BEFORE & AFTER: WHAT TO DO WITH AN OUTDATED KITCHEN
LOCAL BAKER FINDS THE ‘WRIGHT’ STUFF
ASHBURN’S NEW MASCOT: MEET BURNIE THE BEAVER
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025
Doggone Good
Local company cooking up fresh food for dogs
Staff is friendly, and they even provide towels, degreaser and glass cleaner for you to use after the wash – a nice extra touch you don’t see everywhere. Highly Recommend!”
Interactive animal encounters
Tickets and Season Passes
Birthday Parties and Field Trips
Safari drive-thru & walkable zoo
Private events for large groups
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4
PUBLISHER
Bruce Potter publisher@ashburnmagazine.com 571-333-1538
EDITOR
Chris Wadsworth editor@ashburnmagazine.com
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Sales Leader: Connie Fields cfields@insidenova.com
Account Executives: Judy Harbin jharbin@ashburnmagazine.com
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ART DIRECTOR
Kara Thorpe
CONTRIBUTORS
Trevor Baratko • Kathleen Beck
Karen Feldman • Emily Seymour Astri Wee
PUBLISHED BY Rappahannock Media LLC • InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge, VA 22192 (703) 318-1386
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ON THE WEB www.ashburnmagazine.com Facebook and Twitter: @ashburnmagazine
Ashburn Magazine is published every other month and distributed to about 13,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Ashburn Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden. ©2025 Rappahannock Media LLC.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Names and faces
It was drilled into me early in my journalism career: Names make news.
As reporters, editors and publishers, we can write about projects and buildings and roads and plans and policies all we want. Some of those stories will be impactful, certainly. But the stories that have the most impact – those that are the most engaging – are stories about real people with real names and real faces.
That’s a philosophy we’ve tried to carry into Ashburn Magazine. When someone approaches me with a story idea, I’ll often say – especially if it’s about a business or organization – tell me about the people behind it. If their story is interesting, then the story about the business or organization will be interesting.
I think this month’s issue typifies that. It starts with our cover story (beginning on Page 28) about two young men who saw a need for a more nutritious dog food and figured out how to fulfill that need.
And now they have turned it into a legitimate business –and who wouldn’t love Bogey after seeing that photo on the cover? (Thanks to our amazing photographer, Astri Wee.)
And while our second feature this month is about kitchen updates, it’s told through the experiences of Joy Ferrara, owner of Ashburn-based Home Joy Designs, which was named Best Interior Design Firm in our 2025 Best
of Ashburn survey. And many Ashburn residents – including myself – can relate. As I learned last year, when you have a 25-plus-year-old house, updating the kitchen is often the most important thing to do before trying to sell it. That article begins on Page 36.
Elsewhere in this issue, we update you on Renee Ventrice, a local entrepreneur who has a new business and a new book (Page 44); introduce you to Jada Wright, who turned the pandemic trend of making sourdough into a business (Page 48), and – a personal favorite – connect you with Jimit Jhaveri, who has developed a unique brand of notebooks and other office supplies (Page 10).
We’re also introducing a new element this month: Health Connections, an advertising feature that spotlights local medical professionals, but in a similar vein – by introducing you to them as people (Pages 34-35). In our November/December issue, as you’re starting to think about those New Year’s resolutions, we’ll focus that spotlight on wellness, exercise and nutrition providers. And coming in January: Our first “Faces of Ashburn.”
All of this, we hope, will help you feel better connected to your neighbors and to this amazing community of Ashburn that we call home. Have a great fall!
BRUCE POTTER, PUBLISHER PUBLISHER@ASHBURNMAGAZINE.COM
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Best of Ashburn 2025 Award Winner
“It started out as a normal outing. My wife and I had to run to the grocery store. We were driving down the road casually going over our shopping list when the car ahead of me started to slow down anticipating the yellow light.
I started to move my foot from the gas to the brake as any normal person would do when they see brake lights in front of them but I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel my foot. The car kept moving forward and I just couldn’t get my foot on the brake. And CRUNCH! I finally came to a stop when I hit the car in front of me.”
SHE GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK
Local clinic has a modern, medical solution to treat your Peripheral Neuropathy and is seeing incredible results!
other host of problems.” This was the case with Dan “I said I wasn’t going to drive again. What if that had been a pedestrian?”
It is terribly common that peripheral neuropathy and its debilitating symptoms interfere with a person’s ability to live their life. Dan was now reliant on his wife to drive him around, even the simple pleasure of cruising down to play golf or taking her out to dinner was outside his capabilities. And even more common Dan’s general practitioner and several specialists told him there was nothing they could do other than prescribe him pills that would ease the pain of his neuropathy
“I can’t lie,” confides Dan. “I was skeptical at first. The folks down at my pain center told me there was nothing that could be done and then there’s a doctor right here in Loudoun who tells me she can help. Turns out she was right! About three months after treatment I was able to confidently drive myself to my appointments!
My wife and I celebrated by buying ourselves a new car! It’s hard to put into words how incredible this is, quite frankly [Rachal] gave me my life back.”
performance whether training solo or with a team.
WOMEN’S
Learn to lift heavy safely with barbells in a strength-focused program for women.
This tragic story was shared with us by Dan S an Ashburn resident, who has peripheral neuropathy. And while no one was hurt in this accident, Dan S. had suffered almost every day of his life with tingling and burning in his feet until numbness set in and he could no longer feel even the brake pedal beneath his foot.
“The first stage is pain ” shares Rachal Lohr, Acupuncturist of FIREFLY Acupuncture & Wellness. “ You feel burning, tingling, sharp pains, or you feel like you’re walking on tacks or marbles. This pain eventually subsides and the numbness sets in. Unfortunately the numbness brings with it a whole
That’s where Rachal Lohr and her staff at FIREFLY come in.
“About 75% of our current patients come to us suffering from the same condition as Mr. Dan,” tells Rachal.
“They’re in constant pain from neuropathy, and it prevents them from not only living their lives but, more importantly, it prevents them from enjoying it.
Depending on the severity of their nerve damage, we typically see tremendous progress in 3-4 months of treatment. I like to say we’re in the business of making your golden years golden ”
While FIREFLY specializes in acupuncture and it’s defin tely part of their protocols in treating neuropathy, the real secret is in a more modern medical solution called ATP Resonance B oTherapy™ “This technology was originally developed by NASA to expedite healing and recovery,” shares Taylor, a Senior Patient Care Coordinator at the clinic.
“It’s l ke watering a plant ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerve and prov de them the proper nutrients to heal and repair.”
You can learn more about Rachal Lohr, L Ac. at FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com. If you’re ready to schedule a consultation call (703)263-2142 and do so quickly
FIREFLY is a very intimate clinic, and the staff takes pride in the r ability to take their time with each patient, so they are very limited in their ability to take on new patients
Balls In The Air
Jugglers hone their skills with local club
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
The most common things to juggle are – of course – balls. Almost as popular are clubs (which look a little like bowling pins) and rings. Other items include something called “flower sticks” and – for the much more advanced and daring –even swords and torches.
You won’t find any flaming torches at the Ashburn Library on Hay Road where the Ashburn Juggling Society meets monthly. These are family-friendly affairs where
members practice together and show off their latest skills while also teaching the basics to novices and newcomers.
“Since we moved to the library, there are so many kids who walk by, so we often get a lot of families and kids that we teach,” said Adam Belsky, the club’s founder.
Belsky, who lives in the Broadlands, has been fascinated with juggling since he attended an afterschool program in middle school in Rockville, Md. He honed his
skills at summer camps that focused on the so-called “circus arts” and then he joined his college juggling club when he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
“They were pretty serious, and this allowed me to practice a lot,” Belsky said.
When he moved to Northern Virginia, he originally attended meetings with a juggling club in Fairfax County. But in 2017, tired of the long drive, Belsky created the Ashburn Juggling Society.
To learn more about the Ashburn Juggling Society and its monthly meetings, visit ashburnjuggling.club
Members of the Ashburn Juggling Society practice their skills at monthly meetings at the Ashburn Library.
