Alexandria Living Magazine - January/February 2022

MAYOR WILSON LOOKS AHEAD

THE WATERFRONTS FORGOTTEN WEAPONS EMPIRE

HUNTLEY MEADOWS PHOTO BOOK DEBUTS

Alexandria’s

ALEXANDRIALIVINGMAGAZINE.COM January / February 2022

$4.95

2022 Restaurant Scene

Living, Loving, Listing Old Town Lauren Bishop, McEnearney Associate

Now more than ever, your home is your retreat... and finding that special place, whether for office space, a playroom for the kids or an entertainment room, takes creativity in Old Town. This past year I have seen my community do incredible things with their spaces and I loved helping my clients think differently whether recommending renovations or expansions, or helping them find a better space to call home. Connect with me to learn how we can re-envision your next move.

Lauren Bishop, Realtor® Tel. 202.361.5079 I LBishop@McEnearney.com I LaurenBishop.com I Old Town Alexandria 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 I tel. 703.549.9292 Equal Housing Opportunity

@laurenbishoprealtor

205 S. Union Street

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Alexandria, VA

|

www.markswoods.com

703.838.9788

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4875 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304 (800) 424-3334 • cofcu.org

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v12.21

PHOTO BY JESSICA OVERCASH

CONTENTS

8

PHOTO COURTESY OF WISP RESORT

27

There’s plenty going on this winter in and around Alexandria.

Take a look at our calendar and make your plans now!

14

COMMUNITY ART

15

PUBLIC SERVICE

19

LOCAL HISTORY

22

27 48 HUNTLEY MEADOWS PHOTO BY RODNEY FISHER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

48

52

Virginia is for lovers and Alexandria especially so beginning in March with a new public art installation at Waterfront Park.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson talks about plans for the City as he begins his second term.

Alexandria’s electric streetcar system was established in 1892, traveling all the way to Mount Vernon.

LOCAL HISTORY Alexandria’s waterfront was once home to the world’s largest international arms trade.

HOME & GARDEN Worried about shortages if you start a remodeling project? A local interior designer has answers!

TRAVEL Get ready for a winter adventure at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland: Hikes to frozen waterfalls, inner tubing down snowy slopes and enjoying some hearty fare at cozy inns, just a three-hour drive from Alexandria.

THE LAST WORD Local photographer Rodney Fisher has published a book of his photographs of Huntley Meadows, the largest park operated by Fairfax County, just south of the City. The park also offers the best wildlifewatching in the D.C. metro area.

52 January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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FEATURES

Alexandria’s Dining Scene

34

42 45

Alexandria’s dining scene has not only weathered the COVID storm but is also bumping up against supply chain issues, trying to find enough help and wondering what winter weather has in store for their businesses. Even with all that, restaurant owners are opening new eateries and evolving how they operate. Here’s a look.

What’s your charcuterie board missing? Pickles... and not just any pickles.

We talk to the local owner of Pickles and Cures.

You love your dog, right?

Then why are you leaving him at home when you dine out? Here’s a guide to dining out with your furry best friend.

34 PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

42 PHOTO COURTESY OF PICKLES AND CURES

ON THE COVER Windmill Hill Park, 501 S. Union St.

PHOTO BY ANDERS IPSEN

SOCIALIZE WITH US  facebook.com/alexandrialivingmag

PHOTO BY CAROL JEAN STALUN FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

 @alexlivingmag

 @alexandrialivingmag

Babs Beckwith Sells Old Town Call Babs and put her expertise to work for you!

Babs Beckwith, Realtor® Tel. 703.627.5421 I Babs@BabsBeckwith.com I OldTownAlexandriaLiving.com 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 I off. 703.549.9292 I Equal Housing Opportunity

A Letter from Our Founders

PUBLISHER

Beth Lawton EDITOR

Mary Ann Barton ADVERTISING

Cleo Chitester Teal Griffey Lora Jerakis DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION

Jessie Leiber PUBLISHING ASSISTANT

Susannah Moore Alexandria Living Magazine is published six times per year by Alexandria Living, LLC ©2022. 201 N. Union St., Suite 110 Alexandria, VA 22314. For newsstand or distribution locations or to subscribe for home delivery, go to alexandrialivingmagazine.com/subscribe.

CONTACT US

info@alexandrialivingmagazine.com or call 571-232-1310.

PARTNER WITH US

Alexandria Living Magazine fully supports the local business community and offers several unique ways to partner with the publication.

• Sponsored articles and multimedia content on the website, in our popular email newsletters and on social media.

• Highlighted events in our events calendar, email newsletters and social media.

• Sponsored real estate listings.

• Brand awareness through online banner ads designed to boost your business.

• Contests, sweepstakes and giveaways.

To learn more about how partnering with Alexandria Living Magazine can help build your business, contact us at ads@alexandrialivingmagazine.com or call 571-232-1310.

PRESS RELEASES & TIPS

Send news releases and story tips to

maryann@alexandrialivingmagazine.com.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

Subscribing to Alexandria Living Magazine is easy! You can go to alexandrialivingmagazine.com/ subscribe to pay securely online by credit card, or mail a check with the subscription mailing address to Alexandria Living Magazine, 201 N. Union St. Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Subscriptions are $14.95 for one year or $24.95 for two years.

6

Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s 2022 — the number sounds almost futuristic, like something out of the Jetsons cartoon show from the 1960s. No matter what year it is, we’re just grateful to be here as the uncertainties of the COVID pandemic and its variants wax and wane.

In this issue, we explore the past, present and future of our lovely city. On Page 19, writer Rachel Kester looks at the electric streetcar line that once took visitors from Alexandria to DC or Mount Vernon, more than a century ago. Speaking of history, writer Steve Trimble explores the world of Sam Cummings, once the world’s largest international gun dealer who plied his trade right here on Alexandria’s waterfront, on Page 22.

While we enjoy history, we also love present-day Alexandria, with its lively social scene.

Just because it’s snowy or cold doesn’t mean you have to sit at home all day! Be sure to check out all the local happenings in our calendar of events starting on Page 8.

Looking into our future, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, fresh off winning a second term in office, looks ahead at the many projects and challenges coming on the horizon, on Page 15.

Beginning on Page 27, local writer Lisa Dunn delves into a topic near and dear to many of us: Remodeling during a pandemic. She talks to experts who give us tips about how to get around the shortages and other challenges facing homeowners with renovations on their minds.

One of the most popular topics our readers are interested in has got to be our local restaurants. Owners keep us on their toes with news of openings, new menus, new chefs, additions and new locations. Take a look at what’s around the corner on the restaurant scene, starting on Page 34. Speaking of dining, we have two more terrific dining articles by local writer Susannah Moore, who interviews a pickle company chef/owner (Page 42) and gives us some great tips on dining out with man’s best friend (Page 45).

Got a hankering to close the laptops and disappear on a vacation in the woods for a few

alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

Beth Lawton, publisher, and Mary Ann Barton, editor

PHOTO BY MATT MENDELSOHN, TAKEN AT VIRTUE FEED & GRAIN.

days? There’s no better spot than Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. Although many vacation here in the summer, it has much to offer in the winter months as well. Check it out on Page 48.

And last but not least, local photographer Rodney Fisher has taken his passion for photography and Huntley Meadows and published a book of his best photos of this treasured Fairfax County park. Read all about it in “The Last Word,” on Page 52.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it all together for you. Be sure to check out our website, at alexandrialivingmagazine.com to get your fix of news before the next magazine gets to your mailbox. You’ll be one of more than 100,000 visitors to our site each month. Feel free to connect with us on social media as well, on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

We’ll be back here again in March as we prepare another issue as well as the Alexandria Wedding Showcase, coming up in the spring.

Stay tuned for more details coming to our website.

See you right back here in March!

Mary Ann Barton and Beth Lawton Founders

Our Team Meet some of the contributors to this issue.

LISA DUNN Contributor

RACHEL KESTER Contributor

SUSANNAH MOORE Contributor

Lisa is a freelance writer, copywriter and ghostwriter who develops high-quality content for businesses and non-profit organizations. For over two decades, her work has been featured in well-known publications including Forbes, VentureBeat, Mashable, Huffington Post, Wired, The Business Journals, USA Today, among others.

Lisa has lived in Alexandria for 20 years and resides with her children and mixed-black lab, Ryder.

Rachel is a freelance writer from Chesterfield, Virginia whose work covers topics ranging from environment to travel.

She also reviews books, art and other creative pursuits, often with a socio-environmental focus. She enjoys exploring Alexandria’s historic parks and browsing the lively Old Town Farmers’ Market.

Susannah has happily called Alexandria home since 2015. She graduated from the College of Charleston and has worked in the political and legal fields and is excited for the opportunity to rekindle her interest in writing. For fun, she enjoys running along the Potomac with her husband or spending time with her rescue cat, Cinnamon, and golden retriever, Kai.

JESSICA OVERCASH Photographer

CAROL JEAN STALUN Photographer

STEVE TRIMBLE Contributor

Overcash recently relocated to Los Angeles from the D.C. area. She likes to think of herself as the perfect balance of East Coast meets West Coast. She’s been a photographer since she was old enough to hold a camera, and has both a BA and MFA from top art schools in the country.

Carol Jean Stalun lives in Old Town Alexandria. She has a passion for photography with a specialization in nature, landscapes and cityscapes. Her award-winning work has been exhibited in juried shows hosted by Del Ray Artisans, Alexandria Art League and Exposed DC. She has also been published in local media. Her work is available for purchase on her website caroljeanstalun.com and at the Alexandria Art League’s Gallery 75 in the Old Town Alexandria Torpedo Factory.

Steve Trimble is an Alexandria resident, amateur local history enthusiast and award-winning journalist for Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine. In addition to previous stints as the Washington D.C. bureau chief for Flight International and Jane’s Defence Weekly magazines, his work has also appeared in The Guardian, USA Today and Encyclopedia Britannica. He’s also appeared as an expert on shows about aviation and military topics for the History Channel and other news and media outlets.

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

EVENT K EY Arts Food & Dining Family-Friendly Film Historic/Educational Literature Live Music Nightlife Pet-Friendly Recreation & Outdoor Shopping Theater Workshop

Experience "Ice and Lights" Jan. 8 - Feb. 27 at Cameron Run. PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVA PARKS

WINTER 2022

Calendar of Events January Alexandria Restaurant Week Jan. 21-30 Every year, dozens of Alexandria restaurants participate in Restaurant Week and offer a variety of menu specials.

Restaurants will feature $35 three-course dinner options for one or $35 dinners for two, lunch menus at $15 or $22 per person in addition to the dinner specials and brunch menus and specials, too!

Little Monsters

Teas for Winter Health

Jan. 7-29

Jan. 8 | 10-11:30 a.m.

We all know them — the little monsters that haunt, terrorize or cause us to giggle endlessly. These tiny beings emerge from fantasy as well as the real world. Come and see how artists have interpreted their little monsters in the Little Monsters exhibit at Del Ray Artisans gallery. You’ll find that little monsters can range from the dark and mysterious to the cute and whimsical.

A steaming cup of tea offers warmth, comfort and health benefits throughout cold and flu season. Sample a variety of the best teas and herbal infusions to boost immunity and cure the winter blues. Learn about their medicinal properties and discover new healthful brews to enjoy year round. Take home a sample.

Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave., delrayartisans.org

Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Rd., fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring

Various locations, visitalexandriava.com

Due to ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, some of the events listed here may move online, be postponed or be canceled. Keep an eye on alexandrialivingmagazine.com for an updated events calendar or check in with event organizers before heading out!

