Old Town Crier- Pets of the Month Coco (A045510): With fall weather finally here, who doesn’t love a cup of hot coco? Coco needs a little bit of time to bond with you, but once she does she’s sweeter than chocolate and will melt your heart! We believe this beautiful girl is a Pit Bull/Australian Cattle Dog mix, estimated to be about seven years old. Coco is an incredibly smart, driven, and energetic dog who will need to be the only pet in the home. If you’re in need of a fun new best friend, come meet Coco today! Hope (A067827): Hope is a gentle kitty who is still learning to be affectionate towards people, but she has come a long way since her arrival at the shelter in May. If you go slowly and let her come to you, Hope will come out of her shell and show you how sweet she can be. She especially loves chin scratches! Hope is FIV+ which means she will need to be kept completely indoors and can only have brother/sister cats if they are also FIV+. During her time at the AWLA, Hope has been successful in making friends with both cats and dogs! She is a spayed female Domestic Shorthair, estimated to be about three years old. Sawyer (A068752): Say hello to Sawyer! Sawyer is a neutered male Domestic Shorthair, estimated to be about 11 years old. He purrs like a motor as soon as you enter his cage- it’s impossible not to smile when you’re around this sweet guy! Sawyer is a loyal kitty who will stick with you through thick and thin- whether you’re whitewashing a fence or binge-watching Netflix, Sawyer will be there by your side! **THANKS TO A GENEROUS SPONSOR, SAWYER’S ADOPTION FEES…
Lori Welch Brown La Vita Perfetta Since we last spoke, my husband XXL and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. And, they said we’d never make it! I turned the big 5-0. And, they said I’d never make it! To commemorate both these extraordinary accomplishments, we spent two weeks in la bella Italia—which tops the charts at #1 on my bucket list. All of these events are the stuff of life—my perfect life, aka la vita perfetta. My cup over-floweth. I skipped right over grande life and said “Supersize me, please. Make mine a Venti!’ (Interestingly enough, there are no Starbucks in Italy). Anyhow, XXL with his exquisite Adonis-like body, even temperament, and perfectly aligned, brilliant white sparking smile and I (with my perfectly coiffed hair, effortless grace & poise, perfectly small waist, not to mention happy disposition and constant smile) decided to whisk our perfect selves away for a perfect vacation. We packed our designer luggage, climbed into the back of our shiny black chauffeur-driven sedan, said goodbye to our perfectly behaved fur-baby children, and waved ‘arrivederci’ as we pulled away from our beautifully-appointed waterfront mansion on our quiet cul-de-sac. I know what you’re thinking—Italy was an odd choice for us, right? I mean, really. Every day is a vacation for my beloved and I—we are like a page from a Harlequin romance or like Brangelina….the good years (circa People 2004). Whew. I’m exhausted, but my Facebook life is off the charts. That picture of me delicately sipping a flute of Prosecco in front of the Trevia fountain got 98 likes. That’s what it’s all about, right? My life looks ‘perfect’ as far as social media is concerned. Well—maybe not as perfect as Alicia’s who has the PERFECT husband. XXL is pretty darned close to perfect…
DELFOSSE VINEYARDS & WINERY Experience the Bucolic Beauty of the Virginia Countryside Uniquely situated in a secluded valley at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, DelFosse Vineyards and Winery offers serene elegance and intimate charm in an idyllic setting. The winery in Faber is a short distance from Charlottesville, just a brief 30-minute drive. Owners Adrienne and Mike Albers invite you to visit and explore this scenic location where you will experience the solitude of the Virginia countryside. The rural setting is unique, hugged between the hills, but with elevation that ensures both rich wines and spectacular views. The winery site is classically elegant, yet informal. There are opportunities to relax and picnic by the lake or take a hike or bike ride along the five and a half miles of trails. Take a tour of the terraced vineyards and historic buildings. Enjoy a tasting of award-winning wines in the Tasting Room or on the Lawn. Whatever your pleasure, the bucolic setting and the wines of DelFosse Vineyards & Winery promise an experience that will bring you back time after time. Wine dinners, food and wine pairings, BBQs, concerts and the very popular French Crepe days are among special events that draw visitors to DelFosse year round. The perfect venue for special events, both large and intimate, DelFosse is a popular choice for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, anniversaries, birthdays and holiday parties, among others. Choose the setting for your event from the Log Cabin overlooking terraced vineyards, the Lakeside Lawn, the Pavilion on the Plaza and the Vineyard Deck. The experienced staff will coordinate with your individual needs to ensure total success for every occasion. Established in 2000 in the Monticello AVA wine region, DelFosse Vineyards and Winery covers 330 acres.The European-styled terraced terrain provides…
