Front Porch Fredericksburg ~ March 2015 by Virginia Grogan

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL GOOD LIFE

front porch T H E R E G I O N ' S free C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

L o c a l G o o d N e w s S i n c e 1 9 97 YEAR 18 • ISSUE 212 • MARCH 2015

Frontporchfredericksburg.com

contents

closeups 6

Melvin Brown & Rae Moriarty A stellar combination

Solving Everyday Problems Chris Muldrow

barbara taylor hart ....eye for composition

porch talk 4

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

“rappahannock” ...Award winning film

Our Heritage: windows -soul to an historic home history’s stories.: fredericksburg canal

companions: winter weather wellness

emancipated patients: the story of josh hardy

Senior Care: resilient aging

wellness: big impact of small organisms natural health: placenta encapsulation

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

VA Wineries... off-beat wines wins gold

fxbg music scene joanna smith

fxbg-hero

renew: life patterns valya karcher

fredericksburg sketches

from my porch: go fly a kite poetryman:latency autoknown: green

1st Friday gallery trolley

downtown buzz: main st 2nd anniversary

a new way of doing business

vino: noche

season’s bounty: in like a lion

Cooking with Kyle Mason dixon cafe

local night life: colonial tavern

16-17

Calendar of events

A Safe Haven for Animals By Christina Ferber

...And more!

breakout game: can you beat the clock?

choosing to see: domestic violence

what the doc saw...photography of seth craig

val folden: coaching football & finances

My Favorite Places: march pick, cmor

Cover Photo By Sue Henderson

Luck of the Irish

Rikki’s Refuge

What do a blind dog, a turkey who thinks he’s a chicken, and a three legged cat have in common? They are all the lucky residents of Rikki’s Refuge, a 450 acre no-kill, all species animal sanctuary located off of Route 20 in Orange. Kerry Hilliard (above) opened the refuge in 1998 as a way to help the animals that no one else could. “My plans included retiring to a tropical island, not a farm,” says Hilliard,

who is also a local realtor. “But when I saw the property something in me felt like an animal sanctuary belonged there.” Circumstances that lined up perfectly, including a significant donation from Hilliard’s mother, Louise, allowed her to buy the property and started her on the path to being an animal refuge owner and director. She hasn’t looked back since. The sanctuary is named after Rikki Tikki Tavi, the kitten who r a i s e d Louise’s spirits after a severe illness. “We inherited cats, dogs, and chickens with the property, and after hauling away 50 dump trucks full of trash, opened it up to farm animals that don’t always have as many options as household

TREASURES OF THE

EARTH GEM, MINERAL & JEWELRY SHOW MARCH 20 - 22 MEADOW EVENT PARK Doswell VA 23047 Fri: Noon - 6pm; Sat.: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 10am - 4pm

in every cup!

$5 Adults, 16 & under FREE Military FREE with ID For more information & Admission Discount Coupon, visit: www.treasuresoftheearth.com or contact jane@treasuresoftheearth.com

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

pets,” says Hilliard. Animals get to Rikki’s through various means. Stray emus are picked up by animal control and brought in, pot belly pigs wind up there after they become too big to continue as house pets, and sheep sometimes come from breeding programs at Universities after animal rights activists get involved. Wild donkeys are brought to

the sanctuary after being confiscated by The Bureau of Land Management, mail

order chickens make it there after being left behind, and shelters and pounds will contact Rikki’s with animals that aren’t adoptable. “We specialize in the animals that can’t be adopted. We take them all: the elderly, the handicapped, and those with various health issues. We have a few threelegged animals and blind animals, as well as some with ill personalities,” says Hilliard. “We rarely allow adoption of our animals, but when we do there’s intensive screening involved. We put a lot of physical and emotional time into these animals, so we want to be sure they go to homes that will treat them as well as we do.” 21 species of animals call Rikki’s home and an army of volunteers and paid staff help manage the 1,300 animals each day. Hilliard has become a fast learner of taking care of each individual species and the unique personalities that they possess. “We’ve got roosters who live with the cats because they can’t get along with the other birds, and we have to keep one of our turkeys apart from the rest of his species because he thinks he’s a chicken. We’ve been asked to take some of the National Zoo’s alligators, a herd of TBpositive elephants, and a herd of buffalo at one time or another, but we won’t take any animal unless we are able to care for them appropriately,” says Hilliard. Rikki’s offers various programs that allow people to get involved either as a volunteer or visitor. Run completely on donations, fundraising such as “Adopt a Species” programs, membership drives, and the “Re-Tail” store on Lafayette Blvd. keep the sanctuary going and the animals fed. Tours (held most Sundays) and special holiday programs, like the upcoming Easter Egg Hunt, help to educate the public on the plight of the animals housed at the sanctuary. “Even though it isn’t the plan I had for my life, I realize a peace working with these animals that I couldn’t find anywhere else,” says Hilliard. To find your peace and help the animals at the same time, visit rikkisrefuge.org and find out other ways that you can help.

Christina Ferber is a teacher, writer and a mom who loves all creatures large and small.

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015 2015

contents

closeups 6

Melvin Brown & Rae Moriarty A stellar combination

Solving Everyday Problems Chris Muldrow

barbara taylor hart ....eye for composition

porch talk 4

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

“rappahannock” ...Award winning film

Our Heritage: windows -soul to an historic home history’s stories.: fredericksburg canal

companions: winter weather wellness

emancipated patients: the story of josh hardy

Senior Care: resilient aging

wellness: big impact of small organisms natural health: placenta encapsulation

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

VA Wineries... off-beat wines wins gold

fxbg music scene joanna smith

fxbg-hero

renew: life patterns valya karcher

fredericksburg sketches

from my porch: go fly a kite poetryman:latency autoknown: green

1st Friday gallery trolley

downtown buzz: main st 2nd anniversary

a new way of doing business

vino: noche

season’s bounty: in like a lion

Cooking with Kyle Mason dixon cafe

local night life: colonial tavern

16-17

Calendar of events

A Safe Haven for Animals By Christina Ferber

...And more!

breakout game: can you beat the clock?

choosing to see: domestic violence

what the doc saw...photography of seth craig

val folden: coaching football & finances

My Favorite Places: march pick, cmor

Cover Photo By Sue Henderson

Luck of the Irish

Rikki’s Refuge

TREASURES OF THE

EARTH GEM, MINERAL & JEWELRY SHOW MARCH 20 - 22 MEADOW EVENT PARK Doswell VA 23047 Fri: Noon - 6pm; Sat.: 10am - 5pm; Sun: 10am - 4pm

in every cup!

$5 Adults, 16 & under FREE Military FREE with ID For more information & Admission Discount Coupon, visit: www.treasuresoftheearth.com or contact jane@treasuresoftheearth.com

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

the sanctuary after being confiscated by The Bureau of Land Management, mail

Christina Ferber is a teacher, writer and a mom who loves all creatures large and small.

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015 2015

Scott Richards

Guest Porch Editorial

Contributing Writers & Artists Nancy Bauer A.E.Bayne Megan Byrnes Collette Caprara C.Ruth Cassell Ashleigh Chevalier Dan Czajka Ryan Davis Callista Dunn Christina Ferber Frank Fratoe Joan M. Geisler Ann Glave Alexis Grogan Sue Henderson Sarah Hunter Megan Hicks Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks Karl Karch Susan Ujka Larson Jo Loving Blanton Massey Vanessa Moncure Patrick Neustatter Scarlett Pons M.L.Powers Scott Richards Jacob Rupe Casey Alan Shaw Emily Taggert Schricker James Kyle Synder Diatungshu Satpathy Christine Thompson Rim Vining Woodie Walker Suzy Woollam

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

The mission of Front Porch Fredericksburg is to connect the diverse citizenry of Fredericksburg with lively features and informative columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource, its people. Messages from our readers are welcome. All submissions must be received by e-mail by the 19th of the month preceding publication. Writers are welcome to request Writer’s Guidelines and query the Editor by e-mail. Front Porch Fredericksburg PO Box 9203 Fredericksburg, VA 22403 Ad Sales: E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com The opinions expressed in Front Porch Fredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers. Copyright 2015 Olde Towne Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

March 2015

ON THE PORCH multiplicity

“Rappahannock” the Award winning film to be highlighted at film festival

BY scott richards

I began my writing career writing a wine and food column for the Caroline Progress at the grand old age of 53. I was pretty excited to have found something that seemed to me to be a natural flow of ideas and I began looking around for other publications to express myself further. I remember seeing a monthly magazine in Fredericksburg, something about a porch with a lot of different types of writing. When I contacted Rob Grogan, who published the magazine known as the Fredericksburg Front Porch, we hit it off right away (how did one not hit it off with Rob?). The first thing he had me write was a story about Stoney Pickett and his catering business, not about wine. Rob kept giving me different assignments, and soon I realized I could write about more than wine. This revelation about writing has grown into a free lance business. I have multiple clients and write for five publications, but I often think of how Rob helped me out as a fledgling writer and gave me an avenue to express myself and develop the God given talent that was latent for so many years. Once I started writing for the Front Porch, I became interested in more than just my contribution to the publication, and soon found myself amazed at all the different types of people and events it portrayed. I had known Fredericksburg as an historic burg with a quaint down town area, but as I read, I discovered many varieties of culture inhabiting this town. As amazing and diverse as it is, it easy to drive through town and miss it all,

worrying about the traffic or making sure the latest text message gets through. To walk along Caroline Street, however, is an experience in itself. There exists everything from an excellent public library to antique shops with clock repairers in the back, to art galleries. When I began to explore the area on foot, I learned about places like the Hyperion coffee shop. It was the most radical thing around, where a business man in coat and tie could sit at a table and enjoy a cup of joe with to a long haired student in jeans and a t-shirt, swapping yarns and ideas. Picker’s Supply, Goolrick’s Pharmacy and Sammy T’s are businesses that are landmarks along Caroline Street. Just up Williams Street from the Hyperion is La Petite Auberge and Bistro Bethem, two of Fredericksburg’s more upscale of the many different restaurants in this area. Going both ways on William Street from these two establishments are store fronts that have housed everything from stationery stores to used book establishments to hardware stores. Across the street from the Hyperion, I used to do my banking in what is now a museum. In every direction you go, there is diversity. When I worked in Northern Virginia and the District, I saw people from all over the world in eclectic restaurants and businesses directed towards the different nationalities, but the geographical area is very large.

messages

I was in Fredericksburg recently and picked up a copy of Front Porch. In it was an article “Season’s Bounty, Black Walnuts, by Vanessa Moncure. She states that she purchases pecans in season from a Georgia grower, I would also like to purchase pecans through them if possible. Could Ms. Moncure help? Thanks, Judy Caswell, Cobb Island, MD

Hello Front Porch, I just moved to Fredericksburg and discovered your newspaper recently. I enjoyed Jo Loving’s column “From My Porch”, about Paying it Forward..How can I contact her to find out about this project and possibly contributing to it? Margaret Matejka, Frederickburg

Front Porch: We appreciate your help in getting the word out about the Philharmonic and what we are trying to do for the community by bringing worldclass entertainers to the Fredericksburg region. Rita J. Snyder, UMW Orchestra

Front porch fredericksburg

NOTE: Vanessa answered Judy’s call

Hello Front Porch: Visiting from Pennsylvania. I so enjoyed reading about the interesting people and businesses in this lovely community. More communities should be so blessed to have a local-centered paper like this! Janet Washington, PA

By woodie walker shown as a highlight of their film festival in Little Washington.

Fredericksburg is not as large an area, and considering the melange of culture in this region, it is nothing short of amazing. When it first started, the Front Porch was a primer for opening one’s eyes and seeing the multiplicity that existed in this town. Today the Front Porch is a guide to understanding Fredericksburg, depicting the fresh experience this town is and hopefully will remain. I will always be thankful to Rob for giving me an avenue to expand my talents, as well as opening my eyes and giving me a vision of what this town is all about. The Front Porch is a Fredericksburg experience, cover to cover. Scott Richards Scott Richards is a member of the VA Vineyards Association, owner of Loch Haven Vineyards, and a writer for FP, Caroline Progress, The Caroline Magazine, Northern Neck News & River View Magazine. Read his blog at fromthevine.wordpress.com or Contact him at lochhavenvineyards@gmail.com Virginia What a wonderful job you have done keeping Front Porch a viable and enjoyable magazine to read. Rob would be very proud of you. Best always, Frank Fratoe

The headwaters of the Rappahannock River are among the most pristine in Virginia. Wildlife and recreational opportunities abound. As spring begins, more and more people will turn to the river as a source of fun and relaxation. A new featured at The Theatre at Washington, Va., highlights the beauty and unique nature of the Rappahannock River. The Rappahannock Association for the Arts and the Community (RAAC) has announced that “Rappahannock,” a 40-minute movie about the history and ecology of the Rappahannock River, will be

“Rappahannock” won the Local Documentary Film Contest at the Fifth Annual Environmental Film Festival in Richmond, Va. The first half of the film features the history of the Rappahannock River watershed. It begins with the Native Americans who inhabited the river before the Europeans arrived, including the river’s involvement in the Civil War, and the advent of commercial fishing. The second half of the film explores the ecology of the river and the environmental issues it faces in the 21st century. The movie was commissioned by Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR), a Fredericksburg-based non-profit group that works to be “the voice and active force” for the river. It was produced and directed by Oscar-nominee and Fredericksburg resident Bayley Silleck, coproduced by Ed Sandtner, and edited by Rob Cleaton and other Fredericksburg residents. Kathy Harrington, executive director of FOR, said, “‘We are people of the river lands’ is a phrase from the movie

that for me captures its essence, as well as our relationship with the river. Bayley has created a beautiful film that brings us closer to the river and launches a conversation about what we can do to restore the health of the Rappahannock.” Silleck has roots that run deep in the Rappahannock watershed. He has called producing the film a “labor of love.” “The Rappahannock River,” he said, “is an icon of American history and culture, as well as a critical resource to all who live in the watershed. That, combined with the heroic conservation work of FOR over the past 30 years, inspired me to undertake the project.” The Film Festival of Little Washington will be held April 10-1 12 in The Theatre at Washington, Va., 291 Gay Street, Washington. The festival will be an exciting weekend of innovative, entertaining, and thought-provoking films by local independent filmmakers. featuring films that celebrate the talent and unique beauty of Virginia. Films will be shown Friday night through Sunday afternoon at The Theatre at Washington, VA. Filmmakers will conduct Q&As, and mingle over coffee, wine and food. In addition, a pop-up movie hall will be the venue where filmmakers offer sneak previews of works in progress and solicit feedback from the audience. For more information and tickets visit the RAAC Film Festival website, www.raac.org/filmfest.html

Woodie Walker is a Volunteer and Membership Coordinator for the Friends of the Rappahannock . Contact him at woodie.walker@riverfriends.org or (540) 373-3448 x. 117

Do Your Knives Make the Cut? Sharpening Services at

374-0443 www.shopwhittingham.com 1021 Caroline Street

Old Town’s Greatest Tour

We appreciate Front Porch and its emphasis on local news and information about cultural events in our area. Your publication is a real asset to Fredericksburg and the region. Anne & David Scott, Board member, Friends of the Philharmonic Fredericksburg

35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings

Virginia: Thanks so much for all you do for us, and I hope that you are well. Sincerely, Jack Hyland, Owner J.Brian’s

Fredericksburgtrolley.com

540-898-0737 front porch fredericksburg

March 2015 2015

Scott Richards

Guest Porch Editorial

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

March 2015

ON THE PORCH multiplicity

“Rappahannock” the Award winning film to be highlighted at film festival

BY scott richards

messages

Front porch fredericksburg

NOTE: Vanessa answered Judy’s call

By woodie walker shown as a highlight of their film festival in Little Washington.