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

Russell Road ∙ Wilton Road ∙ Muir’s Court ∙ Pendleton Street ∙ Parenham Way ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Cottingham Place ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ East Oxford Avenue ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Buena Vista Avenue ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Bernard Street ∙ Royal Thomas Way ∙ Arkendale Road ∙ West Braddock Road ∙ Dartmouth Road ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ North West Street ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Hopewell Avenue ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Kalmia Square ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Warrington Place ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Prince Street ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Potomac Avenue ∙ King Street ∙ Aspen Street ∙ South Pitt Street ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Birch Lane ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ North Saint Asaph Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Golf Course Square ∙ Ludgate Drive ∙ Biscayne Drive ∙ Glendale Terrace ∙ Midday Lane ∙ Huntington Avenue ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Clarendon Boulevard ∙ Riverview Terrace ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ South Pitt Street ∙ Westmoreland Road ∙ Golf Course Square ∙ West Boulevard Drive ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Southdown Road ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Wakefield Court ∙ Middleford Drive ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Water Street ∙ North Overlook Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Archlaw Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ Shenandoah Road ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Olde Towne Court ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Danton Lane ∙ Circle Hill Road ∙ Shenandoah Road ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Hearthstone Mews ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Randall Court ∙ Norton Road ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ Edgehill Drive ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Gambrill Woods Way ∙ Randall Court ∙ Olde Towne Court ∙ Belle View Boulevard ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ East Glendale Avenue ∙ Crest Street ∙ Skyhill Road ∙ Foxcroft Road ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Old Towne Court ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Stanford Circle ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Golf Course Square ∙ Riverton Lane ∙ Belle View Boulevard ∙ Kristina Ursula Court ∙ Olde Towne Road ∙ Wilkinson Place ∙ Tudor Place ∙ Tally Ho Lane ∙ Foresthill Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Highland Meadows Court ∙ Plymouth Road ∙ Duke Street ∙ Saint Stephens Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Embry Spring Lane ∙ Schelhorn Road ∙ Mason Hill Drive ∙ Mason Hill Drive ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ North Washington Street ∙ North 4th Street ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Southdown Road ∙ Foresthill Road ∙ Foresthill Road ∙ Belle Rive Terrace ∙ Wood Haven Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Tally Ho Lane ∙ Peacock Avenue ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ South Utah Street ∙ South Quebec Street ∙ Water Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Gatewood Drive ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Mount Vernon Circle ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Potomac Avenue ∙ Duke Street ∙ Buena Vista Avenue ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Sharon Chapel Road ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ North Royal Street ∙ Huntington Avenue ∙ North Fenwick Street ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ Dartmouth Road ∙ Hickory Glen Way ∙ Arkendale Road ∙ E L Drive LIN G RE A ∙LNorth E Pitt S TStreet A T∙ North E APittLStreet L O V EPittRStreet TH E Drive P L ∙AHopewell C E ! Avenue ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Herbert Street ∙ West Braddock Road ∙ Burgundy RoadS ∙ Grove ∙ Arkendale Road ∙ North ∙ Grove Farrington Avenue ∙ Mount Eagle Drive ∙ Wythe Street ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Olde Towne Court ∙ North 16th Street ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Potomac Avenue ∙ King Street ∙ Aspen Street ∙ North Pollard Street ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Golf Course Square ∙ Edgehill Drive ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Fleetwood Drive ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Chalfonte Drive ∙ Biscayne Drive ∙ Glendale Terrace ∙ Plymouth Road ∙ Joust Lane ∙ Mayflower Drive ∙ Clarendon Boulevard ∙ Duke Street ∙ Aristotle Drive ∙ Fairfax Road ∙ West Boulevard Drive ∙ Baltray Circle ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ Buchanan Street ∙ Middleford Drive ∙ Southdown Road ∙ Shenandoah Road ∙ Herbert Spring Road ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Chapel Street ∙ Queen Street ∙ Rucker Place ∙ North Pitt Street ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Shenandoah Road ∙ Redwood Lane ∙ Edgehill Drive ∙ Randall Court ∙ Duke Street ∙ South Royal Street ∙ Norton Road ∙ Native Violet Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ North West Street ∙ Olde Towne Court ∙ Radcliff Road ∙ Hill Vale Place ∙ Belle View Boulevard ∙ Embry Spring Lane ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Gentle Lane ∙ First Street ∙ Radcliff Road ∙ Sun Up Way ∙ South Fayette Street ∙ Foresthill Road ∙ North Taylor Street ∙ Valleywood Road ∙ Pickering Place ∙ Ivanhoe Lane ∙ South Saint Asaph Street ∙ Crystal Drive ∙ Trinity Drive ∙ Julia Avenue ∙ Spring Hill Farm Road ∙ Rose Petal Circle ∙ Russell Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Vernon Terrace ∙ Peacock Avenue ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Foxcroft Road ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Jackson Place ∙ Berkeley Road ∙ Burtonwood Court ∙ Vernon Terrace ∙ Peacock Avenue ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Jackson Place ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ Berkeley Road ∙ Burtonwood Court ∙ Belfield Road ∙ Foxcroft Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Vernon Terrace ∙ Edgehill Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Sun Up Way ∙ North Saint Asaph Street ∙ Kings Cloister Circle ∙ Sapphire Court ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Keiths Lane ∙ Skyhill Road ∙ Fords Landing Way ∙ Union Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Landover Street ∙ South Pitt Street ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Vernon Terrace ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Woodmont Road ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Crystal Drive ∙ Edgewood Drive ∙ Hunting Cove ∙ Mount Vernon Circle ∙ Fort Hunt Road, Southdown Road ∙ Native Violet Drive ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Sandbrook Road ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ 31st Street North ∙ Mount Eagle Drive ∙ Summit Terrace ∙ Wellington Road ∙ Burtonwood Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ South Fairfax Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Kent Road ∙ Mount Eagle Drive ∙ Summit Terrace ∙ Randall Court ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Windsor Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Chapel Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Foxcroft Road ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Vernon Terrace ∙ Summit Terrace ∙ Shenandoah Road ∙ S. Fairfax Street ∙ Belle Haven Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ N. Valley Street ∙ Duffield Lane ∙ Grove Drive ∙ N. Taylor Street ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Grove Drive ∙ Burgundy Road ∙ Edgewood Terrace ∙ Cameron Street ∙ Edgehill Drive ∙ Fort Hunt Road ∙ Vernon Terrace

And So Very Thankful for my wonderful and loyal clients, friends, and our great community!

Janet Caterson Price, Licensed in VA NVAR Lifetime Top Producer | 703.622.5984 | JanetPriceHomes.com | Janet@JanetPriceHomes.com 109 S Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 | 703.549.9292 | McEnearney.com | Equal Housing Opportunity

D I S C O V E R

B U R G U N D Y

An independent JK through 8th Grade school At Burgundy, we believe children learn best in an inclusive, creative, and nurturing environment that engages the whole child. To attend a virtual event or schedule a tour, contact Omi Eaddie, Director of Admission at omie@burgundyfarm.org or call 703-329-6968.

3700 Burgundy Road Alexandria, VA 22303 burgundyfarm.org January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

9

CALENDAR OF EVENTS STARTING

JAN

8

PHOTO BY CHRIS MILITZER

Concerts at The Birchmere Check out some of the performances scheduled for January and February at The Birchmere. Check The Birchmere’s website for the latest information and a full concert list. The concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary.

JAN. 7, 8

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

Tea with Martha Washington at Mount Vernon. PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOUNT VERNON

JAN. 12, 13

Musiq Soulchild JAN. 14, 15, 16

Eddie from Ohio JAN. 17, 18

An Evening with Travis Tritt - Solo Acoustic Tour JAN. 20, 21

Keb’ Mo’ Band with The Brother Brothers JAN. 27

The Gilmour Project – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of “Dark Side of The Moon” JAN. 28

Raheem DeVaughn FEB. 4, 5

Will Downing FEB. 17

Sara Evans FEB. 19, 20

Atlantic Starr FEB. 22

Steve Vai FEB. 26, 27

Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., birchmere.com

Storytime with the Black History Museum

Ice and Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run

Jan. 8, Feb. 12 | 10-10:30 a.m.

Jan. 8 – Feb. 27 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Join Alexandria Library, the Alexandria Black History Museum and the Office of Historic Alexandria as they explore the history of Alexandria’s local African American community through books, stories and songs. Participate in an activity after the story. Please pick up your activity kit before the event. Kits available for pickup at the Beatley Central Library 2 weeks prior to the event date. All are welcome, but the event is geared towards children ages 4-8. January’s theme will be Martin Luther King Jr., and February will focus on Black History Month.

The ice rink at Cameron Run Regional Park will be open on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time on the park’s website; there will be no tickets available at the door.

Skate sessions will be limited to one hour.

Tickets are $14.07 per person and include the cost of skate rental.

Virtual, alexlibraryva.org/event/5728411

Join Martha Washington for tea and refreshments as she shares memories of her life with George Washington. Enjoy some of the Washingtons’ favorite treats and delicacies prepared by the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant. Following the program, guests are invited to take a selfguided tour of the estate. Tickets are $45 per person.

Stories in the Architecture Jan. 8, Feb. 26 | 2 p.m.

Explore the history of the Lee-Fendall House through its architecture and visit parts of the house that are not regularly open to the public. See how changes in style and home technology have left their mark on the home, from when it was built in 1785 through its continued use as a home in the 20th century.

Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden, 614 Oronoco St., leefendallhouse.org

Cameron Run Regional Park, 4001 Eisenhower Ave., novaparks.com/events/ice-lights

Tea with Martha Washington Jan. 8, 29 and Feb. 5, 19 | 1 p.m.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., mountvernon.org

Under the Same Roof Jan. 15, Feb. 12 | 2 p.m.

Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

wetland habitats of Huntley Meadows Park. Each season brings new feathered residents for brief or extended stays. Grab your binoculars and join a park naturalist on your next birding adventure! All skill levels welcome. Ages 12-plus. Register online.

JAN

23

Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows

PHOTO BY SUSANNAH MOORE

Book Talk – The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution

Enjoy "Carlyle House at 45" on Jan. 23. PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVA PARKS

Feb. 8 | 5:30 p.m.

Lee-Fendall House as domestic workers, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of how they built and shaped the house over the course of its history.

Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden, 614 Oronoco St., leefendallhouse.org

Bright Star Jan. 15-Feb. 5 | various times This Tony Award-nominated musical, created by comedy legend Steve Martin and Grammy winner Edie Brickell, is a sweeping tale of love and redemption set in the American South during the 1920s and 1940s. This emotional story weaves two chapters in the life of literary editor Alice Murphy and an ambitious young soldier just home from World War II. This original and hopeful musical, based on a true story, is propelled by a rousing country and bluegrass score. Masks, proof of vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19 are required. Visit the Little Theatre’s website for their full policy.

Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., thelittletheatre.com

Savory Soiree: A Chopin Salon in the Atrium Jan. 22 | 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy three-courses of culinary delights from Poland accompanied by French champagne and wine during this evening

of Chopin in the atrium. Concert pianist Thomas Pandolfi will perform for the second time at The Rectory on Princess Street. He will debut the new 1928 Grand Haines Piano in the beautiful glassenclosed atrium.

The Rectory on Princess Street, 711 Princess St., classicalmovements.com/secretgardenconcerts

Carlyle House at 45: Hidden House Reemerges Open House Jan. 23 | noon-4 p.m.

With the destruction of the Mansion House Hotel in the 1970s and an extensive restoration by NOVA Parks, Carlyle House reemerged into Alexandria’s line of sight as one of the grandest buildings in Old Town.

