By Lani Gering Those of you who have been reading this column for any amount of time, know how much I love the holiday festivities that take place at the Gaylord National each year. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer returns this year in all his glory along with Yukon Cornelius, Hermy and the Abominable Snowmonster aka “Bumble” in ICE@. These sculptures never disappoint. I am keeping this narrative short in order to feature more pictures and I have to admit that I didn’t take a ride down the ice slide this year since I forgot my gloves but I did take a couple of turns on the tube down Snow Flow Mountain and Bob and I both took a turn at the Snowball Build and Blast! Ice skating is back this year outdoors in front of the side entrance on the Lobby Level between the parking garage and the resort. It is a trail of real ice as opposed to a rink. I definitely need to check it out this season. The Christmas Village located in the Convention Center each year is sort of a miniature version of a Bavarian-style hamlet with all sorts of activities including the aforementioned Snow Flow Mountain and Snowball Build & Blast along with a Gingerbread Decorating Corner, a Build-A-Bear Workshop, Wildlife Rescue (an augmented reality experience presented by bubly™), a sing-a-long and story time with Mrs. Claus and the chance to meet Santa and have your photo taken with the big guy. And…don’t forget the gift shop. There are some amazing things for sale in this space. Something new this year is the “Make the World a Brighter Place” board that is outside of the entrance to Christmas Village. It gives visitors of all ages a chance to post a star pledging kindness and…
By the Gastronomes As we continue to celebrate the 36th year of the Old Town Crier we decided to revisit Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. Back when they opened in 1978 they were on the western fringe of Old Town. Back then, there was no Metro stop on King Street and mostly abandoned warehouses in that part of town. They were one of the first businesses to settle in that part of town… and it worked. They were successful from the minute they opened their doors. I know, I was there! The original restaurant is what you see today – same fireplace and same bar. Their quality Irish fare at a reasonable price has always attracted the locals and their lively atmosphere and no cover charge music draws in those looking for a good time. Founders Tom Mooney Sr. and wife Melinda always meant for the place to be your home away from home and Tommy Mooney Jr. continues that tradition today. It is truly where friends meet. Although their menu features Irish favorites like Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Shepherd’s Pie, Hot & Hearty Irish Stew, Irish Meat & Potato Pie and Bangers & Mash as well as many more items, we decided to visit for their famous Sunday Brunch. In Old Town, Sunday Brunch is an event. It is a time to slow down, eat slow and enjoy the moment with friends. Having said that, it is a good idea to make reservations for brunch at Murphy’s as they are very popular. We forgot this rule and therefore had to wait a few minutes for a table for two. The place was packed but the wait for a table was reasonable on this Sunday. The thirty-foot bar was full and all…
Photo credit for all images goes to Lee Moody By Bob Tagert We have been writing Road Trip articles for at least 30 of the almost 36 years we’ve been in publication. They began as a story about a destination near Alexandria. Then we got into Day Tripping when I had my 1974 Fiat Spider which was perfect for a day’s excursion. As our publication grew, we expanded our focus and ventured farther out. Most of these involved an overnight stay near the destination and in fact, sometimes the destination was the place we stayed. However, occasionally our trips are local like last month’s Road Trip to the Museum of the United States Army. A number of years ago we decided to write about our beautiful Old Town Alexandria every December as this is a time to stay home with family and friends…Welcome Home. It is also a good time for those who reside between the Bay and the Blue Ridge to plan a Road Trip to Old Town Alexandria. I will start with a brief history of what it was like when I arrived in 1977. Old Town was approximately six blocks long. It was King Street from the Potomac River to Washington Street. There were a few restaurants on the other side of Washington Street but only a few…the concentration was near the water in the old seaport town which was founded in 1749. Old Town, as we know it today, was in its infancy. The town’s daring merchants transformed a neglected area and gave it a heartbeat. When I arrived, there was live music in almost every restaurant, mostly local folks playing their own music while covering favorite songs for their dedicated customers. Parking was plentiful and pedestrian traffic was minimal…but what a good time! Today,…
