recorded what sad song in the fifties?

68. What are tiny, inexpensive gifts usually called?

97. In "Winter Wonderland" the lovestruck couple pretends a snowman is who?

69. Name the reindeer whose name begins with a "B"?

98. What parade was first held January 1, 1886?

70. What WWII First Lady wrote a Christmas story about a girl named Marta?

99. What song is full of threats and warnings about Santa Claus?

71. What non-smoking association sponsors Christmas seals?

100. Where did Santa land his sleigh in "The Night Before Christmas"?

72. Visions of what dance in children's heads?

101. Who yelled "Stop" to Frosty?

73. How many times is the name of Santa Claus used in "The Night Before Christmas"?

49. What did Rudolph never get to join in?

74. What is the most popular tree topper?

50. What Emmy award-winning cartoon was based on a newspaper editorial?

75. What song contains the line "Although, it's been said, many times, many ways"?

51. What carol is known as the counting song?

76. What did the Little Drummer Boy give to the Christ Child?

52. Where did there arise such a clatter?

77. What snack is often left out for Santa?

53. What type of canned pie filling is a big seller at Christmas time?

78. In It's a Wonderful Life, who starred as George Bailey?

54. What three characters sing "The

79. What cola company was known for its

ANSWERS PG 27 26 | December 2016 Old Town Crier

82. What does the nutcracker become after killing the Mouse King?

39. What fruit is St. Nick's nose like?

46. On what street did a Santa Claus miracle occur?

30. What one

59. What flower does Moore compare St. Nick's cheeks to?

36. What did the Grinch use as a substitute for reindeer?

24. What was Rudolph's punishment for his red nose?

29. What Saturday Evening Post artist was known for his whimsical pictures of Santa Claus?

58. What carol demands figgy pudding?

61. What song was originally titled "One Horse Open Sleigh"?

23. In the movie The Santa Clause, who starred as the substitute Santa Claus?

28. What popular bite-sized chocolate candy comes wrapped in red and green foil at Christmas?

57. Traditionally, does the oldest or youngest family member open the first present?

35. In the "Nutcracker" section of Fantasia, what fungi dance the Chinese dance?

45. What instrument does Amahl play as he leads the procession in Amahl and the Night Visitors?

27. What holiday drink contains sugar, milk, and eggs?

55. What gift did Caspar bring?

81. Who wrote "The Night Before Christmas"?

102. In It's A Wonderful Life, what did George dream of becoming?

103. What is the name of the first reindeer Santa calls in The Night Before Christmas?

104. What is the name of the most famous Christmas ballet?

105. What is the theme or essence of "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"?

106. Who wrote A Christmas Carol? answers on page 56

OldTownCrier December 2012 | 53

December 2016 | 27

ANSWERS 1 Santa Claus 2 Uncle Billy 3 His heart was two sizes too small 4 Suzy Snowflake 5 "White Christmas" 6 Ebenezer 7 On the Stairs 8 Yukon Cornelius 9 Tiny Tim 10 "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" 11 What was the matter 12 Dasher, Donder, Dancer

13 Her medication 14 Six geese a-laying 15 New York 16 He jumped into the river first 17 The ox and the lamb 18 By the chimney 19 Clara 20 The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come 21 Green 22 Eleven 23 Tim Allen 24 Could not play in reindeer games

25 Pigpen 26 "Stop" 27 Eggnog 28 Hershey's Kisses 29 Norman Rockwell 30 Rudolph 31 Snow 32 Comet and Cupid 33 His Wings 34 "Deck the Halls" 35 Mushrooms 36 His dog 37 The children

38 Home Alone 39 A cherry 40 Tinsel 41 An angel 42 "I'll be back again someday" 43 His halo 44 It is too commercialized 45 His reed pipe 46 34th 47 Nine 48 He came back to life 49 Reindeer games 50 Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus 51 "The Twelve Days of Christmas" 52 On the lawn 53 Pumpkin 54 Alvin, Theodore, and Simon 55 Myrrh 56 The bannister 57 The youngest child 58 "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" 59 A rose 60 Frosty's 61 "Jingle Bells" 62 It's a Wonderful Life 63 Bert and Ernie 64 A button 65 He gives him a raise 66 Italy (Romans) 67 Ice Skating 68 Stocking Stuffers 69 Blitzen 70 Elinor Roosevelt 71 American Lung Association 72 Sugarplums

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Harry serves up the Inn’s special Martha’s Rum Punch. He is behind the bar Monday 11:30 am - 3:30 pm; and Tuesday - Friday evenings, 4 - 9 pm.

How did you get started in the bartending business?

I just wanted to have a little fun at my work.

What is your biggest bartender pet peeve?

Old, tired bad jokes What is the most clever line a customer has used to solicit a free drink?

Back in the day…the old “flash me and drink for free” was a favorite. It’s hard to beat that one — it worked every single time. I almost had T-shirts printed up with that slogan

28 | December 2016

What is the best/worst pick up line you have heard while behind the bar?

Best: “Just tell those guys that are bothering you that I’m your brother and to leave you alone.”

Worst: I had a customer at Portner’s who carried a picture of his wife and kids in his pocket and he would tell the ladies that they died in car crash and he was very sad, when in fact, they were alive and well.

Tell us a fun story about an encounter you have had with a customer.

I have tended bar in the area for so long that I could write a novel about the stories and encounters I have had

over the years. There have been so many characters in Old Town that have provided me with stories but none better than the late Doug Meick, aka Skippy Vanderbilt III. He was the King of the Costume! Those of you who know him, know what I am talking about. One of my favorites is: Doug came in to the bar dressed in full Santa Claus garb and sat at the bar, lit up a cigarette and proceeded to enjoy his beverage. Well, a hot cigarette ash dropped on him and caught the suit on fire. He did the old “drop and roll” and we put the fire out with our drinks. The damage was just enough

that it gave the suit “more” character and he continued to wear it for years.

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

Doug Meick, of course, and the late Dave Underwood.

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

OldTownCrier

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December 2016 | 29

DINING OUT

BOB TAGERT

FISH MARKET RESTAURANT & THE ANCHOR BAR Eat Fish, Drink Beer, Live Longer!

E

stablished in 1976, this month’s restaurant is one of the original eateries that helped put Old Town Alexandria on the map and, is for me, a trip down memory lane. When I came to Old Town in 1977 the Fish Market became my go-to bar and restaurant. We would gather at the then, Brass Bar, for beers in the afternoon. It was the gathering place for many of the locals back then … businesspersons, shopkeepers and artists from the Torpedo Factory. Back then, the restaurant reached all the way to Union Street at the Raw Bar. There were four bars on the main floor with a few more upstairs. Times have changed and the place has changed but the atmosphere and food quality is just as good as back then and the menu has been upgraded to include very diverse offerings. Then, as now, the Fish Market is still putting Old Town on the map.

About six years ago, Franco Landini and his son Noe bought the restaurant from the estate of Mr. Ray (Giovannoni) who founded the restaurant. The Landinis immediately gutted the place, took out a bar, and

30 | December 2016

rebuilt the entire place including a new and modern kitchen. Cory Fey, now the corporate executive chef, was brought in to run the kitchen and he added more items to the list of fried, broiled or steamed fish choices. Today, the restaurant offers a raw bar, soups and chowders, starters and salads, sandwiches, burgers and tacos, grilled platters, fried platters, specialties, nautical pastas, sides and a kid’s menu.

The menu is very extensive but many favorites have remained over the years.

First and foremost, the Fish Market has always been noted for its 32-ounce schooner of beer. This practice still exists and has many faithful followers.

The schooners are ice cold as is the beer and if you are thirsty, it hits the spot! There are also many craft beers available , a special cocktail list and a very extensive wine list. You can find just about anything you want here.

From the soups category you have your choice of the famous Fish Market clam chowder, seafood stew and crab soup. The clam chowder has always been a staple and the seafood stew was added to the menu back in the late 70’s…this place has history.

oyster served is local. As good as these oysters are, my all time favorite is the steamed shrimp. Good size, plump, firm shrimp steamed in the best concoction of spice and butter ever.

They are delicious.