Carlyle House staff invite you to explore their exhibit “Hidden House Reemerges” for the throwback admission of $1. During your self-guided experience, learn about some of the early museum history, see photographs of the restoration and admire some of the objects found by the restoration team.

Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park

Birding at Huntley Meadows Jan. 30 | 8-11 a.m.

Feb. 9 | 9-11 a.m.

Over 200 species of birds have been identified in the forests, meadows and

Join local historian Lindsay Chervinsky for a discussion of her book “The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution.”

Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden, 614 Oronoco St., leefendallhouse.org

Hosting the President Feb. 9-27 This pop-up exhibit will highlight the presidential visits and connections associated with the Lee-Fendall House.

Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden, 614 Oronoco St., leefendallhouse.org

Rachmaninov Rhapsody – Dark Glow Feb. 12 | 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 13 | 3 p.m.

At this performance by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO), pianist Sara Daneshpour headlines with Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” Strings take center stage with a full orchestra version of Beethoven’s last string quartet.

Sibelius’ “Finlandia” and George Walker’s “Lyric for Strings” will also be performed.

ASO will be follow current health and safety protocols; all attendees must be fully vaccinated.

Saturday: Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, 4915 E. Campus Dr. Sunday: George Washington Masonic Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr. alexsym.org

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS STARTING

FEB

1

George Washington Birthday Celebration Parade

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOUNT VERNON

Feb. 21 | TBA

National Symphony Orchestra at Mount Vernon

Alexandria’s parade to celebrate the birth of our first president, George Washington, is back this year. Keep an eye out for details on other George Washington-related events at washingtonbirthday.com

Feb. 1 | 7-9 p.m.; March 15 | 7-9 p.m.; April 5 | 7-9 p.m.

Learn about the history of Mount Vernon before enjoying intimate chamber music performed by members of the National Symphony Orchestra. All concerts will begin at 7 p.m. and are followed at 8 p.m. by a reception of champagne and chocolates with the musicians.

Tickets are $65 per concert or tickets can be purchased for all three concerts for $125 for members of Mount Vernon or $150 for the general public.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., mountvernon.org

Dashing Deer on Valentine’s Day Feb. 14 | 10-11 a.m.

Join a naturalist from Huntley Meadows Park to learn about the white-tailed deer, our largest mammal neighbors. What do they eat and how do they live? Touch real deer fur, antlers and bones. Make a deer Valentine’s day craft for your “deer.” Ages 3-6, register online.

Mount Vernon Birthnight Supper and Ball Feb. 20 | 7–10 p.m.

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and the Neighborhood Friends invite you to join them for the 2022 Birthnight Supper

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George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., mountvernon.org

Washington’s Birthday Celebration Feb. 21 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Admission is free for George Washington’s birthday. The number of tickets available is limited and can only be reserved in advance online. Members can reserve a limited number of tickets starting Feb. 1.

Non-members can reserve tickets starting Feb. 12. Tickets not available on-site. The Mansion will be closed during this event.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., mountvernon.org

alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

Feb. 21 | 2 p.m.

The Patron’s Show is The Art League’s biggest fundraising event of the year, providing seasoned art collectors and newcomers alike with the excellent opportunity to acquire high-quality, original fine art at a bargain price while supporting a great non-profit organization and community of artists. For each ticket drawn, ticket-holders go home with a work of art valued anywhere from $225 to upwards of thousands of dollars. In light of continuing restrictions surrounding COVID, the show is keeping a virtual format so nobody misses out on this perennial favorite! All proceeds go to benefit The Art League’s educational programs, exhibits, and community outreach programs. Tickets are $225 and are non-refundable.

Virtual, theartleague.org/events PHOTO BY SUSANNAH MOORE

Huntley Meadows Park, 3701 Lockheed Blvd., fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows

& Ball. This special tradition celebrates the birth of our founding father, George Washington, with a black-tie gala in honor of the General’s 290th birthday.

The Art League Patrons’ Show

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Violoncello da spalla Bach’s Cello Suites

Blue Stockings Feb. 26-March 19 | various times

PHOTO COURTESY OF GREEN SPRING GARDENS

Winter Garden Tour - Green Spring Up & Down Feb. 26 | 10-11:30 a.m.

Extension Master Gardener docents lead a tour of Green Spring’s winter landscape.

View some upper demonstration gardens, then take the garden path less travelled to explore the naturalistic lower garden areas: The Virginia Native Plant Garden, woodland stream valley and ponds. Finish at the Historic House with warm drinks. Tour involves a steep slope with loose gravel.

Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Rd., fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring

What does it take to accomplish social change? This historical drama, which premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London in 2013, follows the story of four women fighting for an education, set against the backdrop of the women’s suffrage movement. The story is set in 1896 at Cambridge University, the first college in Britain to admit women, but things still aren’t equal. The men graduate with degrees and prospects, but the women leave with nothing but the stigma of being a “blue stocking,” a derogatory term for an educated woman. Follow the men and women of Cambridge University as they shatter prevailing traditions. Conflicts abound as generations, social classes and genders clash.

Feb. 26 | 7 p.m.

Masks, proof of vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19 are required. Visit the Little Theatre’s website for their full policy.

This performance is presented by Washington Bach Consort.

Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., thelittletheatre.com

Few have heard of the violoncello da spalla; fewer still have heard the instrument in a live performance or commercial recording.

It looks like a smaller version of the cello and is strapped to the body over the shoulder (spalla), resting across the upper chest. The instrument existed during Bach’s lifetime, and there is speculation that several of his cantatas dating from the 1720s may have been composed with such an instrument in mind. The same has been conjectured about Bach’s Sixth Cello Suite, which will be presented in this performance. Andrew Gonzalez performs a rich program on this fascinating instrument, opening a revelatory view of two of Bach’s iconic cello suites.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 228 S. Pitt St., bachconsort.org/

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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COMMUNITY ART

New Art Installation Coming to Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park will be a bit brighter in 2022.

building), as well as a giant red M in the city.

sculptures for public pleasure,” according to their website.

Miami-based R&R Studio will install the next Waterfront Park public art project this spring — a massive neon sign reading: I Love You. The asphalt area that has been central to the last several public art installations will be painted to resemble a living room rug.

They have created large art installations in multiple states including Colorado and California, and internationally in Argentina and Belgium. Their work is viewable on rr-studios.com.

Public art installations began in Waterfront Park in 2019 with “Mirror Mirror” by New York’s SOFTlab design studio, led by artist and architect Michael Szivos.

R&R Studio is run by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt, a husband and wife team who has completed art installations across the country, including at Coachella. The team installed signs atop three Miami high-rise buildings that said I Love You (one word on each

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“Their works propose encounters of stories and spaces, which alternate between the personal and the public, the quotidian and the extraordinary, the poetical and the political. R & R Studios works erase boundaries between art and life and suggest ‘imaginary solutions’ for a better world. Rosario and Roberto are known for creating social

alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

PUBLIC SERVICE

Mayor Wilson Ready to Tackle Second Term

BY MARY ANN BARTON

Fresh off his re-election as mayor of Alexandria in November, Justin Wilson makes his way quickly through a large crowd gathered for the weekly farmers market outside of City Hall to take a photo just before a Saturday morning City Council meeting.

In addition to his role as mayor of Alexandria, Wilson is also a dad (he has two children), a husband (he and wife Alex have been married 20 years) and a son (his mom lives in Alexandria’s West End). He also works for Amtrak.

“It’s certainly a balance,” he said. “You know, I can’t do this forever, but I enjoy doing it now. It’s fun. And it gives me a challenge. I enjoy working for the community, I enjoy working with my colleagues and we’re making a lot of progress. I mean, there’s a lot of good things happening in the city right now.”

“And, you know, that’s why I ran again and I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of this come to fruition,” he said. “I’m also really excited about this new council. I think we’ve got three really strong new folks coming on with a lot of interesting experiences and new ideas. And that’s

Mayor Justin Wilson. PHOTO BY MARY ANN BARTON

great. We need all the great ideas right now, as we come out of this pandemic.”

November’s election: flooding, community safety and pay for first responders.

The new lineup for City Council includes Amy Jackson, vice mayor; John TaylorChapman and Canek Aguirre, and newcomers Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins, Sarah Bagley and R. Kirk McPike.

First elected to City Council at age 28 more than 14 years ago, Wilson, 42, is once again preparing to roll up his sleeves to tackle the myriad of issues confronting a city of about 160,000.

Wilson discussed a number of issues on Alexandria’s front burners, including his take on the issues that defined

Infrastructure Improvements With additional funding flowing to communities across the country from the infrastructure bill recently signed by President Joe Biden, the mayor is excited about Alexandria getting its share of federal money.

“It is an incredible opportunity for us,” said Wilson. “These are the types of projects we’ve been trying to advance locally, entirely on local revenue, for decades now.”

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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“We have to make sure we have candidate projects that qualify, so some of it is working through that,” he noted. Some of the funding will be direct and other federal funds might come through the state. “We’re going to be working every angle,” he said.

That includes projects that will help prevent flooding, which has been one of the most pressing and stressful issues for many residents in recent years.

In 2020, the city doubled the stormwater utility fee. “It’s the revenue stream we use for most of our flooding projects,” he noted, “and over the next decade, that’ll provide just about a half billion dollars for the city to advance both maintenance and infrastructure investment in our storm sewers. We have a series of projects we prioritized, 11 very large capacity projects and scores of smaller, what we call ‘spot improvements.’”

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“Ultimately, I think what we’re hearing from residents is they wanted those projects done yesterday,” he said.

Alexandria hired Daniel Medina as Flood Action Alexandria Program Manager in October. He will also address the concerns of Alexandria’s residents by serving as liaison to the City Council-appointed Ad Hoc Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Group.

City Staff Recruitment and Retention “The city is, like any employer right now, there is an acute staffing crisis all across the region and the country,” he said. “But even beyond that, the city has historically struggled to compete in this region for pay and benefits for all of our staff but particularly for those high-demand positions — police, fire, sheriff’s department, educators. It’s been a struggle for us.”

alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

Wilson explained that just prior to COVID, “when the manager presented his budget in the early part of 2020, he had included some significant pay adjustments included with that budget and unfortunately because of COVID hitting and the desire not to touch the tax rate at that time, the council shelved those adjustments."

“We’re trying to now catch up on some of those,” he said. “We just implemented a pay scale adjustment as well as a one-time bonus as well as some targeted adjustments for some positions in the police, sheriff’s department and fire department, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

The mayor also noted: “There is a commitment to attract the best and the brightest, and we want to keep them and I think that’s going to require some investment. Everyone is having that struggle with public safety and in general.

PUBLIC SERVICE I know from my day job that everyone is struggling right now.”

School Resource Officers Last spring, the City Council, in a contentious discussion, voted to remove school resource officers (SROs) from schools and replace them with more mental health professionals.

Wilson was in the minority on city council who opposed reallocating the funding for the SRO program and was later criticized when he voted in favor of the budget overall. After several violent incidents in the school system, the SROs returned to their posts — at least temporarily.

“As far as school resource officers were concerned, they basically just moved the folks who were in those positions back into those positions,” Wilson said. “So, you know, they’re back for now. I think that’s a conversation that the Council and the school board are going to need to have here over the next several months to figure out what a permanent program looks like. There’s still obviously a great amount of controversy on that issue. And I think there’s folks on both sides of that issue that feel extremely strongly.”

“You know, I’m glad we have the school resource officers back, I think that was the right call to keep them in the schools,” he said.

