Access Magazine - Summer 2018

LEGENDS, LORE & TRUE TALES

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SUMMER COCKTAILS

LOCAL BARTENDERS SHARE RECIPES

SUMMER DISH CHALLENGE

SUMMER BUCKET LIST

Shenandoah Conservatory

THE WESTERLIES PHOTO BY JOHN ABBOTT

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (SPRING 2018) PHOTO BY C. KING PHOTOGRAPHY

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table of contents

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UPCOMING

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UPCOMING: CAMP OUT ALL WEEKEND AT WATERMELON PARK FEST, HAPPENING SEPTEMBER 20 - 22

Summertime is for festivals and we have quite the lineup, from festivals for peaches to camp-out-for-theweekend music festivals.

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LIBATIONS

Hot temperatures scream for cold, icy cocktails. We ask three local bartenders to share their new recipes with us.

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CHEF’S CHALLENGE

We challenged chefs from L’Auberge Provençale and Bonnie Blue to build a special summer dish inspired by seasonal ingredients.

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LEGENDS + LORE

Tales of hidden art, old movie theaters, a huge tire fire, Mount Weather, and more.

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WHAT’S NEW: BRIEDE FAMILY VINEYARDS

Motivated by their love for a crisp and tongue-tickling sparking wine, a Frederick County couple has taken on the adventure of opening a vineyard.

ON THE COVER: The cucumber-mint fizz at Sexi-Mexi Burrito Bar in Winchester. Photo by Jeff Taylor.

Access Magazine is published by The Winchester Star.

SUMMER 2018 | ACCESS

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shop ping NEED IT

SUMMER FINDS Summer isn’t over yet — we rounded up some fun finds for an outdoor BBQ, pool party, or vacation.

From top left: “Cocktails Across America,” $24.95; “Ginspiration,” $14.99, both available at Winchester Book Gallery. Paper drink umbrellas, $12.99, Simply Charming. Sand and water resistant Bluetooth speaker for smart phone or tablet, $56.99, Simply Charming. SPF woven hat, $25, Kimberly’s. Palm leaf stemless glass, $13, Kimberly’s. Pocket tote bag, $52, Simply Charming.

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SUMMER 2018 | ACCESS

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upcoming

FOOD • AUGUST 18-19

GREEK FESTIVAL

Take a trip to Greece without having to renew your passport. Bring the kids to this family-friendly two-day festival featuring Greek favorites like gyros, souvlaki, roast lamb, moussaka, spanakopita, baklava, loukoumades, and live Greek music and dancing, plus activities for the kids. August 18 - 19, noon - 7 p.m., Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church. Free admission. For more details, visit dormition.va.goarch.org

M O R E EV E N T S

FILM • SEPTEMBER 6 - 9

SKYLINE INDIE FILM FEST

Billing itself as “a great little scrappy indie film festival,” the Skyline Indie Film Fest focuses on presenting new, undistributed indie films.

Although the line-up hasn’t been announced yet (check in late July), you can expect unique and thought-provoking films, short and long, on a variety of subjects and submitted from all over the globe. September 6 - 9. $10 - $75.

Tickets and passes go on sale August 1. See the full schedule of films and venues online at skylineindiefilmfest.org.

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Friday Night Live: Kelly Bell Band Old Town Winchester July 20

Peach Festival

The Temptations Shenandoah Valley Music Fest July 27

Brewstock

Jazz + Wine James Charles Winery July 28

Peach Festival

Farm Dinner Mackintosh Fruit Farm August 4 Gardens at Night: Soul Expressions Museum of the Shenandoah Valley August 10

Marker-Miller Orchards August 11

Backroom Brewery August 11

Richard’s Fruit Market August 19 Apple Har vest Festival Frederick County Fairgrounds September 15-16 Celebracion Old Town Winchester September 23

U P CO M I N G

SAVE THE DATE

Events to put in your calendar from now through September

FESTIVALS • SEPTEMBER 20 - 22

WATERMELON PARK FEST

Dance it up on the edge of the Shenandoah River in Clarke County at this multi-day, family friendly Americana and Roots music festival (see photo, left.) This year’s line up includes Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Bela Fleck, Molly Tuttle, The Way Down Wanderers, and more tba. You’ll also get to check out workshops, band and pickin’ contests, kids activities, open jams, food and craft vendors, and more. Plus, bring a tent because you get to camp out all weekend. September 20 - 22, $50 - $140. For the full schedule of events, visit watermelonparkfest.com.

WINE • AUGUST 25

THEATER • JULY 19 - 29

Imagine it: dining under the stars in an elegant setting, enjoying a multi-course meal and great local wines. Sounds pretty dreamy, huh? Deck yourself out in white head-to-toe, grab a glass of wine, and dance to the jazzy sounds of Jennifer Scott World Jazz Ensemble. August 25, 7 p.m., James Charles Winery, $52 - $65. jamescharleswine.com

Here’s your chance to see Broadway’s longest-running jukebox musical. On the eve of her wedding in a Greek island paradise, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. July 19 - 29, showtimes 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre. $18 - $36. ssmtva.org

BLANC ON BLANC WINE DINNER

“MAMMA MIA!”

