Evince Magazine March 2023

Jeremy DiMaio

The Church of Perpetual Boogie

by Dave Slayton

by Josh Lucia

by Mack Williams

CEO / Publisher / Andrew Scott Brooks

Editorial Director / Paul Seiple editor@evincemagazine.com

Contributing Writers

Barry Koplen, Linda Lemery, Josh Lucia, Paul Seiple, Dave Slayton, Mack Williams

Art & Production Director Demont Design (Kim Demont)

Finance Manager Cindy Yeatts (1.434.709.7349)

Advertising

For ad information contact a marketing consultant listed below.

Lee Vogler Director of Sales and Marketing (434.548.5335) lee@evincemagazine.com

Kim Demont Graphic Design, Marketing (434.792.0612) demontdesign@verizon.net

evince\i-’vin(t)s\

1: to constitute outward evidence of 2: to display clearly; reveal syn see SHOW

Deadline for this and all other stories, articles, and calendar items is Wednesday, March 15 at 5:00pm for the March issue. Please send calendar info to demontdesign@verizon.net.

Editorial Policies

Evince is a free monthly magazine about Arts and Culture in Danville and the surrounding area. We reserve the right to accept, reject and edit all submissions and advertisements.

EVINCE MAGAZINE 753 Main St. Suite 3 Danville, VA 24541 www.evincemagazine.com 434.709.7349

© 2022 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in whole or in part in any medium without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

On the Cover: Jeremy Diamio. Photo by Laura Mae Photography.

Once home to the city’s iconic Danville Register Bee newspaper building – reimagined for today’s traveler.

FEATURES & AMENITIES:

Free high-speed WiFi | Mini-fridge and Microwave

Keurig Coffee Maker | Premium Bath Amenities

Iron and Ironing Board | Pet-friendly | Fitness Center

Rooftop Deck (seasonal) | Free Parking

Large Apartment Style Suites Available

420 Patton Street | Danville, Virginia 24541

T: 434-234-9440 www.danvillebeehotel.com

After more than a decade, Jeremy DiMaio grew tired of the monotony in the corporate world. He needed a change. “I took off to Hawaii for graduate school and a few years of paradise. There was no returning to the cubicle life after that.”

With corporate life in the rearview mirror, DiMaio has spent the last 15 years as a self-employed entrepreneur. He has a passion for crafting “memorable and fun” short-term rental places. “I look for underutilized buildings, generally the ones no one else wants.”

DiMaio’s current focus is the Church of Perpetual Boogie on Jefferson Avenue in Danville. He added, “It’s simultaneously overwhelming and incredibly fulfilling. Who doesn’t need a 9000 square foot, decaying, 150-year-old Gothic Revival Presbyterian church in their life?”

DiMaio had spent nearly 20 years looking for the right church. “I’m happy I found it here,” he added.

The church is a central part of Danville’s history, as it actively served the community for over 125 years. Preserving the

Jeremy DiMaio

The Church of Perpetual Boogie

by Paul Seiple

stunning yet neglected building lured DiMaio in. The potential for adaptive reuse of the church hooked him. “The opportunity to give an old building a new life is an exciting challenge. Historic church buildings always have a story to tell, offer amazing architecture, and a challenge to create a utilitarian space that still honors the original reverence of the structure.”

The concept for the Church of Perpetual Boogie is of an inside joke for DiMaio. “About 7 years ago, I purchased an unusual home in Afton, Virginia, that was originally built by an eccentric inventor. That house is primarily an Airbnb rental. It’s weird and people love it.” While creating the original listing, he referred to the home as a “Boogie Nights Manor aesthetic, paying homage to its late 1970s meets mid-century vibe.” The rental was a hit with guests, and the name Boogie Nights Manor stuck.

“When I bought the church at 200 Jefferson Avenue, christening the structure The Church of the Perpetual Boogie seemed a perfect extension to the theme and brand. And, given that name now appears on Google Maps,

there’s no changing it,” DiMaio said.

Aesthetically, DiMaio finds harmony by blending new life, in creative and interesting ways, with historic preservation into his properties. He added, “Two years ago, I owned zero religious furnishing or decorations; now the collection is 100 plus and growing.” One item is a 30-foot-wide hand-painted Last Super mural. “I want folks to smile as they experience this place, yet also learn about the history of the building. My intent is to thematically incorporate representations of many diverse faiths into the décor.”

