By Nancy Bauer Don’t Be So Serious……It’s just wine Who cares if you drink your whites too cold, can’t taste the peach in a Viognier, or didn’t know that Meritage is actually supposed to rhyme with heritage? Wine can be a fascinating journey, but it doesn’t always have to be an epic quest. Sometimes, it can just be a rollicking bump in the road. Don’t forget: were it not for Boone’s Farm Tickle Pink, many wine snobs wouldn’t be drinking Provençal rosé today. February has two great chances to have some fun with local wine: Valentine’s Day, and the long Presidents’ Day weekend, which is perfect for a quick wine getaway. Instead of the typical flutes of French sparkling for Valentine’s Day, how about something a little different? Most local wineries are happy to ship. The new Effingham Manor Winery in Nokesville has a beautiful rosé sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. In Leesburg, Casanel Vineyards offers a bubbly called Red Spark, made with estate grown Norton, Virginia’s native grape. And Paradise Springs in Clifton sells a fun Pineapple Sparkling, made in the style of Champagne, from Maui pineapples. Traditionalists will appreciate the Blanc de Blancs from Greenhill Vineyards in Middleburg. How about an apple wine for the apple of your eye? (Just don’t write that on the card.) North Gate Vineyards in Purcellville and Chateau O’Brien in Markham both have excellent apples wines. In Delaplane, one of our favorite hidden gems, Arterra Wines, has a Blueberry Apple Wine, and Village Winery in Waterford mixes apples with elderberry, along with several non-alcoholic elderberry-based beverages. Serious wine drinkers may leave the room in dismay if you uncork a chocolate wine, but that’s fine; more for everybody else! Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane sells the popular Chocolate Lab, a Port-style wine…
By Doug Fabbioli Crossing Over To Cocktails Recently, I was asked to speak at a conference on collaboration. Ok, it’s not quite a big surprise me talking about collaboration. Anyway, the Cider Conference asked me to sit on a panel with other beverage industry folks to talk about why and how to work together. For me, this all started in California where I learned so much from other wineries. We would share techniques, borrow equipment and compare suppliers to help each other run a better business. When I came to Virginia in 1997, that sentiment was already here. The industry was very young and we had to work together to get our operations and quality up to speed. The biggest point to understand when collaborating with another business, is that if they do better, it does not mean yours is doing worse. Customers that drink wine will often drink different brands. Some may drink beer as well, or spirits, or cider. We need to get past the handcuffs of simple competition and have a mindset that together we can all be better. The Virginia wine industry has proven that time and again through marketing, legislative efforts and even sharing winemakers. When a craft distillery opened in our county, I was excited to work with them on some projects. If there was ever an oversupply of grapes in Virginia, the distiller is the one who can turn that excess into brandy that can be used for many other purposes. Specifically for my needs was our pear port. I was bringing in brandy to fortify the wine from California. I was very pleased to work with Scott and Becky Harris at Catoctin Creek Distillery to distill some of our pear wine. Some of the brandy was kept as payment for their services…
Matt Gambrill, Calvert Marina owner and operator and his wife, Carmen Gambrill, owner of carmen’s gallery in Solomons, Maryland enjoy the Old Town Crier on the road to Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. No cobra is going to keep Matt, from his reading. This photo was taken on the very southern point of South Africa.