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Local bartenders share new summer sippers to quench your thirst on a hot day.

by JENNY BAKER photography by JEFF TAYLOR

blueberry lemonade REGION ’ S 117

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SUMMER

LIBATIONS Blueberry Lemonade Region’s 117

What makes a perfect summer cocktail?

There are a great many classic cocktails — the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, both which skew as more of a winter drink. The Gin and Tonic is perhaps the most classic summer cocktail of all.

And with three simple ingredients — gin, tonic water, and lime — it doesn’t get any easier.

But we’re looking for some new inspiration for a summertime libation. Consider blueberries, cucumbers, and even lavender. We paid a visit to three local restaurants to find out how bartenders are shaking up local cocktail menus.

At Region’s 117 in Lake Frederick, a tall, icy glass of fresh squeezed lemonade was the inspiration for this twist on this summertime standard.

“Like the food at Region’s 117, our signature cocktails are inspired by the seasons,” said William McNeill, food and beverage director.

“The inspiration is simple, a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day by the lake. We added a house made blueberry purée, Tito’s Vodka, and it was an instant favorite,” he said.

The drink is a simple one to make — all the better on a hot day.

It begins with a house-made blueberry purée, which can be made from a recipe for blueberry compote which you puree in a blender after the mixture cools. Next, in a shaker, add ice, Tito’s Vodka, and lemonade. Shake and strain over ice into a collins glass. Add fresh slices of lemon and the drink is ready to enjoy lakeside.

“One of the best features about Region’s 117 is its location. Sitting on the veranda overlooking Lake Frederick is the perfect environment to enjoy fresh summer cocktails.”

“There are so many great flavors, especially fruit that is available during summer. Some of the best for making cocktails are peaches, watermelon, pineapple, and citrus. The possibilities are endless,” he said.

2 oz blueberry vodka 1 oz blueberry puree 3 oz fresh lemonade Blueberry skewer In a cocktail shaker, add lemonade, blueberry vodka, and ice.

Pour blueberry puree into a highball glass, then add ice to fill glass.

Shake and strain blueberry vodka lemonade and pour over ice.

Garnish with two lemon wheels and blueberry skewer.

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cucumber mint fizz

S EXI- M EXI BU RRITO BAR

Using fresh, local ingredients in her cocktails is a no-brainer for Sexi-Mexi Burrito’s bartender (and “drink-maker extraordinaire”) Mandy Jackson.

“I own a small juice business, so I get a lot of local produce and herbs,” she said.

“I could use the pulp from the cucumber and the pulp from the mint for making a green juice, and make it into a simple syrup and the simple syrup goes in with the gin and lime juice. So it’s kind of like a no-waste kind of cocktail.”

The cocktail begins with pulp from the cucumbers and mint, which you can make at home in a blender. She advises to strain it after blending, so you have the smoothest juice possible. She then steeps mint into a house-made simple syrup (she uses pure cane sugar) for a few minutes. Once the simple syrup cools, add cucumber pulp, let it sit, then strain, then add gin and lime juice and top it off with club soda.

The restaurant tried out the drink on two different occasions this spring, and both times it sold out. It now is a permanent fixture on the restaurant’s summer menu.

Jackson’s idea of the perfect summer cocktail includes “anything fresh. Obviously local, that’s one thing that we do here,” she said. Many of the ingredients the restaurant uses comes from the owner’s farm, including beef.

“Cucumbers are super hydrating, so there’s that as well,” she laughed.

“I think it’s a little more fun to let people experiement with stuff and use fresher ingredients. It’s nice to be able to use something you know exactly what’s in it, rather than you use something and you don’t really know what it is.”

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“I THINK IT’S A LITTLE MORE FUN TO LET PEOPLE EXPERIMENT WITH STUFF AND USE FRESHER INGREDIENTS.” -MANDY JACKSON

Cucumber Mint Fizz Sexi-Mexi Burrito Bar Cucumber-mint simple syrup (8 servings) 1 cup water 1 cup sugar (or honey) Handful of mint leaves Cucumber pulp or 1 cup of peeled sliced cucumber Boil water, add sugar and stir to dissolve.

Remove from heat, add mint, and let syrup cool.

Add cucumber. Remove mint.

Puree in high speed blender and strain.

For cocktail ( 1 serving) In a shaker or mason jar, add: 2 oz gin 1 oz syrup 1 oz lime juice 2 slices cucumber Shake vigorously.

Pour over ice in new glass Top with a splash of club soda.

Garnish with mint leaves.

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feature Oakstone Craft Pizza and Bar in Winchester prides itself on using only house-made infusions in its cocktails.

One of the restaurant’s most popular summer cocktails is Liberace’s Lavender Waistcoat, an original concoction dreamed up by head bar tender Danny West and Assistant General Manager Justin Hunsaker.