When asked about the completion of the project, DiMaio joked, “Well, it took over 150 years for the church to get to this point, so hopefully, I’m at least halfway there.”

The plan is to have the living areas of the church complete by midto-late 2023. The space will be about 4,000 square feet. “I want to provide guests a lodging option and experience that enhances their stay in our community,” DiMaio said.

The remaining 5000 square

feet of the church houses the sanctuary and will take longer to renovate. “Last year, we focused on making the sanctuary space structurally sound, so most of the improvements have been invisible. As the building had been largely abandoned for more than a decade, I felt strongly that it first needed to be stabilized and protected.”

Inside the sanctuary, there is a 123-year-old Moller organ. Lighting is courtesy of huge 19th century stained-glass windows. The original walnut pews are still in place. “Ideally, it will become a community space that can be enjoyed and used by the community in a creative and artistic manner,” DiMaio said.

For DiMaio, preserving the history of the church is the most important thing. He added, “I can tell you there are no intentions of chopping the space up and doing something that doesn’t respect its history as a community gathering space. A small music venue would be kinda cool, right?”

For more information and to follow the revitalization visit, boogiechurch.com.

photo by Laura Mae Photography

Before you begin writing, you may want to focus on your list of ideas. Ideas you may have decided are excellent topics. In fact, some of those ideas may serve as shorthand reminders regarding incidents you’re certain are worth developing into a short story or a novel.

As excited as you are about beginning, you’ve taken my advice to create a brief outline. Even if it’s just a few lines, it will serve as a platform, a foundation for your work.

That’s why, when you’ve finally begun to type your exciting first sentence (you know it will be exciting because I’ve suggested that your first sentence must grab your readers to hold their attention), you may be struck by a concern for the people who comprise your closest circle of friends.

Since your story may include a number of them, you begin to wonder whether any of them may be offended by your version of the truth you want to share. That concern rightfully haunts you.

Should you tell them what you plan to write before you begin? Ask their permission? Get them to sign an agreement that they won’t sue you?

As a result of such considerations, your fingers, having been ready to dance on your computer’s keys, feel leaden. You imagine the ‘true story’ articles your local newspaper might publish about what you’ve written. You worry that those articles may provide even more details than you ever wanted to share.

Considering that, you stop and stare into your nearby mirror. What if one of your subjects decides to reciprocate by writing their version — about you?

That may be a viable concern, especially if you don’t have documented proof of all of your claims. Even if you find old photos taken at the time of the incident, those images may not offer much protection.

That’s why you may want to consider dispensing with a tell-all

novel and, instead, compose a completely fictitious set of characters who live in a city you’ve created that has only a passing resemblance to your own. As for your ‘new’ characters who resemble real people, you may want to give them a different sex than that of the ones who inspired you.

Once you have a workable list of characters, you’ll find it’s easier to create a city — or country — where the characters reside. Only then should you focus on writing your all-important first sentence, perhaps one of the most important in your book.

Often that sentence is described as the hook that catches your readers’ attention. Rather than try to prescribe such a sentence, I’ll suggest you locate a few of your favorite books. In each of them, read the first sentence, the first paragraph, and the first page.

Take notes about what each of those ‘firsts’ have in common. Write about what you enjoyed about each one.

by Barry Koplen

Once you’ve completed those notes, laminate them! Keep that well-preserved lamination near your computer. Refer to it often. Use it to assist you as you start your book, determine its direction and pace.

If you’d like, you may want to read the first page of my first LIFESAVERS book, Letters to loves Above is a picture of its cover. I’ll end this piece with its first two sentences and my final note of encouragement: enjoy every page you write, whether it’s fact or fiction!

Just because she knew how to sew didn’t make her special. To look at her, most would think Piri was a model others might sew for…

March Calendar of Evince

Abbreviation Key

• DSC = Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead Street, 434.791.5160

www.dsc.smv.org

• HNT = The Historic North Theatre 629 North Main Street, 434.793.SHOW (7469)

• IMPotters, 406 Lynn Street. 434.448.4677. www. impottersclayworx.com

• RBA = Ruby B. Archie Public Library, 511 Patton Street, 434.799.5195

www.readdanvilleva.org

• WC = Wednesday Club, 1002 Main Street in Danville.

