Get Out Loudoun for November 2023

NOV 2023

Gila

The Champion Page 6

Loudoun Now Your guide to Loudoun’s Entertainment Scene

Bring Loudoun Home for the Holidays! #TakeLoudounHome this holiday season and set your Thanksgiving table with an array of artisanal goods made locally.

Scan the QR code to start planning!

#DCsWineCountry | #LoveLoudoun | #LoCoAleTrail 2

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NOVEMBER 2023

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Inside: GET OUT LOUDOUN Get Out Loudoun is distributed monthly to entertainment, tourism, and hospitality venues throughout Loudoun County. For the latest news on the music scene and other community events, go to getoutloudoun.com.

CONTRIBUTORS Renss Greene Hanna Pampaloni Norman K. Styer

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WINE Eight years ago, Jon and Cori Phillips sold their Fairfax City home and moved to a western Loudoun farm. Today, they celebrate making Loudoun’s top wine of 2023.

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TASTES The Leesburg Diner has been a go-to eatery for 150 years. Gary O’Hanlon and Jennifer Demetrio are the newest stewards of that tradition.

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TASTES Michael and Christina Kozich have expanded their Bluewater Kitchen, a farm-to-table catering and event company, by opening a popular “taco hut” in a side street garden in Middleburg.

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DESTINATIONS Love strolling through downtown Leesburg? The town’s walking tour app can now tell you even more about the sights around you.

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WINE Loudoun’s wineries earned 21 gold and 75 silver medals during this year’s celebration of the industry’s top performers.

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BEST BETS Get Out Loudoun’s top picks for November.

ON THE COVER Photo by Norman K. Styer Jon and Cori Phillips pose outside the tasting room at The Wine Reserve with their 2023 grand champion Petit Verdot Gila.

TO ADVERTISE Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com getoutloudoun.com

NOVEMBER 2023

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Celebrate the Holidays with Local Fixins

BY DOUG ROGERS

At Dominion Tea in Purcellville chai guru Hillary Coley blends, packages and sells more than 100 exotic looseleaf teas sourced from around the world. This holiday season, however, you can pop in and buy a tea that’s more rare than any other. It’s called Green Hills Tea and—believe it or not—it’s grown right here in Loudoun County.

Tea is usually cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world but at Green Hills Gardens & Nursery in Taylorstown, the Lee family, immigrants from South Korea, channel the tea heritage and techniques of their homeland to create authentic hand plucked camellia sinensis (the tea plant) and they partnered with Dominion to sell it. “We only have small batches and it’s quite excellent,” Coley said. “It’s so wonderful to have a Loudoun-grown tea.”

One of the unique charms of living in Loudoun is that you can cater Thanksgiving with all-locally made products and produce–from rare tea to farm fresh food, ice cream, honey and flowers.

There is a name for this kind of hyper-local shopping: Take Loudon Home.

So, aside from Green Hills Tea what other Loudoun products should you be looking to “take home” this season?

It being turkey time, why not buy your big bird—and other meats—from a Loudoun farm instead of a supermarket? At Day Spring Farm in Middleburg, the Baker family raises and sells seasonal turkeys on pesticide-free pastures just for Thanksgiving, while at Dawson Gap Farm in Hillsboro, the Morrison family produces grassfed, non-GMO, chemical-free eggs, chicken, pork, beef and Thanksgiving turkeys for local markets. A tip: order your birds early because they go fast!

As for truly local produce for the table, hit up one of Loudoun’s many roadside farm stands or popular weekend farmers markets. The Saturday Farmer’s Market at Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery has a dedicated foodie following. On top of fresh vegetables from nearby Fireside Farm, you can buy whole grain sourdough breads made from local grains by Meadow Bread and a range of goat’s cheese from Georges Mill Farm. While here, buy a bottle or two of 4

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

A local garden and nursery has successfully been growing tea in Northern Virginia.

“Virginia Sun 2” is available at Dominion Tea in Purcellville.

Wheatland’s famous estate-grown Farmhouse Ale, a beer made entirely with local ingredients.

Now it’s time for dessert. Brookfield Dairy Farm near Leesburg sells ice cream on site, and also operates a butter and raw milk “milkshare.”

Want some honey to go with that ice cream?

At the Leesburg Farmers Market each Saturday don’t miss the wild harvested local honey from Purcellville’s Hidden Creek Apiary.