“We’ve had a rough run [with teen violence issues at schools and elsewhere]. Let’s step back. Our kids were out of school for a good chunk of 18 months for some of them. We’re not accustomed to being back in those environments, figuring out how to solve problems and all the childhood lessons that we pick up. It’s been rough, and I think we knew it was going to be rough going in, and so that’s been part of the adjustment we’ve been working through and trying to make some investments to support our kids, and ensure that we get folks back accustomed to being in those environments.”

“I think we’re seeing some signs that things are slowing down as kids get back to being in person and all that,” he said. “But it’s a transition.”

New administration in Richmond Wilson noted that he and his Northern Virginia counterparts, in particular Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County stay in touch on a regular basis and will make sure the region’s voice is heard with the new administration and statehouse.

“The five of us stay in constant contact,” he said. “We’re talking all the time and have been really, for the last year and a half, we’ve been coordinating input to the administration, we’ve been coordinating how we approach the federal government and everything like that. And even in the last week after the election, I think we’ve been talking what this all means for us. And, so, I think we’re going to continue to be in extremely close contact.”

Juggling it all One of the things that helps Wilson stay grounded is running. “I run all over the place, a lot of times on the waterfront,” he said. “You know, I have a group of guys that goes out three times a week. And so we meet up early mornings, and go run and, you know, that’s good. We solve all the problems in the world, while we run around the city,” he joked.

He and his family also love to travel.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic grounded me a little bit, but I love traveling. We did a summer trip that we had originally planned for 2020, we did it last summer, and we went to Croatia. And that was wonderful.

And we’ve got a trip to Spain coming up in December [last month] with the kids.”

Not a ‘forever’ mayor “This is not a forever thing for me, I’m not going to be the mayor for life,” he said. As far as higher office, “I’ve never really had that. You know, it always surprises people when I tell them that, that I’ve never really had that, that calling, you know?”

“I enjoy local government, where I can see the kind of direct impact of the work that I do. I enjoy the issues that we deal with locally. And I just don’t have that same passion for you know, for Congress or General Assembly or whatever. It’s just not where I want to go. I wouldn’t say never, but certainly not anytime soon.”

PHOTO BY RUSTY KENNEDY FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

Major Projects on Both Ends of Town The City owns the former munitions factory-turned-art facility on Alexandria’s waterfront and “we want to continue to make that an arts-focused center,” Wilson said.

“I’m frustrated we haven’t figured out the next step for the Torpedo Factory yet.” The 100-year-old building needs some serious and costly upgrades and that opens the opportunity for improvements.

Some artists are wary of what could happen, but nothing is written in stone yet.

No matter what happens, Wilson said, he hopes that a decision will be made to help bring more visitors to the center and more diversity of artists and art.

On the other end of town, the redevelopment of the Landmark Mall property is, after decades of delays, moving ahead.

The land is now slated for a hospital, as well as residential, retail, a fire station, open space and affordable housing.

“We created a Community Development Authority, an offshoot of our Industrial Development Authority, that is actually going to purchase the hospital site at Landmark and lease it back to Inova,” Wilson said. “It’s the first big, firm, irrevocable step toward achieving this vision…. We’ve been talking about this in our community for a quarter of a century and we’re seeing it finally come to reality.”

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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LOCAL

HISTORY

Alexandria’s Innovative Electric Transportation

BY RACHEL KESTER

Driving through Alexandria, you’ll notice an array of public and private transportation options from buses to trains, cars, bicycles and scooters. But what might surprise some is that at one point, city residents enjoyed a thriving electric streetcar system — one of the first of its kind in the country.

Originally called the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway, it first opened for service Sept. 18, 1892, ferrying tourists to Mount Vernon and, later, workers into D.C. It instantly became a local thrill. The Washington Post covered its debut, reporting that Fairfax Street was so crowded with spectators that it was almost impossible for the streetcars to run on time.

There were multiple stations along the railway’s route. Beginning at the Mount Vernon estate, the streetcars made stops along South Royal Street, South Fairfax, King Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Four Mile Run and Arlington. In 1896, the trolley line was eventually extended and connected to tracks owned by the Belt Line Street

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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LOCAL

HISTORY

Railway Company, allowing the cars to easily reach 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. While the trolleys were popular, just like today’s electric buses recently introduced in Alexandria, they didn’t run without hitches. The first streetcars tended to have poor heating and would sometimes stall along the way. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that engineers significantly improved the vehicles.

The Mount Vernon station might be the most intriguing of all the stations. Rather than being a small, shack-like structure with benches, it was a welcoming stop and featured a cozy tea room where riders could disembark and grab a bite to eat before continuing their journey or exploring the nearby historic grounds.

To keep up with demand, the streetcars ran regularly Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to almost midnight. As the region became further developed, the system was used for more commercial purposes, such as to reach shops and the amusement park known as Luna Park near Four Mile Run. Without obstacles, the trolleys could reach the District of Columbia from Alexandria within 30 minutes.

These vehicles not only served as transportation, but also helped grow the city. Thanks to its route, it encouraged neighborhoods like Del Ray and St. Elmo to expand because they became more accessible. By including a line along these suburban areas, more people were able to own homes while still having access to the city. At its peak, 92 cars were rushing up and down the region. Thanks to its efficiency, the electric railway quickly

Trolley car from the Rosemont line. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC ALEXANDRIA

became one of the most successful trolley systems in the United States.

and in April 1932, it officially closed after four decades of service.

The electric streetcars enjoyed their celebrity status until major competition struck — cars. The growing automobile industry in the early 20th-century proved to be fatal to the streetcars as people became enraptured by this new technology. In a final blow to the system, the Federal Triangle’s development in the 1920s removed the streetcar system’s Washington, D.C. station, making it harder for riders to reach the nation’s capital.

While most traces of this fascinating piece of Alexandria’s history have pretty much vanished, a few remain. The only artifacts left are the car in front of the Del Ray library and the streetcar sign for the Town of Potomac, according to Office of Historic Alexandria’s Daniel Lee. However, there was a major buzz in the city last year when a section of streetcar tracks was found beneath King Street during repairs.

Over the years, the streetcar’s line was slowly removed or covered to make new roads. Some parts of the George Washington Memorial Parkway lie over portions of the streetcar’s route, such as near Great Hunting Creek. The southern traffic circle of the George Washington Parkway also displays the former trolley’s turnaround road design at Mount Vernon.

With all of these obstacles, it was virtually impossible for the service to continue

The old streetcars may no longer run, but their legacy lives on. While slightly different, the King Street Trolley serves a similar purpose helping both residents and visitors maneuver Old Town Alexandria.

To further honor the streetcar’s mark on the city, the Office of Historic Alexandria commemorated the trolley line when it unveiled its holiday ornament during the 2021 holiday season, depicting the system’s Car 303.

As you wander through the city, you’ll more than likely be distracted by the nearby Potomac, honking of horns and the occasional train whistle, but if you listen carefully, you might just hear the soft tinkling of the streetcar’s ghostly bells reverberating through the busy streets.

Here a Washington-Virginia railway train passes over the causeway that would later be the northern end of Commonwealth Avenue. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FRED SCHNEIDER COLLECTION

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

To read more about Alexandria’s electric streetcar, read “Old Dominion Trolley Too, A History of the Mount Vernon Line” by the late John E. Merriken.

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January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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LOCAL HISTORY

ALEXANDRIA Forgotten home to the world’s largest private arms dealer

BY STEVE TRIMBLE

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

LOCAL

HISTORY

Sam Cummings had a big problem on his hands in 1955: He was deep in the process of acquiring a lucrative load of 300,000 surplus Scandinavian military weapons, but he had no place to store all of them.

The answer to that problem would soon become a significant, if nearly forgotten, piece in the long history of the Alexandria waterfront. Cummings — a man labeled the “Merchant of Menace” in a 1970 profile by Sports Illustrated — quickly transformed a mostly-vacant section of waterfront property into the main hub of his global arms dealing operation from the mid-1950s until the end of the last century.

Cummings’ International Armament Corporation, also known as Interarms, would ship millions of surplus military arms and ammunition to and from the waterfront pier and about 10 warehouses stretched along South Union Street between Prince and Wolfe streets — a location since redeveloped into luxury condos, trendy restaurants and scenic public spaces. Weapons would come in from the surplus stocks of military armories all over the world and go out to a wide-ranging clientele, including dictators, rebels and private American sportsmen and collectors.

At the peak of its Alexandria operations in the late-1960s, Interarms had stored up possibly the largest privately-owned arsenal in history: 700,000 weapons, which Cummings estimated was enough to equip about 40 infantry divisions.

This “Arsenal on the Potomac,” as it was described in Guns magazine in 1959,

Potomac Arms Corporation and Full Metal Jacket store, southeast corner of Prince Street and The Strand. A view from the doorway looking west ca. 1960, Alexandria Library, Special Collections, John C. Richards Collection.

filled up over 100,000 sq. ft. inside the Alexandria warehouses, with the company’s global headquarters just around the corner at 10 Prince Street.

Cummings, whose career began as an arms buyer for the CIA, founded Interarms in 1953 with a clear vision.

As President Eisenhower’s first term began, the United States and Soviet Union already seemed locked in a nascent Cold War and militaries around the globe were modernizing with the latest equipment. First, however, armies from Sweden to South Africa needed to dispose of a mountain of aging left-overs from World War II.

With his CIA contacts, self-taught gun expertise and a knack for garrulous self-promotion, Cummings saw a perfect opportunity to cheaply buy-out these obsolete arsenals, then sell them at higher prices in foreign lands or — thanks to famously looser restrictions on buying imported, military-grade weapons, especially before 1968 — to American citizens.

But Interarms’ rise to become the world’s largest private arms dealer started with Cummings’ storage problem for the Scandinavian load. In 1955, Cummings was just beginning a three-year process of clearing out the arsenals all around the Baltic Sea, including 150,000

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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LOCAL

weapons from Finland, 100,000 more from Denmark, 60,000-70,000 from Sweden and 25,000 from Norway, plus millions of rounds of ammunition. It was the first of what would become a string of blockbuster purchases by Interarms of surplus arms all over the world, but now Cummings needed to find storage — and lots of it.

A warehouse on Staten Island that he had previously rented for smaller purchases in Central America was not an option. The New York location was too far from his home in Georgetown to be convenient, and he didn’t like how much Staten Island’s unionized warehouses cost.

The Alexandria waterfront quickly emerged as an ideal alternative. Today’s prime real estate on the Potomac River was still an industrial wasteland in the mid-1950s, dotted by a jumble of mostly vacant warehouses that Cummings realized he could rent or buy for cheap. It helped that all of the world’s diplomatic missions, including their arms-buying military attachés, could be found in the embassies a few miles up the river from Alexandria in Washington DC. Moreover, a Finnlines freighter loaded with Scandinavian newsprint for The Washington Post regularly sailed from Helsinki to the docks of the Robinson Terminal Co. in Alexandria, and the Finnish sailors were “only too willing

HISTORY

to bring in arms from Europe,” according to Cummings’ biographers, Patrick Brogan and Albert Zarca, who published, “Deadly Business: Sam Cummings, Interarms and the Arms Trade,” in 1983.

Historically, Interarms’ presence marked a reprise role for the Alexandria waterfront as an arms depot. During the Revolutionary War, Robert Townshend Hooe, the town’s mayor, used a warehouse in the same location to store muskets and gunpowder, which he had acquired from the French garrison at Martinique by trading goods from Alexandria.