Sandwiches at the Fish Market range from a jumbo crab cake, grilled or blackened Mahi Mahi, lobster rolls and the original filet-o-fish. Burgers and tacos range from the famous Boat Burger and Old Town Burger to Jaco Tacos and Drunken Cod Tacos.

Grilled platters include the Admirals, Skippers, Seasonal FISH MARKET catch, Surf and Turf and RESTAURANT & RAW BAR The raw bar is Crab Norfolk. Roasted located at the front THE ANCHOR BAR red potatoes and of the restaurant 105 & 107 KING STREET asparagus accompany and has seats and OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA each of these platters. a picture window 703-836-5676 The fried platters begin view of strollers on FISHMARKETVA.COM with the Captains and King Street. The Fisherman’s and Fried Fish Market has Shrimp (my all time partnered with favorite) to Fish N’ Chips and Fried folks on the bay that produce oysters, oysters. thus they are able to harvest their The menu continues with house own. They also buy fresh from other specialties including Fresh Whole oyster operations on the bay so every

DINING OUT > PAGE 37

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December 2016 | 31

Dining Guide AMERICAN ASHAR RESTAURANT AND BAR 116 South Alfred St. 703-894-6356 BILBO BAGGINS 208 Queen St. 703-683-0300 BLACKWALL HITCH 5 Cameron St. 571-982-3577 BURGER FI 111 N. Pitt St. 703-746-9242 CARLYLE CLUB 411 John Carlyle St. 703-549-8957 CHADWICKS 203 Strand St. 703-836-4442 chadwicksrestaurants.com An Old Town tradition since 1979 and an original Georgetown pub and restaurant since 1967.

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

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

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

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

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

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

JACKSON 20 480 King St. 703-842-2790

REYNOLDS STREET CAFÉ 34 S. Reynolds St. 703-751-0830

MAI THAI 9 King St. 703-548-0600

JOE THEISMANNS 1800 Diagonal Rd. 703-739-0777

RIVER BEND BISTRO 7966 Fort Hunt Rd. Hollin Hall Shopping Center 703-347-7545 riverbendbistro.com

RED MEI 602 King St. 703-837-0094

KING STREET BLUES 112 N. St. Asaph St. 703-836-8800 LAPORTAS 1600 Duke St. 703-683-6313 LIVE OAK 1603 Commonwealth Ave. 571-312-0402 LOST DOG CAFE 808 North Henry St. 571-970-6511 MACKIE’S BAR AND GRILL 907 King St. 703-684-3288 MAGNOLIA’S ON KING 703 King St. 703-838-9090 MAJESTIC CAFÉ 911 King St. 703-837-9117 MASON SOCIAL 728 Henry Street Old Town Alexandria 703-548-8800 mason-social.com MOUNT VERNON INN Mount Vernon, Va 703-780-0011 MURPHYS IRISH PUB 713 King St. 703-548-1717 murphyspub.com Old-world Irish pub featuring a roaring fireplace, serving a variety of imported, domestic and non-alcoholic beers in a friendly atmosphere. Serving robust American-Irish meals at fair prices. Favorites include fish and chips and Irish stew.

Irish-style entertainment nightly.

NICKELLS AND SCHIFFLER 1028 King St. 703-684-5922 NINAS DANDY Potomac Party Cruises Zero Prince St. 703-683-6076 dandydinnerboat.com

HARD TIMES CAFE 1404 King St. 703-837-0050

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

HEN QUARTER 1404 King St. 703-837-0050

OVERWOOD 220 North Lee St. 703-535-3340

HUNTING CREEK STATION 801 King St. 703-684-8969

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

32 | December 2016

ROCK IT GRILL 1319 King St. 703-739-2274 RT's RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 rtsrestaurant.com SAMUEL BECKETTS IRISH GASTRO PUB 2800 S. Randolph St. Villages of Shirlington 703-379-0122 SHOOTER MCGEES 5239 Duke St. 703-751-9266 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 T.J. STONES GRILL HOUSE & TAP ROOM 608 Montgomery St. 703-548-1004 tjstones.com American cuisine with libations from around the world. Bar specials Mon-Fri, 4-7 pm. Brunch served Sat & Sun. TRADEMARK 2800 Jamieson Ave. 703-253-8640 UNION STREET PUBLIC HOUSE 121 South Union St. 703-548-1785 unionstreetpublichouse.com Old Towns favorite neighborhood tap and grill.

Distinct southern style menu, fine steaks, fresh seafood.

Sunday brunch, private parties, happy hour.

VERMILLION 1120 King St. 703-684-9669

MALAYA 1019 King St. 703-519-3710

STREETS MARKET AND CAFE 3108 Mt. Vernon Ave. 571-431-6810

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

SANG JUN THAI 300 King Street 571-312-3377

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.

KAI ZEN TAVERN 1901 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-836-1212

HANKS PASTA BAR 600 Montgomery Ave. 571-312-4117

CONTINENTAL

IL PORTO RESTAURANT 121 King St. 703-836-8833

THAILAND ROYAL 801 N. Fairfax St. 703 535-6622 TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 66 Canal Center Plaza 703-683-8878 CAPHE BANH MI VIETNAMESE 407 Cameron St. 703-549-0800

BRABO

by Robert Weidmaier 1600 King St. 703-894-3440 BRABO TASTING ROOM 1600 King St. 703-894-5252 CEDAR KNOLL INN GW Parkway at Lucia Ln. 703-799-1501 RESTAURANT EVE 110 S. Pitt St. 703-706-0450 TEMPO 4231 Duke St. 703-370-7900 temporestaurant.com Northern Italian, French provincial and 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

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

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

VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL & THE HI-TIDE LOUNGE 101 North Union St. 703-935-8890

LA MADELEINE 500 King St. 703-729-2854

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

YVES BISTRO 235 Swamp Fox Rd. (in Hoffman Ctr.) 703-329-1010

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

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

4:30 pm - close for $30.07. Eat a little, drink a little, have a lot of fun!

TAVERNA CRETEKOU 818 King St. 703-548-8688 tavernacretekou.com 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 BISTRO DU SOLEIL 1116 King St. 571-312-2754 SEAFOOD HANKS OYSTER BAR 1026 King St. 703-739-HANK RTS RESTAURANT 3804 Mt. Vernon Ave. 703-684-6010 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

PARADISO 124 King St. 703-683-5330

INDIAN BOMBAY CURRY COMPANY 2607 Mount Vernon Ave. 703-836-6363

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

DISHES OF INDIA 1510A Bellview Blvd.

703-660-6085

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

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

TRATTORIA DA FRANCO 305 S. Washington St. 703-548-9338 MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA 529 East Howell Ave. 571-970-1006 LA TASCA 607 King St. 703-299-9810 Offering unlimited tapas at lunch and dinner. Choice of dessert included. Lunch 11:30 am - 4:30 pm for $20.07; dinner

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)

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Now open for BRUNCH Saturdays & Sundays at 10AM 121 South Union Street, Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1785  unionstreetpublichouse.com

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

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® Book Your Holiday Party with Us Today!

Celebrate with Us New Year’s Eve! Reservations Only 6 PM - 1 AM $40 4-Course Meal Party Favors Midnight Champagne Toast Music by Pat Garvey & Ronan Kavanagh Open 5 PM Christmas Day with Dinner Specials & Music Open New Year’s Day for Brunch 11 AM - 2 PM

713 King Street • Old Town Alexandria 703.548.1717 • murphyspub.com December 2016 | 33

CHEF’S SPECIAL

CHESTER SIMPSON

photo: ©2016 Chester Simpson

Troy CLAYTON

When did you first become interested sink and onto the stove, and finding in cooking and why did you pursue a my passion, and where you will find TROY CLAYTON culinary career? me today, at Geranio.

IS THE CHEF/OWNER OF The first cooking memory is my Who/what have been the greatest GERANIO RISTORANTE little boy self, on a step stool making inspirations in your career?

722 KING STREET cheesecake with my mother and Having worked with many chefOLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA grandmother, perhaps six or seven mentors over many years, each has 703-548-0088 years old. From a little boy who loved had a significant influence on my GERANIO.NET cheesecake, fast-forward a decade, to cooking, work ethic, and standards, my 17 year old dishwasher self, seeing so it’s a bit of a list. Donaldo Soviero the chefs at California Café as the coolest guys on the in Umbria, Jilles Marcoullier in Paris, Anthony planet. It took me about a month to get out of the dish Worrall Thompson and Marco Pierre White in

London, Jean Louis Palladin and Gunter Seeger in America make up the short list of Chefs, but honestly the greatest inspiration in my career are my sons, teaching them by example, the value of high standards and hard work.