Finally, it’s time to decorate your table. Make your way to Hope Flower Farm & Winery outside Waterford, where world-renowned floral designer Holly Chapple grows and sells everything from tulips and dahlias to peonies and geraniums and even teaches floral design classes.

Table set, bird in the oven, decorations done— you’ve earned a bit of rest before family and guests arrive. Why not put the kettle on and try some of that Loudoun grown Green Hills tea.

Happy holidays!

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Tickets Available at:

WWW.TALLYHOTHEATER.COM 19 W Market St, Leesburg, VA (703) 777-1665

Coming to Town in November!

BROTHER CAIN

WINGER

11/3 - DOORS 7:00PM

11/12 - DOORS 7:00PM

LANCO

REDBURN, TANTRIC

11/17 DOORS - DOORS 7:00PM 7:00PM NOVEMBER 2023

11/25 - DOORS 7:00PM

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WINE

The Wine Reserve

Celebrates Gold with Gila

BY NORMAN K. STYER

T

he selection of The Wine Reserve at Waterford’s 2021 Petit Verdot “Gila” as the 2023 grand champion Loudoun wine was more than an award for owners Jon and Cori Phillips—it was a validation of the passion that brought them to the other side of the tasting room table.

The couple’s entry into the industry is rooted in their wandering, cross-country driving trips.

In the days before Google Maps and Yelp, they realized that the best referrals for what to do and where to eat came from strangers they met while visiting wineries, breweries and distilleries—locals who knew all the not-to-be-missed spots.

Then came the drive down the West Coast from Vancouver to San Francisco.

“We stopped in Willamette Valley, which is a great wine region that kind of reminds me of Virginia,” Jon said. “There were a lot of dairy farms that turned into grape growing operations. We're on a bed and breakfast balcony looking over this valley and Cori said, ‘We should have winery.’”

Jon saw benefits.

“We love doing this and we could bring the fun to us,” he said.

“We had spent many years in different tasting rooms in different wine regions, and just always found our kind of our happy place in those environments,” Cori said.

Of course, they didn't have much knowledge of the industry or winemaking. He was in law school and she was working toward an MBA. While those might be helpful skills, Cori started working at the Clifton wine shop and helping out at Paradise Springs Winery to get experience.

“The first step was really getting behind the scenes and understanding how a winery works and what goes into that,” Cori said. “And then we started our search for the perfect little slice of heaven.”

They hooked up with Doug Fabbiloi, founder of Fabbiloi Cellars near Leesburg, and Mark Malick, Loudoun’s 2019 wine grower of the year, to look for a property where they could plant grapes and start a winery of their own.

“Mark said things like: ‘Don't do it.’ ‘You guys are young.’ ‘This totally takes so much time.’” Jon recalled. “But we wouldn't go away.”

Malick finally relented. “You guys are nuts—and that's what you need to be to do this. You got to be absolutely nuts,” Jon recalls him saying. “So, despite his tough love, we didn't go away.”

But the search for the spot to build their dream winery proved challenging. Meanwhile, the asking price on one of Loudoun’s oldest wineries, Loudoun Valley Vineyards where a tasting room opened in the late 1980s, kept falling.

THE WINE RESERVE CONTINUED ON 8

We said let's give it everything.

Let's turn up to 11 NOVEMBER 2023

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TUNES FROM PAGE 7

Fabbiloi talked them into taking the property and said he would teach them for free how to make wine. That offer sealed the deal.

In 2015, they sold their house in Fairfax City and moved to the 22-acre farm.

“Honestly, I thought we would start with the land, grow grapes, make wine, and then get a tasting room going. When the Loudoun Valley Vineyards presented itself, it kind of turned things upside down for us. We’ve had to approach this in a different way than we anticipated, but the journey for us is really special. I wouldn’t change it,” Cori said.

Months of renovations were made with volunteer help from friends, including pulling up the 15-acres of Riesling vines and replanting the vineyard. The Phillips hooked up with Jan and Fernando Mathov to grow grapes at their Iron Will Winery nearby.

They reopened the tasting room in 2017 with two of their own wines and offered other Loudoun wines for sale, including wines from Maggie Malick and Nate and Sarah Walsh.

Jon said that seemed like an odd business model to some visitors, “but that also got us to love the community and how different but great everybody’s products were. We could sit there and talk passionately about somebody else's wine.”

Today, they have a full roster of their own wines and bottle about 1,000 cases per year.

Jon said winning the 2023 grand award was a validation of their journey—on top of the fun they’ve had along the way.