A few blocks further north, the U.S. Navy opened a factory to build Mark 3 torpedos in 1918. After five years, the factory (now the Torpedo Factory Art Center) was converted into a munitions storage facility until 1937, when the Navy resumed manufacturing in Alexandria for Mark 14 torpedoes through the end of World War II. Perhaps these historic links to the arms business helped smooth the way for Interarms’ arrival on the waterfront in the decade after the Navy’s torpedo station closed in 1946. Nine years later, nothing of similar scale had replaced the plant’s 16 buildings and 5,000 jobs, creating an atmosphere of industrial decay in the historic heart of the city. If city officials had any qualms about the waterfront becoming the operational base for a privately-owned arsenal that rivaled the firepower of many European militaries, they kept it quiet.

The city’s emergency services, however, were on full alert. Although the doors to Interarms’ warehouses featured elaborate triple-locks, the intruder alarms included a wire directly to police headquarters, according to the Sports Illustrated story. The last thing city officials wanted was a police stand-off with the world’s most well-armed burglars

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

“The arms business is idiocy, it’s lunacy without bottom, but it will last as long as man, however long that may be. The world will never disarm. So what should I do but laugh?”

deep in one of their most densely populated neighborhoods.

To Cummings, Interarms was just another business, creating jobs and opportunity through legitimate trade of legal goods. In frequent interviews with the likes of 60 Minutes, National Public Radio and The Washington Post, Cummings spent decades defending his role in a global arms trade dominated by governments rather than individuals, often employing his world-weary and wry sense of humor to make his point.

“The arms business is idiocy, it’s lunacy without bottom,” Cummings told Sports Illustrated, “but it will last as long as man, however long that may be. The world will never disarm. So what should I do but laugh?”

Despite the risks inherent in the arms-trading business, Cummings was careful to avoid breaking any laws. At the same time, he refused to apologize for selling weapons to any legal buyer, even if they were known as brutal dictators or in some cases the violent enemies of his other clients.

For example, Cummings sold 100 ArmaLite AR-10 rifles — the progenitor of the U.S. military’s M-16 rifle — to Cuban President Fulgencio Batista in December 1958, but the shipment did not arrive in Havana until a month later.

LOCAL

By then, Cuban rebel leader Fidel Castro had captured Havana — and Cummings’ cargo of AR-10 rifles. Not letting a sales opportunity pass by, Cummings pressed Castro to pay for the shipment ordered

by Batista, which the Cuban leader approved. Since the U.S. trade embargo would not be imposed on Cuba until 1962, Cummings’ small arms export to Castro’s regime in 1959 was legal.

But Cummings’ bold plans sometimes forced Alexandria officials to say “no.”

A notable example involved a purchase

by Interarms of 50,000 hand grenades from Denmark. Cummings’ plan did not call for selling the grenades, but harvesting and repackaging them for resale for their high explosive TNT, which is useful in mining and other industries.

But that idea meant Interarms needed to establish a dangerous TNT-harvesting operation on Alexandria’s waterfront. A standard grenade contains 180g of TNT. Collectively, a load of 50,000 grenades contains nearly 10 tons of TNT. For perspective, an explosion at an ammonium nitrate facility in Texas in 2013 created a force equal to 7.5-10 tons of TNT, killing 15 people in the small town and damaging more than 150 buildings.

Understandably, city officials did not share Cummings’ enthusiasm for the TNT-harvesting operation inside his waterfront warehouses. “They ordered him to clear his warehouse of high explosives,” Brogan and Zarca wrote in the 1983 book. Cummings’ attempts to find other locations or other uses for the grenades came to nothing. He finally paid the U.S. Coast Guard to collect all 50,000 hand-portable explosives, haul them out to sea and dump them overboard.

The stash of weapons on the waterfront was not limited to only small arms, which caused other problems. Among the arms sold to Interarms by Finland were 999 copies of Lahti L-39s. During World War II, the Finnish army used these 7-ft.-long, 20-mm.-caliber rifles to penetrate the

HISTORY

armor of Soviet tanks and shoot-down Soviet fighters.

Cummings sold these to private citizens in the United States with a sinister advertising slogan, asking: “Why be under-gunned?” A group of bank robbers in Canada thought Cummings was onto something and obtained one, along with shells for $1 each. Then, the group used the powerful rifle to blow open a Brinks safe in Syracuse, New York, pocketing $415,998. “It was undeniable that the Canadian robbers’ task was facilitated because Cummings was selling cannon on the open market,” Brogan and Zarca wrote.

Interarms’ warehouses in Alexandria also played a key role in the explosion of U.S. domestic gun sales after World War II. For the U.S. market, access to guns was broadly legal, but still very expensive, costing $100-$150 apiece for new models

by Winchester and Remington. By dumping hundreds of thousands of surplus foreign military rifles in the U.S. market for $20-$40 each, Cummings’ company helped define a seemingly inexhaustible demand by American sportsmen for cheap, powerful guns. Even after the 1968 Gun Control Act banned imports of most foreign military rifles and mail-order sales of rifles and shotguns, domestic suppliers stepped up to continue filling that demand.

“Cummings alone had the wit to marry European surplus and American demand,” Brogan and Zarca wrote.

“He bought cheap in Europe and Latin America, and … he charged prices that domestic manufacturers could never hope to meet.”

Interarms’ business grew so quickly that Cummings decided to split the operation. Starting in the early 1960s, Richard Winter took over as manager of operations in Alexandria. Cummings decided to focus on purchasing and moved to Europe, setting up a permanent residence in Monte Carlo and a winter home

in Switzerland. The 1968 law limited the arms he could send to his warehouses in Alexandria, but Interarms’ trade in surplus weapons continued through an acquired storage and refurbishment complex in Manchester, U.K. In fact, the U.S. operation expanded beyond Alexandria, with the opening of a factory in Midland, Virginia to make a copy of the 1873 Colt Peacemaker revolver.

But Interarms could not out-live its creator. The company dissolved less than two years after Cummings died in 1998 from a series of strokes at 71. Since then, the city’s redevelopment efforts have wiped away all traces of shabby warehouses that only a generation ago bristled with foreign weaponry.

If it was up to Cummings, the city might have been left with an enduring reminder of its unsung role in the global arms trade. As an enthusiastic, wealthy arms buyer, Cummings had amassed a private collection of rare and valuable weapons, including the sword carried by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo.

Cummings offered to establish a museum in Alexandria to display his private collection of 1,600 weapons, one of the largest in the world. Nothing came of the offer, however. All that remains of Cummings’ presence in Alexandria is a single artifact in the Alexandria History Museum’s War of 1812 collection at The Lyceum: A smoothbore, cast-iron cannon called a “carronade.” Cummings donated the artifact to the museum from his private collection.

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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SPONSORED

The Decorating Conversation

High Style at High Point The High Point Furniture Market is the unofficial New Year’s Day for the interior design committee. What we see at the manufacturers’ spaces in North Carolina goes a long way towards setting the agenda for what will be in or out in home décor and this year’s edition gave us lots to be excited about.

First and foremost: Boucle is back and in a big way. Think of those luxurious Chanel suits and you’ll have an idea as to what’s in store. In its home-furnishings iteration, boucle offers unmatched texture and color. Surprisingly, it also provides tremendous durability making it perfect on the rounded overstuffed sofas and chairs that are so on trend right now. Want to start small? It’s easy to find a boucle pillow or throw to update your look and bring in the cozy softness you’re looking for

hues still showcase texture and by mixing materials and textures stones, woods, and metals happily coexist. Where will we see them? Primarily in sofas and beds where they bring comfort and coziness to the eye.

Replacing a traditional piece of wood furniture with a mixed-materials piece is a quick way to update a room. Adding a metal side table or entry console can bring in fresh feel that is the farthest thing from being too industrial.

Something else to look for in metal pieces are muted, softer looking finishes. Think of the gold of your grandmother’s charm bracelet, loved and worn for years. Or a silver baby cup, a little dented and perhaps in need of a polish. It’s easy to bring in the look of metal, without feeling like you live in a factory.

Loving the beach as I do, I also was excited to see lots of new takes on blues and greens, not only in fabrics, but also in metal and wood finishes. The soft-toned

By using different materials, we can change (or refine, as the case may be) the feel of any room. An example: the pebbled smooth finish of Shagreen pairs well with metal legs and hardware, bring luxe and glam to any space. Just think of how a Shagreen embossed desk would update the look and function of your home office.

And while traditional wood finishes aren’t the look we are seeing right now, you don’t need to fret over scrapping most of what you already own. Making a few small tweaks can bring big changes. Having an older piece painted in a silvery gray or JANET BERTIN matte blue will bring in a different vibe to Decorating Alexandria your room. And if you’re not ready for for more thanre25 years painting, updating only the hardware can go a long way in refreshing a dated piece.

Small changes CAN have a big impact.

As we enter a new year, it is the perfect time for a change. You decide: big changes or small…new pillows or a whole new look.

Resolve to take care of yourself and your We love the homes we do space – a trainer for you, a decorator for with a highly traditional flash of glam to rock star your space. I look forward to talking with with notes of classic, and everything in between! you soon.

Call us and we can help you love your home too!

To start your next interior design project contact Janet Bertin at 703-299-0633 or janetbertin.decoratingden.com.

Janet Bertin, Allied ASID 703-299-0633

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janetbertin@decoratingden.com janetbertin.decoratingden.com

HOME & GARDEN

Remodeling?

Don’t Let the Pandemic Halt Your Dream Plans

STORY BY LISA DUNN PHOTOS BY JESSICA OVERCASH

A 12-week wait for windows.

Cabinet deliveries delayed again and again. Contractors who are booked up and can’t start your project until June (maybe).

COVID-19-related setbacks and supply chain issues have contributed to major delays for most renovation projects as local designers, contractors and suppliers struggle to rebound from the pandemic and keep up with demand.

The Alexandria area, just like the rest of the country, experienced a dramatic increase in the demand for home remodeling projects since the pandemic hit. In fact, a recent study revealed that more than half of Americans say making their home more useful and comfortable is extremely important.

Still, plenty of Alexandria homeowners are finding ways to forward with plans.

“My kitchen is too small.”

“We need more storage.”

“I would love to have a proper home office, separate bathroom sinks, and how about a soaking tub?!”

From new countertops and hardwood flooring to updated fireplace surrounds and fresh paint colors, we all have a renovation “wish list,” says Kaki Ernst, an Alexandria-based Interior Design Consultant and owner of TruleyHome. Ernst says she’s heard these “asks” almost daily since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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HOME & GARDEN

“I love what I do, and I am lucky to be as busy as I am,” Ernst says. “I want all of my clients to be happy with not only the end result but also with the process … yet that’s where the challenge lies today.”

Alexandria is experiencing a white-hot housing market where buyers are willing to pay premiums for what they want and contractors are paying above-market rates for materials to meet or at least come close to deadlines.

So long as demand for renovations ranging from simple bathroom upgrades to complete kitchen makeovers continues to skyrocket, designers and contractors say it will continue to be difficult to efficiently deliver their products and services, especially due to the major shortage of construction materials. This, along with other factors, stem from a “perfect storm” of obstacles including a lack of skilled labor, unexpected weather, tariffs and port congestion — there simply isn’t enough inventory and manpower to keep up with current demand.

In today’s evolving supply chain, there is no quick and easy solution, and it is difficult to go it alone, according to a spokesperson for Ferguson, a local bath, kitchen and lighting gallery. From shipping delays and lost products to raw material shortages, the most experienced homeowners dive into their renovation projects thinking the same rules apply. But that’s not the case anymore and consulting with a trusted partner is the secret ingredient to navigating supply chain challenges.

Remodeling in a COVID-19 world: The local perspective Ernst says she has been working on an Alexandria kitchen remodel since January 2021. She ordered appliances last April, with an original delivery date set for August. The kitchen work, she said, was mostly completed as they finally received the refrigerator in October. However, they are still waiting on the wall oven to arrive.