Woodie Walker is a Volunteer and Membership Coordinator for the Friends of the Rappahannock . Contact him at woodie.walker@riverfriends.org or (540) 373-3448 x. 117

Do Your Knives Make the Cut? Sharpening Services at

374-0443 www.shopwhittingham.com 1021 Caroline Street

Old Town’s Greatest Tour

35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings

Virginia: Thanks so much for all you do for us, and I hope that you are well. Sincerely, Jack Hyland, Owner J.Brian’s

Fredericksburgtrolley.com

540-898-0737 front porch fredericksburg

March 2015 2015

A Stellar Combination

Downtown Buzz

First Friday Trolley Gallery-Tour Celebrates First Anniversary

Main Street marks 2nd anniversary melvin brown & rae moriarty

To some his name is Melvin Brown, and to others he is known as the VideoMann. Most of us also know him as the creator/producer of “FXBG Happy”, inspired by the hit song HAPPY by Pharrell Williams. “We here in Fredericksburg wanted to express our HAPPY as well,” says Melvin. The YouTube video had over 100,000 hits and was dedicated to the memory of Front Porch editor, Rob Grogan. Melvin discovered his love for video as a teenager, filming his friends and friends’ friends. One of his first endeavors was a spoof video called “Silence of the Yams.” Yes, it was a spoof on Silence of the Lambs. Melvin filmed along with local guitar hero Tim Bray, Bryan Moriarty, and other friends. There is no doubt this video would go viral on YouTube. Alas, that technology was not around then. Melvin used multiple family members’ home video cams, piecing together shots from different machines, without “High-def”. Over time, he began to ask himself, “What is it I can do that I love to do and can offer the world?” He saw the need for a positive video communication network in FXBG and poured his passion into it. As Videomann Productions and the producer of FredericksburgLIVE, he has produced videos for web commercials, graduations, music videos, and fabulous weddings. “ I think a personal highlight for me was when I filmed Emmitt Smith and his wife at a wedding. To me this was huge. I have to say I love my job, and I am pretty lucky.” According to Melvin, working and partnering with true professionals allows him to take his craft to another level. Enter Rae Moriarty, owner of Hartwood Photography.

March 2015

Rae Moriarty, CPP, Certified Professional Photographer and Associate Fellow of Photography, is a Wedding Photography Specialist. She can easily bring forth a certain smile or expression that is unique to each individual. She discovered her love for photography while earning her degree in Fine Art from Southeastern Louisiana University. Rae attends national conferences and has traveled internationally to study with some of the most well-known industry leaders in the field of photography. Her portrait, “At the Threshold” was awarded a Court of Honor in the wedding Portrait Category of the Virginia Professional Photographer’s of America annual competition. Most of her photography is done on location throughout historic downtown Fredericksburg and on the banks of the scenic Rappahannock River. Melvin commented, “ Rae is an award winning photographer that delivers excellent work. I have used Rae as a photographer on many of my projects, and she has used me on many of her projects. But when we had the opportunity to do weddings together, her as the photographer, and I as videographer, we noticed how well we worked together. On a bride and grooms wedding day, there are a lot of things happening and going on. And since there is a growing demand for video, photographers and videographers have to capture the same footage. And as a videographer, I can tell you that not all photographers are easy to work with in a high stressful environment. And I am sure not all videographers are easy to work with either. But Rae and I are like peanut butter and jelly, we work well together”, says Brown. “Video and Photography in one place. Rae from Hartwood Photgraphy, and Melvin as the VideoMann…. A STELLAR combination!” Stellar Studios was born. Rae and Melvin both have office and studio space on the corner of Caroline and 204 William Street, above Crown jewelers. Because they are seeing in the industry that photography and video are becoming one, they knew that doing more and moving forward as Stellar Studios was a no brainer. Both Brown and Moriarty will still operate individually under their current names of Hartwood Photography and VideoMann Productions, but when they are hired as one, A Stellar service will be received. Stellar Studios can be reached at 540-8 842-0 0236, or at artist@stellarstudiosofva.com

Front porch fredericksburg

by collette caprara If you are walking the rounds of Fredericksburg’s fine galleries on the first Friday of the month and hear that “ding ding ding” of a trolley, feel free (literally) to hop aboard. That would be the First Friday Trolley taking folks on tours of the galleries in the Burg, courtesy of the Fredericksburg Arts Commission (FredArts.com)—at no cost to riders. The service, operated by the Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg, debuted last February and runs a “circulator” route to seven stops (noted by a grey pillar sign) that are within a short walking distance of 11 unique and innovative galleries. Join the fun-filled venture through the fine art of the Burg from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday March 6 and on subsequent First Friday evenings. The service will be offered through June 5, 2015 and may be continued in additional months, on the basis of ridership and community feedback. For additional information and other activities and offerings of the Fredericksburg Arts Commission, visit www.FredArts.com.

By scarlett pons

Galleries on First Friday Trolley Route Stop A—for Ponshop Studio and Gallery (712 Caroline St.) and FreeBird Studios (709 Caroline St.) Stop B—for Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (813 Sophia St.) and Water Street Studio Writing and Arts (915 A Sophia St.) Stop C—for Art First Gallery and Brush Strokes Gallery (824 Caroline St.) and 810 Weekend Gallery (810 Caroline St.) Stop D—for Sophia Street Studios (1104 Sophia St.) Stop E—for Artful Dimensions Gallery (911 Charles St.) Stop F—for LibertyTown Arts Workshop (916 Liberty St.) Stop G—for Atrium Gallery Art Studio (526-2 Wolfe St.)

2015 marks our second year as a Main Street Community and we head into this year with community-lead ideas and excitement. Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street’s seven member board just wrapped up its first retreat and during this two day work session we committed to three primary goals as well as reviewed our current projects and proposed projects for the year. This information was sent to our four working committees (Design, Economic Restructuring, Organization and Promotion) who discussed and brainstormed and committed to the following goals and activities. Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street’s (FVMS) first goal is to continue to grow our vibrant community through beautification projects, educational programs and promotional opportunities. Some activities that will support this include the continued maintenance and additional new flower pots throughout the district along with adding potted

evergreen trees to Market Square Alley, the continuation of Open Late the initiative, expand Small Business Saturday and murals projects. We will be selecting a firm to initiate our branding campaign to be able to promote downtown under one umbrella. FVMS will also be organizing several workshops to educate our business community on topics such as best practices for successful kickstarter campaign, social media engagement and destination retail. We are also putting together a “Pitch” package to attract new businesses to our downtown and begin to layout a plan to identify and address the dilapidated buildings in our district. FVMS’s second goal is to increase community engagement that will result in new and improved partnerships and community education. We have several activities planned to support this and a top priority is to actively support the Sandwich Invitational. FVMS will work closely with our downtown businesses and our partners at the Economic

Development and Tourism office to grow this event. We also have an opportunity to work with the organizers of the Historic Half marathon to truly tie this event to our downtown and add a unique sense of place and excitement for the runners. Our collaboration with the University of Mary Washington Center for Economic Development will continue to grow in projects and programs. FVMS’s third goal is to ensure organization and funding stability for a long-term sustainable organization. This year we will continue to work on our policy and procedure documents including finalizing our Baseline Data Sheet (to track our progress), continue our Exit Interviews and start our Open Interviews (to ensure an open dialogue with business and there experience with downtown). We will continue our fundraising program geared towards the stakeholders in the district to organize our funding around comprehensive marketing and promotion. We will also start new fundraising programs for supporters outside our district who see value in what we do and begin conversations with long term funding partners.

The projects listed above are just a handful and there are many more on our list. We have a solid base of volunteers who have committed to these projects and we can always use more! We have grants for some of the projects and will be fundraising for others. If you see value in these projects and would like to get involved visit www.fredericksburgmainstreet.org or call our Executive Director Ann Glave at 540538-7445. Don’t hesitate to volunteer and be an active member in your community or donate to create one beautiful downtown.

Scarlett Pons is the current President of FVMS, Co-owns PONSHOP with her husband, Gabe, mother of 2 boys, and downtown potter.

NOTE: Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street was formally known as The Fredericksburg Main Street Initiative. The organization had to reregister as an Inc. instead of an LLC to apply for 5013c status.

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540/371-9890 front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

A Stellar Combination

Downtown Buzz

First Friday Trolley Gallery-Tour Celebrates First Anniversary

Main Street marks 2nd anniversary melvin brown & rae moriarty

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

By scarlett pons

Scarlett Pons is the current President of FVMS, Co-owns PONSHOP with her husband, Gabe, mother of 2 boys, and downtown potter.

NOTE: Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street was formally known as The Fredericksburg Main Street Initiative. The organization had to reregister as an Inc. instead of an LLC to apply for 5013c status.

Law Offices of

ROBERT H. DEADERICK, PC

DUI

FREDERICKSBURGCOLLABORATIVE

Personal Injury Criminal Law Personal Injury Wrongful Death Suspended Reckless CDL

Traffic

Former Captain U..S.. Army "Serving the Service" Military Welcome Millrace North, 725 Jackson Street, Suite 218, Fredericksburg 540.371.5100 Deadericklaw.com deadlaw@verizon.net

Wills and Trusts Provide for Incapacity Trusts for Minor Children Wealth Preservation Trusts Avoid Probate AhearnEstateLaw.com

540/371-9890 front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Breakout Game Can you beat the clock?

CHOOSING TO SEE we live with blinders on By c. ruth cassell

by Christina Ferber

Your adrenaline is rushing as you peek at the clock. Is that book in the corner a clue? What about the painting on the wall? The clock continues to tick down as you search for a way out and try to beat the time. Though this sounds like a scene from a mystery or suspense novel, it is actually a real life situation that anyone can experience thanks to a unique entertainment option that has recently come to our area. Rose Leone (above) and Tamara Moore opened The Breakout Game after discovering the fun that being in a real life escape-the-room game could create. “My mother and I attended two ‘solve the clues rooms’ in Nashville and New York and I just knew that I had to share the idea,” says Leone, a long-time Fredericksburg area resident. “We couldn’t stop talking about it, and I enjoyed the experience so much that I wanted to bring it to the Fredericksburg area.” Participants are locked in a room for 60 minutes, and as the clock ticks

down, they must look for clues strewn throughout the room. The progression of clues could lead to distractions or dead ends, but with some ingenuity and teamwork should eventually lead to a key that will release the group from the room. All activity is monitored via video cameras, and if a group gets stuck they do have an option for a hint. “It’s neat to see how different people attack the clues and rooms. Some don’t want to touch anything, while others start tearing things apart,” says Leone. “You really see how people respond under pressure when they are trying to figure it out.” All of the rooms are based around a theme. Presently the Schoolroom offers items that you might find in a classroom, even down to the chalkboard and art activities. Aunt Buela Mae’s room comes complete with furniture you may find at an aunt’s notso-modern house. “We want you to come into the rooms and be transported to another place,” says Leone. “We have had coworkers rent out both rooms and compete against each other, and seen families and scout troops work together to solve the puzzles. It’s a great way to team build and grow communication within any group. It would also be a great date night activity.” A maximum of 6 people participate in the ‘clue scavenger hunt’ at a time. As the groups are formed, it is possible that strangers may end up together, but that adds to the fun according to Leone. “We have seen strangers walk in and within an hour they have bonded because they were working together so intensely trying to solve the clues.” The clues won’t get old either. With ten different themed rooms in all, The Breakout Game rotates through each theme to give participants new challenges. Upcoming themes include Under the Sea and The Poker Room. Pricing and hours are available on their website, and group discounts are available. To reserve your spot and try to escape the room visit www.thebreakoutgamefredericksburg.com .or find them on facebook.

It may be self-preservation, or hope-preservation but we don’t want to know or admit how absolutely wrong our fellow human beings can treat each other. Few of us purposefully choose to see the horrors inside our own communities and neighborhoods. Fewer of us intentionally put ourselves in a position to do something about it. I am no different. I choose blindness. I choose not to dwell on the abuse and neglect suffered by people across our globe. I choose hope, focusing on the ways we heal one another and ourselves. When I took a new position with a counseling agency in Roanoke, Virginia, I knew the blinders would have to occasionally come off. I am in fundraising and marketing, so I don’t work the “front lines.” I am in awe of those who do. My job is to appeal to others who understand how investing in services for those who suffer means increasing the health and wellbeing of the entire community. Within the first eight months of working there, I’ve repeatedly realized how blind I am. I attended a grant workshop in which a social worker of 25 years told us how she consoled a shaking, crying mother of a three-year-old girl. The mother had put cigarettes out on the child’s skin, but was visibly and genuinely distraught when social workers came to take the child away. I listened to counselors in my own office speak in fear of a client’s exhusband, who was soon to be released from jail. They decided to refer the woman to a local domestic violence shelter, hoping she would choose not to return home, knowing she likely would, fearing he would kill her. In February, I helped organize a fundraising event for my agency’s Batterer’s Intervention program. It’s the most difficult of our services to raise money for, because we treat the offenders, the ones who abuse the women and children in their lives. They say a woman will return to an abusive home between seven and

twenty times before escaping, either through assistance of professionals or family members or through the morgue. Our program contends that ending the cycle of violence must include healing for the persons who use violence in intimate partner relationships. The likelihood of today’s offender being yesterday’s victim—either raised in an abusive home or exposed to violence as a means to an end—is extremely high. The group therapy approach for men (and women) who abuse has proven to be successful at helping them identify and change their behavior. They learn new tools, other than violence, to express love. They develop new patterns, other than control, to follow in relationships. There will always be another victim. The professionals and volunteers who have chosen to see, by spending their lives educating and treating those who suffer intimate partner violence, know how brutal the cycle can be. They choose everyday to watch the baffling choices of someone opting to stay, to love another who hurts them. The resources for escaping and healing from domestic violence situations are critical to our communities. EmpowerHouse has served the Fredericksburg community since 1978, giving victims a home, giving them hope. During last month’s event to raise money for our domestic violence program, we invited the community to watch a screening of the HBO documentary “Private Violence.” I would tell you not to watch it. It is brutal. The last thing it did was evoke empathy for the offender. But it did, for a small window of time, force me to stare brutality in the face and ask myself, “what am I doing about it?” Fredericksburg Resources: EmpowerHouse,www.empowerhouseva.org Hope House, www.hopehouseva.org Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault, http://www.rcasa.org Ruth Cassell chooses to see.

Christina Ferber , is a teacher, mother, and writer in Fredericksburg. She loves a good mystery

Old Town Fredericksburg 8

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Breakout Game Can you beat the clock?