The Winning Wine The Phillips knew early on that their 2021 petit Verdot had something special. Ultimately it took on the name Gila, their son’s nickname for his sister.

Jon said during a sampling, seven months into the 14-month fermenting, the wine stood above all the others. Typically, it would be a point in the process where the winemakers would think about how best to build a blend. But working with Fabbilio and at the suggestion of 2022 Winemaker of the Year Melanie Natoli of Cana Vineyards & Winery, they decided only to move it from twoyear old French oak barrels into new ones.

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“We said let's give it everything. Let's turn up to 11,” Jon said. “So after halfway through, all the fruit went from our old barrels into brand new barrels and I think that's what did it. It took that fruit, took that flavor and just pulled it up even higher.”

The Philips credit Fabbilio with their wine making success as he continues to guide them through the process.

“It's like bringing a world class chef into your pantry. He sees all the food that you have in there and he's like: ‘You guys want to make a really good ratatouille?’ And you're like, ‘Yeah, I love that. But I don't know how to make it good.’

He's like, ‘Well, I'll show you,’” Jon said.

“Doug would say Jon and Cori make the wines.

Yes, we're harvesting. We're crushing. We're there with his team doing a lot of the work blending. We're doing all that fun stuff. I'd say we have our hands dirty as winemaking owners, but he's our winemaker no matter how you want to slice it,” Jon said. “Without him, we would be completely lost.”

“He lets us do what we want. Our wines are different than his and we present our fruit differently and we use much more stainless steel for our whites. We like the bold nose on our reds. We like single varietals more than blends.

We don't do reserves as much. We try to just release one each year. And we try to keep consistency, but also tinker each year,” Jon said.

During this year’s Loudoun Wine Awards competition, the Wine Reserve also earned a gold rating for its 2022 First Harvest and silver for its 2021 Forager and 2020 Silver Linings.

You can sample the winners in the tasting room at 38516 Charles Town Pike. It’s open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

And you’ll find either Jon or Cori, or both, behind the bar eager to give you advice on where to go next on your journey—and to thank you for bringing the fun along for them to enjoy.

Learn more at waterfordwinereserve.com.

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In your hand, anywhere, anytime.

Download the LoudounNow mobile app today from the Apple App or Google Play stores.

NOVEMBER 2023

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TASTE

Photo by Norman K. Styer

Gary O’Hanlon and Jennifer Demetrio sit at the front counter of their newly reopened Leesburg Diner restaurant on King Street.

Leesburg Diner Reopens Under New Ownership

BY NORMAN K. STYER

After a nearly three-month closure, the Leesburg Diner has reopened under the new ownership of husband-and-wife team Gary O’Hanlon and Jennifer Demetrio.

Since July, they have been working to give the 150-year-old King St. restaurant a fresh makeover and navigating the permitting process.

In early October, they unlocked the door and turned on the “open” sign in the front window and began serving those who came through the door.

“It took a little longer than we’d hoped, but honestly we prefer to take the little bit of extra time and make sure everything is buttoned up right,” Demetrio said.

The couple, who live in Sterling, worked in the restaurant industry for years before they 10

opened Café Kindred in Falls Church in 2015.

They’ve long wanted to open a restaurant in Leesburg and jumped at the opportunity when it became available.

“It’s been humbling and fun—all the emotions just mixed into one big bag and shaken,” O’Hanlon said of the experience.

Returning patrons will find more than just a brighter coat of fresh paint. The couple brought in new handmade tables for the rear dining room, tiled the front counter and updated the artwork throughout.

But traditionalists need not fear, the hard-worn wooden booths remain. And there are some familiar faces in the restaurant, as several of the Diner’s former employees have returned to join the new staff.

“It’s still a diner. We’re not trying to change what it is. We’re just trying to get it a little breath of fresh air,” Demetrio said.

The diner is open for breakfast and lunch, with dinner service a possibility in the future.

The Leesburg Diner, at 9 S. King St., is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Learn more at leesburgdinerbyck.com.

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Loudoun’s Attractions

LOUDOUN HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM Travel through time to meet the 10 generations of Loudoun County residents who built this county and left their mark on the land. Exhibits include a schoolhouse, general store, Native American artifact display and the American Workhorse Museum Collection.

21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, VA 20164 (571) 258-3800 • heritagefarmmuseum.org

LOUDOUN MUSEUM With a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts, the Museum tells Loudoun’s story from pre-1600 up until today, with a selection of special exhibits featuring the history of Virginia Wine, the Early Republic era, and the County’s role in the US Civil War, along with a timeline of Loudoun County history. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for upcoming events and public programs!

