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For tickets and memberships, visit colonialwilliamsburg.org/art or call (855) 629-6056 301 S Nassau St, Williamsburg, VA 23185 @ArtMuseumsofCWF
OPEN DAILY Visit
opening October 2022.
Behind every collection in the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg is an amazing story, beautifully told. Travel back in time as you experience the religious and patriotic wooden workings of Ulysses Davis, inspired by traditional African sculpture. Discover the origins of rare historic furnishings and more at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and uncover the history behind colorful and whimsical American folk art in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. These incredible stories, along with our Museum Store and Café, are on display daily. the “I Made This…” –
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Bill is a Cincinnati, Ohio native and has lived in Virginia 33 years. He and his late wife, Jinny were married for 58 years and had two children. When she died, Bill sold his house on White Sand Harbor in Heathsville and moved to RWC. A career Naval Officer, Bill is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Naval Academy. His graduate studies took him to the Naval Post Graduate School, University of Southern California and Marymount University in Virginia. After the military, Bill taught high school math and also worked as a part-time bank teller. An active volunteer, Bill has served the Northumberland Public Library, the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum and was the White Sand Harbor Homeowner’s Association President and Treasurer for 19 years. Bill enjoys golf and reading. If you’d like to meet other residents like Bill E., go to rw-c.org/meet-me or call us for a tour at 804-438-4000.
www.rw-c.org | info@rw-c.org | 132 Lancaster Dr., Irvington, VA 22480
Our campus is home to lakes and trails, an apiary and a vineyard, a 26,000-square-foot greenhouse and a commitment to academic excellence and sustainability. With outstanding programs in engineering, environmental science and more, Sweet Briar women graduate—in four years—with the skills, compassion and vision to create a more just and sustainable world. sbc.edu Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sweet Briar’s campus is one of the most beautiful in the nation.
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Set upon 1,720 lush acres along the Chesapeake Bay, Bay Creek is a masterplanned community that brings families together to live their best life through a connection with its coastal landscape, nature, phenomenal club amenities and active lifestyle programming. From exploring sparkling bay waters to hosting friends for dinner on the porch of your welcoming new coastal home, Bay Creek is the easy-going, elegant lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. We invite you to explore this natural wonderland in a place where residents connect, forge friendships and pursue their interests and passions. There is truly nothing like it on the coast of Virginia. Homesites from the low $100s Homes from the $400s
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LYHLOVESYOU.COM LY H WELC OMES YOUNamed one of the of South’s Best Cities on the Rise, LYH welcomes you with open arms and invites you to be part of our story. Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum
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For nearly fifty years, the finest possible experience for buying a home in or around Richmond comes from Joyner Fine Properties. See how our agents, our service, and our expertise can make your experience the finest. > Learn more and search our listings today joynerfineproperties.com | 804-270-9440 AdkinsAngie AffendikisAndrew AffendikisBentley Amrhein-GallaschCeci AtiyehWes BarberVera BarrettJennieShaw RayPatriciaBarton RobertBarton BaustJesse LaurenBaust BecknerAlison BonnieBedellBeth BerknessKaren KalbaughPageBooth RichardBower BowlingChuck BradleyMac ConnerBrown BrownRick BrownRob BruceKris ColeenRodriguezButler ButtnerTodd ConnieByers CantrellDianne NewtonCarroll CarswellSarah CheelyDrew CheelyNancy Wanda J. Cook
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DISCOVER CHANGE HOW A IN SCENERY CAN CHANGE YOU When the air gets crisp and the leaves begin to change color, you know fall has arrived. Whether you’re enjoying a leisurely carriage ride, playing a round of golf or relaxing in our Spa’s Serenity Garden, each moment captured here is breathtaking. Visit The Omni Homestead Resort and discover the magic of fall. OmniHotels.com/TheHomestead 800-838-1766
If you haven't yet given our elevated patient experience a try, we invite you to visit any one of our practice locations in the Richmond Metro area - including our newest office located in Libbie Mill opening Fall 2022. Your dental health is important, and you deserve to enjoy your regular dental visits. Call, text, or go online to book. RIVER RUN DENTAL | 804.262.1060 | RIVERRUNDENTALSPA.COM 7820 Shrader Road | Richmond VA | 23294 THANK YOU VIRGINIA 3400 Haydenpark Lane Suite 203| Henrico VA | 23233 SHORTRICHMONDPUMP 14261 Winterview Parkway | Midlothian VA | 23113 MIDLOTHIAN 5001 Libbie Mill East Blvd. Suite 125 | Richmond VA | 23230 COMING SOON - LIBBIE MILL
Charlotte. Even the littlest minds are capable of the biggest dreams. Pint-size pathfinders and curious kiddos will find much to explore at awe-inspiring artistic hubs in the Queen City. The creativity and innovation on full display from passionate people breaking the mold are sure to pique young and old imaginations alike. Plan your trip at charlottesgotalot.com.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS 95 PROFILE & HOSPITALS Charlie Xavier burn survivor. Plus, Virginia Cancer Specialists’ 50th anniversary, and more. 103 WELLNESS Magnet therapy, plus high-tech gadgetry puts telemedicine at your fingertips. 105 SLEEP Smarter ways to sleep, plus an innovative solution to sleep apnea. 109 FITNESS Bounce back from a workout with active rest. 128 DEPARTURE Confessions of an underground obituary writer. Find our Top Hospitals and Top Retirement Community lists at VirginiaLiving.com p. 112 p. 81 p. 109 p. 92
14VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT: VIRGINIA LIVING (USPS) ISSN 1534-9984 Virginia Living is published bimonthly by Cape Fear Publishing Company, 109 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219. Periodical postage permit 021-875 at Richmond, VA. lkylebypark,johnbyleft):topfrom(clockwisephotosªferriere,courtesyoftwincreeksdistillery,bytylerdarden,bykatemagee,byrobertluk Contents ON THE COVER: With much patience and many treats, our six super dogs posed for their group glamour shot portrait. Photography by Kyle LaFerriere, illustration by Sean McCabe. BrentFEATURESHeath Knows Bulbs page 112 By Madeline Mayhood p. 118 VDWRBruno,K9 Cop. SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2022 p. 58 19 EDITOR’S LETTER UP FRONT 21 TAKE NOTE News and notes from around the state. 27 ABOUT TOWN Virginia’s recent charity events. 29 EVENTS Fall brings a festival of festivals. HOMEGROWN 33 SPOTLIGHT Curator Leo Mazow brings Storied Strings to the VMFA. 37 NATIVES The big, bad wolf spider. 39 VIRGINIANA History loves a good ghost story. 42 MAKERS Richmond’s Sallie Plumley. 44 DESTINATIONS Discovering Charlottesville’s charms. GOOD TASTE 55 STARTERS Three restaurants, peanut soup, pies, and Plenty delivered 58 DINING OUT Sidecar brings European fare to Roanoke.
61 FOOD FOR THOUGHT The polarizing power of grits: solved. 62 COOKING For Flour Power author Tara Jensen, sourdough baking is a daily ritual. DRINK 75 HOT SPOT Craft cocktails meet highfalutin’ mini golf at this tongue-in-cheek Richmond fauxtel 79 IN THE MIX Vermouth, peanut butter bourbon, and fall’s best wine festivals. 84 MIXOLOGY Bartender secrets: The art of the specialty cocktail. 87 THE FIZZ A Champagne shortage has Virginia wines “sparkling.” 88 MAKERS Three young winemakers to know. 92 VISIT In Amherst, beer and pizza reach new heights at Camp Trapezium.
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The Alliance passes under the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge in Yorktown during a sunset sail.
Bird in the Hand: How Gordonsville became the “fried chicken capital of the world.” At Champion Ice House, Craig Hartman honors the town’s fried chicken legacy.
MADELINE MAYHOOD, senior editor at Virginia Living, wrote about her three favorite subjects for this issue: dogs, plants, and grits. A master gardener, she has edited publications for the Garden Club of Virginia and the Garden Club of America.
TYLER DARDEN shot bulbs at Brent & Becky’s in Gloucester. A nationally recognized food and lifestyle photographer, he recently completed a family-friendly short film. TylerDardenPhotography.com
17OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING PUBLISHED BY Cape Fear Publishing Company 109 East Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-343-7539, VirginiaLiving.com PUBLISHER John-Lawrence Smith EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR Constance Costas ART DIRECTOR Ryan Rich ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Cecilia Mondragon-Victoria SENIOR EDITOR Madeline Mayhood ASSOCIATE EDITOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS Vayda Parrish DIGITAL EDITOR Konstantin Rega CONTRIBUTING FOOD EDITOR Patrick Evans-Hylton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Larry Bleiberg, Jill Devine, Stephanie Ganz, Kinsey Gidick, Don Harrison, Christy Rippel, Peggy Sijswerda, Jonmichael Tarleton EDITORIAL INTERN Malone Morchower COPY EDITOR Ashley Hunter MEDIA CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS SALES MANAGER Matthew Marjenhoff 804-622-2602,804-622-2603,MatthewMarjenhoff@CapeFear.comWarrenRhodesWarrenRhodes@CapeFear.comClayThomas804-622-2609,ClayThomas@CapeFear.com E-STORE SALES AND DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Kenny Kane 804-622-2604, KennyKane@CapeFear.com E-STORE MANAGER Angela Shapiro 804-622-2612, AngelaShapiro@CapeFear.com OFFICE STAFF ACCOUNTING MANAGER Rosa Garcia EDITORIAL RESEARCH Deanna Johnson CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Kenny Kane CIRCULATION MANAGER AND E-STORE MANAGER Angela Shapiro ASSISTANT CIRCULATION MANAGER Margaret Wadsworth ACTIVITIES & MORALE DIRECTOR Rhett ASSISTANT ACTIVITIES & MORALE DIRECTOR Shelby POSTMASTER Send address changes to VIRGINIA LIVING 109 East Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219 SUBSCRIPTIONS One year - $36, two years - $64. Send to 109 East Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219; visit VirginiaLiving.com; or contact AngelaShapiro@CapeFear.com BACK ISSUES Back issues are available for most editions and are $9.95 ($13.95 for Best of Virginia) plus shipping and handling. Please call for availability or check ShopVirginiaLiving.com REPRINTS & REPRODUCTION PERMISSION Contact John-Lawrence Smith, Publisher, at 804-343-7539 or JLSmith@CapeFear.com Visit VirginiaLiving.com Contributors VOLUME 20, NUMBER 6 October 2022
JEFFREY GLEASON shoots weddings and events around the world. Known additionally for portrait photography, he stayed closer to home to illustrate our story on Charlottesville. JeffreyCGleason.com Find our Virginia Pottery Mugs at VirginiaLivingStore.com
LARRY BLEIBERG is a travel writer and Charlottesville resident who captured his city’s charm for this issue. He is a past president of the Society of American Travel Writers and former Coastal Living magazine travel editor.
LarryBleiberg.com
The “Shocking” Truth About Peanuts: When Elisha Barnes revived an old-school farming method with spectacular results, he couldn’t find a buyer—until Hubs took notice.
Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to see all of the latest news and stories—plus exciting giveaways and exclusive content—from VirginiaLiving. Tag us @VirginiaLiving
NASA’s Leland Melvin was NFL-bound when an injury forced him to reinvent himself. Now, he’s spreading the message that the sky’s the limit.
Online Exclusives: Check out our Top Hospitals and Top Retirement Community lists for 2022 at VirginiaLiving.com
KYLE LAFERRIERE photographed our dog feature all over the state. He travels the world for photo projects big and small. KyleLaFerriere.com
atkinsonedwardmarkbyphoto
Worth the Wait: This oceanfront home designed for year-round living was three years in the making. Take a tour inside to find out why.
NANCY BAUER spotlighted three up-and-coming Virginia winemakers for our Drink section. She is the author of Virginia Wine Country Travel Journal and creator of the app Virginia Wine in My Pocket.
Freestyle Kayaker Emily Wade practices trick moves like the Space Godzilla on the rapids of the James. She’s just back from competing in the World Championships.
The Muse and the Mosaic: The world-class mosaics by New Ravenna, made in the town of Exmore on the Eastern Shore, are coveted around the world.
LEGALISMS Virginia Living is a registered trademark of Cape Fear Publishing Company, Inc. Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Letters to the Editor
PEANUT SHOCKS Don Harrison’s feature on Virginia peanuts and Elisha Barnes (Aug. ’22)
Former NBA player Ralph Sampson Linda’s Garden from the Gracie collection.
Drop Us a Line
New Ravenna (“The Muse and The Mosaic”) perfectly captured the heart and soul of our company. It reflected the love for mosaic art that our employees show every day. These special artisans care deeply about our company and our Eastern Shore community. To see their work described as beautifully means so much to everyone at New Ravenna.
19OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
—Dr. Henry Perkins, Raleigh, NC recalled how peanuts were once grown in fields scattered with shocks. While this old-fashioned farming method disappeared in the ’60s and ’70s, we’re proud to part ner with Elisha to sell his “shocked” peanuts.Ourfarmers, shellers, and processors also work closely with scientists—such as those at Virginia Tech’s Tidewater Agricultural and Extension Center near Suffolk—to research, test, and produce peanuts of the highest quality and flavor. All of Virginia’s local processors work hard to proudly share our great Virginia peanuts. Thanks for letting the rest of the world know.
Editor’s Letter Good Company
A
lkylebypr,willowofcourtesytop):(fromphotosªferriere,courtesyofnewravenna
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We love hearing from our readers. Send your comments by email to editors@capefear.com or write us a letter and mail it to Letters to the Editor, 109 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219. Please include your name and city of residence. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.
Thank you.
—Lynne Rabil, President and CEO, Hubbard Peanut Company, Sedley MOSAIC LOVE I just read your August issue and was blown away. I can’t wait to try Elisha Barnes’s peanuts, visit Wytheville, and try Brian Noyes’ tomato pie recipe. Your article on
Branchville peanut farmer Elisha Barnes
—Richard Walters, CEO, New Ravenna, Exmore
We’ll also head to Charlottesville, where former UVA and NBA basketball star Ralph Sampson shows us around town. In his post-basketball life, Sampson is enjoying the city as a restaurateur, and he offers great pointers for visitors navigating hisForhometown.gardeners, it’s time to think bulbs for a glorious payoff in spring. We talk with the ulti mate source, Gloucester’s own Brent Heath, an internationally-known bulb expert, to find out what to plant and when. If you’re a baker, or just love homemade bread, you’ll want to know Tara Jensen, whose wildly popular workshops, retreats, and Instagram feed explore the soulful daily practice of sourdough. For Jensen, author of the forthcoming book, Flour Power, breadmaking is a way of life. You’ll also meet Leo Mazow, the innovative curator behind Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art, opening at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in October. Mazow put a hotel room in the VMFA’s Edward Hopper and the American Hotel exhibition in 2019. So, it’s no surprise that he’s unveiling a working sound studio and invit ing a list of notable musicians to record live tracks during this one. You won’t want to miss it. You’ll also meet three innovative young wine makers, learn why Virginia sparkling wines may be the solution to a global Champagne shortage, and discover Amherst’s Camp Trapezium, a brewery where guests can tuck into an on-site guesthouse for an overnight stay. In our Health & Wellness pages, the inspiring story of Charlottesville mom Charlie Xavier reveals how the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at VCU Health partnered with Sheltering Arms Institute as she recovered from life-threatening burns. Charlie and her family are nothing short of miraculous and we’re honored to share their story with you. Thanks for dropping by. Next month, Virginia Living will mark 20 years as the highest-quality, most widely-read magazine in the state. Come back then, as always—we’re looking forward to celebrating with you.
In
Our favorite experts dish on dogs, C’ville, daffodils, and guitars.
MAILBOX GIFT I really enjoy the magazine and appreciate this gift that comes every other month!
NYONE WHO DROPS BY our office gets an enthusiastic welcome from our resi dent English Springer Spaniels, Rhett and Shelby. As Activities and Morale Director, Rhett’s dramatic conference-table downward dogs are matched only by Shelby’s squeaky toy stylings. Because they work smart and hard, Rhett and Shelby inspired Madeline Mayhood’s wonder ful feature on Virginia’s working dogs—who sniff out truffles, chase fugitives, save lives, and steal hearts. Know a workplace dog who deserves rec ognition? Send us a photo. We’ll share the best on VirginiaLiving.com.
Constance Costas, ConstanceCostas@CapeFear.comEditor
agustkovbyillustration TA KE NOTE A BOUT TOWN E VENTS UPfront
21OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
When she swept the 109th Virginia Kentucky District Fair, the internet erupted with admiration for Linda Skeens, churning out memes, comments, even a ballad. Skeens edged out 150 competitors, winning for her cake, pie, cookies, breads, candy, corn relish, chow chow, embroidery, Christmas décor, and more. “Everybody is thanking their stars that Linda doesn’t quilt,” one woman deadpanned on the fair’s Facebook page. “This wasn’t her first rodeo,” says Ashley Chandler, a fair volunteer who helped Skeens log in her entries. “She’s won big in the past. To her family, this was no surprise.” Chandler’s daughter, Emma, 20, the fair’s arts exhibition chair, posted the winners, which then ricocheted around the world.
Skeens, a Russell County grandmother, doesn’t use email or social media. So, as the post went viral, “people got desperate to find her,” says Chandler, who helped guard her privacy while another Linda Skeens—of Blacksburg—fielded a hailstorm of inquiries. “Ya’ll know I can’t cook a lick,” she wrote on Facebook, “but I can run a weed eater!!” Skeens finally broke her silence with a Today Show appearance, but Chandler believes this mystery has a bigger message: “Find the Linda Skeens in your own life,” she says. “The grandmother who adds a dash of this, a pinch of that. Take those handwritten recipes with spills and stains and organize them in a family recipe book. Cook, bake, eat, laugh, talk. Make memories that last a lifetime.” Next year’s fair, the 110th, takes place June 13-17, 2023. Facebook: @vakyfair
ST. MARGARET’S SCHOOL 444 Water Lane, Tappahannock, VA / 804.443.3357 / admit@sms.org www.sms.org St. Margaret’s New Head of School, Colley W. Bell III
SWAN LAKE IN SUFFOLK
Starting in November, the community is invited to public workshops hosted by The Institute for Con temporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University to track the progress of the libretto, vocal writing, orchestral score, and production design.
TO CELEBRATE its upcoming 50th anniversary, Virginia Opera is collaborating with the Richmond Symphony to develop a new opera based on the famous Loving v. Virginia case.
THE 45 MEMBER KYIV CITY BALLET of Ukraine comes to Suffolk this month, in the only Virginia stop on the company’s 13-city U.S. tour. The ballet’s four-day residency will include workshops, master classes, and cultural outreach programs with local schools and dance companies, culminating on Sept. 22 with a performance of Swan Lake at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts’ Birdsong Theater. The company will also appear in New York, Detroit, Chicago, and Charlotte.
A OPERACONTEMPORARYTAKESSHAPE
Composer Damien Geter of Chesterfield County will create the score, with librettist Jessica Murphy Moo on board to shape the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, the Virginia couple sentenced to a year in prison in 1958 for marrying. When the Supreme Court reversed the ruling a decade later, race-based marriage restrictions ended.
The groundbreaking story of Loving v. Virginia will be retold onstage.
The Kyiv City Ballet from Ukraine will perform and enrich.
23OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING UP front TAKE NOTE
Brock’s gift of 29 paintings will introduce works from the Hudson River School, American Impres sionism, the Aesthetic Movement, and 20th Century American Modernism to the museum’s current collection. The donation will also endow two positions at the museum and support the expansion of the museum’s Perry Glass Studio.
Above: Winslow Homer (American, 1836–1910). Portrait of Elizabeth Loring Grant, 1866. Charcoal, chalk and pencil on paper. Promised gift from the Brock’s collection.
“We believe that by introducing more people to the creative process, we can all learn deeply and intimately why the Loving story resonates for so many of us,” said Dominic Willsdon, executive director of the ICA at VCU. “And we can understand what it takes to create, together, a major new work of art.”
Loving v. Virginia will premiere at venues across the state in 2025. VaOpera.org —by Vayda Parrish
balletcitykyivvcu,atartcontemporaryofinstituteart,ofmuseumchryslertop):(fromphotos
A PRIVATE COLLECTION GOES PUBLIC A gift to the Chrysler Museum includes works by American masters. A
“The Brock Collection is one of the most significant private collections of American art assembled in the 21st century,” notes Corey Piper, Brock Curator of American Art. “Major paintings and works on paper by the most important artists of the late-19th and early-20th centuries chart a broad history of American art of the period and will allow the Chrysler to tell new and more compelling stories of our nation’s artistic his tory.” A selection of new works will be on view in a winter exhibition at the museum. Chrysler.org by Konstantin Rega
Just one day before Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February, members of the ballet company unknowingly took one of the last flights out of Kyiv to begin a long-planned tour, which began in Paris. Since the SEISMIC $34 MILLION GIFT to the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk from philanthropist Joan Brock includes paintings by American masters John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, and William Merritt Chase. “I could not be happier to make this gift to the Chrysler, and to the Hampton Roads region that has been my home for most of my life,” Brock said in a statement referencing her late husband, Dollar Tree founder, Macon Brock. “Our collection has brought us true joy, and I’m hoping museum visitors will be inspired as we have by these great artists.”
invasion began, the Kyiv City Ballet has been performing to sold-out crowds throughout Europe.
“We are honored to share the beauty of ballet with U.S. audiences, through Ukrainian artists,” said Ivan Kozlov, the artistic director of the Kyiv City Ballet. In addition to Swan Lake, the company will perform three Ukrainian works, including contemporary and neoclassical ballets and folk dances.
CityofKadashevychKristinatheKyivBallet.
“We are thrilled to kick off our 17th performance season and celebrate the anniversary of our historic building with the Kyiv City Ballet,” said Lorelei Costa, executive director of the Suffolk Center. “These performances will appeal not only to fans of dance, but also to audiences who have never watched ballet before. What an honor to have these artists and athletes on our stage.” Adds City Mayor Mike Dumar: “Suffolk is privileged to welcome the members of this world-class ballet to our beautiful city.” SuffolkCenter.org, KCBTheater.com —by Constance Costas
Mildred and Richard Loving in 1967.
Main Street Station October 14-16, 2022 + 150+ artists from across the country + Two full days of shopping + Beer Garden + Local food vendors + Patrons’ Preview Party + Rise + Shine Brunch Craft + Design is a museumquality show, produced by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, that has garnered a reputation for showcasing the finest in contemporary craft. LEARN MORE AND BUY TICKETS AT CRAFTANDDESIGNRVA.COM Construction is well underway on The Villas at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury. We invite you to jump ahead of our traditional wait list and make a deposit now on one of our remaining 1- or 2-bedroom Villa apartment homes. You’ll love the assurance of a fixed move-in date that gives you time to plan your future at Winchester’s finest Life Plan Community. OPENING IN THE FALL OF 2023! The Villas at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury Pre-construction sales for the next generation of senior living have begun! 300 WESTMINSTER-CANTERBURY DRIVE • WINCHESTER, VA 22603 Call (540) 665-5914 to speak to one of our knowledgeable sales consultants, or hop online at svwc.org/villas to: • Watch an animated fly-through of our new neighborhood • Take 360° virtual tours of building interiors and residences • Explore the 12 unique floor plans offered in The Villas Act now to claim one of the remaining homes in our newest neighborhood.
AT: The Origin Project was developed because we needed an Appalachian story from the younger generations. It’s an in-school, year-round writ ing program, K-12. The kids work on one story the whole year, and it gets published at the end.
As her 17th novel debuts, she’s thankful for librarians, local theater, and her Virginia upbringing.
Virginia—the Merry ol’ England of the U.S.— is a unique state: you have the coast, the pied mont, the mountains, the industrial, the military, every aspect of the working class trade that built this country. Really it’s the base-note of the whole opera, and I benefited from it. The Origin Project was an extension of everything I’d grown up with that I thought was important to the development of a child and their imagination.
Virginia Living: How did you begin writing?
grandparents, I was going through the family lore, and what I discovered was the incredible stories. The Good Left Undone is a sprawling story of family, love, and war. The heart of the story was inspired by my grandmother giving me a piece of jewelry for my wedding.
CONVERSATIONS: ADRIANA TRIGIANI
In her follow-up to Dopesick—adapted by Hulu and nominated for 14 Emmy® Awards— Beth Macy’s Raising Lazarus examines the aftermath of the opioid crisis that’s claimed the lives of more than one million people since 1996. —by K.R.
College. I remember that like it happened yesterday. And I’m certain that was why I went to college and majored in theater and became a playwright.
25OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING UP front TAKE NOTE
VL: And what does your work usually focus on?
VL: You also co-founded “The Origin Project” to promote writing. Can you dive into that?
BETH RAISINGMACY’SLAZARUS
SimonAndSchuster.com —by Constance Costas BEFORE CRAZY RICH ASIANS
“I want to tell you about bread,” Constance Wu writes in Making A Scene (Scribner, October 2022). The star of Hustlers and box-office smash Crazy Rich Asians—a role that earned her a 2018 Golden Globe nomination, Wu grew up in Richmond and attended Douglas S. Freeman High School, while she also made … bread. In a chapter titled “Montana Gold,” the actress shares fond memories of the bakery’s owners, Rich and Sher Lahvic. “I was there for about three years, working my way up from the counter, to the kneading table, to head pastry chef,” she writes. “It remains to this day, my favorite job I ever had.”
Her father, Fang-Sheng Wu, a biol ogy and genetics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, often took her to work with him during the summer months. In vivid essays, the book captures her journey from her Richmond ‘burb to New York City— where she worked for 10 years before her big break: a role on the TV series Fresh Off the Boat. Look for Wu’s next appearance in the movie Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, based on the children’s book, coming in October.
AT: I grew up in an Italian-American home where the word “immigrant” was a word of honor. My grandparents were immigrants. And coming from a working-class family, I’m also very proud of that. So that’s what I write about. I try to make sense of the world through writ ing. When I started getting granular with my
Adriana Trigiani: It always starts with the librar ian. My mother was a librarian. When I look at a book, the first thing I see is her face. If you want to write, you gotta read. To this day, I go into a library like a church. It’s a sacred space to me. It’s a wonderful thing to have a life-long mountain to climb. And every day you try to master it. I feel a debt to great teachers and librarians. Virginia was an essential landscape for me, as well. I grew up in Big Stone Gap in the 1970s. It felt like we were in the heart of Appalachia. The first place I saw a play was at Clinch Valley
In a new memoir, Constance Wu revisits a beloved Richmond bakery.
VL: What do you want readers to get from your work? AT: So many of us are searching for a way to tell our family stories. I want people to come away with an emotional sense of how important and essential family is for your happiness. At the end of the day, you just try to make it work. —by Konstantin Rega Adriana with her siblings, c. 1970s
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New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani grew up in Big Stone Gap and, while she now lives in New York, her Virginia roots run deep. In The Good Left Undone (Dutton, April 2022), Trigiani, also a filmmaker and philanthropist, explores her Italian heritage. We caught up with her to find out more.
“Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation... Fantastic...” Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2022 kodistilling.com Drin KO Res pon si b ly ! At Well•Spring, you’ll find an active and engaging life, full of opportunities for growth and learning. TAKE A TOUR TODAY! | 336.545.5400 | GREENSBORO, NC | WELL-SPRING.ORG Everything You Need is Here Dining At Its Finest • Aquatic and Fitness Center • Trainer on Staff • Putting Green & Dog Park • Miles of Walking Trails Tons of Ways to Stay Active • State-of-the-Art Theatre • &WoodworkingHobbyShop • Community Gardens • Art Studios • Casual & Fine Dining Options • World-Class Cuisine • Seasonal Menus • Cocktail Bar & Sports Lounge At Well•Spring, we encourage our residents to stay active — physically, mentally and spiritually. Well•Spring offers a wide variety of activities to add more enjoyment throughout your day. From fitness to clubs, you can choose your interest and dive right in. Discover: Don’t let retirement ever slow you down. Dot Sowerby, Well•Spring resident
Preakness
Rachel Zampelli, Paul Scanlan, Awa Sal Secka Bianca Barth, Olivia Bartilucci
David and Emily Brazell
Drew Portocarrero (Smithsonian National Zoological Park), Andrea Edwards (Wolf Trap), Samantha Courtney (Wolf Trap), Sarah Kyrouac (Washington Ballet), Seton Gardner, Karen Shepherd and Patrick Mühlen-Schulte (Washington Ballet Managing Director)
Participating chefs included RVA Cheese Girl, Emmie Lewis, who served locally sourced charcuterie.