CHOOSING TO SEE we live with blinders on By c. ruth cassell

by Christina Ferber

Christina Ferber , is a teacher, mother, and writer in Fredericksburg. She loves a good mystery

Old Town Fredericksburg 8

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

New Way of Doing Business

Chris Muldrow

Success Facilitators can help make the transition smooth

Solving everyday problems with technology solutions

by Diptangshu Satpathy I was able to catch up with Kyle Snyder on a recent trip to Los Angeles, bumping into him on the way through the airport. We both had over an hour before next flight so we grabbed a cup coffee and found a nice quiet place to catch up on his latest venture: Success Facilitators. I remember him from his days as an executive chef, always smiling, coming out to the tables to make sure everything was okay. He was one of the reasons I would stop there on the way through town. A good afternoon could be had eating bison sliders, munching on some frites, and enjoying the ever-clever

By Christina Ferber

bar, published author, strategic planner, member of the Rappahannock Rotary, Scrum Developer - Scrum Master – Scrum Product Owner, and owner / CEO / lead strategists for Success facilitators. Kyle explains, “my executive coach told me to quit giving away the best part of myself for free; what I knew and experienced had value. Mitzi and I were brainstorming on the best way to leverage our collective experiences. Combining her experiences: CFO, marketing lead, HR lead, IT lead, fund raining, grant writing, government contracting, governance, strategic planning, not for profit experience, and board interaction with my entrepreneur vision and life experience made for a good company. We opened Success Facilitators in April 2014 and have

intellectual banter that would occur. Even then, he seemed much more then an executive chef. I was about to find out. Kyle always had a presence and the breath of knowledge that went way beyond a retail store or restaurant. Kyle has many experiences: US Marine, real estate agent in Virginia and Maryland, Cisco Certified Network Associate, HP SysAdmin, Team Leader at a local global network operating center, fundraiser, partner executive chef – builder/contractor supply chain developer – government liaison for a wine

ROXBURY F

ARM

MAIN: (540) 373-9124 NURSERY: (540) 371-8802

not slowed since. We are focused on executive counseling, business formation, and business flows.” Kyle has partnered with Linda Clevenger to form Scrum Training Academy. Scrum is the number one methodology to implement Agile project management principles. “This way of doing business can reduce time-to-market by 30% and is applicable for most projects where the absolute end is not known,” he explains. “Who really knows what they want until they test it?” Linda has another business, Organization Direct, that helps companies and individuals get over the hurdle of flows and the necessary day-today. Combining the three companies gives each one a distinct market advantage. So how does Success Facilitators fit into all this? They are the key to ensuring a smooth transition to the new way of doing business. It is critical to get buy-in from the top and Success Facilitators can provide the necessary coaching to get that buy-in. They will also come on-site for up to 3 months to facilitate the transition and develop the roles of the members. Kyle snares, “It is not enough to just get a certification. Scrum Training Academy is the start. Success Facilitators takes the new tools, from business case, through financial projections, to final implementation. This shortens delivery time, increase a business ROI, and smooths the critical path.” “When companies or people don’t know what they need, they just know they

need something different, they call us. At Success Facilitators, we are your knowledge liaisons. Contact Scrum Training Academy at: http://scrumtrainingacademy.com/

Diptangshu Satpathy is a International trainer and business coach

You wake up, get ready for work, and then realize that your child has a fever and needs to stay home. Luckily you have a care provider who can help out, but as you are on your way to work, you realize that you forgot to mention the dose of Advil that was already given. This scenario happens more often than we think in our constantly on-the-go society, but now there is a way to track that Advil dose and prevent any other miscommunication. It comes in the form of a new downloadable app created in our own hometown. Icky Track, an app developed by Chris Muldrow, solves the communication breakdown problem surrounding a child or elderly adult’s sickness and the care giving related to it. It provides an easily accessible, secure place for parents or

caregivers to track and monitor information about symptoms, temperature, doses of medicine, and anything else that requires communication and information sharing. “My wife and I were having the problem of handing off the kids and then forgetting to mention that one had been given medicine,” says Muldrow. “It’s as easy as opening the app and inputting the information. Anyone else on your account can do the same and communication becomes a simple process.” Icky App was created in-house at Muldrow’s company, Rambletype. “I like to help people solve problems,” says Muldrow, “so Rambletype was launched as a way to collaborate on the best technology solutions for business and Main Street initiatives.” Rambletype offers three different ways to help businesses with technology related issues. Its web development arm

not only can help build a website and track analytics, but can also create software to help solve a problem a company might be having. The marketing aspect can help figure out ways to drive additional traffic, while technology consulting helps to determine your needs and match them to a solution. Muldrow’s technology knowledge was fostered when he helped the FreeLance Star launch Fredericksburg.com, and he was part of the team that created the home search database. “We were one of the first places in the country to pull MLS listings into an easy to understand searchable format,” says Muldrow. After moving to Birmingham to work as VP of Information Technology for a newspaper chain, Muldrow returned to Fredericksburg in order to put down some roots. “Fredericksburg is a great place to raise kids, and it’s a great market to be in,” he says. He returned to the paper as Chief Digital Officer, but then decided it was

time to launch his own company. “I’m eager to help others succeed and am invested in this community,” says Muldrow, who has also served as a coach for Startup Weekend and donates his time to help drive entrepreneurship in our community. Muldrow is also active on numerous non-profit boards in our area, as well as Transformation 20/20, a regional economic development summit. If you have a problem that needs solving you can download the Icky Track App on Apple or Android, or find out more about Rambletype at rambletype.com.

Christina Ferber , a teacher, writer and mom-on-the-go, loves this app. She introduces us to local entrepreneurs we should know about, every month.

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

New Way of Doing Business

Chris Muldrow

Success Facilitators can help make the transition smooth

Solving everyday problems with technology solutions

By Christina Ferber

ROXBURY F

ARM

MAIN: (540) 373-9124 NURSERY: (540) 371-8802

need something different, they call us. At Success Facilitators, we are your knowledge liaisons. Contact Scrum Training Academy at: http://scrumtrainingacademy.com/

Diptangshu Satpathy is a International trainer and business coach

Christina Ferber , a teacher, writer and mom-on-the-go, loves this app. She introduces us to local entrepreneurs we should know about, every month.

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Vino noche At the Old Jake and Mike’s Location

Serving New & Traditional American Cuisine with a Twist

Open Lunch and Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 11 am to 9 pm Sunday Brunch 10 am to 3 pm Closed on Mondays

806 William Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Tel: 540 899-0941 From the Owners of The Soup and Taco, Etc.

March 2015

The Renowned Northern Italian Restaurant once in Stafford on Garrisonville Rd moves to downtown Fredericksburg’s “Historic Chimney’s Building” on Caroline Street adding Internationality to their Cuisine

Open 7 days a week Monday to Saturday 11 am to 10pm International Sunday Brunch 9am to 3pm Dinner from 3pm to 9pm Private Dining Rooms for Your Holiday parties or any occasion!!! 623 Caroline Street Fredericksburg VA 22401 Tel (540) 368-1 1107 Fax (540) 368-1 1108

Front porch fredericksburg

By scott richards Even though Valentine’s Day with all its gooey chocolaty confections is past, the thought of chocolate still remains. To be honest, it has always been there. Valentine’s Day means nothing to the luscious, dark brown, delectable treat (with or without nuts), because chocolate does not take a holiday, working people 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A big deal is made about some stores not having candy at the check out line so children will not be tempted to eat something we adults say they do not really need. What about the adults? Who says that we are so temptation proof we can just saunter by the Snicker’s Bars and not be affected? Okay, end of confession, time to move on. Wine used to be the area where anyone tempted by chocolate would be safe. Granted, there are some very good wines for those with a sweet tooth. But in recent years, the gauntlet has been dropped and the challenge faces chocoholics squarely. Chocolate wine, there ought-a be a law. Maybe it is because I am trying to show how tough I am, but I usually keep a bottle of chocolate wine on hand, untouched mind you. My first taste of chocolate wine was not a pleasant one. Please bear with me, this is my opinion, and it has evolved through much research and taste testing. There are two types of this concoction, alike as good and evil. First, let us look at the evil one. Think back to the best milkshake you have ever had. It was made with real ice cream and whole milk, or even better yet, cream and then mixed up in one of those thingies in the ice cream parlor in a metal cup. The taste was rich and chocolaty, so thick your straw collapses. After the shake was poured into the cup, the waitress set the metal cup down beside you with the remainder of the shake that did not fit into the cup. Now imagine this bit of chocolate Americana made with a creamy, Dutch chocolate blend. Yummy. Then all of a sudden, there is this taste that has nothing to do with the chocolate flavor and actually causes your taste buds to curdle. What is it? Wine, of course! You have just tasted the failure of a wine blend. Just because it is alcohol, does not mean wine goes well with everything. A popular form of chocolate wine is a wonderful chocolate drink infused with wine. Two good things put together in a totally incorrect manner. Back to the drawing board. But wait, Cooper Vineyards has already taken that step. Dismantling the aforesaid tragedy, the winemakers at Coopers have put it back together in a most pleasing way, to be referred to as the good, or right one in deference to the evil one previously described. In this case, instead

of starting with chocolate, wine is the base. Norton wine, made from a native Virginia grape, developed by Dr. Norton on Belle Isle in Richmond and popular until prohibition, has again become again a popular wine in the Old Dominion and is the wine of choice for this chocolate delight. Infused into the wine is chocolate, giving this dark wine a brown tint. Even the nose is chocolate. The real test comes with the taste, which is more like a deep, dark cocoa blended in perfectly with the musky taste of the Norton wine. You have just experienced Noche, Cooper Vineyards’ contribution to this realm of wine that few make correctly. Compared are not just Virginia wines, but wines from all over the country. Virginians can stand proud. More than the Napa of the East, as the taste of Noche shows, Virginia has developed the top chocolate wine. Drink out of your own back yard. Virginia is for wine, Napa is for auto parts.

Scott Richards is a member of the VA Vineyards Association, owner of Loch Haven Vineyards, and a writer for FP, Caroline Progress, The Caroline Magazine, Northern Neck News & River View Magazine. Read his blog at fromthevine.wordpress.com or Contact him at lochhavenvineyards@gmail.com

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Season’s Bounty in like a lion

By vanessa moncure Perusing the newspaper weather page…..Wait, Fairbanks or Fredericksburg? Is it Toronto or Thornburg? Not Vancouver but Virginia? I think the arctic air needs a nudge back north - though when Punxsutawney Phil was ceremoniously hoisted out of his burrow on Groundhog Day and top-hatted officials proclaimed another six weeks of winter, meteorologists must have already guessed the jet stream would be dancing the lambada with our more southern climes. Isn’t that why we always hear March roars in like a lion? At least the snow from Octavia protected my overwintering garden of greens from sub-zero wind chills - still wondering about the piscine residents of my large backyard koi pond, though. Heartier fare is usually what we crave when the weather assures us winter is still here - I may crave a salad, but one of crunchy cabbage, brussels sprouts or grilled romaine. Leave the tender greenand red-leaf salads for spring. Gazpacho soup is a summer staple in my house, but in winter give me leeks, potatoes, butter and a bit of cream in my bowl. And who doesn’t love a rack of BBQ ribs and corn on the cob, in the summer? Mmmm for a slow-roasted pork loin, maybe a tartcherry pie in the warming oven. Next month we’ll be buttering asparagus, watching for the early strawberries March will be out like a lamb - let’s make the most of our cold-weather menu. PORK LOIN WITH CHORIZO AND VEGETABLES Really? I think you’ll love it - a pork loin braising away while you prepare (homemade?) flour tortillas, guacamole, crumbled queso blanco and fresh pico de gallo as sides. In large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown a 3-4 lb. whole pork loin on all sides, adding 2T olive oil only if necessary. Remove pan from heat. In medium saucepan, place 8 oz. crumbled chorizo, 2 minced cloves garlic, 1 cup each chopped onion, celery and carrots and saute in 1 T. olive oil over medium-low heat, uncovered, until chorizo is done. Then stir in 1 T. cumin, ¼ tsp. hot pepper flakes, 1 tsp. dry oregano, 1 T. smoked paprika, S&P to taste. Stir in 2 15oz. cans drained and rinsed black beans, 1 qt. drained whole roma tomatoes (reserve the liquid) and cook until heated through. Add back enough liquid to make moist before pouring over browned pork loin. Place in preheated 325F oven and braise slowly, uncovered, about 3 hours or until roast is 145F, adding more tomato liquid as needed to keep a moist stew around the meat. Remove the meat and slice as thinly

as possible - heat the flour tortillas before filling with pork, bean and chorizo mixture and other added toppings. HEARTY LEEK AND POTATO SOUP Leeks are notoriously hard to clean - grown in sandy soil, it’s easy for the layers to trap particles which will ruin any recipe. Cleaning is of the utmost! Cut the root end off 4 leeks, then cut most of the green top away, leaving about ½” above the white bottom. Unlike spring onions, the green tops of leeks are very tough and best left to the compost. Cut leeks lengthwise and separate, washing and soaking carefully each layer. Grit is bad. Then chop the cleaned leeks and place in a heavy saucepan along with 1 c. chopped onion. Saute over medium-low heat with 4 T. onions util softened - stir in 4 T. flour, cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add 6 c. chicken broth and three large potatoes, chopped fine. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, until potatoes are done. S&P to taste, then puree half, using a handheld blender. Stir in ¼ c. finely chopped parsley and 1 c. heavy cream. Heat through and serve immediately with buttered croutons atop. AND THAT CHERRY PIE Save this recipe for next President’s Day! Drain 2 16-oz. cans red tart pitted cherries, reserving the juice. If you can find (or if you have prepared) frozen cherries, defrost, use 3-4 c. cherries and reserve 1 c. juice. Set cherries aside. Place 1 c. juice in medium saucepan, stir in ¾ c. sugar and 6 T. cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat - stir in cherries, 1 T. lemon juice, ½ c. sugar, 2 T. butter, 1 tsp. almond extract, dash of salt and 4 drops red food coloring if desired (I don’t desire, but….) Line a greased 9” pie pan with bottom pastry crust - Pour mixture into shell. Roll dough for top crust into 10” circle, then cut into strips and place, lattice-like, atop the pie. Roll edges of pastry together, then crimp decoratively. Brush with mixture of one beaten egg white with 1 tsp. water, then sprinkle with turbinado or white sanding sugar. Bake in preheated 425F oven 5060 minutes, or until crust is golden. Let cool before cutting.

Vanessa Moncure entertains and educates us on food every month in this column.

Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Lee Russell Proprietor

S ammy T’ s DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG’S

Serving Great Food Since 1981

Home of the “Camper Special” & the Best Burger in Town 801 Caroline Street

(540) 371-2008

Try Our Self-Serve Yogurt open 11:30 am Daily Still Owned by the Emory Family

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

Italian/American Food Monday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Vino noche At the Old Jake and Mike’s Location

Serving New & Traditional American Cuisine with a Twist

Open Lunch and Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 11 am to 9 pm Sunday Brunch 10 am to 3 pm Closed on Mondays

806 William Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Tel: 540 899-0941 From the Owners of The Soup and Taco, Etc.

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Season’s Bounty in like a lion

Vanessa Moncure entertains and educates us on food every month in this column.

Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Lee Russell Proprietor

S ammy T’ s DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG’S

Serving Great Food Since 1981

Home of the “Camper Special” & the Best Burger in Town 801 Caroline Street

(540) 371-2008

Try Our Self-Serve Yogurt open 11:30 am Daily Still Owned by the Emory Family

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

Italian/American Food Monday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious by james kyle snyder

Katie & Jay Dunn Join Kyle for cooking lessons We are past the coldest months of the year, and spring is close. Last month I sent out a call for volunteers who wanted to cook the next issue with me. Mandy and Luke Smith helped February and this month Katie and Jay Dunn have answered the call! If you’re interested in participating, contact Front Porch. This month, we went one step further and videoed the whole thing. Now you get to see the entire meal (roasted herbed quail with sautéed green beans, and kale-b beet salad) instead of just reading about one dish. This article was going to focus on the kale-beet salad. The video shows the whole meal. Like my favorite dietitian points out, knowing what your food can do for you, helps you make better choices. This is one of the easiest salads we make. It is simple, easy, and delicious. Kale is low in calories, high in fiber, and has zero fat. It is a great source of iron, high in vitamin K (which helps prevent against various cancers), a great antiinflammatory, helps lower cholesterol, is full of vitamin A (which is great for your vision), is higher in calcium than milk, and contain some sulfur which is helps detoxify your body. Beets are high in boron; it is directly related to the production of the hormones responsible for your sex drive. Beets are packed with vitamins and minerals: potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; betacarotene, folic acid, and many more. They help to purify the blood and aid in cancer prevention. The betaine in the beets is clinically used to treat depression so if you are not depressed you will just be happier. Trytophan, also in beets, creates a sense of well-being similar to chocolate. They are also known to lower blood pressure. We add carrots to this salad; they are rich in beta-carotene - known to aid

March 2015

vision and help protect against mascular degeneration (loss of vision) in our older generations. The vitamin A and antioxidants in carrots help to protect skin and prevent premature wrinkles. A Harvard University study showed people who eat six or more carrots a week are less likely to have a stroke than those people who eat one or less. To the salad! Removing the rib from the leafy part of the kale. Chopped one bunch of raw kale fine (about size of the eraser side of a pencil). Shred the 2 medium raw carrots and ½ of a medium raw beet. Mix it all together. The goal is to have even portions of each. Add 2/3 cup cooked brown rice, 1/2 cup rough chopped walnuts, and about ½ cup dried cranberries. Dress with a citrus vinaigrette. You make a citrus vinaigrette by combining 2 Tbs oil (grape seed, walnut, or your favorite lite oil. I used olive oil) and 2 Tbs brown mustard – this can either be Dijon or seedy. Add ½ tsp vinegar (red or apple cider), a pinch of S&P, TBS garlic, and citrus – I used fresh squeezed orange juice for this one. Dress the salad with just enough citrus vinaigrette that it is barely covered. Toss the entire salad well. Sit back and enjoy. This is one of our favorite salads because it will last in the refrigerator for over 10 days. We make a large enough batch for dinner to produce leftovers. As we go through our busy week, we are able to grab the salad and add a piece of fish or chicken to make a lunch that is healthy, inexpensive, simple, easy, and delicious. Be well. Want to join Kyle & learn to cook April’s dish? Contact frntprch@aol.com, “Attention Cooking With Kyle”

Front porch fredericksburg

Mason Dixon Cafe

The

Blends north & south cuisine

Soup & Taco, Etc.

by Mary Lynn Powers Our little city is overflowing with great eateries. It is always fun to try new spots, and add them to the list of places we like to frequent. Mason Dixon Cafe is new to downtown, but not new to Fredericksburg. Kelly Hunt opened her first shop in the Bowman Center about three years ago. The business soon grew too big for the space they were occupying, so when the restaurant next to Carl’s on Princess Anne became available, Kelly decided to make the move downtown. Mason Dixon Cafe has grown from a skeleton crew of 3 to 22 employees, and a menu that now incorporates dinner and weekend brunch into what was prior only a small breakfast and lunch menu. Her crew now includes Nick, her husband who quit his day job to partner in the new venture. Though his resume does not include restaurants, Kelly says his management and people skills make him a valuable addition to the business. It is interesting that so many of the successful restaurants in town are managed by couples. Working and living together has many challenges, as one can only imagine. The other big challenge is competing with the big chain restaurants that are everywhere in our area. Kelly said one major difference is the small restaurants are using a lot of local products, and are able to change their menu seasonally. I asked Kelly how she saw the business in relation to the main Caroline/William Street hub where the majority of downtown restaurants are located. She said that just the traffic alone from Route 1 through the Princess Anne Corridor brings plenty of business. I asked Kelly about the name for the restaurant, and she explained that she is a hometown girl, born and raised in the ‘Burg, but Nick is from New Jersey hence, the blending of the North and South. The menu itself is extensive, with lots of sandwich and entree options, ranging from Shrimp and Grits to Fried Chicken to Meatloaf. The brunch menu makes me not want to cook breakfast on the weekends anymore, but just head over to the Mason

Local Night Life Colonial Tavern Irish Brigade

813 Caroline St.

By Ryan Davis

Fredericksburg, VA Food, Drinks & Live Music At a Local Favorite Pub

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food

Dixon for some Eggs Benedict or Chicken and Waffles. All comfort food, but with a twist is how Kelly describes her food vision. In addition to a hearty food menu, Mason Dixon has a full bar, and has started to do a Happy Hour from 3-6 PM. They are offering local wines and brews with some fun artisan concoctions like a gingerbread martini or a peppermint patty as their winter offerings. If there was one key factor in the cafe’s success, Kelly said that it would be social media. Kelly uses Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and posts pictures and specials daily. Inevitably, someone comes in and requests the pictured menu item. The Hunts hope to become an integral part of the downtown community, working with the different organizations to keep the downtown area vital. They offer 10% discount For Police, Fire, Rescue, Military and Veterans. Their outdoor patio is a perfect size to host summer benefits, and Kelly said she has a few things on the “burner”. 2100 Princess Anne St. Hours: Fredericksburg Virginia 22401 Monday-Thursday 8AM-9PM 540371-1950 Friday and Saturday 8AM-10PM Sunday Brunch 9AM-2PM Mary Lynn reports monthly the latest on interesting people, places and businesses in the FXBG area.

We’re ready for the Leprechaun ! 24 on Tap

J. B rian’s Tap Room 200 Hanover Street

373-0738

and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday 11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

Phone: 540-899-0969 E-mail: soupntaco@yahoo.com

The Sunken Well Tavern

720 Littlepage sunkenwelltavern.com 540-370-0911 Eat Well Drink Well Live Well

As I walk towards the green building situated at 406 Lafayette Boulevard, a restless wind hollers out through Fredericksburg City streets. It has been a predictably cold day for the winter season in Virginia where the elements chap exposed skin like a whip. It’s the time of year where one yearns for that which will soothe. As I reach the door to Colonial Tavern, I know that my comfort will soon come from a mid-day meal. A flattened, soggy sandwich hiding in a brown-bag will not do, it must be a heaping plate of something that will “stick to the ribs”… most likely a Colonial Tavern favorite such as Homestead Shepherd’s Pie, accompanied by a foamy pint of beer. Upon entering the restaurant, I am immediately greeted by a friendly staff. I sit at a green-top table—a party of one. I am without my phone, leaving ample opportunity to settle into the feel of this place. It is not my first visit, far from it, actually. As I scan the surroundings I notice a bartender with a familiar face polishing glassware; the “stage” tucked in the corner of the dining area where many local acts have enlivened crowds night after night, and to the right of that is the door that leads to an outside patio where many a pints have been sipped during lazy summer evenings. I begin to thaw; thankful I’m sheltered from the brutality of what’s outside. In my case it’s merely the weather. However, the thread of its past and the brutality of a battle that took place just up the road at Marye’s Heights, link this establishment and this city. 150 years ago, during an unfavorable chilly season much like this one, The Irish Regiment and the Irish Brigade were engaged in the Battle of Fredericksburg, and as stated on the Colonial Tavern website the soldiers “were told to take the

hill at all costs”. The cost was high, of course, as it often is in war. Thousands of men gave their lives battling for land just a few blocks away. The Colonial Tavern is built upon that history. The owners have expressed their desire to remember it by “celebrating the bravery of all of those men, in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie, with the hopes that everyone can put aside their differences long enough to sit back and enjoy a pint…” When I remember such history, and take an active part in celebrating a night out through the ideals Colonial Tavern rests upon, my routine meal becomes something more. It is elevated, sacred, offering the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on my compatriots and me. Colonial Tavern gets it right by paying homage to our history, but it certainly doesn’t forget about the food and service. The restaurant provides Irish fare for everyone to enjoy. They have tasty items ranging from appetizers such as Crab Stuffed Mushrooms; Corned Beef Stack sandwiches and the Brigade Burger, along with more traditional items such as Shepherd’s Pie. If entertainment is what you’re looking for, Colonial Tavern offers a full calendar of events: Sunday Trivia Night, Monday Open Mic Nights or live music Tuesday through Saturday. For hours of operation, menu options or the listing of calendar of events visit: www.irishbrigadetavern.com or call (540) 373-1313.

Ryan Davis a graduate of the University of Mary Washington, has future aspirations of becoming a journalist.

Open Daily 11am - 4pm 540.371.2233 www.thevirginiadeli.com 826 Caroline at the corner of Caroline & George Streets Master Card ~ Visa ~ Discover front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious by james kyle snyder

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Mason Dixon Cafe

The

Blends north & south cuisine

Soup & Taco, Etc.

Local Night Life Colonial Tavern Irish Brigade

813 Caroline St.

By Ryan Davis

Fredericksburg, VA Food, Drinks & Live Music At a Local Favorite Pub

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food

We’re ready for the Leprechaun ! 24 on Tap

J. B rian’s Tap Room 200 Hanover Street

373-0738

and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday 11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

Phone: 540-899-0969 E-mail: soupntaco@yahoo.com

The Sunken Well Tavern

720 Littlepage sunkenwelltavern.com 540-370-0911 Eat Well Drink Well Live Well

Ryan Davis a graduate of the University of Mary Washington, has future aspirations of becoming a journalist.

Open Daily 11am - 4pm 540.371.2233 www.thevirginiadeli.com 826 Caroline at the corner of Caroline & George Streets Master Card ~ Visa ~ Discover front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Learn to make your own Herbal Bath and Body Products! @ Downtown Greens Community Greenspace. 6 pm 8 pm. Herbalist Jennifer Stone will be sharing her expertise in making your own natural Bath and Body Products!

march 2015…in like a lion, out like a lamb! Sunday, March 1

March at Brush Strokes Gallery with Featured Artist Peggy Wickham @ Brush Strokes Gallery through Mar 29 FCCA March: “Touch of Red” National Juried Exhibit; Members Gallery, Nancy Wing & Tarver Harris. Throughout March.

Monday, March 2

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 3

“Art, Distilled” will be on display & for sale March 3 – 30 at Art First Gallery, 824 Caroline St., Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Community Forum on Alcohol-Related Car Crashes Among Young Drivers@ CRRL Porter Branch 6:308pm. Help prevent auto crashes involving young drivers and alcohol. Stafford & Spotsylvania are Va. communities with high auto crash rates for young drivers using alcohol. You must be 18 or older to participate.

CALENDAR of events

Community Forum on Alcohol-Related Car Crashes Among Young Drivers@ CRRL Salem Branch 6:308pm. Help prevent auto crashes involving young drivers and alcohol. Stafford and Spotsylvania are Va. communities with high auto crash rates for young drivers using alcohol. You must be 18 or older to participate.. Open Mic at the Rec Center 8pm .w/Scott Wagner Sign up starts at 7, music at 8. 213 William St. Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar . Featuring Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, March 5

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

First Friday, March 6

Alex Culbreth & the Dead Country Stars @ Bistro Bethem 7 pm – 10pm. Join us for food and drink specials and live music on our “stage” . No cover!

Water Street Studio First Friday March @ “Fly on the Wall” featuring the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers and Michael Curtiss, check out the “art” of fly fishing!

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm. Join us every Tuesday for a low-impact fitness class using all bellydance moves

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery March “First Friday” event 6-10pm. March Do It Yourself month

Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

Wednesday, March 4

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage Ave. Watercolor (Outside The Box) 4 week course with Tonya Butcher @ Backdoor Gallery 11 am –through Mar 25. a great time while learning how to use Watercolor in a fresh new way.

Fredericksburg Festival for the Performing Arts Annual Benefit Gala “A Toast to the Arts” @ A. Smith Bowman Distillery 6:30-10:30pm CYT Fredericksburg’s presents Seussical! @ Spotsylvania High School Seussical is a bright show for all ages containing all of the famous works of Dr. Seuss. @ 7:00 pm. It’s About Time – A retrospective of an unknown artist @ OddBox Studios 526 Wolfe Street,7pm – 10pm. A display of work by Mark Wright containing selected paper, paint and wood pieces spanning three decades.

Saturday, March 7

Greek Agora – Greek Market Place @ Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 12326

Spotswood Furnace Road 10am – 4pm. Crafters and vendors. delicious Greek food and pastries. Admission is FREE. CYT Fredericksburg’s presents Seussical! @ Spotsylvania High School Seussical is a bright show for all ages containing works of Dr. Seuss. 2pm

Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar Featuring Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, March 12

Sunday, March 8

Open Jazz Jam at the Colonial Tavern with rotating host bands..Colonial Tavern. 8-11pm. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Monday, March 9

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9 ,103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

CYT Fredericksburg’s presents Seussical! @ Spotsylvania High School Seussical is a bright show for all ages of Dr. Seuss. 4pm.

CommonWealth Slam Presents: Poets Alex Dang & Clementine von Radics @ Headquarters Library 7:30 pm-10pm. von Radics/ Dang bring their nationwide tour to FXBG. they will be conducting a writing workshop at 6:30 p.m. and will perform a set of their poetry at 8 p.m. open mic for audience to share their work. Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen 21+. 9pm-midnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 10

The Tonya Lazenby Jackson Trio @ Bistro Bethem 8pm – 11pm. No cover! Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm. Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Wednesday, March 11

Community Forum on Alcohol-Related Car Crashes Among Young Drivers@ CRRL Snow Branch 7:309pm. Help prevent auto crashes involving young drivers and alcohol. Stafford and Spotsylvania are Va. communities with high auto crash rates for young drivers using alcohol. You must be 18 or older to participate. Open Mic at the Rec Center 8pm .Scott Wagner hosts Sign up 7, music at 8. 213 William St. Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage At.

Friday, March 13

CYT Fredericksburg’s presents Seussical! @ Spotsylvania High School Seussical is a bright show for all ages containing all of the famous works of Dr. Seuss. @ 8pm. St. Patrick’s Dance: @Fredericksburg Elks Lodge #875,11309 Tidewater Trail 9pm –1 am. Join us for a great night of music, dancing, and fun .

Saturday, March 14

Sing Away Stress with Kana Zink @ Downtown Greens 2pm. Music Therapist Kana Zink leads participants through vocal exploration exercises No vocal experience needed for this unique and healing class! Kana brings many instruments and wow’ed the group last time! Not to be missed! Twilight Carniball Destination: South Pacific @ Children’s Museum of Richmond - Fredericksburg branch. 7pm. An evening of play just for grownups. Tickets will be sold online at c-mor.org. UMW Philharmonic Celebrity Series Concert @ Dodd Auditorium, University of Mary Washington, 7:30. feature legendary singer and pianist Michael Feinstein philharmonic.umw.edu or 540-654-1324.

Sunday, March 15

The Children’s Museum of Richmond Fredericksburg branch 15¢ Kids Days. admission to children for 15¢

Monday, March 16

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen . 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 17

Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

World Language Day @ University of Mary Washington. UMW invites high school students of French, German, and Spanish to participate in its annual World Language Day.All Day

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm.

Kevin Caffrey @ Blackstone Coffee,1113 Jefferson Davis Highway 8pm A night of all original music.

Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Sunday, March 22

Wednesday, March 18

Community Forum on Alcohol-Related Car Crashes Among Young Drivers@ CRRL England Run Branch 7:30-9pm. Help prevent auto crashes involving young drivers and alcohol. Stafford and Spotsylvania are the Va. communities with high auto crash rates for young drivers using alcohol. You must be 18 or older to participate. Open Mic at the Rec Center 8pm .w/Scott Wagner Sign up starts at 7, music at 8. 213 William St. Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage At. Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitarFeaturing Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show @ Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047. 10am-4pm.

Monday, March 23

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 24

Brokedown Boys @ Bistro Bethem 8pm – 11pm. Join us for food and drink specials and live music on our “stage” . No cover! Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Athletic Club, 7-8pm. Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

Thursday, March 19

Wednesday, March 25

Friday, March 20

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage At.

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show @ Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047. 12-6pm. Vendors from across the US bring their merchandise to you. You will find 14K and sterling silver, classic, estate, fashion and handmade jewelry, Loose stones, beads and findings, pearls, Mineral specimens, crystals, lapidary supplies, Books, carvings and gift items

Saturday, March 21

Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show @ Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047. 10am-5pm.

The Approach @ Bistro Bethem 8-11pm. No cover!

Open Mic at the Rec Center 8pm .Scott Wagner hosts Sign up at 7, music at 8. 213 William St.

Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar . Featuring Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, March 26

Fred. Blues Society Open Blues Jam@Colonial Tavern, 406 Lafayette Blvd. every fourth Thursday of the month.Bring instruments or come to listen. Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9 ,103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Friday, March 27

Espresso Painting 2 day Workshop at Backdoor Gallery @ Backdoor Gallery. 4500 Plank Road, 125pm. Have fun learning to paint with Espresso…. Yes Coffee!! Using Espresso Coffee and watercolor paper you will learn how to create a warm honey glow painting using value to create a realistic painting. All materials Included

Saturday, March 28

Rites of Spring Wine Festival @Isaac Walton Park 12400 Herndon Road, Spotsylvania, VA 22553. ALL DAY. 10 wineries, beer garden, local crafts and artisans.

Monday, March 30

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg’s best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 31

Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com Laurie Rose Griffith & Peter Mealy @ Bistro Bethem, 8pm – 11pm. No cover! Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm. Looking for a fun way to work out? Join us every Tuesday for a low-impact fitness class using all bellydance moves Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

If you are reading this 212th issue of FP, thank an advertiser as we celebrate our 18th year of continuous publication! If you are an advertiser, list your events. Deadline for April issue is March 20th. To submit events, follow this link: frontporchfredericksburg.com/how-ttosubmit-o online

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service Companionship Meal Preparation Medication Reminders Laundry

Light Housekeeping Shopping/Errands Personal Care Flexible Hours

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

540-8 899-6 6787 16

March 2015

fortemusicstudios.com Front porch fredericksburg

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

2425 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

“Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

406

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March 2015

march 2015…in like a lion, out like a lamb! Sunday, March 1

Monday, March 2

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 3

CALENDAR of events

Thursday, March 5

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

First Friday, March 6

Alex Culbreth & the Dead Country Stars @ Bistro Bethem 7 pm – 10pm. Join us for food and drink specials and live music on our “stage” . No cover!

Water Street Studio First Friday March @ “Fly on the Wall” featuring the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers and Michael Curtiss, check out the “art” of fly fishing!

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm. Join us every Tuesday for a low-impact fitness class using all bellydance moves

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery March “First Friday” event 6-10pm. March Do It Yourself month

Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

Wednesday, March 4

Saturday, March 7

Greek Agora – Greek Market Place @ Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 12326

Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar Featuring Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, March 12

Sunday, March 8

Open Jazz Jam at the Colonial Tavern with rotating host bands..Colonial Tavern. 8-11pm. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Monday, March 9

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9 ,103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

CYT Fredericksburg’s presents Seussical! @ Spotsylvania High School Seussical is a bright show for all ages of Dr. Seuss. 4pm.

Tuesday, March 10

The Tonya Lazenby Jackson Trio @ Bistro Bethem 8pm – 11pm. No cover! Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm. Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Wednesday, March 11

Friday, March 13

Saturday, March 14

Sunday, March 15

The Children’s Museum of Richmond Fredericksburg branch 15¢ Kids Days. admission to children for 15¢

Monday, March 16

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen . 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 17

Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd.

406

World Language Day @ University of Mary Washington. UMW invites high school students of French, German, and Spanish to participate in its annual World Language Day.All Day

Bellydance Fitness Class @Bodyworks Downtown Atthletic Club, 7-8pm.

Kevin Caffrey @ Blackstone Coffee,1113 Jefferson Davis Highway 8pm A night of all original music.

Open Mic @ Amy’s Café, 7-9pm, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Sunday, March 22

Wednesday, March 18

Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show @ Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047. 10am-4pm.

Monday, March 23

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 24

406

Thursday, March 19

Wednesday, March 25

Friday, March 20

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage At.

Live Music. A wide variety of home-grown and new talent perform @Amy’s Café, 7 - 9, 103 West Cambridge Street, Historic Falmouth. amyscafefalmouth.com

Saturday, March 21

Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show @ Meadow Event Park, 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047. 10am-5pm.

The Approach @ Bistro Bethem 8-11pm. No cover!

Open Mic at the Rec Center 8pm .Scott Wagner hosts Sign up at 7, music at 8. 213 William St.

Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar . Featuring Chris, Phil, Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, March 26

Friday, March 27

Saturday, March 28

Rites of Spring Wine Festival @Isaac Walton Park 12400 Herndon Road, Spotsylvania, VA 22553. ALL DAY. 10 wineries, beer garden, local crafts and artisans.

Monday, March 30

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg’s best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd.

Tuesday, March 31

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service Companionship Meal Preparation Medication Reminders Laundry

Light Housekeeping Shopping/Errands Personal Care Flexible Hours

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

540-8 899-6 6787 16

March 2015

fortemusicstudios.com Front porch fredericksburg

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

2425 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

“Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

406

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March 2015

history’s stories

FREDERICKSBURG CANAL By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

The February FP issue with the story on the Rosella stirred up many questions about the Canal. I could fill up the entire issue of FP with information about the Canal, however, I will try to clarify some import points that you will be able to observe as you walk along the trail. The Fredericksburg Canal was one of four fall line canals designed to bypass the falls. The others were Petersburg on the Appomattox River, Richmond on the James River, close to Washington on the Potomac River and in North Carolina, Weldon on the Roanoke River. The beginning of the story or as some may say the end of the story took place on February 23, 2004, when the Embrey Dam was breached by the Corp of Engineers. The Embrey Dam AKA VEPCO Dam was built in1930 so that the waters of the Rappahannock could be diverted into the Canal in order to turn the turbines for Virginia Power to generate electricity for the City of Fredericksburg. When the waters receded with the destruction of the Embrey Dam there appeared a timber dam that was constructed in 1854. Virginia Power Left the crib dam in place and placed a marble plaque which has long since vanished. The canal boats used man power to go up river on the tow paths and pole upstream where no paths existed. At the Nick Lopomo foot bridge is the beginning of the canal basin (Pitt and Prince Edward streets) where the boats would end the journey. The merchants would come here in their wagons and carts to pick up the goods from upriver. From this point the waters would continue a straight run into the mills or in later years to power the VEPCO hydro plant that is still standing and will soon be renovated in to a business venture. Most of the basin has been filled in and is now residential property. We must remember that from approximately 1792 to the 1860’s the canal went through periods of planning, construction, reconstruction and abandonment. It was not until the 1970’s and 80’s that the local Council saw that the Fredericksburg Canal was worth saving for public use. After over 200 years the canal is still serving the citizens of Fredericksburg with its natural beauty. DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF MILDRED POWELL AND GLADYS TODD

If you have a question about Fredericksburg History, contact tuffy at frntprch@aol.com

Central Rappahannock

HERITAGE CENTER Volunteers needed to process historical documents and aid researchers. Training provided. Phone 540-373-3704 or email crhc@verizon.net Open to the public for scholarly research

The Heritage Center 18

March 2015

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

OUR HERITAGE

Barbara Taylor Hall

windows to the soul of a historic home

An Eye for Composition, A Love for Personal Expression

By Emily Taggart Schricker

By Susan Larson

Picture it —a beautiful historic home, an antebellum gem with a brick exterior, detailed moldings, and imposing chimneys flanking either end. It exudes so much grace and history a passerby can’t resist stopping to admire. But wait, something isn’t right. Something about it seems off and fraudulent. Like a knock-off Rolex or “krab” cakes. It’s the windows. The individual panes don’t each shine back reflecting the sun with detailed muntins dividing them. Instead, there is a strange bent reflection that looks like a large piece of cheap plexiglass with fake dividers. The historic fabric of this building has been lost and can never be replaced. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Original wooden windows can find a new life to keep a home sealed tight for another 100 years. After all, wood can be repaired to fix a window. Vinyl and aluminum cannot. Windows are rarely the largest contributor to energy loss in a home, although they often become the energy bill scapegoat and are promoted as the quickest fix. In fact, in 2012, the Federal Trade Commission charged no fewer than five companies for making deceptive claims about the energy efficiency of new windows. Originally, windows were simply holes in a wall, later covered in some fashion. The Romans were the first to put in glass, albeit not particularly transparent, and by the time Fredericksburg was founded, the material had evolved into a version of the historic glass we see today. The number of panes in a historic window can be a clue to the building’s style or period of construction. The Federal period buildings along the 700 block of Caroline Street are predominantly nine panes over nine

photo by danae peckler panes. In the late-eighteenth century, making a piece of glass any larger was difficult, and even fine houses, such as Kenmore, have a similar configuration. But as technology improved, larger panes became possible and more accessible to the middle class, allowing two large vertical panes per sash and eventually one large piece encompassing the entire width of the window. Windows are simple bits of engineering that can be easily repaired by a dedicated do-it-yourself homeowner, or if needed, a historically minded contractor. Still not convinced to keep your old windows? What if we told you that installing interior or exterior storm windows will get you a better return on your investment, AND you can retain your home’s historic character? Let’s talk more about this at the HFFI Historic Home workshop. For details, see below or visit www.HFFI.org. Have questions or need assistance with your window conundrums? Learn more about caring for your historic home at the HFFI Historic Home Workshop on March 21 at 10:00 a.m., Library Headquarters. FREE to attend; reservations requested by not required, 540-371-4504. Emily Taggart Schricker is a non-stop volunteer at HFFI and champion for the preservation of historic windows.

There were no art classes in the public schools Barbara Taylor Hall attended growing up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Fortunately her mother, Frances Taylor, was an accomplished artist. “Mother taught art in a very small school in another town, and she showed in galleries,” Hall said. Early on, mother told daughter that she had “the eye,” which meant a natural ability to compose. “My mother did very traditional art, so she was a little surprised by my direction [with abstract impressionism], but always very supportive,” Hall said. “She died a couple of years ago at 95, and I miss showing her my art and discussing it with her.” Hall is the March 2015 featured artist at Art First Gallery in downtown

“Taos” Fredericksburg. “Art, Distilled” will include 15 new works. “When you distill something, you boil it down to its essence – its most important part,” Hall said. “That’s my goal as I explore avenues that interest me, from the Kasbah in Tangier, to the Southwest with its vibrant colors, to the cool simplicity of oriental art.” Hall works mainly on paper with acrylics. She likes the texture of paper, and the ability to cut it into different sizes and shapes. “Acrylic is my preferred medium, because it allows the impulsive changes necessary to my process,” she said. That process has two steps. “The first step is the impulsive intuitive part, where I might pour paint, make random

marks and see where it goes from there,” she said. “The second step is the hard part. That’s the analytical.” Hall asks herself, “What have I got here? What does the painting want to become?” “That’s where I have to be brave. I have to take a chance, because taking a risk is how I get a good painting. If I play it safe the painting isn’t exciting for anybody. I like to surprise myself and surprise people.” “The hardest thing for me is when people say, ‘Where do you get your ideas.’ It’s very intuitive. It’s hard to pin down.” “I have discovered that I see one thing, and viewers see completely different things,” Hall said. “I love that, because I want my work to be a little bit mysterious. I want the viewer to be able to bring their life’s experience to it. I love to hear what people see.” Art was Hall’s avocation before it became her vocation. She drew and painted on her own, but pursued other studies and careers. She earned a major in English and a minor in history from the College of Wooster, and a master’s degree in teaching from Northwestern. She taught, was assistant editor of a magazine and worked for 19 years as a reference assistant at Central Rappahannock Regional Library Headquarters Branch in Fredericksburg. It wasn’t until she moved with her husband to Blacksburg, Va., that she studied art. She credits her experience at Virginia Tech with getting her started as an artist. “When my husband Phil went to Virginia Tech as a chemistry professor, I thought I’d love to take some courses,” Hall said. “That was where I saw art’s possibilities. I was exposed to a lot of different ways of doing art, and I was very influenced by the abstract impressionists — people like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Helen Frankenthaler. It just opened up the world to me. I did my share of the usual still life renditions and this kind of thing, but what was exciting to me was the personal expression.” When they moved to Fredericksburg, Hall focused on juried

exhibitions. “We’re so lucky here, because we have the opportunity to enter juried shows on a regular basis at Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (FCCA) and LibertyTown Arts Workshop.” “The thing I love most is entering juried shows,” Hall said. “Acceptance into a juried show is affirming, and it’s instructive to see your work hanging with the work of other accepted artists.” Juried shows led to Hall’s proudest accomplishment. She has signature member status in the Virginia Watercolor Society, the Southern Region Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. “That’s the holy grail for water-media artists” she said. There

are just a few hundred signature members nationally. Hall joined Art First Gallery, where she’s been a member for 10 years. She also shows her work at Stafford Hospital, Mary Washington Hospital, FCCA and LibertyTown Arts Workshop. “I’m always interested in places to show my work, and it’s always fun to show in places I haven’t been before,” she said.

“Art, Distilled” will be on display and for sale March 3 – 30 at Art First Gallery, 824 Caroline St., in Fredericksburg. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. A public opening reception is scheduled 6 – 9 p.m. during First Friday Art Walk, March 6.

Susan Larson is publisher of Fredericksburg[dot]Today, the locally owned, community-powered online news and information website serving the Fredericksburg region with free stories via computer, tablet and smart phone. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter (@Fxbg2day), too. photos by Susan Larson

“Glimpses IV”

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

history’s stories

FREDERICKSBURG CANAL By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

If you have a question about Fredericksburg History, contact tuffy at frntprch@aol.com

Central Rappahannock

HERITAGE CENTER Volunteers needed to process historical documents and aid researchers. Training provided. Phone 540-373-3704 or email crhc@verizon.net Open to the public for scholarly research

The Heritage Center 18

March 2015

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

OUR HERITAGE

Barbara Taylor Hall

windows to the soul of a historic home

An Eye for Composition, A Love for Personal Expression

By Emily Taggart Schricker

By Susan Larson

“Glimpses IV”

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Companions

Emancipated Patients

ANIMAL RITES, USA Pet Cremation Service

the story of josh hardy

winter weather wellness

by patrick neustatter, MD

By Alexis Grogan

Just like people, pets tolerance for cold is based on their, coat, fat storage, activity level, and health. Be aware of what your pet can tolerate and adjust to the pets comfort, in extreme cold weather shorten your dogs walks, if you have a

hairless pet cat or dog, use a heating blanket in their sleeping area set it to low. Arthritic pets may have a more difficult time walking in snow and ice and are also more prone to slipping, the long and thick hair pets have more tolerance for the. Old but are still at risk of the most common thing anybody can get during cold weather...frostbite. This is an extreme worry for any animal lover as well as veterinarians. If your pet is to get frostbite, here is what to look for, the affected area may be a pale grey color, to treat it you can treat it with a warm cloth, never use a hot cloth, doing so will separate the skin from the under tissue an will make the affected area more painful. Contact your veterinarian to have your pet examined and treated for frostbite and possible hypothermia. Keep

Full Service Hospital featuring: Grooming Salon Canine & Feline Boarding Dog Training with Play Time Alternative Therapies: Therapy Laser: Helps with Pain Relief, Decreases Inflammation & Enhances Healing Chiropractic Adjustments: Provides Comfort & Restores Motion & Function to many patients

Stacy L. Horner-Dunn, DVM Gary B. Dunn, DVM Melanie M. Bell, DVM Sandi L. Pepper, DVM

Melissa A. DeLauter, DVM Arlene M. Evans, DVM Jennifer V. Skarbek, DVM Sheree M. Corbin, DVM

540/374-0462 www.woahvets.com 20

March 2015

10 Walsh Lane Front porch fredericksburg

your pet warm, you can use a warm towel that you can throw into the dryer on the air fluff cycle. Do not give pain medication unless instructed by your veterinarian. When you get to your vets office, they will examine your pet and determine how extensive the damaged tissue is. They will prescribe antibiotics to prevent any further infection, and they will give a pain relief. If an extensive amount of tissue is damaged amputation is the last option. You’re probably wondering “how does my pet get frostbite, they don’t have exposed skin” but what you don’t realize is, your pets paw pads is skin, it’s very similar to our skin, if you put little booties on your pet for a walk to keep the paws safe and warm, keep doing it! Pets feel the heat and cold through their paws, with the long hair pets they stay relatively warm from their fur, but the short or no haired dogs, they need a jacket. Animals are people too, not joking. You take caution for yourself to stay warm, please do the same for your pets. You love your pets I love your pets and I don’t know them, take care of them like you do yourself. If it is snowing bring your pets inside immediately! The love and compassion you have for your pets should be greater than for yourself. Now if you don’t feel like walking your pet because it’s to cold, I’ll do it! Give me a call or send me an email. I will come walk your dog for you! I will come daily and walk your dog. I love your pets like they are my own.