16 Loudoun Street SW Leesburg, Virginia 20175 (703) 777-7427 • loudounmuseum.org

MORVEN PARK Morven Park is a 1,000-acre historic estate on the edge of Leesburg that was home to Virginia governor and agricultural pioneer Westmoreland Davis. Tours of the Greek Revival mansion include 16th century Belgian tapestries, Spanish cassones, hundreds of silver pieces, Hudson River Valley paintings, and Asian treasures. The estate also features the Winmill Carriage Museum, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting of North America, formal boxwood gardens, miles of hiking and riding trails, and athletic fields.

17195 Southern Planter Lane Leesburg, VA 20176 703-777-2414 • morvenpark.org

OATLANDS HISTORIC HOUSE & GARDENS The 415-acre Oatlands estate, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers tours of the historic mansion, extensive gardens and outbuildings that include the oldest standing greenhouse in the South. Exhibits focus on the lives of the Carter and Eustis families who building the estate, as well as the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked there.

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg, VA 20175 703.777.3174 • oatlands.org

NOVEMBER 2023

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LIBATIONS

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50 West Vineyards 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com 868 Estate Vineyards 14001 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville 868estatevineyards.com The Barns at Hamilton Station 16804 Hamilton Station Rd., Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg bleufrogvineyards.com Bluemont Vineyard 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont bluemontvineyard.com Bogati Winery 35246 Harry Byrd Hwy., Round Hill bogatiwinery.com Boxwood Estate Winery 2042 Burrland Rd., Middleburg boxwoodwinery.com Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Ln., Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com Bozzo Family Vineyards 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro bozwines.com

11 Cana Vineyards of Middleburg 38600 John Mosby Hwy., Middleburg canavineyards.com 12 Carriage House Wineworks 40817 Brown Lane, Waterford chwwinery.com 13 Casanel Vineyards 17952 Canby Rd., Leesburg casanelvineyards.com 14 Chrysalis Vineyards 39025 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie chrysaliswine.com 15 Corcoran Vineyards & Cider 14635 Corkys Farm Ln., Waterford corcoranvineyards.com 16 Creek’s Edge Winery 41255 Annas Ln., Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com 17 Crushed Cellars 37938 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville crushedcellars.com 18 Doukenie Winery 14727 Mountain Rd., Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com 19 Droumavalla Farm Winery 14980 Limestone School Rd., Lucketts droumavalla.com 20 Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery 18195 Dry Mill Rd., Leesburg drymillwine.com GET OUT LOUDOUN

21 Eagletree Farm & Vineyards 15100 Harrison Hill Lane, Leesburg eagletreevineyards.com 22 Endhardt Vineyards 19600 Lincoln Road, Purcellville endhardtvineyards.com 23 Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Rd., Leesburg fabbioliwines.com 24 Firefly Cellars 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com 25 Fleetwood Farm Winery 23075 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg fleetwoodfarmwinery.com 26 Forever Farm & Vineyards 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville foreverfarmandvineyard.com 27 Greenhill Winery & Vineyards 23595 Winery Ln., Middleburg greenhillvineyards.com 28 Hidden Brook Winery 43301 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg hiddenbrookwinery.com 29 Hiddencroft Vineyards 12202 Axline Rd., Lovettsville hiddencroftvineyards.com 30 Lost Creek Winery 43285 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg lostcreekwinery.com NOVEMBER 2023

31 October One Vineyard 7 Loudoun St., SW, Leesburg Octoberonevineyard.com 32 Old Farm Winery 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie oldfarmwineryhartland.com 33 Otium Cellars 18050 Tranquility Rd., Purcellville otiumcellars.com 34 Stone Tower Winery 19925 Hogback Mountain Rd., L’burg stonetowerwinery.com 35 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com 36 Sunset Hills Vineyard 38295 Fremont Overlook Ln, Purcellville sunsethillsvineyard.com

37 Terra Nebulo 39892 Old Wheatland Rd., Waterford terranebulo.com 38 Three Creeks Winery 18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton 3creekswinery.com 39 Two Twisted Posts Winery 12944 Harpers Ferry Rd., Hillsboro twotwistedposts.com 40 Village Winery 40405 Browns Lane, Waterford villagewineryandvineyards.com 41 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards 38906 Mount Gilead Rd., Leesburg willowcroftwine.com 42 The Wine Reserve at Waterford 38516 Charles Town Pike, Waterford waterfordwinereserve.com

