Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine February 2007

February 2007

Living & Shopping In Wonderful Warrenton, VA

In this issue…

Point-to-Point: Racing with Virginia’s Finest

Enchanting: Whitney State Forest …and MORE!

2

Warrenton Lifestyle

4

Warrenton Lifestyle

Papa John’s Pizza 2 Medium 1 Topping Pizzas for only

2 Large 1 Topping Pizzas for only

Pan crust additional. Delivery Charges apply. Must mention special when ordering. Offer expires 5/31/07

Pan crust additional. Delivery Charges apply. Must mention special when ordering. Offer expires 5/31/07

$15.99

$17.99

326 West Lee Highway

February 2007

5

February Is For Heroes

Publishers Tony & Holly Tedeschi for Piedmont Press & Graphics tony@piedmontpress.com Advertising Cindy McBride CindyMcBride@piedmontpress.com Subscriptions Mitchell Morton mitchell@piedmontpress.com Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine c/o Piedmont Press & Graphics 404 Belle Air Lane Warrenton,Virginia 20186 540.347.4466 Ph 540.347.9335 Fx www.warrentonlifestyle.com For general inquiries, advertising, editorial, listings or technical support: E: WarrentonLifestyle@piedmontpress.com Tel: 540.347.4466 • Fax: 540.347.9335 Editorial & Advertising office: Open 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday 404 Belle Air Lane, Warrenton, VA 20186 The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to all its advertisers and selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Warrenton Lifestyle 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, illustration or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2007 Piedmont Press & Graphics Printed in Warrenton, Virginia. USA Cover Photo by Karl Pittelkau, www.whitepostphotography.com Cover Model Isaac Scheulen is the real cupid.

He will turn 1 year old on February 14.

F

ebruary is my least favorite month of the year yet it always manages to hold a few bright spots. I’m glad it’s a short month, especially because it is usually so cold and gray. Holly and I will use the contrived holiday in the middle of the month as a great excuse for us to get away for a long weekend. While everyone else is off skiing, we usually head someplace warm.

After 20 years of living here, I still can’t make it through an entire winter without basking in the sun somewhere in the middle of the season.

Not sure what to get your loved one for Valentine’s Day? Our pages are full of local choices and we know that our area merchants will offer you great ideas, the best service and a friendly smile.

It is time to break out of the winter doldrums and have a little fun. The local point-to-point races offer a jumpstart to Spring, getting you out with friends, outdoors, and having a great time.

Glenn Petty’s article will give you the background you need to fit right in with the rest of the crowd.

Rick Lomba writes about one of those “best kept secrets” in Warrenton with his first published article about our own Whitney State Forest. It is a quiet, peaceful place that is just perfect for a stroll with your special valentine or for much-needed solitude.

Andreas Keller brings us his usual dose of sensibility with tips on getting your budget on track. Christmas is over, the bills are all in, and the New Year’s resolutions are still on the wall. Time to get your finances back on solid ground.

My son, Kevin, is in New Orleans as I am writing this letter. He is there with his basketball team which has given up their winter break week to voluntarily do remediation work in an impoverished neighborhood devastated by Katrina almost a year and a half ago. His first remarks were of shock and disbelief and the conditions that still remain there. “I’m going to write letters when I get back. People need to know how bad it is down here.” Knowing Kevin, I expect he will.

I mention his trip for three reasons. First, because we will feature a story of the Wakefield students’ trip to New Orleans next month. Second, to remind everyone that conditions like this exist and need our help and that there is still much work to be done. Third, that disaster can strike anywhere and anytime. We need to be prepared. Our local Red Cross Chapter has done a remarkable job under its current leadership. We can support them in keeping Fauquier prepared by participating in the “Heroes” program currently underway.

Merchants around the area are collecting much needed funds to help our local Red Cross maintain their services to our community. When you see a container, drop in a contribution. You’ll be glad you did. For more information, contact the Fauquier Chapter of the Red Cross at 349-2516 or fauquierchapter@verizon. net.

