Haymarket Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine January 2023

the

From working as the head chef at his restaurant, to enjoying tennis, basketball, skiing and motocross, Andrea Ferrero’s life has kept him in motion. But it took a toll on his knees. After years of steroid shots, he opted for knee replacement surgery at Fauquier Health. “Being able to come back so quickly was amazing,” says Andrea. Joint and spine care at Fauquier Health. Today and every day

Andrea Ferrero Orthopedic patient

FROM THE EDITOR

What’s the good word?

Prior to the first of this month, several of my friends selected a “word of the year.” Some attribute or feeling they’d shoot for over the next 12 months.

Several picked joy. Others selected fortitude, peace, excitement, and kindness.

I chose gratitude.

In 2017, I joined this magazine. Back then it was two magazines. But then the pandemic knocked us all for a loop and things got dicey for many businesses in our community. As 2023 dawns, I am grateful to still be here, writing to you.

Thank you for joining us each issue. For calling and emailing and messaging us on Facebook with story ideas. We love hearing from you. And I’d love to know if you’ve picked a word of the year!

With gratitude,

EDITOR Susan McCorkindale

CONTENTS

8 amazing kids 10-YearOld Linda Pistun is Going Places

And Mars might be one of them

18 local history

28

wine & dine Baby it’s Brrrrr Outside!

Chase Away the Chills with Hot and Yummy Homemade Stew

BALDANI 14 cover story They Got the Beat Meet four Bristow siblings with serious musical talent

BY SUE

PWC’s Historic Preservation team tackles Brentsville’s Williams-Dawe House BY JAYA PATIL

24 rising stars Behind the Camera: How one local teen is directing his filmmaking dream

BY KARLA JONES SEIDITA, HOME ECONOMIST

ON THE COVER

BY SUE BALDANI

BY SUE BALDANI

Bristow’s talented sibling band, SerreBrem. Andrew, Gavin, Nicholas, and Danielle Bremer. Photo by Luke Christopher

HAYMARKET

/ GAINESVILLE LIFESTYLE

Celebrating Western Prince William County

The Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to over 15,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Haymarket/ Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration, or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2023 Rappahannock Media LLC.

PUBLISHER Dennis Brack dennis@whglifestyle.com

EDITOR Susan McCorkindale susan@whglifestyle.com

ART DIRECTOR Kara Thorpe kara@whglifestyle.com

ADVERTISING Sales Director: Jim Kelly jim@whglifestyle.com, 434-987-3542 Senior Account Executive: Cindy McBride cindy@whglifestyle.com, 540-229-6038

CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Jay Ford creative@whglifestyle.com

ACCOUNTING Carina Richard-Wheat cwheat@insidenova.com 540-905-7791

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@whglifestyle.com 540-675-3338

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICE

Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazines 70 Main Street, Suite 32 Warrenton, 20186 540-349-2951

ON THE WEB InsideNoVa.com/WHGLifestyle Facebook: @HaymarketGainesvilleMag

The Lifestyle magazines are sister publications with Northern Virginia’s Leading News Source, INSIDENOVA.COM Visit us today for the latest news, sports and features from Fauquier, Prince William, Arlington, Fairfax, Stafford and throughout the region. Sign up for daily news headlines, breaking news alerts and a Gainesville/Haymarket newsletter — delivered to your inbox!

facebook.com/insidenova twitter.com/insidenova

“A home for 200 years and 200 more.”

amazingkids

10-Year-Old Linda Pistun is Going Places... and Mars might be one of them!

BY SUE BALDANI

Katrina (Katie) Pistun of Gainesville always knew her daughter was special, but it wasn’t until Linda was 4 years old that she realized just how special.

“Her kindergarten teacher mentioned mealworms, and Linda was fascinated by the idea that you could watch the life cycle of these little creatures. She asked her kindergarten teacher for a batch of them for herself and the class.”

Linda then created a laboratory under her bed to watch these mealworms and, soon after, started Linda’s Lab, a small business with the goal of solving world hunger

through mealworm protein. She knew all about food shortages from watching the news with her parents.

‘It was around this time that we took her in to have a full battery of [intelligence] tests,” says Katie. It was found that Linda fell into a tiny piece of the population (0.02%) known as profoundly gifted.