What dish on your menu are you most curious to see how it is received by your clientele?

Being a chef/owner is a lot of fun — creating new dishes while always adapting and refining the tried and true. So the only answer is, the next dish we CHEF’S SPECIAL > PAGE 35

left to right: Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Baby Arugula and Shaved Parmesan, Lobster Risotto with a 1# Maine Lobster, Oven-Roasted Swordfish over Parmesan Potato Gratin with Wilted Spinach and Tomato Vinaigrette; and Braised Lamb Shank with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Tomatoes and Rosemary Jus 34 | December 2016

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CHEF’S SPECIAL FROM PG 34

create at Geranio. The creative process is collaborative with my kitchen team, and we are always curious how a new dish will be received, how many guests will order it, and how we will feel about our new creation from imagination through execution, to empty plates coming back to the kitchen.

What do you do to insure that your product is of the highest quality?

In order to ensure not only great food — every dish, every night — but also great service and a phenomenal dining experience for our guests equally, surrounding yourself with an awesome team of committed professionals is the only possible answer. We call it The Geranio Family, and

I am very proud of what we accomplish every day.

If you could have any chef in the world prepare a meal for you, who would that be?

Surrounded by great food and cooking for my entire life, I have dined all over the world and enjoyed many phenomenal meals prepared by so many talented Chefs (and I still love my

own cooking). So, if I have to pick one, although a bit sentimental, I would choose to be fed by my mom and grandma cooking together — this is where it all started.

Grandma passed many years ago, and Mom is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, so the meal I would most enjoy is the one I can’t have.

What is your guilty food pleasure?

Hands down, ice cream — my comfort food at the end of a long night of cooking!

If you would like to see your favorite chef featured here, send contact info to chester@ chestersimpson.com.

“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

GRAB A BITE! HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT MACKIE’S! FOR CONNOISSEURS OF GOOD FOOD, GOOD FRIENDS AND THE PERFECT STEAK, MACKIE’S IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND ALL THREE AT THEIR UNCOMPLICATED BEST CALL ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONAL PRICING FOR E HOLIDAY & OFFIC PARTIES

$10 LUNCH SPECIALS AND THE HAPPIEST OF HAPPY HOURS 3-7 PM AT THE BAR!

Great Steaks

USDA Prime Cuts

HAPPY HOUR PRIC DURING ALL NFL ES GAMES!

WE ARE AN OFFICIAL GREEN BAY PACKERS BAR!

Late Night Menu Available Every Night

907 King Street Old Town Alexandria 703.684.3288 mackiesbarandgrill.com OldTownCrier

December 2016 | 35

GRAPEVINE

KAREN MINOR

3

HOLIDAY WINE COCKTAILS

It’s time to raise a glass to the holidays! Whether you’re a Champagne lover, prefer white wine or only drink reds, we’ve got you covered with a holiday cocktail for each. Inspired by the smells and flavors of the holidays, these cocktails are sure to help take your mind off the hustle and bustle of this busy season. Kick your feet up, forget the shopping lists, and enjoy a holiday wine cocktail.

ROSEMARY-SCENTED CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Rosemary adds a subtle hint of aromatic herbs to this delightful sparkler. Makes 1.

Ingredients

5 oz. Champagne ½ oz. Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum (or similar) ½ oz. rosemary simple syrup (recipe follows) Lemon wedge

Directions

Combine rum and rosemary simple syrup in a Champagne flute. Fill glass to the top with Champagne. Squeeze lemon into cocktail.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

Makes about ½ cup ½ cup sugar ½ cup water 1 sprig rosemary (about 5 inches)

Directions

Pull leaves off rosemary sprig and add to a small saucepan with sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to a low boil for about 5 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

36 | December 2016

HOLIDAY-SPICED RED WINE COCKTAIL

This cocktail will put you in the holiday spirit with flavors of cinnamon, vanilla and cognac. Makes 1.

Ingredients

4 oz. red wine 1 oz. Camus cognac (or similar) 1 oz. cinnamon-vanilla simple syrup (recipe follows) Lemon wedge Ice

Directions

Add wine, cognac and cinnamon-vanilla simple syrup to a glass. Fill with ice. Squeeze lemon into cocktail and stir.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Simple Syrup Makes about ½ cup ½ cup sugar ½ cup water ½ vanilla bean 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out seeds. Add seeds, vanilla bean, sugar, water and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to a low boil for about 5 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

POMEGRANATE-ORANGE WHITE WINE COCKTAIL

Bright, festive and fun, this fruity cocktail goes down easy! Makes 1.

Ingredients

4 oz. dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc) 3 oz. pomegranate juice 1 oz. fresh orange juice ½ oz. Camus cognac (or similar) 5 mint leaves Ice

Directions

Tear mint leaves roughly and put in glass. Add wine, juices and cognac. Fill glass with ice Karen Miner is the Food & Home editor for SheKnows.com. She is a freelance writer, recipe developer and is also the cook, author and photographer behind the food blog, Tasty Trials, a collection of original recipes and stories. She and her husband live in the San Francisco Bay Area – a food lover’s paradise. You can follow her on Twitter: @ TastyTrials. Publisher’s note: Our initial intention was to print the holiday events this month at the wineries in our distribution area but there were too many to fit in the allotted print space. For a complete list and links to websites, go to virginawine.org.

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VIRGINIA WINE TRAIL PROFILES BEDFORD COUNTY WINE TRAIL bedfordwinetrail.com The Bedford Wine Trail in the Central Virginia region includes five vineyards and wineries surrounding Bedford.

n THREE FOX VINEYARDS DECEMBER EVENTS n

3 & 4: HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE & GIFT SALE n 3: LIVE MUSIC 10 & 11: HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE n 11: PAINT NITE n 17 & 18: HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 17: UGLY SWEATER CONTEST n 18: PAINT NITE n 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

BLUE RIDGE WINE WAY www.blueridgewineway.com The Blue Ridge Wine Way features eight wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains of the Northern Virginia region.

BOTETOURT COUNTY WINE TRAIL botetourtwinetrail.com The Wine Trail of Botetourt Country features three wineries in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

EASTERN SHORE WINE TRAIL esvatourism.org The Eastern Shore of Virginia Wine Trail hosts three wineries along the Land Between Two Waters. This area is a unique rural coastal environment. Hundreds of miles of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay shoreline provide a wealth of recreational opportunities for beach-lovers, fishermen, and boaters in addition to wine lovers.

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

Mention or bring this ad for a complimentary tasting for two through 12/23/2010 10100 Three Fox Ln. • Delaplane, VA • 540-364-6073

FAUQUIER COUNTY WINE TRAIL fauquiertourism.com/wineries.html Fauquier County is home to 16 wineries and vineyards — each with its own unique flavors. Enjoy award-winning Virginia wines, wine tastings and tours.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY WINE TRAIL svwga.org The Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail is an association of six vineyards and wineries.

LOUDOUN WINE TRAIL visitloudoun.org Loudouns Wine Trail in Northern Virginia takes you through Virginias hunt country to 23 participating wineries.

CHESAPEAKE BAY WINE TRAIL chesapeakebaywinetrail.com The Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail, in the Chesapeake Bay region, highlights six different wineries.

HEART OF VIRGINIA WINE TRAIL www.hovawinetrail.com The Heart of Virginia Wine Trail in Central Virginia presents several events throughout the year at four wineries located in the central region of the state.

BLUE RIDGE WINE TRAIL blueridgewinetrail.com The Blue Ridge Wine Trail features five wineries and vineyards in the spectacular mountains all within minutes of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

GENERALS WINE & HISTORY TRAIL thegeneralswinetrail.com In 2009, 10 wineries banded together to form a new type wine trail experience. The new wine trail experience was to tie our rich wine heritage with our rich historical heritage and thus the Generals Wine & History Trail was born.