Juggling is still a niche hobby, and the club has roughly 10 to 12 core members. If a meeting draws 15 participants, it’s considered a strong turnout.
Jerry Higginson has been a member of the club since about 2018, but, like Belsky, he’s been juggling for decades – so much so that he’s actually turned it into a lucrative side gig. You see, Jerry is also known as Jester Jerry and has performed at more than 2,500 community events and birthday parties around the region.
“I saw my first circus when I was 10 years old and I came home … and I taught myself to juggle three oranges in my front yard,” Higginson said. “That turned into a lifelong hobby and avocation.”
A typical meeting of the Ashburn Juggling Society includes catching up, talking to newbies interested in the hobby and working on skills together. One of those skills is the passing of juggled objects back and forth. In other words, one person starts juggling some clubs and then passes them while still in motion to another person.
“It’s really fun to practice that, so that’s a big part of the
meetings because you can’t do it at home alone,” Belsky said.
On occasion, the club members will take their “show on the road” so to speak and appear at local events either as entertainment or to just simply spread the love of juggling.
And that love of the hobby is the one thing that all the members have in common.
“The International Jugglers’ Association is a worldwide body, and their purpose is to, quote, ‘Render assistance to fellow jugglers,’” Higginson said. “Adam embodies that spirit in the Ashburn Juggling Society as well. What we do is render assistance to fellow jugglers.” A
Dreaming of Paper
Ashburn man launches notebook, office supply company
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
In this fast-paced world with digital content flying at you all day long, it may seem counterintuitive to launch a company making beautiful notebooks and other paper products. But Jimit Jhaveri says that’s exactly the point.
“Putting pen to paper remains one of the most powerful ways to stay grounded,” he explained. “It’s a proven way to improve focus, reduce stress and foster emotional clarity.”
Jhaveri – who grew up here in Ashburn and lives in the Broadlands – is the creator, founder and leader of myPAPERCLIP, a start-up that launched in May with a product line made up of notebooks, planners, journals, index cards, organizers and more.
The name myPAPERCLIP is meant to evoke one of the world’s simplest inventions – a small, humble tool that can bring focus and spark imaginations.
“A paperclip is clean, minimal and purely functional,” Jhaveri said. “It quietly holds things together without calling attention to itself, which feels like the perfect metaphor for the kinds of tools we create at myPAPERCLIP.”
Jhaveri works in the tech industry and is working toward a master’s degree in
Broadlands resident Jimit Jhaveri is the founder of myPAPERCLIP, a new company focused on carefully crafted notebooks and office products.
data analytics. He’s used these skills to research the market, build his website and conduct digital marketing. He’s also marketed the old-fashioned way – setting up a table at farmer’s markets around Loudoun County where visitors can explore his notebooks and other products firsthand.
Right now, most sales are handled through the myPAPERCLIP website, but he is working on expanding into retail stores. Currently, the company’s products are available on Walmart Marketplace, and Jhaveri expects them to be available on Amazon soon.
So how will myPAPERCLIP compete with the big dogs of the notebook and paper products world? We’re talking
about the Moleskins, the Marumans, the Leuchtturm1917s. The answer: paying attention to things others don’t.
“We obsess over details the bigger companies overlook – the precise weight of paper that prevents bleedthrough, the way a notebook feels balanced in your hand, the smoothness of the writing surface, how the binding holds up after months of daily use,” Jhaveri said. “These might seem like small things, but they compound in a completely different user experience.”
The materials – both the paper and other components – come from specialized mills across Europe and India.
Jhaveri is betting that people who appreciate quality will be willing to pay for his fine paper products. By way of example, notebooks from the myPAPERCLIP collection currently range from $14.95 to $26.95.
Other products in the future from myPAPERCLIP include wellness journals, pen holders, desktop trays and even specialized watercolor paper for artists. Seeing it all come to life is a dream come true for this Ashburn man.
“The most rewarding part has been the profound sense of ownership and purpose,” Jahveri said. “This is my vision, something I have built from the ground up, and I have the freedom to steer it in whatever direction I believe will serve our customers best.” A
ASHBURN PRIVATE SCHOOL
GOES NONPROFIT
ROUTE
The Loudoun School for Advanced Studies has shifted to a nonprofit business model, with a group of parents leading the charge.
When parents at the school on Ashburn Road received a call in early May that LSAS wasn’t reaching its financial goals and there were plans to close, they decided to take action. Now, just a few months later, the school has successfully welcomed students back for the fall semester.
Christine DeWitt, one of the parents leading the charge, said the private school has been transformational for kids – part of why she and other parents felt the need to pull together to keep it open.
“It’s such a special place where kids, maybe who struggled in the public school – not because there’s anything wrong with LCPS ... but just maybe for a certain kind of kid – really, really needed this community, this school, this learning environment,” DeWitt said.
DeWitt said the school has made it a point to retain as many teachers as possible. Around 95% of the school’s instructors have returned for this school year.
Similar to college, the Loudoun School for Advanced Studies offers students the opportunity to take classes based on interest and ability, not necessarily based on their age. Students take courses in the school’s “core” program, which includes traditional classes like mathematics, sciences, foreign language and language arts. But they can also take “signature” courses, akin to electives. Some of those signature programs include “myth, ethics and drama,” “writing in the wilderness” and “current events.”
The school, which serves grades 6 through 12, currently has about 25 students for the 2025-26 school year, down from roughly 35 the prior year.
Classes are currently being held at the school’s landmark building in Old Ashburn, but they will be moving to a new location near the George Washington University campus on the north side of Route 7 in Ashburn. The exact date of the move is TBD.
—Emily Seymour
Emily Seymour covers education for InsideNoVa. You can reach her at eseymour@insidenova.com.
‘I Voted’ Stickers Designed By Area Residents
Three Loudoun County artists have been named the winners of the county’s “I Voted” sticker art contest, and one of them is a recent graduate of Riverside High School in Lansdowne.
In July, area residents were asked to submit designs of a circle – 2 inches in diameter – that included the phrase “I Voted,” or a variation of the theme, and no more than four colors.
The winning design was created by Tonya Sutherland of Potomac Falls and features the state flower, dogwood, and the state bird, a cardinal, over the outline of Virginia.
Second place went to artist Melissa Lew of South Riding and features raised hands and a red checkmark.
The third-place design was created by Samantha Widjaja and depicts the U.S. flag and the Statue of Liberty’s torch. Widjaja just graduated from Riverside and is now a freshman at Virginia Tech.
The design by Sutherland will be used for stickers handed out at the Nov. 5 general election.
—Chris Wadsworth
Connecting the Community
Playing pickleball seems to make a lot of people happy – just take a look at the crowded courts around Ashburn. And now, a new Ashburn-based nonprofit is using pickleball as part of its kickoff of providing services and resources to the Loudoun County community.
Wellness Loudoun will hold a Pickleball Challenge fundraiser tournament on Saturday, Oct. 11. It’s part of the organization’s belief “that mental wellness starts with connection –connection to resources, to support, and to each other.” Everyone from complete beginners to those with 4.0+ DUPR scores are welcome to participate. You can find more details at wellnessloudoun.org/pickleball.
with events, activities and resources that promote all kinds of wellness – be it of the mind, body or spirit.
“With the rapid growth of Loudoun County … our community is facing longer waits when it comes to mental health care.
JENNIFER MARSHALL
We've also heard from people who are overwhelmed when it comes to trying to access care,” said Jennifer Marshall, the organization’s executive director.
“That’s where Wellness Loudoun comes in. Our programs and classes meet people where they are and help them to feel less alone and more supported.”
Wellness Loudoun aims to connect local residents
The organization will offer connections with support groups, monthly nature hikes, yoga classes, art therapy classes, individual counseling, a peer mentor program called “Bridging the Gap” and more. The Wellness Loudoun website also has an extensive list of area wellness organizations and providers that visitors can access.
Learn more about Wellness Loudoun at wellnessloudoun.org.
—Chris Wadsworth
There seems to be no age limit to pursuing dreams of stardom.