Adroit Theory Brewing 404 Browning Ct., Purcellville adroit-theory.com B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd., Round Hill bchordbrewing.com Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Rd., Leesburg barnhousebrewery.com Bear Chase Brewing 33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont bearchasebrew.com Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E. Main St., Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com Black Hoof Brewing Company 11 South King St., Leesburg blackhoofbrewing.com Black Walnut Brewery 210 S. King St., Leesburg blackwalnutbrewery.com Crooked Run Fermentations Central 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling crookedrunbrewing.com Crooked Run Fermentations Market Station, Leesburg crookedrunbrewing.com

10 Dirt Farm Brewing 18701 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont dirtfarmbrewing.com 11 Dynasty Brewing Company 21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Ashburn 101 Loudoun St, SE, Leesburg dynastybrewing.com 12 Flying Ace Farm 40950 Flying Ace Ln, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com 13 Harper’s Ferry Brewing 37412 Adventure Ctr. Lane, Hillsboro harpersferrybrewing.com 14 Harvest Gap Brewery 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro facebook.com/HarvestGap 15 Honor Brewing Company 42604 Trade West Dr., Sterling honorbrewing.com 16 Lost Barrel Brewing 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com 17 Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Rd. #142, Ashburn lostrhino.com 18 Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E. Market St., Leesburg loudounbrewing.com

43 Walsh Family Wine 16031 Hillsboro Rd., Purcellville northgatevineyard.com 44 Williams Gap Vineyards 35785 Sexton Farm Lane, Round Hill williamsgavineyard.com 45 Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 19381 Dunlop Mill Rd., Leesburg zephwine.com

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19 Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Dr., #180, Dulles ocelotbrewing.com 20 Old 690 Brewing Company 15670 Ashbury Church Rd., Hillsboro old690.com 21 Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr., Ste 114, Ashburn oldoxbrewery.com 22 Old Ox Brewery Middleburg 14 S Madison St, Middleburg, VA 23 Solace Brewing Company 42615 Trade West Dr., Sterling solacebrewing.com 24 Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling greatamericanrestaurants.com 25 The Craft of Brewing 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn thecraftob.com 26 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Ln., Lucketts vanishbeer.com 27 Water’s End Brewing 1602 Village Market Blvd SE #120, Leesburg watersendbrewery.com 28 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery 38506 John Wolford Rd., Waterford wheatlandspring.com

BREWERIES & WINERIES 1 Bluemont Station Brewery and Winery 18301 Whitehall Estate Lane, Bluemont bluemontstation.com

NOVEMBER 2023

2 Hillsborough Brewery & Vineyards 36716 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro hillsboroughwine.com 3 Notaviva Brewery and Winery 13274 Sagle Rd., Hillsboro notavivavineyards.com

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4 Quattro Goomba’s Brewery & Winery 22860 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie goombawine.com

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Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Bluewater Cocina, Middleburg’s new “taco hut” is serving up tacos and margaritas.

Bluewater Cocina’s ‘Taco Hut’ Welcomed in Middleburg

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

One of Middleburg’s newest restaurants opened on Labor Day and is serving up tacos and margaritas.

Bluewater Cocina is the latest venture of Michael and Christina Kozich, who also run Bluewater Kitchen, a farm-to-table catering and event company in Upperville.

Manager Dan Snyder said the little shop, located behind Middleburg’s Nature Composed, is fondly referred to by staff as the “taco hut.” He said they were approached by Nature Composed owner Jenn Pineau, about opening a shop in the garden behind her business. “[We tried] to figure out something simple and easy, and figured tacos and margs would be a great little thing,” Snyder said.

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He said the special part about the little shop is how many of their items are made with ingredients right outside their door in Pineau’s backyard garden.

“It’s kind of a symbiotic relationship,” he said.

“And just from the whole vibe, this is something that you would find more in a traditional taco place in central America, where it’s something that’s in the backyard of someone’s house. So, it gives more of that traditional vibe.”

The menu offers four varieties of tacos, including carnitas, braised beef, vegetable, and catch of the day. Snyder says the team works hard to have the fish or shrimp in a taco and on the table within 40 hours of it being caught. He said smoked chicken tacos will also be making their debut to the menu this week. They also offer taco salad and chips and dip with salsas, queso, and guacamole. All of the products are made on site.

Snyder said the shop plans to stay open through the end of December before making a decision on whether to re-open in the first quarter of 2024.