“All of our cocktails on our list are based off of some kind of infusion that we make here in house,” said Hunsaker.

“It’s just one of the things we do to make ourselves unique and separate ourselves from everybody else.”

The drink begins with a blackberry-infused gin, which is made by pairing blackberries and gin together in a container like a Mason jar and letting it steep for four to five days. Hun-

“ALL OF OUR COCKTAILS ARE BASED OFF OF SOME KIND OF INFUSION WE MAKE HERE IN HOUSE. . .

IT’S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO TO MAKE OURSELVES UNIQUE..”

-JUSTIN HUNSAKER

saker says it’s important to keep the gin level to the blackberries, otherwise the taste of alcohol will be too strong.

The drink comes together in a cocktail shaker with lavender syrup and fresh lemon juice, and is then poured into a collins glass with ice, and topped off with club soda.

A cocktail this unique has quite the unique name attached to it.

“I was trying to think of something creative that would catch the eye, but was also very descriptive of the drink,” he said.

“Liberace’s Lavendar Waistcoat, it literally shouted to me from my subconscious. I remember watching Liberace on my parent’s floor model Zenith back in 1975 when I was a kid. He was always wearing these garish gold and purple costumes. It just kind of fit.”

liberace’s lavender waistcoat OAKSTON E PIZZA

For blackberry-infused gin Add gin to blackberries at an equal level in container (such as a Mason jar) Let sit for 4-5 days.

Strain berries Store infused gin until ready to use.

For the lavender syrup Immerse a cup of food-grade dried lavender in 3 to 4 quarts of boiling water.

Stir, and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Strain, add sugar to create syrup.

For cocktail ( 1 serving) 2 oz blackberry infused gin 1 oz Lavender syrup 1 oz fresh lemon juice Splash of soda Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake.

Pour into a collins glass with ice.

Garnish with a lemon twist and lavender sprig.

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SUMMER

BUCKET

List Yes, there’s plenty of summer still left.

To be sure you enjoy it to the max, we present a summer bucket list of things you must do in our area, before Labor Day rolls around.

by JENNY BAKER

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summer bucket list A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS

We’re lucky to have many opportunities for outdoor cinema in the area — including a drive-in theater (check the Family Drive-In’s website for a listing of films.) Here are a few upcoming opportunities (all films start at dusk):

www.laubergeprovencale.com www.laubergeprovencale.com 540-837-1375

540-837-1375

Magic Lantern Theatre: “An American in Paris” at the Taylor Pavilion in Old Town Winchester August 11 “Dr. Strangelove” at Veramar Vineyard August 17 “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory” at Clearbrook Park Pool August 18 Family Movies on the Mall “Moana” at the Taylor Pavilion in Old Town Winchester July 26 Clarke County Summer Movie Series “Sing” at Chet Hobert Park, Berryville August 10

SIP A FROSÉ

Fine Linens Pine Cone Hill • Sferra Mud Pie • Dash & Albert

When the weather gets hot, having your wine in slushee form is a good idea. James Charles Winery in Frederick County offers its popular rosé wine in frozen form, a.k.a., a frosé, Fridays - Saturdays until Labor Day. We suggest getting a glass, snagging a patio spot, and watch the sunset with your crew.

DINE AL FRESCO

Old Town Winchester • 540-662-2195 Mon-Sat 10-6 • Sun 11-5 • www.kimberlys.biz

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Easily one of the best things about summer is the ability to dine outdoors — and our area has more places than most to indulge in this summer must-do. Old Town Winchester’s pedestrian mall is home to the most concentrated outdoor dining opportunities in the entire Shenandoah Valley, according to the Winchester-Frederick County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. There are at least 12 locations on the mall itself, plus many more on the side streets. The visitors’ bureau counted 31 restaurants in Winchester and Frederick County. Clarke County also has great outdoor spots to dine. You could easily dine outside every night from now until Labor Day.

LEGOS IN THE GARDENS

Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks has spent the summer in the Glen Burnie Gardens at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, and will be heading out after September 3. Don’t miss this outdoor exhibition that features nature-inspired sculptures built with more than 400,000 LEGO bricks by Brooklyn artist Sean Kenney. The exhibition includes a 6-foot hummingbird hovering over a trumpet flower, a peacock, a giant Galapagos tortoise with a Darwin finch on its back, a 7-foot-long dragonfly, a deer family (buck, doe, and fawn), a corn spider, and more. For more details, visit themsv.org

GET OUTDOORS

Shake off the AC and catch some Vitamin D with a walk or run outside. There’s lots of opportunities: the Winchester Green Circle Trail, Jim Barnett Park, the Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve, and the State Arboretum of Virginia in Clarke County, to name a few.

