By Bob Tagert Well, here we are, living in uncertain times. There is war going on in, of all places, the Holy Land. An entire population is being wiped out in Gaza as humanitarian efforts are attacked. Closer to home, efforts continue to open more passages into the Port of Baltimore as the remains of the Francis Scott Key bridge wreckage are being removed. In New York City, former president Trump is standing criminal trial for election interference and falsifying records. And tomorrow, only a couple of miles from where I sit, the Supreme Court will decide if that same former president has absolute immunity for willful criminal and civil behavior. Senator Mitch McConnell blasts Tucker Carlson for stoking anti-Ukraine among Republicans. while David Pecker, former owner of the Enquirer magazine admits the “catch and kill” method of suppressing information and lying about others. Maybe tomorrow the sky will fall. Meanwhile you hold in your hand via hard copy of communication device that dependable friend that you can turn to every month for information and articles that will lighten the load. In this month’s issue we stayed home for our Road Trip as we took a tour with See D.C. Today Tours. Visit our beautiful Washington, D.C. where history is still being made every day. In First Blush, we get the skinny on self-tanning. With the recent death of our hero Jimmy Buffet, skin cancer from the sun is on everyone’s mind. Self-tanning may be for you. Speaking of the sun, the Caribbean Connection tells how you can get an extra night at the legendary Buccaneer Resort in St. Croix. In From the Bay, learn about the maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay at the Solomon’s Maritime Festival and happenings at the Calvert Marine Museum. I keep my sailboat at…
By Bob Tagert As I begin to write Publishers Notes for our April 2024 issue, I am interrupted by the latest news on the container ship taking out the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore. A former President of the United States is facing multiple civil and criminal charges and part of our political system is in free fall and we have two wars still in full swing. Can it get worse? Am really hoping that the old saying “April Showers bring May Flowers” comes to fruition. Making a 180, I’m changing my focus to all of the positive vibes this issue is filled with starting with our recent Road Trip to Rehoboth Beach Delaware and the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel. The shore beaches bring back fond memories of my youth growing up in this area. Another bright spot is Lori Welch Brown’s column Open Space bout saying goodbye to old man winter. Spring is here. Since April is “Earth Day” month, Lani Gering sat down with Ashlie Dolce, who is an advocate for our blue planet and is currently working with Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions – see the Personality Profile. Tim Long makes a visit to one of D.C.’s iconic breweries – D.C. Brau – in Let’s Get Crafty. Maybe a way to escape the chaos is a trip to the Caribbean. In this month’s Caribbean Connection, Bob Curley recommends the best credit cards for Caribbean travel. In From the Bay, Kenny Fletcher reminds how important the Eastern Oyster has been to this region and continues to be in the future. In Exploring Virginia Wines, Doug Fabbioli explores the need to keep Mother Earth moving in a healthy direction. Matt Fitzsimmons takes a fresh, new look at a Virginia original…the Norton grape in Grapevine. “Presentation is Key”…a phrase we…
By Bob Tagert As I write my publishers notes on February 26th, the temperature tomorrow is forecast to be 64 degrees and windy. Makes me wish my sailboat wasn’t still winterized. Would be a good day to be on the water! Remember the old saying “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”? If the current weather holds out, that isn’t going to ring true. In any case, this month we feature the art work of Lee Jaworek on our cover celebrating the month of March coming in like a lion. To learn more about Lee and his “Artism®” read about him in the Personality Profile. Our very talented contributing writers have hit it out of the park with their columns again this month. We are truly blessed. We would also like to introduce you to a new column – Wellness Woman. Penned by local transformation wellness coach, Adrien Cotton, the column will cater to the health of women with a concentration on those who are approaching middle age. We feel very fortunate to have her on board. Here is a sneak peek in to some of what you have to look forward to in this issue: A Bit of History, Sarah Becker celebrates History Month with Clara Barton. High Notes, Ron Powers highlights some of the up-and-coming acts in the music world. Last Word, Miriam Kramer explores the writing of Killers of the Flower Moon. Grapevine, read about the warm, dry year we had in 2023 and how it affected Virginia’s wine vintage. Dining Out, I highlighted our two amazing Irish Restaurants in town – Murphy’s and O’Connell’s. Stop in for a perfect pint of Guinness. “Slainte!” Exploring VA Wines, Doug Fabbioli explains how his winery got started and flourishes today. Let’s Get Crafty, Tim…