“We will also be winterizing the garden a little bit with some walls and table heaters to make it a little bit more comfortable while it’s still cold,” he said, adding that if they decided to close

GET OUT LOUDOUN

NOVEMBER 2023

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Bluewater Cocina opened in Middleburg on Labor Day and provides a covered seating area in the Nature Composed garden.

for the first few months of the new year, they would still be offering products at their Upperville market.

He said the Middleburg community has welcomed the “taco hut” with open arms.

“We’re getting lots of compliments, with people saying it’s the best margaritas they’ve ever had,” he said.

Learn more at bluewatercocina.com.

NOVEMBER 2023

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DESTINATIONS

The Town of Leesburg has added a new route to a self-guided walking tour app.

The latest feature on the TourLeesburg smartphone app highlights nearly three centuries of architectural styles that can be viewed in a stroll around town.

The Downtown Architectural Tour features 24 stops, including Donaldson Cabin, the Birkby House, the Loudoun County Courthouse, the People’s National Bank building, and Harrison Hall.

The app features a GeoAlerts feature that can notify users when they are near a site included on the tour. Stops may be visited in any order.

The tour also may be viewed virtually from the TourLeesburg website.

The tour was developed by Senior Management Analyst Betsy Arnett with architectural guidance from the town’s Historic Preservation team in the Department of Planning and Zoning, including Lauren Murphy, Debi Parry, and Heather Schmidt, and research assistance from Thomas Balch Library staff, including Laura Christiansen and Echo Rue. “Our goal was to highlight the best examples of 16

each architectural style present in downtown Leesburg,” Arnett stated. “One challenge is that buildings change over time, as owners update their buildings to reflect current tastes. A single building may reflect multiple architectural styles.”

She cites the Norris House on Loudoun Street is an example. Originally built in the Federal style, later owners added a mix of Victorian and Colonial Revival details, including the projecting bay window over the front door and the pedimented roof dormers.

“Another challenge was creating a walkable tour. There are many excellent examples of the various architectural styles here in Leesburg that were not included simply because they would have made the tour too long or too spread out,” Arnett stated.

Many of the sites on the new architectural tour are crosslinked to sites on the other walking tours available on the town’s app, which was launched in 2017 with two historical tours of downtown. Today six tours are offered, with more under development.

The free app is available in the App Store and Google Play.

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Check out

Loudoun’s Dining 

FORDS FISH SHACK Consistently voted Loudoun residents’ favorite place for seafood, Ford’s offers fresh seafood in a family-dining atmosphere at three locations, as well as a catering arm and a food truck operation.

Ashburn-44260 Ice Rink Plaza, Ashburn, VA 20147 (571) 918-4092 • fordsfishshack.com Lansdowne-19308 Promenade Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176 (571) 333-1301 • fordsfishshack.com South Riding 25031 Riding Plaza, Chantilly, VA 20152 (703) 542-7520 • fordsfishshack.com

SPANKY’S SHENANIGANS Known as one of the Loudoun’s favorite bars, Spanky’s Shenanigans is a popular destination from its morning breakfast menu to its ample roster of live music performers.

538 E Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 777-2454 • spankyspub.com

LIGHTFOOT RESTAURANT Inside an historic bank building in downtown Leesburg, the Zagat-rated Lightfoot provides both a fine-dining experience and a gathering place for locals. Executive Chef Ingrid Gustavson serves up American cuisine with southern and ethnic accents.

11 North King Street Leesburg, VA 20176 703-771-2233 • lightfootrestaurant.com

TUSCARORA MILL Known by locals as Tuskies, the restaurant is located inside a restored 19th century grain mill in Leesburg’s historic district. Offering everything from locally sourced fine dining to a casual bar experience, it’s been a dining destination for more than three decades.

203 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 771-9300 • tuskies.com

NOVEMBER 2023

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WINE

Loudoun’s Wine Community Celebrates Industry Leaders, Best Releases

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

Loudoun’s wine community recently took time off from the busy fall harvest to put the spotlight on the contributions of industry leaders and celebrate the best wines among recent releases.

The Loudoun Wine Awards event was emceed

by Neil Wavra, the chef and owner of Field and Main restaurant, who serves as the director of the competition that drew 113 entries this year.

“The wines that are here are starting to lead [the] class,” Wavra said. “They are starting to showcase promise that is distinctive. That is special. That would predicate someone to want to have those wines beyond just a beautiful setting and a wonderful hospitable reception.