TAKE YOURSELF OUT TO THE BALLGAME

The Valley Baseball League will be wrapping up their season by the end of July, so don’t waste any time on this one. See our hometeam, the Winchester Royals, play at Jim Barnett Park. Admission is free for kids under 6, $2 for ages 2 to 6, $3 for seniors over 60, and $5 for adults. All you need now is a box of popcorn and a hotdog, and you’re summer is officially All-American. Find schedules online at valleyleaguebaseball.com

RIDE A FERRIS WHEEL

Summer isn’t complete without a ride around the Ferris wheel at the county fair — and a dinner consisting of corn dogs, funnel cake, and cotton candy. Tractor pulls, farm animals, competitions, and beauty pageants round out the week’s events. County fairs are a staple of any summer, so be sure to jot down these dates: Frederick County Fair July 29 - August 4 Clarke County Fair August 12 - 18

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BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH MUSHROOMS

Bonnie Blue’s housecured pork belly gets a perfect pairing with oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms (opposite page) from Shady Knoll Mushroom Farm.

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SUMMER DISH

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CHALLENGE We asked two local executive chefs to create a dish for us inspired by their favorite summer ingredients. Bonnie Blue’s Brian Pellatt takes on mushrooms, and L’Auberge Provençale’s Richard Wright puts his spin on the Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crab.

by JENNY BAKER photography by JEFF TAYLOR

Bonnie Blue Of all the vegetables a southern chef has in his arsenal, the almighty mushroom might not be the first one that most will think to use for a summer dish challenge.

But not Brian Pellatt, executive chef at Bonnie Blue in Winchester.

“We’re a southern restaurant, so we deal with a lot of collards, potatoes, cucumbers, things like that. Mushrooms are kind of an outlier for us,” he said.

“They usually have a starring role or supporting role in one of our entrees on Friday nights. They are my favorite. Not only are they good, but good for you. They’re kind of the whole package.”

For our challenge, Pellatt whipped up a dish of braised pork belly that was paired with lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms from Shady Knoll Mushroom Farm in nearby Cross Junction. He didn’t really have a name for the dish — “delicious,” he said, would do.

He discovered these par ticular mushrooms from Shady Knoll last year and is what you’d call a big fan — Pellatt said his restaurant bought out all the farm grew last year.

Pellatt felt the pairing of the mushrooms with the pork belly was a natural one.

“The oyster mushrooms work really well because they have an earthy flavor, something akin to almost turnips. Not as watery and bitter, but the earthy flavor,” he said.

“The lion’s mane has an almost-sweet-

ness, and the addition of the seasoning it makes it almost seafood-like.”

The pork belly, which is house brined and cured, sits atop house-made pullman bread, with the mushrooms that are sauteed in browned butter, shallots, white wine and veal stock, which is cooked down from 120 pounds of veal bones and red wine.

While this dish will appear only occasionally on the menu as a special, Pellatt said the mushrooms can regularly be found in other dishes.

“Ever ybody is wild about the mushrooms,” he said.

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L’Auberge Provençale Eating soft shell crabs from the Chesapeake Bay make up some of L’Auberge Provençale’s Executive Chef Richard Wright’s favorite summer memories.

“I remember as a kid my dad would tr y to cook them. He bought them and we’d make sandwiches,” he said. Wright, who grew up in Pennsylvania, has many fond memories driving down to Maryland with family, going crabbing and eating crabs.

So it was an easy decision to select the Chesapeake soft shell crab from Virginia as his ingredient to spotlight in the summer dish challenge.

The crabs are hand-breaded in a gluten-free tempura batter, so that patrons with gluten allergies can enjoy them. The crabs are then fried, and paired with farm-fresh ingredients: asparagus from Rinker Orchards in Frederick County, fingerling potatoes from Shenandoah Seasonal just down the road from the restaurant in Clarke County, the edible flower nasturtiums, and herbs of thyme, chives and tarragon from the restaurant’s garden.

“The colors inspire me,” said Wright.

“The potatoes go well with the Bearnaise sauce, the asparagus. The tomatoes, we dry them really slow in the oven so it brings out their sweetness.”

To top off the dish, Wright “sprinkles it with a little Old Bay to tie everything together, to give it the feeling of the Chesapeake Bay.” Luckily for you, this dish is currently on the menu at L’Auberge Provençale.

SUMMER ON A PLATE Chef Richard Wright of L’Auberge Provençale in Boyce spotlights the Chesapeake Bay soft shell crab from Virginia in his dish.

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LOCAL LEGENDS,

LORE + TRUE TALES

by JENNY BAKER and CATHY KUEHNER

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feature There are many local legends, lore and strange but true stories you may have heard — or lived through. Here’s a look at the infamous tire fire, tales of tunnels under downtown, Mount Weather and more.

1983

This aerial photo, taken in the early 1940s, shows the exterior of John Handley High School, where paintings from the Corcoran Gallery were hidden. Photo courtesy of the Stewart Bell, Jr. Archives Room, Handley Regional Library.