By Doug Fabbioli You’re winemaker of the year, now act like it! At the Loudoun Wine Awards last month, some of us were recognized for our efforts in the local wine industry. Bonnie Archer is the tireless co-owner of Zephaniah Vineyards and was acknowledged for her hospitality and leadership in the tasting room. Quintin Garcia, my compadre, learned vineyard management from me many years ago and was recognized for his efforts at Sunset Hills Vineyard as well as the many other vines he has touched over the years. As for me, the acknowledgement was because my feet are big enough that I can float on top of the grapes rather than sink. Seriously, I could give a big shout out to those that voted to bestow this honor on me, but I prefer to give a nod to those that worked to build us up to where we are today. It all starts in the vineyard with the workers learning and working to give attention to each vine from the day they are planted, continuing through the training and on to working each vintage to help that vine produce the best it can. The key is the leadership from my foremen to keep consistency from the team even as the vines don’t all grow the same way. We make a plan for a wine long before we harvest the grapes. I sit with Sevi, Meaghan and Ben to review the types and quantities of grapes coming in, and we make the processing plan for each to turn them into the wines we are looking to make. The execution of that plan happens with specific timing as the wine progresses from the grape, through fermentation and on into aging. As we begin blending our wines, I work…
The Year of Voting Dangerously By Miriam R. Kramer Veterans Day is sacred to both veterans and their family members who sacrificed for our country, to those who served to defend our way of life. Let us now consider the diffuse phrase “way of life.” We consider voting in elections deemed free and fair according to the standards of liberal democracy as a part of our cultural identity and “way of life.” This 2016 presidential campaign has seemingly turned our usual electoral routines into a surreal bar-room brawl, testing and twisting them in a contest between a tough, long-time pol with ethical baggage and a trumped-up business mogul and reality TV star. Through her New York Times writings, the sharp-tongued Pulitzer Prize−winning columnist Maureen Dowd has closely observed eight other presidential elections as a reporter. Her recently released collection of mostly 2015 and 2016 columns, The Year of Voting Dangerously, is a palate cleanser for the noxious three-ring circus that this election has become. If you know and adore Maureen Dowd’s writing, you will already want to buy the book. Her caustic observations of former Secretary of State Hillary and former President Bill Clinton come from closely observing and writing about them over decades. Take-no-prisoners Dowd includes her insights on the conflict of interest between foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation and Clinton’s State Department position, along with skewering the Clintons’ weaknesses, secrecy, jaded sense of dynastic entitlement, and ethical lapses over the years, including their money grabs in making pricey Wall Street speeches and writing books preceded by huge advances. As I read these Clinton columns, I could almost see the acerbic Ms. Dowd throwing barbs at a Clinton dartboard, with the former Secretary of State in dead center. When you feel like you’re drowning in…
Law of Coverture By Sarah Becker © 2016 “By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law,” British jurist Sir William Blackstone said in 1765,” that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection and cover, she performs everything.” As Martha Custis Washington learned a woman’s “legal status, wealth, children, place and manner of life were controlled” by her husbands. “The history of marriage is one of both continuity and change,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in Obergefell v. Hodges. “Changes, such as the decline of arranged marriages and the abandonment of the law of coverture, have worked deep transformations in the structure of marriage…Changed understandings of marriage are characteristic of a Nation where new dimensions of freedom become apparent to new generations.” Hening’s Collection of the Laws of Virginia refers to femes covert, “orphans, femes covert and persons of unsound mind,” beginning in 1657-8. In 1789, President George Washington’s inaugural year, former First Lady and Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton would have been a feme covert; the property of her husband, unable to vote or hold elective office. “I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors,” Abigail Adams wrote husband John in 1776. “Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticular care and attention is not paid to the Laidies, we…will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” The Declaration of Independence declared “that all men are created equal.” English-American common law, gender hierarchy, separate spheres, and marital ‘unity’ defined the rules of engagement. In New York, in 1832, bridegroom and…
By Chris Anderson Marillion: F*** Everyone And Run On their 19th studio album, Marillion continues to stand in a class all its own. Few bands ever get over the loss of their lead singer – Marillion not only got better for it but here we are, some 27 years (and fifteen albums) later, and they are creating some of the most vital work of their career. Their latest album, which is also known as F E A R, is a biting, often terrifying statement on the current world, a world that is in the midst of some sort civilization-shifting turn of events. This album, over the course of six tracks, works out some of those scenarios, both ideal and otherwise. The arrogance of governments, the random acts of violence that have become commonplace, the bewilderment of the rational-minded citizen, as well as an idealized, hypothetical, peaceful world – these are all topics at the forefront of this album, delivered with grace and aplomb by Steve Hogarth, one of the finest and most emotive vocalists in all of rock. The five-part suite, “El Dorado”, opens up the album, and is a treatise on greed and money as a motivating factor in the basis of civilization, while “Living In F E A R” turns the tables and envisions a world where “we’ve decided to risk melting our guns…as a show of strength”, a world where violence and greed is no more, a world where peace is put into play, if for any other reason than to prove a point, to show that we as a species are above anything else (if only humankind could get over itself long enough to try and pull this off…but that is better saved for a different conversation). Much of this album is centered…