Ongoing

Danville Science Center Exhibits

Hands-On Harley-Davidson - Explore the history and mechanics behind one of America’s most iconic motorcycle brands. Ages 3-12. Go! - Highlights the intersection between the physics of machines and biology of the human body. Water - Discover history trapped in ice, experience clouds first hand, uncover life found in a droplet, plunge to the depths of the ocean, learn about water usage from a towering wall of 2,000+ water bottles, enter a room of rain and don’t get wet, and more.

Crescent Crossing - Train-themed exhibit introduces families to important science, technology, engineering, and math fundamentals, such as creativity, problem solving, and cause and effect. Ages 5-.

Ruby B. Archie Public Library

Programs - Don’t miss all the may programs offered at the Library. Adult Arts and Crafts, Youth Dungeons and Dragons, The Write Stuff Writer’s Group, Bookworms, Teen Book Club, Teen Takeover, Tween Craft Night, Teen Hobby Hour, Whodunit Book Club, Little Explorers Storytime, Book Babies, LEGO Brick Engineers, Classics Book Club, Puzzlers Club, Classic Movie Club, Maker Mondays, Tree House Tuesday.

March 1

The Wednesday Club. Rick Barker

The 500 Block & the Transformation of Craghead Street. 3:45 pm. W.C.

March 1 (thru 30)

Beginning Clay I & II (Session 2)6-week class, learn hand-building

basic forms, wheel-throwing, and the use of studio equipment. Seating is Limited. Tuesdays & Wednesdays 5:30-7:30pm. IMPotters, 406 Lynn Street.

March 2, 3, 4

Southern Virginia Winter Classic Indoor Antique Tractor PullOlde Dominion AG Complex. swatgeapulling.org

March 3 (thru 24)

Friday Night Wheel Try-it - Try pottery wheel throwing. Get a demonstration and instructions, then it’s you, the wheel, and the clay. 4:30-5:30 & 5:30-6:30pm. IMPotters.

March 4 (thru March 25)

Danville Winter Farmers’ Market –Baked goods, crafts, soaps, jams, jellies, meats, eggs, honey and seasonal produce. Saturdays, 9am1pm. Danville Community Market.

March 4

Danville Black History Tour - Tour by local historian and genealogist celebrating the amazing stories of Danville’s Civil Rights leaders, Black business owners, entrepreneurs, and citizens. 1-2:15pm. Meet at Danville Transit Center, 515 Spring Street.

Live Music - The Brown Brothers. 4-7pm. Tunnel Creek Vineyards, Roxboro, NC.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball. A night of fun, food, and elegance for the DRHA Scholarship Fundraiser. Entertainment by The Queen’s Court Band. 7-11pm. IALR.

Live Music - Megan Doss Band. 7pm. River District Golf & Social.

Live Music - Karlee Raye. 8pm. Golden Leaf Bistro- 434.791.3191.

Live Music - MoonShine Son. 9:30pm. Funky’s Arcade Bar.

March 5

Wildlife Wonders - Camp with small group forest explorations, simple bird feeder crafts, and story time by the fire with hot cocoa and cookies. Special guests include Robb Herbst (Master Falconer) Larry Oakes (Wildlife Rehabilitator), and Jessica Driver (Master Naturalist). 2-4pm. Camp Selah, Sutherland. 336.963.5935 or 434.250.3324.

March 5 (thru 26)

Board Games at the BreweryEnjoy a big selection of games or bring your own. 12-8pm. Ballad Brewing.

March 5 (thru 26)

Visionary Arts Exhibit - Local artists: Star Watlington, Mauri Van Buren and Alex Sharpe. Opening Reception 3/5 3-4:30pm. Caswell Council for the Arts. 336.694.4474.

March 8

The Wednesday Club. Teri Bickham Voices of Women in Song. 3:45 pm. W.C.

March 9 (thru 12)

To Kill a Mockingbird - This hardhitting work explores prejudice, compassion and the courage to do what is right. 7:30-9:30pm. 3/12 2:30pm. Smokestack Theatre Co. 434.549.5445.

March 10

Live Music - The Loose Screws. Songs from the 70’s & 80’s. 8pm. Golden Leaf Bistro- 434.791.3191.