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

JANET BERTIN Decorating Alexandria for more than 25 years

We love the homes we do highly traditional with a flash of glam to rock star with notes of classic, and everything in between!

“The building and remodeling business is changing daily, and I feel my job, now more than ever, is all about communicating with my clients, vendors and contractors to keep us all working together and setting expectations for this ‘new’ way of remodeling,” she said. “The normal excitement and anticipation from receiving that first call from a client is now coupled with the need to deliver news they don’t want to hear. We can do that, but it’s not going to be quick. Sharing the news of material delays and how this will impact scheduling their dream projects is like a raincloud on a sunny day.”

Call us and we can help you love your home too!

Cindy Beckham, a TruleyHome client, says while she didn’t have to change their original kitchen design, she did have to adapt her family’s schedule along the way.

“Our expectation was the project would be completed by early September, and for the most part, it was,” Beckham said. “Kaki and our contractor worked hard to meet our deadline, but in the end, our refrigerator and oven were delayed due to the pandemic. I do feel bad for our contractor, who scheduled his team based on original delivery dates. The most unfortunate part of the process was the lack of transparency and clear communication about realistic appliance delivery dates and the impact it had on our contractor scheduling his team.”

Janet Bertin, Allied ASID 703-299-0633 janetbertin@decoratingden.com janetbertin.decoratingden.com January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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HOME & GARDEN

According to Ernst, pre-pandemic, design consultants and contractors were able to rely on scheduled delivery dates, but lately, this is just no longer the case. “This has become a major timing issue, from the contractors and suppliers to designers and the homeowner.

Everyone is juggling new delivery dates and rescheduling the next vendor or subcontractor in line,” she noted.

It’s hard to find anyone in the construction business not struggling with supply chain issues. One challenge, says Matt Burton, a Northern Virginia project consultant, is “keeping up with changes in availability and cost increases that change daily.”

“Our vendors do a great job in keeping us up-to-date, but I have to do a lot of going back to clients and backtracking,” Burton says. “It’s to the point now where I use a lot of ‘ifs’ in my conversations versus promises or giving hope.”

Elisa Baber, owner of SweetSpace, says sourcing furniture in her local design business during the pandemic has been challenging.

“In a perfect world, as designers, we select furniture, procure it and then have an install with a grand reveal,” Baber said. “Now, everything feels very piecemeal, and we accept items as they come in because of the increasing lead times. Also, there is at least one item that is back ordered or no longer available between sourcing it and presenting it to the client. This often leads to frustration for the client and more work for the designer.”

As far as some of the biggest pandemic headaches, Baber adds that freight has been a major challenge to work around. Items that are “available and ready to ship” often turn into an additional six-plus weeks on top of the time it takes to craft and receive them. “These delays make it tough for scheduling installs, which typically need to be done weeks in advance. Truly, the only thing we can do is keep communication open with our clients and set expectations for the unpredictable.”

Tina Trumbo, an Alexandria homeowner who worked with Ernst on a recent bathroom and

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laundry room remodel, had to change her ideas and plans due to a lack of materials for her project. “We had to make different decisions on cabinets in order to not push the project out by months. We sacrificed quality for timeliness.”

Initially, Trumbo explained, she was concerned about being forced to pivot. However, it turns out the more affordable cabinets were perfect for her family’s purpose. “Even with extra time and delays, it has been worth it. We’ve spent so much time in our home during the pandemic, so the investment in new, fresh spaces will continue to bring us peace of mind and lower anxiety,” she says.

Trumbo advises other homeowners exploring remodeling options right now to work with a designer who is attentive and can help with not only picking out materials but acquiring them. “Our designer [Ernst], was able to source new products when the ones we initially wanted were no longer available. For me, the investment in a designer to take that off my plate was the best decision of our redesign.”

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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HOME & GARDEN

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alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

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Ernst offers several tips if you find yourself ready to enter a remodeling project in the current climate:

• Make decisions on finishes sooner to lock in costs, especially items like appliances, cabinets, tile and flooring. The pandemic has affected these items’ cost and timing the most.

• Give yourself plenty of time, sit back and enjoy the ride. Don’t start a project until you know you have all the materials in hand.

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Ernst adds: “Building or remodeling your home is exciting and stressful all in one. Balancing the budget, design and timing is a huge undertaking. Surround yourself with people you trust and know they are working hard for your best interests. I build my business on forming these relationships with not only my clients but my vendors and contractors.”

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• Create “look books” to help communicate your vision and desires for your spaces. This can be in the form of pictures from magazines, Pinterest boards or even a folder on your computer where you save images.

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January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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Openings and Innovations Push Alexandria’s Restaurant Scene Forward Alexandria restaurants have once again weathered a year of ups and downs thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic. And now with the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant and winter weather, there could be even more challenges ahead. But as you’ll read in the pages ahead, there is lots to look forward to on Alexandria’s restaurant scene. Plucky restaurant owners continue to open new eateries and evolve with the changing times. If you’re like us, you’ll want to stop in and check out some of the new eateries coming our way and visit some of our old favorites to see what’s new.

We’re excited about these new ventures coming, but remember to stop by and visit some of the old favorites, too, pictured on the next few pages!

Left: A couple enjoys a tabletop firepit at Barca on the waterfront. PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

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FOOD & DINING

Shortages, Dining Habits Continue to Shift Restaurant Industry

BY ALEXANDRIA LIVING MAGAZINE STAFF

Alexandria’s dining scene continues to evolve with restaurants juggling staff, food and material shortages and consumers changing dining habits due to the pandemic.

Here’s the latest look.

Foxtrot Comes to Alexandria Chicago-based grocery delivery chain Foxtrot is opening a location in Old Town Alexandria. Construction is finishing up at 701 King St. on the high-end combination corner store, café and e-commerce delivery service.

Foxtrot stores offer a carefully curated selection of locally sourced food items, meals, beer, fine wine and gifts all of which can be ordered online and delivered within a certain radius in under an hour.

"In addition to offering the everyday essentials, grab-and-go items and locally sourced favorites it’s become known for, Foxtrot King & Washington will feature an expanded grocery selection and elevated culinary offerings including a charcuterie bar, house made craft sandwiches, and a full coffee bar using beans by local Augie's Patio. PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

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Augie's Patio. CREDIT CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

Vigilante Coffee. Situated prominently in the heart of Old Town, this will mark Foxtrot’s first two-story footprint complete with mezzanine seating and ample space inside for guests to sit, relax and enjoy morning or night,” company officials explained.

cardamom or mastic are added. The grounds settle at the bottom of the pot and a foam forms on top.

A Turkish Coffee Experience

In addition to serving and selling Turkish coffee and coffee accessories, the shop will also feature gift items and host events.

Gizem Salcigil White, who is known as the Turkish Coffee Lady, is opening a shop at 1001 King Street, a building formerly occupied by Blüprint Chocolatiers.

In 2017, White set out to start the first chain of Turkish coffeehouses in the United States. She opened her first location inside Tysons Corner mall, while raising her young daughter and battling breast cancer. The coffeehouse was doing well, and White had plans to open a second location at the Dulles Airport in 2020 — and then COVID-19 arrived.

White pivoted and began to host cultural events virtually and started her own coffee label, with each blend named after one of Turkey’s rich heritage sites.

Turkish coffee is made in a small, long handled pot called a cezve. The coffee is very finely ground and often spices like

The unfiltered coffee is then poured into small cups and served with a glass of water and a dessert. It is meant to be savored slowly.

Tea Room to Open Along Waterfront Do you prefer tea over coffee? You’ll have a new option in Alexandria this spring when Lady Camellia Pastry and Tea Room relocates from Georgetown.

Deborah and Han Kim initially opened the tea room in Georgetown in February 2014, but they closed their doors in July 2020, citing lease issues.

The owners announced the relocation in November in an email sent to customers. The exact location of the tea room was not revealed in the email, but it did say that it will be somewhere along the waterfront in Old Town.

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Sisters Thai bartender offers a libation. PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR MISHA ENRIQUEZ

“We have never thought that we would do it all over again but we’ve missed you all so much and cannot wait to serve you again in the tearoom,” the email read.

Spin Pollo Peruvian Chicken Spin Pollo Peruvian Chicken will be opening early this year Kingstowne Towne Center.

The Kingstowne location will be Spin Pollo’s second restaurant. The original is located at 6672 Arlington Blvd. in Falls Church.

The restaurant serves Peruvian-style charbroiled chicken, which is marinated for 24 hours before it is roasted and served with a variety of sides like plantains, fries, rice, or veggies. The restaurant also serves other traditional dishes including ceviche, carne asada and pescado frito.

Hank’s Oyster Bar Moves After years on King Street, Hank’s Oyster Bar is moving to a new space in Old Town North. The target opening date is in the early spring of 2022, and Hank’s Oyster Bar will stay open at 1026 King St. until it’s time to move, said Chef Jamie Leeds.

Leeds said on Facebook (in response to a resident asking about construction at the former Hank’s Pasta Bar):

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“Yes, the cat’s out of the bag. I am, in fact, moving Hank’s Oyster Bar from King St. to 600 Montgomery. We’ve had an incredible run on [King Street]. So grateful for the time there. We have been discussing this move since the pandemic hit. And since my lease is up on King St. it just makes sense to move and make this our flagship Hank’s. Rooftop bar and all. Stay tuned for more info as we get closer.

Target opening in early spring 2022. Yes, King [Street] will stay open ‘til then.”

The new address, 600 Montgomery St., was home to Hank’s Pasta Bar, and then a new venture called Hank & Mitzi’s from Leeds that opened during the pandemic and closed in June 2021.

“Opening a restaurant in the middle of a global pandemic was not without challenges and even with dedicated staff and loyal customers we find ourselves needing to pause, regroup, and determine the best way to move forward in this space,” Leeds said at the time. Hank’s Oyster Bar opened in 2005 and was named after Leed’s father, Hank Leeds. In 2016, Leeds opened Hank’s Cocktail Bar in Northwest D.C. That was followed by Hank’s Oyster Bar at The Wharf.

The Chewish Deli Expands The Chewish Deli is planning to open a second location at the former Dunkin’ Donuts near the King Street Metro station. According to permit applications filed with the City

The Garden Del Ray firepit. PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

of Alexandria, the locally-loved bagel bakery and deli is requesting a change in ownership for the space at 1640 King St., just east of the King Street Metro station.

The deli opened its first brick-and-mortar location at 807 Pendleton St. in September 2020, delighting bagel enthusiasts. The bakery started as a pop-up in 2018 and expanded during the pandemic. Chewish Deli owner Gregg Linzey told Alexandria Living Magazine at the time that the increase in business during the pandemic was because they were already offering to-go orders, delivery and online ordering long before contactless service became the safest way to operate.

“The fact that people were quarantined and focused on carry-out and delivery made us very successful very early,” Linzey said. “Because as a food truck, we are carry-out and delivery by design.”

Call Your Mother Another deli is opening in Old Town soon — Call Your Mother. The owners of 128 and 130 N. Pitt St. confirmed to Alexandria Living Magazine that the popular Districtbased bagel shop will be moving into 1,800 square feet on the ground floor of the building with an entrance at 130 N. Pitt St. The bagel shop, which also sells coffee and sweets, describes itself as a “Jew-ish” deli and is the creation of chef

Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana, along with partner Jeff Zients. They started out at farmers’ markets before opening their first location in the District’s Park View neighborhood in 2018. The Old Town location will be the chain’s sixth shop and will join locations in Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Bethesda and North Bethesda.

