Publishers Notes By Bob Tagert Will we ever get a break from this heat? September, hopefully will begin more fall like weather. Can’t wait to get out on the water without feeling like I’m being parboiled. Fall sailing is the best. I would like to welcome our friends and former clients, John and Holli Todhunter, as new residents in Old Town. John and Holli recently sold their Virginia winery – Three Fox in Delaplane, VA – and are back in the urban swing of things. Welcome Guys! With the beating we are taking with recent hurricanes, it reminds me to mention Hurricane Bob’s Hot Sauce. Developed by local resident and friend, Bob Yakely, this is a fantastic sauce that comes in various categories of HOT. Look for his ad in this issue. Let’s preview a few of the columns in this month’s issue: Points on Pets, Jamie Stephens gives us some insight on the considerations to make if you want to adopt a feathered friend. To the Blue Ridge, Julie Reardon brings us up to date on “Racing through the Corona Pandemic” and how to watch the rescheduled Kentucky Derby. Exploring Virginia Wines, Doug Fabbioli takes us through the steps of blending wines. From the Trainer, Ryan Unverzagt gives us a perspective on Bodyweight Training. Gallery Beat, Lenny Campello reminisces about the “Art Video Age”. A Bit of History, Sarah Becker relates the success of the COVID-era as seen through the eyes of Ben Franklin. The Last Word, Miriam Kramer takes us on a wild ride through the legacy of Agatha Christie. Open Space, Lori Welsh Brown gets a chance to scream and let it all out. Can’t say I blame her. We are living in a very stressful time. On that note, how many of you lived through the…
By Lani Gering Afternoon Delight Things seem to be looking up a bit in National Harbor. Now that I don’t live there anymore, I look at it from a different perspective I guess. My afternoon trip (all four and a half miles of it) over the Woody Bridge from Old Town Alexandria to the Harbor was fun. I’ve only been gone for about 6 weeks but quite a bit has happened since I left. Walrus Oyster and Ale is back up and running, Furlough Cheesecake is fully open in the old Stonewall Kitchen space on American Way and another dessert themed business, Messy Treatz, is opening up on Waterfront Street. With Savannah’s Candy Kitchen serving up their popular pralines, the Harbor is becoming a mecca for those of us with a sweet tooth. I might just have to profile them all in a future column. I chose to spend the bulk of my time around the waterfront since it was a beautiful day in the middle of the week and I figured it would be easy to get a “socially distanced” seat in the bar at McCormick & Schmick for their popular Happy Hour. I was wrong…it was the same as it used to be in our pre-Covid world – if you didn’t get there before 4-4:30 pm you couldn’t find a seat. With the limitations of the pandemic, there was a wait time at 4. So….I decided to go to Plan B and sit outside at Redstone. I was very lucky that I there was a couple leaving as I walked in. They have the bar seats set up in two’s with way more than 6’ between so that really limits the number of people they can serve. It was my lucky day. As I sat waiting for my…
By Bob Tagert To and From Historic Yorktown, VA This month’s road trip covers a lot of miles as well as great places to stop. We had to go to Williamsburg, Virginia to conduct R&D for the Business Profile about Copper Fox Distillery in this issue so we incorporated a circular trip south that carried us through Yorktown, a beautiful historic town straight out of a storybook. But first we needed to get south. We began our trip by taking Maryland Route 5 south to Waldorf where it turns into Route 301. After crossing the Potomac River Bridge into Virginia we proceeded to Route 3 south into King George County. Our first stop was at Ingleside Winery to see if our friend and owner Doug Flemer was at work on this Saturday. We were in luck as we found him walking through the beautiful courtyard that this winery is known for. Years ago when we hosted the annual Old Town Cup sailboat race, Ingleside was our wine sponsor. Great wines at a good price. Since we were on a time frame to reach Williamsburg, I will only mention the attractions along the way as we did not have the time to stop and explore. Westmoreland State Park is located on the Potomac River’s Northern Neck. The park offers many opportunities for family fun including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and adjacent bathhouse, meeting area, snack bar, camp store and power boat ramp. You will also find a visitors center, campgrounds, cabins, a playground, fishing pier, boat rentals and 6 miles of hiking trails. Six miles south from Westmoreland State Park is the town of Montross, home to the George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Stratford Hall Plantation. Continuing south on Route 3 you will come to Warsaw, a town of unique…
By Bob Tagert Cookin’ Whiskey at Copper Fox Distillery In July of 2009 we first wrote about Rick Wasmund, founder, owner and master distiller of Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, Virginia. We had chosen Rick as a Personality Profile instead of a Business Profile because he had just sold his first bottle of Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky and the reports were still rolling in, however, as a personality, he was great. In 1999 Rick was leading a comfortable life in Middleburg, Virginia as an insurance agent and living on a large estate that he also managed. While attending a Scotch whisky tasting event in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., the idea of making a whisky with fruit wood rather than peat came to him. All Scotch whisky is peat smoked to get that unique flavor. Clearly it was a good idea as he convinced his neighbor Sean Mcaskey to join his venture. When asked why he agreed so readily, Sean said, “It just seemed like a good idea!” On a personal note, Rick and Sean are two of the most laid back and smart people that you will ever meet. To learn more about the distilling process, the two visited many U.S. distilleries including Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, A. Smith Bowman and even a distillery that was closed–they received an escort out of the facility rather than a tour! Asked what they hoped to learn, Wasmund jokingly answered that he wanted to hear that the idea was impossible, but the visits only reinforced his belief about the viability of creating a unique whiskey product. Leaving Virginia and his job, Wasmund traveled to Scotland, where he obtained an internship at Bowmore Distillery on Islay, where he learned to malt his own barley. There he also received confirmation that his…
Take Photos, Leave Footprints By Scott Dicken First Time Africa: Top Tips for Picking the Right Destination for You Part 2 – Adrenaline and Culture I often get asked by friends and family what my top choices would be for a first-time traveler to Africa and to be honest I find it a massively daunting question. Not least is Africa a huge continent; but people’s expectations of the ‘Africa experience’, their propensity for luxury vs. budget and their general travel styles vary so greatly. That said, and having been lucky enough to sample a mere 22 of the 54 fully recognized countries that comprise the African continent, I enjoy the challenge and excitement of planning trips to Africa and often plan trips just to add to my ‘future trips’ list. With that in mind I decided to put together a go-to list of my preferred destinations, by category, for first-time visitors. In my column last month I focused on budget destinations and Big-Game safaris. This month I turn my attention to those seeking an adrenaline rush or a little culture! Adrenaline Junkies South Africa: I would suggest South Africa is the go-to choice for anyone seeking a true adrenaline rush in Africa. Not only does South Africa provide a smorgasbord of high-octane options, but it also provides more surety with regards to health and safety. Putting aside safety fears, shark cage diving in Gansbaai, the highest bungee jump in the world from Bloukrans Bridge in the Western Cape, abseiling from Table Mountain or skydiving are all viable options. If you’re thinking of visiting South Africa, you’ll also get the benefit of lower prices than other safari destinations, great wildlife, beaches, wine country….and penguins (those at Boulders Beach just outside of Cape Town being the most visited)! Boulders Beach is home…