MONTICELLO WINE TRAIL monticellowinetrail.com The Monticello Wine Trail leads to 24 wineries from its hub in Charlottesville.

Source: Virginia Wine Marketing Office

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real people. earth friendly. fabulous wines.

AWARD-WINNING WINES & FINE PAIRINGS OPEN DAILY 11A-5P 15669 Limestone School Rd • Leesburg, VA 20176 703.771.1197 • fabbioliwines.com • info@fabbioliwines.com DINING OUT FROM PG 30

Maine Lobster, Alaskan Snow Crab Legs, Jumbo Crab Cakes, Fried Fish Pontchartrain, Sea Scallops, Seafood Jambalaya and BaconOnion Crusted Salmon. They also offer seven pasta dishes ranging from Lobster Linguini, Linguini and Clams and Combination Seafood to Lobster Mac. Chicken N’ Cream was always one of my favorites.

On the particular evening we were there I had the Admirals Platter, which at first didn’t look like much, but I couldn’t finish it.

Perfectly grilled scallops, shrimp with a sizable piece of Salmon and Crab Imperial. Along with the roasted red potatoes and asparagus, it was more than enough. The fried platters are, in my opinion, a little over cooked except for the butterflied shrimp…that is always wonderful. The pasta dishes have always been tasty and served with plenty of whatever you choose and the portions are hefty. My dining companion ordered the Seafood Cobb salad. This salad is served with plenty of crab meat (not jumbo lump) and steamed popcorn shrimp. Served on a bed of romaine with the

usual cucumbers, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and blue cheese crumbles, it lacked bacon but she detected green olives, which was a surprise. I wouldn’t have welcomed that ingredient but she liked it. The salad is definitely a meal in itself.

The restaurant is bare top tables but has added a cloth napkin wrapped around the silverware, which makes for a little more panache. The Fish Market is a casual restaurant but is also a beautiful build out. There are two floors for dining with a large bar on each floor.

The whole restaurant seats over 400 so there is always room for more. One of the best places to dine, weather permitting, is one of the three tables on the balcony overlooking King Street.

The Fish Market was the perfect place to dine and feature this month since our underlying theme for the December issue is “Home for the Holidays.” Treat yourself to a lunch break while shopping or a relaxing dinner in the dining room.

Don’t forget about the Anchor Bar if you like sports — your game will be playing on one of the several flat screens that surround the room.

December 2016 | 37

EXPLORING VA WINES

DOUG FABBIOLI

N

o, we are not on the market!

But, there are always a few wineries openly on the market and the underlying story is that every winery is on the market for the right price. There is no question that growing grapes, making wine and selling that wine to customers has its challenges. Those challenges have been the subject matter of this column many times over the years.

This month I want to focus on the great stuff today as an end of the year acknowledgement of why we do what we do.

I love to work outside and dance with Mother Nature. Getting the best from her through our grapes, seeing the awesome power of storms, wind, sun and water is pretty cool. We have basically filled all of our plantable acreage here on the farm. Grapes, hops, pears, berries and asparagus are the crops that we focus on here. We have 5 other farms that we grow crops on as well. There is always more land to plant even if you don’t own it. There are more crops to try that will create a new product or market for your business. Hops, cider apples, specialty grains and strawberries are some of the things we have dabbled in or talked about over the last few years.

forklifts, trucks and mowers to keep my inner child playing in the sandbox satisfied. Some of the stuff we make is not for sale. We built our tasting room building and many of the fixtures inside of it. This work can be cost effective, satisfying and very useful if you have the skills and vision.

On a social level, we have met some

business people in the area that we have worked with over the years.

They may not directly buy or sell our product, but through sharing labor, customers, equipment and vision, we keep growing the culture of the rural lifestyle and an agriculturally based economy. Also I have met and worked with numerous government

The Joys of Owning a Winery I get to make stuff as well! Turning the fruits that we grow into a product for others to buy and enjoy is quite satisfying. Sometimes those products are a product of what I see that is possible. Most times, the fruit available inspires me to create a product that will show style, balance, creativity and a flavor that people can’t wait to try and take home. We even get to enter these wines or products into competitions where they are judged and praised according to the standards of the competition along with other wines. I also get to drive tractors, 38 | December 2016

fabulous customers over the years.

Some are local, some are visitors and some we travel to see and present our wines to them. The restaurateurs and wine shop folks are another element of great people, each with a story, a vision and goal that they hope to achieve.

We also have some very dynamic characters that own wineries or other businesses in our neighborhood. By collaborating with others, we get to learn more about each other, build trust by helping each other, and build stronger businesses together. There are many other farmers, artists and

representatives, from the ground level all the way up to the Governor, who value our industry and recognize the positive impact that we have on our community and regions. Working with the government has been a very effective way to achieve many goals as well address concerns before they become problems. No industry grows without making an impact on others.

It’s important that we all listen, but keep focused on the greater good rather than the squeaky minority focused on self-interests.

The best thing that I get to do is

share my knowledge and passion for what I do with interested folks.

Today it was a group of school aged kids coming out to learn about farming and winemaking. We have so much information to share, and many kids are never told about other job opportunities available in their region. I had a great time answering questions, explaining some of the things we do and how our farming is done successfully by thinking of the long term investment into those vines.

I also explained that each of those vines are like kids - we train, nurture and invest in them, hoping that they will be fruitful in the future. So if you are thinking of changing careers, let’s have a chat about what being a farmer or winemaker is all about. Nothing is easy, but the rewards are there if you stop and look.

Doug is the proprietor and winemaker of Fabbioli Cellars in Loudoun County and has been penning this column for several years. He has been instrumental in the success of many of the Commonwealth’s vineyards and wineries.

OldTownCrier

Christmas Calories: A Holiday Fantasy

BY FRANCES KILLPATRICK Tired of all of the internet advice and reading wimpy women’s magazines with their annual rehash of advice on how to handle calories and parties during the holiday season?

You know, like “drinking three gallons of water before a party.” You must admit it works. Very few party givers set up that yummy buffet table in the bathroom, where you will spend your fun-filled evening!

What do these self-appointed nutrition “experts” know, anyway? Their idea of a fun party is trying out tofu recipes on defenseless laboratory animals.

True believers in the holiday spirit know this simple fact: Certain holiday situations totally cancel out normal caloric considerations.

For example, there are absolutely NO calories in: • Food sold for charity. This includes candy, fruit cakes and pizza kits. Of course, go easy on those oranges and grapefruit!

• Food made by a co-worker who says, “I stayed up til 3 a.m. baking these damned cookies and somebody in this office better eat them!”

• Food or drink served at a party for which you have received a written invitation.

• Cider, hot chocolate and doughnuts which you have to eat because those darn carolers skipped your house again this year. It was a lovely gesture on your part, even if you forgot to turn on the porch lights. Do you pretend to be perfect?

• Cider, hot chocolate doing the caroling. with a flashlight

and doughnuts offered to you if you happen to be After all, trying to see all of the words to “Silent Night” containing a half-dead battery you’ve been meaning to replace (but obviously didn’t) takes a lot out of a person!

• Cookies, brownies, fudge or fruit cake sent to you by anyone over the age of 65, especially if it’s your Aunt Martha. The fact that she lives in Fairbanks, Alaska and wouldn’t know if you at the cookies (or gave them to people claiming to have made them yourself) is totally beside the point. Such deception would be highly immoral and not worthy of you.

• Cookies made for you by any child – yours or anyone else’s. Even if these filthy, gray creations look more like something waiting to be taken to a toxic waste disposal instead of like Christmas trees, a gum drop is a gum drop, and don’t you forget it.

• Food eaten while watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas or the original black and white production of It’s a Wonderful Life. (Colorizing adds 6,000 calories to anything).

• Home-cured bacon and hams sent to you by your cousin, Billy Bob Greaseback in Mountain Creek, Arkansas. You should not be deterred by remembering that Cousin Billy Bob resembles his porcine stock even when he is wearing his hat.

• Pie, cake, Irish coffee, egg nog, champagne, sacher torte or any dessert or pastry purchased from an overpriced caterer eaten while listening to The Messiah. Some things are sacred and should not be defiled by nutritionists. With Bach’s Magnificat in D, add whipped cream to everything!