Ethan Heard (Signature Theatre Associate Artistic Director), Maggie Boland (Signature Theatre Managing Director), Randy Rainbow, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Santino Fontana
SAVOR co-founder Leslie Stack and her husband, Frank Rizzo
Three hundred guests sampled appetizers from Northern Neck restaurants and wineries and bid on auction items like Washington Nationals tickets, vacation packages, and designer jewelry. The event raised nearly $100,000 for student scholarships and college programs. SPREAD THE WORD Tell us about your charitable event, and we might share it here! Send details to VaydaParrish@CapeFear.comphotographygainsorriebarclay,bernadettewhitman,cameronandschulmanmargotby:left)topfrom(clockwisephotos TYSONS Sondheim Award Gala Honoring Carol Burnett Capital One Hall Carol Burnett was honored with special performances by Tony® Award winners Bernadette Peters and Santino Fontana at Signature Theatre’s annual award gala. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a seated gourmet dinner, and dessert buffet. This year’s event, the highest grossing in the theater’s history, benefits Signature’s artistic, education, and community outreach initiatives. RICHMOND SAVOR The Jefferson Hotel Local chefs and
Michael Faulkner and Joyce Gunderson Shannon and Larry Kennedy Anita Powell and Nicholas Powell
27OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING LOTTSBURG
PreaknessCollege’sCommunityRappahannock18thAnnualParty
Kennersley House Rappahannock Community College held its 18th Annual Party at Kennersley on the Coan River in the Lottsburg, home of Lakey and Ellen Cowart. guests gathered to support The Doorways, which operates a 117-room hotel for caregivers and patients who travel to Richmondarea hospitals for lifesaving treatments. Since opening in 1984, The Doorways has provided over 50,000 nights of stay at no charge to patients and their families. The event raised over $220,000 to continue this mission.
Left to right: Lowell Price, Silvia MunozPrice, M.D., Ph.D. of VCU Health System, Marcelle Davis, M.D., Edmund Greenidge, Jr.
Jeffery Tribble Jr., Sylvie Volel, Jillian Irvin, Brian Kenner
The Christian Family, from left to right: Antonio Dominguez, Elizabeth, Melissa, Mark, and Katie
UP front ABOUT TOWN
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Draper Photography What happens at Mary Washington sets the stage for the rest of your life. This is where you come into your own. And the world is better for it. Schedule your visit at go.umw.edu/visit Make each second count. Fredericksburg, Virginia
SEPT. 30 OCT. 2 NEPTUNE FESTIVAL BOARDWALK WEEKEND Virginia Beach: Oceanfront concerts, more than 200 artisan booths, and an international sand sculpting competition. 757-498-0215, NeptuneFestival.com OCT. 1 BACON, BOURBON, & MUSIC FEST Smithfield: Breweries, distilleries, and wineries, a bacon bar, and cigar courtyard for smoking and sipping. 757-357-5182, SmithfieldVaEvents.com
CENTRAL SEPT. 16 18
OCT. 15 SCOTT’S ADDITION PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Richmond: Festive food and beverage, costume contests (for humans and dogs alike), and all things pumpkin. ScottsAdditionPumpkinFestival.com
Lovettsville Oktoberfest will be hosting wiener dog races.festivalneptuneofcourtesycommittee,oktoberfestlovettsvilleofcourtesymishima,tedbytop):(fromphotos Botanical haute couture FrançoisebyWeeks
LOVETTSVILLE OKTOBERFEST Lovettsville: Stein hoisting competitions, wiener dog races, Bavarian dancing, tradi tional German fare, and barrels of beer. 540-822-5788, LovettsvilleOktoberfest.com
A Feast of Fall Festivals
Thomas Woltz, acclaimed landscape architect with globe-spanning projects, and Shaun Spencer-Hester, granddaughter of Harlem Renaissance poet and Lynchburg gardener Anne Spencer. Plus, enjoy a botanical mixology event and a full-scale flower show in which horticulture, artistic design, and photography are integrated. Symposium.GCVirginia.org. —by Madeline Mayhood
OCT. 22 23 FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL Mount Vernon: 18th-century farming, cooking, candle making, and textile production demonstrations, and beer tasting events with local breweries. 703-780-2000, MountVernon.org
NORTHERN SEPT. 23 24
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SAVOR THE EYE CANDY of Françoise Weeks’ foraged haute couture and Robert Llewellyn’s extraordinary microphotography—all botanically inspired. Both are featured at the Garden Club of Virginia’s Symposium 2022, Grow Your Knowledge, Sept. 20-21, at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond. Free and ticketed programs, open to the public, also include keynote speakers
OCT. 14 16 POQUOSON SEAFOOD FESTIVAL Poquoson: A salute to the Chesapeake Bay featuring crafts vendors, a petting zoo, live music, and plenty of fresh seafood. PoquosonSeafoodFestival.com
FIELD DAY OF THE PAST Amelia: Tractor and truck pulls, living history displays and reenactments, antique farming equipment, and carnival rides. 804-741-8468, FieldDayofthePast.net
GROW YOUR KNOWLEDGE
OCT. 7 9 WATERFORD FAIR Waterford: Contemporay craft artisans, living historians, a juried art show, historic property tours, and local libations. 540-882-3018 , WaterfordFairVa.org
OCT. 15 FESTIVAL OF GRAPES & HOPS Petersburg: More than 40 Virginia breweries and wineries, local bands, and vendors in historic Old Towne. 804-733-8131, GrapesandHopsPetersburg.com
29OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING UP front EVENTS
EASTERN SEPT. 17 GLOUCESTER WINE FESTIVAL Gloucester: The Gloucester Chamber of Commerce’s premier annual event, held this year at Brent & Beckys’s Bulbs. *See our feature on page 112. 804-693-2425, GloucesterVaWineFestival.com
Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach
OCT. 15 16 PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL Manassas: Craft and food vendors, train rides, rock walls, live music, and of course, hot air balloon rides. 703-792-8420 , VisitPWC.com
From oceanfront concerts to wiener dog races, Quidditch matches to hayrides, celebrate fall’s arrival with this flurry of festivals all over the state.
OCT. 7 9 DEVILS BACKBONE HOOPLA Roseland: Live music headlined by Charley Crockett, craft beer, canned cocktails, and 434-361-1001,camping.
PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090
JUSTIN H. WILEY | 434 981 5528
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PETER A. WILEY | 434 422 2090 SOLITE FARM $910,000 | MLS 630924 129 rolling acres minutes from the Village of Fork Union. The land is a mix of open crop/pasture, and hardwood forest, and is in two tax map parcels. The existing driveway enters the property from West Bottom road, and continues on past the beautiful two acre pond to a perfect elevated home site. The larger of the two parcel also has frontage on route 15, and has 11 acres zoned commercial. the open land is currently leased as crop land. Great farm property, or solid investment.
Shop Virginia’s largest selection of original art from more than 225 artists. In-store in Greater Richmond and online from literally anywhere at artFindcrossroadsartcenter.comoutwhyVirginialoversapprove,too. Rover-approved. Crossroads Art Center 2016 Staples Mill Road, Richmond 804.278.8950 or text 804.314.3900 crossroadsartcenter.com Geraldo Netto painting / Dianna Waters sculpture SANDY RESORTRIVER • Glamping Tipis and Luxury Log Cabins • Adventure andHigh-RopesPark:CoursesZipLines • Boat & Bike Rentals • Sandy River Distillery ALPACABRIGHTEYESRETREAT • Rural Lodging on an Alpaca Farm in the Heart of Virginia • Tours Starting in September • Adopt a BrightEyes Alpaca Retreat Alpaca or Pup For more information about Prince Edward County, visit: ExplorePrinceEdwardVA.com Ready for a fall retreat? SandyRiverOutdoorAdventures.comBrightEyesAlpacas.com ORANGE VA | 540 672 3903CHARLOTTESVILLE VA | 434 293 3900 WILEYPROPERTY.COM CUSTOM RESIDENCE $2,595,000 | MLS 630576 A rare, first-time offering. An exquisite, custom brick residence designed/built by the renowned team of Jay Dalgliesh, AIA, and Jeff Smith of Altera Construction. Only 6 miles west of Charlottesville and the University with incredible Blue Ridge views. Rooms flow together with an easy elegance, each showing off the high level of detail and materials for which the architect and builder are known. First and second floor master suites. One of the highest quality homes currently on the market.
Quidditch at Queen City Mischief & Magic in Staunton
“We couldn’t be more excited for the return of our in-person event,” says the humane society’s CEO, April Martinez. Live music promises to set a festive mood, and a delicious array of seasonal side dishes and desserts, plus beer and wine are also on the menu. This annual fundraiser provides life-saving programs and services that benefit the shelter’s homeless animals, including temporary shelter; adoption; transfer to adoption-guarantee partners through the Highway to Home program; low- and no-cost spay/neuter surgery through the Fixin’ to Save Spay & Neuter Clinic; and a Pet Pantry for pet owners experiencing economic hardship. Fundraisers like the Oyster Roast ensure the GMHS “remains a beacon of hope and safe harbor for pets and people in need,” adds Martinez. An extra treat? A peek at shelter pets on parade. Oct. 29, 2:00-5:00 p.m. WarnerHall.com, GMHumaneSociety.org by Madeline Mayhood
DATE
SHENANDOAH SEPT. WATERMELON PICKERS’ FEST Berryville: Bluegrass band contests, plenty juicy 540-955-1621,
VALLEY
ANTHEM GO OUTSIDE FESTIVAL Roanoke: Bike rides, pro-athlete competitions, dog dock jumping contents, group runs, a BMX stunt show, and lots of live 540-343-1550,music. RoanokeGoFest.com
OYSTERS SERVED EVERY WHICH WAY roasted, grilled, smoked, and just-shucked—will be on deck at the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society’s Annual Fall Oyster Roast at the Inn at Warner Hall, located on picturesque farmland at the head of the Severn River.
meadejamesmathewphotography,lifestylesimonkatephillips,johnby:photos
SEPT. QUEEN CITY MISCHIEF Staunton: Quidditch matches, butterbeer, and magical storefront décor make up this homespun Harry Potter-themed fan QueenCityMagic.com
Buchanan: Small town America comes to life with antique car and tractor displays, bluegrass concerts, and Southern food 540-254-1212,vendors. TownofBuchanan.com
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WatermelonPickersFest.com
watermelon.
a beer garden, camping, kids activities, and
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Fresh roasted Virginia oysters are on the menu at the GMHS Annual Oyster Roast at the Inn at Warner Hall, Oct. 29.
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us about your upcoming event, and we might share it here! Send an email to Editors@CapeFear.com with the subject line “events.” Include the event name, date(s), location, sponsor, admission price, contact info, and a brief description.
submit your event to our online calendar at: VirginiaLiving.com/Events/Submit.html
FESTIVAL OF LEAVES
SOUTHWEST SEPT. 24 BURKE’S GARDEN FALL FESTIVAL Tazewell: Living history, crafts, historical exhibits, food vendors, and local produce. 276-970-3950, Facebook: @BurkesGardenFallFestival
The Woodshedders perform at Watermelon Pickers’ Fest.
OCT. 22
& MAGIC
BREW DO Blacksburg: Sip through a selection of ales, lagers, pilsners, stouts, and ciders, with local food vendors and live music at Historic Smithfield homestead. 540-443-2008, BlacksburgBrewDo.com
OCT. 1 MOUNTAIN MAGIC IN FALL FESTIVAL
Front Royal: A Friday night downtown block party, hayrides, historical reenactments, and leaf peeping to celebrate the festival’s 50th year. FestivalofLeaves.org
OCT. 15
FIRST ANNUAL BLUE HIGHWAY FEST Big Stone Gap: Inaugural bluegrass and roots music fest celebrating Blue Ridge 423-963-5090,heritage. BlueHighwayFest.com
31OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING UP front EVENTS
OCT. 14 16
SHARE THE Tell Plus,
OCT. 6 8
PAWS ON THE RIVAH Fall Oyster Roast at Warner Hall benefits shelter animals.
dentityestraint Art of the Dog Collar & NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & THEOctoberMiddleburg,MUSEUMVA7,2022–March26,2023NationalSporting.orgAKCMUSEUMOFTHEDOGNewYork,NYApril5,2023–September4,2023MuseumOfTheDog.orgPEBBLEHILLPLANTATIONThomasville,GANovember3,2023–May3,2024PebbleHill.com Charles Hamilton (British, op. 1831–1867), Zillah (detail), 1837, 24 x 28 inches (frame size) The AKC Museum of the Dog, Gift of the estate of Cynthia S. Wood; examples from NSLM Dog Collar Collection, donated by Dr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Greenan, 2015 This exhibition is made possible at the NSLM through the generous support of Garth Greenan Gallery, Dr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Greenan, and Mark Anstine SETTING THE STANDARD SINCE 1978 Complete design services and fine craftsmanship Custom barns, arenas, garages and living quarters 1-888-354-4740 | www.kingbarns.com
The VMFA’s Storied Strings gives the guitar its solo.
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33OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
Leo Mazow says that the first thing people want to know about Storied Strings, the guitar-centric exhibition he’s assembled at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), is what kind of famous shredders will be on“Whiledisplay.we do have some of the earliest surviving American guitars in the show, and a few played by famous musicians,” says the VMFA’s Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art, “those guitars are exactly what have inspired American artists, from the 19th century to today.”
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Buttressed by a $40,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Storied Strings, which opens Oct. 8 at the VMFA, will be the first major exhibition to survey the guitar in American art. In more than 125 carefully chosen pieces, it explores the instrument’s omnipresence in American life, starting with its days as a 19th-century ladies’ parlor instrument to its modern transformation into Woody Guthrie’s protest tool, emblazoned with the message: “This machine kills fascists,” and the rock ‘n’ roll axes wielded by Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.
“The guitar has long enabled artists to tell stories that are undertold or not told at all,” says Mazow, who once curated a similar exhibition on the banjo at the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State University. From Thomas Cantwell Healy’s 1853 portrait of Charlotte Davis Wylie fingering the frets to Dorothea Lange’s Depression-era photograph of a strumming Mexican laborer, the images offer a window into the nation’s soul. STRING THEORY
What the guitarists choose to record is up to them. “This is certainly going to be a first,” says MacArthur prize-winner Corey Harris, who admits he’s tickled at the prospect of appearing in a museum exhibition. “But I guess the growth comes when you are out of your comfort zone.”
Richmond session with fellow guitarist Anthony Pirog will display the instrument’s range. “It’s amazing what people have been able to get out of the same 12 notes.”
The Charlottesville-based blues and reggae musi cian says his input “will center around Virginia blues—John Jackson, John Cephas. It’s important to feature the Piedmont blues in this.”
Above: Three Folk Musicians, 1967, Romare Bearden canvas,paintvarious1911–1988),(American,collageofpaperswithandgraphiteonVMFA.Below: Jessie with Guitar, 1957, Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889–1975), oil on canvas. Jessie Benton Collection. Leo Mazow, VMFA’s Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art, always has a guitar to strum in his office.
34VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 HOME grown SPOTLIGHT
“I think it’s a pretty daunting task to mount an exhibit on the guitar because of all of the dif ferent genres and periods—we’re talking centu ries, really,” McCarthy says. “But Leo is a smart, driven guy and, yeah, it’s ambitious because that’s what he does.” The Richmond-based McCarthy has written an original song specifically for Storied Strings and will record with multi-instrumentalist Charles Arthur. “The guitar made a strong appearance in Ameri can life and it hasn’t gone away,” says composer Joel Harrison, author of Guitar Talk: Conversations with Visionary Players. “You can play both sim ple and complex music on the guitar. It’s the only instrument, aside from the accordion, that is both harmonic and portable, where you can accompany yourself and sing. You can’t drag a piano around withTheyou.”Brooklyn-based Harrison says that his
toried Strings will also house a glassencased music studio where, once a week during the show’s run, a series of notable guitarists will hold live recording ses sions as visitors look on and listen. The players will include popular Australian virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel, avant-folk artist Yasmin Williams, and Nels Cline, the celebrated lead guitarist for alt-rock band Wilco. The goal, he says, is to “unpack the guitar’s storytelling potential.” The recordings will be filmed, mixed, and uploaded to the VMFA’s website and YouTube as “The Richmond Sessions,” in homage to the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which is known as the Big Bang of commercial country music.
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“All of these folks are great guitar players,” Mazow says of the musicians he’s assembled. “But they are also storytellers. They use guitars to approach themes that perhaps wouldn’t be appro priate out of the blue in conversation.”
“The themes explored in Bristol ranged from courtship and Christianity to trains and transportation, to mortality and well beyond,” Mazow says. “As with those 1927 sessions, it is my hope that these recordings will enlist the guitar in a thoughtful exploration of personal relationships, national identity, popular religion, and a sense of place.”
While the performances highlight the guitar as storyteller, the visual art illustrates how it has influenced American art. “Guitars are recurring props in portraits,” Mazow says. “People feel com fortable holding the guitar; it might cover their body, it might fit in their lap. There’s also this trope of individuals holding guitars like a child, like Madonna and child.”
During its five-month run, Storied Strings will also feature a film series, lectures, a build-a-cigarbox-guitar event for kids—and, finally—more than 30 rare, one-of-a-kind guitars, including the very first custom-painted Fender Stratocaster and gor geous specimens fretted and sweated on by Eric Clapton, Freddie King, Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats, and John Lee Hooker. “So, yeah,” Mazow says, “there will be guitars.” Storied Strings runs from Oct. 8, 2022-March 19, 2023 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. VMFA.museumDonHarrisonhas been published in The Washington Post, Washingtonian, and Parade , among others. He co-hosts Radio Wowsville on WTJU and hosts Open Source RVA on WRIR.
Mazow, who also plays guitar, is a big fan of Wilco and the Jayhawks, whose touring lead gui tarist Stephen McCarthy has advised him on the project. But he insists that he didn’t play favorites with the exhibition’s lineup.
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“There’s a human tendency to think that the bigger it is, the more dangerous it might be,” says Theresa “Tree” Dellinger of Virginia Tech’s Insect ID Lab. But while wolf spiders, if handled, can and do deliver a bite that can be painful and in some people provoke an allergic reaction, their venom doesn’t pose any risk to most people. And they’re a beneficial spider to have in your garden, with a preference for dining on bugs and even otherStill,spiders.Dellinger acknowledges, a wolf spider in the bedroom might be a bridge too far for most. “If you have a phobia about spiders, then that is the most important thing in the room for you right then and there.”
of the victim, and then the spider can “suck out those juices,” says Dellinger. “It’s like an insect smoothie.”Thesearachnids are common backyard spiders, and during the day they will shelter under mulch or leaf litter, where you might sometimes surprise one while working in your garden. And because they are usually found around the house, they occasionally find their way inside the house— particularly into basements, sheds, garages, and other ground-level spaces. But if one’s instinct, on sighting a big, hairy spider, is to rush for a broom or other death-dealing implement, keep in mind a unique aspect of the wolf-spider life cycle.
Illustration by CARLES GARCÍA O’DOWD I
Instead, says Dellinger, it is an ambush predator that roams in search of prey. And wolf spiders are fast, given to sudden bursts of speed for chasing down a passing cricket or beetle. “It is really star tling when you see one dart out suddenly,” says Delinger. They are typically more active at night, and, Dellinger notes, their eyes—of which they have eight—have a reflective layer in the back and are “pretty large for spiders” (all the better to see in the dark). So if you happen to be lying on the ground on a summer’s eve, shining a flashlight into the grass, you might catch sight of a cluster of shiny spider eyes staring back at you.
Insatiably curious, Caroline Kettlewell has written on many topics, from endurance athletes and electric cars to the delightful diversity of Virginia’s native flora and fauna, and she is the author of two works of nonfiction. CarolineKettlewell.com
37OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HOME grown
If wolf spiders present no threat to people, they do, however, spell a nasty doom for their prey.
“Spiders are very beneficial,” Del linger points out. “They eat lots and lots of insects that we would rather not have in our house, and they are a very important part of the ecosystem.” At the ID Lab, she adds, “We try to remind people that insects, and bugs, and spiders are out there doing their own thing and serving their purposes in the greater good of the world.”
There’s a tender, maternal side to these spiders; females of the species carry their egg sac with them. And when dozens of spiderlings hatch, they all crawl on mama’s back, where they hang out for a few weeks until they’re ready to roam on their own. The thing is, however, that at the kind of dis tance you might stand if you can’t stand spiders, a living coat of spider lings might not be so apparent. But whack that mother with a broom, and suddenly all those babies scatter in a kind of exploding arachnova.
F YOU’RE LARGE, HAIRY, AND EIGHTlegged, it’s true that nobody short of a true arachno-enthusiast is ever likely to exclaim with delight when you scuttle across the floor. But for all that, native Virginia wolf spiders are large, fast-moving, aggressive hunters—really, there’s no reason to fear them—even if, like one unfortunate Virginian, you wake up in the night to find one on your neck. As she told the Virgin ian-Pilot, when she grabbed it and threw it across the room, “it hit the wall with a thud.”
Wolf spiders are one of the world’s most com mon spiders, in the family Lycosidae (from the Greek word for “wolf”), and according to Del linger there are approximately 240 species of wolf spiders in North America alone. The largest com monly found in Virginia is the palm-sized Caro lina wolf spider (apparently the official state spi der of South Carolina), which can have a body of more than an inch in length and a leg span of as much as four inches. No Charlotte of the web, this spider neither spins nor waits.
Wolf spiders might look scary, but they’re good to have around.
No Big, Hairy Deal
That’s one reason not to kill them. But even if you’re only deal ing with a single spider, it’s good to think before you thwack.
By CAROLINE KETTLEWELL |
If wolf spiders present no threat to people, they do, however, spell a nasty doom for their prey. Once captured, the day’s menu special is quickly subdued with a bite. The spider’s venom begins breaking down and liquefying the tissues
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A heartbreaking tale perhaps, but Lady Anne, one of the state’s earliest recorded ghosts, is in good company. From Chincoteague to Cumber land, Virginia is home to thousands of spirits: wounded soldiers, star-crossed lovers, grieving parents, trapped miners, and more.
Pirok,Alena Ph.D.courtesyfoundation,williamsburgcolonialgreen/thetombytop)(fromphotos fredaanthonybyillustrationspirok.alenaof
Restless Spirits
By LARRY BLEIBERG HE PARTY WAS ALREADY in full swing at Williamsburg’s Governor’s Palace when the beautiful Lady Anne Skipwith spied her husband flirting with her younger sister on the dance floor.
Superstitious Settlers “Virginians insist they have the most and the best ghost stories of any state,” says Alena Pirok, Ph.D., a professor at Georgia Southern University in Savannah and author of The Spirit of Colonial Williamsburg: Ghosts and Interpreting the Recreated Past (University of Massachusetts Press, 2022). “They’ve been saying this since the 19thOurcentury.”firstghost stories were told by supersti tious early European settlers. A fascination with the supernatural grew during the Spiritualist T
39OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HOME grown VIRGINIANA
Two hundred years later, this noblewoman still haunts the Wythe House in Colonial Williams burg, where visitors regularly report hearing the distinctive one-shoed clack of her footsteps echoing in the historic home late into the night.
—Alena Pirok, Ph.D. movement of the 1800s, which promoted the idea that the living and the dead could communicate. Given our long, tumultuous history of settle ment, revolution, and war, Virginia is a natural breeding ground for ghostly tales. But Pirok, who wrote her doctoral thesis on Virginia’s haunted history, says you don’t have to believe in spirits to celebrate them. At their root, ghost stories allow us to engage with history. “You are talking about people from the past, and through these stories you can have access and connect to them.”
For centuries, Virginia has laid claim to the best— and the first—ghost stories.
Guests at the ball looked on as she confronted him in a jealous rage, then stormed back to their room at the George Wythe House, losing one of her red shoes along the way. There, residents recall hearing her distinctive footfalls as she furi ously stomped up the stairs to her bedchamber. Within the year, Lady Anne died during child birth and her husband eventually married her younger sister, proving the ballroom flirting may have been more.
George Wythe House
Virginia’s ghost stories are “very sweet, very loving in that human-tohuman way. They aren’t Stephen King stories.”
If there’s a hero to our ghost stories, it would be L.B. Taylor Jr., a former NASA official and editor who wrote 25 books and hundreds of magazine articles about Virginia’s haunted past. His work helped legitimize the paranormal, giving rise to ghost tourism in Williamsburg and around the state.
“What we have at the mansion seems to be very cordial. They’re not evil, nothing demonic. That’s after over three years of investigations.”
—Debbie Cushman, Octagon Mansion
Over decades, Taylor traveled Virginia, com piling stories through interviews and searching long-forgotten archives to find creepy accounts in diaries, slave narratives, and personal papers. Through his dogged research, he popularized the state’s ghost stories and brought them to the mod ern“There’sera. not a ghost tour in Virginia that can not trace its existence back to L.B. Taylor,” says Pirok. “He made these stories accessible.” Pirok first discovered Virginia ghosts when she found one of Taylor’s volumes at a used bookstore in Fredericksburg. Dinner with a Ghost Since Taylor’s death in 2014, Virginia’s ghost population has continued to grow. Take the recently discovered spirits believed to reside at the 1870 Octagon Mansion History Museum in Wytheville, which inspired the 2019 short film, A Haunting at The Octagon Mansion. Unlike other specters, which have been rat tling around for centuries, the Octagon’s spirits— a 12-year-old girl named Audrey and the reverend who built the mansion in 1870—were only discov ered after Debbie and John Cushman bought the long-empty building in 2018. “What we have at the mansion seems to be very cordial,” Debbie said. “They’re not evil,
Larry Bleiberg is immediate past president of the Society of American Travel Writers. The former travel editor of Coastal Living magazine and The Dallas Morning News , he contributes to BBC Travel , The Washington Post , and many others.
The Octagon Mansion’s “Dinner with a Ghost” features a Champagne reception and multi-course meal followed by a paranormal investigation.
And the professor, who has made a career of studying the supernatural, says she’s not immune to getting the heebie-jeebies herself at the end of an evening ghost tour. “If the story’s told well, and it’s a crisp night, it’s contagious.”
Godfather of the Virginia Ghost Story
Virginia’s yarns have another distinction, Pirok says. Traditionally, they’re not terribly scary. “They’re very sweet. They’re very loving in that human-to-human way. They aren’t Stephen King type stories.”
TaylorL.B. Jr.
Consider these tales: Just a few years after his death, George Washington’s spirit is said to have chatted with a Massachusetts congressman who was spending the night at Mount Vernon; in the 1960s, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe were sighted arguing outside the fifth President’s law office in Fredericksburg; and visitors have seen an entire crowd of settlers dressed in Colonial garb glide silently into a Jamestown church and then disappear.
courtesy(2),museumhistorymansionoctagontheofcourtesytop)(fromphotos fredaanthonybyillustrationfamily.taylortheof appearances.makesWashingtonghosttoAccordingsome,theofGeorgeoccasional
40VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 HOME grown VIRGINIANA
The mansion hosts paranormal investigators— essentially real-life ghostbusters—who regu larly rent out the space for overnight hunts, using electronic sensors and recording equipment to track spirits. Similar gatherings are held at Belle Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast in King George, whose spectral residents have been featured on the Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits and SyFy’s Ghost Hunters Pirok isn’t surprised by the findings: New ghost stories are emerging all the time, she says. “Human beings tell ghost stories. This is part of who we are.”
The MansionOctagon
nothing demonic. That’s after over three years of investigations.” She says her 4-year-old grand daughter has befriended Audrey, and the minister seems to be content as long as there’s bourbon on the dining room table.
Age 2 – Grade 12 | Day & Boarding (9 – 12) | Charlottesville, VA reimagine come see TOURSus every week www.stab.org/valiving Art by Taylor Morris ’19
Plumley spent childhood summers with her grandparents in Wilson, North Carolina. “Daddy George was a regular blue-collar guy who ran an ice plant,” she says. “When he retired, he taught himself how to build furniture as a hobby, and he built a ton of stuff.” Her fondest memories are of watching him work in his magnolia-shaded, vinecovered shop. Her grandparents also owned an old cottage at Topsail Beach. There, Plumley would follow Daddy George to his Thursday morning Cape Fear Woodcarvers Club meetings. “Every week, I sat there with a bunch of 80-year-old men and a cool old dog while they carved wood birds, smoked cigars, talked politics, and shared war stories,” says Plumley. When Plumley entered Virginia Commonwealth Maple vanity dressing table with book-matched wood grain, filled with deep purple epoxy.
Framework of Memories If this story is not already enchanting enough, consider her grandfather’s name: George Bailey, just like Jimmy Stewart’s character in the classic movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. Now 29, Plumley was 16 when “Daddy George” died and left her these things. “He was my favor ite person in the whole world, and all I ever wanted as a kid was to be just like him.”
42VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
Plumley shares a set of lathe chisels given to her by her late grandfather.
In many ways, she is. “Furniture building isn’t just a man’s world—it’s an old man’s world,” admits Plumley. “I know a few other women in this field, but not many.”
HEN RICHMOND FURNITURE maker Sallie Plumley mentions being gifted, she’s not talking about her considerable talents. Plumley’s favorite gifts came from her grandfa ther: his wedding band, with instructions to give it to the man she wanted to marry someday; a classic wood bed frame he built himself; and his woodshop, complete with tools. Along with those tangible gifts, Plumley’s grandfather shared his values, his eye for natural beauty, and an appreciation of family traditions.
For Sallie Plumley, handcrafted furniture turns a house into a home.
“I got to watch Sallie discover and develop her woodworking talents at school,” says Charlie.
Plumley earned a degree in Craft and Material Studies, with a concentration in furniture design and woodworking. She worked for a traditional furniture maker in Richmond before taking what
University, she intended to major in sculpture and photography. “I didn’t know what to do with the woodshop,” she says. “I wasn’t aware that you could study woodworking in school,” she says. But that would change. A Leap of Faith Her husband, Charlie, fell in love with Plumley the night she told him about her grandfather’s gifts. “I told her I hoped that one day I might have the honor of being the man who would wear that ring,” he says. Not long after, that wish came true. Now he’s her biggest cheerleader.