By Bob Tagert Here it is February already and winter has finally set in. Part of me hopes we used up our quota for snow in January but I do admit that I like being out in it so the other part of me hopes we get another round (without the 20 degree temps) at some point in the next couple of months. February means that the oldest and largest George Washington Birthday Parade in the country takes place on Presidents Day, February 19th right here in Old Town. This is always a fun event and a great chance for the kids to see something special. As you can tell from the Calendar in this issue, there is a lot of activity all month taking place around “Presidents Day” for George, whose birthday is actually on the 22nd. Ever wonder why we don’t include President Lincoln this month as well. His birthday falls on the 12th. Guess since he wasn’t born here or have a huge complex in the area, he doesn’t get billing. If you have an interest in the history of Presidents Day, check out the column about it in this issue. February 14th brings us Valentine’s Day and Lori Welch Brown has penned a very clever column about the machinations people go through on this day in her Open Space column. Sarah Becker gives you some insight to the history of the holiday as she intertwines President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn’s love story in A Bit of History. And, obviously, the bulk of you will be looking for places to take your sweetheart for dinner. Clearly there are numerous great restaurants in Alexandria to visit on Valentine’s Day. You may want to consider the subject of this month’s Dining Out column, Elaine’s. This is one…
By Bob Tagert This issue marks the beginning of our 37th year and our 433rd issue. Much has changed over the years. Back then, Old Town pretty much ended in the 700 block of King Street, and only King Street, and the two hundred block of Cameron Street. Today, very loosely, Old Town encompasses (east to west) from the Potomac River to the metro station and (north to south) from Montgomery Street to Prince Street. How time flies. My former partner, David Underwood and I published the first issue of the Old Town Crier in January of 1988. I have to admit that we were not quite sure what we were doing but the opportunity seemed to present itself. The Port Packet and the Gazette merged and Old Town effectively lost its hometown classic rag. With literally no journalistic experience, no business plan and a credit card, we focused on filling that gap with only Alexandria articles about the folks that made Old Town what it was and what it has grown to be. After a few years, we expanded our coverage and distribution to Annapolis, the wineries in the Blue Ridge and destination communities in between. When I moved my sailboat to Solomons, Maryland, we began distribution to Southern Maryland as well. Our theory was that a distribution “From the Bay to the Blue Ridge” would place Alexandria in the middle and became the heart of the publication. Lani Gering took a buy out from her job at the USDA and joined us full time in the fall of 1994 just to “help out” until she decided if she was going to stay in the area or return to her western roots in Wyoming. She actually had legitimate managerial expertise and, more importantly, common sense. She soon became the…
By Bob Tagert As I sit here the day after Thanksgiving and write these December Publishers Notes, I find myself getting into the spirit of the season. We got together with friends last evening to share Thanksgiving dinner. It was good to be standing at the grill again – haven’t had my own since 2014 – roasting local oysters for everyone! As usual, there was laughter, being a year older and catching up on the last year. It was also a time to give thanks for many things especially our good health. When December rolls around I always drift back in time to 1987 as my friend Dave Underwood and I were putting the final touches on our eagerly anticipated first issue of the Old Town Crier in January of 1988. Now this December we are burning the midnight oil pulling together our 432nd issue as we finish up our 36th year. I am thankful for all of the fine people that help bring the Old Town Crier to all of the good folks in Alexandria and “From the Bay to the Blue Ridge”. In hindsight, the only thing that I really contributed in those early days was to recognize the opportunity, come up with the name and sell the ads. It is really all the folks who have come into our realm over the last 36 years that made it work. This month’s issue brings you words to live by. Lori Welch Brown tells us why December is the most wonderful time of the year in her Open Space column, while Ron Powers writes of the immortal Cher and her contribution to Christmas cheer with her new album “Christmas”, and the stand out track “Christmas Ain’t Christmas Without You” in High Notes. If you all watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving…
By Bob Tagert We are almost at the end of 2023 and what a year it has been. War is declared in the Middle East, countries are evacuated and humanitarian aid is being hampered. At home, a few firebrands turned the House of Representatives on its ear where they can no longer hear the voice of Americans. As I write this, there was finally a consensus for the Speaker of the House so it looks like we are in the process of getting the US back in business. We needed a fresh breeze to blow over this landscape so we decided to visit the Museum of the United States Army in the Road Trip column. The cover this month is indicative of that experience. With this article we celebrate Veterans Day every day not just on the 11th of this month. Visiting this museum is a must see. Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and this means that the Christmas holiday is right on its heels. In fact, the area tree lightings take place the day after and the big celebration of the holiday season is the first week in December. See the calendar of events. As in years past, we dedicate a good portion of the November issue to Thanksgiving. It is a time to gather with friends and family and count our many blessings as well as a great excuse to eat as much as we want. I love the humorous tone that Tim Long took in writing his Let’s Get Crafty column. In addition to a bit of “poetry”, he has some great ideas for the perfect libation and smoke to accompany your Thanksgiving adventures. Lori Welch Brown embraces Thanksgiving as well in Open Space as she laments about “Gratitude”. In all seriousness, this is a month to really…