This was certainly proven true by the Ashby Ponds Drama Club when it recently performed the Broadway musical “Crazy for You” to rave reviews.
In the weeks before the show this spring, the cast and crew – among the 2,000 or so residents at the senior living community off Gloucester Parkway – rehearsed five nights a week.
Kathleen Beck is a fellow Ashby Ponds resident and was the director of the show. She shared some fun insights about how the show came together so successfully:
‘Crazy’ Seniors Shine at Ashby Ponds
“The Drama Club selected the Youth Edition of ‘Crazy for You’ with music by George and Ira Gershwin and book by Ken Ludwig. Youth adaptations are shortened versions of full-length musicals. With a running time of approximately 70 minutes and no intermission, ‘Crazy for You’ was perfect for both our senior actors and senior audience.
“The cast and all technical crews were made up of ded icated, hardworking seniors in their 70s and 80s from backgrounds with limited or no theater experience. They got involved because they had an interest in and love of theatre and wanted to learn something new.
“As the director, I was presented with a number of challenges. The 235-seat
You."
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Residents at Ashby Ponds in Ashburn in a recent performance of the Broadway musical "Crazy for
KATHLEEN BECK
flats with designs painted on both sides so our stage crew could easily rotate the flats to create backstage at a NYC theatre, Mainstreet in Deadrock, Nevada and inside the Gaiety Theatre in Deadrock.
A few chairs and boxes in different configurations created sitting areas, and projections on the upstage backdrop completed the three locations.
“The character list of ‘Crazy for You’ includes the Zangler Follies. How to costume and create Follies with our senior residents?
with each individual gown.
“The cast accomplished major goals. They sang to live piano accompaniment provided by our assistant musical director. They YOUR NEW FAVORITE BRUNCH IS CLOSER THAN
Ziegfeld’s Follies celebrated beautiful women, so our Follies were dressed as if attending a New Year’s Eve gala: sequins, gowns and fascinators designed to go
“Although I encouraged the cast to do research, I also cautioned them about watching full-length professional productions of ‘Crazy for You.’ We would not be tap-dancing on tables. During rehearsals, I was sensitive to physical, memory, visual, hearing and health challenges utilizing the cast’s strengths and minimizing and accommodating weaknesses. I reworked some musical numbers for ease of moving to the music so the cast would look and perform their best.
Attic Journals recycles discarded library books into book-lover’s journals, word-garlands and even jewelry. Ketterman ’ s has a selection of classics that make a great gift for the bibliophile in your life and their floppy disc note pads are sure to make any pre-Gen Z -er smile. (pictured right)
So much more than “just” a jewelry store
Falling leaves may signal the end of a growing season, but like so many things there is life left in those trees. Several of Ketterman’s jewelry and gift designers take this feeling to heart up-cycling everyday items into wearable and useful works of art and function.
Designer Phillip Allen Hefner collects authentic vintage handbag locks and real coins, embellishing them to be worn in jewelry. The bold look of mixed metals allows these fashionista favorites to fit seamlessly into any seasonal look. (pictured left)
What do clever shelf signs, rustic end tables, bottle openers and Lazy Susans have in common? They are all hand crafted out of recycled whiskey and wine barrels by our friends at Sono Inspired. This small family business in rural Arkansas gives new life and purpose to these coveted woods that were once used to age our favorite libations to perfection. (pictured right)
About Face is Ketterman’s in -house brand of watch-themed jewelry. Each piece is designed and crafted by daughter number five, Dillyn Ketterman. She gives the intricate innerworkings of watches more time to be enjoyed by disassembling retired timepieces and remaking them into necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets. (pictured above)
Is there something in your jewelry box that is past its prime? You have options! Ketterman ’ s can help you re-purpose your old favorites into another functional jewelry piece or trade them in towards something new to enjoy!
Set your intention for a (re)purposeful Fall
Only at Baker’s Crust will you find breakfast sandwiches crafted on legendary Ess-a-Bagel New York bagels, scratch-made
performed the entire script from memory. Every cast member learned how to create a character autobiography and then created a character with a first and last name and backstory. We spent one rehearsal meeting ‘everyone’ and their individual backstories. This created an onstage ensemble that interacted with one another and made it possible that if anyone forgot where they were in the script, the others could help them get back on track.
“For safety, set changes, entrances and exits were in ‘blue light.’ The cast entered already in character and
the audience watched as each scene came to life even before the stage lights came up full.
“The hard work of the cast and crews was acknowledged with full houses, standing ovations, repeat attendance and feedback that this was the best show to date. Several had doubted our choice of ‘Crazy for You’ but after seeing the show, they said it was definitely a huge success. The entire company set the bar high for the future and looks forward to taking on the challenge of doing the senior version of Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’ next spring.” A
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Meet Burnie the Beaver
Burnie the Beaver is the mascot of the new Ashburn Recreation & Community Center that opened in late July. Kraig Troxell with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services, answered our questions.
WHY A BEAVER?
“A beaver feature in the center’s leisure pool was designed by the architects of the building and quickly became a favorite of the staff. Having a beaver as a mascot, especially with Beaverdam Reservoir nearby, was a natural fit.”
WHY THE NAME BURNIE?
“The staff quickly chose Burnie’s name based on the center’s name and location, keeping the YOU in Ashburn.” [Editor’s Note: Get it? Burnie is short for Ashburn. Instead of spelling it the typical way – Bernie – they went with Burnie to keep the “U” in Ashburn.]
WHAT WILL BURNIE’S ROLE BE?
“Burnie has already played a significant part in the marketing of the center. In the days leading up to the ribbon-cutting and grand opening [in late July], Burnie was featured as part of a social media campaign called ‘Burnie Tested. Burnie Approved.’ Burnie was observed testing out the center’s equipment and amenities, including the fitness area and sensory room.”
HOW HAS THE COMMUNITY REACTED TO BURNIE?
“[Burnie] generated a lot of excitement with residents asking when they could bring their kids to meet him. Because of this interest, Burnie meet-andgreet sessions were added to the schedule of events for the opening weekend, and Burnie will continue to make appearances on social media and at the center’s future events.” A
The beaver feature in the Ashburn Rec Center's leisure pool that launched the Burnie craze.
‘A Place of Healing’
New park dedicated for fallen firefighter from Ashburn
BY TREVOR BARATKO
Trevor Brown was a rock. Whether it was answering a call for the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, hiking or, closest to his heart, caring for his wife and three children, the brawny, 6-foot-tall Brown was solid – always reliable, always steady.
On July 26, Brown’s birthday, in a modest, tree-lined Sterling neighborhood that could be mistaken for thousands of others across America, the Loudoun community unveiled a 4.5-ton rock – a boulder, more precisely – at the spot Brown died when a house exploded on Feb. 16, 2024.
On the boulder rests a plaque: “It doesn’t matter what bad events occur, there will always be good,” it reads. “I get stronger with each hardship I face. I learn and grow from all events, good ones and bad ones.”
Trevor Brown, an Ashburn resident, once spoke those words to his wife, Laura. She was in attendance for the dedication of FF Trevor Brown Memorial Park at 347 Silver Ridge Drive in the Seneca Ridge neighborhood — the exact site of the lives-changing home explosion caused by a leaking propane tank. The brooding boulder is the centerpiece of the park, watched over by a towering caretaker: a three-story-high oak tree that survived the fateful night. The property has been stocked with trees and flowers – junipers, hydrangeas, red maples and crape myrtles, among others –benches and fresh stone walkways. It’s a welcoming scene.
The rock is the perfect symbol, the per-
fect representation of who Trevor Brown was, said Jesse Michaud, Brown’s mentor at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.
“He was a big guy – a strong man, mentally and physically,” Michaud said. “If he said he was going to do something, he was going to do it. He was a pillar of the station.”
FF Trevor Brown Memorial Park is a story of the best of Loudoun County –one of neighbors, of friends and of strangers, who while thinking to themselves,
“Someone has to do something” to honor Brown’s sacrifice, realized they were, in fact, the “someone.”