March 11

Love My Dog 5K - 5K run/walk to benefit the Danville Area Humane Society. Race begins on the Riverwalk Trail at 2 Witches with turnaround at the statue past Robert Woodall Nissan. 10am2pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company. DAHS - 434.799.0843 or 434.579.4317.

Weave a Bread or Muffin Basket 11am-12pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective. com.

Cabin Fever Music SeriesFeaturing Cat 5 Band. 7-11pm. Danville Farmers’ Market. 434.799.5200.

Live Music - Tate Tuck. 7-11pm. Golden Leaf Bistro - 434.791.3191.

March 12

Chatham Concert SeriesBeethoven’s “Archduke” Trio. Harold Brown, piano, Julia Goudimova, cello & Kevin Matheson, violin. 3:30pm. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Chatham.

March 13

An Evening in Narnia - Step through the wardrobe and into the magical world of C. S. Lewis’ imagination. Play games with Aslan, get crafty with Mr. Tumnus, and build with the beavers. Ages 5-12. Registration required. 5-6m. RBA.

March 13 (thru 17)

Spring Break Camp I - Friendship building, arts and crafts, fitness activities, healthy eating, a local field trip, and much more. Registration. 7:30am-6pm. Coates Recreation Center. 434.799.5150.

March 17

Kids Paint a Door Hanger. 11am12pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com.

Family Game Night - Board games, sports, and outdoor games. 5:30-7pm. Coates Recreation Center. 434.799.5150.

Live Music - St Patty’s Day w/ The Megan Doss Band. 7pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company.

Live Music - Slaughter Ave. 7pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company.

March 17 & 18

St. Paddy’s Weekend Party - Music by Josh Kendrick / Friday night. Ray Hudson / Saturday afternoon. Ashes to Stone / Saturday night. Bling, green beer, warm bon fires and all the shenanigans. 2pm Friday. Mountain Valley Brewing, Axton.

March 18

Archery 101 Workshop - Learn basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment, and essential safety skills with a USA Archery certified instructor. Registration. 10:30am-12:30pm. Coates Recreation Center. 434.799.5150.

St. Patty’s on the Dan - It’s the Luck of the Rotarian! Come out to the biggest St. Patty’s Day Party in our area. Green beer, live music & a DJ to end the night. Sponsored by Danville After Hours Rotary 4-10pm. 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - Beer on tap from 2 Witches Brewery. Music by the Beat Farmerz. 4-9pm. The Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463.

Live Music - Mama BriBri & The Stranger. 7-9pm. Crema & Vine.

March 22

The Wednesday Club. Amanda Boyd - Collecting History. 3:45 pm. W.C.

March 25

The Green Monster 12 Hour Run - A flowing two-mile course mixing gravel, wooded trail, and a touch of pavement for a 12-hour day. Registration. 8am-8pm. Anglers Park. 434.799.5150.

Rising Stars Youth Football Camp

- This camp will give youth a structured day of skills and drills from the best trainers and coaches in the area. Every youth participating will learn and grow from positive male role models through the game of football. 9am-1pm. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Danville Area. Spring Door Hanger. 11am12pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com.

March 31

Racin’ & Tastin’ - Start your taste buds for a roaring good time. All-you-care-to-eat BBQ, open bar and entertainment. 5:3010:30pm. Danville Farmers’ Market. 434.799.5150.

UPCOMING:

April 1

Goodyear 5K Run/Walk. 9am. Goodyear Golf Course. Danville Running & Fitness Club - FB. Barn Quilt Painting. 11am3pm. Main Street Art Collective. mainstreetartcollective.com. Karaoke Night - 6pm. The Homeplace Vineyard. 434.432.9463.

liva Richardson describes herself as a bohemian, personally and professionally. “I think most actors would. I’ve had the good fortune to work with all kinds of people, in all kinds of places, doing all kinds of things. I grew up in Orlando, Florida, which has an awesome melting pot of opportunities and experiences for kids who are interested in the arts,” she added.

Richardson began acting at age 9 in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk. “I played Jack’s grandmother. It was a school play, but it was thrilling nonetheless.” A mishap nearly derailed the show. The actor playing Jack forgot his lines, and the cast had to wing its way through the rest of the play. “It was terrifying and amazing, and I was completely hooked.”