—Tony Tedeschi

You Can Make Ends Meet

by Andreas Keller

W

e’ve all heard it before, and some of us may have even experienced it, that quiet sigh of resignation accompanying the statement: “I can’t make ends meet.�

This statement is heard most often during the last third of the month as credit card statements arrive, and we realize that we cannot pay the balance on our credit cards. The real issue, though, is not the fact that we cover

some of our expenses by using credit, but that we are not doing much to stop the overspending cycle. As a young lady once explained to me, “The more money I make, the less I have.�

When a single person making $80,000 a year in a good job complains about not being able to make ends meet, it is time to take a hard look at what is really happening. A quick survey of that person’s spending patterns usually demonstrates the problem. Perhaps that person has indulged in buying a new car every other year, and the monthly $600 car payments are depleting the person’s resources. Or perhaps lavish vacations, which can cost over $5,000 a year, are the culprit. A more modest car and a couple of mini vacations would put thousands of dollars back into a person’s pockets.

Persistent overspending is often a sign of deep-seated unhappiness and a belief that money can buy happiness.

Unfortunately, it is also a habit with potentially destructive, lifelong consequences. Changing habits is a tough process that requires a person to deal with his issues, which means, first and foremost, that the person should get to know him or herself.

History is instructive on the cures for overspending. The best advice, however, has never been stated better than in the two phrases carved into the ancient Greek Temple of Delphi: “Know See Make Ends Meet page 8

� ­  �€ ‚ € ƒ �

 Â? Â? Â? Â?  Â

February 2007

 �

Â? Â? Â?Â?

7

Make Ends Meet cont’d from page 7 Thyself!” and “Nothing in Excess!”

Budgets alone will not cure overspending, admonitions are counterproductive, and a debt consolidation refinancing may just add fuel to the fire by compounding the problem.

Budgeting and refinancing are merely tools for effective money management.

For people who cannot make ends meet and are willing to face the underlying issues that cause them to overspend, the following time-tested rules can provide guidance throughout the healing process and bring about lasting changes in their financial behavior: • Confront your issues and recognize your habits. If you are afflicted with a compulsive spending habit, you may want to obtain professional help in addressing the issue. That alone could be money well spent.

Bankers, mortgage brokers, investment advisors, and financial planners are not psychologists. They may recognize

8

your financial habits, but it is not their job, nor are they equipped, to help you change them.

• Determine what you need and what you want. For compulsive spenders, the line between “need” and “want” is blurred. Needs comprise the essentials of life such as food, clothing, and shelter.

Wants simply increase the quality of living, adding fun and entertainment.

With limited resources, needs should get taken care of first. Obviously, different people have different needs and wants, and your value system determines what is important to you.

If you can’t make ends meet, it may be

time to reassess your needs and wants.

It may also become necessary to revisit and reevaluate one’s value scale.

• Take control of your money. List your income and then subtract your regular expenses for food, shelter, transportation, communication, insurance, taxes, loans, etc. If the result is a negative dollar amount, you are overspending. Now, you either have to cut your spending or increase your income. It is as simple as that.

• Use debit cards. Controlling your money is easier with debit cards than with credit cards. The use of a debit card requires money in the bank at the time of purchase. Instead of being seduced by such advertising as “buy now, pay later,” you are establishing the principle of “buy now and pay now.”

• Build a cash stash. As you stop superfluous spending, you will have some money left over that you can save.

Put that money into a savings account, and keep putting every cent you save See Make Ends Meet page 10

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

9

Make Ends Meet cont’d from page 8

Andreas A. Keller is a Senior Loan Officer with Warrenton-based MidAtlantic Mortgage Corporation who turns the mortgage process into delightful moments with the help of insightful financial coaching. He can be reached at this cell phone 703-346-7262 or his office phone 540-347-9522 and via email: aakeller@mac.com. Get to know him at his personal website www.

MortgageMomentsOnline.com.

2006

BEST OF

into it. Eventually, you should have established an emergency fund that will sustain you for about six months in case you are hospitalized, lose your job, or have a major home repair to contend with. Having an emergency fund is the foundation of financial stability, which brings peace of mind, reduces stress, and improves relationships and overall quality of life.

• Learn money-saving ideas. The fastest way to learn numerous money-saving ideas is to do Google searches on the Internet for the following terms: “Frugal Living,” “Thrifty Living,” or “MoneySaving Ideas.” An exceedingly well-organized and humorous basic manual to saving and conserving money, including setting goals and living on a budget, is the book, “Frugal Living for Dummies”. It is available at any public library at no extra cost.

The key to developing good saving habits is to embrace a realistic savings strategy and not become a penny-pinching miser. If circumstances permit, choose the insurance plans with the highest deductibles, and pay much less per month.

Instead of buying a $33,000 car, choose a $20,000 car.