Eight months after the fire, Steve Honard and his wife, Cheryl, bought the ravaged corner plot on Silver Ridge Drive. Residents of Seneca Ridge since 1985 – down the road from the site of the explosion – the Honards were determined to transform the property into a solemn place of remembrance rather than a searing reminder of tragedy.
Far left: Firefighter Trevor Brown. Left: A huge boulder and memorial plaque serve as the centerpiece to the new park. Above: Area residents gather for the park's official dedication on July 26 – which was Trevor Brown's birthdate.
Cheryl Honard’s father and stepfather were firefighters, something that sparked the desire to buy the property and create a tribute.
“She was just thinking, when she was young, she could never imagine them not coming home,” Steve Honard said. “It just tore her up.”
Kris Hjort, president of Sterling-based K&H Landscaping, didn’t blink when the prospect of creating the park came to his attention in late 2024. Community
and philanthropy are ingrained in Hjort’s philosophy.
“If there’s something I can do, I do it,” Hjort, an Ashburn resident, said. “I told Steve once we got the go-ahead, we’re not going to be moving slowly.”
Over the past year, a committee hellbent on making the park a reality hosted fundraisers to raise tens of thousands of dollars toward the project, their efforts culminating with the park’s opening.
Wearing a “T611” ballcap – Brown was
serving on Tower 611 in response to the fire – Steve Honard offered an anecdote encapsulating the park’s mission. He said a neighbor across from Silver Ridge was at her door as the explosion ripped the home apart. She watched as flames and debris flailed into the night, with reports of the blast being felt miles away. For months, Honard said, the neighbor stared at the unsightly property with a chain-link fence – a persistent, painful reminder of the devastation.
Then, weeks before the opening, the neighbor walked over to get a front-row view of the nascent park. It was the first time since the fire – the first time in some 16 months – she had crossed the street on which she lives.
That’s what the park is all about, Honard said. “For Seneca Ridge, we wanted to make this a place of healing for the community.” A
Trevor Baratko is editor of InsideNoVa. He can be reached at tbaratko@insidenova.com.
Style Reset
CALENDAR
For more events across the region, visit InsideNoVa.com/calendar.
2025 DULLES DAY PLANE PULL AND FESTIVAL
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
45023 BRAVO ROAD, STERLING
SATURDAY, SEPT. 13, 10 A.M.
The Dulles Day Plane Pull is both an intense competition and a lively festival. While the plane pull is the main event, the festival features a variety of activities and entertainment, including food vendors, live music and games for all ages.
2025 GIRL EMPOWER SUMMIT
NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE –
LOUDOUN CAMPUS
21200 CAMPUS DRIVE, STERLING
VENARDOS CIRCUS
LOUDOUN STATION
43751 LOUDOUN STATION DRIVE, ASHBURN
THURSDAY, SEPT. 18 TO SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, 7 TO 8:30 P.M.
Created by former Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Kevin Venardos, the Venardos Circus wraps worldclass, animal-free circus acts into a Broadway musical-style format dubbed “The American Circus with the heart of a Broadway Show.”
LEESBURG AIRSHOW
LEESBURG EXECUTIVE AIRPORT
1001 SYCOLIN ROAD SE, LEESBURG
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27, 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M.
AERIAL PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 1 P.M.
An annual celebration of all things aviation including aerial performances, aircraft of many shapes and sizes, experts from the Smithsonian, model planes, kids’ activities plus festival food and craft beer.
2025 LOCO WINE FESTIVAL
OLD FARM WINERY AT HEARTLAND 23583 FLEETWOOD ROAD, ALDIE
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27, AND SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, NOON TO 5 P.M.
Join your friends for this fall festival at one of Loudoun’s newest wineries. Enjoy tastings from local wineries while you meet the people behind award-winning wines – along with delicious food, live music and local artisan booths.
15TH ANNUAL EGYPTIAN FESTIVAL
ST. MOSES COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH
44710 CAPE COURT, NO. 130, ASHBURN SATURDAY, OCT. 4, AND SUNDAY, OCT. 5, 11 A.M. TO 6 P.M.
A weekend filled with authentic Egyptian cuisine, delicious desserts and cultural celebrations. Music, games and fun for all ages.
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT
SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY CENTER 14390 AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM PARKWAY, CHANTILLY SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 7 TO 9 P.M.
View the moon and other night sky objects during International Observe the Moon Night. This sky-gazing event will take place outside in the bus parking lot at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Experts will help participants use different telescopes to observe planets, stars and the moon.
BARK BASH
ONE LOUDOUN
EASTHAMPTON PLAZA, ASHBURN
SATURDAY, OCT. 25, NOON TO 3 P.M.
Bark Bash is an outdoor, Halloweenthemed festival, featuring local petfocused businesses, animal rescue groups and pet owners for a day of trick or treating, adoptable dogs, music, costumes and more.
MORVEN PARK INTERNATIONAL & FALL HORSE TRIALS
MORVEN PARK INTERNATIONAL EQUESTRIAN CENTER 41580 SUNDAY MORNING LANE, LEESBURG
THURSDAY, OCT. 9, THROUGH SUNDAY, OCT. 12
TICKETS:
One of the top equestrian events in the region, featuring the U.S. Equestrian Open Eventing Final, the USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships and the US Eventing National Championships League Finals. General admission is free, but VIP tent and tailgate passes are available. A
DoggGoodone Local company cooking up fresh food for dogs
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
It sounds like something you’d see in a TikTok video. A row of dogs lined up and a hibachi chef cooking food and then tossing tender morsels through the air into the eager canines’ gaping maws.
But it’s a real event, one that has taken place numerous times around Northern Virginia – and it’s all a promotion for the fresh dog food brand Bogey’s Mix.
“The dogs are catching it in mid-air and it’s just a fun time,” said Zach Feldman, founder and co-owner of Bogey’s Mix. “Once the chef is done cooking all the ingredients – turkey, egg, sweet potato, broccoli and quinoa – he mixes it all together and all the dogs get a bowl to take home.”
“Data shows dogs on a fresh diet live an average of three years longer,” Feldman said. “For some dogs, that’s 30% of their life.”
[Editor’s Note: We checked – and indeed a 2003 study by Belgian scientists showed dogs fed fresh food lived – on average – 32 months longer.]
‘DUKE’
The idea for Bogey’s Mix started years ago and came from one of Feldman’s lowest points. His first dog was a German Shorthaired Pointer named Duke. He was an active dog that never tired of playing catch with a Frisbee.
Feldman lives near Bles Park on Ashburn’s north side with his wife, Caroline, and his boxer named – yep, you guessed it – Bogey. Feldman’s business partner is Adam Totter of Long Island, N.Y. The men are best friends from their college days at Penn State University. Together, they are trying to create fresh, thoughtfully produced dog food that will keep your pooch happy and healthier longer – maybe years longer – than cheaper, mass-produced products.
“You could throw it 100 times, and
he would never run out of gas,” Feldman recalled. “In 2018, when he was 8 years old, I was throwing the Frisbee to him at Wolf Trap Park and he just started to walk back really slowly. I took him to the vet.”
What followed was heart-wrenching – a tumor on Duke’s spleen had burst. He was gone in a matter of days. Feldman started to research dogs and illnesses and food and was horrified to discover the low-quality ingredients used in some cheaper dog foods and also a growing concern about the possible presence of carcinogens in some kibbles.
In a sad coincidence, Caroline Feldman also had a beloved dog die from cancer, so when the couple got a new puppy – Bogey – in 2022, they took a different approach.
“We were like, ‘OK, let’s change things up. Let’s try to do something different to extend his life,’” Feldman said.
The couple knew they wanted to switch to fresh food and for a while, Bogey was fed The Farmer’s Dog, a national brand of fresh dog food that customers order online and have shipped to them. But Feldman said it broke the bank – costing between $500 and $600 a month.
“It was very frustrating,” Feldman said. “And then Caroline said ‘Hey, Zach, why don’t we make his food?’”