At age 5, Linda requested a meeting with her school principal to discuss skipping first grade, and now, at age 10, has skipped three full grades and six grades in math.

“Every single grade before I skipped was torture,” she says. “I was so bored. But, whenever I walk into a classroom for the first time, the other students ask if I’m supposed to be there. It's actually quite funny.”

Linda is concurrently enrolled at Gainesville Middle

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

Linda is concurrently enrolled at Gainesville Middle School and High School. Beyond her passion for science, she also plays the piano and the violin.

Top: Promoting Linda’s Lab, her small business committed to solving world hunger through mealworm protein. Center: Through Linda’s Lab, she operates the Larva Library, a free program for teachers in Prince William. Below: Linda plans to attend Harvard and study astrophysics.

School and Gainesville High School, where she takes Algebra II and Mandarin II. She also plays the violin and piano and is a Girl Scout.

Her absolute favorite subject, though, is science. “I like things to be exact and with science, you have to be exact, because one mistake, say with rockets, will cause everything to go off course.” Through Linda’s Lab, she also operates the Larva Library, a free program for teachers in the Prince William County public school system.

“Linda provides everything a class needs to conduct a mealworm life cycle experiment with the goal of improving science education and encouraging kids, especially girls, to love and pursue science as they grow up,” says Katie.

From a very young age, Linda wanted to be taken seriously. “She’s always been such a tiny little thing and, at age 5, started wearing fake glasses,” says Katie. “We just thought it was cute. She was probably 7 when she told us she did it because she wanted people to see her as a mathematician and a scientist. She was so happy the first time we took her to the eye doctor and she actually needed a small prescription.”

A member of Mensa (the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world) since she was 5, Linda was accepted as a Davidson Young Scholar in 2018, which limits membership to exceptionally and profoundly gifted children. And this year, Linda was awarded the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship, a prestigious merit-based scholarship that, explains Katie, will pay for all four years of a private high school education. “She has toured National Cathedral School and Flint Hill School so far,” says Katie. “She is also applying to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a highly selective public school in Fairfax County. If accepted to TJ, Linda will be able to use her scholarship to supplement her education over the next four years.”

Her college of choice is Harvard University, where she dreams of studying astrophysics. “That's just the greatest school for chemistry, well science, that you can go to,” says Linda.

Her ultimate goal is working for NASA. “I would like to be like Katherine Johnson [the pioneering NASA mathematician], and also possibly go on a trip to Mars.”

While her intelligence has enabled her to speed through school, there is one thing that might slow her down. “I'm going to graduate high school at 14, but Harvard doesn’t accept kids that young,” says Linda. Her mom explains that students have to be at least 15 to attend Harvard, so they need to decide what Linda can do that will be meaningful during that gap year.

For mom Katie and dad Nick, who are both in law enforcement, providing Linda with what she needs to reach her full potential can sometimes be daunting. “Although Linda hasn’t been able to use her Davidson Young Scholars membership yet, we as parents have really benefited from it because there’s an online community where we can talk to other parents and ask for ideas,” says Katie. “They also have a lot of resources to help parents of kids like Linda.”

The couple also turned to Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, an online accredited school. “They have

BY

resources that we've used to challenge her. She's taken the majority of her math through there.”

Today, her father, who studied engineering, is her math tutor. “She’s surpassed my math abilities at this point, but I help her with pretty much anything else,” says Katie.

“My parents are my biggest supporters,” says Linda. “If they didn't support me, I would have no idea how to do anything in my academic career.”

Her parents want to make sure they provide her with every opportunity they can. However, they also make sure they don’t push her too hard. “We’ve always made it an option for her to take a breath and step back, but she has never once considered it,” says Katie.

The family, which also includes sons Connor, who is 19, Thomas, who’s 5, and Nicholas, who’s 11, takes time out to have fun together. They love to go bike riding, hiking and running in 5K races. They also help Nicholas with his project.

“He adopted the Bristow Station Trail, so about once a month, he goes out there and collects trash, trims branches to make sure the trail stays clear, and looks for any maintenance that he needs to report,” says Katie. “We go out there as a family and help him or at least keep him company.”