Choose an affordable home, not a mansion for which you cannot even buy furniture. These tradeoffs will help you build wealth and secure your retirement. Saving is a habit in the same way that overspending is a habit. The best way to reverse a spending habit is to pay yourself first, then arrange your life around the rest of the money that is available to you.

Too many of us continue blindly along the path of living beyond our means. We ignore the inscription on the Temple of Delphi, “Nothing in Excess,” because, over the last thirty

years, we have lived in a culture where spending and borrowing have been encouraged. While it is normal to think that things will stay the same, we know from life’s experience that things can and do change. In order to manage these changes successfully, we need to take to heart the first inscription on the Temple of Delphi, “Know Thyself!”

WA R R E N T O N

10

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

11

12

Warrenton Lifestyle

For subscription information, surveys, newsstand locations and more go to: www.warrentonlifestyle.com

A Great Reason to Shop Warrenton First: Reason #2.

Convenience: Doing business locally will save you precious time. Those hours you would have spent driving and stuck in traffic can now be added to your leisurely shopping experience, spent with your kids, or give you the option of not missing the first half of a football game.

February 2007

13

Enchanting: Whitney State Forest

S

by Rick Lomba

cenic beauty is easy to come by in and around Warrenton.

It is one of the great benefits of living in this part of the country. We are fortunate that we do not have to view the natural beauty through a car window but that we can walk in the midst of it. Just south of town lies a sizable tract of forest owned by the Commonwealth’s Department of Forestry, Whitney State Forest. It is located off of Lees Ridge Road, a few minutes from Warrenton, and is open to the general public.

The land that comprises the State Forest was originally part of the North Wales estate and owned by the Ashton family. The 147 acre tract was deeded to the Commonwealth in 1972. The property contains six miles of trails that meander through the forest and cross each other occasionally. Some are wider than others but all are fairly well marked.

The Department considers Whitney to be a mature forest. While most of the trees on the property are sixty to eighty years old, some have been standing for over a hundred years.

Towering stands of Loblolly Pine were originally planted over thirty years ago,

14

A couple of shallow streams zigzag their way across the forest. They contain frogs, tadpoles, and crayfish in almost every stretch. and are the youngest planted trees on the property. Overall, the forest is dominated by deciduous species including Oak, Maple, Hickory, Black Gum and Tulip Poplar.

A couple of shallow streams zigzag their way across the forest. They contain frogs, tadpoles, and crayfish in almost every stretch, providing easy opportunities for young children to observe aquatic wildlife up-close.

Deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and other small mammals live in these woods. Colorful migratory bird species that generally are not seen in developed

areas visit Whitney in their travels because of the amount of natural forest acreage. Hawks or owls can be seen at reasonably close range if you are lucky.

My son pointed out a large owl in a tall bare hardwood on our last walk there.

The hefty bird sailed off his lofty perch, weaving through the trees like a stunt pilot. The chance to see something like that is why I go there.

Some State Forests in Virginia allow hunting. Whitney is a designated Wildlife Sanctuary and therefore off limits to hunting.

The forest shows a different face with each season, and provides different viewing experiences throughout the year. Patches of vibrant color paint the forest in spring, when most of the trees and undergrowth blossom. During summer, high canopies of leaves shade much of the trail network from direct sun. Autumn is an ideal time to be in the woods with the fall colors raining See Forest page 16

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

15

toward the fulfillment of some of these objectives. “Groups that would like to help us down upon you as you are improve the forest and make meandering the trails. At it more user-friendly are Whitney you can enjoy all of welcome to contact me,” says the vibrancy of the turning Terry. leaves without the crowds.

Limited timber removal Finally, winter may be the by private citizens is allowed best time to view wildlife. in State Forests, in contrast Mammals and birds are to State Parks where much easier to spot when the only the authorities may leaves are down, especially if remove timber. If you have there is snow on the ground. a fireplace or a woodstove, Forestry Department you might be interested in officer Terry Lasher is knowing that you can load the County’s top Forestry The remains of a 19th century home still exist within the park. up on firewood for very little official, and the man in money at Whitney. “When visitors. He would like to see markers charge of Whitney State you have as many mature trees as Forest. He has several long-term placed in the forest describing forestry we have here, blow-downs are going practices that are being implemented, objectives for the property. to happen,” according to Terry. “It is One objective is to reduce the presence in order to familiarize visitors with in our interests as forest managers to of invasive species like Kudzu and sound forestry management. The have these blow-downs removed.” So Autumn Olive that have made a home remains of a nineteenth century home if you’re willing to do the cutting and in the forest. The plan calls for restoring site are on the property. Terry wants to hauling, you can load your pick-up for native species that tend to get pushed provide historical interpretation of the aside by the invaders. Another goal is site to visitors. Terry has opportunities See Forest page 18 to provide educational opportunities for for volunteers to contribute their time Forest cont’d from page 14

16

Warrenton Lifestyle

Where In Warrenton

was this photo taken?