Bespoke Beauty
Plumley straightens a slab of cherry wood on a vintage Jet jointer, one of the older pieces of equipment in her woodshop. Left: Detail of the epoxy fill on her rotten walnut plank coffee table.
By JILL DEVINE | Photography by ABIGAIL JOHNSTON W
A cherry sideboard came next—with epoxy details and door panels covered in navy grass cloth. Furniture with similar epoxy features— embedded with lapis, charcoal, copper flecks, or ground mother of pearl—are now popular among Plumley’s clients. “From the time she could hold a crayon, Sal lie has been creating things,” says Susan. “This is where Sallie is meant to be, and this is what she is meant to be doing.”
Building a Brand Soon she may be undertaking a big project for a corporation at Arlington’s National Landing. Pre liminary discussions include a large dining table, two conference tables, and two sofa tables. The designers have asked Plumley to burn QR codes into the wood so admirers can use their mobile phones to learn more about her studio.
“One of my favorite things to do is pop by her studio, and every time it blows me away,” says Charlie.
“We wanted a smaller table that could expand when we have a crowd,” says Susan, “so Tillman asked Sallie to make a French extension table like one he had seen in an antique shop.” Sallie studied the table, with its clever, hidden sliding leaves, and replicated it for her parents. As an added flourish, she embedded her grandmother’s collection of shells in an exotic turquoise river to look like they’re floating.
special.”Robert and Susan, a retired couple in Virginia’s Northern Neck, commis sioned a dining table from Plumley to reflect the angles of their home and to capture the colors of the water surrounding their property. “Those who visit are astounded at the beauty and depth of detail of this table, and how the colors dance on it as the light changes throughout the day,” saysFromSusan.the James to the Potomac—business con tinues to flow for this young and talented artist.
JillSalliePlumleyStudio.comDevineisafreelance
Happy Clients
place mantles. Each project begins with a conver sation to understand the customer’s vision. Proj ects are priced according to size, materials, and complexity.
The result is a natural walnut table with cop per-infused epoxy details and a wide, angular base that features bronze and stainless steel ten sion cables for extra stability. “The table is stun ning and really well-designed,” says Schwenk. “It gets tons of compliments,
Plumley rummages through her woodshed, filled to the brim with locally-sourced wood. Below: Plumley’s brand, the finishing touch on all of her furniture. Below right: Rotten walnut plank coffee table with blue, green, and copper mica powdered epoxy.
plumleysallieofcourtesyphotostablecoffeeandvanity
Plumley frequently incorporates a plank’s “live edges,” into her projects, and she often stabilizes surfaces by pouring equal parts of epoxy, creativity, and love into the areas that need reinforcement.
Plumley created a large table out of live-edge walnut slabs inverted onto each other, with an epoxy river of charcoal mica powder and real powdered copper details, supported by a base of ebonized white oak. It consistently attracts atten tion, says Townes. The couple is already talking with Plumley about designing additional pieces.
Furniture Built for Gathering Carefully chosen, personalized furniture transforms a house into a home, Plumley says. About 40 percent of her commissions are local, but she ships all over the country, and always has a waiting list.
writer who has lived in and shared stories about Virginia for most of her life. She formerly worked as a kindergarten assistant for Loudoun County Public Schools.
—Sallie Plumley
“I like to incorporate tree knots and sapwood where appropriate as a testament to the tree’s life and natural beauty. Trees speak for themselves.” Plumley finishes her pieces using natural oils, rather than stains. “I don’t love gloss. If a cus tomer says the finished wood is beautiful, it’s not because of me. God did that.” Her favorite wood is walnut. “It’s so beautiful, and you simply can’t screw it up. If you come to me for a beautiful wal nut table, it’ll be handcrafted out of real walnut, not pine that’s been stained to look like walnut. For me, this is about integrity.”
43OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HOME grown MAKERS she calls “a leap of faith” to form her own com pany in Plumley2017.currently shares space and equipment with four other independent woodworkers in a large Richmond warehouse, and she stays busy year-round.
It’s a long way from her first commissions.
One of those projects—for her parents, Susan and Tillman Bailey, who still own the family beach house in Topsail—is especially intriguing.
Richmond architect Thomas Townes and his wife, Myra, were searching for a custom dining table when they noticed the handcrafted table tops at Richmond’s Tabol Brewing. They soon learned Plumley collaborated on the project. “The work she was doing was outstanding, and we liked the fact that she was local,” says Townes.
Alyssa Schwenk wanted a unique table for her Richmond home. “I was aghast at the prices at furniture stores, especially when I considered the actual quality, so I decided to explore custom,” she says. She collaborated with Plumley to design a table that checked all the boxes. “I knew I did not want the standard four legs and four cor ners,” says Schwenk. “I wanted something midcentury with textures and colors.”
“A lot of people come to me after numerous crappy furniture purchases,” she explains. “The tipping point is when they can’t find what they want in a store. Customers want clean lines, time less design, and really well-made construction— something that will last for generations.” Her pieces promote fellowship—dining tables, island countertops, media centers, benches, fire
Finding Beauty in the Rotten and Broken Plumley is known for her careful selection of wood—almost always locally sourced from a few trusted suppliers, such as Genuine Timbercraft. “The knots and cracks are all signs of the tree healing itself. I like to bring out the natural beauty without covering up these imperfections.”
44VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
Photography by JEFFREY GLEASON I’ve grown up and so, it seems, has Charlot tesville. Beyond wild college weekends, it offers visitors a choose-your-own-adventure of fine din ing—it was just named one of the “next great food cities” in the U.S. by Food & Wine magazine—plus shopping, history, culture, and, yes, perhaps a drink. Like the lead-up to finals week, it’s tempt ing to cram as much as possible into a visit. But there’s no need to run yourself ragged. Charlot tesville is a place to relax and enjoy.
Hooked on Charlottesville A university town … and so much more.
ike many people, I first got to know Charlottesville as a college student when I’d visit friends at the University of Virginia. Not surprisingly, my hazy recollection includes packed bars, dancing on floors sticky with beer, and late night rambles across UVA’s Lawn. A few decades later, I returned. But this time, the visit included the multi-course tasting menu at Red Pump Kitchen on the Downtown Mall. And, no shame, I was in bed before midnight.
Ciders of every color on tap at Potter’s Craft Cider. Right: A difficult decision at The Pie Chest.
L
By LARRY BLEIBERG |
The Dome Room at Monticello, inParamountpublic.inaccessiblepreviouslytotheRight:TheTheatertheDowntownMall.
45OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HOME grown DESTINATIONS
Start with a Toast Taking Sampson’s advice, I seek out new cor ners of Charlottesville, starting with Virginia wine, something that wasn’t really a thing a few decades ago. Now the Monticello Wine Trail includes 40 wineries, including scenic spots like King Family Vineyards, where visitors can watch polo matches while they sip Chardonnay; Blen heim Vineyards, which is owned by music legend Dave Matthews; and Early Mountain Vineyards, one of Sampson’s favorites.
Children blow bubbles on the lawn as locals Rob and Silas Frayser (above) perform at Potter’s Craft Cider. A slice of blackberry lemon pie from The Pie Chest, located in the Downtown Mall. A statue of Thomas Jefferson greets visitors at UVA’s iconic Rotunda.
monticelloofcourtesyphotoroomdome
The NBA Hall of Famer recently returned to Charlottesville to open a new restaurant, a fash ionable sports bar called Ralph Sampson’s Ameri can Taproom in the Barracks Road Shopping Cen ter, and he’s discovering the city all over again. He says he likes to explore the area in his SUV: “There are these little pockets—country stores, farmers markets, downtown. It’s picturesque to me.”
Don’t believe me? Just listen to Ralph Sampson. The UVA basketball legend ruled Charlottesville in the 1980s. During his four years there, Samp son appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated fiveButtimes.aside from an occasional trip to The Cor ner—the cluster of restaurants and shops along University Avenue—he doesn’t recall a lot about Charlottesville, the town. “As a student athlete,” he tells me, “you didn’t get to see much outside of the gym, outside study hall and classes. You’ve got so much going on.”
I decide to check in on Michael Shaps, the cel ebrated winemaker who has won Virginia’s Gov ernor’s Cup, the state’s highest honor, dozens of times. He has two vineyards in state and one in Burgundy, France, but it’s easy to savor his wines right here in town at his warehouse tasting room, Wineworks Extended. I sip my way through a fourglass Virginia sampler, making note of his 2016 Meritage, an especially smooth blend of five reds. It’s enough to whet my appetite, and I head over to Belmont, a funky neighborhood with a tiny commercial district that just happens to include some incredible restaurants. Tonight, it will be Mas Tapas, a startlingly authentic Span ish eatery. I’m handed a paper menu and a pen cil to mark my order. And what choices! Anchovy filets in garlic and lemon? Catalan shrimp? Papas bravas, a dish of spiced Yukon potatoes? I’m over whelmed, but my server steers me right. When I’m done, the table is piled with tiny dishes, each a lovelySated,memory.Iheadback to the aptly named Quirk Hotel. Its flowing white lobby stretches the length of the building and doubles as an art gal lery. I press 5 on the elevator for a nightcap at The Rooftop. Sipping a Burnt Ol’ Fashioned, I drink in the unaccustomed view of the mountainrimmed city which looks like it could be some where in Switzerland. Down by the Riverside The next morning, I start with a Charlottesville favorite, Bodo’s Bagels. Even with a line out the front door, service is quick. In a few minutes, I’m feasting on a chicken salad bagel sandwich topped with sprouts. Insiders know it’s really made with turkey, which makes it taste even richer. Properly carbo-loaded, I’m bound for a stroll along the Rivanna River. Didn’t know there was a river in Charlottesville? Until a few years ago, you weren’t alone. But it was here that the Mona can Indians lived, and later the Jefferson fam ily at nearby Monticello. Today, a 20-mile trail wraps around the city, following the river and its NBA Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson is discovering the city all over again: “People think Charlottesville is the University of Virginia,” he says, “but it’s much more than that.”
Although Charlottesville is much more than its University, Sampson tells me it would be a mis take not to visit. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and strolling the Grounds (it’s never called a campus) is both inspiring and surprising. I’m moved by the famous view of the Thomas Jeffer son-designed Rotunda from the Lawn, but that’s just the Turningstart.east, visitors find the new Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. Dedicated in 2021, the $7 mil lion walk-through monument lists the names of the more than 4,000 slaves who shaped the land, built the buildings, and staffed the school during the first half of the 1800s. In its early years, UVA attracted students like Edgar Allan Poe, and I head to the West Lawn to peer through a glass door into his preserved room. The famous Gothic writer left school after less than a year in Charlottesville, having racked up serious gambling debts, but his connection
Across the street, in front of what used to be Alderman Library—now known as the Main Library and closed until 2024 for a $160 million update and expansion—I find a towering glass box surrounding four towering concrete panels, pieces of the Berlin Wall. The side that once faced West Berlin is alive with graffiti art. The East ern side is blank, reflecting Soviet repression. The installation commemorates November 9, 1989, when, as the University explains, “the human spirit triumphed over oppression, to celebrate those unalienable rights which Thomas Jefferson so famously championed and cherished.”
You can wander the gardens to see heirloom vegetables, like eggplants, asparagus, and peanuts that would have flourished in Jefferson’s day.
A foggy mountain sunrise over Monticello. Below left: The Pavilion in the vegetable garden.
46VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 tributaries. I’m out to see just a tiny stretch. Starting from Riverview Park, I follow a paved path to see the rapids. The Rivanna River Com pany even rents canoes and runs shuttles, mak ing for a fun six-mile trip downstream. Once the river was home to industry, which I learn when I stop for a chai tea at the Wool Factory, a former textile mill now home to fine-dining restaurant Broadcloth, along with a coffee shop, brewery, and event and co-working spaces. [See Virginia Living, March/April 2022].
endures through The Raven Society, which pro claims it’s the “oldest and most prestigious honors society at the University of Virginia.”
47OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HOME grown DESTINATIONS
TheRidleyVa.com
The Dairy Market presents more than a dozen dining choices including local favorites like Take It Away sandwiches, Citizen Burger, and Moo Thru ice cream, along with the Milkman’s Bar, a boozy take on a classic drugstore soda fountain. I decide on the Filipino comfort food offered at Manila Street, ordering delicious chicken curry and rice noodles.
CROZET: Sampson is drawn to this growing town on the western edge of Albemarle County. “Crozet is blowing my mind. It’s small but quaint. I tend to go there when I want to get out.” His latest find: Smoked Kitchen & Tap, a popular barbecue food truck that’s gone brick and mortar. @smokedkitch enandtap
There’s plenty more to explore, but I’m bound for one of the city’s newest offerings, a 1930s dairy plant repurposed as a gleaming food hall.
EarlyMountain.com MATCHBOX: Although this fancy wood-fired pizza joint also serves burgers, steaks, and salmon, Sampson sticks to the pizza: “It’s a really good place to get good food. The owner respects privacy, and the staff is really professional.”
THE RIDLEY AT THE DRAFTSMAN HOTEL: Sampson’s a fan of the elevated Southern cuisine served at this hotel restaurant near UVA. “It’s become one of those iconic places for me. It has an amazing brunch, and an amazing tomahawk steak, which is very large.”
—Ralph Sampson
EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS: 30 miles beyond the city, it’s a Sampson’s favorite. Although not much of a drinker, he does like an occasional glass of red wine. “I love being able to sit down, relax, spread a blanket and enjoy the place,” he says.
RALPH SAMPSON’S HIGH FIVE
“There are these little pockets— country stores, farmers markets, downtown. It’s picturesque to me.”
Like an easy layup, University of Virginia basketball legend Ralph Sampson, owner of Ralph Sampson’s American Taproom, can suggest plenty of things to do in the Charlottesville area.
MatchboxRestaurants.com/Charlottesville
Sections of the Berlin Wall located outside UVA’s Main Library.
THE UVA LAWN: In his fourth year, Sampson had the honor of living on the Lawn, the centerpiece of the UVA Grounds. “I usually go back and knock on room Number 6 and greet the student,” he says. “You can’t miss the University, and you can’t miss the Lawn.”
The following morning, a Saturday, provides a chance to take part in a city ritual—the down town farmers market. Recently, the city has dou bled its market choices. A new one popped up just two blocks away from the original at the Ix Art Park, a repurposed industrial site that now houses a funky collection of sculpture and art work, along with restaurants and shops. Both markets offer fresh meats and produce, and plenty of opportunity for grazing, whether it’s street tacos, or turmeric and ginger smooth ies. If the bright blue Basam food truck is at Ix, make a beeline for its ramen and Japanese food. You can’t go wrong with Spicy Honey Garlic Kassan, a crunchy snack that just might be the
Before leaving, I try to retrace my late-night Lawn visits, opening a wooden gate and step ping into a brick-walled garden behind one of the pavilions at the heart of the Grounds. It’s one of the University’s 10 pavilion gardens located behind two orderly rows of brick build ings—pavilions in UVA parlance—that flank the Lawn and still house faculty and students. The Rotunda, the heart of the design, is all part of Jef ferson’s ingenious Academical Village. Although it feels like trespassing, this part of the Univer sity is open to the public, offering a quiet stroll under century-old trees accented with herbaceous beds, serpentine walls, and the 18th century flora favored by Jefferson. But I’m not done with Mr. Jefferson yet. Now it’s time to visit the city’s most famous address, Monticello. (Just turn over a nickel, and you’ll recognize the third President’s home.) The civ ics class classic has changed over the years. For starters, you can park at its base and walk up the gentle two-mile Saunders-Monticello Trail. Guides at the house celebrate Jefferson’s genius and also discuss the landscape of slavery at Mon ticello, addressing both his relationship with Sally Hemings and Mulberry Row, Monticello’s epicenter of slave life. A new behind-the-scenes tour visits the once off-limits second and third floors of the mountain top mansion, including the Dome Room. And out doors, you can wander the gardens to see heirloom vegetables, like eggplants, asparagus, and peanuts that would have flourished in Jefferson’s day.
Off to Market
Left: Jam According to Daniel offers jam made with local fruit at the Ix Art Park farmers market. Here: Also located in Ix Art Park, The Looking Glass, a selfdescribed “psychedelic playground,” is Virginia’s first and only immersive art experience.
DRINK Potter’s Craft Cider: Flights are a good bet. And a food truck rounds out a snack-centric menu. Live music on weekends. PottersCraftCider.com
48VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 HOME grown DESTINATIONS
The Happy Cook: Kitchenware shop that caters to novices and professional chefs. Plus, a wide range of cooking classes. TheHappyCook.com
STAY Draftsman Hotel: This hotel is near the center of C’ville life. Keep an eye out for canine ambassadors, Mocha and Maxey. TheDraftsmanHotel.com
The Graduate: Stuffed wahoos adorn every guest room. Plus complimentary bikes and a giant game room. GraduateHotels.com/Charlottesville Quirk Hotel Charlottesville: Local artists are showcased throughout this chic inn. The Rooftop bar’s views are prime. QuirkHotels.com MAKE IT A WEEKEND
Scarpa: This boutique eschews the tide of trends in favor of fresh ideas and smart design with a thoughtfully curated collection. ThinkScarpa.com
Spring Street Boutique: With a fashion-forward culture and unique inventory, this boutique is also easy on the AmEx. SpringStreetBoutique.com perfect chicken nugget. For other choices, hit one of Ix’s restaurants, like the takeout wood-fired pizza at Lampo, or perhaps a flight at North American Sake Brew ery, or pretzel bites and a beer at Three Notch’d BrewingProperlyCompany.fortified, it’s time to hit the shops. One of the most significant changes to Char lottesville was the creation of the downtown pedestrian mall, which began as a U.S. Bicenten nial project in 1976. Now, it’s the city’s front yard, where everyone from street musicians to under graduates to retirees out for their 10,000 steps, all mixVisitorsseamlessly.come to shop at places like New Dominion Bookshop, the state’s oldest, dating to 1924. There, savor the ultimate book-browsing experience, and if you’re lucky, autographed cop ies of books by local writers like John Grisham might be for sale. For a Charlottesville-themed souvenir, stop at O’Suzannah gift shop, or pick up a hand-painted scarf or Blue Ridge Mountain photograph from C’Ville Arts, a gallery featuring more than 50 local artists. Before heading home, I end my day with a bev erage that the Founding Fathers would have rec ognized, driving a few miles south of town on Route 29 to Potter’s Craft Cider. Housed in a for mer country church nestled in the foothills, the rough stone walls and exposed beams offer a wel coming vibe.
EAT Fleurie: Get a taste of Paris at this tiny French restaurant just off the Downtown Mall. Menu often includes local fare. FleurieRestaurant.com
Red Pump Kitchen: Luxe dining in the heart of the Downtown Mall. Focaccias and handmade pastas are standouts. RedPumpKitchen.com
The Albemarle Angler: Book a fly-fishing trip or shop for brands like Filson and Barbour at this full-service outfitter. AlbemarleAngler.com
Caspari: The flagship location for this publisher of exquisitely designed paper products is located on the Downtown Mall. CaspariOnline.com
Three Notch’d Brewing Company: Three Notch’d wins out with top-notch brews and its airy dining room and patio. ThreeNotchdBrewing.com
Mas Tapas: Sharing defines this neighborhood tapas spot with an open kitchen. Order half-sizes or larger raciones. MasTapas.com
I order a tasting flight and a cheese plate and head outside. Taking a sip of Harrison, a cider made from Virginia-grown apples aged in French oak barrels, I survey the scene. A band plays to an audience laid out on blankets, while kids dance in the late afternoon sun. I think back to what Sampson told me. “People think Charlottesville is the University of Virginia, but it’s much more than that.” From Spanish tapas to river trails to a cider tasting in the woods, I’m beginning to understand what he means.
Ivy Nursery: Healthy plants, top-notch staff, and, swoon-worthy garden accents make this a best bet for the green set. IvyNursery.com
SHOP
Larry Bleiberg, a past president of the Society of American Travel Writers, lives in Charlottesville. The former travel editor of Coastal Living and The Dallas Morning News , he contributes to BBC Travel , The Washington Post , and many others. Golden hour drinks on the rooftop bar at the Quirk Hotel. Right: Quirk’s Painter’s Palette cocktail, with Singani 63, Cocchi Americano, lavender syrup, lemon juice, and prosecco. Left: Roasted sweet potato bowl from Botanical Plant Based Fare. Charcuterie at Potter’s Craft Cider.
Eloise: Look for brands like White+Warren, Misa Los Angeles, and Kinross cashmere in this chic, high-end boutique. ShopEloise.com
Folly: This home furnishings store and design studio sells an eclectic mix of furniture, lighting, accessories, and gifts. FollyCville.com
Stephen T. McLean | smclean@mcleanfaulconer.com | 434.981.1863
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PEA RIDGE FARM Stunning 317 acre estate that has it all—location, views, water, stunning main residence, event center and more! The 15+ acre lake is centered among lush rolling fields of rich grass, a spectacular 5-bedroom home, large metal barn, log cabin, stunning party barn, and a 2-bedroom cottage. Located 25 minutes west of Charlottesville in Greenwood, this exceptional property is a one-ofa-kind, not to be replicated, gem. MLS#631962
PRIVATE & PROTECTED Beautifully constructed 2-story custom home containing superior materials and quality workmanship. Over 6,400 sf., 4 BR, 5 BA, spacious rooms, tall ceilings, 7 fireplaces, and numerous windows providing an abundance of light. Screened porch off kitchen leading to an expandable and oversized 3-bay garage. Idyllic wooded setting overlooking pond with privacy on 76 acres. Under conservation easement with the VOF. MLS#628772
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55OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
GOOD
It’s creamy and decadent, perfect for the first crisp day of fall. And although it’s been a Virginia taste tradition for centuries, peanut soup remains elusive on modern-day menus. It starts simply enough, with a hearty chicken stock. Fragrant with the addition of vegetables and seasonings, the broth is heated until the steam perfumes the air, then it’s strained. Peanut butter is stirred in slowly and deliberately to melt and meld. Light cream and a dash of freshly-ground white pepper finish the dish, followed by a garnish of fresh thyme or crushed peanuts. Easy to make at home, peanut soup can also be found at a handful of Virginia restaurants. On our must-taste list are the offerings at King’s Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg and at The Regency Room at The Hotel“Let’sRoanoke.faceit, thinking about Virginia-fresh ingredients, Virginia peanuts rock,” says Colonial Williamsburg Executive Chef Travis Brust, who’s dreamed up everything from a crusty peanut coating for smoked duck breast to a sweet and salty peanut brittle garnish for ice cream. But for a seasonal classic, “King’s Arms Tavern hosts this delicious ingredient in a creamy soup finished with sherry and garnished with crunchy roasted peanuts.” ColonialWilliamsburgHotels.com/Dining, HotelRoanoke.com
STARTERS FROM NUTS TO SOUP Ladle a luscious taste of autumn with Virginia peanut soup. By Patrick Evans-Hylton ST ARTERS D OUT F OOD FOR THOUGHT C OOKING taste Peanut Soupe with roasted peanuts and sherry cream from King’s Arms Tavern in Williamsburg. tavernarmsking’sofcourtesyphoto
INING
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The venerable Rockafeller’s Restaurant, long located on Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, has a new look and new menu. Modern touches like new lighting, seating, cool colors, and a swanky bar complement the waterfront views. Rockafeller’s partners with local purveyors to source ingredients and supports initiatives to secure future oyster colonies by recycling shells. Despite the new look, it’s no surprise that Oys ters Rockafeller remains a signature dish, along with favorites like Seafood Mac ‘n’ Cheese and authentic Lobstah Rolls. Rockafellers.com by Patrick Evans-Hylton
THERE’S A REASON MARTHA STEWART MAKES everyday food extraordinary: she’s got a team of pros in the background to help. The folks at Plenty, a new meal service in Charlottesville, want to be that team for their clients.
Founded by Della Bennett and K.T. Ehrich, Plenty simplifies meal planning and grocery shopping with a weekly changing menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrées that match the quality of a good home-cooked dish. “We enjoy using the local bounty whenever possible including fresh produce, meats, eggs, flowers, beer, wine, and cider,” says Bennett. “We help our customers find more time to do what they love—with who they love—by stocking their fridge with delicious and nourishing meals for everyone in the family.”
DINING NEWS
declares. “Sweet potatoes are sweeter and have less moisture which means you’ll avoid a soggy bottom crust. But they can also get dry, so I’ll add an egg or egg yolk. And I love to add maple syrup to support that sweet potato filling.”
57OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING GOODtaste STARTERS
New menus drop twice weekly with options like blackberry mojito breakfast porridge, lemon tahini quinoa salad, green chili chicken enchilada bake, and apple cherry almond crisp. You can even throw a cocktail party with their lush order-ahead “Abundance Boards” scaled for two or for a crowd.
Barrows prefers pumpkin pies chiffon-style, made with gelatin vs. custard. “This ensures the filling sets,” she explains. “They both represent autumn to me, but sweet potato pie represents breakfast. And pumpkin pie is always after dinner.”
marinatedGrilled local bison hanger steak Mockingbird.from K.T. Ehrich and Della Bennett
Seared scallops and sauceandgnocchihousemadewithspinachParmesanbutterfromAcacia.
ICHMOND FOODIES have been eagerly anticipating the return of Acacia, which closed in early 2020. And now is the time. Acacia Mid-town is set to reopen in Libbie Mill this fall. A year after the original Acacia opened in 1998, chef and owner Dale Reitzer was recog nized as a “Best New Chef in America” by Food & Wine magazine and earned numerous James Beard Award nominations.
Jumbo lump crab cakes and velvet soft shells—two Acacia mainstays—will return, with Reitzer and his wife, Aline, offering “modern coastal cuisine, fresh-catch seafood, pastureraised meats and local, seasonal ingredients,” he says. “We’ve traveled to The Keys, Mexico, and Belize, and I have read a lot of cookbooks in the last two years—we are excited to incorporate a fresher approach of cooking into Acacia’s menu.” AcaciaRestaurant.com
R CATHY BARROW KNOWS a thing or two about pies. So we tapped the author of Pie Squared and When Pies Fly (Grand Central Publishing) to settle the seasonal sweet potato vs. pumpkin debate. “Many folks see sweet potato and pumpkin pies as interchangeable, but they are so different!” Barrow
Oysters Rockafeller from Restaurant.Rockafeller’s
Although now serving the Charlottesville area, Ben nett and Ehrich are developing a line of pantry staples and food items to ship. They’re also planning a lineup of cooking classes and workshops. As Martha might say: It’s a good thing. PlentyCville.com —by P.E-H.
Find Barrow’s recipes for Pumpkin Chiffon Slab Pie with Amaretti Crust—and Sesame Sweet Potato Slab Pie with Gingersnap Crust—on VirginiaLiving.com. CathyBarrow.com —by P.E-H.
Chef extraordinaire Melissa Close-Hart has opened Mockingbird on Monticello Avenue in the town Mr. Jefferson built. Close-Hart first revealed her culinary prowess at Barboursville Vineyards’ Palladio Restaurant. A nod to Harper Lee’s novel, the flavors at Mockingbird reflect the chef’s Alabama roots. Look for whipped pimento cheese-fried green tomatoes, local bison hanger steak with Virginia whiskey black pepper demi-glace, and chocolatebourbon pecan pie. Mockingbird-Cville.com
SETTLING SEASONALTHEPIE DEBATE Which is best? Sweet potato or pumpkin? Cathy Barrow’s Pumpkin Chiffon Slab Pie.restaurant,rockafeller’sofcourtesymockingbird,ofcourtesyphotography,fred+elliotttop):(fromphotos hirsheimerchristopherby(2),gleasonjeffreyby
KITCHEN HELPERS There’s “Plenty” to love about this C’ville dish delivery service.
Acacia, Mockingbird, and Rockafeller’s deliver new looks and flavors.
S GOODtaste DINING OUT
Chef Brad Deaton draws on his classical train ing to put his own stamp on traditional European dishes, stretching his potential with seasonal fare
“You can just have a drink and a small plate at the bar, or a fine dining experience if that is what you’re after,” says general manager Scotlan Frayne. “I think that’s why we have a core of regular customers, which has been a pleasant surprise.”Thoseregulars are perhaps owed to the ambi tious and expansive menu, which veers into every corner of Europe, with French, Italian, Belgian, Spanish, and German influences. You could dine at the restaurant every day for a week and never have the same food journey. The best way to enjoy Sidecar is with a few friends, sampling from the small plates and dividing up the more substantial entrées—sharing in the experience, as I did.
DowntownDeliciousFare,Charm
melt-in-your-mouth delicious and perfectly com plemented by the cream sauce and fresh pasta.
Our foursome sat at one of the sink-in booths, a cozy spot that draws the pleasant hum of energy from the parallel bar. We began with the Bavar ian pretzel and the cauliflower au gratin. The pretzel is giant, and reminiscent of ballpark fare, but with a deeper flavor and elevated sides— the silky beer cheese puts any concession stand cheese to shame, and the hot stone-ground mus tard was a tart yin to the yeasty pretzel’s yang. We flagged down the server for more beer cheese to polish off the dregs of the pretzel while digging into our salads, a delightful mash-up of earthy roasted beets, creamy goat cheese, and oranges over greens—with toasted almonds for crunch—which felt just right. The cauliflower tastes better than any vegetable has a right to, with its crunchy, meaty florets, and rich, sharp cheddar cheese sauce.