That is a sign of growth.”

Loudoun Wineries and Winegrowers Association President Kerem Baki said the success of the county’s wineries was attributable to the community supporting them.

“The only reason why our industry is so successful is because of all of you,” he said to the 18

crowd gathered at Lansdowne Resort. “People want us here. People want wine grown in their backyard and we’re very grateful to be here to make wine for all of you.”

In addition to celebrating Loudoun’s best wines—with the Wine Reserve at Waterford taking the grand prize for its 2021 Gila petit Verdot—event highlighted the special contributions of individuals.

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards owner Lew Parker, who planted Loudoun’s first commercial vineyard four decades ago, was named Winemaker of the Year.

“This is a great honor,” Parker said. “I’ve been making wine here a long time and this certainly ranks as one of my greatest honors. I’ll also say repeatedly, Loudoun County is making world-class wine today—not because of me but because of the intelligence and ability of the people in this room.”

The Wine Ambassador of the Year award, presented to an individual who was recognized by team members and customers as going above and beyond to raise awareness of the wine industry and provide excellent customer

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Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Severino Maya Garcia, owner of Maya Vineyard Services, receives the Winegrower of the Year award during the 2023 Loudoun Wine Awards ceremony.

service went to Teri Riggs, co-owner of Forever Farm and Vineyard near Purcellville.

Owner of Maya Vineyard Services Severino Maya Garcia was awarded Winegrower of the Year. That award was established to recognize an individual for their farming, high-quality grapes, innovation, and leadership in the winegrowing community.

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Teri Riggs, co-owner of Forever Farm and Vineyard, is the 2023 Wine Ambassador of the Year.

Best Hybrid White: 50 West Vineyards’ “2022 Vidal Blanc” Best White Vinifera: Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s “2020 Adeline” Best Albariño: October One Vineyard’s “2022 Albariño” Best Chardonnay: Williams Gap Vineyard’s “2022 Black Label Chardonnay”

While celebrating the best wines from recent harvests, the county’s winemakers also were looking forward to the fruits of this year’s favorable growing season.

Best Sauvignon Blanc: Walsh Family Wine’s “2022 Bethany Ridge Sauvignon Blanc”

“We had a pretty cool spring and then a hot dry summer, and then a cool fall,” Baki said.

“What did that do to our vines? Well, in some cases it shocked a little bit. It shut things down.

It concentrated the juices. It maintained the acidity. It’s a mystery which is going to end up in the bottle soon and it’s for all of you to decide.”

Best Petit Manseng: William Gap Vineyard’s “2022 Petit Manseng”

In this year’s competition, judges scored 21 of the 113 entries as gold medal winners and presented 75 silver medals.

Best Viognier: October One Vineyard’s “2022 Stainless Viognier”

Best Hybrid Red: Zephaniah Farm Vineyard’s “2019 Three Captain’s Red Blend” Best Red Vinifera: Hillsborough Vineyards’ “2021 Ruby” Best Cabernet Franc: Fabbioli Cellars’ “2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve” Best Merlot: Walsh Family Wines’ “2019 Russ Mountain Merlot”

The entries were graded by six judges with professional backgrounds in retail and wholesale wine sales and restaurant management.

Best Petit Verdot: The Wine Reserve at Waterford’s “2021 Gila”

“Their feedback is from the perspective of a buyer seeking to put wines on a wine list or on a retail shelf with clients from everywhere else in the world,” Wavra said.

Best Bordeaux Blend: Iron Will Wineries’ “2021 Vitraux” Best Rosé: Willowcroft Farm Vineyards’ “2022 Rosé of Sharon”

LOUDOUN’S TOP WINES BY CATEGORY

Looking for the best wines to try on your next wine tour? See the complete list of winners at loudounwineawards.com.

Judges in the 2023 Loudoun Wine Awards competition scored these wines as the best in their class.

NOVEMBER 2023

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Happenings

Photo by Renss Greene

Ceramicist Bryan Mattraw helps organize the Catoctin Holiday Art Tour and showcases his works, created in a Japanese “anagama” kiln.

ARTISTS’ WORKED HIGHLIGHTED The Catoctin tour this year features 24 artists at nine western Loudoun studios—all clustered in IN SPECIAL TOURS the Lovettsville area. For details and a map, go to Local artisans will put out the welcome mat during two tours this month.