TIRE FIRE

The infamous tire fire of the early 1980s made national headlines. Started on Halloween of 1983 by arson, the Rhinehart tire fire took nine months to burn out after weeks of concerted effort from fire departments. Over 5 million tires burned, creating an oil spill of nearly 700,000 gallons of oil, according to the EPA’s Superfund website. Needless to say, it was a big mess. The 4,500-foot-tall plume of smoke could be seen for miles, in four states.

The fire caused considerable air pollution and threatened major pollution of nearby streams, which feed into the Potomac River.

Scott Mason, longtime photographer for The Winchester Star, spotted the large plume of smoke that morning, and managed to get a ride with a local pilot to capture this photo on the left.

The Rhinehart tire reuse and disposal facility sold tires for retreading and for uses like bumpers for ship docks, floor mats, and even shoe soles. However, around 7 million tires were in too poor condition for resale and had grown into a pile 80 feet high over 5 acres. The Rhineharts had planned to melt down these unusable tires for crude oil and scrap metal. Unfortunately, an arsonist got to it first.

The fire eventually burned itself out in July 1984, and was placed on the EPA’s Superfund site. It took more than 20 years and $12 million to clean up the environmental disaster.

At the time, this fire was 10 times as large as the previous largest tire fire in the U.S., and is still remembered as one of the nation’s worst.

NOT AN EXPLOSION But the plume of smoke from the tire fire of 1983, taken from a plane by The Winchester Star’s Scott Mason.

1942

HIDDEN TREASURES

On a cold, dark February night in 1942, unbeknownst to most locals, millions of dollars in artwork were delivered to Handley High School. Forty-eight paintings by masters like Edgar Degas and Rembrandt, three gothic tapestries, and a Persian rug from the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. were hidden inside a secret vault in the school during WWII. Armed guards were placed on 24-hour surveillance. No one knew at the time exactly what they were guarding but knew it must be something significant.

But why?

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the country was preparing for war.

At the time, the director of the Corcoran Gallery of Art C. Powell Minnigerode, needed to put a plan into action to protect “objects... of irreplaceable character,” in case of an evacuation or attack on D.C. Seventy miles from D.C., Handley High School was chosen due to a room in the basement with “walls and roof [of] solid concrete” that “might be considered as strong as a vault.” The Corcoran Gallery paid for upgrades to the existing vault, which included a brick floor, electricity, an alarm system and phone. The artwork — which included Degas’ ballerinas and Gilbert Stuart’s iconic painting of George Washington — stayed at Handley until the war ended in 1944.

Skeeter Knee of Winchester said his grandfather, Edward Walter Knee, was one of the guards. He would sit outside of the vault with a shot gun, and no one was allowed to that area at all. Students knew guards were there, but did not know why.

While the originals are long gone from Winchester, you can view reproductions of all the paintings at Handley in the Gallery of History and Art.

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1933

BEARS DEN

One can only wonder what Huron Lawson and his wife Franceska Kaspar Lawson might say about their magnificent Clarke County THE LAWSONS, WHO summer home today. Since the 1980s, Bears HAD TRAVELED TO Den, located on the mountain off of Va. 7 in EUROPE, MODELED Bluemont, has been an upscale hostel for ApTHEIR STONE palachian Trail hikers who appreciate its many MANSION AFTER A amenities — bunk beds and showers with MEDIEVAL CASTLE, fresh linens and towels, a laundr y and store AND THE CURVED — only 150 yards from the trail. The rock outLIVING ROOM, WHICH cropping at Bears Den also offers visitors a SERVED AS breathtaking westward view of the ShenandoFRANCESKA’S ah Valley and Allegheny Mountains in West RECITAL ROOM, WAS Virginia.

SPECIFICALLY Bears Den was built in 1933 as a gift from DESIGNED FOR a husband to his wife. Dr. Lawson, a professor IDEAL ACOUSTICS.. in obstetrics and gynecology at The George Washington University, built the home for Franceska, a professional operatic soprano.

The Lawsons, who had traveled to Europe, modeled their stone mansion after a Medieval castle, and the curved living room, which served as Franceska’s recital room, was specifically designed for ideal acoustics.

The Lawsons lived in Washington, D.C. Like many of the capital’s elite in the era before air conditioning, they wanted to get away from the city’s oppressive heat and humidity. Trains between Washington and the mountains made such summer holidays possible. Bears Den is one of many summer houses built along the Blue Ridge Mountains for wealthy Washingtonians between 1880 and 1940.

There are two other stone structures on the 66-acre wooded retreat. One was and remains a small well house. The other served as a ticket booth for a petting zoo Lawson created. He charged 5 cents for visitors who wanted to see the animals, picnic and access the overlook.

The Lawsons enjoyed their Clarke summer home until their deaths in the 1960s after which Bears Den sat empty for about two decades.

In the 1980s, much of the Appalachian Trail was situated on private lands. In northern Virginia, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the National Park Service were working to move the trail off roads and private lands and into the woods. Bears Den, which was surrounded by hundreds of acres of undeveloped property, was perfect for relocating the AT. The historic home built by a doctor-professor for his vocalist wife is owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and operated by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.”