We will occasionally publish a portion of a photo of some person, place or thing uniquely Warrenton.

Correct photo guesses will be put into a drawing.

Winner receives a check for $25.00. Send your guess by the 15th of this month to our fax number at (540) 347-0917 or email to WarrentonLifestyle@piedmontpress.com or postal mail to: Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine, c/o Piedmont Press & Graphics, 404 Belle Air Lane, Warrenton, VA 20186.

Last month’s winner

was Jody Newman of Warrenton for correctly identifying this photo taken on the grounds of Highland School.

February 2007

17

Forest cont’d from page 16 ten dollars. Make sure you contact Terry first though, for official permission and payment information before you bring your chainsaw.

Terry is interested in hearing from users. He understands that new recreational activities come on the scene from time to time. His aim is to manage the forest in ways that can accommodate as many different types of users as possible.

There are no picnic or restroom facilities at Whitney; the Department manages it for primitive recreation only. Generally speaking, camping is not allowed, however exceptions can be made for Church, youth, and other organized groups.

Non-motorized transportation is allowed at Whitney, so feel free to bring your horse or mountain bike. Whitney is open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. In Terry’s words, “This place is a gem. It’s here to be enjoyed, and a lot of people don’t even know it exists.”

Rob-Rit Communications, Inc. 6358 Catlett Road Bealeton, VA 22712 Phone: 540.439.6060 WA R R E N T O N

BEST OF

Rob-Rit Communications, Inc. 41 W. Lee Highway, Ste 59 Warrenton, VA 20186 Phone: 540.341.8189

2006

If your group would like to conduct an activity at Whitney, or for any other information, call Terry at 540-347-6358 or E-mail him at terry.lasher@dof.

Virginia.gov.

Rick Lomba has lived in the Warrenton area since 1984. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family. Rick works for Piedmont Press & Graphics and The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine.

18

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

19

BEST OF

2006

WA R R E N T O N

20

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

21

Point-to-Point: Racing with Virginia’s Finest

S

by Glenn Petty

teeplechase and point-topoint racing are major spring spectator sports in Fauquier County attracting crowds that range from 2,000 to 50,000, starting with the Casanova Races on February 24 and ending with the 82nd running of the Virginia Gold Cup on May 5.

These weekly events are offshoots of organized fox hunting. Fauquier and Loudoun Counties are home to more recognized fox hunts and organized steeplechase races than anywhere else this side of the Atlantic. (Don’t worry.

Unlike fox hunters in England, we don’t kill the fox.)

Since it wasn’t dangerous enough to go galloping over frozen, slippery and/or muddy hill and dale chasing a speedy, wily varmint, somebody hatched a plan to multiply the thrills by conducting an actual race under similar conditions.

22

Viola!

Steeplechase racing or pointto-point racing (what horse enthusiasts call “jump racing”) was born.

Would you be shocked if I told you this happened in Ireland?

Point–to-point racing got started on the Emerald Isle according to most. The first such steeplechase race was run in Cork in 1752 when Mr. Blake challenged his neighbor Mr. O’Callaghan, to race from Buttevant Church to Doneraile Church some four and a half miles away. Along the way, horse

The Warrenton Hunt

See Racing page 24

Warrenton Lifestyle

Why Print?

Print is

Long after their iPod battery is drained, people will still be reading what you send them in print. Print is the ultimate in portability and playability. They can pick up a magazine at a newsstand, buy a book on the fly or grab your brochure from a trade show exhibit. There are no compatibility issues, no need to keep anything charged, and never a worry about screen glare.

You can fold print, stuff it, clip it, even scratchand-sniff it. Print can be carried and consumed anywhere, at any time: On trains, planes and automobiles. Take it to bed, to the beach or to the bath. There’s no need to boot it up or power it down. Print is always there and always ready to instruct, inform and entertain.

p rtable.