During the Nov. 4-5 weekend, Purcellville Arts Council will offer the fourth annual Purcellville Artisan Tour. The next weekend, Nov. 11-12, artist studios will be open for the Catoctin Holiday Art Tour, the 12th year for the event.

The Purcellville tour was created by local artists and agri-artisans who were interested in celebrating the town and the area’s numerous artists. Last year was the first time that the event exclusively featured artisans in the Purcellville ZIP code. For a list of participating artists, go to purcellvilleartisantour.com.

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catoctinart.com.

VETERANS HONORED AT DODONA MANOR The George C. Marshall International Center will hold its 19th annual Veterans Day Commemoration on Saturday, Nov. 11 starting at 10:30 a.m.

Brig. Gen. Adam C. Volant, U.S. Army, Ret., the former Director of Operations for U.S. Army Information Warfare Command, will be the keynote speaker, reflecting on the meaning of the day and the remarkable contributions of veterans to the community.

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Photo by Douglas Graham

The Leesburg home of Gen. George C. Marshall will be open for free tours following the annual Veterans Day ceremony.

Vintage military vehicles will be on site for exploration, and Marshall’s home, Dodona Manor, will be open for free tours.

For details, go to georgecmarshall.org.

FREEZE YOUR GIZZARD RACE HELPS FULL THE FOOD PANTRY The holiday race season kicks off with the 21st annual Freeze Your Gizzard 5K and Fun Run on

Photo by Norman K. Styer

More than 600 runners participated in last year’s Freeze Your Gizzard race at Leesburg’s Ida Lee Park.

Saturday, Nov. 18 in Leesburg.

Starting at 9 a.m., the cross-country race winds through the hills and fields of the 138 acres of Ida Lee Park. A 1-mile fun run follows at 9:45 a.m.

Event participants help fill the shelves at the Loudoun Hunger Relief food pantry in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday food distribution.

For registration and details, go to potomac.enmotive.com.

Now Showing Rated S Live - Sketch Comedy November 3 & 4 at 7:00pm

Finding Nemo KIDS - Musical Theatre November 4 & 5 at 11:00am and 1:00pm

The Heart of the Mummy: A Magpie Sisters Radio Play Mystery - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre November 4 at Oatlands in Leesburg Melekaliki-Murder - Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre December 1 & 3 at ONO Offshore in Chantilly│December 2, 9, 16 & 17 at Oatlands in Leesburg December 8 at Effingham Manor Winery in Nokesville December 10 at Bright Box in Winchester│December 15 at Creek’s Edge Winery in Lovettsville Junior Claus - Musical Comedy December 9, 16, 21, 22 & 23 at 7:00pm and December 10 & 17 at 2:00pm ▪ Magic ▪ Improv ▪ Drag Cabarets ▪ Storytelling ▪ And More!

Check out more upcoming shows on our website!

All performances at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn unless noted.

20937 Ashburn Road Suites 115 and 120 Ashburn, VA 20147

www.StageCoachTC.com NOVEMBER 2023

571-477-9444

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Chase Wright Thursday, Nov. 9, 8 p.m., $10-$30 Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Soul of America Saturday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m., $25-$40 Franklin Part Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org

One of Pandora’s Country Artists to Watch in 2023, Wright makes a Leesburg stop to perform fan favorites including "Why Can't It Be Over," "Lying with You," and "Hurt No More."

11.17.23

A night of tributes to the legendary ladies of soul, featuring music of Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Etta James. This star-studded ensemble has performed and recorded with such greats as Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and over 40 other Hall of Fame legends.

Lanco Friday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m., $35-$85 Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Starlett and Big John Saturday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m., $22 Lucketts Community Center luckettsbluegrass.org

Fresh off the release of new EP, “Run, Run, Baby,” the multi-platinum-selling country music band hits the Leesburg stage.

Big John Talley and Starlett Boswell Austin bring a strong band and their skills as a singersongwriter duo to the Lucketts stage for the first time.

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Bret Michaels Saturday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m. $65-$200 Ion Arena ionarena.com The former Poison frontman brings PartiGras to Leesburg with a show that includes performances by Steve Augeri and Bill Leverty.

11.26.23 Wednesday 13 Sunday, Nov. 26, 8 p.m., $25-$80 Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Horror punk rocker Wednesday 13 celebrates legacy of the Murderdolls performing tracks from both of the band’s albums.

11.26.23 Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night Sunday, Nov. 26 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery vanishbeer.com The WAMMIE-nominated duo based out of Frederick, MD, is one of the region’s top upand-coming independent country acts.

NOVEMBER 2023

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