Even though her first role was at age 9, Richardson caught the acting bug earlier in life. “When I was 3, I was obsessed with the film adaptation of Hello, Dolly! starring Barbra Streisand. I knew every song, dance, and line by heart. I remember saying, early on, I wanted to be an actor.”

A year after her first role, Richardson discovered Lucille Ball. “Not just her I Love Lucy persona, but Lucille Ball, the actress. She had an amazing dramatic film career pre-television.” Studying

Action!

Inside the Method of Acting

Olivia Richardson

by Paul Seiple photo courtesy of Smokestack Theatre Co

Ball’s life and body or work taught Richardson the craft of acting. She cites that realization as the catalyst for wanting to train.

Richardson approaches a role from a standpoint of adaptability. “The one thing I always do is get the script out of my hands as soon as possible. That way I have total freedom to play and explore without using up so much mental bandwidth trying to find the lines on the page,” she added. For some roles, Richardson relies on personal experience. “Let’s say I’m playing a character who’s 27, a grad student, and has just broken off her engagement. Okay, I, Olivia the actor, know what it’s like to be in my late twenties, I know what it’s like to be in high-pressure academia, and I know how it feels to be heartbroken… I can find my way into this role fairly easily.” Other roles require a different approach. Richardson said, “If I’m working on a Shakespeare production, I root everything in the text. There’s technique involved, and you have to learn what you should look for in his text, learning how to use the language, but he wrote everything the actor needs on the page. Once you learn how to use the tools in the Shakespeare toolbox, you’re just going on a treasure hunt through Julius Caesar or Twelfth Night.”

Richardson relies on Sanford

Meisner’s definition of acting, “Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” to make a role believable. She added, “The key word here is ‘living’ because it removes the element of performance altogether. When we use that word, performance, or the word acting, we’re sort of implying that we’re doing something other than telling the truth, which is exactly the opposite of what we want to do as actors.” Richardson works in service of a story and tells it as honest as possible. “There again, I think crafting a believable performance is determined by the requirements of the show. There’s no one-sizes-fits-all answer.”

Richardson is also putting the pen to paper. She is in the early stages of writing a one-woman show about Mary Anderson. “She was a Shakespearean actress who toured the US and UK in the late 19th century. I hope to produce that sooner rather than later,” Richardson said.

Recently, Richardson moved to New York hoping to build a solid network of collaborators. “I’ve had some great auditions. I’m in callbacks for a couple of different projects, and I’m honestly just looking forward to telling more stories!”

Scene: Plant and Linda are sitting in Linda’s kitchen in the morning sunlight.)

Plant: Top of the mornin’ to you.

Linda: … Oh, nuts. It’s you again.

P: Here you come again with that inquiring mind. I so look forward to these conversations … after you wake up.

L: You can run but you can’t hide, Plant. … Wait …You can’t run. Nor are you hiding… so… what’s on your mind, Plant? … What am I saying…?

P: Let’s talk color.

L: Color?

P: Yes. What’s the dominant color in this room?

L: I’m not ready for this. I need coffee.

P: You should reduce your stimulant intake.

L: (reheating coffee): Why?

P: Think about not having to depend on having a morning simulant to get going.

L (sipping coffee): Nice of you to care.

P: Caring is part of the human

condition. Moving on. Color?

L: …Uhhh…wait … human condition … you’re not human…. will think about that later... yellow kitchen walls. Multicolored, circular hanging of 1,000 paper cranes. Blond or white cabinets. Neutral laminate floor. Brown Thai wood bar used to stash pots and pans. Black and stainless-steel appliances.

P: Don’t forget the green.

L: …Oh. The plants. In their winter habitat in the window. The motherlode geranium, her daughter plant, the parsley –though that was dying so we ate it in a salad. “When you’re green, you’re growing. When you’re ripe, you rot.” Ray Kroc said that. What a giant of an idea.

P: I don’t have any children. Maybe we should look into that. What month is it?

L: Month? March.

P: What does that mean?

L: To march: regularized stepping. Or, time marches on; a musical march; March Madness; winter ends, spring begins.

P: … You are so hard to work with. So dense. Use your brain. Think. Hint: rhymes with hat trick.

L … Oh. …Patrick? …St. Patrick’s Day. In March. The color green. I get it.