Housed in a renovated 1920s building which lends built-in character and charm, it has a styl ish but understated interior. A little bit Europub, a little bit fine dining, Sidecar features an expan sive bar running the length of the restaurant with antique, wooden library ladders, which bartend ers climb to reach the rare top-shelf bourbons.
By CHRISTY RIPPEL IDECAR WELCOMES DINERS WITH an established presence that makes it feel like an old friend. But this downtown Roanoke restaurant is relatively new to the culinary scene. Opened in 2020, just weeks before the city shut down, it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.
Sidecar’s Moroccan chicken thighs—slow roasted and impossibly tender—are comple mented with local, roasted seasonal vegetables, pearl couscous, and a white wine demi-glace. It’s comfort food that hits just the right tangy notes and made everyone in our group a fan. Don’t skip the frites—cooked in duck fat—that come with a choice of homemade sauces, like curry ketchup. This old favorite has a subtle kick you can’t quite put your finger on. We also went for the foie gras and lamb meatballs, which were Oysters Sidecar with winebraised leeks, Nueske’s bacon, Parmesan, and Asiago. Below left: Pan-roasted duck breast with pommes purée, sautéed vegetables, and blackberry-veal demi-glace. Right: Chef Brad Deaton.
58VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
Sidecar elevates Roanoke’s burgeoning restaurant scene.
Portions are hearty. And while we were anx ious to go deeper into the menu, we were all pleasantly full. One thing was clear—for every food mood, there is a Sidecar answer.
Sidecar offers a curated and rotating list of imported European beers on tap that would delight the most discerning beer geek. There’s the Leipziger Gose, a sour ale with coriander and sea salt from Germany, and the Mahou IPA, an India pale ale from Spain that my husband—the beer drinker among us—found refreshing, pleasant, and a little different from the choices he has at most area restaurants.
such as a responsibly sourced seared foie gras, inspired by pineapple upside-down cake, bringing a sweet and savory marriage to the French staple. Deaton worked his way up in supporting roles at other fine dining spots in the Star City, includ ing Frankie Rowland’s and the now-shuttered Blue Apron. Owner Jason Martin met with Dea ton when he was developing the concept for Side car, and it was the right time for Deaton to take theIfhelm.youare in the mood for cocktails when you visit Sidecar, it won’t disappoint. I had the NewFashioned, a riff on the classic old fashioned, with orange-infused honey, double-oaked bourbon, and Angostura bitters. The honey rounds out the smo kiness of the bourbon, making for a smooth drink that goes down so easily you’ll find the single, oversized ice cube clinking in your glass before you’re ready. It was our table’s favorite, and we found out we’re in good company—it’s one of the most popular drinks on the menu, along with The Crown Jewel, whose indigo-infused gin gives the drink its purple hue, which always elicits an oooh, what’s that? as the bartender pours it in a coupe.
Charcuterie boards at Sidecar feature carefully curated meats like Serrano ham from Spain, Bresaola dry-cured beef from Italy, and various accoutrements. Below right: Schweinshaxe is a traditional Oktoberfest style roasted pork shank over spätzle with whole grain mustard demi-glace.
The Crown Jewel, one of Sidecar’s most sparklingthymeGin,Empresscocktails,popularfeaturesIndigolemongrass-simple,andgrapefruit.
One thing was clear—for every food mood, there is a Sidecar answer.
A thoughtful wine list, a mead offering, ciders, and a creative non-alcoholic cocktail list complete
59OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING parkjohnbyphotos
The vibe gets lively as weekend evenings roll towards midnight in the bar, as a DJ spins vinyl at the restaurant’s entrance. Those wanting a quiet, more romantic setting can choose to sit in the adjoining dining room, which has a more inti mateMartinfeel. says the biggest compliment from guests is the comment, “I don’t feel like I’m in Roanoke right now.” That was his mission—a respite from the ordinary, a haven from the stress of life that greets one when they step out of Side car’s door onto First Street. But maybe Sidecar mirrors what Roanoke is becoming—a hip desti nation, a buzzy place to be as it ascends “best of” lists again and again, welcoming foodies and out door enthusiasts from across the world to its pic turesque mountains, rugged bike trails, and topdrawer restaurants. SidecarVa.com
Christy Rippel is fascinated by the people and places that make her adopted hometown of Roanoke unique. She writes regularly for The Roanoker, The Roanoke Times , and national publications.
the drink menu, serving imbibers and the sobercurious equally well. The Salt Bae, with muddled cucumber, grapefruit soda, lemon, and lime with a salt rim, does double duty. It’s refreshing as is, but I may consider asking the bartender to add vodka on my next visit.
Hand-Painted Murals – www.PaulMontgomery.com An Iconic Virginia MuralJeff erson Country Printed Murals – www.TheMuralSource.com An Iconic Virginia MuralJeff erson Country
1 teaspoon salt 2 beaten eggs Whole milk as needed Grated white sharp cheddar cheese, optional for topping
Chives, chopped, for garnish
Spread evenly in casserole dish. If the mixture is too thick to spread, stir in whole milk by the quarter cup to reach the right consistency. Top with grated white sharp cheddar. Bake for 40 minutes until the top just starts to turn golden brown and sides are bubbling. Top with more grated cheese and chopped chives for garnish.
Grits cut a path through my own bloodlines when my father, a Virginian through and through, married my mother, an Irish-Catholic Bostonian. So, while I grew up in Richmond, my New England cousins teased me for my accent (what accent?) and my love of grits.
Southerners, of course, love grits: shrimp and grits, cheese grits, grits with sausage—we’ll have them from breakfast to dinner. But Yankee food ies, even those with fancy cooking school pedi grees, look down their noses at the grits we Southerners swoon over. I like mine on the thick side with butter and salt. Soupy grits are the culinary equivalent of Grits by Any Other Name
Madeline Mayhood is senior editor of Virginia Living . She especially enjoys writing about gardens, homes, dogs, and grits.
2 cups Geechie Boy or Luquire grits, cooked according to package directions and using whole milk (note: don’t try to get away with 2 percent or skim)
Mimi’s Cheese Grits Casserole
My Yankee cousins look down their noses at the grits we Southerners swoon over. I couldn’t help myself. “I got the recipe from a European chef who became a dear friend,” I told her. (Mimi’s ancestors were Vikings. Close enough.) “She called it .… Polenta a la Campagna.”
By MADELINE MAYHOOD | Illustration by JAMES ALBON
61OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING GOODtaste FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I placed my casseroles on the dining room table and topped them with a dusting of grated cheese and a few snipped chives. Continental flourish.
known. An intuitive genius in the kitchen, Mimi never cracked a cookbook or rummaged for a measuring spoon. Her grits casserole, usually made with whatever cheese she had on hand, was sublime. “I once saw a British author take a bite of them at a book party,” a friend told me. “He looked heavenward, said ‘oh my gawd,’ and stepped into a corner to devour the whole plate.”
¼ teaspoon garlic powder 4 tablespoons butter (note: Plugra or Lurpak provide a richer flavor, but Land ‘O Lakes will do, too.)
Butter a 9x12 casserole dish and preheat oven to 350°. Cook grits according to package directions in a good size Dutch oven or large saucepan. Stir frequently to avoid scalding. Don’t leave unattended—creamy grits take time. Once cooked, remove grits from heat and stir in grated cheese, garlic powder, butter, pepper, and salt. Cool grits slightly before gradually folding in beaten eggs to be sure they don’t scramble. Stir gently to incorporate ingredients.
a limp handshake; and don’t get me started on instant. Quaker Old-Fashioned were my go-to until I was born again on a grits-awakening trip to NowCharleston.it’sGeechie Boy grits—also known as Marsh Hen. Both toothsome and silky, there’s simply no comparison. A waiter at Anson’s in Charleston confessed that while the Geechie name is snappier, his personal favorite is Luquire. Either will do me just fine. I was late to the arti san grits party, but at least I’ve arrived. In my 30s, when most of my grits-maligning cousins had fled New England winters and migrated South, we decided to convene our crowd of 40 for an Easter Sunday dinner. “Everybody’s bringing a dish,” my cousin Mary Ellen explained when she extended the invitation. I knew exactly what to make. I dusted off an old binder and resurrected a cheese grits recipe courtesy of a dearly departed friend, one of the best Southern cooks I’ve ever
HILE GRIT IS A SIGN OF strength, add an “s” and you’ve got grits—a fightin’ word. No other food inspires greater divi sions. Peanut butter has its creamy vs. crunchy debate, but when it comes to grits, it’s love or hate—there’s no in between.
To win over non-believers, call them polenta.
W
2 cups grated cheese (note: try Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, and/or Fontina)
Next, I added little place cards clearly labeled, Polenta a la Campagna, just the way Martha Stewart might have coached me to do. My work done, I set about mingling and visiting. About 20 minutes passed, and I found my way from the deck with its beautiful view of the river back to the dining room. I scanned the table. Where were my grits? Both giant dishes were empty. Licked clean. Grits, indeed.
¼ teaspoon pepper
So I measured, mixed, grated, and baked my way through Mimi’s cheese grits for the Easter soirée. Both oversized baking dishes were still warm when I loaded them into insulated carriers I’d bought for the occasion. Mary Ellen greeted me at the door. “What smells so delicious?”
Assorted loaves of bread from Tara Jensen’s cookbook Flour Power. Far right: Jensen’s “grainbow” illustrates the variety of grains at a baker’s disposal and their different tastes and applications.
Over the next decade, Jensen became a baking master, moving to Farm & Sparrow in Asheville, North Carolina, before opening Smoke Signals, her own wood-fired bakery in nearby Marshall. There, Jensen also began teaching, welcoming bakers from around the country. Through virtual classes, workshops, and retreats, Jensen urges her stu dents to consider every aspect of a loaf of bread— down to the soil in which the wheat is grown.
Jensen wants bakers to understand how farm ing practices can directly impact a grain’s flavor.
ARA JENSEN WANTS US TO SEE our selves through the eyes of a baker. The sourdough evangelist is striking a chord with her stunning stenciled loaves, soldout Sourdough Retreats, and her latest book, Flour Power: The Practice and Pursuit of Baking Sourdough Bread (Clarkson Pot ter), out this month. For Jensen, baking is a daily, almost medita tive ritual and, through bread, she’s built a like-minded com munity. Her 100,000 Instagram followers know her simply as @bakerhands.“Youreallystart to see peo ple’s personalities, both good and challenging, come out in how they respond to getting this gluey shaggy mass of bread dough all the way to a loaf of baked bread,” Jensen explains. “That process gives us a chance to look at how we respond to things.” Her dis ciples emerge from these immersive baking expe riences with a deeper understanding of the finer points of sourdough—and of themselves.
“I like to encourage folks to look at each loaf of bread as a practice and not necessarily an end result,” she notes. “When you’ve made a nice loaf of bread, you walk with your chin up a little more. And that confidence trans lates to all parts of our lives.”
63OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING GOODtaste COOKING autrycharlotteandjohnnybyphotos
Baker’s Journal Jensen and her family recently settled in Hamilton, a town of 700 in Loudoun County, from their cabin on the VirginiaKentucky border. Here, she’s resumed her holistic teaching centered around discovery and reflection, and to that end, she encourages her students to keep a baking Jensenjournal.hasstacks of them, filled with fermentation times and baking temperatures along with esoteric details like the weather and her mood. “Journaling is a gift that bakers can give themselves,” Jensen says. “You’ll get a better vol ume on your bread, but also realize that things can and do change. We grow, and when you keep
Sharing Bread Mastery
“I like to encourage people to think of flour for breadmaking the same way that winemakers think of grapes for different kinds of wines.”
By STEPHANIE GANZ T
“I find it so exciting to work with freshly milled, stone-ground, regional grains if possible,” she says. Local grains bring a sense of place—of ter roir—to each loaf of bread, allowing the home baker to literally taste their landscape. “That’s a loop that gets closed infrequently for us,” she explains. “Not only making the bread from start to finish but also with a local ingredient where you’re really tasting the essence of your region.”
“I like to encourage people to think of flour for breadmaking the same way that winemakers think of grapes for different kinds of wines.”
—Tara Jensen a journal, you’re able to reflect back on it.” She discovered baking while studying art philos ophy at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. The tactile experience of kneading dough and shaping loaves was the ideal antidote to the cerebral work of academics. After graduation, she took a job at Red Hen Baking in Middlesex, Ver mont, and found herself at home within the infor mal community that sprang up around the bakery.
The Soul of Bread
Baker and cookbook author Tara Jensen elevates her craft through practice, intuition, and fresh, locally milled flour.
As a mother to a toddler, Violet Rye (yes, like the bread), Jensen says she’s learned to shift her baking practice to leave room for joy and the unexpected realities of parenthood. She wants readers of Flour Power to feel empowered to bake no matter how busy they are, as a way to connect with the world around them. “I bake for myself as a form of therapy,” she writes in the book. “I bake to participate in a larger cultural move ment, and I bake to remember it in my bones.”
TARA JENSEN ON DEVELOPING YOUR (DOUGHY) INTUITION:
Use your five senses. “Fine-tuning your senses is imperative to developing a good internal timer. Listen with your fingertips, your eyes, your nose. You’re working with living organisms ... they want your love, attention, and caress.” Be cool with failing. “The perfect bread really only happens once in a while, the rest is practice! As bakers, part of the excitement is the relation ship between you and your dough. Do yourself a favor and let go of expectations.”
cooked professionally and she’s always been obsessed with food. Based in Richmond, her work has appeared in The Local Palate , Eater, and Bon Appétit Tara guides her daughter, Violet Rye, in the baking process.
64VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 GOODtaste COOKING Commit to making bread once a day for 30 days. “Sourdough is a daily rhythm. While it might sound nuts to try to bake every day, I guarantee this is the quickest route to gaining intuition fast. The best bread to do this with is the Workweek Bread.”
“When we first make bread, our bodies are awkward, stumbling, and unsure, but eventually,” she writes in her new book, Flour Power, “it’s all muscle memory.” Here, Tara Jensen’s advice:
When asked how she balances the need for pre cision with her baker’s intuition, honed over 20 years of daily baking, Jensen laughs: “I like to joke that my job as a teacher is to tell people that they actually do have to follow the directions.”
Precision and Intuition
TaraEJensen.comStephanieGanzhas
The recipes in Flour Power use exact measure ments, in grams, and require a digital scale. Most loaves evolve over days, which can seem daunting to novice bakers, but that’s part of the rhythm. “If you are new to it,” she says, “I encourage you to follow the directions to a T.” She advises starting the night before with a technique she calls “the weigh out,” an evening ritual of reading through a recipe and weighing out ingredients for the next morning. “It’s this small thing that sets you up for success, partic ularly at home where you have to navigate a bit more chaos than at a professional bakery.”
In Flour Power, Jensen presents recipes—she calls them “formulas”—for bread bakers at every level, and dives deep into the nuances of wheat, weather, fermentation, timing, and temperature. She relies on three sourdough starters—made with white flour, whole grain desem, or 100 per cent rye There’sflour.abread for every baker in Flour Power Jensen’s Workweek Bread, for example, is meant to be an approachable sandwich loaf, a blend of white and wheat flour that allows busy bakers the flexibility to tend to the dough on their own time.
At a recent Sourdough Baking Retreat, participants spent three days learning baking techniques from Tara Jensen and cooking meals together in Middleburg’s scenic landscape.
autry.charlotteandjohnnybyphotos
DAY ONE: MIX, FOLD, AND CHILL In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together flours, water, starter, and salt by hand. Dough will be sticky and shaggy. On a digital thermometer, dough should read 75°-81°F. Cover the bowl with a dinner plate and let rest for 1 Oncehour.dough is relaxed, give it three folds, spaced 1 hour apart. To fold, smear a little water onto a work surface like a table or countertop. Scoop dough onto the wet surface. Using hands, lift, then slap bottom half down. Stretch dough, then toss it over the portion on the table, and repeat three to four times. Dough will become smooth and pull into a ball. Return dough to container, smooth side up. Cover with a plate for 1 hour. Repeat process twice, at 1-hour intervals. Chill. After final fold, transfer dough to bowl, cover, and refrigerate 8-12 hours.
DAY 2: To refresh the starter, zero your scale, then weigh container with starter. Discard starter until weight re flects 50g of starter—plus container weight. To this, add 100g combined bread flour and 100g water. Stir vigorously. Mark and label Day 2. Cover and let rest 24 hours.
DAY TWO: SHAPE, PROOF, AND BAKE
INGREDIENTS:203gbreadflour203gwholewheat flour 325g water 102g sourdough starter 8g salt
HOW TO SOURDOUGHMAKESTARTER
vaseykerstenbyphotoretreatbakingsourdough
DAY 1: Combine 50g rye flour and 50g bread flour with 100g water in jar. Stir vigorously. Mark line on container at top of starter with Sharpie. Cover to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
65OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
DAYS 3-6: Repeat instructions for Day 2, noting the fill line with a fresh mark on the container, with date. Begin checking daily, 4-6 hours after refreshing. Note growth by comparing to the earlier Sharpie line. Once it begins to rise 4-6 hours after refreshing, you have an active starter.
DAYS 8-13: Continue refreshing starter as directed on Day 2. DAY 14: Congratulations! You have a healthy, active sourdough starter. Refresh as on Day 2. By Day 14, starter can be stored in refrigerator.
Sourdough starter transforms flour into “some thing tasty and nourishing,” Jensen says. To make it, choose a 1-quart wide-mouthed glass jar. Weigh jar in grams (without lid) so you can reserve the correct amount each time you refresh it.
table, and pat into a rectangle, short side facing you. Fold the edge of dough over the top, leaving a 1-inch lip. Take sides of dough, gently stretch, then quickly cross them on top, like swaddling a baby. Next, stretch the edge of the dough closest to you to the top. Gently press down to create seam and seal. Use hands to gently drag the loaf on the table. The dough will curl into itself so seam is on bottom and top is smooth and roundish. Sprinkle dough with flour, cover with kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes. Lightly oil a 9-inch loaf pan. Dust table with flour and flip dough over, bringing bottom to top edge, leaving a 1-inch lip at the top. Gently stretch sides outward a few inches, then cross over the middle for an envelope shape. Stretch bottom of dough up to meet top of envelope and seal. The dough is now a cylinder on its side, seam facing away from you. Roll seam underneath, seal ends, then flip, seam side down, into loaf pan. Loosely cover pan with a kitchen towel and proof dough in a draft-free spot for 3 hours. When fully proofed, the loaf will appear to have doubled in size. Preheat oven to 500°F. Gently spritz dough with water before loading it into the oven. Bake at 500°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 475°F and bake 15-20 minutes, or until loaf is deeply browned and internal temperature is 190°F. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack. Stores up to 5 days, cut-side down, in a paper bag tucked inside a cloth bag.
Lightly dust work surface with flour. Remove dough from the fridge and, using a dough scraper, gather it, flip onto a
DAY 7: Refresh as on Day 2. By now, starter should be bubbly, rise within hours of refreshing, and smell like yogurt. If it’s not bubbly and doesn’t rise, start over.
Workweek Bread Refresh sourdough starter 6-10 hours before mixing and folding the dough, which is chilled overnight, then shaped, proofed, and baked the following day. Makes one 9-inch loaf.
540-GUITARS (484-8277) or HarvesterMusic.com
BALLET VIRGINIA Our 2022-2023 season of dance begins with a mix of contemporary and classical works at Zeiders Theater in Virginia Beach from Oct. 28-29. Ballet Virginia will perform a Dwight Rhoden piece. Mr. Rhoden was hailed as “one of the most sought-after choreographers” by the New York Times. The Nutcracker returns to The Sandler Center in Virginia Beach from Dec. 16-18 with a live orchestra. Then, we’re back at Zeiders Theater on Feb. 10-11 for Heart + Soul . The always entertaining ballet Coppelia finishes our season on March 11 at the Sandler Center. 757-446-1401 or BalletVirginia.org
POE MUSEUM
The 550-seat Historic Masonic Theatre is a Beaux-Arts architectural treasure in the center of historic downtown Clifton Forge, Virginia. Opened in 1906, the theatre underwent a $6.9 million renovation in 2016. The theatre has a rich history of performances including Hopalong Cassidy, Burl Ives, the Count Basie Orchestra, and Tex Ritter, who performed on stage with his horse. The Masonic now presents a Summer Music Series from June through August, Movies at the Masonic every Sunday, and a wide variety of performances year-round.
540-231-5300 or ArtsCenter.VT.edu
TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART Named one of the best-designed museums in the nation by Architectural Digest and accredited by the American Alli ance of Museums, the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, is home to a widely respected permanent collection and offers rotating exhibitions showcasing work by global, national, and regional artists. On view from Oct. 14, 2022, through Jan. 8, 2023, is Titian to Monet: European Paintings from Joslyn Art Museum , exploring the cultural richness of European painting between 1400-1900 through the works of Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet, and more.
Broadway in Richmond is back at the Altria Theater for its biggest season yet! The 2022-2023 season will feature the return of Hamilton, back in RVA by popular demand!
HARVESTER PERFORMANCE CENTER Harvester Performance Center is one of the premier live music venues in Southwest Virginia. Located in downtown Rocky Mount, the venue features live performances from a diverse selection of artists, including international stars, regional favorites, and new artists, with an unmatched, intimate concert experience. When visiting the Harvester, guests enjoy the wide variety of local dining, shopping, and lodging options that surround the performance hall. Food, beverages including alcohol, and merchandise can also be purchased on premises.
MOSS ARTS CENTER
The Moss Arts Center is Southwest Virginia’s premier professional arts presenter, bringing renowned artists from around the globe and close to home. From inspiring dance and theatre works and classical music favorites to visual art exhibitions featuring works from international, national, regional, and student artists, the Moss Arts Center offers opportunities for people of all ages to expand cultural awareness and deepen understanding through the arts.
540-862-5655 or HistoricMasonicTheatre.com
VENTURE RICHMOND 2nd Street Festival The 2nd Street Festival returns Oct. 1-2, marking its 34th year celebrating the rich culture of the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood in Downtown Richmond. Each year thousands visit Jackson Ward to reminisce about the days when 2nd Street was the heart and soul of Richmond’s African American community. The festival is a FREE celebration over two days that features three stages of live music along with a Kidz Zone, food vendors, a marketplace, and Artists Row.
800-635-5535 or BroadwayInRichmond.com
For lovers of live music, the Harvester is a bucket list experience.
Pretty Woman: The Musical, Hairspray, Hadestown, Ain’t too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations, The Book of Mormon, and Les Misérables. Learn more about subscription packages and buy tickets online. It’s a recordbreaking Broadway season you won’t want to miss!
The 51st annual Waynesboro Fall Foliage Art Show will take place on the streets of historic downtown Waynesboro this Oct. 8-9. The streets will be transformed into a visual arts festival featuring paintings, pottery, glass, wood, jewelry, textiles, and so much more! Come and enjoy gourmet food trucks, music, and regional craft beers against the backdrop of the seasonal color changes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Parking and entry are free, but please leave your pets at home.
THE MURAL SOURCE The Mural Source, a Virginia-based art and design studio, provides the original printed designs of over 200 exclusive murals, from Chinoiserie to American and European land scapes, and modern options as well. These murals are printed from high-resolution scans of the original hand-painted ver sions designed by Paul Montgomery. They are printed on the highest quality wallpaper panels and the company also offers a variety of tailoring options, from vinyl substrates through grass cloth repeating wallpapers and more. All are available online for purchase at retail and trade pricing. Visit us online and start exploring how to enhance and enliven your interior. 540-337-6494 or TheMuralSource.com
info@neonnfk.com or NEONNFK.com/Festival
CHARLOTTESVILLE BALLET Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker presented by Blue Ridge Bank returns to theaters across Central Virginia this December for the professional company's 15th anni versary season. Charlottesville Ballet celebrates dancers of all body types and backgrounds and our 501(c)3 non profit organization hosts extensive educational classes and free CB Moves community engagement programs for ages 1-100. Check out Nutcracker performances and events in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Culpeper. 434-973-2555 or CharlottesvilleBallet.org
SHENANDOAH VALLEY ART CENTER
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The complete lineup is also set to include Dear Evan Hansen,
DOWNTOWN NORFOLK
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The 7th annual NEON Festival lights up Norfolk from Oct. 20-21, from 6:00-10:00 p.m. Presented by Arts Alliance, Old Dominion University, and Downtown Norfolk Council, the two-evening festival encourages visitors to explore and discover the NEON District, Norfolk’s first official arts district, anchored by the Chrysler Museum of Art and The Plot on Granby Street. Hundreds of performers, artists, musicians, dancers, and makers will showcase their art on NEON Festival stages and gallery walls.
Celebrate 100 years of the Poe Museum and its mission to illuminate Poe for everyone, evermore! A year of celebratory programs and exhibits culminates in a grand capstone event on Jan. 23, 2023, at the Dominion Energy Center in Richmond, Virginia. Authors R.L. Stine (Goosebumps) and Nnedi Okorafor (Binti) will headline an evening of Poe-inspired conversation, art, exhibits, and more! 804-648-5523 or PoeMuseum.org
HISTORIC MASONIC THEATRE
VentureRichmond.com Richmond Folk Festival The Richmond Folk Festival returns Oct. 7-9, celebrating its 18th anniversary as one of Virginia’s largest events. The festival draws fans each year to Downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness, and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional crafts, storytelling, and food. The FREE, three-day event hosts thousands over the weekend and features six stages showcasing more than 30 performing groups from around the nation and the world. RichmondFolkFestival.org
540-949-7662 or SVACart.com
CULTUREFIX Culturefix is excited to bring back The Chocolate Chariot Race and The Chocolate Affair this November over Scrumptious Week end. Along with the very popular Chowder Fest and Noktoberfest, this is going to be a great foodie weekend. This years Christmas Market will be in a new location in downtown Williamsburg adja cent to Bicentennial Park. It begins on Black Friday and continues each weekend up to Christmas. Over 30 vendors, gluhwein, beer, street food, and live entertainment. We will once again have our New Years Eve Celebration under a huge tent and on Martin Lu ther King Weekend in January we’ll celebrate with The Winter Blues Jazz Fest. Four days of fantastic music in the heart of Williamsburg. Make plans to come and visit during one of our great events. 757-592-4289 or Culture-Fix.org
CAPITAL ONE HALL Broadway is back! Capital One Hall is thrilled to welcome Broadway in Tysons presented by The Watermark Hotel for a second season. The 2022-2023 season includes Tootsie (Nov. 25-27, 2022), Hairspray (Jan. 20-22, 2023), Anastasia (Feb. 3-5, 2023), R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (March 23, 2023), and On Your Feet (April 21-23, 2023) on stage at Capital One Hall. To purchase season subscriptions, single tickets, or learn more about Broadway in Tysons 2022-2023 season, please visit us online. 703-343-7651 or CapitalOneHall.com
BARTER THEATRE Trouble begins when a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks, the situation quickly spiraling from bad to worse when one of the passengers is found murdered in his compartment. Can Detective Poirot solve the crime before it’s too late? This classic murder mystery, adapted by the king of comedy, will have you laughing one moment and gasping the next. Join us at Barter Theatre for the ride of your life! 276-628-3991 or BarterTheatre.com
THE ARTISTS GALLERY If you want to bask in the Art of Virginia Beach, a perfect place to start is The Artists Gallery, a cooperative that exhibits the work of over 50 fine artists of every description. You can even witness artists working in their studios. The gallery is located in the Virginia Beach Art Center, in the middle of the Beach’s famous ViBe District—where you’ll see art at every turn. Enjoy murals, museums, and outdoor art, and be sure to shop for a memory of your visit. 757-425-6671 or ArtCenterVB.org
540-342-5760 or TaubmanMuseum.org
TWO GREAT SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW ON SALE! BROADWAY INRICHMOND OCTOBER 18 - 23, 2022 NOVEMBER 22 - 27, 2022 “IRRESISTIBLE!”CAN’TYOUSTOPTHEBEAT-TheNewYorkTimes BROADWAY’S TONY AWARD®-WINNING BEST MUSICAL IS BACK RoyJeanNormaPhoto: JANUARY 24 - 29, 2023 MAY 31 - JUNE 4, 2023 JULY 11 - 16, 2023APRIL 11 - 23, BROADWAYINRICHMOND.COM2023 • ME!SCANSCANME!BROADWAY INNORFOLK LET THE MEMORY LIVE AGAIN ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY CAMERON MACKINTOSH AND THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP LIMITED TM 1981 RUG LTD PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY, MURPHYMADE FEBRUARY 7 – 12, 2023 BEST MUSICAL ALL ACROSS NORTH WINNERAMERICA THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF THE SMALL TOWN THAT WELCOMED THE WORLD COME FROM AWAY Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein Directed by Christopher Ashley FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 5, 2023 MAY 30 – JUNE 4, 2023MARCH 28 – APRIL 9, 2023NOVEMBER 8 – 13, 2022 BROADWAYINNORFOLK.COM • CHRYSLER HALL •
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 110 Salem Ave. SE, Downtown Roanoke | TaubmanMuseum.org OCTOBER 14, 2022 - JANUARY 8, 2023 European Paintings from Joslyn Art Museum Maria van Oosterwyck, Dutch, 1630–1693. Still Life of Flowers in a Glass Vase c. 1685, oil on canvas. Museum purchase with funds from the Ethel S. Abbott Art Endowment Fund and the General Art Endowment Fund, 2019.4 Strauss Family The Dorothea Leonhardt Fund at the Communities Foundation of Texas, Inc. Ginny and Shields Jarrett Meg and Frank Carter Pictured: Michael Poisson as Hercule Poirot 127 W. Main St. | Abingdon, VA | 24210 CALL 276.628.3991 VISITTICKETSBarterTheatre.comSTARTAT $20! SEP 3 - NOV 5 BARTER’S GILLIAM STAGE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The beach isn’t all that beckons you here. Art shines all over the walls, inside and out. And the best place to start is The Artists Gallery in the ViBe district. Here you can see over 50 local artists, many busy at their easels and happy to talk about their process. It’s a great place to find a memory of your visit! Bask in the Art of Virginia Beach THE G ALL E R Y 532 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757-425-6671 • artcentervb.org Enjoy the Beach’s murals, museums, art shows, and other galleries, too. Your Beach art vacation finds art everywhere under the sun. Come bask in the glow. ART CENTER Located at the TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVESTER-MUSIC.COM BOX officeBest540-GUITARSMusicVenue and Best Special Event Venue!