OldTownCrier

White House Eggnog

Recipe from former White House Chef Walter Scheib, The American Chef

Ingredients

6 or 7 egg yolks (5 ounces, pasteurized if possible) 1 cup sugar ¾ cups each, bourbon, cognac, dark rum, such as Meyers 6 or 7 egg whites (7 ounces, pasteurized if possible) 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 quart milk, more if needed Freshly grated nutmeg for serving

Process

1. Put the yolks and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until yellow ribbons form, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add the bourbon, cognac and rum, whip well, scrape down the sides and mix again. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart bowl.

3. In a separate clean mixer bowl using a clean beater, whip the egg whites and salt until very stiff. Fold into the eggnog mixture.

4. Wipe out the mixer bowl, pour in the cream and vanilla and whip until very stiff peaks form. Pour this into the eggnog mixture. Add the milk and whisk until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the eggnog to an airtight container, chill in the refrigerator and serve within 2 or 3 weeks, if using pasteurized eggs, 3 to 5 days if not. While the eggnog is refrigerated, foam will rise; simply whisk to reincorporate it. Serve very cold, with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

From the Publisher: Walter Scheib co-authored a column called “Cooking Fran and Wally” with longtime Old Town Crier contributor Frances Killpatrick. He was the Executive Chef at the Whitehouse from 1994 to 2005 during the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

He died in the summer of 2015 while hiking in the mountains surrounding Taos, New Mexico. He is remembered for his memoir, The White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen.

December 2016 | 39

FITNESS

E

very January hundreds of people head out to join a gym or activity group to make a New Year’s resolution. One of the top resolutions on just about everyone’s list is some type of fitness goal, losing weight, training to run a 5k or starting a weight training program to tone up. Make this upcoming new year more successful by starting your fitness program before the new year gets here. Experts say it takes 30 days to create a habit. If you start your workout plan in December, by the time the new year rolls around you will be ahead of everyone else!

One of the simplest forms of exercise that just about everyone can participate in is walking. There is no equipment needed except for a good pair of walking sneakers. With the weather that we have been having here there is no reason not to

NICOLE FLANAGAN

grab a buddy and get outside for a walk. If going outside is not an option then a walking workout on a treadmill is great as well. Here are a few ways to boost your walking routine into a fat burning session.

Steady Pace Walk

Aim for a speed at which you’re hustling but still able to carry on a conversation. Your rate of perceived exertion, or RPE should be about a 6.

RPE is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being sitting still and 10 being an all out sprint.

If you are on a treadmill this speed will be between a 13 and 17 minute mile. The goal is to maintain this speed for 45minutes. Calories burned at this pace can be between 150300, depending on your pace and fitness level.

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walking on a flat surface for 15minutes at a pace where your RPE is about 6 or 7. Find some stairs or a hill or set your treadmill to a 4 percent incline and walk uphill for about 2 minutes. Recover by walking on a flat surface for five minutes. If you are outside and can only find one set of stairs or one hill, walk up and down the stairs for five minutes followed by ten minutes of walking on a flat surface. If you are walking along the bike path or anywhere in Old Town there are plenty of stairs to walk.

Continue this uphill interval for a 45minute workout and burn almost double the calories you would if you were just walking at a steady pace.

Intervals

Burn more calories by increasing your pace. Warm up by walking at a reasonable pace for about ten minutes 40 | December 2016

at an RPE of around 6. Then walk as fast as you can for one minute, followed by slowing down to your regular pace for about 2 minutes. Alternate these intervals for 45 minutes.

If you’re not wearing a watch measure your fast and moderate pace by blocks.

Walk quickly for one block and then slow it down a bit for two blocks.

With three easy ways to increase your calorie burning potential while you walk you can be sure that walking off some weight during this holiday season will be a success. Try to get out and be active at least three to four times per week to maintain your cardiovascular fitness.

Getting a routine set up now will help manage stress and keep off weight during the holidays, plus give you an advantage when it comes to making that fitness resolution for the new year.

OldTownCrier

RYAN UNVERZAGT

FROM THE TRAINER

W

ow! It’s hard to believe that 2016 is almost over. This year has gone by way too fast, but December is a great time to find that perfect gift for the holidays. If you are one of those people who struggle to think of gift ideas, you should consider something fitnessrelated. Here are a few things that I recommend:

Heart Rate Monitor

This is a tool that I think everyone should own. Heart rate monitor prices can vary anywhere from $30 to well over $300 depending upon the brand and type. The best thing about having one is that it will track the intensity of your workout no matter where you exercise! You don’t need to rely on a cardio machine at the health club to check your heart rate. It’s also easier than stopping in the middle of your workout to feel your pulse and count while watching the clock.

Exercise Ball

(A.K.A. Fit Ball, Swiss Ball, or Stability Ball) I’m talking about the big ball you can sit on at the office or perform multiple exercises for the “core”. However, you can do much more than abdominal exercises with a Fit Ball such as squats, stationary lunges OldTownCrier

FIT GIFTS! and pushups. Every ball should have an exercise sheet included to show you how to use them. They also come in different sizes and colors, so which one should you buy?

Most manufacturers will have a size chart printed on the side of the box. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends these sizes for height: 4’8” - 5’5”……….45 cm Ball 5’6”- 6’0”………..55 cm Ball (most common size in stores) 6’1” – 6’5”……….65 cm Ball (most common size in stores) Taller than 6’5”…..75 cm Ball (Prices for exercise balls vary from $20 (typical) to $45, burst resistant quality)

Kettle Bell

You might be wondering, “What the heck is a kettle bell?” I can give you a visual.

It basically looks like a cannonball with a handle on top. Kettle bells have been used for centuries in Russia, but are now becoming popular fitness tools in the U.S. Sizes typically range

from 5lbs to 25lbs in stores, but can be ordered much heavier. Some kettle bells will be listed in kilograms (kgs), have a cast iron look and feel, or have some sort of covering or coating for a better grip.

Kettle bells can be a bit pricy, ranging anywhere from $25 to over $180 for a single one.

Kettle bell training does take more practice and skill than traditional weight training, so you should seek guidance from a fitness professional before diving into this type of training.

Health Club Membership/ Personal Training Sessions

This gift can be a tricky one because the recipient might be offended at such an offer thinking, “What are you trying to say!” However, if you have heard someone talking about joining a gym or thinking about personal training, this might be the gift to help them take that next step toward a healthier life.

I hope these ideas will be helpful in your quest to find a great holiday gift this season!

Unverzagt holds a BS in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University.

He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

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December 2016 | 41

GO FISH

STEVE CHACONAS

Fishing for Holiday Gifts?

S

hopping for anglers is frustrating; but for the person on the receiving end, there’s a guaranteed stint in the return line! Choose gifts for on and off the water!

TEVA’s OMNIUM unites sandal comfort with shoe stability and foot protection! On deck, in the water, or on the street, these all weather sport sandals can be worn with comfort even with socks! Microban® zincbased anti-microbial treatment keeps them fresh! Rubber bumpers protect toes. A Shoc Pad™ maintains comfort. Spider Original Rubber outsole keeps OMNIUM from losing

its grip. teva.com Award winning outdoors writer, Robert Montgomery captures the innocence and inspiration coming from outdoors activities.

Fishing, especially, has touched and formed the lives of many of the contributing writers. An excellent read with sharing in mind. Passing it on in three books: Why We Fish, Fish, Frogs & Fireflies and Under the Bed…Tales from an innocent childhood. amazon.com Smartphones ring and the gloves come off.

TM Not anymore! NEW Tap-Knit Technology from HANZ Extremity Wear, known for GO FISH > PAGE 44

POTOMAC RIVER BASSING Target hard cover near drops as fish prepare to head into their winter holes. Use spinning rods and downsize to GAMMA 6-pound test Edge fluorocarbon either as a main line or use 15-pound test GAMMA Torque braid with 6-pound test leader.

Reels with smooth drags are important, like the Quantum EXO. Drop shot, shaky head, and split shot are the best bets. Use a Mustad 1/0 Mega Bite hook along with a 3/16-ounce Water Gremlin BullShot weight for drop shots and split

DEC.