In October, Linda celebrated another great honor. She was offered a book deal and signed a contract for her first novel which will launch in 2023. “It’s just the cutest story!” says Katie. “It’s about a little girl scientist (Linda) who notices black footprints appearing around her town. She uses the scientific method to discover they are carbon footprints, and she works with the town mayor and the community to fix the problem.” hg

Attention young, gifted scholars:

You may qualify for these opportunities, too!

Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship

The Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship is a full fouryear, merit-based high school scholarship that can be used nationally toward any high school or approved alternative educational program that best fits the Scholar’s individual intellectual, academic, and personal needs and goals. For information, visit educationaladvancement.org

Davidson Young Scholars gifted program

The Davidson Young Scholars gifted program offers academic, social, and emotional support for gifted students and their families. For information, visit davidsongifted.org

John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to identify the next generation’s brightest minds and provide them educationally enriching, intellectually challenging, and socially rewarding experiences. For information, visit: cty.jhu.edu

Mensa Society

Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. Mensa's requirement for membership is a score at or above the 98th percentile on certain standardized IQ or other approved intelligence tests, such as the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scales. For information, visit mensa.og

“My parents are my biggest supporters,” says Linda, pictured above with youngest brother Thomas, mom Katie, older brother Nicholas, and dad Nick.

LUKE CHRISTOPHER

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

They Got the Be

Meet four Bristow siblings with serious musical talent

BY SUE BALDANI PHOTOS BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

When COVID-19 shut down the country in 2020, then 12-year-old Andrew Bremer of Bristow wanted to find a way to reach out to others and share his vocal and piano talents. He had already posted a video on YouTube performing Tiny Dancer by Elton John the year before, while older sister, Danielle, then 13, showed off her ballet moves.

With schools closed and not much else to do, younger brother Nicholas, now 11, picked up a guitar and started playing along.

In 2022, their youngest brother, 9-year-old Gavin, started learning the drums, and Danielle, now 16, who already played the piano and sang, learned to play bass. “I already loved to sing, so the band was just another outlet,” she says.

“I like how we came together to create songs,” says Nicholas. “When we rehearse, it really satisfies us when the results are good. We’ve done a lot of songs and it was hard sometimes, but when we hear the results, it really pays off.”

In July of 2022, their band SerreBrem (pronounced cerebrum, as in the brain, and a combination of their mom and dad’s last names) was formed.

“Danielle and Andrew were very involved in musical theater, so there was a natural yearning for both of them to be on stage,” says their dad, Dan Bremer. “Their two younger siblings apparently had that same yearning, but on the band stage.”

The band’s first public performance was in August of 2022. “Danielle had a back-to-school bash at Colgan High School and that was when they had to really hone in on the discipline of working together and learning the songs,” says mom, Angie Serrano. The kids also played live music at Bristow’s annual Braemar Day last September.

While Andrew and Danielle had some formal training in piano, Nicholas and Gavin learned to play their instruments just by watching YouTube videos. “Our younger kids are self-taught and self-driven,” Angie says. “They focused, they studied and they practiced.”

Adds Nicholas, “We all branched out from our original instruments.

From left, Andrew, Gavin, Nicholas, and Danielle Bremer.

Since I learned the guitar, I now know how to play the bass and sometimes I play the drums a little too. Andrew now knows how to play guitar as well as bass, and Gavin is also learning the guitar and wants to sing.”

The first time they played in public, there was some stage fright. “I was kind of nervous and I didn't really want to do it,” says Gavin. “But, we started practicing and supported each other.”

Musical talent runs in this Bristow family. “Dan plays the piano, and my older brother is a musician,” says Angie. Her nephews, uncles and great uncles were all in bands too.

Considering their young ages, what’s most surprising is the kids’ choice of music. Many of the songs the band performs are from the 80s. “I love 80s music,” says Danielle. “It’s from continuous car rides with our mom listening to that music.”

Adds Angie, “It's not just the 80s though. They play the Beatles, and Nick is learning Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode. A lot of that also came from the music I grew up on and played for them all the time.”

More current music, explains Andrew, is really hard to perform as a band. “It’s usually one solo artist, and a lot

SerreBrem, a “grassroots, family band,” rocks a practice session at home.

of solo artists don't play instruments. The older, classic music has the drums and the guitar and the bass and more of the instruments that go along with it.”