By Lisa Velenovsky Hayashi It’s the holiday season, and everyone is searching for that perfect gift! And what could be more perfect than a snuggly puppy for a child or a feline animal companion for a lonely parent? It does make for a heartwarming picture — but is it a good idea? Experts are divided, and it turns out the answer is not a simple “yes” or “no.” Many animal rescues, shelters and advocacy groups such as PETA believe strongly that it’s a bad idea to gift a pet. This is based on legitimate concerns about the animal’s welfare, such as whether the recipient wants a pet, is ready for the responsibility of caring for a pet, can afford the financial commitment that comes with a pet, and even if a recipient will love a gifted pet as much as one they chose themselves. Gifting a pet to a child brings its own special challenges. “Pets require a lot of responsibility. It’s not feasible to think that children can take care of a puppy or kitten – they will need adult supervision at all times,” Stacey DiNuzzo, the communications director at Pasado’s Safe Haven, told People Magazine about why families shouldn’t rush to give pets as gifts. This is true for any pet gifted to a child. There are anecdotal stories of shelters being flooded with unwanted gifted pets as they are abandoned by their new owners. DiNuzzo lists her rescue among those that receive surrendered animal’s post-holidays, after the recipient’s initial enthusiasm for their new animal has waned. However, no numbers or statistics were provided. There appears to be little hard data to determine how widespread the problem may be. At the same time, other animal advocates point to research that suggests that the gifting of pets is not in and of itself detrimental to…
By Erin Shackleford Adoptable Rango is a male, 5-year-old bearded dragon who is looking for a place to lounge permanently (if you don’t have a pink chaise lounge, he said that’s OK). Rango is docile and friendly. He also doesn’t mind being handled. You will often find him perched on a log in his enclosure curiously looking out, tilting his head back and forth, awaiting new visitors. With the proper equipment and food, bearded dragons are easy to care for! Bearded dragons are known for their “smiles,” which is actually a way for them to stay cool. Besides his beardie food, he likes to munch on leafy veggies and insects, like mealworms. Bearded dragons can make excellent, entertaining, easy-to-care-for pets. Their average lifespan is 8-10 years. Simon is a male English Spot bunny who is as cute as he is curious. English Spot rabbits are known for being gentle, affectionate, and well-mannered. Simon embodies all of these characteristics! He loves to receive attention and be pet. Simon is also very curious and loves to explore and check out the world around him. Some of his favorite snacks include hay, apple sticks, and veggies. If you’re looking for a snuggly rabbit companion to love, Simon is your guy! Leroy is a 8-year-old sweet senior gentleman who is looking for a retirement home. Leroy is very calm and easygoing with a loving, patient demeanor. His big brown eyes and frosty face are heart melting. Leroy has gotten along with other dogs, even small ones, here at the AWLA. Leroy walks a little slower, but he still enjoys a leisurely, short stroll. But above all, he LOVES a fluffy, cozy bed to snooze the day away in. Leroy very much prefers to stick close to the humans he loves. They say with age comes wisdom, and Leroy has plenty of that….
By Lori Welch Brown I don’t care if you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, lighting the Menorah, hunkering down for Kwanzaa, or gearing up for the Chinese New Year—December truly is the most wonderful time of year. “Awww, bah humbug, Lori—Christmas is for kids! Clearly you haven’t tried to park at Costco recently or gone near a Macy’s. People would rather run you over than lose a parking spot within a mile of a mall.” Okay—true about the parking situation, but not true about Christmas being for kids. I mean, sure. There’s nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child on Christmas morning, but I know many adults who are nothing short of giddy this time of year. “Giddy? What is there to be giddy about? Have you seen the news recently? The world is at war, we have a geriatric president who will likely be ousted by a felon, new strains of COVID are popping up daily, and AI is about to replace all our jobs while it’s stealing our identities.” True—there is a lot of bad stuff happening in the world right now which makes it even more important to embrace the holiday season with glee and spread the message of hope, peace, and joy. “You sound like a walking Hallmark movie.” Thank you. “What if I don’t have anything to be joyous about? Have you seen the price of eggs?” Joy is everywhere—you just have to look for it. Perhaps you should switch off the news and put on a Hallmark movie. “Hallmark shmallmark. Who has time for those indulgences when there are presents to be bought, gifts to be wrapped, pies to be baked…” Sounds like someone is gearing up for the holidays… “Well, it is a BUSY time of year; I’ll give you…
