By Bob Tagert “It is a wonder way over which the tourist will ride comfortably in his car while he is stirred by a view as exhilarating as the aviator may see from the plane.” U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd (Virginia) 1939 In 1924 the search for a national park site in the east brought the Southern Appalachian National Park Committee to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Their job was to find a site accessible to the 49 million Americans living in eastern cities including Washington, D.C. The committee recommended the site that is today visited by millions of Americans each year…Shenandoah National Park. As part of that recommendation the committee, recognizing the proliferation of the automobile, suggested that he “greatest single feature” of the proposed park should be a ‘skyline’ drive along the mountain top, following a continuous ridge and looking down westerly on the Shenandoah Valley…and also commanding a view of the Piedmont Plain stretching easterly to the Washington Monument.” Construction of such a roadway was a pioneering work of landscape architecture and engineering, as well as a famous work-relief project. Work was begun before the park was even established using emergency employment relief funds, and continued by the boys of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) who spent thousands of hours building beautiful rock walls and landscaping sweeping overlooks to make Skyline Drive the experience it has been for over 75 years. It was on September 15, 1934, that the first section of the Drive, 34 miles long, was opened for travel. This made available an extensive region of the Blue Ridge in which was located the vast central portion of the proposed Shenandoah National Park extending from Thornton Gap, where U.S. Highway 211 crosses the ridge, to Swift Run Gap, there the historic Spotswood trail, U.S….
Witches have had a long history with Halloween. Legends tell of witches gathering twice a year when the seasons changed, on April 30 – the eve of May Day and the other was on the eve of October 31 – All Hallow’s Eve. The witches would gather on these nights, arriving on broomsticks, to celebrate a party hosted by the devil. Superstitions told of witches casting spells on unsuspecting people, transforming themselves into different forms and causing other magical mischief. It was said that to meet a witch you had to put your clothes on wrong side out and you had to walk backwards on Halloween night. Then at midnight you would see a witch. When the early settlers came to America, they brought along their belief in witches. In America, the legends of witches spread and mixed with the beliefs of others, the Native Americans – who also believed in witches, and then later with the black magic beliefs of the African slaves. The black cat has long been associated with witches. Many superstitions have evolved about cats. It was believed that witches could change into cats. Some people also believed that cats were the spirits of the dead. One of the best known superstitions is that of the black cat. If a black cat was to cross your path you would have to turn around and go back because many people believe if you continued bad luck would strike you. The Witches Caldron “Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog” “Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing” “For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and babble” “Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn, and caldron bubble” -William Shakespeare Stingy Jack – The Legend of the…
Autumn brings favorite art events, outdoor festivals, Halloween haunts and bright-hued foliage to Alexandria. Treat yourself to a goosebumps-inducing Ghost & Graveyard Tour. Browse al fresco art festivals including the 21st Annual Alexandria Art Festival in Carlyle and Del Ray’s 28th Annual Art on the Avenue, plus attend ever-popular autumn events at George Washington’s Mount Vernon like the Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour. New this year, enjoy inaugural Halloween events hosted by tall ship Providence at the newly-opened Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center on Alexandria’s waterfront. Dive deeper into fall events and activities in Alexandria with the listings below and at VisitAlexandria.com/Fall. Alexandria Colonial Tours’ Ghost & Graveyard Tour Nightly in October at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30, 8:30 and 9 p.m. Admission: $15 for adults; $10 for children; free for children under 6 years old Tours meet at the Alexandria Visitor Center 221 King Street alexcolonialtours.com Walk your way through the charming streets of historic Old Town Alexandria. Follow a colonial-costumed guide by lantern light for an engaging history tour on Alexandria’s original Ghost & Graveyard Tour. During this entertaining tour, you’ll hear ghost stories, legends, folklore, unsolved mysteries, tales of romance and angry ghosts looking for revenge. 6th – 8th Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour 6 to 9 p.m. Admission: Friday: $49 for members, $59 for general public; Saturday: $53 for members, $63 for general public; Sunday: $43 for members; $53 for general public George Washington’s Mount Vernon 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway 703-780-2000 mountvernon.org Taste samples from Virginia wineries after hours at George Washington’s estate. Bring a blanket and relax on the east lawn overlooking the Potomac River and meet General Washington. 7th 28th Annual Art on the Avenue 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: Free Mount Vernon Avenue between Hume and Bellefonte Avenues artontheavenue.org The 28th annual arts festival held in the Del Ray features more than 350 juried artists, from…