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ShArt ow 2022 OCT 8,9 SV AC AR T. co m NO DO GS Shenandoah Va lley Ar t Center MU SIC + FO OD PRESE NTED BY FESTIVVIRGINIAFALLFOLIAGEAL A JURIED FINE AR T EXHIBITIO N IN BROADWAYTYSONS PRESENTED BY IN BROADWAYTYSONS PRESENTED BY SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW ON SALE. SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT CAPITALONEHALL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION. *R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is not included as part of the Broadway in Tysons Subscription. This performance can be added on at the point of purchase. Wednesday, March 22, 2023* “ Broadway’s funniest new musical! ” HHHH Friday, November 25 - Sunday, November 27, 2022 Journeytothepast. AnastasiaTheMusical com /AnastasiaBway Friday, February 3 - Sunday, February 5, 2023 — The Washington Post Friday, April 21 - Sunday, April 23, 2023 Friday, January 20 - Sunday January 22, 2023 YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT BROADWAY’S TONY AWARD ®-WINNING BEST MUSICAL IS BACK
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Saturday HeadlinerFestival FlashGrandmasterDJ PerformanceSundayby I DieWould4U: A Musical Tribute to Prince Downtown Richmond Free Admission3stages venturerichmond.com #2street 2nd Street 2022 VaLiving Quarterpage 0809B HIGHREZ.pdf 1 8/9/22 1:15 PM RichmondFolkFestival.org Free Admission • 6 Stages Downtown Richmond’s Riverfront RFF 2022 Virginia Living quarter page REV.indd 1 8/10/22 10:49 AM See our world in new ways. EXPERIENCE ART. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Photo by Dario Calmese. PERFORMANCES | EXHIBITIONS | EXPERIENCES Moss Arts Center Blacksburg, Virginia | artscenter@vt.edu Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Tues., Feb. 28, 2023, 7:30 PM Wed., March 1, 2023, 7:30 PM Charlottesville - December 3 Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center Lynchburg - December 10 & 11 The Academy Center of the Arts Charlottesville - December 17 & 18 Piedmont Virginia Community College Get tickets to the magic at www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org/Nutcracker presents Supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 2022 FALL SEASON MASONIC AMPHITHEATRE MASONIC AMPHITHEATR CLIFTON FORGE, VIRGINIA Tickets on sale now historicmasonictheatre.comat HEART OF THE COMMUNITY Guatemala –TRAVELOGUEDECEMBERSERIES32:00PM Promised Land –TRAVELOGUEOCTOBERSERIES12:00PM < Shellem IreneOCTOBERCline17:30PMKelley>OCTOBER147:30PMTheatreWorksUSA’sproductionof“TheLightningThief:TheatreforYoungAudiencesEdition”–PartoftheMasonicFamilySeriesNOVEMBER122:00PM Magic NOVEMBERDuel187:30PM The CHRISTMASJimmypresentsMasonicHistoricTheatreSouthwestVirginiaBalletNOVEMBER197:30PMFortune–SHOWDECEMBER97:30PM
Stepping into Hotel Greene, you could be forgiven for looking for a bellhop. This cocktail bar transports us to the fictitious lobby of a grand hotel in Bavaria—or is it Budapest? Housed in part of the former John Marshall Hotel, this downtown Richmond “fauxtel” winks at visitors with an over-the-top origin story: “the 1920s and ‘30s were its glory years,” when guests included, “foreign dignitaries, artists, actors, spies, and saboteurs.”
“We love hotels that feel a part of the city or town you are visiting,” says Andrea Ball, who with her husband and co-owner Jim Gottier conjured Hotel Greene from their travels. She points to the lobby of The Marlton in New York—where guests read the paper by the fire in the morning or enjoy an evening cocktail—as the kind of community hub they were going for. “We strove for that welcoming waystation feel—good for brunch or a romantic evening date.”
But there are no suites at Hotel Greene, no room service. No continental breakfast or plush robes. Peer beyond the bell stand, with its vintage leather valises, and you’ll encounter its highfalutin’ mini golf course, part Edward Gorey illustration, part game of Clue. Order a cocktail, tap a ball toward a hole, and you, too, are in on the caper. It’s all carefully crafted to evoke another era, when travel mixed elegance with a whiff of international intrigue.
75OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
HOT SPOT COCKTAILS AT HOTEL GREENE The drinks are swell at this whimsical fauxtel, but there’s not a room in sight.
By Stephanie Ganz | Photography by Fred + Elliott
DRINK H OT SPOT IN T HE MIX M IXOLOGY T HE FIZZ M AKERS V ISIT
It paid off. When Hotel Greene opened in 2019, Ball and Gottier called on Boyle, who developed a cocktail menu that uses spirits, rather than syrups, to deliver flavor. In Sailors and Tourists, a modern take on the Vesper Martini, Boyle marries Japa nese Roku Gin with locally made Virago Four-Port Rum, Lillet Blanc, ginger liqueur, and sherry. The spirits blend together to create something much like Hotel Greene itself—both familiar and alto getherChefnew.David Pettyjohn’s menu plays well with Boyle’s cocktail lineup. It includes sandwiches and snacks like shrimp cocktail, topped flatbreads, and “dinner jacket potatoes,” aka potato skins with a variety of accoutrements. Guests will also find “highfalutin’ pot pies”—little parcels of savory fill ing in a flaky puff pastry shell. Stephanie Ganz has cooked professionally and she’s always been obsessed with food. Based in Richmond, her work has appeared in The Local Palate, Eater, and Bon Appétit Beverage manager Phil Boyle. Below left: The course at Hotel Greene numerousfeatureseerily cozy places to sit and drink while playing a round of mini golf.
withsomethinguncoveringneweachreturn.
76VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
LIME CORDIAL SYRUP
Three Golf and Meal options offer a few good deals for the taking—a brunch with mini golf for $25 per person, a Thursday evening date night with shareable plates plus beer or wine for $50 per couple, and the Ambassador Hour, a roving selection of globally inspired food and drink that’s made stops in Vienna and Istanbul before mak ing its way to Nice. Guests who opt for it receive a passport to stamp for future travels, which lead to opportunities for prizes.
Using a mortar and pestle, muddle Kaffir lime leaves. Combine lime leaves, lime juice, and agave syrup in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, strain, and refrigerate for about one week.
Empress Indigo Gin with honey-lavender syrup, lemon juice, and bitters, riffing on two classics: the Bee’s Knees and French 75, with a pop of pur ple from the pea flower-steeped gin. The Proper Champagne cocktail, with sparkling wine over a bitters-soaked sugar cube, hits a similar spot but with even more effervescent refreshment.
2 teaspoons lavender blooms Combine honey and hot water, and stir gently. Add lavender blooms, and steep for 30 minutes to an hour. Strain blooms, and refrigerate for one to two weeks. Recipes courtesy of beverage manager Phil Boyle.
2 ½ cups lime juice 1 cup agave syrup
Boyle cut his teeth in dive bars and pubs before stepping behind the bar at the now-shuttered Greenleaf’s Pool Room, also in Richmond and owned by Ball and Gottier, in 2015. “I took that initial fish-out-of-water experience, drawing on the owners’ drink experiences across Europe to make sure it reflected the vibe of the establishment.”
20 Kaffir lime leaves
KEY TO BELLEVILLE 1 ½ oz. Empress Indigo Gin ½ oz. honey lavender syrup (recipe follows) ½ oz. fresh lemon juice 2 drops Boston Bittahs Lemon for garnish Shake for 10-15 seconds and double strain into a Champagne flute (should more than halfway fill a 6 oz. flute). Top with Champagne (1-2 oz.) and a lemon twist for garnish.
HONEY LAVENDER SYRUP 1 cup wildflower honey 1 cup hot water (just under boiling)
Hotels are storied places full of the histories and rumors of its travelers and staff, and Hotel Greene is no exception. Drawing on the work of Aus trian writer Joseph Roth’s 1924 novel Hotel Savoy, Hotel Greene is host to a cast of fictional charac ters who can be found throughout the 13-hole golf course that winds its way to Room 208, which, in the lore of the hotel, belonged to “promising author” Witold Krull, a possible stand-in for Roth. Along the way, guests are encouraged to gaze through scattered peepholes to view miniature installations by Rick Araluce, an artist who’s wellknown for his little diorama worlds. Hotel Greene’s interest in the arts transcends its décor. Ball and Gottlier also host an annual literary contest in which writers are prompted to write a postcard in the voice of a fictitious hotel guest: “I ran here in the snow but you’d checked out .… ” one begins. The winner, chosen by author Sandra Newman, has their work printed on Hotel Greene postcards for the following year. With her books about dystopian dreamers and time travel, Newman is tailor-made for the job. As the Magritte-referencing sign hanging over the entry door says, “This is not a hotel.” But, like the best hotels, it’s the kind of place one could return to, uncovering something new with each visit. At Hotel Greene, your travels are over, but your journey is just beginning. HotelGreene.com
2 oz. London Dry Gin 1 oz. lime cordial syrup (recipe follows)
LIBATIONSLOBBY
HOTEL GREENE’S GIMLET
Lime for garnish (optional) Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds to ensure a nice frothy head is achieved. Double strain into a coupe or small martini glass and garnish with a thin lime wheel.
Korean Inspired Restaurant, Food Truck, and Caterer • Featuring a full bar with specialty housemade Sake cocktails • Enjoy our free Multicade • Indoor and outdoor seating 105 N. Liberty Eatmashita.com540-810-1875Harrisonburg,StreetVA22802 Top left photo by Morgan West - morganwest.work All other photos by Ben Miller at Reel Deal Films - reeldealfilms.net
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The 34th Annual Town Point Virginia Fall Wine Festival at Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk brings more than 25 wineries pouring some 200 wines along the Elizabeth River waterfront. Oct. 15–16. FestEvents.org by Patrick Evans-Hylton
FEW FOODS SAY “SMITHFIELD” like peanuts and pork. That’s what inspired Mark and Kim Rangos, founders of Blue Sky Distillery to pair these flavors with the “grain-to-glass” whiskey they make in Hamtown.Thecouple’s Painted Pig series includes Smoked Bacon Maple Whiskey and Peanut Butter Whiskey. Released in 2020, they’ve been a hit. “A third little pig is in the works,” says Kim. Peanut Butter Whiskey combines notes of kettle corn, roasted nuts, and toasted marsh mallows with a peanut flavor that’s subtle and smooth. Pair it with cranberry juice for the classic taste of PB&J in a cocktail. Beyond sipping, Smoked Bacon Maple Whiskey is also great for cooking. “It tastes like French toast with a side of bacon,” says Kim, who adds it to barbecue sauces and baked beans. Mike likes to drizzle it over butter pecan ice cream. Blue Sky Distillery produced their first spirits in 2017. A tasting room is in the works and with new business partners on board, the Rangos are confident they’ll expand operations. “Our future is full of ‘blue skies,’” said Kim with a smile.
With dried orange peel and cardamom on the nose, Flying Fox’s aromatic Fall Vermouth is my favorite. Ginger and turmeric flavors linger in the mouth, rounded out by more citrus and persimmon undertones. “Autumn in a glass,” Watkins calls it. Flying Fox’s white vermouths are made using seasonal fruits and herbs. Technically considered sweet vermouths, the two I tasted (Summer and Fall) amp up the herbs and botanicals to produce a semi-dry spirit bursting with flavor. The name vermouth comes from the German word for wormwood, an herb prized for its aroma and health benefits—and essential to the elixir’s bitter profile. It’s also found in absinthe. Once marketed as a medicinal tonic, vermouths are now trending in cocktails from New York to L.A. by Peggy Sijswerda
The 30th Annual Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival at Rebec Winery in Amherst features scores of wineries, arts, crafts, and garlicky foods. Oct. 8–9. RebecWinery.com
Small batch Virginia vermouths yield rich flavors. IN THE MIX
HETHER IT’S IN A MARTINI or served neat in a chilled glass, I adore vermouth. This fortified wine gets its nuanced flavor from subtle herbs and botanicals and it’s delicious on the rocks with a twist. Flying Fox Vineyard in Afton is among only a handful in Virginia making this Old World apéri tif. Winemaker Elliott Watkins, who leads Flying Fox’s vermouth team, saw small-batch vermouths popping up globally and decided to “have a go.”
VIRGINIA HAS BEEN OBSESSED with producing quality wines since the 17th century. Four hundred years later, we’re blessed with over 320 wineries serving up awardwinning vintages rivaling those from France or California. For one-stop-sipping—and endless discovery—there’s no better place than a wine festival. To get the most from the experience, go with a goal: choose a select number of wineries to visit. Reconnect with those you know, and explore those you don’t. Take notes, buy a few bottles, grab a bite from a food truck—then relax and peoplewatch while enjoying your finds. In October, add these top wine festivals to your mustsip list:
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The 46th Annual Virginia Wine Festival at One Loudoun in Ashburn. The state’s longest-running festival, “The Original,” includes plenty of food along with the Virginia Oyster Pavilion. Oct 1-2. VirginiaWineFest.com
Three of our favorite fall fêtes.
The winery released their first four seasonal vermouths in 2017. At 60 cases each, “we sold out within a couple months and realized how popular these wines would be,” says Watkins. “We now produce roughly 400 cases of each and struggle to keep up with demand.”
BlueSkyDistillery.com —by P.S.
AUTUMN IN A GLASS
Virginia Wine Festival in Ashburn
CHEERS TO VIRGINIA WINE FESTIVALS
79OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING festivalwinevirginiaofcourtesydistillery,skyblueofcourtesy/tandonnapetras,seraby:top)(fromphotos
TWO LITTLE PIGS With a third on the way.
Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation... Fantastic...” Ultimate ChallengeSpirits2022 Karlson Kure 1.5 oz KO Distilling Bare Knuckle Cask Strength High Rye Bourbon 4 oz Lapsang Suchong tea 1/2 oz local honey 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/2 oz Allspice Dram 1/8 tsp turmeric powder Brew tea using boiling water. Combine other ingredients in a small mug, stir to combine. Pour tea over mixture and stir gently. Garnish with clove studded lemon wedge and cinnamon stick. kodistilling.com Drin KO Res pon si b ly ! “ FALLinLOVE northernneck.org WINE & OYSTER FESTIVAL September 17th & 18th • stratfordhall.org RAISE THE ROOF CRAFT BEER FEST October 15th • christchurch1735.org NNK FARM MUSEUM FALL FESTIVAL Oct. 29th & 30th • PLOWING DAY Nov. 5th thefarmmuseum.org
TO GO COQUITO FLIGHT Loquito Coquito, Richmond A traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink, the eggnog-like Coquito pairs rum with coconut milk and cream, evaporated and condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Loquito Coquito founders Courtney and Tyrone Ramirez have dreamed up new Coquito flavors for every season, all riffs on Tyrone’s family recipe. Look for non-alcoholic options, too. LoquitoCoquitoRVA.MyShopify.com
Flights of Fancy From moonshine to milkshakes, a slew of notable drink samplers let you taste them all.
COFFEE FLIGHT
By VAYDA PARRISH Beer and wine aren’t the only libations turning up on tasting boards. We’ve rounded up five innovative samplers to try statewide. Have you discovered a new favorite flight? Message @VirginiaLiving on Instagram and let us know where you found it!
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COCKTAIL FLIGHT Twin Creeks Distillery, Rocky Mount Twin Creeks owner and head distiller Chris Prillaman is a direct descendant of the Franklin County bootleggers that made moonshine famous. Try the Dreamsicle (spiked with peach brandy) or a Moonshine Margarita (made with 1st Sugar Moonshine), then pick two rotating seasonal creations. TwinCreeksDistillery.com
MINI CRAFT MILKSHAKE FLIGHT Mabel’s, Powhatan The milkshakes at Mabel’s are frosty works of art. Taste the range with a flight and choose add-ins including cookie chunks, lollipops, cotton candy, pretzels, candy bars— even a slice of cheesecake. Mabels.net
DRINK IN THE MIX
Pourfavor Coffee Shop, Suffolk and Virginia Beach
SAKE FLIGHT North American Sake Brewery, Charlottesville New to sake? Try a flight of this traditional Japanese fermented rice drink to explore its range—from sweet to savory, light to full-bodied—and discover how each pairs with food. Founder Andrew Centofante says sharing with friends and family is deeply ingrained in sake history, so be sure your companion’s cup is always full. PourMeOne.com
Start with the signature Coach Flight: a latte, mocha, macchiato, and a cold brew. Upgrade to First Class to add two more flavors—like toasted almond mocha or marshmallow— to the four classics. Ideal for splitting. Seasonal and specialty flavors change frequently. PourfavorCoffeeShop.com
Luxurious events overlooking the James River between Richmond & Charlottesville! TheEstateAtRiverRun.com804.887.0171 • Made in Southwest Virginia using local ingredients • Shipping anywhere in Virginia. Order from our Website. • 2022 Gold Medal Winner at the SpiritsInternationalDenverCompetition –Virginia Toasted Barrel Single Malt 6580 Valley Center Dr., Ste. 175, Fairlawn, VA 24141 540-952-9658 info@jhbards.com www.jhbards.com HOURS Thurs & Fri 4-8 Saturday 12-8 Sunday 1-6 Mon–Wed available for private events New River Valley’s first whiskey distillery 409 Salem Ave., SW, Roanoke VA 24016 • 540-562-8383 • BigLickBrewingCo.com Downtown Roanoke’s premier ingardentaproommicrobrewery,andbeerspecializingcraftbeerwithanemphasisonqualityandvariety. blbc Brewing Company Roanoke, Virginia Mon–Thurs 4-9 Friday 2-10 Saturday 1-10 Sunday 12-8 INDOOR/OUTDOOR SEATINGLIVE MUSIC WIDE CRAFT VARIETY
Find Your Next Adventure of Parks, Lakes, Trails and More. VisitAmherstCounty.org An exciting array of activities awaits you in Amherst County. veritaswines.com | 540.456.8000 | 151 Veritas Lane, Afton, Virginia. 22920 COME FOR THE AWARDWINNING WINES STAY FOR THE EXPERIENCE Vineyard and Winery. Fine Dining. Premier Wedding Venue. Walk Down Nature’s Aisle! “Weddings and special events are unforgettable at Bryant’s Farm.” Bryant’s Farm is located in Nelson County near Wintergreen Resort. Open Friday–SundayWeekly 3224 E. Branch Loop, Roseland, VA 22967 • BryantsCider.com Fall Festival — Oct. 15th Apple Butter Festival — Nov. 12th Now Booking for 2023 • info@bryantscider.com
STEP 3: THAT’S THE SPIRIT Now that you’ve chosen your fresh ingredients, pick a base spirit that complements those flavors. Can’t decide? Pour little tasters of tequila, vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey and try each with a bite or a sip of your seasonal ingredient. You’re looking for flavors that play well together. After you’ve chosen the base, you can add secondary ingredients like liqueurs, amari, sugars, acids, and bitters to complement a flavor you’re noticing in the first go-round.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
STEP 6: THE NAME When naming a cocktail, dad jokes, wordplay, local lore, even movie references come into play. Often a drink is named after its base spirit, a secondary spirit, the bar of origin. But even the bartender’s favorite TV show is fair play. The world is your oyster. Drink names are limited only by your imagination.
You Caught My Rye Founding Farmers, Tysons Founding Spirits rye, Campari, lime, almond, bitters Dazed and Chartreused Lush Lounge, Floyd Scotch, yellow chartreuse, lemon, cane sugar, egg white Man in the Yellow Dress Little Nickel, Richmond Cachaça, rum, bell pepper, Chartreuse, Strega, pineapple, herbal bitters Crack The Code Ada’s on the River, Alexandria New Amsterdam gin, matcha syrup, Luxardo Maraschino, lemon juice
But, here’s the key: good cocktails don’t have to be complicated. If you need to shave seconds off the buildtime, make it with three to four well-considered ingredients and a ready garnish.
84VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 DRINK MIXOLOGY
STEP 5: THE PRESENTATION
Seven Years a Baker Lost Saint, Charlottesville Baker’s bourbon, blueberry shrub, lemon juice, tiki bitters, pink peppercorn tincture
STEP 4: THE RATIO Build your cocktail with a traditional ratio first: equal parts of your chosen ingredients. Think one part liquor, one part acid (lemon, lime, or grapefruit juice are all winners), one part liqueur, and one part sugar. This one-to-one ratio is easiest to keep track of and a good standard to then adjust. Think of the Negroni: one part gin, one part
STEP 1: READ THE ROOM
Bartenders gauge the complexity of a cocktail recipe on the space, whether it’s a 300-seat restaurant or an intimate dinner at home. Techniques like cutting ice, smoking glasses, charring fruit, or setting a drink ablaze add to the build-time. At home, you can take your time with the drink, adding ingredients and complex techniques to create a true showstopper.
The glass defines how the drink, well, drinks. A cocktail on ice will dilute further, unlike a cocktail served “up”— chilled with no ice. Does the cocktail need to be served tall with a splash of soda on top to help dilute the stronger flavors and express the more subtle ones? Will you add an edible garnish, or maybe a lemon twist for added citrus oils? These subtle tweaks will impact your final flavor, so taste your final garnished presentation to be sure you don’t need to adjust further.
Jonmichael Tarleton is a bartender, multi-instrumentalist, actor, and terrible but enthusiastic bowler who loves craft beer but doesn’t understand how to make it. @jktarleton
TarletonJonmichael
The Art of the Specialty Cocktail
STEP 7: ENJOY! Now that you’ve got the idea, try out some recipes. Don’t be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that are new to you. If you’re a novice and want a place to start, try making “The Benefactor,” one of the Quirk Hotel Richmond’s fall specialties.
To craft a drink that delights, think like a bartender.
S
A cheeky name adds a festive flourish to any specialty cocktail. Here, a few of our state favorites.
Purple People Eater Curklin’s, Big Stone Gap Vodka, Blue Curaçao, sweet ‘n’ sour mix, cranberry juice, grenadine Appalachian Aviation Francis, Sperryville Cucumber-infused vodka, Tanqueray gin, crème de violette, Wild Roots Apothecary Rosehip Hibiscus Syrup, lemon juice
By JONMICHAEL TARLETON | Photography by FRED + ELLIOTT
STEP 2: CONSIDER THE SEASON Like chefs, bartenders find inspiration in fresh, seasonal ingredients: sage or squash in fall, blueberries or basil in the summer, and blood oranges during their glorious midwinter window of opportunity.
LIDE INTO A BANQUETTE AT ANY CRAFT COCKTAIL bar and you’ll be greeted with a list of specialty drinks with names that sound like Derby winners: Over the Moon, Liquid Sunshine, Gold Rush. Once exclusive to speakeasies and lounges, specialty cocktails now seem to be everywhere. Crafted by skilled bartenders, these drinks intro duce new flavors and capture a bar’s style—from playful to sophisticated to retro-moody. If you’ve wondered how these delightful libations come to be, here’s a trade secret: With a little bartender know-how, you can conjure your own signature drink at home. Start by knowing the building blocks of a good cocktail. These include a base spirit (be it bourbon or gin, vodka or tequila), a sugar (simple syrup, honey, agave, or raw cane sugar all work well), and either bitters or an acid (usually citrus). To add depth of flavor and complexity to these two standard builds, you can add a liqueur or amaro. With these basics in mind, you’re ready to mix. Campari, one part rouge vermouth. Or the Last Word, a popular Prohibition-era cocktail. It’s equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, lime juice, and Luxardo. Once you’ve combined equal parts of your ingredi ents, add and subtract as you go until you taste the right balance.
The Benefactor gets its name from one of the predominant flavors: Benedictine. Benedictine tastes of honey, spices, herbs, and subtle citrus. It is also quite viscous, adding body to the cocktail. The thought behind the name is that the drink benefits from this ingredient, thus making it “The Benefactor.”
Voilà—“The Benefactor.”
85OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
THE BENEFACTOR
1½ oz. Tanqueray 10 Gin ½ oz. Benedictine ¾ oz. fresh squeezed lime juice ¾ oz. raw ginger syrup 3 fresh sage leaves Start by rolling two sage leaves between your fingers to express the oils, then throw them into a cocktail shaker. Add lime juice, raw ginger syrup, Benedictine, and gin—in this order. It’s always a good idea to build your cocktails starting with the least expensive ingredient first. Add ice to your shaker (always after your ingredients, never before), and shake it hard. Double strain this into a coupe—double straining is simply straining through your hawthorne or built-in strainer and a mesh strainer. This allows for a smoother-drinking cocktail. Express that third sage leaf and float it on the surface of your drink as a stylish garnish and to add a touch more sage aroma.
Serious Stuff Veritas Vineyard & Winery, a f ton Scintilla 2015, Méthode Traditionnelle, 11.9% alc. $60 Ankida Ridge Vineyards a mh E r st Brut Blanc de Blancs 2017, Méthode Champenoise, 12.2% alc. $58 King Family Vineyards, Croz E t B rut Blanc de Blancs 2017, Méthode Traditionnelle, 12% alc. $42 THE Toasting with a bottle of Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay, one of “Virginia’s first great modern fizzies.”
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What Thibaut-Janisson started with arguably Virginia’s first great modern fizzies, the newlyminted Virginia Sparkling Company is continu ing by giving small producers access to tools and techniques. Finding Virginia quality is easier than ever. Champagne supplies might be parched for a spell, but no one in the Commonwealth has to go thirsty. Jason Tesauro is a writer, photojournalist, and sommelier with five children, four cameras, three books, and too many bylines and bottles to count. Look for his work in Esquire , Bloomberg , Travel+Leisure , Decanter, and find him at home in Church Hill or on Instagram @TheModernGent.
Second, they’re not limited by centuries of regulation and tradition to particular styles and grape varietals. Good luck finding a quirky, mal
By JASON TESAURO Fun Fizz Muse Orchard, Widow’s Watch Cidery, Edinburg Virginia Sparkling Apple Wine NV, Méthode Traditionnelle, 10.5% alc. Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery n orth g ar d E n Sparkling White Pétillant-Naturel 2019, 13% alc. $36 Afton Mountain Vineyards, a f ton Bollicine 2017, Méthode Champenoise, 12.5% alc. $40
FIZZ
VIRGINIA LIVING’S UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO VIRGINIA BUBBLIES
Bangin Bubs
vasia bianca–based pét-nat anywhere in France. Early Mountain Vineyards makes one less than a hundred miles from Richmond for under $35. How about a steampunk-fused, lambrusco-style, tannat sparking red? Horton’s got one that Cali fornia wine icon Randall Grahm described as: “Think linebacker in a tutu.”
PERFECT STORM OF EARLY HEAT, late frost, heavy rains, market flux, and supply chain logjams has left the Champagne region of France in lessthan-effervescent spirits, with Champagne in short supply. The news has left importers, som meliers, and revelers around the globe bracing for a champers drought that’s forecasted to reach well into the mid-2020s. Long billed as the pinnacle fizz, Champagne is more than a bubbly beverage. Consider its pedi gree, from the Champagne region of France. Nev ertheless, as celebrations resume and Champagne becomes ever more elusive and expensive, we need a Plan B for soirées, winners’ circles, yacht christenings, and wedding toasts. All sparklings are wines with trapped carbon dioxide. Yet, the method by which a wine is car bonated marks the difference between prestige and plonk. Own a SodaStream? You could car bonate pinot grigio, but you won’t get Dom Péri gnon. Like soda pop, canned bubblies are injected with CO2. A big step up is the tank method (aka Charmat, cuve close) commonly used for cava and prosecco. And then there’s méthode champenoise, meaning that the all-important fine-fizz-gener ating secondary fermentation took place in that very bottle. It takes years, specialized equipment, and precise know-how. It’s a pain in the glass and precisely what makes it delicious. Enter AccordingVirginia.toVirginiaWine.org, 41 of the Com monwealth’s wineries produce a sparkling ver sion. Not everyone farms their fizz in the same manner as the elite Grand Crus of France, but the range and craftsmanship are well worth your palate and pocketbook. I tasted over half of them and made some eye-opening discoveries. First, while the Champagne region indoctri nated all of us to treat their vins mousseux as cel ebratory toasts, the truth is, sparkling wines can— and should—be consumed any and all the time. I sort Virginia sparklings in three unofficial catego ries: Fun Fizz, Bangin Bubs, and Serious Stuff. The FF wines are solid quaffers that require no special glass, occasion, or pairing. Just pop ’n’ serve. And if some of it ends up mixed into a cocktail or fresh juice at a picnic, no one’s offended. The BBs are sparkies befitting delicious moments with a little more fuss made over proper serving temperature and what else is on the table. The Serious Stuff is just what you think. Whether as an elegant apèritif or paired with a chef’s course, these are finessedriven bubbles that make you mind the mousse (French for fizziness) and forget your troubles.