By Steve Chaconas My Fly is Open The best thing about an annual fishing trip is that it takes place every year. After fishing 200 days a year on the Potomac River, venturing to new water is always exciting and a new challenge. The Upper James River winds its way through southwest Virginia, within a few minutes of Lynchburg. Several institutes of higher learning are in the area: Liberty University, Randolph Macon, Lynchburg. River guide Capt. Matt Miles says it’s because smart people come to Lynchburg. The mighty James begins its majestic journey in Botetourt County, winding through the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. The pristine beauty of the river is accessible through the Upper James River Water Trail. Paddlers, anglers and families can commune with nature and enjoy the sights and sounds of 45 miles of the Upper James, including 14 miles designated as a Virginia Scenic River. The Upper James River Water Trail provides spectacular mountain views. This is my one time of the year to whip out my fly rod. Forgetting all I know about my bass fishing routine with spinning and bait casting tackle, I rearrange the fishing part of my brain (pretty much my entire brain) and focus on a totally different angling device. Fly-fishing is all about mechanics. Rods, line and angler must work in unison otherwise the very light lures cannot be delivered to strike zones. For late summer on the Upper James, light high floating surface lures must be presented into crystal clear water only about 2 feet deep. Fortunately for me, casts only need to travel about 30 feet. Casting is key. Here’s the catch. You don’t cast lures, you cast line. Fly line is heavier in order to carry the light…
By F. Lennox Campello A good exercise for all practicing artists should be to make an end-of-year favorite Top 10 art shows that you saw during the year. That is important, because a key part of being an artist is to attend multiple and diverse art shows. This is not only good networking, and good for information-gathering and kibitzing, but also great for getting one’s artistic juices flowing. Once you make a list, examine it… that list says something about your own persona. If you included more than three shows by artists who are also bloggers… then you must be either a blogger or stuck in 2005. If more than six of the shows on your list are museum shows, then you have been seduced by our great DC area museums and need to get around more often to galleries, Artomatic, art centers, embassies, pop ups, etc. If three or more of the shows on your list are from the same gallery or museum, then you’re not getting around as much as you should be before making any lists. If your list has more than three video shows, then you must be a Hirshhorn Museum or Whitney Biennial curator. If three or more of the shows on your list are from the same commercial gallery, then you are a hidden nepotista or a nepotista wannabe. A nepotista is someone who owes or wants something from or to someone in the art world, and all art opinions and experiences are based on that. If all ten of your shows are from the same three or four spaces, then you don’t have a clue. If your list includes more than one show from a library or restaurant, then you’re definitely getting around more than I do, or you have no idea where…
By Dr. Dale Isaacson and Dr. Marilyn Berzin Out with the old, in with the new — skincare regimen, that is. What worked for warm, summer days you spent at the beach, could cause major damage to your skin in the bitter winter months. The combination of salt water from beaches, chlorine in pool water and overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can lead to dry, damaged skin. The humidity in the summer months tends to cause more oil production which means you need oil-free cleansers and moisturizers in the fall. During the cooler months, there is less humidity triggering our natural oil production ultimately putting your skin in danger.” It’s time to put away your summer skin products and fall into these five skincare tips. Cream Cleansers Although gel based cleansers may have “done the trick” in the summer, they can cause your skin to flake and dry-out in the colder months. We highly recommend tossing the gel-based cleansers and purchasing thicker cream products. Cream-based products pack in moisture to protect you from the dreaded winter cold. Fragrance-free cream cleansers that have Vitamin C are ideal for protecting and moisturizing sensitive and dry skin. Vitamin E based lotions You may have taken cooler showers in the summer to beat the heat, however, in the winter hot showers may be your guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, the hotter the water temperature, the drier your skin may become. Although it keeps you warmer before stepping into the fierce winter cold, it might be best to lower the water temperature to save your skin the trouble. After your shower try using Vitamin E based lotions and make sure you are moisturizing your skin daily to prevent flaking or drying out. Oil based facial scrubs For years people have been marketing oil-free facial cleansers and…
View More