P (grudging approval): Now you’re almost conscious. On second thought, don’t give up the coffee. Just dilute it to dilute the effects.

L: Once again, Wikipedia to the rescue. Our country’s a melting pot. So many diverse cultures with their own tradition. The green from the Irish comes from Ireland being so green…

P: Repetitive. Sounds like your brain just took a cognitive step backward.

L: … from lots of rain. The Irish potato famine and unemployment drove many Irish to emigrate to the United States. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland. The Irish diaspora celebrate the holiday.

P: Two steps forward. Diaspora?

L: Irish or any other cultural group of people who leave a home country to settle somewhere else, like in the United States. And we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Shamrocks; a three-leafed green plant that St. Patrick used to explain the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to non-Christians. Parades. Festivals. Celtic crosses. The

Plant V:

Kermit Would Approve

by Linda Lemery

pubs are open. Green clothing. Kermit would approve. Smurfs would turn green with envy.

P: Good word, diaspora. Noted. And I like Kermit. So, are we going to decorate? To celebrate this important holiday centering around an ingress of people into our country stimulated in part by the potato famine and unemployment? In addition, maybe we could even celebrate the role of green plants in creating a breathable atmosphere for survival of all the humans and animals on our planet?

L: Well, when you put it like that, of course we can. We should feature the color green. I have these plastic shamrock lights I can string up. Maybe even green Frankenstein lights and green Saguaro lights. Festive, quirky, diverse, happy, green. Like life. Rejuvenate inside while nature rejuvenates outside. And let’s add green plants to our personal celebration because they’re world-wide oxygen producers.

P: St. Patrick’s Day – what a perfect day to wear green, be green, and extend the meaning of green.

About the author: Linda Lemery llemery@ gmail.com writes down what Plant says and wonders what it all means. She and Plant wish readers a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Movies You Missed from 20 years ago

by Josh Lucia

Ned Kelly

(8/10 Rating)

Released March 26, 2003

For rent/purchase on all major platforms.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography, Crime, History, Romance, Western R: Violence and Brief Nudity

1h 50m

Based on the Australian outlaw, Ned Kelly tells the story of a wrongly accused man who becomes the number-one enemy of the Victorian government. From some very mild research, it does seem to include some historical accuracy, but of course plenty is dramatized, and the film focuses on a hero as opposed to the criminal from historical accounts. I really love this movie. For me, it sits right up there with films like Tombstone, Young Guns, Braveheart, and Gladiator. It may lack the epic spectacle and armies of the latter two, but the rest is all there: the tale of an innocent man wronged by the powers of the time, fighting back against tyrants, joining a small brotherhood in the pursuit of justice, etc. The acting is award worthy, cinematography compelling, and the story

never gets unbelievable or uninteresting. The ending is pretty epic in itself and while a lot of the elements are created for the film, the historical facts included are pretty awesome. I won’t give anything away, but the final “outfit” Heath Ledger dons is one of the most accurate pieces of the movie. It is said that he tried on the real suit, and it fit perfectly, but you’ll see what I mean. Part Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, part Robin Hood, if this is a movie you missed, I highly recommend giving it a watch. Heath Ledger is as good as ever.

Orlando Bloom is utilized perfectly as the charming ladies’ man sidekick. Geoffrey Rush is that rare “villain” who manages to garner both hatred and respect at the same time. Joel Edgerton, Naomi Watts, and a handful of other recognizable actors fill out the impressive cast. You’ll be rooting for the “bad guys” from the start and by the end researching the real Ned Kelly

Also check out: Dreamcatcher (5/10), The Hunted (7/10), Spun (7/10) (follow @jlucia85 for these reviews and more)

Ifrequently hear the comment, “All Rieslings are sweet,” which is not valid. They can be dry, sweet, or off-dry. Hearing this has sparked a renewed interest in German wines. If you, like me, are intimated by German wine labels, let’s become more knowledgeable. I hope we can, as the Germans say, “write something behind our ears”, to help reduce that intimidation.

An article about German wines and their ranking systems that may help us comes from the website thecellar.store from New Zealand.

Two classifications system to consider: Pradikat and VDP.

VDP is an organization of about 200 growers who adhere to these rules:

• Own their vineyards and have their own winemaking facility/ equipment/cellar.