Rosemont of Virginia, La Cross E E xtra Brut Sparkling Rosé, 13% alc. $25 Rappahannock Cellars, h unt Ly Prestige 2016, Méthode Traditionnelle, 15% alc. $36 Pearmund Cellars b r oad r u n Brut Reserve NV, 13.5% alc, $44
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TroublesForBubblesYour How to drink local during the global Champagne shortage.
WinemakersVirginiaYouNeedtoKnow
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CHRIS HARRIS , 34, likes to say he’s been interviewed zero times in his 10-plus years in Virginia wine. He’s okay being under the radar, but that’s already started to change, due partly to the two gold medals he scored in the 2022 Governor’s Cup for Old House’s 2019 Bacchanalia Reserve and its 2021 Vidal Blanc.
By NANCY BAUER
The customers and staff at Culpeper’s Old House Vineyards love him. His boss, Ryan Kearney says, “Ask him about riding the unicycle in the vineyard.”
Chris Harris unicycles through Old House Vineyards.
Harris laughs, saying, “I just had to prove to them I could do it.” A recent Facebook post about the young winemaker pulled in over 300 likes. He grins when he hears this. “They’re just showing me support.” Self-described as “shy,” he’s also confident: “I was surprised my 2019 petit verdot didn’t win a gold, too,” and well-connected, naming several of Virginia’s best-known winemakers as his buddies: Gabriele Rausse, Chris Pear mund, Doug Fabbioli. Old House Vineyards sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Once covered in overgrown alfalfa fields, the property is now ideal for grape-growing.
F YOU’RE A WINEMAKER IN VIRGINIA, there are only three places to be when the year’s top wines are revealed at the Gov ernor’s Cup Gala: pouring for the guests at Richmond’s glittering Main Street Station; up on stage when the Governor’s Case—the top 12 wines— is announced; or, the pinnacle, standing beside the Governor, accepting the giant silver Governor’s Cup. At this year’s gala, Chris Harris was pouring. The head winemaker at Old House Vineyards was hav ing a great night; he’d just won his first two gold medals. He’d also become the first Black winemaker to earn a gold in the competition. In 2021, Maya Hood White was invited onto the event’s (virtual) stage. Her dessert wine, RAH, won a spot in the Governor’s Case. By the following year, she was head winemaker for Early Mountain Vineyards.In2022, Melanie Natoli was also on stage. At 5’3”, she looked surprisingly Zen next to the 6’7” Gover nor Youngkin. Two of her wines had made it into the Case, and she was about to win the Cup. What the audience will remember about Natoli, though, is the story she told about her blue suit. Meet the next generation of Virginia winemakers. I
Harris grew up surrounded by trees and younger siblings in tiny Amissville, just outside Shenandoah National Park. Now he and Phil, his pet albino corn snake, live in Culpeper. “City life is an adjustment,” he says. In his spare time, he heads to the river and loves to fish. Virginia is home, for now. “In a few years, I’m hoping to work in Oregon or Washington. Not California, though.” He explains, “Other winemakers say California has the perfect weather. I want more of a challenge. I’m still learning.” Maya Hood White pours a glass of Early Mountain’s petit manseng.
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A new generation is earning accolades.
Melanie Natoli accepts the 2022 Governor’s Cup award from Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr and Governor Glenn Youngkin.
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CAITLIN HORTON, 28, Horton Vineyards, Gordonsville. Winemaker brag: Her 2021 viognier. Hints of lemon. Pair it with a lobster roll.
ZACH PIERCE, 29, Ingleside Vineyards, Oak Grove.
*Governor’s Cup Gold medalist, 2022. Winemaker brag: His 2021 Albariño. A great match for seafood.
MELANIE NATOLI ’s Unité, a blend of petit verdot, cabernet franc, and merlot, surpassed 615 wines to win Virginia’s Governor’s Cup. Astonishingly, a second bottle that she entered, Le Mariage, also scored high enough to earn a spot in the Governor’s Cup Case. Two months after bringing her prizes home, she took a short break from her work—to hike the famous Salkantay Trek in Peru, to Machu Picchu—40 miles, at elevations up to 15,000 feet. Natoli is, to say the least, a go-getter.
“This is not just a job, it’s a passion,” says the 42-yearold, winemaker at Cana Vineyards & Winery in Middleburg.
MAYA HOOD WHITE , 40, would much rather talk about her wine than herself. When her private label wine, RAH—a passito dessert wine made from raisined petit manseng and malvasia bianca grapes—won a spot in the Governor’s Case, a friend set up a website for it. Hood White’s name is nowhere on the site. “It’s about the wine,” she says, “not the person making the wine.” She grew up in wine-savvy Santa Barbara, California, tagging along on her parents’ tasting room visits. “Wine was part of our ecosystem,” she says. Her background reads like a STEM success story: math degree from Virginia Tech, work in engineering, love of chemistry. “I wish more girls who love chemistry would get how it’s connected to winemaking and get into this business.”
EMILY BELCHER, 29, Coyote Hole Ciderworks, Mineral. Cidermaker brag: Her Virginia Crush. Full of orange and vanilla cream.
*Governor’s Cup Gold medalist, 2022. Winemaker brag: His 2020 Gravity. Blend of noiret and cabernet sauvignon. Earthy aromatics. Great with pork chops.
DAVID EISERMAN, 34, Chestnut Oak Vineyard, Barboursville. *Governor’s Cup Gold medalist, 2022. Winemaker brag: His 2019 Euclid. Blend of petit manseng and viognier. Spicy Thai cuisine is a natural pairing.
MORE YOUNG VIRGINIA WINEMAKERS (AND A CIDERMAKER) YOU NEED TO KNOW
“It’s always the first grape I harvest. So, I’m looking at all my neighbors’ social media posts and they’re all picking their albariño, because rain’s coming in,” Natoli says. “And I’m looking at the [ripeness] numbers. I’m tasting the grapes. And I’m really thinking about the wine, and it’s not
Nancy Bauer is founder of the popular Virginia Wine Love group on Facebook and author of the book Virginia Wine Travel Journal (Amazon).
“I never intended to be in Virginia permanently,” she says. In fact, eight years ago she’d already decamped to New York—the land of riesling—when the phone rang: Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison was offering her a permanent spot. The well-funded, well-managed, prestige winery was too important to pass up. After deep dives into every aspect of their winemaking program—managing the vineyard, heading up sparkling wine production, getting sauvignon blanc off the ground—she was promoted to head winemaker. “Our goal is not, ‘Oh, this wine is good … for Virginia.’ Our goal is to make something that stands on its own,” she Experimentationsays. is something all Virginia winemakers cherish, and Hood White tells a story about that. “On a road trip, I met a gentleman who’d been making riesling by fermenting the wine on old lees,” she says. [Lees are leftover yeast; white wines typically “rest” on the lees for a few months to a few years.] He asked if I wanted to taste the lees, and I said ‘Yeah!’ and he opened the spout [of the wine tank] and it’s like soft-serve. I dipped my fingers through it. It tasted amazing. It was like seven years’ worth of lees right there.” She came home and immediately started her own lees fermentation experiment. “Watching the evolutions, that to me is what’s exciting.”
there yet. It’s not ready. But why is everybody else picking theirs? I really struggled with that. But I held; we picked a week and a half later, and I’m really happy with the wine.”
“You’re just so connected completely to what you’re doing, and every little decision adds up to be something.”
—Melanie Natoli, Cana Vineyards & Winery
CHELSEY BLEVINS, 30, Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard, Louisa. Winemaker brag: Her barrel-aged rosé. Bold and rich with notes of cranberry and woodsy vanilla. Perfect winter rosé.
“But that makes it a lot harder most of the time, right? You’re just so connected completely to what you’re doing, and every little decision adds up to be something.” She gives an example: the pick decision (winemaking lingo for when to harvest) for her albariño grapes in 2021.
Fifty-Third Winery mascot Winnie shows off a bottle of their barrel-aged rosé.
ALAN THIBAULT, 29, Ashton Creek Vineyard, Chester.
“Two years ago,” she said, recalling a photo of the winemakers who’d won a spot in the Governor’s Cup Case standing on stage: “Two things caught my attention: they were all men that year, and most of them were wearing blue suits.” She paused, giving the audience time to notice the men in blue behind her, her winemaker colleagues. “I said, ‘I guess I need to get a blue suit.’” She glanced down at her bright blue suit and grinned at the crowd. “So, I did.”
DRINK MAKERS
GREG GARRETT presents COASTAL VIRGINIA’S finest $1,380,000 Seaford Waterfront Complete private paradise on the Chesapeake Bay. Lots of custom features including 20’ ceiling in the great room, 1200 sq ft newly remodeled primary suite, granite, sauna, steam shower & more. CheSapeake Custom built home with tons of upgrades in Chapel Hill Estates. Open floor plan leads to oversized family room of almost 400 sq ft, gas fireplace, vaulted ceilings & built-in bookcases. Beautiful sunroom! $1,400,000 taylor farmS Truly ONE OF A KIND, lacking nothing! Heated pool, heated outdoor shower and bathroom, massive pool deck, covered patio, oversized 3 car garage, whole house generator, gourmet kitchen & more! ford’S Colony New countertops, fixtures, refinished hardwood floors, brand new luxury vinyl flooring, brand new roof and updated bathrooms. First floor primary bedroom, finished walk out basement. $665,000$699,000 SaWgraSS pointe Waterfront Waterfront rancher on 2 acres w/ deep-water 40’ boat slip in beautiful upscale planned community that has a pool and tennis courts. Large sunroom and nice views of Sarah’s Creek. Suffolk Highly sought-after Riverfront neighborhood, with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms plus an upstairs den/ media room. 2-tier patio overlooking the marsh/ creek, 3-car garage for extra vehicles or storage. $900,000 $865,000 LIVE YOUR METRO MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE. TRAILSETTER: ffo ow trends. Create them. BE A #TRAILSETTER VisitVBR.com | 800.635.5535 BLUEVIRGINIA’SRIDGE
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HEN I HEARD ABOUT A NEW destination craft brewery called Camp Trapezium—with a cool Airbnb and fabulous pizza—it quickly made my short list. My friend Elena and I synced our calendars and took off for Trapezium Brewing Company’s new outdoorsy outpost just north of Lynchburg. We both needed a mountain fix, and Amherst, an über-cute town with a chill vibe, makes a perfect getaway. Buzz has been brewing about Camp Trapezi um’s barrel-aged beers—only available onsite— and I was curious to learn more about the brew master’s use of spontaneous fermentation.
“This place is a culmination of all the things we love: beer, food, sustainability, education, and creativity.”
By PEGGY SIJSWERDA
Brewmaster James Frazer meets us at the door of Camp Trapezium with a big smile, colorful tats, and blue highlights in his long hair. Frazer started brewing beer 11 years ago in his kitchen after learning how online. “It’s like making mac ‘n’ cheese. It’s not that hard,” he says. “It’s about the process, temperature, time, and pressure.”
—Jo Anne Wilson, Camp Trapezium W a destination brewery. Today the property’s twostory brick farmhouse has been reimagined as an elegant eight-room Airbnb, and the surrounding 76 acres provide ample room for growing ingredi ents for both the brewery and the onsite restau rant. The company’s flagship downtown Peters burg taproom and pizza kitchen opened in 2016; a Richmond location is scheduled to open in Church Hill this year.
Frazer began brewing his first Camp Trape zium beer in 2018, well in advance of the proper ty’s opening in 2021. That’s because the process can take from 18 months to three years—consid erably longer than the turn-around time for mak ing typical Spontaneousbeer.fermentation, Frazer tells me, “is a magical and beautiful thing.” He takes us over to what looks like a giant stainless-steel sink in the corner of the brewery, which he refers to as a koelschip. This open fermentation tank—from the Dutch word for coolship —is positioned below two large windows framing a pastoral scene, complete with a babbling brook. After the unfermented wort, or grain mixture, goes into the koelschip, Frazer opens the win dows and wild yeast drifts in and lands on the A selection margherita-styleCampBelow:realmanyTrapezium’sofbeers,brewedwithVirginiafruit.TheAMC,Trapezium’spizza.
Beer and pizza reach new heights at this destination brewery.
He shows Elena and me around the tasting room and brewery, housed in the former Amherst Milling Company. The mill was still in operation when Trapezium Brewing’s owner, Dave McCor mack, bought it in 2018 with the idea of creating
Alchemy in Amherst
92VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
CAMP GETAWAY MAKE IT A WEEKEND, and stay in Camp Trapezium’s farmhouse Airbnb, nestled in charming Amherst. With eight bedrooms, each with its own fridge, this completely renovated American Foursquare is a two minute walk to the brewery and taproom down the hill or a 20-minute drive to neighboring Lynchburg. And, a number of wineries, vineyards, and tasting rooms are nearby. Rent the whole house for big groups, or just a bedroom or two for smaller gatherings. Airbnb.com
DRINK VISIT
We also sample “Henry” from the Birds of a Feather Series, blended from two separate barrel fermentations. Named after a rooster who lived on the farm, Henry offers notes of white wine, grapefruit zest, and fresh pineapple. “It’s earthy and dry with a hint of funk,” says Frazer.
wort, which jump-starts the fermentation pro cess. Hence coolship —a vessel that cools the wort. Sometimes Frazer uses wild yeast harvested from the farm. “It’s a very old, traditional style of mak ing beer,” he says. We grab a table in the rustic tasting room and sip three of Frazer’s brews. “Peaches”—from the brewery’s signature Orchard Series—is brewed with fruit from nearby Bedford. Barrel-aged and naturally carbonated, the beer is well-balanced and dry with amazing peach flavor, not to men tion peach fuzz and pie crust notes.
Fresh produce from Camp Trapezium’s farm. Left: Trapezium Brewing owner Dave McCormack tastes a tomato fresh off the vine.
93OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
PeggyTrapeziumBrewing.com/AmherstSijswerda,MFA,livesinVirginia Beach and writes about travel, food, and wellness. She is the author of Still Life with Sierra , a travel memoir.
Lastly, we try one from the Farmhouse Series: “Spring,” which is my favorite. Traditionally brewed, this beer is created from farm-grown ingredients. “I wanted to capture tulips bloom ing, the smell of rain, and encompass what spring really means,” Frazer explains. I love the beer’s slight tartness with melon, strawberry, and banana notes. Jo Anne Wilson, Trapezium Brewing’s hospi tality director, joins us at an outdoor picnic table as we sample crazy-good pizza. “It’s got a cult fol lowing,” says Wilson, and I can see why. We taste a margherita-style called the AMC with delicious sauce made from the farm’s 2021 bounty of toma toes, plus fresh basil and garlic. The next one is a seasonal specialty: white pizza with prosciutto, garlic, and thin lemon slices (who knew?). Fresh mozzarella tops both pizzas, and the crust is tender and tasty. We also try delicious farm sal ads and a trio of dips served with fresh-from-theovenFrazerbreadsticks.keepsour glasses full of his fabulous beer as our conversation turns to the “why” of Camp Trapezium. “This place is a culmination of all the things we love: beer, food, sustainabil ity, education, and creativity,” says Wilson. Frazer agrees, “It’s what we believe in.” There is a feel-good vibe here, and I get the sense that this business is all about making people—and animals and plants—happy. “We talk a lot about the magic that is Camp,” owner Emily Sanfrella says, “It’s this beautiful place that’s a respite from the everyday grind. Our job is to protect and preserve that magic so that our guests can experience it whenever they visit.”
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At Riverside, it is our mission to care for others as we would care for those we love. Our comprehensive network of services includes: • Fellowship-trained and board-certified medical providers and specialists • State-of-the-art technology and nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals and facilities • Accredited Stroke and Chest Pain Centers • Primary & specialty care, urgent care and emergency care locations, including a Level II Trauma Center • Active senior living communities and lifelong health services We are your partners throughout your journey of lifelong health and wellness. riversideonline.com/medical-services TOGETHER We are healthier Congratulations to our Top Hospital Winners! Riverside Regional Medical Center Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg Riverside Walter Reed Hospital Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital
PROFILE
PRO FILE H OSPITALS W ELLNESS S LEEP F ITNESS HEALTH+Wellness
95OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING
It was a freak accident. While building a new chalkboard for her sons last September, Charlie Xavier stumbled and dropped her sanding tool. The rest is a nightmare: Sparks triggered an explosion, and she was immediately engulfed in flames. The Charlottesville mother of two managed to stop, drop, and roll, but by the time she was medflighted to VCU Health Evans-Haynes Burn Center in Richmond, 85 percent of her body was severely burned, leaving her with a three percent chance of survival.
Given a three percent chance of survival, burn patient Charlie Xavier shares her powerful story. By Kinsey Gidick | Photography by Ashley Cox (From LondonCharlie,André,left):Julien,andXavier.
At the time, Charlie and her husband, André, were days away from opening Patch Brewing Company in Gordonsville while running C’ville Tours and raising their boys, London, 4, and Julien, 9 months.
The brewery would have to wait. André didn’t know if his wife of 14 years would make it. She was intubated, heavily medicated, and swathed in bandages from the neck down. And as she battled one infection after another, the team at VCU’s burn unit didn’t know either. But Charlie was a fighter. “I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at 15 months old,” she recounts nearly a year later as her recovery continues. “So I’ve been in pain my whole life.” Fibromyal gia, a second diagnosis, was an additional complication. Now, facing a long recovery, she says, “I really do think that’s what prepared me for the pain that I would experience dealing with burns,” she says. BEATING THE
ODDS
Dr. Carter says. “Her motivation was incredible. She had one goal: to get home to see her kids.”
Dr. Carter says Charlie’s drive speaks to the “strength of a mother’s bond.” She fiercely missed her children, whom she’d seen only sporadically in the eight months since her accident. Between pandemic restrictions and her precarious health, visits were strictly limited.
Talk to Charlie for an hour and her over whelming determination will win you over. Sure, recovery isn’t easy. “It’s going to take a while,” she says. “Patience is key.” But nobody’s second guessing her potential for a return to a normal life. Just look how far she’s come.
When the search for a home health agency to pro vide wound care proved insurmountable, Charlie took on the challenge and located specialists who would come to her once she was discharged.
At VCU, as the days turned into weeks and months, André saw flashes of the old Charlie emerge. In October, she picked out London and Julien’s Halloween costumes from her hospital bed. In spite of the odds, her condition slowly began to stabilize. All in all, she underwent some 54 surgeries over six months at VCU’s burn center. In March, she transitioned to Sheltering Arms Institute in Richmond for another three months of intense physical rehab. “I’d never seen a patient with the extent of Charlie’s injuries, let alone someone who survived such catastrophic burns,” marvels Dr. William Carter, Charlie’s physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Shelter ingHerArms.team there—physicians, physical and occupational therapists, medical psychologists, and therapeutic recreation specialists—rallied to develop a treatment plan. “She needed about three hours of wound care a day,” explains Dr. Carter, who adds that the Sheltering Arms team prepared for Charlie’s complex case by shadowing the experts at VCU prior to her arrival.
New-Tech Healing
Wellness PROFILE
To make sense of the unthinkable, the cou ple have co-written a book, I Almost Lost Her: A Memoir of Unthinkable Tragedy, released in Sep tember. Within the pain and frustration, they look for hope: that her wounds will heal, that she will learn to drive a modified vehicle, and that someday she will walk again.
Family and friends welcomed Charlie back home after being discharged from the hospital. Charlie and André at Sheltering Arms on the day Charlie was discharged.
Cheering on Charlie Discharged from Sheltering Arms in late May, Charlie says, “you just have to pull up your big girl panties and take it. Take it like a woman.” More surgeries lie ahead, with possibly more physical rehab. But at the moment, she’s relishing spending time with her husband and boys, rees tablishing a routine, and enjoying the little things like watching her kids grow up.
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96VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
André’s blog, Cheering on Charlie, continues to chronicle their collective journey. Part public update, part confessional, from day one André has shared every moment, even when the pres sures seemed unfathomable. On the day she was discharged from Sheltering Arms, he wrote, “I dreamed, wished, hoped and prayed for, for this very specific moment, and the reality of today was beyond any of my dreams!”
From VCU to Sheltering Arms
While Charlie has beaten every obstacle thrown at her, her jour ney has not been without hic cups. With only 15 percent of healthy skin remaining, skin grafts became a dicey pros pect. So the team at VCU used RECELL®, a spray-on treatment derived from her own skin cells to help healthy tissue regenerate. But while this new technology jump-started the healing pro cess, Dr. Carter explains that a simple ankle flex or knee bend—part of the physi cal therapy program at Sheltering Arms—would cause the new skin to tear, which was not only excruciating, but it also increased Charlie’s risk of infection. Additionally, her joints, stiff and swol len from living with rheumatoid arthritis, further complicated this already complicated case. During her months at Sheltering Arms, “we were always negotiating, talking things through,”
Kinsey Gidick is a writer based in Scottsville. Her work has been published in the Washington Post , The New York Times , and Garden & Gun magazine. “Her motivation was incredible. Charlie had one goal: to get home to see her kids.” —Dr. William Carter
Sanctuary Cosmetic Center is a state-of-the-art body and face aesthetic center with locations in McLean, Reston, and Dulles. Led by Dr. Rostami, Sanctuary Cosmetic Center offers all the services clients desire in a warm, welcoming environment. Patients can receive both surgical and nonsurgical procedures at Sanctuary Cosmetic Center, including oculofacial cosmetic eyelid and facial surgery, CoolSculpting, DiamondGlow, chemical peels, dermal fillers, and Botox and Dysport injections. Other offerings include skin tightening and resurfacing, liquid face-lifts, liposuction, laser hair removal, liquid butt-lifts, and much more. Recently, the practice also began offering Morpheus8, Opus, and Renuva Treatments. Morpheus8 combines the best of microneedling, and radiofrequency and Opus uses RF technology to tighten and lift skin, as well as reduce scars and wrinkles, while Renuva is an alternative to autologous fat transfer, used to restore volume in the face, hands, and body. Expert in facial plastic surgery, Dr. Rostami has performed over 20,000 eyelid procedures, giving clients eye rejuvenation and a refreshed appearance. Besides offering her patients top-of-the-line care, Dr. Rostami is a fellowship director for the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, where she mentors a new fellow for one year at Sanctuary Cosmetic Center to help them grow their skill set as a facial plastic surgeon. She is also on the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. She also recently served as the president of the Medical Society of Northern Virginia for two years to support health care workers’ rights in 2020 and 2021. Three Locations: 1650 Tysons Blvd, Suite 100, McLean, VA 22102 1860 Town Center Drive, Suite 250, Reston, VA 20190 24430 Stone Springs Blvd., Suite 240, Stone Ridge, VA 20166
703-893-3937 • SanctuaryCosmeticCenter.com SANCTUARY COSMETIC CENTER Soheila Rostami, MD, FAAO, FAACS @SanctuaryCosmeticCenter@BeautybyDrRostami ENHANCEREWINDREFRESH
• Receding gums along the gumline
Our Reston, Virginia pediatric dentistry office provides a full range of pediatric dental services for children, including routine exams, preventive dental care, laser dentistry, sealants, fillings, crowns, laser tongue-tie and lip-tie correction, and more. To schedule your appointment, contact Smile Wonders at 571350-3663.
You should begin caring for your children’s oral health as soon as their first tooth appears—about 6 months of age. At around six years old, your child should be able to brush their teeth on their own. The best way to teach is to demonstrate on yourself the proper brushing methods. Then have your child practice while you are watching. Around two minutes is a recommended length of time to brush.
• Gum tenderness
• Loose tooth or teeth
Teaches Good Gum Health
• Bleeding gums when you brush or floss
Signs of gum disease can include:
• Pus in the gums
Prevent Gum Diseases
Smile Wonders Pediatric Dentistry
• Swollen or red gums
Almost half of all adults in the United States have periodontal, or gum, disease, a condition that if allowed to progress to its worst, can result in tooth loss. Even when gum disease is in its early stages it can cause problems like discomfort and pain, bad breath, or bleeding gums. There are a number of causes for gum disease. Dental plaque is one of them. Plaque is a sticky film that forms on your teeth’s surface. It starts as a clear film, then becomes visible within 12 hours. If not removed, it can harden and become tartar both on the teeth and under the gumline. The best plan of action is to teach your children about proper gum care and gum health. Children (and adults) should brush their teeth twice a day (morning and evening) with a softbristled toothbrush, and floss once a day. Twice yearly, they need to visit their pediatric dentist for a professional cleaning and Childrenexamination.shouldbe taught not to “scrub” their teeth or gums.
ISGUMCHILDRENHEALTHIMPORTANTFOR
Good Gum Health Practices Can Help
September is National Gum Care Awareness Month, so now is the perfect time to teach your children about gum health. The more they can keep their gums healthy, the better their overall dental health will be throughout their lives. What are the Gums For? Your gums, also called the gingiva, are extremely important. They are the soft tissues that not only hold your teeth in place, they cover and protect the roots by providing a seal against disease-causing bacteria.
How Young Should Good Gum Health Begin?
Insert fun into the brushing routine with a kid-friendly electric toothbrush and a flavored toothpaste. Electric toothbrushes have been shown to remove up to 21% more plaque than manual brushing and can help mitigate the instinct to scrub. They can also come with a built-in timer that turns the toothbrush off automatically after the two-minute optimal brushing time.
Dr. Rishita Jaju & Dr. Anh Dang Board Certified Pediatric Dentists (571) 350-3663 11790 Sunrise Valley Dr #105 Reston, VA 20191 www.smilewonders.com
Overzealous brushing can irritate the gums, causing them to become inflamed and damaged, or even wear away the gums, thus exposing the roots and allowing harmful bacteria and gum disease to take hold. Receding gums do not grow back, so it is important to start a good habit now.
At Smile Wonders, we want your children to be successful in their oral and gum health care, so we’ll be glad to teach you—and them—the proper way to care for their oral health. Beginning at age one, we’ll start working on healthy dental habits that will last your children a lifetime.
(From left) Kyle Dean with Colton Tate Dean, Kyle Frederick with Dawson Cole Frederick, and Micheal Irvine with Carson Eugene Irvine.
99OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HEALTH+Wellness HOSPITALS
The men had become close friends while working together at the Fort Belvoir Army Base fire station over three years, and they’d joked about seeing each other at the hospital. But with their babies’ due dates ranging over a month apart, they never imagined the coincidence would actually happen. When two of the babies arrived early and one came late, all three fathers wereSpotsylvaniathrilled.
THE FUTURE OF RADIATION THERAPY
BY AGE 40, women should be getting annual mammograms to screen for breast cancer, ac cording to the American Cancer Society. But these guidelines leave the under-40 set in the dark. And with 11,000 younger women diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the U.S.—around seven percent of new cases—breast health awareness is key.
Regional Medical Center delivers for first responders.
ȕ Start healthy habits: To reduce the risk of breast and other cancers, it’s never too early to eat well and exercise to maintain a healthy body weight.
ȕ Moderation: Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake. Alcohol has been shown to increase the risk for six types of cancers. Limit red meat to 12-18 ounces per week. VirginiaCancerSpecialists.com by Vayda Parrish
Dr. TiwariShruti
Massey Cancer Center, part of the nationally ranked VCU Medical Center, is one of only two cancer centers in Virginia designated by the National Cancer Institute and one of only 71 in the United States. Hundreds of top cancer specialists at Massey provide a wealth of expertise in cancer diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and symptom management. VCUHealth.org —by K.R.
ITH 10,000 BABIES born each day in the United States, what are the chances that three Fairfax County firefighters, colleagues at Station No. 465, would all welcome baby boys in the same hospital within 24 hours?
ȕ Know your risk: Younger women with higher risk factors are eligible for early screening mammograms—crucial to helping find breast cancer early when treatment is most successful. Regular mammograms can often detect changes in breast tissue before they become cancerous.
Spotsylvania
So far, only 18,000 people worldwide have been treated with MRIdian. Fifty MRIdian systems are installed at hospitals on three continents—North America, Europe, and Asia. Along the Atlantic coast, Massey is the only location to offer this therapy between Pennsylvania and Florida.
TOO YOUNG FOR BREAST CANCER?
THREE FIREMEN, THREE BABIES, ALL IN ONE DAY
Dr. Tiwari’s tips:
Regional Medical Center has a five-star rating from Healthgrades for both C-sections and vaginal deliveries. “We are proud to have been recognized as delivering five-star level care for our maternal patients,” said David McKnight, the hospital’s CEO. “This recogni tion validates the commitment we have made to provide a superior level of maternal and neona tal care for our community.” HCAVirginia.com by Konstantin Rega
For women under 40, screenings still matter.