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From top: The Casino Theatre just before WWI. Interior of the Colonial Theatre, which was inside the Taylor Hotel. The Capitol Theatre (formerly the Empire Theatre) shared the space with the Chamber of Commerce. An interior view of the Capitol Theatre.

Photos courtesy of the Stewart Bell, Jr. Archives Room, Handley Regional Library, Winchester.

1900s

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DOWNTOWN THEATERS

Out of all of the former theaters of Old Town Winchester, the Palace Theatre perhaps met the worst demise.

Built in 1931, the Palace Theatre at 45 S. Loudoun St. was owned and managed by Herman H. Habel, who was recognized as a poineer in the motion picture industry in the south. It featured twinkling lights in the ceiling to mimic the night sky.

As if a foreshadowing, the ceiling FIREMEN AT THE caught on fire in 1934. The theater SCENE SAID later met its unexpected end on Nov. WHEN THEY FIRST 20, 1969, when a fire began early that ARRIVED AFTER morning in the basement.

THE 6:45 ALARM, All four Winchester fire compaTHEY THOUGHT nies fought the blaze. In addition to the fire, a minor explosion happened THE DANGER at 8:20 a.m. that mor ning which WAS MERELY A caused the front of the building to CHIMNEY FIRE AS buckle and fall in heaps to the paveBLACK SMOKE ment, according to a Nov. 20, 1969, WAS POURING article in The Winchester Star.

OUT THE CHIMThe theater’s last film was “Easy NEY AT THE ROOF Rider.” The site is now a parking lot AND NO FIRE on the south end of the pedestrian COULD BE SEEN. mall.

Old Town Winchester had a bevy of movie theaters — about 14 — throughout the 20th century. Here are a few that are no longer with us: The Bijou Dream Movie Theatre 148 N. Loudoun St. This theater was one of the very first in town. It opened June 5, 1908, and at the time was considered one of the finest theaters in the country. It closed when “talking pictures” became popular in the 1920s.

The Casino 7 N. Loudoun St. The Casino opened on February 13, 1909 with the pictures, “The Sheath or Directoire Gown,” “Stung or What Can it Bee,” “The Fondling,” and “The Magic Hair Power.”

The ticket price was advertised as 5 cents.

Empire Theatre, later the Capitol Theatre 48 Rouss Ave. The Empire originally began its life in 1907 as an amuseument center with a skating rink and bowling alley, which occasionally would show films. That building burned down in 1912, and was rebuilt the following year as the Empire Theatre. In 1927, the Empire was sold to Warner Bros.,

This 1950s photo shows the interior of the Palace Theatre, which was built in 1931.

Photo courtesy of the Stewart Bell, Jr. Archives Room, Handley Regional Library.

remodeled, and reopened in Dec. 6, 1928, as the Capitol Theatre — a name selected from 400 contest entries.

The new theater could seat 966 people and was considered a Warner Bros. Class A theater. It closed November 1964 due to declining business, and was demolished in 1966, to make room for the then-F&M Bank (now BB&T) which still stands in that location on the corner of North Cameron Street and Rouss Avenue.

The Colonial Theatre 129 N. Loudoun St. The Colonial Theatre opened on Christmas Day in 1923 with the film “Main Street,” utilizing space within the Taylor Hotel (1847) which had been hotel rooms. The theater was located on the second and third floors of the building, with a balcony and orchestra pit, and boasted a seating capacity of 1,000. The theater closed in 1939, and was never used again. McCrory’s, a five and dime retailer, occupied part of the hotel from 1918 to 1993. During an October 2007 rainstorm, the theater’s roof collapsed.

Deemed structurally unsafe, the City of Winchester had the theater portion of the building torn down. The pavilion of the Taylor Hotel now occupies that space, and the theater’s flytower is now The Chef’s Market on Indian Alley.

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feature

1974

MOUNT WEATHER PLANE CRASH A government facility along Blue Ridge Mountain Road (Route 601) in Clarke County has been shrouded in mystery for decades even though many residents work there, and a horrific airplane crash drew national attention to it. Still, Mount Weather is thought of as a super secret installation.

Clarke County Historical Association archivist Mary Thomason-Morris said the mountaintop location was used by Union soldiers to send semaphore messages all the way to Manassas.

“There wasn’t any pollution, and there wasn’t a whole lot in between,” she said, explaining how Civil War soldiers could use mirrors to telegraph information from the mountain.

Mount Weather weather observatory was built in the late 1800s for the National Weather Bureau. Later, President Calvin Coolidge wanted to convert the buildings into a summer White House, but that never came to be.