A New Concept at Generous George’s The long-empty Generous George’s Pizza and Pasta on Duke Street, which was to become Yates Pizza Palace, is changing hands again — and next time you order from a national chain restaurant, the food could come from the new ‘ghost kitchen’ at 3000 Duke St. A permit application filed with the in the fall requested a change of ownership to a company affiliated with Reef Technology. The Miami-based company describes itself as a company that “transforms open spaces into multi-purpose places that create jobs and bring new goods, services and experiences to your neighborhood.” The company accepts applications from landlords and property owners to join the Reef Technology family, and properties have included parking, ghost kitchens, retail, hospitality and more.

Generous George’s closed in 2009 after more than three decades in business as a family restaurant and go-to venue for birthday parties, sports team events and more. The new pizza place which was to replace Generous George’s never opened.

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King and Rye igloos. PHOTO BY CHRIS CRUZ FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

A New Traditional American Restaurant in Del Ray A new restaurant called Matt & Tony’s may serve up traditional American fare at breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week in Del Ray. Alexandria Restaurant Partners bought the former Charlies’ on the Ave. (and Fireflies) building at 1501 Mt. Vernon Ave., and one of the ARP partners, Matt Sloan, is considering opening Matt & Tony’s there.

Bradlee Shopping Center hours are 4-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 3-8 p.m. Sundays. The original Bun Papa is located at Bread and Water at Belleview Shopping Center.

When BeeLiner Diner opens in 2022, in addition to serving traditional diner options, it will also have a virtual food hall called BeeStreet that will feature local culinary concepts including Bun Papa, and be available for local online orders and third-party delivery services.

Bun Papa and a Concept Kitchen at Bradlee We said goodbye to Atlantis at 3648 King St., at Bradlee Shopping Center in early 2021 and will soon say hello to the BeeLiner Diner in its place. While we wait, a pop-up togo restaurant has opened in the space.

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Golf and Dinner in Kingstowne Washington Business Journal reported in November that the shuttered Topgolf and Ruby Tuesday could turn into a new golf and restaurant venture called Rudy’s.

Bun Papa’s menu includes burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and a veggie cauliflower option. Also on the menu: A variety of fries and desserts, including Big Bad Butterfinger Party Cookie, Double Chocolate Party Cookie and Whoop D Pie. Online orders can be made at bunpapa.com or Ubereats. There is no in-person ordering or dining.

The landowner has been working on convincing Fairfax County officials to approve a residential-and-retail development, but progress has been slow on that front. In the meantime, entrepreneur David Gregory is considering opening Rudy’s, a Topgolf-like restaurant and high-tech golf facility.

The pop-up restaurant is the creation of the team behind Bread & Water Company. It opened for take-out earlier this year in Bread & Water’s original location at 1512 Belle View Blvd. and since then has opened a spot inside Capital One Arena.

The former Topgolf in Kingstowne was the first location for the company when it opened in 2005. The Kingstowne Topgolf closed in 2019 when the company opened a new location near National Harbor. Now, Topgolf operates in several dozen states and internationally.

alexandrialivingmagazine.com • January / February 2022

Knead and Coffee at Aslin Beer Co. For the past two years, Chef Taylor Gates has been learning about pizza and dough — and now the taproom at Aslin Beer Co. in Alexandria’s West End is serving it up.

Aslin opened a new scratch kitchen concept in the fall called Knead.

Knead features large round pizzas, individual Sicilian-style slices and sandwiches on house-made bread. Salads and sides are also on the menu, and the popular Korean-style chicken sandwich and double-stack Smash burger are there, too.

Gates is from a family of chefs. The Gates family ran The Buttery restaurant and The Gate House of Lewes, in Delaware. In addition, the family competed on season 13 of Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network, Delaware Online reported. Knead operates Wednesday through Sunday at Aslin, 847 S. Pickett St., in Alexandria.

In addition, Aslin launched Aslin Coffee in late November, offering coffee by the cup, flight or bag. The company also started offering cold brew kegs and plans to offer coffee cans, too. Aslin Coffee is available at the brewery’s Alexandria location as well as in Herndon.

Aslin is also making headway on opening a new brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pines of Florence Returns The much beloved Pines of Florence has reopened, but not in Alexandria. The Italian restaurant opened in the Cherrydale neighborhood of Arlington, at 2109 N. Pollard St. Pines of Florence had operated at the intersection of King and Payne streets for several years before closing in 2020. The historic building it occupied is being incorporated into a new residential and retail development under construction now.

Kaizen. PHOTO BY GINA PSALLIDAS FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

Total Wine & More Opens Looking for the perfect wine to go with your meal delivery?

Wine megastore Total Wine & More opened in November at the north end of the Potomac Yard shopping center and is offering delivery. Wine sampling hours are 2-6 p.m.

Thursdays; 2-8 p.m. Fridays and 12-6 p.m. on Saturdays.

Total Wine & More bills itself as America’s Wine Superstore®, the country’s largest independent retailer of fine wine. The Bethesda-based company got its start in 1991 when brothers David and Robert Trone opened a small store in Delaware.

Today, the company operates 214 stores across 26 states and continues to grow. The typical Total Wine & More store carries more than 8,000 different wines from every wine-producing region in the world, alongside more than 2,500 beers and more than 3,000 spirits.

Total Wine & More also has a store at 6240 Little River Turnpike in Lincolnia. There are more stores located throughout Northern Virginia including in Ballston, McLean, Springfield, Fairfax City, Reston, Sterling and Chantilly.

Wegmans Countdown!

The grocery store Wegmans will open in the Eisenhower East neighborhood in May.

Cafe du Soleil. PHOTO BY GINA PSALLIDAS FOR VISIT ALEXANDRIA

Wegmans is wrapping up construction on an 81,000 square-foot store in Alexandria just west of Hoffman Town Center, off of Eisenhower Avenue. The grocery store at Carlyle Crossing is part of a mixed-use project on a 5-acre site. Much of the Wegmans will be on the second floor of the development with a ground-floor entrance with parking below and residential units above the store.

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FOOD & DINING

An Ounce of Pickles and a Pound of Cure

BY SUSANNAH MOORE

Tomato confit, dill pickles and garlic confit created by Pickles and Cures. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADRIAN NICOTRA

Are you looking for the perfect addition to your charcuterie board? Does your sandwich or burger need the flavor and crunch of a crisp, tangy pickle? The cure you’re looking for may be Pickles and Cures, a local pantry goods business selling preserved meats, vegetables and fruits, which chef Adrian Nicotra launched in November.

sauerkraut from scratch.’ I was just doing research and found it fascinating,” explained Nicotra. He came up with a bunch of ideas and decided to launch his own business selling preserved foods, inspired by the traditional New York deli.

Nicotra currently sells pickled beets, za’atar spiced cucumbers, tomato confit and garlic confit. He also sells two

Nicotra, who is originally from Buffalo, New York, has lived in Alexandria since 1995 and has over a decade of culinary experience. His first job was working at Bookbinders (now Columbia Firehouse) on South St. Asaph Street when he was a senior in high school. Since then, Nicotra has worked as a chef at some of the DMV area’s top restaurants, including some named top 100 by Washingtonian.

Nicotra took a break from the restaurant business for a while and started his own personal training business, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to shut that down and he started working at a local deli. It was there that he discovered an interest in cured foods.

“It started off with something as simple as ‘Let’s start making our pickles from scratch,’ ‘Oh hey, let’s make the

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Adrian Nicotra is the chef owner of Pickles and Cures

A board of pickled beets, tomato confit, garlic confit and pickles.

Pastrami-cured salmon

Pickles and Cures' lacto pickles post fermentation

kinds of pickles, a vinegar-preserved dill pickle and a New York deli style “lacto” fermented pickle that is cured using salt instead of vinegar. This process inhibits the growth of bad bacteria and allows healthy bacteria like lactobacillus to flourish (hence the name lacto.) He will also be adding a pastrami-cured salmon and chicken, beef and vegetable stocks, perfect for winter soups.

from scratch, although it will be more of the unusual kind, the kind you really have to google and do research in charcuterie to even know. So it won’t be salami and pepperoni, it will be unusual stuff that you usually have to find in a foreign country.”

Nicotra recognizes that not everybody is familiar with how to use cured foods in their cooking. “It can be a little daunting for people,” he said. “The website (picklesandcures.com) has suggestions and customers can reach out to me if they need some suggestions or help for what to do with the product after they purchased it.”

In addition to charcuterie and sandwiches, Nicotra’s creations can be used for a variety of dishes. The za’atar cucumbers are great in salads or cold fish dishes. The tomato or garlic confit would add flavor to any pasta, pizza or meat dish and the garlic can be puréed into mashed potatoes.

As Pickles and Cures continues to grow, Nicotra will expand his offerings to include more preserved vegetables like lacto-fermented carrots cured with tarragon and citrus.

“Further down the line, I will be expanding the charcuterie program,” he said. “I will be making a lot of charcuterie

He is also looking forward to collaborating with local businesses to create and share his products, like using local honey in a special fermentation process. Last November, his pickles were featured on one of Holy Cow’s Burgers of The Moment which was called “The P&C.” When Nicotra isn’t experimenting with a new way to cure meat and produce at the Frontier Kitchen, a commercial kitchen in Lorton, you can find him serving coffee at Swing’s Coffee Roasters or spending time around the Del Ray neighborhood which he calls home. He is hoping to start selling his products at local farmers markets in the spring, and sometime down the road, get into stores and possibly open a store of his own.

Nicotra’s products are available for local delivery in the City of Alexandria and parts of Fairfax County and Arlington and for shipping around the DMV. Find out more about Pickles and Cures at picklesandcures.com and on Instagram @pickles_and_cures.

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FOOD & DINING

Dining Out with Your Dog

BY SUSANNAH MOORE

There are a lot of things that Alexandrians know how to do well. Three of those are eating, drinking and spoiling their pups. Where can you do all three at once?

While many restaurants with outdoor seating allow you to bring your dog, there is a lot more to keep in mind when determining if a restaurant is really dog-friendly. For example, how many outdoor tables does the restaurant actually have? Does it have enough heat lamps or plastic to keep out chilly winds in the winter or shade during the warmer months?

Realtor Lindsey Schmidt features advice on her website, Leisure Pup (leisurepup.com), with information on dog-friendly shops, restaurants, breweries, parks, wineries and other places in Alexandria and the surrounding area that she and her dog, Rummy, have explored.

Golden Retreiver, Kai, enjoys a night at Barkhaus, Alexandria's first dog bar. PHOTO BY SUSANNAH MOORE

“How easy is it going to be for me to find a table and how comfortable not just am I going to be, but how comfortable is Rummy going to be? Those are the main things I look for,” Schmidt said. She also notices when restaurants bring out water bowls for the dog right away or offer a treat.

A number of Alexandria restaurants take it up a notch and offer a special menu just for dogs. A few of the restaurants owned by Alexandria Restaurant Partners have “doggie menus.” At Vola’s Dockside Grill (101 N. Union St.) you can order your furry friend a beef patty with rice and

carrots, chicken with rice and peas or a frozen yogurt bone with sliced green apples. Mia’s Italian Kitchen (100 King St.) and Theismann’s (1800 Diagonal Rd.) also have menus with pups in mind.

At Virtue Feed and Grain (106 S. Union St.), dogs are welcome at the large outdoor eating area in Wales Alley. Tables are shaded by umbrellas and fire pits and heaters keep the area toasty in the winter. Pups can choose between beef, rice and carrots served in gravy, a frozen yogurt bone and apples or, for the extra-spoiled dog, a 5-ounce grilled rare sirloin.