42 | December 2016

shots. MIZMO makes a BarbWire head that keeps baits in place and increases hooks ups with 5-inch Doodle worms. MIZMO also makes great 3-inch grubs and tubes. Use 1/8-ounce heads for both. Also break out the Punisher hair jigs with matching chunks. Use slow horizontal presentations. Soak soft plastics and jigs in Jack’s Juice garlic bait spray.

Also time to tie on Silver Buddy lures. Use ½ ounce on 10-pound test GAMMA EDGE on casting reels like very light QUANTUM EXOs on KVD Quantum spinnerbait rods with enough tip flex for casting and hook-setting backbone.

Mann’s Loudmouth II cranks on 10-pound test EDGE work along warmed surfaces. Go deeper with Lucky Craft LC RTO 1.5 DD. Use shad patterns in clearer water or sunny days, craws otherwise. On the warmest days, try suspending Pointer 78 jerkbaits when water reaches 50 degrees.

OldTownCrier

SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE PEGGY ARVIDSON

Are You In Service or Servitude?

I

n the land of hand analysis there is a particular set of fingerprints that translate to being in The School of Service.

There are four possible life schools here on Earth: Service, Love, Wisdom and Peace. Some people are double-majors but many have one school that they’ve come to master here.

What does that mean?

If you went to a college you were asked to declare a major. All the classes you took throughout your years in school were focused on that Major. When you took electives, you likely selected electives that would enhance your Major or at least could be interpreted through the lens of the Major. In other words, if you majored in accounting, you took a different English class than if you majored in Theater, right?

Each school (or life Major) has their own upside, what I call the “master” path and down side, which I call the “grasshopper” path. The good news is that once you’ve identified your life school, you have unparalleled awareness of when you’re on each path and have the option to course correct any time.

Going back to the school of Service, recognize that the highest and best version of being in this school means that you choose to serve with joy. The service you choose is less important than the consciousness with which you undertake the journey.

People in the school of Service are excellent “doers”. They tend to have their plates full of tasks that they

OldTownCrier

shouldered, often at the behest of someone else. This could be taking on extra assignments at work to ease someone else’s workload, or it could be taking the “assignment” of making your adult, collegeeducated children a hot dinner every night at the expense of taking that art class you’ve been eyeing.

A common lament among the people in this school is “I wish I could, but I have to take care of something else first.”

This kind of statement is a tell-tale sign that the person is busily running along their grasshopper path, without a thought to other possibilities.

They have come to define themselves so closely to what they do for other people that they hardly know who they’d be if they didn’t have to take care of everyone else.

When I suggest that they take an hour off from doing for others to sit back and figure out if they’re doing from a place of joy, they look at me like I have three heads.

Then the rationalizations begin. Take the mother with the able-bodied, college educated son who has moved back home while looking for a job — she insists that she has to make him dinner every night. When questioned further, she sheepishly admits that she’s never actually asked him if he expects her to make dinner, but she does like making sure he is getting a good, healthy meal.

Asked to define her self without discussion of what she does for her kids, she’s at a loss. This is where the good stuff begins. There is no innate

problem with doing things for others; in fact, completely selfless acts of service can bring great joy. The challenge occurs when you define yourself solely by what you are doing for others, as though you do not exist unless you are doing for them. In the extreme this is an act of codependence.

Often clients come to me to regain a sense of self after a big life change — divorce, empty nest, retirement, or regrouping after a serious illness. When we begin our work together, I look at their fingerprints and use that information to create a personalized plan to clarity and healing.

If the client is in the school of Service, we being the journey of re-defining what it

The

means to choose to serve with joy, rather than saying “yes” to requests out of obligation. The rewiring is rarely complicated but it’s far from easy. A lifetime habit of putting yourself last doesn’t change in a week!

I’m happy to report that over time, each client redefines service in a way that reflects her higher purpose on the planet.

Here’s how you can begin your journey from servitude to joyful service. The next time someone asks you to take on a task that’s not part of your “job description,” stop and breathe. Breathe in and out three times before responding. In the time that you’re breathing, ask yourself if you can say yes and perform the task with joy. If the answer

is a resounding yes — go for it! If the answer is clearly no, but you feel obligated, take another breath and say, “no”. Remember NO is a complete sentence! If you feel uncomfortable saying “no” right away, ask for some time to think about it and then get back to them in the timeframe allotted to let them know you are unable to perform the task.

Don’t beat yourself up if this doesn’t come easily. Make a commitment to practice and see how you feel as you shift from servitude to service!

Peggie Arvidson is a mentor who uses ancient and modern tools to help people clear blocks that keep them stuck so they can truly live in prosperity, joy, and peace.

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December 2016 | 43

BUSINESS PROFILE FROM PAGE 5

Attic, a home goods store to compliment The Christmas Attic. In 2006, Fay’s son Chris came on board to help with the accounting and was made store manager a few years later. Chris took over all of the bookkeeping chores and began running the store with his mom in 2014 when Cheri moved away from the business.

After a year of running the operation together, Fay embarked on a new career in real estate sales. Today Chris and Fay remain partners with Chris as the operating partner.

“When God closes a door, he opens a window.” This phrase was no more evident than when Fay’s son Chris, decided he would like to be involved in the business. Cheri had moved in a different direction and Fay welcomed the enthusiasm that her son brought to the business. As senior employees began moving away from the store, Chris brought in new staff to help with his vision, including Claire, a store manager with a design merchandising degree. The new vision and excitement became contagious.

The diversification has led to a new profit center and the company is now looking into the potential of online sales. Though the business climate has drastically changed since the 80s, the practices of retail business changed GO FISH FROM PG 42

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waterproof socks and gloves, answers the call with a grip on smart phones. NEW HANZ WATERPROOF TAP-KNIT TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES also work with touchscreen fishing depth finders! In addition, functional gripper dots facilitate grip. Comfortable and breathable, HANZ waterproof gloves and socks are ideal for fishing, golf or everyday wear! hanzusa.com Fishing clothing maker AFTCO introduces their NEW Horizon Weatherproof Fleece, comfort ready for any outdoors activity!

The Horizon jacket delivers technical and functional performance. AFTCO’s Horizon raises the fleece bar with features to keep you warm, dry, and ready for a long day on the water in the cooler months. A 100% polyester knit face soft shell is waterproof and windproof, but a breathable membrane provides comfort in the face of foul weather.

Convenient zippered chest and hand pockets.

Accented for safety with reflective AFTCO logos on chest and neck. aftco.com Don’t reflect upon the suns glare! World famous Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2 sunglasses are available with Blue Flash mirror coating .

The new aviator inspired durable and flexible Wiki Wiki titanium frames, with Blue Hawaii lenses, capitalize on recent marketplace fashion trends with a premium, polarized Maui Jim lens combining blue flash and glare protection.

Available in other frames for any activity Blue Hawaii Maui Jims are the clear style and UV protection choice. mauijim.com The bottle that launched Klean Kanteen a decade ago is now insulated. Stay hydrated, hot for 20 hours or cold for 50. The insulated 20-ounce Kanteen combines their original, iconic, classic bottle with high-performance, double-wall vacuum insulation to create their most versatile bottle ever with a leak-proof Loop Cap for safe transport. A large opening accommodates ice. Food-grade stainless steel doesn’t absorb flavors or odors. Reusable containers are good for the environment.

as well. However, the more we change, the more we remain the same. Chris has already followed in his grandmother’s footsteps as he is on the board of directors of the Old Town Boutique District. If this is any indication of the future…the future is bright.

For over thirty-five years, this store has been considered a “must see” by locals and tourists alike. Check out their newest seasonal wonders as well as the thoughtfully handpicked items for every holiday and special occasion. They specialize in hard-to-find, unique items including European hand-blown glass, locally designed souvenirs, Italian nativity scenes, snow-covered village houses, German collectibles as well as angels, Santas, snowmen and nutcrackers.

The Urban Attic stocks a wide selection of everyday gifts, books and accessories plus a fun, funky wine selection. What I like about this wine selection is that they offer a number of great Virginia wines. Give them a try.

Although Cheri has moved on to other adventures and Fay is enjoying a new career in real estate with Sophisticated Living Realty, she enjoys being a great sounding board for Chris as he grows in the business.

It is a magical thing in these times to see a business stay in the family, but that is what the Christmas Attic has always been about.