Instead, Mount Weather was transferred to the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1936, and an experimental tunnel was dug into the mountain 100 yards below the surface. During World War II, Mount Weather was used as a Civilian Public Service facility, and the narrow, quarter-mile tunnel became the basis of a massive underground bunker completed in 1958 by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Since then, the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center — with its massive underground complex of offices, living quarters, hospital and recreation areas — is where top ranking government, civilian and military officials are to go if an emergency evacuation is required in Washington. Senior members of the federal government were evacuated to Mount Weather following the 9/11 terrorist attacks The world learned about the secret facility in quiet Clarke County on Dec. 1, 1974, when Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 514 from Chicago to Washington, D.C., crashed into the mountain close to Mount Weather and national news crew arrived on site.

Flight 514 had been redirected from Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport)

to Dulles International Airport because of bad weather. The Boeing 727 jetliner should have been at 3,400 feet to clear the mountain, but the pilots thought they were told to descend, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane approached the 1,754-foot top of the Blue Ridge at an altitude of about 1,650 feet. Fog, rain and sleet hid the mountain from the pilots’ view.

The jetliner, carrying 85 passengers and seven crew members, crashed into the mountain close to Mount Weather, killing everyone on board. The plane tore the tops from 70-foot trees on the west slope of the mountain, then slammed into a rock shelf on the east side of Route 601. A small handmade memorial still marks the spot.

Since 1979, the 564acre, high-security Mount Weather facility has been used as the center of operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Mount Weather Fire and Rescue company responds to emergencies in Clarke and Loudoun counties.

“People have always known Mount Weather is there,” Mor ris said. “But, the only people who know what goes on up there are the people who worked there.”

THE WORLD LEARNED OF THE SECRET FACILITY IN QUIET CLARKE COUNTY ON DEC. 1, 1974, WHEN TWA FLIGHT 514 FROM CHICAGO TO WASHINGTON, D.C., CRASHED INTO THE MOUNTAIN CLOSE TO MOUNT WEATHER AND NATIONAL NEWS CREWS ARRIVED ON SITE. Left: The Mount Weather Observatory in 1914, which was the first building built on the site. Photo courtesy of the Clarke County Historical Association.

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profiles

Profiles

CHELSEA HESTER

34 • Hometown: Moorefield, WV Owner, Insurance Advisor at TWG Insurance - The Winchester Group, Inc.

Most random thing in your purse: Rock Tape for sports injuries thanks to my physical therapist Melissa Jennings at Winchester Orthopaedic Associates. Summer tradition: Paddle boarding in Florida. Book on your nightstand: Two right now — “The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle, and “Grace Not Perfection” by Emily Ley. Morning person or night owl: Morning. Starting the day with hugs from my two kids, coffee, and a workout makes me smile! Last thing you Googled: This will make my husband laugh. . . Taylor Swift Reputation Tour merchandise because I’m going to her concert. My friends know I’m a HUGE fan of Taylor Swift, her incredible talent, work ethic, business mind, philanthropy, and success. . . First job: I was 14 and worked in the deli and stocking shelves at my dad’s grocery store. Most famous person you’ve met: Jerry West. Being from West Virginia, he was always such an icon growing up. Future retirement plans: Somewhere on a golf course, near water, and good hiking! Vacation mode: do everything, or relax? Do everything! I’ve learned to embrace the fact that I’m not very good at sitting still.

Photo by JEFF TAYLOR

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Profiles

CHRIS MITCHELL

50 • Hometown: Hampton Co-host of the Chris & Rosie Morning Show on Shenandoah Country Q102 Something new to try this year: Scheduling time to get back into my studio and paint. It’s all waiting for me at the end of the hall upstairs, but I’ve been too busy over the last year to even start a project. So, blocking out some time for myself on the calendar each week would be something new! Book everyone should read: For fun, I go to Stephen King. Another interesting read: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals,” about Lincoln’s cabinet. The book I give as a gift? Erik Larsons’ “Devil in the White City,” one of my very favorite books! Summer tradition: It’s when we go back to my hometown for a week each summer. I’m awake before everyone else, so I start every day with a half-hour swim in the ocean, then walk back to the house for breakfast. Most-used phone app: It’s got to be the News app. I have it pushing all kinds of crazy content to keep me informed throughout the day and to give me ideas for the next day’s morning show.

Next trip: I’m going back to New Orleans in September, where I plan to eat my way across that amazing city again. Go-go cocktail: In cold months, it’s Disaronno rocks. When it’s warm outside, I like Tangueray gin.

Photo by JEFF TAYLOR

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W H AT ’ S N EW

BUBBLES ON THE VINE

by JACKIE PUGLISI photography by JEFF TAYLOR

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feature Motivated by their love for a crisp and tongue-tickling sparking wine, a Frederick County couple has taken on the adventure of opening a vineyard.

Loretta and Paul Briede will share their own brand of sparkling wine with the Shenandoah Valley. Briede Family Vineyards is located at 450 Green Spring Road. The renovation of their quaint horse barn is nearing completion and will soon serve as the tasting room. A grand opening will take place on July 21.