When it’s time to say “Good-bye”

Private, Individual Cremation Personal Pick Up & Delivery Respect for all “Best Friends” Serving the Area for 11 Years Visit Us at Our Website: www.animalritesusa.com Call Us At: 540-361-7487 You may be familiar with Josh Hardy’s story. He’s the eight-year-old Fredericksburg native with cancer, who has become something of a national celebrity after receiving an experimental antiviral drug that saved his life. The aspect of the story that interests me is his family’s activism. They join the ranks of a few, what I call “medically emancipated” people/patients (people who are involved, informed, empowered, who hustle and are enterprising enough to get what they need). Josh had a bone marrow transplant in January 2014 as part of his cancer treatment. He was doing well until he developed an infection with an adenovirus – leading to multiple organ failure, and seemed sure to die if some effective treatment wasn’t found. Antiviral medicines are somewhat

Alexis Grogan is the owner of several pets and of “Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service”. She can be reached at 540-903-0437, lexig0892@gmail.com, or on facebook.

in their infancy, but the drug company Chimerix was conducting a clinical trial with an experimental, but effective looking antiviral drug, brincidofovir. This appeared to hold some hope for Josh, but Chimerix wasn’t playing ball. The trouble from the manufacturers point of view is, if a drug is part of a trial, you are liable to mess up your statistical results if you start adding people in while the trial is in progress. The only other possibility was so called “compassionate use” where the company supplies a relatively untested drug to people who have exhausted every other option on the understanding they are taking a risk. But Chimerix refused to do this for Josh. This is not a new problem. If trials on some new drug make it look like it’s a real winner, everyone wants it NOW, even if the trials aren’t complete – and trials can take years with the cumbersome protocols the FDA insists on. This was the story with Herceptin, a newly developed biological that inactivated the Her-2 gene in breast cancer and seemed to be something of a miracle drug. Women with advanced breast cancer not responding to other treatments claimed they “couldn’t wait for interminable testing” reports Siddhartha Mukherjee in his book The Emperor of all Maladies and were beating down the door of manufacturer Genentech. Josh’s doctors were asking “do you know anyone who can influence

Chimerix?” Josh’s mum, Aimee, told me in a phone interview. So they started contacting anyone and everyone they could think of – and Aimee put a post on Facebook asking people to call the company. That was a smart move. So many people called, it “lit up their phones” she told me. She also got to be on multiple TV talk shows, in the dramatic role as “the mother fighting for her child” she said. It worked, and Chimerix, rather than agreeing to compassionate use, created a brand new trial with Josh as the first enrollee. The brincidofovir seemed to do the trick and to date Josh is doing fine. His immune system is not quite up to snuff and his heart is not fully recovered, but he seems to be on the mend. So this is a great example of how, even in the field of medicine, where you expect the doctors to tell you what’s possible and what’s not, there’s room for patient enterprise. Lorenzo’s Oil is probably the best-known story of this kind (where the

parents of four year old Lorenzo Odone found an oil that dramatically slowed the progress of the degenerative neurological disease he was dying from). This story was made known by the film of the same name. Josh Hardy’s story is of the same ilk. A story of people refusing to take “no” for an answer.

NOTE: Follow Josh’s progress on facebook @ SaveJoshHardy

Patrick Neustatter, MD is the Medical Director of the Moss Free Clinic. He has a particular interest in stories of medically emancipated patients/people and would love to hear any stories of this kind from any readers. Contact him at pneustatter@aol.com

FREDERICKSBURG

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service “Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” - Lexi (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service” Prices: Dogs - $15 per canine per visit Cats - $12 per feline per visit

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Companions

Emancipated Patients

ANIMAL RITES, USA Pet Cremation Service

the story of josh hardy

winter weather wellness

by patrick neustatter, MD

By Alexis Grogan

Stacy L. Horner-Dunn, DVM Gary B. Dunn, DVM Melanie M. Bell, DVM Sandi L. Pepper, DVM

Melissa A. DeLauter, DVM Arlene M. Evans, DVM Jennifer V. Skarbek, DVM Sheree M. Corbin, DVM

540/374-0462 www.woahvets.com 20

March 2015

10 Walsh Lane Front porch fredericksburg

When it’s time to say “Good-bye”

Alexis Grogan is the owner of several pets and of “Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service”. She can be reached at 540-903-0437, lexig0892@gmail.com, or on facebook.

NOTE: Follow Josh’s progress on facebook @ SaveJoshHardy

FREDERICKSBURG

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Senior Care Successful or Resilient Aging? By Karl Karch

In December and January, I discussed the terms “positive aging” and “aging stereotypes” and their effect on older adults mentally and physically. Another term used quite often is “successful aging” which was developed to present a more positive view of aging. After all, who doesn’t want to be associated with success? However, what does it mean to age “successfully”? The most widely accepted scholarly definition of “successful aging” was developed by Jack Rowe and Robert Kahn in a 1997 published research paper. They defined successful aging as “including three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life” (Rowe and Kahn 1997). In more recent years this definition has been critiqued by other scholars because, not only does it focus too heavily on physical health, it also suggests that people should and can have control over disease, mental health, and well-being. While we all have some control over things like diet, smoking, and exercise, many chronic illnesses and disabilities are not within our control. One research study of 6,928 seniors found that only 18.8% of people met this physical criteria of aging successfully. When older adults are asked if they are aging successfully, they often respond that perfect physical health is not necessary for successful aging. Should gerontologists put themselves in the position of calling over 80% of our aging population “unsuccessful”? And, what are the implications of doing so? Quality of life or “success” in life should not just be measured by how others judge you, but more importantly by an individual’s own subjective assessment of their life. There are many cases where people overcome severe limitations to lead an excellent

March 2015

quality of life. One outstanding example is Stephen Hawking, who is arguably considered to be the greatest scientist in the twentieth century after Einstein. He is severely disabled, almost completely paralyzed, and wheelchair bound from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He developed the “big bang theory” and “big hole theory” among other contributions to science, and still teaches at MIT. Yet, according to Rowe and Kahn and many other researchers, he is deemed unsuccessful because he fails two of the three components of success: disease and physical limitations. Phyllis Harris, Ph.D. takes a different perspective on aging. She believes the goal should not be successful aging but instead should focus on the concept of “resilience”, the human’s ability to adapt and survive in the face of adversity. In her 2008 study, Harris focused on resilience by discussing how two people are “living with dementia, not dying with it”. They accepted their diagnosis and were not bitter about it. Both had positive attitudes and good problem-solving skills. They continued to be productive members in their communities, and continued to have positive long-term relationships with their families and friends. According to Harris, there is very little discussion about people with dementia being able to age successfully. Yet, there are people in the early stages of dementia who are living meaningful lives. Anyone has the possibility of achieving resilience, far more than 20% who meet the criteria of successful aging. And isn’t resilience, how we respond to adversity, what makes aging successful? Karl Karch is a local franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care, a licensed home care organization providing personal care, companionship and home helper services in the Fredericksburg and Culpeper region.

Front porch fredericksburg

Natural Health natural birthing options

Wellness the big impact of small organisms

By Suzy Woollam

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

When discussing natural parenting, often the conversation revolves around drug-free birth, pro/anti vaccination or the benefits of Breastfeeding. More and more however, the topic turns to the benefits and availability of placenta encapsulation, or placentophagy. Placentophagy, or consumption of the placenta, is regularly practiced by every mammal after giving birth, except human moms. Yet there is a steady rise in our society of moms who are discussing, researching and moving toward the practice of placenta encapsulation. And although the idea may turn the stomach of some, many new moms are reporting that the ingestion of the placenta shortly after childbirth has assisted them in repairing the body, increasing the milk supply, balancing their post-partum hormones and drastically cutting down in their recovery time. The process of placenta encapsulation begins during the pregnancy by contacting a midwife who is trained in placenta encapsulation. Arrangements will be made for recovery of the placenta after delivery, and then it is steamed, desiccated (dehydrated) and placed into capsules for ingestion by the mother. The capsules are then returned to the mother, generally within 72 hours. In addition, many midwives offer services such as placenta tincture, homeopathic, and even a placenta salve. Of course, the big question from most is…why? And is it safe? Studies have shown that not only is there no inherent risk to the mother from ingesting the placenta, but there are a number of benefits. Placenta contains hormones such as Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone, which can assist in decreasing depression and stabilizing emotions, Prolactin to assist in increasing milk supply and promoting natural lactation, Oxytocin with may help to decrease pain and Cortisone to help reduce inflammation and promote healing. Kimberly Koelbl, a Doula just

By Dan Czajka

outside Portland Oregon says “I recommend anyone with a history of depression or PPD encapsulate their placenta, as it provides the new mom with the necessary hormones to balance the body after childbirth and also helps to replenish depleted iron levels and helps the uterus to return to its prepregnancy state.” Local Massage Therapist Amy Lamb encapsulated her placenta after the birth of her daughter Iris in August. “I was first introduced to it while researching natural birthing options during my pregnancy. My midwife helped me to see that women from many cultures have been ingesting their placenta for thousands of years. I decided to encapsulate after learning of the possibility of my milk coming in more quickly as well as the reduced chance of postpartum depression. I also loved the idea of nourishing my body, and my daughters, with our own hormones rather than something from the store. My midwife collected the placenta shortly after my daughter’s birth, and returned it to me after the encapsulation. I ingested the capsules over an 8 week period, and made sure to keep some for those PMS symptoms that will return later. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, I felt great from the first day, and I will definitely do it again for my next pregnancy.” Although placenta encapsulation may cause squeamishness in some, if you are a soon-to-be mom, it’s worth talking to your midwife or health care provider about your options, as well as the benefits, for both you and your newborn.

Imagine a world where large communities of microorganisms live on and within your body, outnumbering your cells by more than 10 to 1. Does it seem hard to imagine? It shouldn’t, it’s the world we live in today. Now before you run to the cabinet to bathe in hand sanitizer or disinfectant spray, you should know that these groups of microorganisms are essential to our health. Many of us strictly associate bacteria and viruses with disease. While this is the case in many instances, humans greatly depend on bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to stay healthy. The National Institute of Health (NIH) claims that the human microbiome, the collection of all the microorganisms living in association with the human body, is essential to maintaining our health. Different microorganisms populate every region of our bodies and provide beneficial functions, including vitamin production, nutrient extraction, and boosting our immune system (NIH, 2014). The health of our microbiomes largely parallels our individual health. According to an article in The New Yorker titled “Germs Are Us,” our battle with microbes has been defined by methods of mass eradication. This approach has been successful at eliminating and controlling a number of pathogens; however, antibiotics, sanitizers, disinfectants, and antifungals do not distinguish between detrimental and beneficial microbes. Overuse and abuse of these antimicrobial products has devastated our microbiomes, ultimately impacting our health. Infectious-disease specialist Katherine Lemon claims conditions such as inflammatory-bowel disease, allergies, and recurring ear infections persist because of deficiencies in our microbial communities. In order to better understand our role in microbiome health, the NIH

began The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) in 2008. To date, the HMP has sequenced over 1,300 microbes, explored the roles of these samples in the microbiome, and identified three human enterotypes, the microbiome category classified by the dominant bacterial species. General differences have surfaced between more and less healthy individuals; such as, healthier people tend to have larger and more diverse microbial colonies compared to less healthy people. Despite this finding, specific concentrations of a given microbe and the composition of the microbiome as a whole varies significantly from person to person, regardless of health status. So what can we do to promote a healthy microbiome? Well, the answer is as unique as one’s microbial community, but there are some basic steps that can lead to improved microbiome health. According to microbiome researcher Jeff Leach of the Human Food Project, diversity in our diets is integral to enhancing the condition of our biome. The types and quality of foods we eat, dictate whether our microbes experience a feast or famine. Additionally, proper use of antibiotics, sanitizers, and disinfectants can limit the rapid destruction of microbial colonies. That is not to say that you should go for a dip in the local sewer system or never use these products, but that one should use these products only when necessary. As always, stay happy, healthy, and informed! Learn more about the HMP and how to get your microbiome sequenced at: www.hmpdacc.org/

Dan Czajka is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Fredericksburg Area HIV & AIDS Support Services and can be contacted at (540) 371-7532 or www.fahass.org.

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

~Nature’s Sunshine Products ~Quantitative Fluid Analysis ~VoiceBio Analysis ~ionSpa Foot Detox ~Zyto Bioscan Compass Natural Products for Health & Wellness

online: www.save7lives.org

Barbara Bergquist, CTN Board Certified Traditional Naturopath

891-6200

www.thenaturalpath.us

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg

in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Senior Care Successful or Resilient Aging? By Karl Karch

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Natural Health natural birthing options

Wellness the big impact of small organisms

By Suzy Woollam

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

By Dan Czajka

Dan Czajka is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Fredericksburg Area HIV & AIDS Support Services and can be contacted at (540) 371-7532 or www.fahass.org.

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

~Nature’s Sunshine Products ~Quantitative Fluid Analysis ~VoiceBio Analysis ~ionSpa Foot Detox ~Zyto Bioscan Compass Natural Products for Health & Wellness

online: www.save7lives.org

Barbara Bergquist, CTN Board Certified Traditional Naturopath

891-6200

www.thenaturalpath.us

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg

in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Art in the ’Burg by megan byrnes

“what the doctor saw”: the photography of seth craig by a.e. bayne

Seth Craig may be most familiar as a local physician, but after experiencing his new show people will remember him for much more. Spanning over fifteen years of cross-continental travel with an eye toward the natural world and native cultures, Craig’s photography will transport you to the veldts of Africa and dazzle you with the deserts of India. It will carry you from the coastline of California, to the peaks and valleys of the Adirondacks, to the banks of our very own Rappahannock River. With clarity and precision, Craig captures the rich biodiversity of our planet while infusing a sense of spirituality and universal meaning into each piece. Craig recalls the camera being an essential tool throughout his young life. His father fostered a love of video and camera work and provided opportunities for artistic expression. Craig remembers his father’s avid interest in capturing life on film, “I grew up in a little village in the mountains of upstate New York near the border of Vermont. The outdoors and nature were always restful, but also

stimulating for me. My father used photography as a hobby, as well. He owned a dark room, so we could develop our own pictures and experiment that way. He never had a show, but he had a 16mm wind-up movie camera, which was a good quality. He used it to take pictures on family trips and in the wilds when he went fishing with his friends up in Canada.” As he matured, Craig’s passion for photography complemented his personal and professional development as a physician. Inspired by Dr. Albert Schwitzer’s medical missionary work in Africa, Craig’s travels first took him to Paraguay, South America to work with people in rural villages. He explains, “Schwitzer’s greatest contribution was his reverence for all life and understanding the way it all affects each other.” With subsequent trips to Africa and India, as well as travels across the United States, Craig reveals these connections in his unique and detailed close captures of wildlife and the people living near it. From the mama cheetah

dutifully carrying her curious cub back to the fold by the scruff of his neck, to the elephant family nurturing a calf near a water hole, to the mother warthog leading three piglets in search of grubs, Craig’s photos strike universal chords in viewers. Each photo tells a story, and Craig eagerly shares his personal encounters with the humans and animals in his photographs. Craig’s work shows not only the nurturing of life, but the pitfalls and trepidations as well. In one dynamic piece, he captures the legendary wildebeest migration in Africa, wherein the action is visceral and the cycle of life is vividly apparent. He describes it, “There’s a big build-up at the top of the bank, and you see hundreds of these wildebeests amassing on the land. You know they’re getting ready to do something, and you notice one coming down and going back, then a couple more coming down toward the water. Finally, more and more pressure builds behind them, and they’re almost falling down the cliffs. One of

these cow-sized animals got devoured by a huge crocodile, and another had broken legs from stumbling down the cliff. It’s very dangerous.” Of this first show, Craig says, “I think these pictures are a culmination of where I am photographically now, and I do want to share my views of things with other people through my photography. I enjoy photography because it triggers memories, and you can relive it or analyze things you didn’t see the first time, kind of like reading a book for the second time. ” One of Craig’s photographs in this show will be raffled off for the benefit of Fredericksburg Counseling Services, which provides free counseling for the community. “What the Doc Saw” will be on display and for sale at Studio A & Gallery 1011A Princess Anne Street upstairs. Gallery hours MWF 10-4:00 or by appointment

Do YOU #lovefxbg? Of course you do, what kind of question was that? Last month the Main Street Program started a social media initiative to engage Fredericksburg residents with all the awesome businesses downtown by tagging their photos with #lovefxbg. Local artist Kevin Rodrigue even created a sculpture to honor the event which will tour the downtown area just waiting for locals and tourists alike to snap a photo with it!