A COMPANY IS BORN
And that’s what they did. Bogey was soon eating home-cooked meals each day as Feldman learned more and more about the pet food industry. He consulted with canine nutritionists, experimented with ingredients, and then started brainstorming with his pal, Totter.
“We’re very entrepreneurial,” Totter said. “Zach and I have had many different businesses over the past 10-plus years or so.”
It’s true. Since both men graduated from Penn State in 2015, Totter has worked in the corporate security industry developing personal protection products.
After a stint in the U.S. Air Force, Feldman worked in the tech and health industries. But his love of animals has been ever present. In 2021, he and Caroline developed and launched an app called Pals, where dog owners could connect to set up play dates and find dog-friendly venues near them. That experience was the seed that ultimately led to Bogey’s Mix.
The duo officially launched Bogey’s Mix in the summer of 2024. They spent the rest of the year testing various
Zach Feldman (left) and Adam Totter (right) pose with Feldman's dog, Bogey (middle).
100 Years of Roots & Growth
recipes, getting the proper licenses and fine-tuning their business plan.
They set themselves up at the ChefScape commercial kitchen facility in Leesburg and started producing batches of fresh dog food. They launched a website to market and sell their products and started holding doggy hibachi demonstrations and speaking to would-be customers at farmer’s markets around the area.
“It’s been freaking awesome,” Totter said. “We do great at in-person events where people can talk to us directly. People really get a sense that we have put a lot of work into this, and we really care about having the highest quality product available.”
The current recipe has the cheeky name “Bogey’s Mix Turkey Feast Mode.” Feldman says it costs customers from $1 to $15 a day, depending on the size of the dog and the meal plan chosen. A new
Penny is a 2-year-old Standard Goldendoodle who may be on the small side but makes up for it with boundless energy.
“She is a very friendly puppy,” Parker says with a laugh. “She loves people. She loves to play ball.”
Originally, Penny was fed standard pet food – “kibble and canned stuff that looks like mush,” according to Parker. But the family soon noticed that Penny had a bit of a sensitive stomach. They switched her diet around, even experimenting with making their own pet food for her. But that was time consuming and expensive. Then they bumped into the Bogey’s Mix team at a farmer’s market in Ashburn. Parker hoped their recipe would be a solution for Penny’s dinner-time woes – and she also liked supporting a local business. Bogey’s Mix delivers its fresh-made food to Parker’s home each Saturday. It comes frozen, and she thaws it before serving it up to an eager Penny.
“She will wait for us to put it in her bowl and, boy, it’s gone in a sitting,” Parker said. “She definitely likes the food.” Penny and Parker appear to be right on trend. According to a study released by the financial institution CoBank, sales of fresh dog food have increased by 86% since 2021.
THE PLAN
Right now, the team at Bogey’s Mix is focused on growing its customer base here in the Washington area. Spreading beyond that is certainly a possibility down the road, but for the next three to five years, they feel like this area is a good fit for them.
Feldman says he has crunched the numbers and, based on stats and surveys, he estimates there are nearly 120,000 dog-owning households that make over $100,000 a year and –Far left: Some lucky pups get treats hibachi-style at a promotional event for Bogey's Mix dog food.
importantly – have expressed interest in fresh pet food.
“That’s important because these are people often more willing to spend money on nutritious food for their dogs,” he said.
One other goal: moving out of the rented space and setting up their own Bogey’s Mix kitchen that will be 100%
dedicated to their products – hibachi chef hats and all.
That facility will be overseen by Judson Smith – nicknamed the “Kitchen Boss” – another Northern Virginia native who is joining the company as a new partner. He’ll be handling all the production operations, making sure every batch of Bogey’s Mix is cooked perfectly.
“Our goal is to get as many dogs as we can on fresh food. We’re looking at 12,000 to 15,000 dogs in the next few years,” Feldman said. “And we don’t want to become a corporate type of company, where they start to slack on the quality of the food and ingredients. We aren’t going
Meet some of Ashburn's top medical providers in this new feature.
Carol Williams-Nickelson, PsyD
CLARITY PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, LLC Coming
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in Psychology (BS) from Brigham Young University, Master’s in Psychology and Marriage/ Family Therapy (MS) and Doctorate (PsyD) in Psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University; APA-accredited internship at University of Notre Dame; Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology.
EXPERIENCE: Dr. Williams-Nickelson has 20-plus years of experience in psychology, medicine, education/training and leading national nonprofits. She and her team enjoy working with clients from all stages across the lifespan to identify, diagnose and treat the full spectrum of mental health concerns.
CERTIFICATIONS AND HONORS: She has chaired and served on boards of directors for many charities, educational
institutions and healthcare nonprofits. She is well-published in her field, has delivered many presentations at scientific conferences, and received many awards for her contributions to psychology and medicine.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY: With her team, Dr. Williams-Nickelson provides individual, group, couples and family therapy, psychological testing, educational consulting and skills coaching, along with workshops, retreats, camps and therapy programs to help people experiencing acute, life stage and chronic issues.
WHAT SETS YOUR PRACTICE
APART? As a boutique practice, we carefully match you with a clinician with whom you feel comfortable, who has the necessary expertise to help you and who will provide tailored services using proven approaches to support you in
Dr. Susmita (Misty) Paul
BASICS FIRST CHIROPRACTIC
EDUCATION: Dr. Paul earned her B.S. from Union College (N.Y.) and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, Mo.
EXPERIENCE: Dr. Paul has practiced chiropractic care across multiple states since 1989 and has brought her expertise to families in Northern Virginia since 2008.
CERTIFICATIONS AND HONORS: Voted Best Chiropractor in 2015 by Leesburg Today’s Best of Loudoun poll; praised for excellence in patient-centered care and natural pain relief.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY: Specializing in chiropractic care for all ages, from prenatal to the centenarian. Focusing on posture, injury recovery, natural pain management and slowing down the aging process.
WHAT SETS YOUR PRACTICE APART? We offer state-of-the-art therapies, such as high-powered medical grade laser, and FDA-approved noninvasive Softwave Therapy (stem-cell regenerating) to relieve pain, prevent recurrence and offer an alternative to surgery.
defining and reaching your mental health goals. We focus on quality over quantity and nurture caring relationships that are genuine, respectful and trusting.
Michael J Schreck, MD
ORTHOVIRGINIA
EDUCATION: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Orthopedic Hand/Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship, 2017; University of Rochester Medical Center, Orthopedic Surgery Residency, 2016; SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Doctor of Medicine, 2011; Cornell University, BA, Film Studies, 2005.
EXPERIENCE: Eight years of practice experience. Previously worked at level one trauma center in Syracuse, N.Y. Experience with complex hand trauma, microvascular and nerve surgery, in addition to elective hand surgery. Practicing in Virginia since 2023.
CERTIFICATIONS AND HONORS: Board-certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Hand Surgery.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY: Hand Surgery.
WHAT SETS YOUR PRACTICE
APART? At OrthoVirginia, I am able to offer a full range of services to treat hand-related issues. We have in-office x-ray, as well as splinting/casting/ bracing. Our Ashburn location has a minor procedure room, allowing the convenience of having basic procedures performed directly in the office. Additionally, on-site PT and hand therapy make our office a truly one-stop shop for comprehensive care.
Dated Ashburn kitchens are getting modern makeovers
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
The first major planned neighborhood in Ashburn was Ashburn Village – given the green light by county officials in 1985. Since then, the community has grown rapidly: Ashburn Farm, the Broadlands, Lansdowne, Brambleton and on and on.
Many of the homes around us were built in the 1990s and the so-called “aughts” of the early 2000s. But those homes are now 15 to 30 years old – so for many homeowners it’s time for a change.
“I felt it was outdated,” Susie Carrillo said about the kitchen in her Broadlands home that was built in 2006. “It had an aging color palate – it was basically all one color of wood from the cabinets to the floors.”
Carrillo, along with her husband, Nino, and their three daughters, moved to Ashburn from Texas in 2022. They knew pretty quickly that they wanted to give the kitchen a makeover.
“I wanted it to feel warm and welcoming yet also be functional – that was the main goal,” Carrillo said.