SerreBrem is trying to add newer songs to their repertoire, and Andrew already wrote a rock song. “I'm trying to write like the power of the 80s music, but with a bit of today’s more modern sound,” he says. “I want to combine both of those so it appeals to more audiences.”

Adds Danielle, “If one of us can tap into creating those beats and those riffs and just feeding into the lyrics, then we can bounce things off of each other. That’s a goal of ours - to expand those horizons.”

The siblings would love to play at 2 Silos Brewing Co. in Manassas. “That's our biggest goal right now, but we’re also reaching out to small places and small venues and just working our way in,” says Danielle. “After one of our performances, a woman came up to us and asked if we would play at a wedding reception, and we thought, ‘Why not?’”

While the kids have shown a great aptitude for music, they're also all straight-A students. “The kids have to balance their school work and other interests,” says Angie. “Danielle just tried out for [the play] Big Fish, and Andrew's getting ready to audition for Colgan as well. He'll be a freshman. Nicholas, being a sixth grader, is trying out for basketball.”

“If we have a gig coming up, we have to have time to practice,” says Danielle. “We have to learn the music, we have to have sets of music and we have to make sure we have a goal of where we’re going.”

Adds Dan, “We also want them to start doing charity concerts and going to the VA hospitals and maybe some of the senior citizens homes. I'm very, very proud of the kids for all the hard work they've done. We have to tell them to stop practicing – that it's time to go to bed. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do.”

Along the way, SerreBrem has picked up many local sponsors that has allowed the band to buy equipment and have t-shirts made. They are so grateful for the support.

“What you see is what you get,” says Dan. “We don't have a band manager or a fancy marketing strategy. SerreBrem is just a grassroots family band.”

L

Learn more and watch the band perform on their two YouTube Channels, ASB Films and SerreBrem, or contact them at serrebremofficial@yahoo.com.

How good are these kids?

Check out their rendition of Jump by Van Halen. David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen would be proud.

14535 John Marshall Highway, Suite 105 Gainesville, VA 20155

Phone: (703) 754-0425 ● Fax: (703) 754-2888 www.LTFM.net

Monday thru Friday: 9:00am-6:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-12:30pm

local history

“A home for 200 years and 200 more.”

PWC’s Historic Preservation team tackles Brentsville’s Williams-Dawe House

BY JAYA PATIL

If you’ve meandered through Brentsville, you may have noted the federal-style house with two chimneys that sits across from the courthouse. The Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Office of Historic Preservation became the proud owner of it – the Williams-Dawe house – in April. Perfect timing as this year is the town’s bicentennial.

“To Brentsville locals, it’s known as the White House because of the color,” said Paige Gibbons-Backus, historic site manager. The house was completed in 1822 and is as old as the county seat markers – the courthouse and jail. The region that is now Brentsville connected the farms of Haymarket to the port of Dumfries. Dumfries was established in 1749 after attracting immigrants with Quantico Creek as one of the primary American seaports. Dumfries was a hub for growing and exporting tobacco well into the 18th century.

In the early 1800s, overfarming culminated in the siltation of Quantico Creek and Dumfries lost its momen-

Completed in 1822, the Williams-Dawe House in Brentsville is known locally “as the White House because of the color,” said Paige Gibbons-Backus, Historic Site Manager.

tum from the harbor. Its population advanced west, and the center of government (the county seat) moved from Dumfries to the newly established Brentsville in 1822. About the Williams’s and the Dawe’s

John Williams served as clerk of the court for Prince William County while the county seat was still in Dumfries. After he died in 1813, his widow Jane Dawe Williams temporarily assumed the role until her brother Phillip Devereaux Dawe took on the position.

Jane settled in the White House in Brentsville and Phillip lived with her and her children until he died in

1832. Jane’s son John Williams II then took over for his late uncle as county clerk. The last known record of the Williams family living in the house is from the 1860s. Many people have occupied the regal house since then, including Agnes Webster and her family in the latter half of the 20th century.

The house sits on nearly six acres that contain some of the original town streets, and has been vacant for at least the last six years. Brothers Merle and Gill (Keith) Machen, Agnes Webster’s grandsons, put it on the market after an estate sale. When the community saw the for-sale sign, they flooded division manager Rob Orrison’s office with calls.