Rows of organically grown grapes stretch across two acres of the property of the couple’s home. With help from their children, Loretta and Paul started their vineyard five years ago.

“We thought it would be fun,” Loretta Briede said. “We love wine and the idea of making wine. . . It gives us something to do in our retirement years.”

Paul is the co-owner, operator and winemaker for the vineyard. This is not his first feat making his own drinks. As a homebrewer of beers he perfected his craft, and in 2005 his porter won Best in Category in a Sam Adams Brewery competition.

Loretta and Paul’s passion lies in sparkling wine and champagne. They are waiting in anticipation to pour their first wine for their patrons — a sparkling Rose. The wine is still in the aging process and will not be ready to drink until next year.

In the meantime, Briede Family Vineyards will offer wine contracted with Virginia winemaker Matthieu Finot who also works with

King Family Vineyards in Crozet. Finot, who is originally from France, had a hand in winning King Family Vineyards its third Virginia Governor’s Cup Award this year. The award honors 12 outstanding wines in the state and is presented by the Virginia Wineries Association.

“We’re fortunate to have him make wine for us,” Briede said.

Finot has made two flat wines with the Briede vineyard’s grapes — Verde and a second offering to be bottled in July called Arandell. Verde is a white wine made from organic Cayuga grapes. The wine has a clean and crisp apple flavor.

“It’s wonderful on hot, summer days,” Loretta said.

The Arandell grape was the family’s first grape of choice because of its disease-resistance vine, which is important for a organic vineyard. Wines from this grape usually have a dark berry flavor with hints of black pepper.

Patrons will also have the chance to sample three different flights of champagne from around the world at the winery. Tastings will include citrus and apple-flavored champagnes, as well as brands that carr y a moderate to high price tag when purchased by the bottle.

“I think it’s fun that people can come out and taste champagne and not have to put out $50 to $60 for a bottle,” Loretta said.

“WE USE BIODYNAMIC PRACTICES AND ORGANIC PRACTICES. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS PROTECT OUR SOIL. WHEN THE SOIL IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND FUNCTION ON ALL PARAMETERS YOU WILL SEE A BETTER PRODUCT.” -LORETTA BRIEDE

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feature The choice to grow organic grapes means a cleaner tasting wine for the vineyard, Loretta said. But not using pesticides does come with its challenges. Hot and humid weather can bring on black rot on grapes that then has to be picked out by hand. Japanese beetles also pose a threat, but a special clay spread on the leaves acts as a deterrent for the pests.

“We use biodynamic practices and organic practices,” Briede said. “What we’re trying to do is protect our soil. When the soil is in good condition and function on all parameters you will see a better product.”

Part of the vineyard’s biodynamic practices include housing beneficial insects that eradicate harmful bugs and create a nat-

Boarding • Grooming • Training

ural balance. Its insectary houses insects including ladybugs,

Raised Dog Beds

green lacewings, assassin bugs and praying mantis.

Fenced in outdoor play yards

“We have never sprayed an insecticide in our vineyard in five years,” Briede said. “When you spray not only does it hurt

Agility Course

the soil, but it causes bad bugs to proliferate quicker than

Indoor/outdoor cattery for felines and small critters

good bugs.”

The Briede Family Vineyards will be open from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Reservations will be required to visit the winery because of its small size.

Tours of the property will also be available along with the tastings.

“We want to share what we do with the public,” Briede said. “There’s an educational component to why we farm organically.”

A grand opening event is slated for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 21. Tickets are $50 per person. This event is limited to 100 guests. Three-piece band SV Jazz will entertain the crowd as they savor hors d’oeuvres and tastings of two types of champagne. Guests will also take home a Briede Family Vineyards glass. A 20 percent discount will apply to purchases made that evening. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available at www.thebriedefamilyvineyards.com.

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WINE FEST

Saturday, August 25, 11 am - 6 pm Tickets on sale at www.bellegrove.org

 Tastings from local vineyards, cideries, meaderies & distilleries  Live music featuring Robbie Limon!  Chef demonstrations  Food & merchandise vendors  Tours of the historic property

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Wine Tasting: $20 in advance $25 at the gate 336 Belle Grove Road Middletown, VA info@bellegrove.org

the last page L’Auberge Provencale Executive Chef Richard Wright puts the finishing touches on his soft-shell crab plating.

Photo by Jeff Taylor.

IN THE NEXT

ACCESS MAGAZINE Stay tuned for our Fall issue, which comes out mid-October. In it, you’ll find out how to assemble the perfect charcuterie board (just in time for the holidays), a look at the resurgence of southern cooking, best burgers, local wine (and craft beer) picks for the fall, and more. Look for articles and photos from this issue online at winchesterstar.com/access/magazine.

Access Magazine is published quarterly by The Winchester Star 2 N. Kent Street Winchester, VA 22601

Jenny Baker Special Projects Editor jbaker@winchesterstar.com For advertising inquiries, call 540.667.3200 or email Chrissy Hill at chill@winchesterstar.com

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