Healthy alternative to plastic! kleankanteen.com The sock specialists at Smartwool say that fish may not have feet, but your feet can now have fish in this stocking stuffer.

Really comfortable and foot fashionable with modern graphic fish or outdoors designs from American artist Charley Harper. Smartwool has the recipe for comfort and durability in a sophisticated Merino wool sock with a Virtually Seamless toe™. Smartwool.com If they can make socks comfortable then shirts should be no sweat. Smartwool is introducing their warmest base layer. Worn as a layer or showing off the refined subtle pattern, and improved fit, the Mid 250 Pattern Crew is built with a chafe-free seam construction and panels that offer more comfort when carrying a pack for a hike in the woods. Form fitted for fashion and function, the Mid 250 is comfortable in and outdoors.

Smartwool.com Nothing soft about cold-hearted soft-sided YETI HOPPER coolers. The Best of Show ICAST winning Hopper Flip™ 12 is a personal sized Yeti with a wide opening for easy loading and access. The square shape allows for stowing in the boat, truck or canoe for all day cooling. Others are softies compared the nearly indestructible and over-engineered Hopper that keeps ice for days. YETI asserts this is the first 100% leak-proof portable cooler. Tough materials used for HAZMAT suits and high performance whitewater rafts, allow HOPPERs to take the heat and keep their cool. Backed with YETI’s 3-year warranty. yeticoolers.com Gift certificates are great. Online, catalog and brick and mortar stores are loaded with outdoors gifts. But the best gift of all is time on the water. Find a buddy, a spouse and especially a child, and go fish!

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

OldTownCrier

KIM PUTENS

FIRST BLUSH

Holiday Glow…Get It! You’ve trimmed the tree, hung the stockings, decorated the house, and bought the gifts, but what about you?

With invitations to holiday parties, make sure you sparkle for every occasion. Consider these trendy makeup looks for any possible holiday festivity that comes your way.

dazzle are best. Pink tones on the eyes and cheeks make for a fresh and flirty look appropriate for an exclusive, girls-only fete.

To ensure a fresh and dewy look, choose cream-based products for the cheeks and eyes. Finish the look with a light coat of black mascara on your upper and lower lashes.

The Office Party

Cocktail Party

Your normally conservative office look is still the best course of action even though you’re attending a holiday party. Keep your makeup light, but fresh. Freshen and awaken your look with a dab of concealer to the corner and outer edges of the eye. Dab on a sheer lip gloss. And, to lend some festive sparkle, add a dab of shimmer to the apples of the cheek and to the corner of the eye. So as not to compete with the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree, don’t overdue the shimmer. Be light, strategic and discreet.

Drinks with the Girls

Think girly fun, think pink, think glossy, and think fresh.

Glossy, sheer lips with a dab of

Take subtle to new heights with heavier eyeliner and metallic tones. Try heavy eyeliner over subtle eye base colors for a Breakfast at Tiffany’s look. Layer generous eyeliner along the lash line on the top eyelid only, choosing from rich tones such as navy blue, black or chocolate brown. To pull off this look correctly, be sure to keep the eye shadow a neutral shade swept over the eyelid and all the way up to the brow. Keep cheeks bare and choose a sheer or light colored lip gloss.

You could also choose to sparkle at your next cocktail party. Metallic tones in all shades of gold, pewter and bronze are very in style and festive for the holiday season.

Sweep the appropriate shade for your tone (golds for blonds, pewter for dark hair, bronze for brunettes) over your eyelid only. Pair with a generous amount of eyeliner and mascara making sure to pump up the volume to add drama to the eyes. Next, sweep a bronzer over the face and add a neutral lip gloss.

Black Tie Event

This is the event to add some drama to your normal makeup routine. Try a few different looks, depending upon your mood and the scene. The smoky eye is still the way to add drama to your evening look.

Be sure to pair it with neutral, but glossy, lips to avoid looking vamped out. Shimmer is still in, too! You can’t go wrong with adding a little sparkle to your face. As I’ve cautioned, though, be sure to reach for the shimmer, not the glitter … you don’t want to treat your makeup like an art project. Be strategic with the shimmer — try sweeping it across the cheeks, pressing it along the brow bone, and applying to the center of the lips.

Another option for the black tie event is a look I like to call the festive look. Try a pale face matched with ruby red lips. In order for this to resonate over the holidays, be sure to match the red of your lips to the red of your outfit. Clashing reds

will make everyone else seeing red. The rest of the makeup should be light and subtle.

Only the lips can take center stage with this look.

Have fun with your makeup and enjoy the holiday season. in style!

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OldTownCrier

December 2016 | 45

OPEN SPACE

LORI WELCH BROWN

M

y husband, XXL, is to blame. He’s the one who got me hooked. First, let me say that, God bless XXL, he watches HGTV like most men watch ESPN. I’m a reader by nature. XXL is not. Most evenings you’ll find me with my face buried in a book (color me an introvert).

That’s my idea of relaxing and unwinding. Authors are like friends to me and I love spending time with them.

XXL, on the other hand, has become friends with the stars of HGTV. He would

rather be kicked up on the couch surfing real estate with his friends on Beachfront Bargain Hunt or tearing down walls with Chip Gaines of Fixer Upper fame. For some reason, most of his reality TV friends stress me out. They make me feel like I’m a lazy, unproductive sloth. How can XXL lie there relaxing when we should be renovating our master bath and doing some extreme landscaping? How can he be content knowing that we will never fit into a tiny house? I’d have to divorce XXL, put our fur babies up

Experience

the Art of Jewelry

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The JoJo for adoption and lose 90 lbs. right after I sell all our worldly possessions (minus one Ikea end table and a salad plate) just to make it through the door. Thirty minutes of HGTV begs the question “What are you doing with your life and/or why are you living so large?” What have I been doing the last five decades? I don’t have one design blog not to mention a line of furniture or cookware to show for it.

All of that changed, however, when I met JoJo Gaines. At first I thought it was just another one of my girl crushes. I’ve had many. Stevie Nicks, Misty Copeland, Michele Obama, Elizabeth Gilbert, to name a few. After a recent Fixer Upper marathon, it occurred to me that this may be beyond a silly infatuation.

JoJo has subconsciously slipped into my brain and assumed a virtual role model position. When I find myself losing patience or reacting negatively, I think, “What would JoJo do?” Yes, maybe I should be thinking what would Jesus or Eleanor Roosevelt do, but that just feels too elevated for me in my day to day life. JoJo is a little more relatable, even though we don’t have that much in common. She has a nationally recognized brand and is the mother of four. I don’t have a blog, TV show or gazillion dollar house flipping business and no children beyond two fur babies. She lives in Waco.

I live in Alexandria. What we do share is a passion for making others happy and living with purpose.

Part of my appreciation for all things JoJo is her relationship with her husband, the ever quirky, Chip, and the life they’ve created which feels like my idea of Small Town,

Effect

USA. First, what is not to love about a man whose mantra is “What Momma wants, Momma gets.” I love watching their fun banter. I haven’t felt this way since George and Gracie. No, I’m not an octogenarian; I just happen to be an old soul. Second, I am caught up in a fantasy world where neighbors join together for county fairs and pie bakes. I want to live in a world where sweet tea is the norm and pie is a part of daily life. Maybe I’m not trying to embody JoJo, but a simpler life. A “Southern” life. It all feels too good to be true, but that’s my cynical, snarky side. I’m almost waiting for TMZ to report that Chip and Caitlyn were seen kissing outside a Dallas strip club or show a video of JoJo cursing a local antique store-owning grandma.

Maybe I’m drawn to JoJo’s Magnolia universe because in real life things have felt not so simple. I’ve been to a couple of funerals recently for women who had been silently suffering. Both were good women with gentle spirits. Both were trying to fill big voids with gambling, shopping, cigarettes, alcohol, prescription pills, etc. From the outside looking in, you would have never known there was anything wrong.

On the inside, everything was

wrong. Both had husbands who loved them and great kids. I am saddened and confused. Their lives feel complicated, and I want it to be simpler, with clean, clear answers. I’m asking myself what is different in our wiring? When they felt sad, why couldn’t they find comfort and solace anywhere? Clearly, a book or an HGTV actor wouldn’t have helped — but what could have? The right pastor? A better childhood? A greater connection to God? How am I able to get an hour’s worth of enjoyment from a sappy reality show and come out the other side feeling a bit brighter with a deeper commitment to living my purpose and yet these women couldn’t get a moment’s peace from their demons? I find myself feeling awkwardly spoiled that I take that reality for granted.