Community concern

“The community was reaching out to us in a major way, making dozens of phone calls, about preserving and protecting the house,” Rob said. Orrison’s district routed callers to Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson to share the community’s passion for holding onto the house. Supervisor Lawson felt similarly and in November 2021, the County began the process of buying it.

“It’s the earliest residential structure that we now own,” Paige said.

As one of the oldest homes in Brentsville, the house has aged with the town. The brick was coated with stucco, trees gradually obscured the house, the chimney on the left side of the structure collapsed through the roof more than 10 years ago, and a storm cut the electricity.

Restoration begins

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved a budget of $450,000 for restoration. “In terms of homes that Prince William County has acquired for us to preserve, this house is in pretty decent shape,” Paige said.

Restoring it is an incremental process that began with tree work.

They removed the surrounding trees so the house isn’t endangered, roots don’t compromise its foundation, and the house can properly dry out in the sun. “The primary thing now is to protect it,” Rob said, so next they’ll replace the roof with a metal one.

“One day I would like to buy a building that doesn’t need any restoration, but that would be boring,” he joked. They anticipate needing mold, lead paint, and asbestos remediation because of the age of the house and the rainwater that has been collecting inside for years.

The repairs must be done linearly though, as “there’s

Paige Gibbons Backus, Historic Site Manager, and Rob Orrison, Division Manager are overseeing the restoration of the Williams-Dawe House, the earliest residential structure the County owns.

More about Paige

Favorite part of her job:

“Being able to take something like this, that people were afraid was going to be torn down when they saw the for-sale sign, [and] preserve it so people can come, enjoy, and learn the history.”

Career in PWC:

Paige started at the Office of Historic Preservation as a volunteer, and worked up to site manager but she’s been working for the county in some capacity since 2011.

no point doing [remediation] with the water still coming in,” Rob said. For now, they wear N95 masks in the house while assessing the items inside. One thing that’s staying is a grand piano; after all, “it was meant to be a space for entertaining,” Paige said.

In-house teams and contractors are collaborating on the effort. They have specialized staff for the preservation work, such as their expert curator who goes through the items. “We have restoration carpenters on staff, and they will do some of the interior work. Our team will fix the rafters and the contractor will do the exterior roof work,” Rob explained.

Preserving the past for its contribution to the future Right now Paige and Rob are teeming with ideas for how to open the house to the public but first there’s the matter of funding since doing so is beyond the budgeted restoration work. They’re considering accessibility, ame -

The chimney on the left side of the house collapsed through the roof more than 10 years ago. The resulting water damage caused the collapse of the living room ceiling.

More about Rob

Favorite part of his job:

“Taking care of these places. Treating them as if they were my own.”

Career in PWC:

Rob joined the county in 2006 and has been the Historic Preservation Division Manager for almost 10 years.

nities for visitors, and hardhat tours in the meantime. Rob wants to involve stakeholders, historic commission members, and community groups to decide what the house becomes.

“We try to involve as many people as we can,” Rob said. “We want to protect [and] tell that story of the old house, but also repurpose that house to use it in a way that will benefit people who live in the community, like school groups and even tourists.”

Looking at a hallway on the second floor of the house, Paige said, “We'll probably have to raise the floor up, restabilize it, [and] re-level it to prevent further damage. Anytime you preserve a property like this, it takes time.”

How long will it take before the house is open to visitors? That’s one thing neither Paige nor Rob can predict. For insight, they recently completed a project that they started in 2005. Clearly, they’re willing to invest all the time it takes.

“We want to make sure that it will stand for another 200 years,” Paige said. HG

The house is located at 12320 Bristow Rd, Bristow.

rising stars Behind the Camera:

How one local teen is directing his filmmaking dream

BY SUE BALDANI

When Joseph Machosky was around 7 years old, he began acting in plays, but it was watching Star Wars movies that really guided him down his current career path. “The whole Star Wars universe, which is super magical, is what got me interested in the filmmaking process - taking a look behind the camera and seeing how everything works,” he says. “I knew then that I'd like to be a director or producer one day.”

A 2022 graduate of Battlefield High School in Haymarket, the 18-year-old is now a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and is following the journey that he believes will lead to his dreams. “The majority of classes I'm taking are film classes,” he says. “Right now, that is cinematic storytelling, the art of storytelling and film history. These are the basic set classes that any freshman has to take when they're in the film school.”