By Steve Chaconas The minnow would not be lost In the 1930s 3M Scotch Tape was invented, Birdseye prepared frozen dinners, and a Finnish man with a plan (and appetite) carved a legendary fishing lure. Lauri Rapala deciphered the food chain…big eats small, wounded become dinner. With a shoemaker’s knife, sandpaper, and an eye for fish patterns, he created a cork prototype in 1936. Chocolate bar tinfoil became fish lure wrap, coated with melted photographic negatives. Rapala’s fish tales became legendary and the slightly off-center wobbling Original Floating Rapala Minnow was spawned. BASSMASTER Elite Series angler Dave Lefebre’s father introduced him to Rapalas. Avid Musky angler Frank Lefebre trolled the largest, 7” F-18. Eventual pro Lefebre cast smaller 1.5-inch lures toward weed edges. “Twitching as a topwater, I was addicted when I saw fish eating baits.” At 10, Lefebre observed his dad implementing rhythmic jerks and pauses. “I thought it was my secret until I read a BASSMASTER Secrets of the Pros article where Skeeter pro Terry Baksay’s secret was jerking the big Rapala…I was sick to my stomach that it was given away.” “Don’t move it, let it sit!” These were the first instructions 8-year-old Alexandria angler Duel Ballard received from his buddy’s dad. “Throw it out there and don’t move it, just let it settle and then give it little twitches and stop.” There was nothing subtle about the explosive attacks that excited Ballard who, 55 years later, fishes the same Original Rapala Floating #9. The wiggle that fish couldn’t resist was everyone’s first lure. After 75 years there are more lures, not many competitors. Since 1963, Ballard’s first tutorial still produces. “Rapala is a unique bait because it was more lifelike than lures of the day. Easy to use, like watching a bobber.” Satisfying his angling addiction,…
By Carl Trevison and Stephen Bearce Review Your Investment Objective Periodically reviewing your investments to ensure they are on the right track is an important and meaningful measure in working toward your financial goals. Here is a simple but valuable way to get more from your investment strategy. When your next brokerage statement arrives, check your account profile to make sure that all the sections are accurate and up to date. This includes your investment objective, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Investment objective. Focusing on your investment objectives helps us align the other parts of your investment strategy – risk tolerance, time horizon, and liquidity needs – appropriately. Our asset allocation models are grouped within three overarching portfolio orientations: Income: Portfolios that emphasize current income with minimal consideration for capital appreciation. They usually have less exposure to historically more volatile growth assets. Growth and Income: Portfolios that emphasize a blend of current income and capital appreciation. They usually have some exposure to historically more volatile growth assets. Growth: Portfolios that emphasize capital appreciation with minimal consideration for current income. They usually have significant exposure to historically more volatile growth assets. Risk tolerance. Everyone is different when it comes to factoring risk into their investment strategy. Each investment objective can be tilted toward assets that tend to be more or less volatile. Risk tolerance is the amount of risk you’re willing and able to accept in order to help achieve your financial goals. Risk tolerance should be viewed along the following continuum: 1) Conservative investors accept the lowest amount of risk. 2) Moderate investors seek a balance between stability and appreciation in their portfolio. 3) Aggressive investors accept a higher risk for losses while seeking greater potential for returns. Time horizon. How long do you plan to invest before you’ll need…
SHARE THE LOVE by Julie Reardon Country roads should take you home, or if you don’t live here, at least for a pleasant drive. Unfortunately, in the 30 years since I moved from Alexandria to the rural countryside, city problems like road rage, speeding, texting, cell phone usage and just plain careless driving have been exponentially increasing out here, just like inside and around the Beltway. In just the first three weeks of 2018, there have been 3 serious accidents with fatalities in Western Loudoun and Fauquier counties, including the death of a popular young veterinarian. We don’t mind sharing our scenic roads, and while (most of the time) we have much less traffic than the more densely populated suburbs, there are some unique hazards that might catch you by surprise—and especially if you’re texting or using your cell phone. As a side note—there are many areas out here with little to no reception. Rather than have your call get dropped or become inaudible, wait until you can pull over in an area with good reception. While we may have fewer cars and trucks on the road, we have lots of wild animals, including deer. A lot of them – especially at certain times of the year. October and November are the worst, since deer are in rut, on the move and tend to be oblivious to the dangers of moving vehicles. And, unfortunately, that time of year is when the fall landscape is at its most colorful and when people love to sight see, so more drivers means more accidents. There are also horses and cattle, and while they mostly stay within the confines of their pastures, they do occasionally escape when a limb or tree falls on a fence, or even, a car misjudges a turn and takes…