By Julie Reardon If you’re not busy hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding or otherwise enjoying the outdoors at this time of year, head west—an embarrassment of riches awaits you. Even if you’re not rich, there’s so much to see and do this month with the spectacular weather and fall palette to enjoy it in, that a list of everything to do would fill this entire magazine. So…we’ve narrowed down a list of things to so and see that are proven winners if you’re looking for a day or weekend trip. Our 2023 fall activities range from free to inexpensive to moderate; check websites or contact numbers for details. October 14: Virginia Fall Races & Field Hunter Championship Finals, Glenwood Park, Foxcroft Rd. 1 mile north of Middleburg, Va. Horse lovers can take in two days of steeplechase racing in a beautiful setting under 200 year old trees at one of the area’s premiere social and sporting events. Gates open at 10 a.m. Post time for Saturday’s first race is 1:30. General admission for 4 starts at $30; box seats, railside and picnic parking spaces are available by calling (540) 687-5662 or visiting http://www.vafallraces.com. October 14: Annual Fauquier Farm Tour featuring thoroughbred horse breeding and training facilities, a winery, an orchard, beef and sheep farms as well as the Fauquier Educational Farm, demonstration gardens by local Master Gardeners and Sky Meadows State Park’s Fall Farm Festival. Hay rides, farm-fresh local goodies and more at this year’s tour, which features the beautiful scenery of Northern Fauquier County in and around The Plains, Marshall, Delaplane, Markham, Hume and Orlean. Print a brochure and find more information at http://www.fauquierag.com October 21 & 22: Loudoun County Fall Farm Color Tour is a self-guided tour of various farms around Loudoun. You can sample or purchase apples, pumpkins,…
By Rebecca Murphy Our community depends heavily on Responders, and we have very high expectations of them. But did you know Responders represent a special population disproportionately vulnerable to acute injuries and chronic illnesses – like cancer and depression – the price for keeping us safe? They spend their careers serving the public with few options for taking care of their own. In 2017, Congress designated October 28th as National First Responders Day. On this day we honor law enforcement officers, firefighters, dispatchers, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and paramedics who answer our calls for help, doing so often at great risk to their own life and safety. This day pays tribute to Responders, honors Responder lives lost in the line of duty, and serves as a nationwide call-for-action to support Responders. With Responders being active members of our community, perhaps we should ask ourselves what role can we play to ensure the quality responses we demand? How can we respond as a community to aid our Responders? The story of Responder Care™ exemplifies a local Northern Virginia response to a silent call-for-action! It all started in November of 2022 when local Alexandria Responder was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Despite having comprehensive health insurance, workers compensation, and all the traditional services available to Responders, gaps in medical coverage were quickly identified. Despite being an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) trailblazer for pubic facing Mobile Integrated Healthcare – Community Paramedicine (MIH-CP), where non-traditional care is brought to the bedside, not a single MIH-CP option emerged for this Responder. Despite being surrounded by a cadre of EMT and paramedic colleagues, all fully capable of providing volunteer EMS & MIH-CP care to their fellow Responder, not even one could do so. We all experience gaps in medicine and care, but few are so daring to…
By: Bob Curley If a Caribbean vacation rates as a dream, the fantasy is to get the trip paid for by someone else. And one way to do that is by signing up for a credit card where you earn points that can be used to defer the cost of travel. Airfare and lodging are typically the two biggest expenses for Caribbean travelers, so choosing a credit card that rewards purchases with points that can be used for flights or hotel stays is your best bet for underwriting your next tropical trip. Some of these cards are specific to certain airlines or hotel chains, while others deliver reward points that can be used generally to book travel on the airline or at the hotel of your choice. Here are our picks for the top rewards credit cards for Caribbean travel: American Airlines AAdvantage Mastercard American Airlines has more flights to the Caribbean and Latin American of any airline, with more than 800 weekly flights to 35 Caribbean destinations plus Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Holders of the Citi bank issued American Airlines AAdvantage Mastercard thus have the most choices for redeeming rewards points for an island getaway. The Advantage Mastercard comes in four versions — the entry-level MileUp Mastercard, the Platinum Select Mastercard, the Executive Mastercard, and the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard. Introductory miles bonuses range from 10,000 to 65,000 points, depending on the card selected; useful perks include priority boarding and — for the Executive Mastercard — entry into American Airlines Admirals Club airport lounges. However, Caribbean-bound travelers should note that the free checked bags offered on the Platinum, Executive, and CitiBusiness cards are for domestic flights only, so you’ll still pay to check bags to the Caribbean. Delta Air Lines SkyMiles American Express Card Delta flies to 13 Caribbean destinations plus Mexico,…