W
Women with risk factors—a first-degree relative who’s had breast cancer, a genetic predisposition to the disease, or prior radiation exposure to the chest area—should begin mammogram screening as early as age 30. And for women in this age group, it’s important to know what’s “normal” for your own body and bring any changes to a doctor’s attention.
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VCU MASSEY CANCER CENTER is now the first hospital in Virginia to offer a new MRI-guided radiation therapy for cancer patients. “This will allow us to offer even more personalized high-precision treatments,” says Elisabeth Weiss, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Massey.
The MRIdian system uses SmartVISION, SmartADAPT, and SmartTARGET to find the tumor, focus where the radiation beam concentrates, and adjust the focus to the body’s movement to avoid harming healthy tissue and nearby organs. The technology expands patients’ treatment options and offers better outcomes with reduced toxicity.
“Younger women may ignore important symptoms and signs, like breast lumps or unusual discharge, if they think they’re underage for a routine mammogram,” says Shruti Tiwari, M.D., a medical oncologist and breast specialist at Virginia Cancer Specialists in Northern Virginia—now celebrating 50 years of highlevel oncology care.
ȕ Early detection: Beginning at age 20, become familiar with how your breasts look and feel. This will help you notice changes. Starting at age 25, get annual breast exams by your healthcare provider.
It happened at Spotsylvania Regional Medi cal Center when the wives of firefighters Michael Irvine and Kyle Frederick, and fiancée of Kyle Dean went into labor within hours of each other. “We are excited to welcome these little ones into the world,” the hospital announced on social media in February, sending a message of appreciation to the firefighters: “When you show up for your community, your community shows up for you.”
HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNIVERSE OF YOU 15899VIRADV (7-22) World-class health care in Virginia HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR Whether it’s tackling a serious health issue or improving your overall well-being, our doctors and health care professionals are passionate about improving your overall health so you can be there for what matters most. That’s why we’re excited to be named among the best for making you better. Congratulations to our Bon Secours hospitals for making Virginia Living’s Top Hospitals 2022 list: • Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center • Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center • Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital • Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital • Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital Learn more at bonsecours.com
A SPACE FOR HEALING Riverside announces freestanding psychiatric emergency department.system.healthriversidevirginia,hcaof:courtesytop)(fromimages borgesvictoriabyillustrations
Medical milestones achieved at Virginia hospitals. T
UVA’s School of Medicine was ranked for both medical research and primary care by U.S. News & World Report in their 2022–23 Best SchoolsGraduate guide. No. 1 in Virginia The School of Nursing at UVA was rated Virginia’s No. 1 nursing school by the U.S. News report.
“We all know that physical health is important and is something we need to look after so that we can stay fit and well; mental health is no different,” says Stacey Johnson, Riverside Behavioral Health Hospital president and vice president for Riverside Behavioral Health Center. “The unique design of our new ED will provide a critical resource for those experiencing a mental health issue and be a reliable space for them to begin their healing.”
(From left) Debra Vance, Dr. K. Singh Sahni, Tina Holloman,, and Sally Sanderson WO VIRGINIA HOSPITALS recently celebrated landmark surgical achievements. At Valley Health’s Winchester Medical Center, cardiologist and electrophysiologist Daniel Alexander, D.O., performed his 100th successful implantation of the Watchman FLX™. This tiny device is placed in the heart to help prevent stroke in certain patients with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat condition that affects nearly six million Americans.AndatJohnston-Willis
from the National Cancer Institute. With this accolade, UVA joins an elite group of just 52 designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S.
FURTHERING ITS COMMITMENT to mental health care, Riverside Health System has broken ground for a new, freestanding psychiatric emergency department (ED), scheduled for a late 2023 opening. The psychiatric ED will share a campus with
UVA Health’s F.E. Dreifuss Comprehensive Epilepsy Program achieved distinction as a Level 4 center —the ranking—highest by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Level 4 centers provide complex monitoring and extensive medical, neuropsychological, and psychosocial treatment evaluations and options for epilepsy patients.
RiversideOnline.com by V.P.
UVA MEDICINE IS TOP NOTCH
101OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HEALTH+Wellness HOSPITALS
PROMISING PROCEDURES
Riverside Behavioral Health Center in Hampton, which offers acute care for adolescents and adults, and crisis Riverside’sassessment.newEDis designed to provide specialized care for patients with mental illnesses, behavioral concerns, and substance abuse disorders who would otherwise check in to a general medical emergency room. Features of the new facility include 10 private rooms and treatment areas, dedicated treatment spaces for minors, sensory rooms, and other calming environments for patients.
UVA’s Cancer Center has become the first in Virginia to achieve a comprehensive cancer center designation— the recognitionhighest available—
Hospital’s Brain and Spine Center in Richmond, a team of neurosurgeons led by Dr. K. Singh Sahni has surpassed 5,000 Gamma Knife® procedures, an advanced treatment for patients with brain tumors and neurological disorders. As the only Joint Commission Gold Seal brain tumor center in Virginia, JohnstonWillis has been performing Gamma Knife operations since 2004. The non-invasive technology is a painless, blade-free, com puter-guided treatment that delivers highly targeted radiation to tumors. Gamma Knife’s precision allows most patients to return home same-day. ValleyHealthlink.com; HCAVirginia.com by Vayda Parrish
The university’s health system scores big.
People are at the center of everything we do. At Carilion Clinic, we’re advancing health care. By encouraging curiosity and individuality, we’re moving toward achieving this goal— together. In our workplace, everyone is welcomed, respected, supported and valued. Join us in providing unmatched patient care and support our mission of improving the health of the communities we serve. Your career will grow stronger as part of our united team. Opportunities include: R.N., L.P.N., Pharmacy, Technology Services, Environmental Services and Behavioral Health. View more openings at CarilionClinic.org/careers. CarilionClinic.org/careers | 800-599-2537 Equal Opportunity Employer: Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity THIS IS HEALTHTOMORROW’SCARE. G481172 Virginia Living Magazine recruiting - Fall 2022 issue.indd 1 8/10/22 11:22 AM
DIY DOCTOR’S VISIT
FROM ANXIETY TO SHYNESS to inattention, it seems there’s a medication for every mental health diagnosis. But for major depression, a non-drug treatment known as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has proved a game-changer, especially for patients who’ve had little success with prescription antidepressants.
W TMS TACKLES DEPRESSION A game-changing option for treatmentresistant patients.
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ȕ Check lighting to make sure your doctor can evaluate a rash or incision and assess range of motion—make sure they can see clearly. Can you zoom in on a suspicious mole? If not, take a photo or shoot a brief video to share during the call. —by Cathy Herbert
During TMS treatment, patients sit in what resembles a dentist’s chair while a magnetic coil repeatedly taps on a small, targeted spot on their head. Patients typically receive 20-30 half-hour sessions over a six week period. Side effects are usually limited to temporary soreness at the delivery point. Most insurance companies now cover the cost of the treatment.
103OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HEALTH+Wellness WELLNESS
How to make a virtual visit count? “There’s a lot you can do to make telehealth work for you,” says David Switzer, M.D., medical director of Population Health for Valley Health in Winchester. “The big thing is to be organized.” His pointers:
ȕ Gather medications and jot down doses along with your pharmacy name and phone number. Mention supplements and over-the-counter remedies, too. Type this info into the chat box so your provider has it in writing.
ȕ If you’re due for bloodwork, get it done before the appointment, so you and your doctor can go over your results together.
TytoCare devices are available for purchase online or through Carilion.
“We’re excited to bring these capabilities to rural communities that have historically been unable to use this new standard of healthcare,” says Stephen A. Morgan, M.D., Carilion senior vice president and chief medical information offi cer. “TytoCare’s technology is intuitive and easy to use for our patients and providers.”
CarilionClinic.org, TytoCare.com by Vayda Parrish
Carilion Clinic and TytoCare bring handheld healthcare to Southwest Virginia.
ȕ Keep the meeting link handy and testdrive the technology in advance to avoid fumbling with the mute button during valuable appointment time. Find a private place where you can talk freely.
TytoCare’s exam kit guides users to perform physicals during virtual visits, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions conveniently and comfortably from home.
ITH THE HELP of a handy AI-pow ered examination kit, nearly one mil lion Carilion Clinic patients across the southwest region now have access to frontline tele health technology, thanks to a recent partnership with TytoCare, a leader in telemedicine software.
“TMS technology harnesses the magnetic aspect of electricity,” explains Dr. Walter S. Jennings of Tucker Psychiatric Clinic in Richmond. “It’s directly delivered into the brain and changes its function in a way that is focused, safe, and Jenningsnon-invasive.”hasusedthe NeuroStar TMS device, which is FDA approved, in approximately 300 patients. “I’m so impressed not just with how well it works, but how little it hurts,” he adds. “We have people who are getting TMS while watching a movie or chatting with the technician. Not many effective treatments can claim that.”
ȕ Take your temperature and check weight and blood pressure beforehand.
TELEMEDICINE TIPS
Although follow-up sessions may be needed in some cases, the vast majority of TMS patients experience meaningful relief, often starting at two to four weeks. “We look for when they start getting their lives back,” says Jennings. “We want them to be able to function, and we want them to feel better.” TuckerPsychiatric.com/NeuroStar, NeuroStar.com —by Margo Peters Millure
ȕ Write up a list of topics to cover. Note any symptoms, and if they’re sporadic, keep a diary to track when they occur, how long they last, and whether they’re linked to specific foods or activities.
Carilion will use TytoCare for patients with chronic conditions, significantly reducing time spent in doctor’s offices or hospitals. The device also allows for remote monitoring of pediatric asthma patients. Addi tionally, Carilion plans to dis tribute examination kits to rural school districts, increas ing access to physician care for teachers and students.
ȕ Check dates of your last screenings. Now is the time to get a referral for a colonoscopy or mammogram.
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Ten surprising remedies for sleepless nights.
significant, and if it’s an issue, seeking out help from a sleep medicine physician can be really helpful.”
Sleepy cravings. Poor sleep habits make it harder to lose weight, according to a study pub lished in the Canadian Medical Association Jour nal. “When you are sleep deprived,” says Riggs, “your hormone levels are not regulating as they should be, and you are not getting that restorative protein synthesis during the night, which in turn affects your energy, your metabolism, your ability to process glucose, and your ability to exercise.”
f you’re lying awake at night, you’re not alone.
BY DAY:
But here are some surprising tips and insights from sleep experts including Jessica Riggs, M.D., pulmonary critical care and sleep specialist with the Virginia Heart Sleep Center in Arlington.
Get out. A regular hike or walk during the day will pay big dividends at night, reducing inflam mation and engaging the body’s systems for rest and digestion. “We have this complex nervous system that regulates whether we are in ‘rest and digest’ mode or ‘fight or flight’ mode,” Riggs explains. “The parasympathetic nervous system promotes the rest and digest cycle, the slowing down necessary for quality sleep. Getting outside in fresh air and bright light, even for a few min utes each day, is very helpful in promoting this calm, restorative state.”
See the light. Research has found that the pro duction of melatonin—the hormone that regulates your sleep—is regulated by exposure to sunlight.
But maybe not melatonin supplements. Once a go-to for the sleep starved, melatonin supple ments are okay for short-term use. But because long-term use could suppress the body’s abil ity to produce its own melatonin, experts are not recommending it for chronic insomnia. A recent New York Times piece suggests that melatonin is most effective when combined with behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes. “The data shows that short term use of melatonin at a low dose— between 1 mg and 3 mg—is safe, but the problem is that it’s hard to know the exact amounts in the pills,” adds Riggs, “and we’re learning that high doses could be problematic.” Better choices may be valerian, chamomile, and kava kava. Get help for prolonged sleep problems. Riggs advises getting help when sleep problems per sist for weeks. “As humans, we tend to work very hard to play hard, and we come up with rea sons it’s okay to feel sleepy,” she says. “But sleep deprivation can have long-term effects that are
Research proves that a lack of sleep can leave you “sleep drunk”— impaired as if you were tipsy. And over time, sleep deprivation can impact your physical and mental health, promote weight gain, and increase your risk of developing dementia. So what to do? You’ve heard the advice—skip afternoon caffeine, keep the bedroom cool and dark, and shut off screens two hours before bedtime.
“Bright, natural sunlight is the motivator for our circadian rhythm,” says Riggs, “It’s the regula tor of our master clock. So the best thing we can do in the morning is get exposure to that light to get your day going, and then at night, avoiding
Magnesium. “Magnesium can reduce leg cramp ing and blood pressure and make for a more rest ful sleep,” says Riggs. Check labels for a “Current Good Manufacturing Practice” (cGMP) certifica tion, to ensure you’re getting a high quality prod uct. It’s best to get magnesium from your diet, but if needed, supplement with 200-350 mg daily.
Counting Sheep?
One in three of us gets fewer than seven hours of shut-eye each night, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and chronic sleep disorders impact 50-70 million Americans. I
105OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HEALTH+Wellness SLEEP
it, both natural light and the screen light we get from phones and laptops—otherwise we are sup pressing our own natural circadian rhythms.”
Inadequate sleep tied to dementia. Research for the National Health and Aging Trends Study done at Harvard Medical School found that participants (all over 65) who reported sleep ing fewer than five hours per night were twice as likely to develop dementia and twice as likely to die, compared to those who slept six to eight hours per night.
By PEG MOLINE | Ilustrations by VICTORIA BORGES
Walker’s research also found that sleep—or a lack of it—can have a profound effect on relation ships. “For every hour of sleep a woman gets, her interest in sex increases by 14 percent, he says, adding that a warm bath can pull warmth from your core to your extremities, signaling your body to Riggssleep. agrees: “A cuddle, a hug, a weighted blanket, all boost oxyto cin and put us into a relaxed place where we can rest and digest.”
“For every hour of sleep a woman gets, her interest in sex increases by 14 percent.”
106VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 HEALTH+Wellness SLEEP
To ensure success with Inspire, patients are carefully screened. Ideal candidates are over 18, are not significantly obese, and have failed to benefit from other therapies, including CPAP. The company says the implant is often covered by health insurance and adds that 94 percent of patients prefer it to CPAP. Says Lee, “Both patient satisfaction and compliance have been high.” —by Jill Devine
subjects fall asleep. For most people, it’s still best to exercise early in the day, but evening exercise can still promote good sleep.
Dr. Lee and his colleague, Dr. William Kennedy, have performed dozens of the implant surgeries at Reston Hospital Center and VHC Health in Arlington. “We are excited to have performed this procedure,” says Lee. “It’s an improvement over surgery to remove obstruc tive tissue from the throat.” That painful surgery offered limited relief. “In fact, we are doing Inspire implantations in patients who failed to improve significantly with those olderDesignedsurgeries.”byMinnesota-based Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., the Inspire device is implanted under the skin of the neck and chest through two small incisions made during a short outpatient surgical procedure.
Peg Moline covers health, fitness, sex/relationships, and pregnancy. Based in Los Angeles, she is the author of The Doctor’s Book of Natural Health Remedies and has served as editor of Natural Health magazine and editorial director of Shape
For sleep apnea, a surgically implanted device can replace the CPAP machine.
Skip the nightcap. While alcohol might help you fall asleep, it may interfere with all-impor tant REM sleep, during which your body rejuve nates and processes events into memories. “When you drink, you impede the natural systems meant to occur during sleep,” asserts Shawn Stevenson, author of Sleep Smarter. “When you stop drink ing, your body tries to get back into the cycle, but the alcohol has blunted its ability to do so.” The answer? “Exercise,” Stevenson says, and suggests starting your day with a routine of jumping jacks, pushups, or kettlebell squats.
—Matthew Walker, Ph.D. systemsmedicalinspireofcourtesyphoto
You can work out at night and still sleep well.
SLEEP, UNPLUGGED
Be honest about your routine. Are you trading bedtime for me-time? There’s a name for delaying sleep to binge Netflix: it’s “revenge bedtime pro crastination.” Sadly, the only thing you’re getting away with is self-sabotage. “Even though we’re adults,” says Riggs, “we are essentially big babies when it comes to sleep routines. So turn off elec tronics two hours before bed, try to take away any stress, and maintain a set bedtime as best you can.”
Try a little reverse psychology. “‘Go to bed ear lier’ is common yet horrible advice for insomni acs,” says Diane Macedo, an ABC News corre spondent and author of The Sleep Fix, which grew out of her own search for insomnia relief. Macedo swears by the “reverse curfew.” Instead of turn ing in early, she challenges herself to stay up until a certain hour. For rebellious types like revenge bedtime procrastinators, this is one “rule” that’s meant to be broken.
Forget what you’ve heard about evening exercise. New research reported in Sports Medicine found that as long as the workout was spaced more than an hour before bedtime, evening exercise helped
BY NIGHT:
But a new FDA-approved implant device known as Inspire may finally free patients from the noisy CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure. Inspire’s benefits are, well, inspiring—no masks or hoses, just restful sleep. But how does a surgically-implanted sleep device work? The remote-controlled Inspire delivers gentle pulses to the tongue, stimulating key airways to remain open during sleep. “The surgery is a game changer, allowing some patients to no longer depend on CPAP,” says Edwin J. Lee, M.D., a board-certified otolaryngologist and president and founder of Reston Ear, Nose & Throat, adding, “complication rates are low, recovery is fairly mild, and the success rate has been excellent.”
The big O. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., author of Why We Sleep, says that having an orgasm flushes the body with sleep-inducing hormones such as prolactin and can bring on a good night’s sleep for men and women alike. And there’s more good news: even cuddling can promote good sleep.
Don’t get cold feet. Even though keeping your room cool will help you sleep, you might need to wear warm socks; studies show that cold extremities could cause sleeplessness.
Time your snacking. Eating too close to bedtime is not a good idea; it’s best to leave at least 90 min utes between a snack and sleep. But if you must, choose a high-protein snack (cheese or turkey)— amino acids such as tryptophan, may help you go to sleep and stay asleep. “You don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night starving,” explains Riggs. “But going to bed full means your body is working on digestion, and you might not get good restorative rest. A glass of warm milk will soothe you and also give you a dose of calcium, which can be helpful for sleep as well.”
IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: controlling sleep ap nea with the touch of a button. Until now, the best solution for the condition marked by breathing interruptions was a cumbersome CPAP mask, worn overnight.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tongue and throat muscles relax during sleep, causing the airway to temporarily close. It’s marked by heavy snoring or gasping for air and can cause headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating by day. More than 22 million Americans suffer from OSA. Beyond sleep deprivation, OSA can cause physical, mental, and emotional health complications when left untreated.
Walker notes that young men who sleep just five hours a night for one week will have a testos terone level equal to someone 10 years their senior. So a lack of sleep will age a man by a decade when it comes to certain aspects of wellness and virility.
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Rest Your Way to Fitness?
“In the long run, the traditional definition of fitness—which emphasizes building strength and aerobic endurance—causes body breakdown,” says Mary Burruss, co-founder of Re-Think Fitness in Richmond, “because we are failing to focus on the counter moves that allow us to do those things in the first place.”
Active vs. Passive Recovery
We think of “rest” as a good night’s sleep, a nap, or an evening spent zonked on the couch. Experts call this “passive recovery.” But unless you’re an endurance athlete on a grueling training sched ule, total downtime isn’t the best way to recover from a Withworkout. active recovery—also called active rest— you leverage the benefits of low-intensity activ ity to bounce back faster and stronger. “When people take a ‘more is better’ approach to fitness, eventually they burn out mentally, get hurt, or lose motivation,” says Jim White, R.D., owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Vir ginia Beach. “By giving your body the recovery it needs, you are better able to sustain your fitness results for a longer period of time.”
“Whether you’re pulling through a rowing stroke or twisting through a golf swing, you want to do something designed to balance that out, such as swimming or gentle yoga.”
While it may sound like an oxymoron, active rest includes light activities like swimming gen tle laps, doing yoga, stretching—or even getting a massage. Foam rolling, which releases tension in muscles and connective tissues, is also a great
A way to give your body a positive break between bouts of exercise. The point is to move your body to stimulate circulation and support the process of physical recovery.
109OCTOBER 2022VIRGINIA LIVING HEALTH+Wellness FITNESS
Done right, active recovery delivers better results with less workout time.
richmondcityrowofcourtesyphotos
Truth is, you’re probably already using a form of active recovery. It’s built into workouts, when you alternate between intense and light exer tion and cool down at the finish. But what are you doing on the days between workouts? It’s the “off” days when active recovery matters most.
A Shortcut to Fitness At CityRow, an indoor rowing studio in Rich mond, owner Sarah Rawlings advises clients to look for “off” day activities that engage muscles
By PEG MOLINE fter an intense workout, an afternoon of yard work, or even a day at the office, rest is the elixir that lets us recover to do it all over again. But there’s more than one way to rest. And the right kind of rest, in the right amounts, can speed recovery and deliver greater fitness benefits—with less time spent in the gym.
—Sarah Rawlings, CityRow Richmond
hack—an easy way to maximize the benefits from time spent working out. “When you take the lat est research on exercise and recov ery and use it to your advantage, you can cut time off your workout and still increase the results,” says trainer Pamela Gold, author of Find More Strength: 5 Pillars to Unlock Unlimited Power and Happiness “There’s no need to get your heart rate up on active recovery days,” Gold notes. “We have the opportu nity to get much more efficient with our workouts and get better results, both short-term and long-term,” Gold says. “Why would we exercise more than we need?”
Gold also swears by high-level machines like the Vasper—a seated elliptical that regulates blood flow—and gadgets known as EWOTs (an acronym for Exercise with Oxygen Therapy) which deliver supplemental oxygen to power up your workout and speed up the recovery phase. Which level of active recovery depends on your goals and, to a large extent, your wallet. Bottom line: Active recovery will help keep you strong, flexible, and, yes, active. And offer you a new rou tine and some fun to boot.
Turns out, those oldin a way that’s opposite from their usual work out. “Think about the movements you are doing in your usual workout,” she explains, “whether you’re pulling through a rowing stroke or twist ing through a golf swing, you want to do some thing designed to balance that out, such as swim ming the backstroke, or gentle yoga.”
Because it’s a shortcut to improved physical function, fitness pros call active recovery a bio
Rawlings recalls one client who was determined to train hard, logging a set number of classes before a vacation. “It meant she would have to take two classes on some days, so I encouraged her to alternate a rowing class with a stretching class, for instance, or swimming. She made that her goal and when she left for her trip, she was in amazing shape—but she didn’t burn out.”
And that’s what active recovery does for you: it amplifies your work. It’s that simple—but it’s also a great excuse to play with some of the latest fit ness gadgets.
HEALTH+Wellness FITNESS
Peg Moline is the author of The Doctor’s Book of Natural Health Remedies and has served as editor of Natural Health magazine and editorial director of Shape
Developed over 50 years ago to counteract the physical effects of zero-gravity on astronauts, “whole body vibration technology” stimulates muscle contractions and supports bone density. When you stand on a vibration plate—from 5-15 minutes—the intense vibration relieves post-work out muscle soreness and boosts the impact of car dio and strength training. For home use, electric foam rollers, like the 4-speed version by FitIndex, also stimulate mus cles and tissue with vibration and, according to Rawlings, they’re an excellent way to improve blood flow and reduce post-workout inflammation.
Let’s Get Technical If you want to take it up a level, gadgets like the Oura Ring, Biostrap, Fitbit, and Whoop will help you measure your exertion and your recovery. Instead of simply recording your heart rate, these accessories also measure a more tell ing indicator: your heart rate variability (HRV), which indicates the length of time between heart beats. Tracking your HRV reveals how quickly your body recovers from stress or exertion, so it’s an indicator of physicalResearchresilience.showsthat a person with a high HRV is better equipped to handle stress—both physical and emotional—while a low HRV, which shows a greater variability in the time between heartbeats, occurs when you’re under stress and in a heightened “fight or flight mode.”
“Flexibility and mobility are as much a part of fitness as muscle strength and cardiovas cular endurance,” says Burruss. “What you do during the downtime is just as essential as the workout“Whatitself.”happens to a runner?” Burruss notes. “They run hard, then they take a day off, and their calves and their hamstrings get tighter. When a runner fails to focus on flexibility, they’re going to get tighter and tighter and, eventually, they’ll limit their ability to run. In the end, highintensity workouts done alone will backfire.”
“What you do during the downtime is just as essential as the workout itself.” —Mary Re-ThinkBurruss,Fitness classicstock/robertsarmstrongh.(2),lukrobertby:top)(fromphotos
110VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
If your gym is equipped with a vibration plate (Sonix and Power Plate are popular brands) give it a whirl. Turns out, those old-school jiggly belts from the dawn of fitness may have been onto something.
Breaking Down, Building Up
The process of building muscle, for example, involves breaking the tissue down with train ing, and then building it back during the recovery phase. If you’re doing only the intense part—the breaking down—your workout becomes less effi cient and puts you at risk of injury.
“Instead, be gentle on your body,” Gold advises. “Enjoy that walk, gentle stretching, easy dancing, and let your body fully recover from a hard work out, so you can come back feeling recharged.” When you’ve pushed beyond your comfort zone, she adds, gentle movement, “allows the body to come back stronger than ever.”
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For the rest of our stay in Holland, we were showered with invitations to the city’s finest pri vate gardens.
Brent Heath dishes on the magic of gardening with bulbs & shares planting tips for a dazzling spring.
Narcissus ‘High Society’
Despite these accolades, you’ll never meet any one more genuine and down to earth. When Brent Heath tells you that his job is to spread happiness through flowers, he’s not kid ding. “They bring smiles to peoples’ faces,” he says. “And my job is to keep people smiling.”
I
Heath himself is perennially happy. When he dispenses advice to customers at Brent & Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, he gestures enthusiastically, waving his clippers like an appendage. Bearded
112VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
John de Goede, a Dutch grower based in Bree zand, a region in Holland known for its flower bulbs, is from a family steeped in the business.
The Ultimate Plantsman In the horticulture world, it’s hard to top Brent Heath. A third generation bulb grower, he’s got serious hort-cred and has lectured all over the world. Even the Dutch—who know a thing or two about bulbs—revere him.
By MADELINE MAYHOOD | Photography by TYLER DARDEN
Plant Perfection
“From the beginning, I was impressed with Brent’s knowledge about bulbs,” de Goede told me. “It is indisputable that he has a positive influ ence on many gardeners throughout the U.S.”
“He’s a natural connector for our profession,” notes Brian Trader, President and CEO of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, a longtime customer. “He is a legend and one of my most favorite people in the plant industry. The very mention of his name brings great admiration.” Trader says one of Heath’s most valuable qualities is that he “transects all sectors of horticulture— public gardens, nurseries, floral, and landscapes.”
’m not one for name-dropping, but several years ago I was nosing around in Amsterdam’s charming Tulip Museum and, at my husband’s insistence, I quietly mentioned to the museum’s director that Brent and Becky Heath of Gloucester, Virginia were friends and neighbors.
The de Goedes and Heaths go back decades.
Confetti might have rained down from the sky. We had invoked bulb royalty. At Heath’s name, the museum director broke out in a broad smile and offered to give us a behind-the-scenes tour.
Lilium is a genus of about 100 species. Hybrids are classified into eight divisions and include Asiatic, Oriental, and American.
Companions can mean rivers of daffodils combined with tulips and muscari—high drama in the landscape, especially when planted in large quantities. Or it can mean plants in 50 shades of blue or a riot of different colors. Plant stragetically and focus on successive blooms so that you’ll have something flowering during the course of a growing season. Mix and match bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes, and combine them with perennials and annuals to achieve strikingly beautiful combinations in the garden.
Lilium ‘November Rain’ is a strong summertime performer.
CompanionsFriendly
PLANTS CAN PAINT A LANDSCAPE with showstopping color throughout the seasons. Lilies (at left), for example, make bold statements in the garden if you’re looking for pops of color. They also make wonderful companion plants for grasses, annuals, and perennials, and they love shallow-rooted pals like peonies, columbine, and irises that help keep their roots cool. They’re available in countless colors, with some varieties sporting spots, speckles, contrasting edges, and brushed-on stripes.
Lilies grow from plump bulbs made up of soft, fleshy scales. Planting them in the fall helps ensure they’ll develop solid roots and robust blooms. Above left: Ever the jokester, Brent Heath stops for a brief thought in Becky's Mediation Garden.
— Brian Trader, President and CEO, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Back to the Beginning… In the early 1900s, and for decades afterwards, Gloucester, a little village on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, was the daffodil capital of the U.S. And the Heath family had a hand in the story. It started in the Manhattan townhouse of Charles Heath, Brent’s grandfather, in 1900, when he encountered a slice of cantaloupe on his break fast plate one summer morning. He took one bite and fell head over heels in love, prompting him to track down the grower and order a case delivered once a week. That cantaloupe led him to Glouces ter and Mathews counties where the sandy soils produced super sweet, succulent melons. One visit to the area, and melons took a back seat once Heath saw millions of daffodils grow ing wild in the fields. Sensing an opportunity, he moved his family South and enlisted the expertise of a Dutch grower. His enterprise soon became one of the top bulb suppliers in the country.
114VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022 and bespectacled, he is remarkably youthful at 76. With a twinkle in his eye, he accepts the badge of “legend” with an aw shucks kind of vibe.
But Daffodils are Not Native Some insist that daffodils are native to the U.S. Not so. Neither are peanuts, peaches, or apples for that matter, but that’s another story. Instead, they’re indigenous to bits and bobs of southwest ern Europe and North Africa.