By Bob Tagert It is officially fall now and the weather started to turn at the end of September. It was a brutal summer. Hopefully this fall will be cool and we can get out the blue jeans and sweaters. The October issue is one that we always look forward to putting together. Lani is a huge proponent of all things Halloween as is evident with her infatuation with Witches and Stingy Jack – see the special feature on both. For some reason she forwent a piece on the “Day of the Dead” this year but watch for it next October. Getting out in the country side this month is a must do. Whether it is a full-on drive on Skyline Drive (see Road Trip) in Shenandoah National Park or a trek to one of the many corn mazes, fall markets or steeplechase races in the Blue Ridge. Not to be discounted, however, is the countryside bordering the Chesapeake Bay. A day trip down Route 2 with side trips toward the water is a treat as well. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that October is Virginia Wine Month. We have been strong supporters of the Commonwealth vintages for 35 of our 36 years. There are some amazing vineyards within an hour of Old Town with varied styles in both tasting rooms and wines. And….a good portion of them also brew beer on premise – this appeals to a lot of the guys out there. The majority of the wineries celebrate this month with special events to boot. “Follow In My Wake…”-Jimmy Buffet Banana Wind album September brought a bit of sadness to a lot of us with the passing of Jimmy Buffet on September first. Unlike all of the true Parrot Heads, I only attended one live…
By Bob Tagert Here it is, September 2023, and the local sports scene is on the upswing. After an awful start, the Washington Nationals are now one of the hottest teams in baseball. The Washington Redskins aka Commanders have new owners and a new intensity as well as a new quarterback. Not necessarily “local” but very near and dear to my heart, World Cup Rugby starts in France on the 8th. For World Cup Rugby check out your favorite sports bar for the schedule. Fantastic sport to play and watch. Life is looking good. This year marks a banner year for the Historic Alexandria Homes Tour. They celebrate 80 years of letting us tour some of the most beautiful and unique homes on the east coast. See the calendar of events for details. As the weather turns a bit cooler it is a great time to get out and about. For those who read us in the Bay and Blue Ridge areas, it is a great time to visit Alexandria and discover the charm of Old Town and its surrounding “suburbs” – the likes of Del Ray and North Old Town. The outdoor dining will be at its best with the cooler weather and there are many offerings. We paid a visit to one of our longtime favorites in the 200 Block of King – The Warehouse – in this month’s Dining Out. For those of us who live here, the weather is perfect for a visit to southern Maryland and the Calvert Marine Museum where you can “Discover the Otters” and take a cruise on their Skip Jack. This is a great place to take the family. September is also a good time to think about getting in some early holiday shopping. We can’t think of a better way…
By Bob Tagert As I write the August Publishers Notes the heat index this week is forecast to be around 105 or more degrees. Scientists say that the first two weeks of July were the hottest on record. The averages temperatures for August range between 69 to 89 degrees. Hopefully August will be a little kinder to us. There is a silver lining to the heat and the rain – see the photo of me standing in front of our friends hydrangeas. I am about 5’11”. These are amazing. Also amazing, are the sunflowers on the cover that will be in full bloom this month. Will be worth the drive to see them. (See About the Cover) One sure way to escape the heat is to head to the beach. This past month we took a Road Trip to Ocean City – Maryland not Jersey. The cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean were exactly where I left them years ago. There is always something calming about the ocean…there can be hundreds of folks around, but it is just you and the surf rolling in. Was good to spend time with a longtime friend and meet some new ones along the way. As summer is winding down, tourist season is in its last throes. Families are fitting in the family vacation before school starts and trying to jam in everything as Labor Day is fast approaching. This means lots of foot traffic on lower King Street here in Old Town. While I am all for the ‘pedestrian mall’ in the 0 and 100 blocks, the amount of people crossing Union Street on a weekend is unreal. Alexandria might want to consider getting a “crossing guard” so vehicles can pass through the intersection without worrying about hitting someone – especially those who…
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