By the Gastronomes Ten years ago this month, Bill Ross and Caroline Bruder Ross opened River Bend Bistro & Wine Bar. Both Bill and Caroline are well known in Old Town as Bill was a partner in Letter Comm Type and Caroline was cheffing in some of Washington’s well-known establishments. As their dream began to take shape, they looked around to find a suitable building to open their restaurant. They ended up choosing a part of the former Village Wharf Restaurant in the Hollin Hall Shopping center in the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria. As Bill began to put all of the financing together, Caroline began working on the menu. The end result was a perfect fit all the way around – flavorful offerings with something for every palate without being overwhelming, perfect portions and a very reasonable price point. On October 21, 2013 they opened their doors. Notwithstanding the headaches involved with the buildout, their opening was a great success and they have had a very successful ten years. The menu features Snacks, Starters, Entrees, a nice choice of sides and some impressive desserts. They kick the menu off with eight Snacks featuring three flat breads: Hot Italian Sausage, Wild Mushroom and Parmesan – Oven Dried Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Roasted Garlic – grilled Radicchio and gorgonzola w/balsamic glaze. Rounding out the Starters are Caramelized Onion Tater Tots, Sweet Potato Biscuits with Edward’s Country Ham and daily cheese and charcuterie selections. East Coast Oysters on the Half Shell are on the Fall menu as well. The Starters feature 3 salads, Vitello Tonnato, Roasted Honeynut Squash Soup, Crispy Duck Confit w/frisee salad and Smoked Oyster Dip. There is also a Soup of Day offering. The Dinner menu includes choices ranging from Smoked Pork Chops, Pan Seared Scallops, Grilled Fillet of Salmon,…
By Doug Fabbioli It’s Virginia Wine Month. Our local vineyards are bringing in the new crop and celebrating the harvest. There is music, food, good company, and, of course, good wine toasted against beautiful blue skies. Amidst the celebration and excitement of a bountiful harvest, the wine industry – world wide – is facing challenges. I have a wine writer friend who is putting together a story about the current state of the wine industry. I decided to share my thoughts in this forum as well.. It may be a bit heavy and a bit in the weeds, but it is a reality for us and important to share with those we have come to call friends and those we rely on, our customers and appreciators. We can weather any changes together. What follows, are my answers to his questions. As shown in a recent wine industry report, the wine sales trends are down. What do you see as a tailwind to keep you positive? First, having been in this industry for four decades now, we have seen a number of highs and lows in the demand for our products. This will shift again but we need to ride out the storm and evolve as best we can. As grape farmers, we have to keep growing our fruit to keep our vineyards healthy. Taking a year off is not an option, so we try to find new homes and new markets. Second, I am always encouraged to see young, energetic folks wanting to work in this industry. We need them and their excitement and energy to be part of this industry and help it thrive. Old codgers like me need to welcome the new folks as they will help take our wine trails, regions and reputations to the next level…..
By Carl Trevison and Stephen Bearce You might not need these services until later in life, but consider planning well in advance. You don’t want to be developing a plan to pay for long-term care after you already need it. Here are four considerations to keep in mind as you develop a long-term care plan: Know the different levels of care and their costs. Aging in place often refers to services being delivered to you in your home and can include aid rendered by visiting nurses, family and friends. It can also mean living in a continuing care community that has different facilities, each providing increasing levels of care. You move into the facility that matches the level of care you need and move to higher levels of care as you require them. The benefit of residing in such a community is that you “age in place” as you progress through the facilities that offer the level of care you need. It can be comforting to know that you will not need to seek a new care facility each time your care requirements change. You just progress through the stages within the same community. An assisted living facility is often a residence that provides staff who can assist with daily needs (showering, dressing, taking medications). Moving into assisted living may also add a level of security knowing that you are not alone if a fall or a health event occurs. Skilled care refers to a residential facility (or nursing home) that includes on-site medical care. These facilities often include short-term rehabilitation services following a hospital stay as well as 24-hour nursing care for full-time residents who require extensive assistance and supervision. Memory care units may also be provided in these facilities for residents with cognitive challenges such as Alzheimer’s who…
By Genevieve LeFranc Fewer things leave us feeling more refreshed than the first signs of autumn. Cold, foggy mornings with frosted grass; air that smells smoky, woodsy and crisp; and that tingling excitement that comes in anticipation of the holiday season and time spent with family. While we briefly mourn the loss of summer, not one of us will miss the days of makeup dripping off our faces under the summer sun, or hiding behind massive sunglasses because of the former. Fall is the time we unpack those boxes of chunky knits and nubby knee socks, and begin to embrace the glittering, sumptuous jewel tones that dazzle this time of year. Autumn gets better as the days get shorter, and colors begin to unfold before our eyes. From the fiery foliage of morphing leaves, to the earthy palette of pumpkins and gourds, no other season embraces rich, refined colors quite like fall. So give your makeup bag an autumnal revamping that will rival the most colorful throngs of Halloween trick or treaters. Eyes are the stars of fall so don’t be afraid to give them the vibrant attention they deserve this time of year. Bold, striking brows, sleek liner, thick lashes, and mesmerizing palates turned up on the runways at Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, and Prada. The best way to execute a colorful eye look is to work with what you got! Use the natural color of your eyes, using complementary colors to guide you. Baby Blues Blue-eyed beauties should stay in the amber to bronze range. Other than that, feel free to explore this color range. If your eyes are a deep, denim blue, try a rich amber, a luxe copper, or a shimmery rust shade to provide a beautiful contrast. For pale, icy blue eyes, try a…
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