Afterward, he’ll have more freedom in his choice of classes, such as directing and editing courses. Because he also has an interest in the business side of filmmaking, he’s become interested in producing as well.

“I didn't really give it a whole lot of thought until recently when I started watching the HBO show Entourage,” says Machosky.

“The character’s name is Ari Gold and I like his drive and charisma. It reminds me a lot of my friends from back home because it's a story about this kid and his group of friends from high school. One of them becomes a famous movie star and all his friends work for him.” He’s also a fan of AMCs Breaking Bad and one of his all-time favorite

movies is Fight Club

One major accomplishment that has helped him in pursuit of his goals was being awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. NATAS is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational, and technical achievements within the television industry.

BY MARC

The NATAS Inclusion Scholarship, which Machosky received, is awarded to a student pursuing a career in any aspect of the television industry who identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color.

“I’m Colombian and Puerto Rican on my mom's side,

Above: Machosky at home in Haymarket. Below: Machosky accepting his scholarship at NATAS’ 43rd News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

BRYAN-BROWN

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

Hollywood,

Machosky’s Hometown Haymarket Movie & Television Influences

Star Wars, Entourage, Breaking Bad, Fight Club

When He’s Not Behind The Camera

He’s playing piano and a little guitar.

To work on a Michael Bay movie.

Machosky’s essay and his short film, Dirty Deeds. See it here: He’d Like

Biggest Supporters

His parents, Dwayne and Anna Maria, and his friends Luke Peterson, Logan Letcher, Carson Skiff, and Jackson Skiff.

Thank The Academy No really, he would, and he does. At about 55 minutes into the 43rd News & Documentary Emmy® Awards. You simply must see him here:

but it was my dad who actually found out about this scholarship,” he says. “It was definitely a huge honor to be awarded this scholarship, to say the least. It meant a lot to me because it felt like this ambition of mine to become a director or producer was less like a dream and more like a reality.” A major goal of his is to one day work on a Michael Bay movie.

With three other siblings, including twin sister Catherine, a younger brother Michael, a senior in Battlefield High School, and Maria, a freshman at the same school, his parents are also grateful for the scholarship.

“My father, Dwayne, is retired law enforcement and he worked in Fairfax. Now he has a security position at a new resort opening up in D.C. called the Pendry Hotel. My mom, Anna Maria, is a second grade ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] teacher at West Gate Elementary School in Manassas.”

His parents, says Machosky, have always been very supportive of his career aspirations. “They never once said you should look at doing something else or you should consider other options. They’ve also helped me out with the scholarship application.”

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

In order to be considered for the scholarship, he had to write an essay and send in a short film. The essay was about zip lining. “I worked a zip line job in Middleburg over at the Salamander Resort one summer, and I talked about the skills I learned from doing that.” But, he believes that more than anything, it was his film, Dirty Deeds, that won him the award.

“I've got a friend back home, Luke Peterson, and he works on cars and has a shop in the garage of his house,” says Machosky. “So, when it came time to make the film, I thought of Luke who's got these cool cars and I wrote a story around that. It's about this guy who's fixing up cars for money, but there's a little twist at the end that I won't give away.”

In addition to Luke, he’s thankful for his other friends who helped him with the film: Logan Letcher, and twins Carson and Jackson Skiff. He also used this film to apply to Belmont. “Without them, I wouldn't be where I am now,” he says.

On September 29, Machosky attended the 43rd News & Documentary Emmy® Awards at the Palladium Times Square in New York City to receive his scholarship. They showed a clip of his film, and afterward, he went up on stage and gave a speech. His mom was there to cheer him on.

He’s really happy with his choice of school and being in Nashville. “I'm definitely very excited with the resources and connections it has, and being in this city is super fun. But, another reason I chose Belmont is that it’s traditionally been a music school, and I've been playing the piano for about four or five years and I play a little bit of guitar too,” he says. “When I was looking for a roommate, I wanted somebody who also played an instrument so that we could jam out. My roommate plays guitar and I've been jamming with him and other people around here too.”

He does miss being home though. “It’s been an adjustment. Part of it is just being on my own and meeting new groups of people, but I've been keeping in touch and calling family and friends back home.”