Wow! This is the word we strive to hear from our clients as we exceed your expectations. The innovations in our company come on a daily basis and range from our beautiful new facility off of Walker Drive to the dozens of pieces of equipment we add each year to our team of professionals that average over 15 years of experience. We believe our award-winning quality, fast service, friendly people and ability to deliver the improbable will add some Wow! to your day.

404 Belle Air Lane • Warrenton, VA 20186 • 540.347.4466 • Fax 540.347.9335 • www.piedmontpress.com Februarywww.piedmontpress.com 2007

The Warrenton Lifestyle Magazine

www.warrentonlifestyle.com

23

Racing cont’d from page 22 and rider would jump stone walls, ditches and hedges as these presented themselves. By keeping the steeple of the church in sight (steeplechasing) both riders could see the finish line.

Of course, times have changed, and we now conduct the sport on a race course. These courses are developed and maintained by the fox hunting clubs and can be found on large farms where the landowner is willing to host hundreds of cars, horse vans, horses and people, as well as a few dogs.

Point-to-point races typically offer no prize money. Participants race for what is called “Pots and Pans,” which is horse lingo for trophies. Most of the races are part of various series which have year end awards. The Virginia Steeplechase Association in Leesburg keeps track of all the comings and goings. The organization

is a great resource for the sport (www. vasteeplechase.com).

The spring point-to-point races are utilized by the local fox hunting clubs as fundraisers. In order to fox hunt, one needs a fair amount of real estate (in fox hunt parlance this is called “country”) as well as a pack of hounds and a professional Huntsman. While landowners kindly provide access to the country, the hounds have to eat and the Huntsman must be paid. While hunt members pay annual dues, and provide voluntary expertise and effort, the fox hunting clubs still find it necessary to conduct fundraisers to make ends meet. The farming communities, with the habitat provided by the farmers, are a vital part of this traditional Virginia sport. The landowner remains the backbone of the organization, and, our members recognize the privilege of being permitted to ride over their land.

The races are well established

traditional spring social events. Each race program typically features six to eight individual races. When you go, you will no doubt see someone you know. The first of these, the Casanova Hunt Point-to-Point, could well be called the “Cabin Fever Races” as both horses and people seem delighted to be outside mingling about with one another no matter the weather. The fact that this event officially marks the end of winter on the equine calendar is cause for celebration alone. In addition, both the fox hunting and the point-to-point races play a critical role in the preservation of green space that makes Fauquier County and places like Warrenton what they are.

Casanova Hunt was organized in 1909 by a group of foxhunting farmers who wanted to enjoy their favorite sport a little closer to home. Casanova was known as a “farmers hunt”, and the close ties with the farming

The Casanova Hunt celebrates its 49th running this year.

24

Warrenton Lifestyle

community are still valued. Many descendants of the founding families remain involved with the hunt today.

Casanova Hunt held its first race meet in 1958. Members, landowners and friends worked together and built a race course at Spring Hill Farm in Casanova. In the late eighties the event had to be moved to a new location. Mt. Sterling Farm proved to be the perfect setting for a new course.

Mt. Sterling Farm was a working cattle farm for the better part of the year but for the Point to Point, it was magically transformed into a race course complete with timber and hurdle fences and an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 5,000 people in attendance.

This year will mark the 49th running of the races and will be held at Buckland Farm.

The spring point-to-point circuit (there are 11 such events in the area) feature two series of races for fox hunters in which participation is limited to horses and amateur riders who have “fairly fox hunted” during

February 2007

The Virginia & International Gold Cup are events not to be missed. the fall and winter fox hunting season.

This means you might see your neighbor, your co-worker or a parent you know from school winging around the racecourse at break neck speeds, clinging to the back of a 1,200 pound animal while jumping twenty fences over a 2 ½ mile course. If this sounds slightly dangerous, it should. It is.

The other type of steeplechase race is the “sanctioned” race, meaning the races are run under the rules and regulations of the National Steeplechase Association (NSA).

Here in the United States, formal steeplechasing got its start in the late See Racing page 26

25

Racing cont’d from page 25 1800s. According to the NSA (www.nationalsteeplechase. com), the Washington Jockey Club hosted the first steeplechase race in the U.S. in Washington, D.C. in 1834.

In 1895, nine racing enthusiasts founded the governing body and began to conduct steeplechases under official rules and typically to support a charitable cause.