My comfort usually comes from books — the black and white reality on the page — but post-election and funerals, I find myself seeking out JoJo. I need to see something dated and ugly transformed into something welcoming and beautiful. I need to hear some fun, playful banter.

Each month, my publisher sends an email with the theme for the upcoming issue.

December’s focus is on all things holiday. Visions of a Walton family Christmas or a snowy Norman Rockwell scene come to mind, but this year my holiday wish is for us all to find a way to make our respective communities a little more beautiful, a little brighter. Maybe I’ll invite a friend out for some sweet tea and pie, look deeply into their eyes and ask “How are you doing?” and really listen. This, I think, is what will continue to make America great.

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NATIONAL HARBOR

LANI GERING

ICE, ICE Baby!

I

t is officially holiday season and we are celebrating big time in the Harbor. My very favorite event is here — ICE! If you have been following this column for the last several years you know that this is probably one of the Delmarva (DE, MD, VA) region’s most unique holiday happenings. This year’s theme is “Christmas Around the World” and it is a fitting tribute to the many cultures represented in our area but who visit by the thousands every year. The 9°F walk-through exhibit showcases holiday traditions from Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico and more. Adults and kids alike can enjoy the two-story ice slides (I make at least one slide every year and am probably one of only a handful of 63 year-olds who does), the Parade of Toys, a live ice carving by master artisans and several interactive photo opportunities including sitting in Santa’s sleigh — all experienced in the comfort of a provided blue parka.

Tthese parkas do not have pockets, however, so bring your gloves.

Due to space constraints in this funfilled issue, I don’t have much room to pontificate on everything that I wanted to touch on when it comes to this year’s Christmas on the Potomac (COTP) since I want to entice you with some great photos as well. The Gaylord National Resort has been hosting COTP for the past six-plus years or so and every year it just gets better. This year they have added a Christmas Village complete with a Build-A-Bear section, a Tea Cup ride (think mini version of the tea cup ride at Disneyland), in addition to last year’s indoor carousel and my new favorite, the Cookies with

OldTownCrier

Mrs. Claus experience. Kids young and old can enjoy a delicious treat and listen to a Christmas story with Santa’s favorite lady and walk away with an autographed Twas the Night Before Christmas keepsake book. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Claus when I attended the opening of ICE and she is a very special person. She is also married to the Gaylord Santa Claus in real life.

Returning is the Gingerbread Decorating Corner hosted by Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas, The Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt and the Potomac Express Train located in the Atrium. COTP wouldn’t be complete without some of our favorite cartoon characters. This year Charlie Brown and the Gang from Peanuts are on board.

This year there are some adult-only holiday experiences. Inspired by the theme of this year’s ICE! theme, the resort has introduced a new class, Cask and Cocoa: International Wine and Chocolate Pairing. Participants will enjoy three curated red wines from different regions of the world paired with a variety of gourmet chocolates.

The interactive tasting experience is led by the resort’s pastry chef and restaurant sommelier. The class is offered on December 3, 11 and 17 and daily from December 22 through 30.

The resort’s full service spa, Relâche, is joining in the holiday cheer with new seasonal treatments themed around the delectable scents of peppermint and chocolate. Spa-goers can choose from a massage, facial and pedicure or experience all three with its Mint Chocolate Mistletoe Package.

ICE! runs through January 1, excluding December 5, 6 and 7.

TEQUILA HALL (yes, Tequila is her real name), manager of the Tanger Mall Converse shoe outlet, is one of the finest examples of what customer service is all about. I want to give her a special shout out and thank her, again, for my newly acquired Chuck Taylors!

Hours vary and can be found at ChristmasOnThePotomac.com. To experience unlimited Christmas fun, purchase a Play All Day Pass that includes one admission to ICE!, the Gingerbread Decorating Corner experience, admission to three holiday rides, including the Potomac Express Train, The Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt and a cup of hot cocoa. Ticket pricing for ICE! and the cost of attending the various events varies depending on what day of the week you attend and there are specials offered throughout the run of the event. Your best bet is to consult the aforementioned website for details.

The best way to experience all of the resort’s Christmas on the Potomac offerings in National Harbor is through an overnight stay. There are various packages to accommodate everyone’s needs. Details can be found on the website as well.

Don’t’ forget to check out the Starlight Tree — a 55-ft. “Jetson-esque” structure suspended from the ceiling of the Atrium. There are lightings and musical accompaniment at 6, 7, 8 and 9 pm every night throughout the holiday season. The indoor snowfall also occurs at these times.

You won’t regret visiting the Harbor during the holiday season. There are all sorts of events and happenings to entertain you and lots of great places to drink and dine!

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading the Old Town Crier and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season. We look forward to many new adventures in 2017.

NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE AC LOUNGE 156 Waterfront Street 301-749-2299

NANDO’S PERI-PERI 191 American Way 301-567-8900

BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445

NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com

BREWS & BITES Capitol Wheel Pier 301-749-1300 BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8860 CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet Street 301-839-1100 cadillacranchgroup.com 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

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 publichousenationalharbor.com 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

GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY 200 American Way 240-493-3900

SUCCOTASH 168 Waterfront Street 301-567-8900

McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224

THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022

McLOONES PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 mcloonespierhousenh.com

WALRUS OYSTER & ALE HOUSE 152 Waterfront Street 301-567-6100

December 2016 | 47

national harbor company store 170 American Way | National Harbor, MD | 301.749.6902

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Experience the Holidays at the Capital of Christmas Just Across the River At Gaylord National Resort November 19, 2016 - January 1, 2017 ICE! Featuring Christmas Around the World Enjoy more than TWO MILLION pounds of hand-carved colorful ice sculptures kept at a chilly 9 degrees as you celebrate cultural holiday traditions from the United Kingdom, Germany and more!

Breakfast with Charlie Brown & Friends Breakfast is served! This one-of-a-kind, interactive character breakfast includes a delicious breakfast buffet with Peanuts-themed dishes. Hang out with the Peanuts gang when you enjoy tableside visits from Lucy and Charlie Brown.

Cookies with Mrs. Claus Join Mrs. Claus and enjoy milk and cookies as she reads a classic Christmas Story. Kids get to take home a special book autographed by Santa’s favorite lady.

Gingerbread Decorating Corner Gather your family and friends for one of the most delicious holiday traditions around! Enjoy fun for all ages with this fun, sticky interactive holiday tradition!

Choose from a traditional house, Santa’s sleigh or even decorate your own ugly sweater cookie.

Cask & Cocoa: International Wine Pairing Chocolate and wine lovers can experience the best of both worlds during this unique interactive tasting experience.

Chocolate, Peppermint & mistletoe Seasonal Spa Treatment Celebrate the holiday season with our decadent Chocolate, Peppermint & Mistletoe seasonal treatments.

www.ChristmasOnThePotomac.com

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CMYK

| (301) 965-4000

Located in National Harbor, Maryland, minutes from Old Town Alexandria and D.C.

ICE! PRESENTED BY

ICE! PRESENTED BY

*Events and activities listed may involve additional fees and subject to change without notice. Reservations recommended. FUJIFILM and INSTAX are trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation and its affiliates. ©2016 FUJIFILM North America Corporation. All rights reserved. PEPSI, PEPSI-COLA and the Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. Peanuts © 2016 Peanuts Worldwide LLC. PEPSI_H1_NB_MEDIUM_4C (FOR USE 1.5" TO 4") CMYK

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48 | December 2016

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THE 12 WINES OF CHRISTMAS FOR $199 VIRGINIA’S BEST WINE & WINE EXPERIENCE 540.347.3475

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SeasonedGreetings … and Happy Holidays from Cedar Knoll

Food & Ambience Befitting Its Waterfront Address Sunday Brunch, 11A-2P • Happy Hour, 4-6:30P, Tues-Fri • Lunch 11A-2P, Thurs-Sat • Dinner 5-9P, Tues-Sun Contact Us for Private Event Information

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