That’s where Joy Ferrara, owner of Home Joy Designs, came to the rescue.
more about the Carrillo’s project and how local residents are embracing an “out with the old and in with the new” attitude.
The Big Island
The number one thing that is changing about modern kitchens is the size of the island, according to Ferrara. She says many kitchens have a large square footage, but the old islands were built too small for the scale of the room.
Nowadays, large islands with seating or cabinetry (or both) are often a must for families who gather around it, dine around it and entertain around it.
“We expanded the footprint by a couple of feet,” Ferrara said about the Carrillos’ island. “We basically took the original one out and started from scratch – more cabinets on both sides and a pull-out trash can. They probably have double the square footage of storage.”
Let There Be Light
Certainly, hundreds upon hundreds of Ashburn homes once had dainty, bellshaped pendant lights hanging in the center of the kitchen. They were “de rigueur” for the era. But no longer. Big, bold “statement” lighting is what new kitchen designs demand today.
Susie Carrillo eschewed going too modern, instead opting for some “classic modern” vintage-inspired milk glass lights that are a little oversized compared to what builders put in years ago.
“I wanted something current, but
In with the NEW
The Carrillos brought Ferrara to come in and remodel their kitchen. Ferrara just happens to have been named Ashburn’s best interior designer two years running in Ashburn Magazine’s Best of Ashburn contest. We sat down with Ferrara to find out
also timeless,” Carrillo said. “As soon as you walk in now, it’s hard to decide where to look first – everything is a statement – but the lights are definitely beautiful.”
It’s All About The Hood
“The lighting and range hood pair together and this tends to be kind of the showpiece of any kitchen,” Ferrara said. Yes, range hoods used to be more utilitarian than stylistic – often an angled metal “roofline” over the stove. Even the frequently seen upgraded curved glass hoods don’t cut it these days.
“Now, we’re often doing custom range hoods in various types of wood tones that might match the island, but contrast elsewhere in the kitchen,” Ferrara said. “We’re doing fun things with these design elements.”
What’s With That Desk?
One of the hot trends when many Ashburn homes were built was the inclusion of a small desk in the kitchen. The idea was probably that a homeowner would sit there and work on meal planning or paying bills, or perhaps a child would do homework
there. But let’s face it – they often turned into a catch-all for stacks of mail, school books, maybe some mittens or even a dog toy.
“It’s not really practical,” Ferrara said. “People don’t want their bills out in a high traffic area where other people are going in and out. A desk in the kitchen has just become really outdated.”
In the Carrillo home, the makeover saw the long desk opposite the butler’s pantry get removed and replaced with an oversized 42-inch-wide refrigerator with French doors and a drawer freezer on the bottom – another popular item in modern kitchens.
Ice Ice Baby
Speaking of refrigerators, units with a water and ice dispenser on the front are out of fashion currently. Ferrara says this has led to an increase in the requests she’s receiving for separate, standalone ice makers, often placed in the aforementioned butler’s pantry.
ice cube they preferred with acrylic ice cube samples,” she said.
In addition to oversized fridges and ice makers, the third leg of the refrigeration stool is under-the-counter beverage coolers, be it for beers, soda cans, sports drinks or bottles of fine wine. Ferrara says she puts them in most kitchen projects these days.
Other changes common in newly designed kitchens include a move away from bright whites towards creamier whites. Butterscotch and dark wood
tones are being removed and replaced with shades of walnut and white oak.
Navy was big as an accent color, but now it’s moved toward French blue, shades of green and even “greige” – a combo color of grey and beige that is in style right now. Quartz is the hot material for countertops for many homeowners.
Many of these features were incorporated in the Carrillos’ project, and Susie Carrillo is thrilled with the results.
“I’m very grateful that this is the kitchen we get to have in our home,” she said. “It’s unbelievable. Every day, I’m in awe when I walk in.” A
Susie and Nino Carrillo with their three daughters.
ASHBURN'S TOP 10
20147
$1,850,000
THE BIG PICTURE:
The local real estate market picked back up in July as home sales were up 17% in the two Ashburn ZIP codes combined, compared with July 2024. Countywide in July, home sales were up 1.5% compared with the prior year, the 11th straight monthly increase.
MORE INVENTORY COMING ONLINE…
New listings continued to rise –although not as fast as earlier in the year – up a whopping 42.9% in the 20147 ZIP code and 4.8% in 20148, according to the latest data from the Dulles Area Association of Realtors. Countywide, listings were up 15.4%. As a result, median prices actually declined slightly again in Ashburn, and homes are staying on the market three weeks or more before selling.
Pour Your Heart Out
Way back in our second issue (May 2019), Ashburn Magazine profiled local businesswoman Renee Ventrice. At the time, the Broadlands resident owned a wine tour company and did marketing for a mobile dog spa service. She also told us about the time she spent 20 minutes dancing on stage with iconic musician Prince at a concert in Munich.
Fast forward six years and much has stayed the same – Ventrice still resides in the Broadlands with her husband, Don, and she still lives and breathes all things wine.
She sold the tour company, but has turned around and started her own wine-themed events business, hosting wine dinners. She also advises other small businesses on self-promotion. And she’s written her first book, titled “Pour Relationship Choices.” The subtitle: “Every Sip Tells a Story Beyond the Glass.”
“You pour the wine, Renee spills the tea,” the back cover reads. “Each chapter uncorks the uncanny similarities between
the wine in your glass and the people in your life, making it equal parts relatable and ridiculous. You’ll laugh. You’ll cringe. You’ll cry and you’ll drink.”
“People like the idea of seeing themselves and their relationships as a wine – they like the originality of it,” Ventrice said. “It’s a quick, easy, fun read and people are excited to learn what their ‘pour-sonalities’ are.”
The book is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers as well as Ventrice’s website (reneeventrice.com).
As for the new author, she’s not sitting on her laurels. She had so many new ideas and revelations while writing “Pour Relationship Choices” that she’s planning a whole series of books.
“I’ve already got the names of the books picked out. Now, all I have to do is write the chapters,” she said. A
—Chris
Wadsworth
Ventrice autographs one of her books at an event promoting its publication.
Ventrice will talk about her book with anyone who will listen, human or otherwise
Dish
ashburn baker discovers bread lovers are sweet on sourdough
on the rise
BY KAREN FELDMAN
S
ourdough bread –with its tangy flavor, crisp crust and springy crumb – results from a gradual merging of flour, water and tiny bits of microscopic magic – wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria.
That’s similar to the gradual way in which Jada Wright turned into a baker of all things sourdough, which she produces in her micro bakery – also known as her family’s former dining room at their home in Brambleton.
Wright describes this unexpected culinary turn as “life altering.”
“I always found love in baking, but I had never made sourdough bread,” she said. “Like a lot of first-time moms, I became hyper-aware of what I was putting into my body. I started reading food labels more carefully and quickly realized a lot of what we eat, especially packaged and store-bought options,
isn’t always nourishing or simple.”
Her research led her to sourdough and its benefits.
“It felt like a way to return to real food for me and my growing family,” she said.
It took seven attempts for Wright to bring to life her first sourdough starter – a process that requires a precise mix of water and flour, then time for atmospheric microbes to join it, creating the living, breathing culture.
“Jane Dough” – all self-respecting starters have names – was born. (Wright’s other starters are “John Dough” –which is gluten-free and still in development, and “Cocoa Noir” – which is chocolate.)
She made plain and cinnamon raisin loaves the first time. “My first two were perfect,” she said, adding that family and friends pronounced them “delicious.”
“It was wholesome,
homemade with no preservatives, no shortcuts, all organic using filtered water,” she said. After a few months of development, she began offering them to family and friends, then neighbors and co-workers, all to more acclaim.