So how did they get here? Hundreds of years ago, explains Heath, women crossing the Atlan tic in giant square-rigged tall ships of the 17th and 18th centuries, stuffed bulbs into the hems of their clothing, “to remind them of home,” as they headed for new lives in the Colonies. By the 20th century, the counties along the Chesapeake were strewn with countless daffodils, which had perennialized thanks to the ladies of yore. A robust Narcissus economy developed, with Virginia supplying the flower markets of Balti more, Philadelphia, and New York through the A “hot” tulip bed in shades of reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks makes quite the spring show. Below: Brent & Becky Heath at their farm in Gloucester.
Brent is a legend and one of my most favorite people in the plant industry. The very mention of his name brings great admiration.”
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COMMONLY KNOWN AS DAFFODILS, the botanical name for these bulbous plants— members of the amaryllis family—is Narcis sus. In the Southeast, you may hear the term “jonquil,” a throwback to the bulbs brought by early colonists from England. There are about 15,000 varieties of Narcissus, classified into 13 Colorsdivisions.arevarious shades of yellow, orange, and white—from lemon to butter yellow, peach to tangerine orange, and creamy to snow white. It’s hard for Brent and Becky to single out their favorites, but when pressed, they reveal that ‘Kendron,’ ‘JetFire,’ ‘Starlight Sensation,’ ‘Barrett Browning,’ and ‘Tahiti’ are some they love best.
Mr. & Mrs. Daffodil, Bulb Ambassadors If Brent is the Daffodil Ambassador of the busi ness, Becky, his wife of 43 years, is the engine that makes it run. A teacher by trade, she’s also an ace strategist and problem solver. The first catalogs of the then-Daffodil Mart were typed on a Smith Corona, copied up at the A bird’s-eye view of Brent & Becky’s fields, greenhouses, and warehouse in Gloucester. Narcissus ‘Tahiti’ is one of B&B’s daffodils.favorite
LasagnaGardens wharves that dotted the Bay and a steamboat sys tem that transported goods and passengers up and down the coast. After World War II, Brent remembers when he and his classmates would get a week off from school each spring just to pick daffodils to sell. While Charles Heath’s bulb business was anchored in Mathews County, once his son, George, took over, he moved to nearby Glouces ter, where it continued to blossom; in 1938, he christened it The Daffodil Mart. George expanded the business significantly, and after his death in 1968, Brent took the helm. It’s now one of the star attractions in the little country hamlet of Ware Neck.
Narcissus.Daffodils.Jonquils. A primer:
THESE LAYERED GARDENS are built the way you make lasagna—sauce, pasta, cheese, repeat. In bulb-speak, a lasagna garden translates to layers of soil and bulbs, as in the step-by-step photos below. Brent Heath says they’re one of the best ways to enjoy bulbs in the garden, whether in containers or in the landscape. For lasagna gardens in pots, choose bulbs that bloom at the same time for one massive explosion of color; for the landscape, stagger bloom times—called succession planting—or not. It’s all up to you.
The rule of thumb is that the larger the bulb, the deeper it gets planted, and generally speak ing, that means they’re planted to a depth of three times their size. So large bulbs, like daffodils, which can be as big as your fist, go deepest, with the smallest bulbs, like Muscari (grape hyacinth) and Chionodoxa (glory-of-the-snow)— about the size of your pinky nail—as the top layer. Either way, in the landscape or in your favorite container, lasagna gardens are easy-peasy and net the most spectacular results. How your lasagna garden grows is only limited by your imagination. Go for a patriotic garden with red tulips, white daffodils, and blue muscari. Or, if you’re in a monochromatic mood, maybe a one-color scheme—with lots of white daffodils, or a sea of tiny blue flowers—is more your speed. If you can’t decide on a theme, mix it up: ‘Spring Paradise,’ a new variety Brent & Becky’s introduced this year, is a fully double mid-spring blooming Narcissus that’s wonderfully fragrant and bright yellow. Tulipa ‘Cabanna,’ a parrot variety resembling an extra-frilly bloom dipped in magenta Kool-Aid, is also a 2022 B&B introduction.
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Brent’s
local office supply store, and stapled in corners, always with a yellow cover page—a homespun compendium highlighting hundreds of daffo dil varieties, sometimes with line drawings that accompanied descriptions. Becky crafted mes sages that were down to earth and personal— about children, milestones, news from the farm— shared with their thousands of loyal customers. And as the business grew and their partner ships with Dutch growers expanded, the couple added other bulbs like tulips, hyacinth, musc ari, and anemones, along with tubers, rhizomes, corms, like dahlias, iris, ranunculus, and peonies to keep up with customer demand.
Always Inventing:The Hybrids Through the years, Brent has hybridized hundreds of thousands of new daffodils. Among them, about 50 have cleared the complex trial and registration process required to enter into commercial cultivation. His signature daffs have an international following, with Prince Charles favoring ‘Golden Echo’ and ‘Katie Heath’ winning over Russian gardeners. The Heaths now partner with Dutch growers and hybridizers and continue to introduce innovative new varieties each year. The business is now a savvy, world-class opera tion that serves botanical gardens in Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, New York, Fort Worth, and
internationaldaffodilssignaturehaveanfollowing,withPrinceCharlesfavoring‘GoldenEcho’and‘KatieHeath’winningoverRussiangardeners.
Becky does her morning rounds in the gardens. Left: At Brent & Becky’s, plants grow out of an old sailboat, a testament to Becky’s passion for repurposing and recycling.
Brent sits in Brenthousegardenorgy,”self-describedhis“planttheexperimentaloutsidehisjustamilefrom&Becky’s.
116VIRGINIA LIVING OCTOBER 2022
A name change came in the early 2000s—to Brent & Becky’s Bulbs. The company now pro duces two catalogs, each one encyclopedically informative, and now with plenty of color pho tos (many taken by Brent) to illustrate flowers in bloom: one features bulbs to plant in the fall for spring blooms (like tulips and daffodils) and the second includes bulbs to plant in the spring for summer and fall blooms (like dahlias and lilies).
SUN: Most daffs prefer full sun. If planting in filtered or partial shade, ensure they get at least six hours of sunlight per day.
Brent & Becky’s Bulbs is still a family affair, with son and daughter-in-law Jay and Denise Hutchins now on board. Jay is general manager, Denise runs the successful on-site Bulb Shoppe, which sells all manner of plants, bulbs, and gar den supplies. “Succession planning is always a part of any smart business plan,” notes Becky. “We’re watching our Dutch bulb partners begin to transition their operations to the next genera tion. We’re doing that, too.”
A bucket of daffodil bulbs ready to plant.
Tips for Gardening with Bulbs
If you happen to be in the area, don’t miss the four-acre Chesapeake Bay Friendly Garden, an oasis the couple have cultivated on their prop erty. Its multiple garden rooms feature lively plant combinations, whimsical sculptures, meditative spaces, and of course, bulbs galore. Brent credits companion planting, rich compost, and soil health as the keys to the garden’s success.
Narcissus ‘Kendron’ is another favorite.B&B
LOCATION: Plant your bulbs near a window view or in a garden bed that you see often and can enjoy.
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Bulbs are unbeatable additions to any gar den, but the daffodil is “the ideal perennial,” says Brent. “They thrive and perennialize, they’re tol erant of most soils as long as they have drainage, and they’re drought tolerant,” he says, adding that daffodils don’t require a lot of additional nutri ents, are almost pest-free, and make excellent companion plants for perennials, annuals, ground cover, shrubs, and trees. With a trademark stroke of his beard and a decided wink he asks the mil lion dollar question: “What more could you ask for in the garden?”
SOIL & PREPARATION: Bulbs like adequate drainage— daffodils in particular. If possible, supplement the spot with hummus-enriched soil to build soil health. If you use compost, make sure it’s well-decomposed to avoid
root rot and harmful bacteria buildup. Heavy soil can benefit from the addition of gravel or coarse sand. Also, Heath says, skip the digging: just build up the bulb bed from grade level, and ensure you’re providing the right depth of coverage on top.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden here in Virginia— as well as highway departments (Georgia Depart ment of Transportation is one of their most loyal), and lots and lots of home gardeners.
TIP: Remember that the beauty of gardening is there are no hard rules in nature. You can always make changes to your garden if you want to experiment in subsequent years.
TIMING: Plant in the fall for spring blooming bulbs, around the first frost date, usually when trees begin to lose their leaves. If you wait to plant after the first of the year, make sure your bulbs are firm. Bulbs planted late may have shorter stems in their first year and will bloom later, but will most likely catch up.
ORDERING & STORAGE: Bulb suppliers will time their shipments to coordinate with optimal planting times in your area. Bulbs aren’t big on being soilless for stretches of time, so avoid storing them for too long. Providing stored bulbs adequate air circulation is important.
HARVESTING: Never use clippers to cut daffodils. Sharp blades can compress stem tissue, preventing water from being absorbed. Instead, snap the stem close to the ground. A clean break enables the flower to absorb water.
PLANTING: Groups of 10 or more look best in order to achieve a focal effect. The usual rule of thumb is to plant each bulb three times the depth of its height.
BULBS: If you’re a beginner, buy a small quantity—10 or 20 bulbs. The return is incalculable. There’s nothing quite like the reward of blooming bulbs in a spring garden, especially if you had a hand in planting them.
BrentandBeckysBulbs.com
Madeline Mayhood is senior editor at Virginia Living . She regularly writes about homes and gardens.
Paula seedlings.“cleanexperiencehergarden&managergreenhouseHaywood,atBrentBecky’s,usesscissorsandconsiderabletoup”echinacea
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Tools of the garden trade, all available at The Bulb Shoppe at Brent & Becky’s, include clippers,gloves,anda multifunctional hori hori knife and sheath. The latter doubles as an effective bulbplanting tool.
These working dogs get the job done. By MADELINE MAYHOOD Photography by KYLE L a FERRIERE Dog’ Days All in a Gum Tree Farm’s Walter and Franny Kansteiner with livestock guardian Bluto.
adine is on a mission. She romps through the rolling hills and woods near Rixeyville, tail up, nose to the ground, on the hunt for the elusive scent of the black Perigord truffle. Trained to paw the ground once she zeros in on her target, she is Virginia Truffles’ working truffle dog. This happy girl loves her job. A culinary delicacy, black truffles are rare and can fetch hundreds of dollars per pound. “Black truffles add so much depth and flavor to dishes,” says Olivia Taylor, whose parents, John and Pat Martin, established Virginia Truffles in Culpeper County in 2007 when they inoculated tree seed lings with black truffle spores. They waited 11 years to discover their first truffle, but each year their yield increases.
Taylor joined her parents as farm manager and truffle dog trainer in 2018. Odds are Virginia Truffles wouldn’t be nearly as successful without Nadine on the hunt.
“Dogs have about 200 times the smelling ability N Nadine sniffs around for truffles near the base of a tree on the Virginia Truffles farm in Rixeyville. Above right: Olivia Taylor with a fresh find from Nadine. f you think of your dog as more than, well, a dog, you’re not alone.
The term “man’s best friend” has endured since the 1700s, when Frederick the Great of Prussia coined it. At home, dogs are family members and loyal companions. And at work, they’re valued team members who take their jobs seriously. Meet canine celebrities Nadine, Bluto, Bruno, Sky, Irene, and Forest. From farm shepherds and truffle hunters to K9 cops and medical alert dogs, a good dog can tackle jobs that humans can’t, making the difference between profit and loss, escape and capture, and in some cases, life and death.
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Nadine: Truffle Hunter
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Odds are Virginia Truffles wouldn’t be nearly as successful without Nadine on the hunt. VDWR K9 Bruno plays tug with a rope Kong. Each handler uses a high-value reward after the dogs complete a task. These conservation K9s are toydriven and especially like to retrieve and play tug.
Labradors and Logotto Romagnolos are among the most popular truffle hunters, but mixed breeds can be just as successful.
Olivia has her hands full with Nadine and fellow truffle dogs in training, Harley (middle) and Pozzi (right).
Pozzi is high energy, but a bit stubborn. “He’s been more of a challenge to train,” says Taylor.
“All dogs on the farm are part of our fam ily, whether they become truffle dogs or not” explains Taylor, each with their own personal ity. “Nadine is a very high energy, reward-driven girl,” she says, while Pozzi and Harley, both in training, are not far behind. “Harley has a lot of potential. She’s my mischief-maker of the bunch.”
Virginia Truffles offers two-hour truffle hunts, accompanied by Olivia and Nadine (and maybe Harley or Pozzi) from November-March, by res ervation only. “When truffle-hunting visitors arrive, the dogs love all the attention they get.” The experience also includes refreshments, tips on cleaning and storing truffles, a culinary dem onstration, and a peek in Virginia Truffles’ lab. VirginiaTruffles.com
of humans,” Taylor explains. Their noses possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors, compared to six million in humans—and the part of a dog’s brain that analyzes smell is also about 40 times greater than ours. They also have something called neophilia, which means they are attracted to new and inter esting odors. But Taylor notes that a sensitive nose is not enough. “I have known dogs bred from champion truffle dog lines, who make ter rible truffle dogs because they don’t care to do the work,” Taylor says. “It’s all about intelligence and work ethic.”
Bruno & Sky: K9 Cops
“When we’re tracking—whether it’s a fugitive or evidence—dogs can literally get the job done within minutes,” Howald explains. The K9 cops and their handlers ricochet all over the state, searching for fugitives, crime-scene evidence, runaways, demen tia patients, poachers, and human remains. You name it and Sky has probably found it, including a diamond ring lost in a field. “Once I was in an area the size of three football fields, with grass up to my waist,” Howald recalls. “Sky found three shotgun casings within eight minutes. With out her, recovering those casings would have been impossible.”
Officials combed the area without luck, so Neff, an officer in Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) Conservation Police, called in fellow agent Tyler Blanks and his highly trained canine partner, Bruno. Once on the scene, Bruno picked up the man’s scent. The fugitive, who’d sto len the car before fleeing the accident, was cap tured within minutes in a nearby field thanks to Bruno’s tracking skills. Bruno and the agency’s five other canines—Bai ley, Sky, Reese, Lily, and Grace, mostly labs—spe cialize in “conservation,” a term that encompasses evidence recovery, wildlife detection, and human tracking. This elite team works side-by-side with VDWR police officers, thanks to Virginia’s K9 Con servation Program. The agency took notice of the successes similar agencies throughout the coun try were experiencing when canines were added to their teams. So in 2011, Richard Howald, Senior Conservation Office, helped launch VDWR’s pro gram. For him, it was tailor-made: he’d grown up on a farm in Missouri and understood how farm and hunting dogs could be huge assets. To build Virginia’s K9 program, he headed to Indiana for nine weeks of intensive immersion with the Indi ana Department of Natural Resources, the mecca of K9 conservation training.
Now Howald and his black lab partner, Sky, train handlers and K9s from across the country, and even Zambia, which sent handlers seeking dogs trained to track poachers by detecting ivory and rhino horn.
M Officer Richard Howel with Sky (left) and Major Scott Neff with Bruno.
ajor Scott Neff was off duty when he heard the sound of the car crash in the distance. Soon Neff saw a man snak ing through the brush directly under his perch in a Cumberland County deer stand. Disheveled and out of breath, the man appeared to be on the run. Was he in the crash? Neff remained quiet as a mouse until it was safe to call 911.
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Black lab Sky sits in the police cruiser after a training session in the field. Right: Training and keeping up with K9s is tough but rewarding.
Left: Only a year old, Olive is already becoming a big help around the farm.
Gum Tree Farm’s owner and chief human shepherd, Franny Kansteiner says, “Sheep rais ing, in the beginning, was pretty peaceful.” But as their flock expanded so did the threat from coy otes, bears, vultures, eagles, even dometic dogs. “We were losing a dozen sheep a year,” she says. They brought in a protective guard llama— Mama Llama—who would move the sheep to safety if predators got close. But when it came to lambing season—paydirt for vultures and eagles— the flock needed more protection, so they settled on a livestock guardian dog. The dog needed to be bird-alert and comfortable around people, chil dren, and other livestock. Kangals, an ancient Turkish breed, are large and powerful. They fend off predators and have the most powerful bite force of any domestic dog. “They are in the mas tiff family,” explains Kansteiner, “but have been bred over the years to be lean and fast.” “Working dogs are born knowing what to do,” she says, “so it’s always a good idea to get a work ing dog from actual working dog parents.” A good Kangals, an ancient Turkish breed, have the most powerful bite force of any domestic dog.
Walter and Franny Kansteiner with Bluto, guard dog extraordinaire.
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GumTreeFarmDesigns.com
guardian farm dog can decide what’s safe and what’s not. “They’re not alarmists, but they’re not afraid of confrontation.” Young guardians learn to make good decisions from senior dogs. “It’s a work in progress.” Olive, a year old, has just joined the farm team. “Bluto is teaching her the ropes,” says Kansteiner. “He and Olive live out with the sheep. We inter act with them during the day with big hugs of gratitude, and we make a point of introducing them to visitors on the farm.” They’re happy to say hello but after that, they’re all business and quickly get back to work. Without Bluto on patrol—and Olive behind him—there would be far fewer sheep, and with out sheep, there would be no Gum Tree Farm, where artisans turn their ultra-fine merino wool into luxury goods for homes and humans. “We know and love the sheep that make our clothes, from beginning to the end,” says Kansteiner. “We see them born, and we see them grow up to be mothers themselves all while producing our wool. We raise our sheep organically, process the wool organically, and hand weave, sew, or knit the wool into beautiful pieces that keep us warm.”
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Bluto: Gum GuardianTree’s
t’s lambing season at Gum Tree Farm and ewes are giving birth in the fields. It’s an otherwise bucolic scene here in Middleburg, but there’s a looming presence overhead. Vultures are circling, with their minds on one thing: new born lambs for lunch. Guarding the scene, Bluto, a Kangal Shepherd Dog, is on patrol. Since Bluto arrived at the farm in 2019, not one animal has been lost to predators.
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Bluto makes his morning rounds. Below: Walter makes his too. Bluto takes a moment to rest on a hay bale as the sheep settle in their stall. While Bluto and Olive bring home the bacon, Franny’s Norwich Terrier, Tinga, pictured here on a stroll with Franny and Bluto, pursues a life of leisure.
Irene: MiracleTail-WaggingWorker n 2015, I was the healthiest middle-aged person on the planet,” says Tamera Mason, an EMT who lives in Staunton. Then she got stung by a yellow jacket and her life turned upsideAlthoughdown.Mason had no history of allergies, the sting triggered a cascade of autoimmune dis orders that landed her in the ER dozens of times over the next several years. Each of the four dis orders that have been identified are life-threaten ing. “I was three minutes away from the next cri sis,” she explains. “It’s nothing for my blood sugar to drop 100 points in three minutes, for no rea son,” Mason says. That’s where Irene comes in. Irene, master of fetch, plays with a Mr. Bill toy during her time off.
But perhaps the most extraordinary event occurred in February of this year. “My adrenal pump failed, and I went into full-blown crisis,” recalls Mason. “But I didn’t know it—it was 4:00 a.m. and I was in bed asleep.” Ordinarily when Mason needs her rescue kit, she tells Irene to fetch it. But this time Irene knew to get the kit first. Mason awak ened to Irene’s gentle paws and nudges, the rescue kit squarely on her chest. “Her ability to problem solve is incredible,” says Mason. “Another five min utes and it would have been too late,” she says of the stark reality. “Irene is literally a lifesaver.”
Like two peas in a pod, Mason and Irene are side-by-side, day and night. “She’ll sleep with a paw touching me so she knows when I move. She needs to know where I am and that I’m OK.”
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Tamera Mason and Irene
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“She’s made the difference between life and death,” says Mason. A beautiful yellow lab, Irene arrived from Charlottesville-based Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV) in 2018. The organization matches dogs and clients based on temperament, diagnosis, size, responsibilities, and family dynamics. Years of training worth tens of thousands of dollars go into SDV’s dogs, but, remarkably, clients pay noth ing for dogs placed in their home. “Instead of being in the ER every few weeks,” says Mason, “I’ve gone almost a full year between trips because of Irene.” Among other skills, this “scary smart” seven-year-old, tail-wagging blond, is trained to detect fluctuations in blood sugar. “Anything below 70 and Irene hovers over me until it gets above 70.” Miraculously, Irene can also detect when Mason’s blood sugar drops 15 points within 15 minutes. And when Irene senses her steroid levels are low, “she’ll nudge me until I self-inject,” Mason says. When she heads to work in a local ER, Irene stays at Mason’s side in a soft crate. “When some thing isn’t right, she gets restless and wiggly.” Equally remarkable, Irene has alerted blood sugar problems in five of Mason’s ER coworkers, includ ing one physician. As Mason explains, “Hypogly cemia is a universal scent.” When a dog alerts to one of the odors they are trained to detect, explains Sally Day, SDV’s direc tor of development, “it prevents a life-threaten ing medical emergency. Their amazing ability to smell what humans cannot decreases emergency room trips and hospitalizations and provides enormous peace of mind.”
to three minutes,” Neal explains, “enough for Sam to calm him down. English labs are big dogs with big heads—so he’s heavy,” she says. Most times Forest is able to de-escalate a situation that might otherwise turn chaotic. And when Forest senses Neal is particularly stressed, he’ll lay his head on her lap, too.
A year later—by Christmas 2019—the entire family traveled to Disney World, Sam and Forest sitting together on the plane and enjoying rides like Ariels’ The Little Mermaid and It’s a Small World. Neal struggles to describe this remarkable milestone: “A family trip wasn’t even on my radar, let alone Disney World,” she recalls. “I had very low expectations and thought we might get a nice dog out of the process.”
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“Autism Service Dogs become constant com panions,” explains SDV’s Sally Day. “They help improve social interactions and relationships, expand verbal and nonverbal communication, teach life skills because the client plays with, feeds, and cares for the dog.” Autism service dogs also teach social cues, body language, and empa thy, which Sam can come to model. And there’s another big benefit to having For est on the scene. “When you’re walking with a service dog, people immediately clue in,” explains Neal. “I’ve noticed that the amount of empathy you get is amazing. They might not know exactly why he’s there, but there’s an instant level of respect and space.”
Forest: The Neal Family’s Lifesaver
e has completely changed our lives,” says Jessica Neal of her family’s Eng lish lab, Forest, an autism support dog for Neal’s son Sam, 13. Forest and this family of four—Sam, his two brothers, and mom Jessica— live just outside of Charlottesville. Before Forest entered the picture, “our world was becoming incredibly small,” Neal, a single mom, recalls. “A trip to the grocery store, any where in public, was almost impossible. Some thing would trigger Sam—lights, sounds, just waiting in line—and he’d have a total meltdown that I wasn’t able to get ahead of. Over time, you eventually just stop going to things.” Neal studied Sam’s diagnosis, soaking up advice and information to create a powerful toolbox of resources. But raising a profoundly autistic child can bring even the best-informed parent to their knees. “Autism is an invisible disability,” she explains. “When your autistic child has a melt down, people think your kid is being bratty or a nuisance, and you don’t have the mental space to get into a conversation, explaining the behavior.” So you hurry away, head down and embarrassed. When she heard about autism support dogs, she contacted Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV). Forest, a handsome, three-year-old black lab, arrived on the scene in 2018, trained to reduce Sam’s anxi ety and regulate his emotions. When he senses an oncoming meltdown, “Forest will calmly lay his head in Sam’s lap and apply deep pressure for two 1. After sensing a problem, Irene retrieves Tamera's Adrenal Insuffiency bag. 2. Irene rushes to the rescue. 3. Irene tugs on Tamera's leg to let her know she needs her medication. 4. After a job well done, a much-deserved nap on the porch.
“For so many years, we were all on edge nearly 24/7. Life was so hard,” Neal says. “But about a month after we got Forest, the stress wasn’t there anymore,” she recalls. “One day I looked around and thought, wow, things are kinda chill.” It’s hard for Neal to quantify the incredible dif ference this loveable, lumbering lab has made for the whole family. “We were all in a constant state of anxiety,” she says of life before Forest. “With him, it’s all gone. It’s almost like magic.”
ServiceDogsVa.org
“We were all in a constant state of anxiety,” says Jessica Neal of life before Forest. “With him, it’s all gone. It’s almost like magic.” Irene to the Rescue! Sam and Jessica Neal go for a walk with Forest. Forest’s presence alone is enough to calm Sam in otherwise uncomfortable situations. ‘‘H
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The Last Word Confessions of an accidental obituary writer.
By CONSTANCE COSTAS | Illustration by VIRGINIA MORI I started a collection. The best ones illuminate lives I never knew. My favor ite captures U.S. Navy engineer Raye Montague who “revolutionized the way the Navy designed ships and submarines using a computer program she devel oped in the early 1970s,” according to her 2018 New York Times obituary. “At the height of her career,” the paper noted, “she was briefing the joint chiefs of staff every month.” Montague’s story came to light after the publication of Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly’s 2016 book-turned-movie about the Hampton women who ran calculations for NASA’s early space missions. Before her death, the Navy honored Montague as its own “Hidden Figure.”
And that sounds like mighty fine company to me.
Departure
I am no longer eligible for a discounted obit. And I’ve never sat down to write my own. So like most of us, I can only trust that, when the time comes, someone might string a few words together on my behalf. If not, it may pain me to admit it but, apparently, I’ll be in the company of my father, uncles, Emily, William, and Raye.
HEN I TOOK A JOB WITH A NEWSPAPER COMPANY a few years ago, I noticed an odd perk listed among the benefits. “You’ll get an employee discount on obituaries,” the hiring manager told me, as if this was a normal thing. But as benefits go, this one seemed rigged. If I needed an obituary, would I be in a position to claim the discount?
I changed my tune a year later when my father died at 90. As anyone who’s been there knows, the tab on a newspaper obituary—give or take a few grandchildren’s names—can be steep. I submitted his newspaper tribute and checked the box on the discount. The next morning, the obit editor called to confirm a few details. “Fire away,” I told her. “Okay, first,” she said, “are his parents living?” “He was 90?” I reminded her. “Right,” she said, unfazed. “So that’s a no?”
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Like canobituariessnapshots,celebratelife.Aquotefromthedepartedmakethemsing.
By then I’d figured out some pointers: “Pick three words to describe your mother,” I told her. For my father, I’d written: “His life was defined by integrity, faith, and perseverance.” The last word suited. My father had been dismissed from hospice for failing to stick with the game plan. For some people, obituaries offer the chance to crack one last joke. “It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away,” Emily Phillips announced in her 2015 do-it-yourself version. Still, I wonder if William Ziegler was consulted before his family asserted that he’d timed his death, “to avoid having to make a decision in the pending presidential election.”
When clients started asking for help, I found myself running an obit cot tage industry. “You’re smart to think ahead,” I told an estate planner who’d commissioned one for her very-much-alive mother. “When the time comes, your phone blows up; you don’t have a moment to think.”
Constance Costas is the editor of Virginia Living . She has written for Southern Home , Self , Harper’s Bazaar, and Survivornet.com , among others.
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felt honored to share the greatest story my uncle never told. Soon, I was getting obituary calls from“Couldfriends:you write one for my mom?” one“Canasked.you read what we’ve got for my father?” another wanted to know. “You know why I’m calling,” a third said simply. I did. A warm casserole, it’s not. But whip ping up comfort food on short notice has never been my strength. Instead, I opened my laptop to paint portraits of the people my friends had loved and lost. I’d never planned on becoming an underground obituary writer. Instead, the job chose me.
I shared this story with my cousin and, faster than you can say in lieu of flowers, I was elected the family obit czar. Over the next year, as my uncles passed on, I’d walk into the newsroom to deliver the obituary by hand, then hover over the page designer’s shoulder to make sure he cropped the photo just so. Like snapshots, obituaries celebrate life. The best ones paint a portrait using a few well-placed brushstrokes. A quote from the departed can make themOnesing.ofmy uncles was born just before Christmas during the Great Depression. As a child, this unlucky timing left him short on gifts. “I’d get the shoes for my birthday and the laces for Christmas,” he once told me. I tucked this line into his obituary so his wry humor would live on. When his brother died a few months later, we discovered he’d belonged to a secret society at the University of Virginia, news he’d taken to his grave. I downloaded the club’s symbol, a 7, to place below the photo and
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We may be waking up in a new world, but one thing hasn’t changed: Wealth rarely happens by accident. Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC-InsuredNO Bank GuaranteeMAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. The Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated for the advisors’ firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance isn’t an explicit factor because clients have varied goals and risk tolerances. © 2022 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. CAR #0722-04111 428 McLaws Circle, Suite 100 Williamsburg, VA 23185 Direct: (757) 220-1782 Toll-Free: (888) 465-8422 Joseph W. Montgomery CFP ® , AIF ® Managing Director-Investments 1021 E. Cary Street 22nd Floor Richmond, VA 23219 OptimalServiceGroup.com For 45 years we’ve been focused on our clients’ growth. We strive to earn their trust with a solid reputation and a commitment to the long game. If you’d like to have a thoughtful, unrushed conversation about leveraging your resources, give us a call. WELLS FARGO ADVISORS CONGRATULATE Joseph W. Montgomery CFP ® , AIF ® | Managing Director-Investments FOR BEING NAMED TO BARRON’S TOP 100 FINANCIAL ADVISORS | 2004-2022