By Mark Edelman Theaters in the DMV are lit up brightly for the holidays in December with no fewer than three A Christmas Carols among the batch. Check out these fine productions this month, live! onstage at a theater near you: RAGTIME Signature Theater Now thru January 7 If there’s a show of the month, it’s got to be this gorgeous production of the award-winning musical based on E. L. Doctorow’s novel about turn of the century (1890-1910) America. Odd choice for the holiday season you say? Well, both the Christmas story and Ragtime introduce us to a new way to live our lives. Or as a luminous Teal Wicks as Mother sings, “we can never go back to before.” Besides Wicks, stand-out performances include handsome Nkrumah Gatling as Coalhouse Walker (think a beefier Denzel but with a voice from heaven). Bill English found the pathos in the difficult role of Father and Dani Stoller the earthiness in Emma Goldman. Awa Sal Secka made a moving Sarah and the rest of the cast was first rate throughout. The topography of Signature’s Max Stage worked well for this Ragtime, with Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner stylishly moving the story from below to above and up and down the aisles. And speaking of above, how about that seventeen piece orchestra? In an era when touring Broadway shows send out twelve in the pit with keyboards covering reeds and strings, it’s a joy to hear this beautiful score fully-realized in a three hundred seat theater. No skimping here. If you see a show besides A Christmas Carol this month, put Ragtime on your list. Tickets at http://www.signaturetheater.org. THE WINTER’S TALE Folger Theatre Now thru December 17 With the magic and fantastical elements of a fairy tale, Shakespeare’s late career romance takes us on a…
Longtime friend and fan and subscriber of the Old Town Crier, Linda Plant Allin took her copy of the OTC on her trek up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain – the highest point on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park. Linda and her husband Dave took a road trip up the east coast in early September after a stay in Old Town Alexandria before returning to their home in Grand Junction, Colorado. Pictured poolside at their hacienda aka the Hot Oak Ridge Boys, longtime Alexandria residents Jimmy Rosenburg (left) and Mark Barrett relocated to the desert near Las Vegas in Nevada about 7 years ago. They haven’t missed a beat since they subscribe to the OTC and get it delivered each month. Many of you may recognize Mark from behind the bar and the former Chez Andre and later at RT’s restaurant. If you would like to see your photo featured in this space, take a couple of shots with a copy of the OTC in hand and send it to office@oldtowncrier.com along with information for the caption. Be sure to include your mailing address if you want a hard copy sent to you.
By Timothy Long Getting an Old Towner to leave Old Town can be challenging. Just mention DC or Tysons Corner, and you’ll get a look of derision. It’s as though we live in the old Soviet Union, and that we need papers to travel. I’m an Old Towner, and I admit that I could be better about it. I mean, I get it. We live in a beautiful part of Alexandria. People come here to visit. So why go elsewhere? What could other places possibly offer that we don’t? This being the case, I don’t often travel to places like Vienna, VA. But then I was told about Caboose Brewing Company. And after tasting a couple of their beers, I wanted to go check them out. Writing about destinations is my favorite part of this gig. And nothing is more fun than visiting a brewery. Caboose has two locations, Vienna and Fairfax Commons. I visited their Vienna location. The brewery is in an old railroad area. There is a red caboose right down the road, hence the name. As you enter, the first thing that grabs you are the two giant chalkboards over the bar with the various beers listed on them. The employees do a great job of keeping the chalk board colorful and fun. They told me that they will fight to see who gets to update it next. My initial contact was with one of the owners, Jennifer McLaughlin. Their head brewer is Matt Smith. I got to meet with David Traille, the Head of Brewing Operations. Dave’s story is fun. He learned brewing the old-fashioned way, through apprenticeship. He started at Oak Creek Brewing Company in Sedona, Arizona. When the head brewer fell and broke his arm, Dave had to step in and take over. Dave’s…
By Chef Glenn Morel Are you tired of the same old potato dishes? Looking to add some pizzazz to your Christmas dinner? Fondant potatoes provide a delicious and elegant twist to the humble spud. Seasoned with fragrant rosemary and thyme, these golden delights are sure to impress even the pickiest of eaters. To embark on this culinary adventure, gather the following ingredients: – 8 medium potatoes – 1 tablespoon of olive oil – 1 stick of unsalted butter, cubed – 4 large garlic cloves, bashed – 2 sprigs of rosemary – 2 sprigs of thyme – 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock Serves 6 Now, let’s get cooking! Begin by slicing the ends off the potatoes, creating a flat surface on either side. Take a circular cookie cutter and cut out your perfect rounds. Depth is up to you and your cookie cutter but keep them consistent. Heat up the oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, place the potatoes cut-side down in the pan. Fry them for 5-7 minutes, or until they turn a deep golden brown. Once they’ve achieved the perfect color, flip them over and fry the other side. Now it’s time to introduce the star of the show: butter! Add the cubed butter to the pan and let it melt, enveloping the potatoes in its creamy goodness. Sprinkle the bashed garlic and fragrant herbs (rosemary and thyme) around the potatoes, allowing their flavors to infuse into every bite. Season generously with salt and pepper to enhance the taste. Carefully pour the chicken or vegetable stock around the potatoes, taking care to avoid any hot butter splashes. This will add moisture and depth of flavor to the dish. Cover the pan and let the fondant potatoes simmer gently for approximately 25-30…
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