By Ryan Unverzagt I will admit that sometimes exercise can be boring, but working out with a friend is always better. As in years past, since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I would like to share a few “Sweetheart” exercises designed to keep you and your significant other from falling out of love with working out. Medicine Ball (MB) Sit-Ups: This exercise is done with both people on the floor. Sit facing each other with your knees bent about 45 degrees. Then interlock your feet behind each others lower leg. There are many variations to this exercise, but start in the upright or top position of the sit-up. You can hold a medicine ball at chest level. Both you and your partner lower yourselves to the mat until the upper back touches, and then perform a sit-up toward your partner. Hand the MB off to your partner at the top of the sit-up. Keep exchanging the MB until you have completed at least 15 reps. Partner Leg Pushdowns: If you want to turn up the intensity in your workout, try this ab exercise. Lie on your back with your legs straight, hips bent to 90 degrees, and the bottoms of your feet toward the ceiling. Your partner will stand with his or her feet at your shoulders and beside your head. First, grab your partner by the ankles so you have some leverage when performing this exercise. Next, have your partner push your feet or lower legs away from them and towards the floor. Your job is to tighten up the abs and hip flexors to resist the pushing forces and keep the back of your heels from touching the floor. You also want to keep the legs straight and bring your feet back toward your partner during…
By Nicole Flanagan Cold Weather and Heart Health Although winter is a beautiful time of the year, it brings low temperatures, shorter daylight hours and snow (only once every few years here). Cold weather can strain the heart, and according to research, increase the risk for a heart attack. Many people are not even aware that they are at risk until they have a heart attack, so it’s very important to know the risk factors. The risk of heart disease increases if you’re older, a smoker, overweight, have high blood pressure, don’t exercise enough or have a stress-filled life. Heart problems can also be hereditary. If you’re at risk, you must be especially careful during the winter months. Why? Colder temperatures cause your blood vessels to get smaller, which reduces the flow of blood and oxygen supply to your heart. Your blood becomes thicker when temperatures drop, and this can cause an increase in the risk of clotting. Cold weather can also lead to an increase in blood pressure, which puts more stress on your heart. If you’re not used to exercising, your risk of a heart attack during winter weather may increase from overexertion. If you are not accustomed to exercise, shoveling snow or even walking in deep or heavy snow can trigger a heart attack. If you don’t know the dangers of being outdoors in cold weather, you could suffer from hypothermia—an abnormally low body temperature. Most deaths from this condition are caused by heart failure. It is also important to know the signs of a heart attack. If you experience any of the following signs you should call 9-1-1. -chest pain, pressure or discomfort -pain, pressure or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach -shortness of breath -cold sweat -nausea -lightheadedness Heart…
IN SEARCH OF HAPPY HAIR DAYS IN THE WINTER by Kimberly Putens As if the cold, blustery weather of winter isn’t enough to make most of us want to crawl under our covers and not come out until spring, the havoc it wreaks on our hair is, well, hair-raising. Static electricity, moisture depletion, and not-so-nice texture can make for very bad hair days. To combat the winter hair blues, its best, in theory, to start in the fall before the winter blast hits. Developing a strategy of move frequent trims and treatments in the fall will ensure smooth sailing into winter. The best strategy is to whack off those dead ends in the fall so that the hair has a fighting chance by starting off healthy. Like most of us, that’s all well and good, in theory. So, what to do? First off, it’s never too late to get your hair trimmed. So, book an appointment with your stylist to get your ends trimmed and looking healthy again. That in and of itself will instantly give the hair a boost because dryness starts at the ends. Other things to consider are avoiding and repairing the dryness that winter brings upon our hair. Most of us know that the dryness outside can cause dryness to our hair, but it’s also the dryness inside that exacerbates the problem. Going from the cold, dry climate of the outside to the warm, dry climate of the inside puts a lot of stress on the hair. One strategy for keeping hair looking good starts with a hat. Yes, a hat. We all know how keeping our head covered is key to keeping warmth in our bodies; the same is true about maintaining moisture levels within your hair. Wearing a hat to prevent split ends and…
A friend of mine, George Brown, recently posted on his face book page, “Have you ever noticed that all the tv channels have commercials at the exact same time??? You cannot escape them. Just noticed this???” I responded to George that I have noticed this for some time and to the point that some sporting events even arrange their commercials at that same time. This is to prevent channel surfing. This has gotten to the point where our other “communication” devices have pop-up ads when you are reading an article, and even worse, the entire screen will sometimes go blank and you will lose the entire article. George’s wife, Lori Welch Brown, has been writing a column for us for over 17 years and in all those years not once has a commercial interrupted your reading or has the page gone blank half way through your reading never to be found again. That my friend is the beauty of print media…move at your own pace. Put it down to answer a phone call or a pesky text and then return to where you left off and the article will be waiting for YOU! Also, you can decide which advertisements you wish to view. Ah, the choices! Thanks to all of you for reading us these past 30 years and making that choice on your own! For other uninterrupted articles you might want to check out the Personality Profile of Chou Chou, the Laurel to Doc Scantlin’s Hardy. She is quite the lady! Our featured chef this month is Juan Amador from La Trattoria Old Town while bar tender Farah Ofogh shows you how to make your drink have that smoky flavor behind the bar at City Kitchen. Our Road Trip this month takes you to the historic Greenfield Inn Bed…
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