Scene:

Sarah Lapp and Stacey

M Schultze celebrated the opening of their art show at Bistro Bethem last month with some majorly inspiring abstract art. Chris Limbrick and Crista Wren Fore showed up to check out the new work and as always nosh on some seriously tasty Bistro eats.

that there’s anything wrong with history, I should say for the record.

Heard:

Joy Crump and Beth

Black of Foode fame are teaming up for yet another delicious Fredericksburg venture with their new breakfast and lunch restaurant, Mercantile on William Street. If you’re interested, I guess I’d start lining up now because the eatery is sure to be a huge hit with waits that stretch long past the early morning hours.

Scene: Videoman Melvin Brown and Rae Moriarty, Hartwood Photography are joining forces creating a new wave of wedding coverage with Stellar Studios

Heard: I just saw Ian and Jamie

A.E. Bayne is a writer, artist, and teacher who has been a part of the community in Fredericksburg for the past seventeen years.

Happy March b’days

Scene:

Jannan Holmes picking

up lunch at Kickshaw’s Organic Market; Don Doherty walking his pup down William Street on a particularly blustery February day; Shandel and Joe Perron at duPont Hall for opening weekend of Drunken City; Jim Tharp hanging with friends at J.Brian’s one Thursday evening; Jay Starling (right) and the Brokedown Boys at the Sunken Well Tavern; Laura and Mike Craig at Peter Chang’s when the chef himself was in the building; Melissa and Jeremy Okrasinski sharing a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner for two at Kybecca; Neva Trenis at Patrick Neustatter’s birthday party with Earnest and Lynn Ackerman, Beate Ankjaer-JJensen and Paula Neustatter; Erin Martinelli stocking up on (below) the essentials pre-winter storm.

to,

Soper in Wegmans last month (if you happen to remember from my February article…) and had no idea that while wrangling their two daughters into the shopping carts they had a itty bitty baby secret they’ve only just recently announced - the family is expecting a fifth member into their family in June - Jamie is pregnant with a boy!

Welcome to the world miracle Mollie Javinsky (daughter of Jim & Robin). And hey, it may have been bitterly cold last month but at least Carl’s re-opened!

well, me and to Courtney Phillips and Elliot Currie and Rebecca Thomas and Kellie Walsh and Rebecca Klopp and Alex Capshaw-T Taylor , Jeremiah Lazenby, Sally Rhone Kubarak, Megan Hicks, Mary Despian, Hal Bell, Bob Sima, Gaye Adegbalola, Bran Dillard, Cathy Wack and Dawn Darby.

Heard:

Fredericksburg

was

named one of Virgina’s most exciting cities by a real estate blog called Movoto (yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either). There was quite a bit of lively discussion on Facebook of the merits of our town garnering such a prestigious honor (I mean) but I say…why not?? And good for us! And cool! Let’s not nay-say and nit pick and instead celebrate our recognition in a touristy area that has nothing to do with history. Not

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Art in the ’Burg by megan byrnes

“what the doctor saw”: the photography of seth craig by a.e. bayne

Scene:

Sarah Lapp and Stacey

that there’s anything wrong with history, I should say for the record.

Heard:

Joy Crump and Beth

Scene: Videoman Melvin Brown and Rae Moriarty, Hartwood Photography are joining forces creating a new wave of wedding coverage with Stellar Studios

Heard: I just saw Ian and Jamie

A.E. Bayne is a writer, artist, and teacher who has been a part of the community in Fredericksburg for the past seventeen years.

Happy March b’days

Scene:

Jannan Holmes picking

to,

Welcome to the world miracle Mollie Javinsky (daughter of Jim & Robin). And hey, it may have been bitterly cold last month but at least Carl’s re-opened!

Heard:

Fredericksburg

was

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

Val Folden coaching football & finances By blanton massey Virgil Alvis Folden, III (“Val”), is a with mediators and collaborative local Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) professionals where the focus was on who has been helping couples explore future planning, exploring interests and creative solutions to the division of assets needs and on seeking solutions that are in and income for divorcing families for over best interests of the children. 25 years now. He graduated with a B.S. in Val has continued to upgrade his 1975 from Virginia Tech, having majored substantive and procedural knowledge of in marketing, which he says gave him a divorce financial planning by obtaining a problem-solving orientation. After Master’s Degree in Financial Planning, graduation, his first use of problem- becoming a Certified Divorce Financial solving in the workplace was as a medical Analyst, qualifying as a registered federal practice manager. His next significant job income tax return preparer, studying to was as a life become an Enrolled It was only natural insurance salesman Agent with the IRS, with Massachusetts being trained in the that Val was attracted Mutual Insurance Collaborative Divorce toward working with Company, now Team Process and known as Mass mediators and collaborative joining the Fredericksburg Area Mutual Financial. professionals where the C o l l a b o r a t i v e The company looked focus was on future Professionals practice at life insurance as a tool in building a planning, exploring interests group. solid financial plan While at and needs and on seeking Virginia Tech Val had and not just as a solutions that are in best taken a course in product to sell. As part of his desire to coaching and enjoyed interests of the children. offer a more holistic it, so upon returning to and goal-oriented Fredericksburg he approach to financial planning, that would volunteered to coach “Little Football” for coordinate and integrate all aspects of a the Fredericksburg City Parks and Recreation Department. After 18 years of client’s assets and finances, Val decided to become a CFP®. little league football, he was asked to help He soon found that this holistic coach the Fredericksburg 8th Grade approach applied well to the underserved football team, and after 3 years of that he market for divorce financial planning. In was asked to help coach the Varsity team. his words, he saw that the court system, In 2000 he became head coach of the by entering a final decree of divorce, junior varsity football team at James Monroe High School, while continuing to brought closure to the marriage but that its primary focus on the past with only a assist Head Coach Rich Serbay with the narrow—the reasonably foreseeable-view varsity team. He continues to serve today of the future, ignored the parties’ great in both capacities. need for financial planning for their He is an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church, serving now as longer-term future. Parties were often left emotionally and financially drained and treasurer and having served various continued to have lives in chaos even after capacities for over 25 years. the divorce, based on the costs of Blanton Massey is a local lawyer, litigation and the financial terms imposed mediator and collaborative professional on them by the judge. It was only natural who often works with Val. that Val was attracted toward working

March 2015

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VA. WINERIES

FXBG Music Scene

offbeat wines win gold

Joanna Smith

by nancy bauer

by Ashleigh Chevalier Because she’s “all about that bass, bout that bass, no treble.” (Sorry. I just had to.) Joanna Smith is a bass player with passion, funk, and groove – everything a player holdin’ down the floor needs. Flash back to fourth grade in New York public schools: For no particular reason, Joanna picks the instrument twice her size, the double bass, most refer to as the upright bass. Thump. Thump.

Jefferson Vineyards 2010 Meritage on a 2015 Governor's Cup Gold Medal Quick: what’s your favorite wine? If your answer includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, you’ll find little to love among the recently-named gold medal winners in the Virginia Governor’s Cup. Just one Chardonnay and one Cab Sauv made the list, and no single varietal Merlots. Disappointed? Not so fast. Maybe it’s time to act more like a Millennial. In an article titled “Why Boomers Should Drink Wine Like Millennials,” journalist Annette Foglino reports that Millennials - those in their 20s and early 30s - “don’t mind being neophytes. Many a wine purveyor has heard this phrase from Millennials: ‘What a great list. I don’t recognize anything on it.’” That’s great news for Virginia. Foglino notes, “In a survey conducted by the Wine Market Council, 85 percent of Millennials ‘frequently’ or ‘occasionally’ purchase unfamiliar brands. That number drops to 76 percent for Gen X’ers and to just 61 percent for their boring old parents.” If, as the article claims, Millennials’ fresh approach includes relying more on their own taste buds, they’re going to have a field day in Virginia Wine Country this year. Tops among the Governor’s Cup Gold winners (Any wine made from 100% fruit is eligible for competiton) were 13 Meritage wines from 11 wineries. (Meritage - the word is a combination of merit and heritage, rhyming with heritage - is a dry red blend made from two or more of the Bordeaux grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, MalbecPetit Verdot, or Carmenère. ) Joining the gold medal group were two grapes making a big buzz in the state, Petit Verdot (five winners from wineries in the Northern Virginia and Charlottesville areas), and Tannat (three winners, including Fabbioli Cellars in

Leesburg, whose 2011 Tannat won one of 12 top spots in the Governor’s Cup Case last year). Perhaps the most unusual winner in the reds group is a Touriga Nacional, a Portuguese-heritage grape frequently used in port blends, which was crafted by CrossKeys Vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley. Keswick Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon and Sunset Hills’ Cabernet Franc also received golds. On the white side, judges favored three Petit Mansengs - including the truly awesome 2012 Petit Manseng/Viognier “Raisin d’Etre” from Michael Shaps in Charlottesville - and a reportedly exceptional Albarino from Ingleside Vineyards on the Northern Neck. Potomac Point won for their Chardonnay, and Rockbridge Vineyards’ scored again for their iconic dessert wine, V d’Or, an ambrosial blend of Vidal Blanc, Vignoles, and Riesling. In a nation where wine sales continue to climb - the U.S. surpassed even France as thetop market in the world in 2013 - Millennials may be the tasting room’s golden ticket. While the over-55ers are still the biggest consumers, drinking 41 percent of all wine, Millennials are picking up the glass twice as often as their parents -drinking 26% of all wine vs. their parents’ 13% at the same age. In the near term, at least, Virginia’s wine prospects seem pretty secure. Or at least until the Red Bull generation busts through the door. Several of the gold medal winning wines are within an hour’s drive of Fredericksburg, including Potomac Point Winery in Stafford, Ingleside Vineyards, Granite Heights in Warrenton, and Vint Hill Winery and Pearmund Cellars between Warrenton and Gainesville. Nancy Bauer and Rick Collier founded VAWineInMyPocket.com in 2010. Their new Virginia Getaways Passes go on sale in March 2015 at GoVirginiaGetaways.com

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg Call Us at 540-891-9911

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She followed on through, pursuing her degree in music, with a focus on bass performance at The University of Mary Washington. Most of her public school training was classically focused, but she joined the jazz ensemble in middle school and began to branch out, furthering her jazz studies through her high school years and on into her college and professional pursuits. At UMW, Smith studied with Paul Henry. “He can play everything.” Paul Henry, along with other musicians she has met and played with personally, inspire her to fulfill her vision as a self-sustained working musician. She comments, “I learned a lot about being a musician outside of academia.” Currently, Smith is having a blast driving the groove for The King Bolts, a true grit local Rock ‘N’ Roll band quickly heating up the Fredericksburg circuit and playing to full rooms every show. She agrees with King Bolts band mate Paige Naylor’s sentiment about the genre, appreciating the “simple structure with complicated emotion”. Smith, Part of 3 is her own jazz project, with Drew Hutchinson on guitar and Matt Major on cello. The acoustic trio performs a diverse range of jazz standards from classic to post modern and contemporary. They frequently perform a Tuesday evening at Bistro Bethem downtown. They are excited to perform the University of Mary Washington’s Jazz Fest, held Saturday, March 21 at 7:30p.m. Smith has played regularly with many local favorites, including the now Austin based Alex Culbreth, Karen Jonas,

Clay Motley, Bruce Middle, Piper, and Toby Fairchild, to name a few. It is the ever changing genre music-scape which keeps her inspired and creating. Creating the bass lines and improvising with jazz satisfies that need for creating. Here are a few fun things about Joanna Smith, the fab bass player: “I do five things,” she states succinctly, “ Eating. Sleeping. Reading. Running, and music stuff.” Q: Favorite Album: A: Hot Fuss, The Killers Q: Literary Genre? A: Historical Fiction Q: Wine, beer, or liquor? A: Wine. Liquor. Then Beer Q: Chocolate? A: Dark Chocolate Q: Cookies, Cake, Pie? A: Oatmeal Cookie over anything Q: Movies? A: Funny ones Q: Coffee, Tea: A: Coffee Don’t miss Smith, Party of 3 at the annual UMW Jazz Fest, Saturday, March 21. Ashleigh Chevalier is a Blues/Jazz/Rock Musican-Vocalist, Songwriter, Music & Media Journalist and, a mother living in Fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

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VA. WINERIES

FXBG Music Scene

offbeat wines win gold

Joanna Smith

by nancy bauer

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg Call Us at 540-891-9911

$599 Crown

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 4/1/15 A $239 .00 Value

$699

Per Arch Full Denture/Partial With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 4/1/15 A $1100.00 Value

Because we care for you! www.virginiadental4u.com 10524 Spotsylvania Ave. Ste #104 Fredericksburg, VA

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March 2015

FXBG-B B red Hero

Pure Pilates

John Paul Jones By Jacob Rupe

A little known fact among locals is John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War hero sometimes called father of the U.S Navy, has significant ties to Fredericksburg. John Paul stayed at the 501 Caroline Street residence for a period of his youth when visiting his brother William in 1761. William used the house as a gentleman’s tailor shop. John Paul would leave Fredericksburg to climb the ranks of the merchant shipping industry and become captain of his own ship. He built networks and investments in the Caribbean. Captain Paul would later return to Fredericksburg in 1774 as a felon fleeing murder charges. Captain Paul ran into trouble on route from Europe to the Caribbean island of Tobago. Once in Tobago his crew demanded advanced wages, but rough seas spoiled John’s cargo. Mutiny arose. The ringleader of the mutinous crew rushed Captain Paul and backed him up against an open hatch. Captain Paul drew his sword in self-defense stabbing dead the mutineer through his stomach. John Paul turned himself in immediately. The dead mutineer was popular; tempers on the island rose. One dignitary among John Paul’s network advised him to lay low before standing trial. For thirteen months, nobody had seen or heard from John Paul. One of many tall tales tells of Paul captaining a crew of Spanish desperados along the Caribbean, but no one really knows. John Paul surfaced in Fredericksburg with his now famous alias surname—Jones.