• Prune to agreed-upon yields.

• Pick grapes that meet the high must (sugar) weights.

German Wines: Plenty to Learn

• Use ‘traditional’ grape varietals (Riesling, NOT Sauvignon Blanc, for example)

• Practice sustainable viticulture and use traditional winemaking techniques

As a member of the VDP, your vineyards are classified as one of the following:

• Gutswein (GERTS-vine) vineyards are ‘entry level.’

• Ortswein (ORTS-vine) vineyards are seen (by the members) as a village’s best.

• Erste Lage (EERS-te la-guh) indicates the first-class vineyards.

• Grosse Lage (GROHSS-la-guh) indicates the best of the best.

And there’s more: the Erste Gewachs (EG) and the highly lauded Grosses Gewachs (GG) wines. Let‘s save these for another time.

Now, the Pradikat system, which relates to sugar ripeness:

• Kabinett (Ka-bee-nett) wines have grapes that are above average in ripeness and thus higher in sugar level. The resulting wines tend to be offdry.

• Spatlese (SHPAT-lay-zuh) wines have ‘late harvest’ grapes. These wines will be between off-dry and medium-dry in sweetness.

• Auslese (Owss-leh-zeh) wines will be medium-sweet and have more dried/candied fruit flavors.

• Beerenauslese (Beh-ren-owssleh-zeh) These wines will be sweet and have dried/candied fruit flavors.

• Trockenbeerenauslese (Troken-be-ren-ous-ley-zuh) These wines will be lusciously sweet, have an aromatic spectrum with plenty of tropical and candied fruit flavors.

We have only taken a small sip of German wine information, and there is so much more to learn. I say, let the journey begin. Cheers, or should we say, Prost!

by Dave Slayton

photo by Dave Slayton

Birthday and Snow LayerCake

by Mack Williams

So far this winter, I’ve only seen the most miniscule of snow flurries, one short burst! It seems to me that Mother Nature’s purpose in this is to remind us she hasn’t forgotten snow’s “recipe.”

Even though old men (I’m 72 this month) frequently think of warmer climates, we often have a special place in our hearts (and minds) for the snows of our youth.

Thinking back, one year stands out, not just for me, but for many people living then in the piedmont of North Carolina and Virginia: 1960. If you hear some seniors say, “I remember the winter when it snowed every Wednesday in March,” they’re not fibbing or dealing with befuddled memory. They’re correct (in fact, I’m relying on my personal memory of that month to write this piece).

On March 5th, 1960, I turned 9-years old. My mother had planned a birthday party for me with my invited neighborhood friends, but snow began falling heavily, and it was “sticking” (some “quasi-meteorological” terms can’t be improved upon, they just work).

As the blizzard increased, the likelihood of my birthday party decreased. My mother called the families involved to make a possible re-scheduling; but the children insisted on celebrating, so those who lived nearby came through the snow, carrying presents. In memory’s eye, I can still see the approaching colors of the pretty bows and birthday wrapping paper standing out against a literally “snow white” background, otherwise resembling the “white out” sometimes experienced by winter travelers.

Because of the amount of that snowfall and the month’s low temperatures, most of each snow remained, being added to by another “blizzard” the following Wednesday. That Wednesday of my birthday was the beginning of a month of epic snowfalls, occurring like clockwork every Wednesday, causing that month and year to be forever linked in a memory-dream of childhood’s perfect winter.

School children were provided with many school-less days in March 1960. I remember playing out in the front yard of my home

in sunset-color snow, when one of my parents would call out to me that the local radio station had announced, “No school tomorrow.”

During that month, each weekly snow would end with some sleet and freezing rain to top it off. By month’s end, every time I stepped outside to play, my feet caused a loud cracking noise as I stepped and broke through the first layer of ice, then the series of layers below, each repetition of that crunching sound becoming more muffled the further my feet sank.

My birthday cake had a couple of layers, but by month’s end, my yard’s “snow-layer cake” consisted of several more, each sealed by a covering of hardened frozen-rain “frosting” and sleet.

After the deepest of the muffled crunching noises, I eventually stood on something firm and silent, but still but not as firm as solid ground.

My feet had finally come to rest upon the earliest of the March snows of 1960, the preserved snow of my 9th birthday party.