In 2024, she turned her passion project into a business and launched Wright’s Daily Bread –making a wide variety of products: traditional loaves, sandwich and sweet breads, baguettes and bagels, pizza dough, naan, corn bread, cookies, dog treats and even products that help lactating mothers boost milk production. That last one is a subject close to Wright’s heart, she says, because of the distress she felt when it took her two weeks after her son’s birth to produce milk. She also offers compound butters: blueberry honey, caramelized onion and thyme, pumpkin spice, garlic herb and
customers speak out
Cheryl Colbert of Arlington connected with Wright on a baking site during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once Wright began selling her products in 2024, Colbert quickly ordered plain and cinnamon roll loaves, which Wright personally delivered. She’s been a customer ever since.
“I can eat anything that doesn’t have [commercial] yeast,” Colbert said, something many mass-produced sourdough breads contain. “When realized could eat her bread, started adding one piece with butter to dinner every night and two on Saturday.” It’s also meant the establishment of a treasured family tradition: “My family has cheese fondue every Christmas with her baguettes,” Colbert said. “It’s delicious.”
Jada Wright
others as the seasons change.
By day, Wright is an administrative support assistant at the Fort Belvoir Teen Center, a government-run program. Besides the administrative tasks, she views herself as a “big sister” to teens of military families. She’s taught them how to
bake, mix flavored butters and even make apple dumplings.
“I aim to be a steady, supportive presence who encourages creativity, confidence and self-expression,” she said.
After work, she makes the hour-long commute to her Brambleton home, spends some time with
her son and grabs dinner. Then, she bakes – filling online orders and preparing for the Sunday Brambleton Farmers Market. She starts baking around 7:30 p.m. and works until about midnight. On dough-making day, it might be 3 a.m. She is grateful for her mother, a retired veteran who has backed her on this project, and her sister, both of whom join her at night to help. (A growing staff also manages business matters so she can focus on baking.)
Ultimately, she’d like to have a brick-and-mortar bakery – “something old school, with a momand-pop vibe where you get to see all they have to offer and a room just for pantry staples
eating local
“We are always looking for fresh, minimal-ingredient alternatives to storebought products,” Evans said. “Our entire family was immediately hooked.” She loves the rosemary cheddar while her children go for the plain,
often with butter or fruit preserves on top. She feels good about buying healthy products for her family and supporting local businesses.
“Jada is a hustler who always has a big, beautiful smile on her face,” Evans said.
“We buy four loaves at a time, slice it and keep it in the freezer. Once we are down to one loaf, it’s time for me to place another order. We can truly taste the love in every loaf.”
Traci Evans of Ashburn found Wright’s Daily Bread at the Brambleton Farmers Market one Sunday.
Above: Team members Alexandra Thomas (left) and Tirtho Chakraborty (middle) show off Wright's Daily Bread products with company founder Jada Wright (right).
A pit bull named Diesel brought Jenna Sullivan of Purcellville and Wright together. Wright’s family rescued the dog from a bad situation, and Sullivan’s family adopted it. Then she found out Wright made sourdough bread.
“I love sourdough,” she said. “Jada’s is the best I’ve ever had. Her breads and butters are incredible. My kids are big fans of her bread, cookies and pancake mix, and Diesel can’t get enough of her dog treats.
“Jada is not only a talented chef but also an incredibly kind person whose love for life shines through in her baking.”
– flours, granolas, pancake mixes.”
She’d also like more time with her 2-year-old son, Mesiah. And she is working on a degree in early childhood education, one course at a time. Meanwhile, she has no plans to give up her day job, a role she believes her experiences as a military daughter help to inform.
“I love children,” she said. “I will never not do that.” A
To learn more about Wright’s Daily Bread and its products, visit wrightsdailybread.com
Karen Feldman is a career journalist who has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers and magazines around the country.
Servicing Ashburn
In a RUSH
Local couple
goes all in
on the world of franchising
BY CHRIS WADSWORTH
Daryn Allday has a fitting last name – because this busy businessman and entrepreneur is on the go all day long. Not only is he a husband and a father to three kids, but he also is the local franchisee for the Rush Bowls restaurant brand. He and his wife, Michelle, own the franchised açai bowl and smoothie shops in the Brambleton Town Center and the Ashbrook Commons shopping center, both in Ashburn. The couple, who live in Willowsford, also own two local Hotworx fitness centers – also franchised – in Ashburn and South Riding. With so many regional and national franchise brands coming into Loudoun County, we wanted to find out more about the pros and cons of life as a franchisee, so we rang up Allday for a chat. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
Why did you decide to go the franchise route when it came to opening a business?
“I had sold my home healthcare company, and we knew we wanted to stay in the health and wellness space. We were looking for something and Hotworx came across the table – and my wife’s theory was, ‘Let’s do something turnkey.’ Same thing when it came to Rush Bowls.”
What do you mean by “turnkey”?
“Operationally, you don’t have to think. They give you a list of what you need to order. If I had opened an açai bowls store on my own, I would have had to figure out, ‘Do I need this freezer? Do need this cooler? Do need this fridge?’ Instead, they give you the list of what you need.”
I understand they kind of give you a roadmap to follow from the store’s design all the way to opening day and beyond.
“They help you with your buildout. We give them the details about the space, and they have an architect who does the layout. Checklists for opening and closing, shift changes, all the documents that you would have to create on your own, they provide. There are a lot of benefits – if you don’t have the time to create everything from scratch, everything is ready for you.”
Menus at chain brands are always changing with new specials. Is that part of the attraction?
“Rush Bowls is great at staying on top of trends. In August, we rolled out coldbrewed coffees. We had never had coffee in the store before, but it was a request from multiple franchisees, so now the company has a partnership with La Colombe coffee, and we are offering four different cold-brewed coffees. Over the summer, they offered Rush Revivers. Those were our infused lemonades that we hadn’t had in the past and they did really well.”
Are there any drawbacks to being a franchisee?
“The biggest drawback for me is that you are paying to use their name and you are paying for what they teach you – but two or three years down the road, you’ve probably learned everything you can, but you’re still paying them. think that is something that people could get frustrated with – but you just need to understand it – that’s what you signed up for.”
What about people who say they would rather support a mom-andpop business versus a big brand?
“We’re 100% a mom-and-pop. The only thing that is different between us and a mom-and-pop is the name and the fees we pay. We are still a locally owned business. We’ve lived here almost 14 years. My wife and both work at the stores. You can come in on any given day and see us there. Our kids are in local schools. My daughter plays volleyball and swims for the community swim team every summer.”
You have two Rush Bowls already and you’re planning at least three more under your agreement with the franchisor. Why is having multiple stores important?
“People think you own a business so you must make a lot of money. That’s not always the case. We go through the same struggles everybody else does. One store will have a good day, while another store has a bad day. It’s not always glorious. bought all of Loudoun County for Rush Bowls as our exclusive territory because believe in the product and knew that we were going to need more than one location to support our family and long-term have something of value.”
You opened your first Hotworx in 2021 and your first Rush Bowls in 2024, so you’re several years into this franchising world. Has it been worth it?
“Whether it’s Hotworx or Rush Bowls, we are providing something that’s beneficial to the community, and think that’s really the joy that Michelle and I get out of it.” A
The Allday Family
DishTRY
Keep on Rolling
Mr.
Sushi
& Mrs. Roll
44110 ASHBURN SHOPPING PLAZA, NO. 182, ASHBURN 19302 PROMENADE DRIVE, LANSDOWNE MRSUSHIMRSROLL.COM
When it comes to cute names, Mr. Sushi & Mrs. Roll is a clear winner. It’s also a winner for its menu of both Japanese and Korean cuisine. Originally starting out as a kiosk in Ashburn’s Lotte Plaza Market grocery store, the restaurant grew popular enough that it moved into its own space in Lansdowne and then expanded to a second spot in Ashburn Village.
“Sushi is the poetry of the sea.” The person who first said that is lost to the ages, but it still holds true. The patience and precision needed to prepare it. The balance of flavors, textures and presentation in the final dish. All are like the carefully crafted lines in a poem. Ashburn has plenty of places for sushi – here are four solid contenders in the area to try.