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Realtor Lindsey Schmidt with her pup, Rummy, at Virtue Feed & Grain in Old Town Alexandria. The restaurant has a dog-friendly menu and outdoor firepits to keep you and your pet warm this winter. PHOTO COURTESY LINDSEY SCHMIDT

At Sonoma Cellar (207 King St.), the outdoor dining area in the back features a firepit and heat lamps, where dogs are welcome. While humans are sipping a glass of wine, dogs can wolf down their choice of beef, chicken or salmon with rice and veggies.

Schmidt says for restaurants that don’t have specific dog menus, she will sometimes ask them to prepare a beef patty or a piece of chicken with no salt or seasoning for Rummy, and they are often accommodating.

PHOTO BY SUSANNAH MOORE

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If dining outside in the winter is not your preference, there are a few places where you can bring your dog indoors. Barkhaus (529 E. Howell Ave.) opened in October 2020 as Alexandria’s first dog bar. It features an outdoor dog park, a small indoor play area and indoor and outdoor dining areas where your dog can dine with you while on a leash. The outdoor area has heaters and is well

lit, which is a great option for dark winter evenings.

Barkhaus offers monthly and yearly memberships as well as a daily pass.

Keep in mind that all dogs 8 months or older must be spayed or neutered, veterinary medical exceptions will be allowed up to 12 months. Humans can choose from a variety of beverages and food, including vegetarian options. Dogs can order a “barkuterie board” with blueberries, carrots, cheese, ham, celery, beef jerky and peanut butter or a "puppuccino" which is whipped cream with a treat on top.

Lost Boy Cider (317 Hoofs Run Dr.) welcomes dogs into their large indoor tasting room as well as their outdoor tented seating area. The cidery serves a large selection of alcoholic ciders, many of which rotate seasonally, as well as a couple non-alcoholic options.

Dog bowls and water are readily available. Humans can usually order

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Wishing you a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!

LOCAL EXPERT The outdoor seating and play areas at Barkhaus. PHOTO BY SUSANNAH MOORE

food from a food truck or order food for delivery. Lost Boy regularly hosts "yappy hour" events that often feature a pet-related vendor.

Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Ave.) has always allowed dogs in their outdoor patio area, but dogs are now also allowed in the tasting room (note that dogs are not allowed in the back brewing area).

Port City is the longest operating brewery in the D.C. area and serves favorite brews alongside seasonal and specialty beers. Bottled non-alcoholic drinks are also available. From Friday through Sunday, guests can purchase food from a food truck.

Schmidt offered advice for diners who want to bring their dogs with them.

“Know [your] dog’s personality. Is your dog going to be OK in big crowds? If not, look for a place that is a little bit quieter or maybe not right on King Street; go to one of the side streets.

Also, just be prepared — people are

going to stop and constantly try to pet your dog. Know if your dog is good with kids or not.”

Dog owners should not be afraid to tell people that it is not a good time to pet your dog, she advised. She recommends picking a table out of the way or in the corner if that is what would make your dog more comfortable.

Keep an eye on your dog and make sure they are not in the way of servers or other guests. If your dog is easily excitable, it’s a good idea to wear out your dog ahead of time with a long walk or a romp at the park.

Schmidt recommends looking up photos of restaurants online to see what their outdoor dining areas look like and to always call ahead to make sure a place allows dogs and find out more about the setup. That way, dining with your dog can be enjoyable for everyone.

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Enjoy a Snowy Escape at

Deep Creek Lake

BY MARY ANN BARTON

Cross-country skiing in Garrett County. PHOTO BY TIMOTHY JACOBSEN FOR GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Just a three-hour drive from Alexandria is McHenry, Md. home to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland’s largest freshwater lake, covering 3,900 acres and 65 miles of shoreline.

The man-made lake got its start in 1925 as the result of an effort undertaken by the Youghiogheny Hydro Electric Corporation to harness the power of Deep Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River.

Today, it’s a year-round haven for tourists who want to kick back and enjoy a relaxing getaway. Located in Garrett County, the area averages about 120 inches of snow each winter, promising lots of activities to enjoy from snow-tubing to hiking to frozen waterfalls. Here’s a sampling of what you can enjoy during the winter months.

Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park

PHOTO BY SARAH DUCK FOR GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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• Hiking at Swallow Falls State Park: Home to the tallest waterfall in Maryland, the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls are set amid 300-year old hemlock forests.

Swallow Falls State Park is a public recreation area located on the west bank of the Youghiogheny River nine miles northwest of Oakland in Garrett County. The waterfalls at the park freeze during the winter, creating beautiful ice formations.

Horse-drawn sleigh ride Circle R Ranch.

PHOTO BY SARAH DUCK FOR GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

• Snow-skiing: Wisp Resort offers 32 slopes for skiers and if you want to try out even more slopes, head to nearby Canaan Valley.

• Snow-tubing: If you aren’t a downhill skier, you can always try snow tubing at Wisp Mountain. Hop on the resort’s “mountain coaster” to get up the hill and slide down 750 feet on an inner tube.

• Cross-country skiing: There are loads of trails for cross-country skiers at Herrington Manor State Park, New Germany State Park and also at Wisp Resort.

• Snow-shoeing: If you’re staying at Lake Pointe Inn, they’ll provide you with snow shoes for hikes. All Earth Eco Tours also offers snowshoe tours during the winter months.

Snowshoeing in Garrett County Maryland.

PHOTO BY VISION QUEST STUDIOS FOR GARRETT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

• Visit the Simon Pearce factory store, 265 Glass Dr., Oakland, Md., where you can pick up bargains and watch glass-blowing daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Sleigh rides: Pleasant Valley Dream Rides offers horse-drawn sleigh rides when snow conditions are good. Keep an eye on their Facebook page or call 301-616-1600. Another business that offers sleigh rides is Circle R Ranch.

Call 301-387-6890 for more information or to make a reservation.

After an active day outdoors, you’ll work up an appetite. There is plenty of great dining in the area. We’ve put together a sampling of some of the top-rated eateries in the area to try.

Snow-tubing at Wisp Resort.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WISP RESORT

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DUTCH'S AT SILVER TREE

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIREWATER KITCHEN & BAR

Dutch’s at Silver Tree, 567 Glendale Road, Oakland, Md. Hours: Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. 4-9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays. The extensive menu at this longtime favorite features an assortment of appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. This restaurant has a 2021 Travelers’ Choice Award from Tripadvisor for its consistent great reviews. Some recent reviewers note it is “pricey” but worth it.

Others note great food, ambience and service.

Brenda’s Pizzeria, 21311 Garrett Hwy., #2, Oakland, Md. Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (’til 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays). If you like pizza, be sure to add this spot to your itinerary, as it is top-rated by reviewers. The eatery makes fresh pizza daily from their own dough. If you have an extra-large appetite, check out their 26-inch pizza.

Pine Lodge Steakhouse, 1520 Deep Creek Dr., McHenry, Md. Hours: 4-9 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Classic steak and seafood menu.

Deep Creek Seafood, 200 Quarry Road, Oakland, Md. Hours: Closed Monday-Wednesday; 4-8:30 p.m. Thursdays; 3-8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sundays. This family-owned restaurant has been in business for six years and offers a varied menu of mainly seafood favorites but also offers burgers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DUTCH'S AT SILVER TREE

Black Bear Tavern & Restaurant, 99 Fort Drive, McHenry, Md.

Dining Firewater Kitchen + Bar, 20128 Garrett Hwy., Oakland, Md. Hours: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays; open 4-9 p.m.

Wednesdays and Thursdays; 4-10 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Located on the shore of Deep Creek Lake, this new restaurant serves up craft cocktails and an extensive, eclectic menu including roasted pork tacos and a local cheeseboard from FireFly Farms Cheese, in a rustic setting.

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Hours: Open 12 noon to 10 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The menu features wings, burgers, steaks, salads and more. Look for live music and sports on TV on weekends.

The Greene Turtle, 75 Visitors Center Dr., McHenry, Md. Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Looking for your football fix? This is the place. Burgers, buffalo chicken nachos, fried pickles, crab pizza, wings. Lots of sports on TV.

Exterior of Lake Pointe Inn and interior (below). PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAKE POINTE INN

Where to Stay Lake Pointe Inn: 174 Lake Pointe Dr., McHenry, Md. Accommodations include free WiFi, free private parking, as well as access to a sauna. All rooms come with a fireplace, seating area, flat-screen TV with cable, private bathrooms with robes, shower and bath. Refrigerators and coffee machines. Breakfast is included.

Blue Moon Rising Cabins, 89 Blue Moon Rising Way, McHenry, Md. You’ll have 14 small cabins to choose from. Each cabin is equipped with a cooktop and cookware, toaster oven and French press. Oh, and they allow dogs!

Suites at Silver Tree, 565 Glendale Road, Oakland, Md. There are four different types of suites including a studio or one-bedroom which can accommodate up to four people, or a studio with loft or one-bedroom with loft that can each accommodate up to six people. Features include a gas fireplace and kitchenettes. The hotel offers free DVD rentals, a fitness center, a cedar sauna and a game room (foosball, pinball, NASCAR driving game and more. Pets are not permitted but you can check out the Bed ’n Bark Inn nearby.

January / February 2022 • alexandrialivingmagazine.com

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THE LAST WORD

Photographer Publishes ‘Huntley Meadows: A Natural Treasure’ W H AT K I N D O F C A M E R A D O YOU USE?

My camera is a Nikon digital SLR. W H AT T I M E O F D AY D O Y O U U S U A L LY TA K E P H O T O S ?

Impressive sunsets and often more animals are some of the rewards I’ve found on late afternoon visits.

W H I C H P H O T O I S Y O U R FAV O R I T E ?

The cover photo. It was midday, crisp and calm, with light animating the forests and drawing out the blue in the wetlands. An autumn lover who is always looking for a memorable landscape, I found everything about this particular moment sublime. A close second: all the park animals. At times, turtles, egrets, deer, geese and herons posed. It was fascinating to see them as curious about me as I was about them.

Huntley Meadows. PHOTO BY RODNEY FISHER

Born in Massachusetts, Alexandria photographer Rodney Fisher has lived from coast to coast in some dramatic settings, from the Mojave Desert to the shores of Florida, central Pennsylvania, as well as the deep South.

Exposed to beautiful places, he developed an appreciation for the natural world. It was his first walks in the California redwood forests that mesmerized him. “The sun cutting through early morning fog in Muir Woods, the sweet scent of the trees, everything enormous in scale, yet so quiet and tranquil, was deeply moving,” he said.

“Shortly thereafter, I toured Big Sur and Yosemite. Their magnificence described by others was even more impressive than I imagined. I began to see and hear nature, its importance as well as its fragility.”

His first trip to Alexandria was years ago when he and his sisters visited their mother for the Christmas holidays. The historic homes and buildings in Old Town near her house “were beyond beautiful and elegant,” Fisher said. Visiting local museums and other historic sites cemented his passion for history. “I was truly taken, and hoped to move here one day. Happily, now, Alexandria is home.”

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“When first visiting Huntley Meadows, I was amazed to discover how large, yet secluded, the wetlands were,” he said.

After regularly exploring the wetlands for a couple of years, scores of photographs filled his camera’s memory cards. “My search for pictorial books about Huntley Meadows came up empty, so I decided to create my own,” Fisher said.

Of the 8,000 photos he took in the park, he chose 69 for his book, “Huntley Meadows, A Natural Treasure.” The book includes a general history of Huntley Meadows and celebrates the unique beauty of the forested wetlands.

“Huntley Meadows, A Natural Treasure,” is available as both a softcover and ebook.

The book is currently available to order online at major booksellers including Amazon, Book Baby Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million and others.

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