So, one day in the future, when sitting in a movie theater or streaming a movie, watch for the name Joseph Machosky to pop up in the credits. It might even be at the end of a Michael Bay movie. hg

Goal

The Winning Combination

To

here he comes

it felt like this ambition of mine to become a director or producer was less like a dream and more like a reality

Machosky surrounded by, from left, dad Dwanye, Catherine (Joe’s twin), Michael, Joseph, Maria, and mom Ann Maria.

“Exceptional We provide total wellness

• Microchips • Laser Treatments • Pet Dental

“Exceptional care for your family pets”

“Exceptional care for your family pets”

“Exceptional care for your family pets”

We provide total wellness care for your puppies, kittens, dogs and cats.

We provide total wellness care for your puppies, kittens, dogs and cats.

We provide total wellness care for your puppies, kittens, dogs and cats.

• Microchips • Advanced Diagnostics & Treatments

• Microchips • Advanced Diagnostics & Treatments

• Microchips • Advanced Diagnostics & Treatments

• Laser Treatments • Routine & Specialized Surgery

• Laser Treatments • Routine & Specialized Surgery

• Laser Treatments • Routine & Specialized Surgery

• Pet Dental Care • Boarding for Cats

• Pet Dental Care • Boarding for Cats

• Pet Dental Care • Boarding for Cats

Continue using monthly flea, tick and heartworm preventatives year-round even in the winter.

Continue using monthly flea, tick and heartworm preventatives year-round even in the winter.

Remember, it’s often easier & cheaper to prevent parasites than to treat them when a pet gets infested or infected.

Remember, it’s often easier & cheaper to prevent parasites than to treat them when a pet gets infested or infected.

to treat them when a pet gets infested or infected.

Continue using preventatives Remember, it’s parasites when a pet Adult fleas can throughout Mom & to give us our

Adult fleas can be found on pets and wildlife throughout the winter.

Adult fleas can be found on pets and wildlife throughout the winter

Adult fleas can be found on pets and wildlife throughout the winter.

Mom & Dad, please don’t forget to give us our heartworm & flea/tick medicine!

Mom & Dad, please don’t forget to give us our heartworm & flea/tick medicine!

Mom & Dad, please don’t forget to give us our heartworm & flea/tick medicine!

7627 Heritage Village Plaza Gainesville, VA 20155 703-754-9888 www.stonewallvet.com

7627 Heritage Village Plaza Gainesville, VA 20155 703-754-9888 www.stonewallvet.com

7627 Heritage Village Plaza

Gainesville, VA 20155 703-754-9888 www.stonewallvet.com

Baby it’s Brrrrr Outside!

Chase Away the Chills with Hot and Yummy Homemade Stew

BY KARLA JONES SEIDITA, HOME ECONOMIST

The holidays are over and everything’s been put away. There’s really nothing that has to be done right now except maybe some laundry but that can wait.

It’s too cold to work in the garden but the ground’s too wet to work the soil anyway. The weather is so yucky that even the dog doesn’t want to go outside.

Seems like a good time to veg-out and hibernate. Yes, that sounds perfect….. vegging-out all cozy and warm with something hot and homey and yummy to eat. Maybe even a glass of wine…. or two. Yup. Hibernating sounds like a plan.

Easy, Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Remember the days when you’d come home from school chilled to the bone and starving? Opening the door, a whiff of grandma’s simmering beef stew filled your senses making you all cozy and warm. Rekindle those delicious memories with a pot of your own homemade stew. It’s easier than you think and grandma would certainly be pleased. SERVES 4 TO 6 A 5-QUART POT IS RECOMMENDED

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. beef stew meat (beef cubes)

¼ cup flour

½ stick butter

2 medium onions (chopped – about 2 cups)

4 cups beef stock

4 medium potatoes (peeled or unpeeled & cut into 1 inch chunks – about 4 cups)

1 pound carrots (peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks)

2 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup peas (frozen or canned with their liquid)

OPTIONAL GRAVY THICKENER

2 Tablespoons flour

¼ cup water or room temperature beef broth

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large pot. Dry the beef with paper towels. Toss with ¼ cup flour. Cook meat (and any remaining flour) in the melted butter until the meat is lightly browned. Add onions and stock. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is fork tender, about 1 ½ hours – longer if needed. Add potatoes and carrots. Continue simmering, partially covered, until veggies are soft – about 30 minutes then stir in the peas (plus liquid if canned) and heat to warm the peas. If you like your gravy thicker, dissolve 2 Tablespoons flour in ¼ cup water or broth and stir into the stew after the peas are added. Continue cooking, stirring gently, until the gravy has thickened and bubbles – about 3 minutes.