Jones expected to stay with his brother until he could safely return to Tobago and clear his name, but instead discovered his brother St. George’s buried in Cemetery. Towns in the 1700’s did not welcome strangers. Citizens openly gawked at strangers and expected them to have papers. Jones didn’t even have a real name. What Jones did have was a network. When Jones arrived in Fredericksburg our local Freemasons welcomed the Scottish initiated Freemason as one of their own. Jones could attend all meetings at the Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge which still operates today at 803 Princess Ann Street. Fredericksburg had a large Freemason presence. Jones likely witnessed the St. John’s Day parade, December 27, 1774, when Freemasons openly parade through the town. Jones spent over a year with the Fredericksburg Freemasons joining an elite class who initiated George Washington and provided seven Revolutionary War Generals. Jones spent most of his time in Fredericksburg studying, but managed time for a failed romance with Dorothea Dandridge. She later married Patrick Henry after his famous speech, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death.” Fredericksburg was a hotbed for conversations about freedom and enlightenment. After Henry’s speech, Jones and three dozen other Fredericksburg Freemasons volunteered for the war. The good people of Fredericksburg are responsible for shaping Jones, a troubled sailor, into a founder of the American Navy. Fredericksburg citizens welcomed and educated an immigrant influencing him to join the war. Today, a plaque at 501 Caroline Street “marks the only home in America of John Paul Jones.”

Valya Karcher

Your Life Patterns

By sarah Hunter

by Joan M. Geisler

Own The Movie A 40-minute film with aerial and underwater photography that tells the story of the Rappahannock River from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.

RAPPAHANNOCK MAJESTIC & HISTORIC

DVD $14.95; Members $11.96 www.riverfriends.org 540-373-3448 3219 Fall Hill Ave.

Renew

Imagine a method of exercise that combines slow and gentle movement to build core.strength while creating a flexible and balanced body. Imagine a healthy back and firm abdominals that support a beautiful posture. Now imagine that body is yours..This is Pilates Valya Karcher introduced Pilates to the Fredericksburg Virginia area in 1999.when she became the first Pilates instructor at Sport and Health, Highlander Health and Fitness, The Healing Arts Yoga Center and Paragon Gymnastics Training Center. In 2000, she opened Pure Pilates in her home studio. Today Pure Pilates is still a home studio that has expanded to 5 Reformers, Towers and a Ballet Barre. Pilates is one of the fastestgrowing forms of exercise that people of all ages and fitness abilities are turning to for help in rehabilitation, athletic performance, and injury prevention. Exercises designed to build strength as well as restore postural balance create a body less prone to injury, making Pilates a safe and effective choice for active aging populations. Now she is expanding again. Pure Pilates is hosting a weekend intensive Level

1 Reiki Certification Course March 14 &15! Reiki is the Japanese art of hands-on-healing. Reiki is the universal life-force energy. It is the loving healing energy that flows through; in and around all things all of the time that we can all use to help heal us, to comfort us and give us strength. In this course you will receive one attunement to the Reiki energy at this first level, the physical level, and learn how to use it to bring comfort and healing to yourself and others Valya says that some of the Reiki Healing Health Benefits include assisting the body cleansing in itself from toxins, deep relaxation aid allowing the body to release stress and tension, accelerates the body’s self-healing abilities, aids better sleep, reduces blood pressure, helps relieve pain, reduces some of the side effects of drugs and helps the body to recover from drug therapy after surgery and chemotherapy and can help with acute (injuries) and chronic problems (asthma, eczema, headaches, etc.) and aides the breaking of addictions. You can register at www.valya.net. Click on “Workshops/Certifications”. Prior to Pilates, Valya was a Child Development Specialist with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service at Virginia State University. She received her BS and MS from Virginia Tech in Family and Child Services and Child Development and her PhD in Social Policy and Social Work Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Pure Pilates celebrating its 15th Anniversary is located at 5504 Heritage Hills Circle, Fredericksburg VA 22407 Contact the Pure Pilates Studio: 540.226.0821, valyakarcher@gmail.com

Let’s go back to high school math class. We might need to go back to elementary school but the travel budget won’t allow it. In math class we learned that multiplication is a series of patterns. The number pattern that is repeated will give you your product. 2+2+2+2= 8 which we learned is 4x2=8. Same as in life. Your life pattern (habits) will determine your product (lifestyle). If you let me observe your pattern, I can predict your product (problem). If you do not like your product, your outcome, your problem, then change your pattern. If you feel sluggish, soft and lacking energy then a change in your pattern will change your product/outcome/problem. It is easy to see our problem without perceiving the pattern. Statistics show that only 31% of us will have kept our New Year resolutions to this point. Resolutions are like a Ferrari without gas, impressive to look at but they can go nowhere. Resolve won’t change what routine has created. Take a look at the pattern of your life. You might say “I am not hungry in the morning” but your pattern says different. You eat late at night and snack in front of the T.V. till midnight. Then you sleep till the last minute, skip breakfast, and wait till noon to wolf down lunch between appointments. You rush the children from one activity to the other while you all eat dinner from a bag. Then you ‘reward’ yourself with ice cream when you finally crash on the couch at 10 pm. This is your pattern. The product (outcome) is not being hungry in the morning. When we do not eat in the morning it puts our metabolism in a coma. No metabolism, means no fire to burn calories. Think of your metabolism as a bon fire burning up your calories. How do you build a fire? By adding a few logs a little at a time. Same with our

March 2015

As always…I am here to help you.

Joan M. Geisler ACE/AFAA is a Certified Personal Trainer, Lifestyle Nutrition Coach & Gold’s Gym Personal Trainer

Give a Child Something to Think About

Jacob Rupe is a senior George Mason undergraduate raised in Fredericksburg and interested in the arts. Reach out to Jacob at jrupe.gmu@outlook.com

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

pattern of eating. If we consume 5-6 small nutrition dense meals a day, we continue to keep that metabolism stoked and become calorie-burning machines. This becomes our new pattern. What if you make one little change to your pattern? If you do not like the product number 8, then adding another 2 will change the product to 10. Everyone wants to be a 10! Start with packing your lunch and 2 small snacks the night before and going to bed on time. Take the effort to make lunch and snacks nutrition dense. Find recipes for egg casseroles that are ready to re-heat and eat in the morning at home. A big pot of oatmeal with cut up apples, raisins and walnuts can be made up on Sunday night and re-heated to be eaten all week long. Cut up your vegies ahead of time to make them convenient to pack. It really is that simple. Math is simple. Cooking is simple. Gaining health is simple. But it takes effort. Change your pattern and you can change your problem. Pay attention to your own patterns. Change just one link in your pattern and you change your habit. Change your habit and you change your destiny. What patterns are you producing in your life? Do you want to pass them on? Thankfully, patterns are changeable and in your control. TAKE CONTROL! You will be glad you did.

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810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

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March 2015

FXBG-B B red Hero

Pure Pilates

John Paul Jones By Jacob Rupe

Valya Karcher

Your Life Patterns

By sarah Hunter

by Joan M. Geisler

Own The Movie A 40-minute film with aerial and underwater photography that tells the story of the Rappahannock River from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.

RAPPAHANNOCK MAJESTIC & HISTORIC

DVD $14.95; Members $11.96 www.riverfriends.org 540-373-3448 3219 Fall Hill Ave.

Renew

March 2015

As always…I am here to help you.

Joan M. Geisler ACE/AFAA is a Certified Personal Trainer, Lifestyle Nutrition Coach & Gold’s Gym Personal Trainer

Give a Child Something to Think About

Jacob Rupe is a senior George Mason undergraduate raised in Fredericksburg and interested in the arts. Reach out to Jacob at jrupe.gmu@outlook.com

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

Front porch fredericksburg

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

front porch fredericksburg

March 2015

My Favorite Places

Fredericksburg Sketches A visual Celebration of our community

March Pick: CMoR

By Casey Alan Shaw

By Callista Kathryn Dunn

Seems like just one more thing the Brits are putting over on the Irish. Can’t even use their own color on their race cars. Ah yes March is here. That transitional month where the birds sing, the air takes on a wonderful freshness and everything has about 2 inches of mud on it. The yard is soup and the voles and moles are breeding a fresh crop of tunneling terrors so you can twist your ankle in unnatural ways. Last fall you put everything away neatly in the shed and garage and put a car cover on your spring time ride and now you have spent a winter pulling things out and not quite putting them away. You just sort of set them inside the door. The car is now a flat surface for setting things on.

Q: How did you get all of these toys? A: The exhibits are sponsored by local businesses. Q: Are you planning any more exhibits in the future? A: There is some talk about an outdoor area but that is to still to be determined. Q: How did you decide to open up a children’s museum? A: A group of women had a small traveling museum called “Explore It!” They had a dream and eventually teamed up with The children’s museum of Richmond to create the Fredericksburg branch.

Fredericksburg Time Co.

NOTE: Callie’s parents hope to attend the fundraising event for the Children’s Museum of Richmond at Fredericksburg on March 14 from 7 to 11 PM to support one of Callie’s favorite places.

Six year old Callie Dunn loves FXBG. And really loves the restaurant @CMOR! (pictured above).

Yeah it’s March. There are a thousand things you want to get to but it is still too cold and there is that mud problem. Everything is muddy. The sun has made its turn in the heavens and is marching towards the solstice shining brightly through the living room windows revealing just how dirty those windows have become. But it is too cold and muddy to open up the house and do

SKETCH #5: The Presbyterian Church. As winter’s frigid touch finally begins receding, it’s time to start poking your head outside again. For March, I’m sharing a sketch I did of the Presbyterian Church that graces the corner of Princess Anne and George Streets. One brisk early spring morning not long after I moved to the Fredericksburg area, I joined the walking tour that gathers near the Fredericksburg Area Museum entrance on Saturdays. Among many fascinating memories from that tour were the stories surrounding this historic church. For me it’s a perfect example of what’s great about Fredericksburg. It’s an old building that continues to serve as a contemporary, living member of the community. But it’s also proud of the scars it has earned through the years. The cannon balls that still sit lodged in the church’s pillars where they landed during battle 150 years ago always serve as a great conversation piece when shuttling visitors through my adopted home. Casey Alan Shaw is a local artist. He exhibits his original artwork at Art First Gallery, The Museum Store and at www.caseyshaw.com.

Exclusively at

Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940

606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org

jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com

March 2015

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let’s go fly a kite

THE POETRY MAN - BY FRANK FRATOE

Latency

- By Frank Fratoe Often we are overwhelmed by the consuming hours that subvert and wither a desert of our own doing. Dormant now, we can stir like lilies which come up after abundant rainfall and expand into blossom They never die but wane for a spell of drought until moisture brings on the Eden aleady there.

Frank Fratoe lives & writes in the city.

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

By Jo Loving

anything about them. March it is. Do you have enough firewood to get through the winter? Almost? Maybe? If you get another load you’ll probably have to move the woodpile in the spring. But then there are those cold spring evenings and even colder rainy nights in June when a fire would be so nice. You might even have some left over that is nicely seasoned for the first fires in the fall. The mud will be gone by then. The infamous Mud March was right in our backyard in 1863. General Burnside tried to move the Army of the Potomac in a winter maneuver over this wonderful soupy whatever you call it only to find everything submerged in mud. Cost him his command. It is winter in Virginia and it is muddy. March is madness. Forget basketball it is the month that time forgot. The days are in the same sequence as February which is weird enough but it just refuses to be consistent in any way except its inconsistency. You can tell it is March because all your coats and sweaters are in your car having been cast off as the afternoon sun got warmer and you were overheating. Since you don’t have the discipline to bring the coats and sweaters inside when you get home you’ll grab another one out of the closet each morning until there are none left. Eventually you are wearing sport coats and evening wraps or the ones that are too ratty to donate and you only wear to the dump. Your kids just leave them all at school. So being March we need a reason to smile. One of the books I read a thousand or more times to my sons was The Happy Man and His Dump Truck. The happy man was always happy. He drove around in a big truck. You can take most anyone and put them in a big truck and they get a grin on their face. My wife Kathy even did a run or two in a 1964 Dodge dump truck smiling all the way. Bigger the truck, bigger the smile.

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back: a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. ~Anais Nin Our delightful 2-1/2-year-old granddaughter, Ava, (pictured) has stayed with us for the last few days. Being with her, we get to see the world through the eyes of innocence once more, and in seeing that innocence, we experience wonder. For a full hour yesterday, Ava told me a story. I had taken her to a park the day before, and she happily played on the swings and slides, mouth wide open with joy. So Ava’s story began with “one time, I went to the park with Gaga (her name for me),” and by the time she had finished, she had recounted several factual occurrences with delicately and deftly woven threads of fancy throughout the tale. If our dog, Seminole, walked through the room, he became the subject for a bit. If she saw the neighbor’s children in the yard, they, too, became stars of an act in her play. I was enthralled and impressed, both with the depth and breadth of the story, her gift of gab, her eloquence, and her glee as each new part sprung forward from her active imagination. Ava and her story engaged me for an hour, and after that hour, my memory was triggered and transported me to a time when my own children were

Every Child Deserves A Family

young. They were in elementary school. It was March, and we were on the cusp of one of our favorite seasons. The trees had started budding, and the weather had warmed a bit. After a long, cold, snowy winter, we were pleased to be able to enjoy more outside activities. One of these activities was kite flying. Our favorite kite-flying location was Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg. We packed a picnic lunch of sandwiches, carrots, and juice, loaded the kites, checked to be sure we had plenty of string, and made our way to the park. The Rappahannock River provided the perfect backdrop for our activities. The children ran and played, we laughed and dined al fresco, they scraped knees and elbows, and we kissed boo-boos, and listened as they taught each other how to fly the kite higher. April to Amber: “Amber, you have to run and hold it up, then let go and watch it.” Amber to Kenny: “Tilt it while you run, Kenny, then let go.” Kenny to April: “Unwind more string before you run, then it can take off.” As they flew the kites, they laughed loudly and shrieked with happiness. Is there any music greater than the laughter of children? Ava’s story yesterday engaged me, and brought back those happy days from so long ago. We will be packing a picnic and kites with her very soon, and can’t wait to start the new cycle of kite dreams with her. Jo Loving enjoys being GaGa to all four of her grandchildren. They are the dreams she threw into space like a kite

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

Remember April is right around the corner and we’ll forget all about the mud in March… Think Spring!

Tuesday - Saturday 10-5

212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9:30-6; Sat 9:30-5

Why isn’t it Irish Racing Green?

From My Porch

By Rim Vining

I went to the children’s museum (The Children’s Museum of Richmond at Fredericksburg) with my daddy and my brothers. I interviewed Anna Lincoln.

Q: Are there any upcoming events in March that you would like people to know about? A: March is Reading Month. Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 2 we will be reading from Golden Books. There will also be character appearances from the Golden Books.

AutoKnown Better

Rim Vining finds it easy “to be green”. Contact him at: autoknown@aol.com

Learn about our adoption opportunities Domestic & International

301-587-4400 Cradle of Hope Adoption Center front porch fredericksburg

Front Porch Fredericksburg March 2015

My Favorite Places

Fredericksburg Sketches A visual Celebration of our community

March Pick: CMoR

By Casey Alan Shaw

By Callista Kathryn Dunn

Fredericksburg Time Co.

NOTE: Callie’s parents hope to attend the fundraising event for the Children’s Museum of Richmond at Fredericksburg on March 14 from 7 to 11 PM to support one of Callie’s favorite places.

Six year old Callie Dunn loves FXBG. And really loves the restaurant @CMOR! (pictured above).

Exclusively at

Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940

606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org

jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com

March 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

let’s go fly a kite

THE POETRY MAN - BY FRANK FRATOE

Latency

Frank Fratoe lives & writes in the city.

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

By Jo Loving

Every Child Deserves A Family

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

Remember April is right around the corner and we’ll forget all about the mud in March… Think Spring!

Tuesday - Saturday 10-5

212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9:30-6; Sat 9:30-5

Why isn’t it Irish Racing Green?

From My Porch

By Rim Vining

I went to the children’s museum (The Children’s Museum of Richmond at Fredericksburg) with my daddy and my brothers. I interviewed Anna Lincoln.

AutoKnown Better

Rim Vining finds it easy “to be green”. Contact him at: autoknown@aol.com

Learn about our adoption opportunities Domestic & International

301-587-4400 Cradle of Hope Adoption Center front porch fredericksburg

Front Porch Fredericksburg March 2015