Passion Fin
42780 CREEK VIEW PLAZA, ASHBURN PASSIONFINASHBURN.COM
Akira Sushi Bistro
20035 ASHBROOK COMMONS PLAZA, NO. 176, ASHBURN AKIRASUSHIASHBURN.COM
Akira Sushi is one of the granddaddies around here, at least in a relatively young community like Ashburn. It opened in 2005 – and is still going strong. Online, fans rave about the friendly service, the fresh flavor of the fish and the signature Firecracker roll in particular. After two decades, Akira must be doing something right. A
Passion Fin is the 500-pound gorilla in the room. There are lots of places for sushi, but there’s only one Passion Fin. It’s been open for more than a decade, and it’s still crowded, with a wait many nights, especially weekends. From its famous Redskins roll – renamed the Ashburn Roll – to the beloved manager Star, who greets everyone with a broad smile or even a hug, Passion Fin is a “star” of the Ashburn dining scene. Matsupoke
44260 ICE RINK PLAZA, NO. 107, ASHBURN MATSUPOKESUSHI.COM
A relative newcomer, having opened in 2024, Matsupoke differs from other area sushi joints by being a “fast casual” restaurant. That means you order at a counter or a kiosk and then pick up your food when it’s ready. Nevertheless, there have been plenty of positive reviews for its sushi and sashimi, including fun dishes like the UFO roll, the Nippon Burrito roll and the Fire Crunch roll.
– Chris Wadsworth
The new Casa Tequila Bar & Grill has opened since our last issue. Found in the Ashburn Village Shopping Center, Casa Tequila serves up everything from nachos and tamales to carne asada, fish tacos and steak burritos. This is the fifth location for the brand after Sterling, Purcellville, Alexandria and Lorton.
According to documents filed with Loudoun County, a new Kokee Tea shop is being planned for the Ashbrook Commons shopping center at Route 7 and Ashburn Village Boulevard. The bubble tea shop – which already has another location in Ashburn at Goose Creek Village –specializes in milk teas, fruit teas, cold brews and more.
The latest news from the local restaurant and food scene – powered by The Burn. For more details, check out at TheBurn.com and follow The Burn on Facebook and Instagram.
coming
By the time you read this, the new Bkd Bagels at the Brambleton Corner Plaza in Ashburn could be open. At press time, they were aiming for early September. This will be the fourth outlet for the Leesburg-based brand, selling their freshmade bagels and bagel sandwiches.
Loudoun County’s first Falafel Inc restaurant has opened in Ashburn. The growing chain has moved into a spot at One Loudoun next door to &pizza. Falafel Inc specializes in falafel – a Middle Eastern dish made with chickpeas, spices and fresh herbs rolled into balls and fried. They serve it in a pita sandwich or a bowl with a variety of other ingredients and toppings.
The Taco Shop & Bar opened on Truro Parish Drive in Ashburn at the end of July. The new Mexican restaurant took over the spot vacated by Neighbors Bar & Grill. The menu includes all the traditional favorites, plus it has a full bar. It’s also getting early rave reviews for its unique Mexican-themed desserts.
Construction is underway on the new Curry Pizza House in the Loudoun Station development. The national brand is moving into the Washington market, and Ashburn will be one of its first outposts here. It features a menu with traditional pizzas as well as pizzas with popular Indian flavors such as Chicken Tikka and Chili Paneer.
A new restaurant specializing in Peruvian cuisine should be opening in Ashburn any time now. The Machu Picchu Restobar is named for the famed 15th century ruins in the Andes Mountains of Peru and is coming to the Ashbrook Commons shopping center. Specialties of the house will include Peruvian classics such as ceviche, lomo saltado and pollo a la brasa.
A new sweet shop called Creamus Dessert Shop has opened in the Lansdowne Town Center. It’s in a space adjacent to the Oseyo Korean BBQ. The shop carries a unique dessert called a “croyaki.” It’s a cross between a croissant and a taiyaki, which is a Japanese cake-like pastry cooked in the shape of a fish and stuffed with various sweet or savory fillings.
Putt Social Ashburn an indoor miniature golf venue with an arcade, bowling and a full restaurant and bar, is reportedly taking over the space that used to be occupied by The Zone at the Loudoun Station center off Shellhorn Road.
The new Makers Union Pub has officially opened in the Goose Creek Village shopping center in Ashburn. It’s the first location for the local DMV brand in Loudoun. Makers Union took over the space that was previously the Social House Kitchen & Tap. Both brands are part of the Thompson Restaurants family.
Shah’s Halal Food is open at the Ashburn Farm Market Center. The fast-growing national restaurant chain features a menu filled with various meat and rice platters as well as salads, gyros, burgers, French fries and more.
The Rebel Taco restaurant at the Brambleton Town Center has closed after three years in business. It was once a part of a small chain in the greater Washington area, but it appears all the locations have closed. We were told that Rebel Taco may reopen elsewhere in the Ashburn as a fast casual restaurant versus a full-service, sit-down restaurant, but no other details to report on that yet. A
Quality of Life
Ashburn-based
Step Sisters marks 20 years of helping women in need
ORGANIZATION: Step Sisters
FOUNDED: 2005/2014
FOUNDERS: Ashley Campolattaro, Angela Fuentes
PURPOSE:
Bringing quality of life care to those facing breast cancer in Northern Virginia
WEBSITE: stepsisters.org
Destinae Nacin knows of what she speaks. Today, she is the executive director of Step Sisters, a well-known Ashburn-based nonprofit that provides assistance to breast cancer patients. But a decade ago, Nacin was one of those patients herself.
“I received some of the services from the Step Sisters. That’s how I came to know them” Nacin said. “I really felt connected with them – somebody in my community who was kind enough to do something so simple.”
After making a full recovery, Nacin started volunteering
with Step Sisters, becoming more and more involved until she started leading the organization in 2024.
Step Sisters is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It was back in 2005 when a group of Ashburn neighbors started participating in breast cancer walks and raising funds for breast cancer research while supporting friends who were undergoing treatment.
The organization grew and in 2014, Step Sisters shifted gears and established its own 501(c)(3) charity led by members Ashley Campolattaro and Angela Fuentes. The reason –they felt the funds they raised could be better spent here locally than being distributed by other groups elsewhere.
The group started making care packages for breast cancer patients filled with items such as warm socks, lip balm, hand sanitizer and peppermint candies. And services such as house cleaning, meal prep and rides to medical appointments were offered.
In 2017, Step Sisters took a major step in a new direction and established a crisis fund – providing critical financial assistance to breast cancer patients.
“It can help with mortgage payments, rent, utilities,” Nacin said. “We just saw a need where people
were putting off treatment because of financial struggles, so that’s a big part of our budget these days.”
IMPACT
2024 PROGRAM SPENDING
- $11,952
- $15,250
- $18,815
- $42, 280
- $44,868
- $44,869 2023 - $60,542
- $88,639 2024 CRISIS FUND SPENDING 92% Rent/
2024 PATIENT CARE BAGS
975 Patient Care Bags distributed to women in Loudoun, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties.
SOURCE: Step Sisters
Putting off life-saving treatments in order to pay the rent or keep the electricity on. These are the types of real-word problems facing many breast cancer patients. The crisis fund – and the need – has grown every year, and, unfortunately, the Step Sisters team expects that to continue.
As the charity enters its third decade, its goals include to pair up with more medical partners like hospitals and clinics and subsequently reach more patients. It’s also looking to expand its footprint more widely in the four Northern Virginia counties it currently serves and perhaps beyond.
Whether it’s socks and peppermints or helping cover someone’s gas bill, the Step Sisters continue to be there for patients across Ashburn, Loudoun County and the wider region.
“We’re just trying to meet the patient wherever there is a need,” Nacin said. A
—Chris Wadsworth
HOW TO HELP
To learn more about Step Sisters, volunteer or donate to support the organization, visit stepsisters.org.
Step Sisters founders Angela Fuentes (left) and Ashley Campolattaro (right).
Patient Care Bags assembled by volunteers with Step Sisters include items such as peppermint candies, lip balms and warm socks.
The Step Sisters team celebrates with women who have been helped by the organization at its yearly Survivor Tea.
DESTINAE NACIN
—Dave Hallock