Cook’s Tip: Choose your potato: Red skinned and Yukon gold both hold their shapes during cooking for a picture perfect stew. Russets, on the other hand, soak up liquid which often causes them to fall apart yielding a rustic look. But both taste good so use whichever potato you like or happen to have on hand.

PAIRS WELL WITH: PETIT VERDOT

A full-bodied red, Petit Verdot pairs nicely with this hearty, full-bodied, stew. Local Vintage: Barrel Oak Winery Petit Verdot. $46. barreloak.com

Quick White Chicken Chili

So delicious. So easy. Not your traditional chili but a fancied up, spiced up, crazy–quilt of flavors that’ll stick to your ribs. So yum you won’t be able to stop eating. Guaranteed to take the brrrrr out of your day!

SERVES 4 TO 6

A 5-QUART POT IS RECOMMENDED

INGREDIENTS

½ stick butter

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion (chopped –about 1 ½ cups)

3 Tablespoons corn starch

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup half & half

4 oz. cream cheese

1 cup corn (frozen or canned with the liquid)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 (15 oz.) can white beans (like cannelloni – rinsed and drained)

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies – like Rotel brand)

Meat from a rotisserie chicken (about 4 cups)

For serving – Hot cooked rice, noodles or corn chips

Optional garnish - Tajin (pronounced “ta-heen” – a cayenne pepper based Mexican chili lime seasoning blend)

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a large pot. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft – about 3 minutes. Whisk in the corn starch, stock, half & half and cream cheese. Simmer on low (uncovered) until the cream cheese melts – about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn, black beans, white beans, tomatoes and chicken that you’ve removed from the bones. Simmer on low (partially covered) about 15 minutes or until it’s reduced to a thickness you like.

Cook’s Tip: Tajin is available in the Mexican food section of grocery stores everywhere. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll use it on everything – even watermelon!

PAIRS WELL WITH: CHARDONNAY

Chardonnay is an ideal choice as it complements the chicken, chili, and spices in this stick-to-your-ribs stew. Local Vintage: DuCard Vineyards 2020 Chardonnay. $32. ducardvineyards.com

Red Bean Etouffee

Etouffee (pronounced eh-too-fay) is a Cajun stew that hails from Louisiana rice country. It’s rich and warm and can be spicy or not according to who’s doing the cooking. It’s cozy and comforting, too. Etouffee is always served over rice. This particular recipe just happens to be vegan (there are no animal ingredients) but there’s a shrimp and sausage, non-vegan variation if you prefer.

SERVES 4 TO 6

A 5-QUART POT IS RECOMMENDED

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic (about 1 Tablespoon)

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 medium onions (chopped – about 1 ½ cups)

3 to 4 stalks celery (chopped – about 1 cup)

1 medium green pepper (chopped – about 1 cup)

3 or 4 carrots (peeled and shredded – about 1 ½ cups)

2 Tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2 (29 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (with their juice)

2 cups vegetable broth

2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

1 ½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)

For serving - 4 to 6 cups hot, cooked rice Handful of chopped, curly, fresh parsley (no stems)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot. Add the garlic, pepper, onions, celery, green pepper, carrots. Cook on medium, stirring, until the vegetables soften and are just starting to brown – about 3 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cook, partially covered on medium low, so it gently bubbles for about 2 hours or until it’s reduced to a thickness you like. Serve over rice and sprinkled with parsley.

Shrimp and Sausage Variation: Use chicken or beef broth. When the etouffee is almost done, stir in about 3 cups (or to taste) of cooked shrimp and/or sliced, cooked sausage. Partially cover and continue simmering to finish the cooking and heat the additions.

PAIRS WELL WITH: CABERNET FRANC

With its herbaceous aromas and medium body, Cabernet Franc is the perfect complement to the spices in Etouffee. Local Vintage: The Winery at LaGrange’s 2020 Cabernet Franc. $40. wineryatlagrange.com L