On the outside, sanctioned races look a lot like their little brother, the un-sanctioned point-to-points – a bunch of folks standing around tailgating, watching horses and riders run and jump, all for the benefit of various charities. But the sanctioned races offer purses – sometimes big purses – ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Since there is substantial money at stake, the races are conducted under rules similar to those used at flat racetracks around the country.

Everything about these races is monitored by officials who enforce the rules. Owners, riders and trainers must be licensed to ensure the safety of the horses, participants and the spectators, and the integrity of the contest.

Emulating other major sports, the sanctioned races utilize corporate sponsors. These companies, looking to polish their corporate images, entertain existing clients and woo new customers.

They put up the purse money for the races in exchange for advertising exposure and hospitality on event day. Typically the sponsorship fee will include parking, tickets, an advertisement in the

program, some signs about the area, and, most importantly, a big tent where they will throw a lavishly catered party.

While these NSA sanctioned races occur in 12 states as far south as Florida and as far north as upstate New York, and offer more than $5 million in total purses, Virginia hosts more of these races than any other state. The Virginia Gold Cup (www.vagoldcup.com) held in May at Great Meadow and the International Gold Cup held on the same course in October, along with the Middleburg Spring and Fall Races (www.middleburgspringraces.com) held at Glenwood Park are fixtures on this racing circuit. There is also a sanctioned meet at Morven Park in Leesburg (http://www.morvenpark. org/mprace.htm).

To go to the races you will only need a ticket and the appropriate clothes. For most races you can purchase your tickets at the gates. The early spring races will look like a convention of L.L. Bean, Eddie Bauer and Land’s End while the Gold Cup’s warmer May weather and more formal setting tends to bring out the fancier threads. You can take a picnic for your tailgate or you can freeload off your friends.

For a variety of weather conditions previously discussed, driving an S.U.V. is a good idea if you have one. See you there.

Glenn Petty is the Executive Director of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association and the Chairman of the Virginia Horse Industry Board.

All photos for this article by Rich Clay

2006

BEST OF

Voted

WA R R E N T O N Antique Store

26

Warrenton Lifestyle

Spring 2007 Racing Calendar Casanova Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, February 24 • 12:30 p.m.

Buckland Farm, Gainesville Information: 540-788-4806

Rappahannock Hunt Point-to-Point

Saturday, March 3 • 1:00 p.m.

Bleu Rock Inn, Washington Information: 540-547-2810 (E) 540-937-3066 (D)

Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, March 10 • 12:00 noon Woodley Farm, Berryville Information: 540-837-0036

Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point

Old Dominion Hounds Point-to-Point Saturday, April 7 • 12:00 noon Ben Venue Farm, Ben Venue Information: 540-364-4573 or 540-636-1507 www.old-dominion-hounds.org

Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point

Sunday, April 15 • 1:00 p.m.

Oatlands, Leesburg Information: 703-777-8480 or 540-338-4031

Middleburg Spring Race Meet

Saturday, April 21 •1:30 p.m.

Glenwood Park, Middleburg Information: 540-687-6545 or 540-687-6595 www.middleburgspringraces.com

Fairfax Hunt Point-to-Point

Saturday, March 17 • 12:30 p.m.

Airlie Race Course, Warrenton Information: 540-219-1400

Sunday, April 22 • 1:30 p.m.

Morven Park, Leesburg Information: 703-787-6673

Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point

Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point

Saturday, March 24 •12:30 p.m.

Salem Course, Upperville Information: 540-687-3455

Orange County Hunt Point-to-Point Sunday, April 1 • 1:00 p.m.

Locust Hill Farm, Middleburg Information: 540-687-6528

February 2007

www.fairfaxhuntraces.org

Sunday, April 29 • 1:00 p.m.

Glenwood Park, Middleburg Information: 540-454-2991 or 540-687-6069

Virginia Gold Cup Race Meet Saturday, May 5 • 1:00 p.m.

Great Meadow Course, The Plains Information: 540-347-2612 www.vagoldcup.com

27

Why St. Valentine’s Day?

W

hy do we celebrate and shower gifts on our loved ones every February 14th? Why do we rush to the nearest Hallmark and grab the last few cards with hearts and cupids and sinful chocolates? There are a few versions of the story that began St. Valentine’s Day with links to both Christian and Roman traditions and there are three martyred saints named Valentine/Valentinus recognized by the Catholic Church.

One version is about a priest who continued to perform secret marriages for young couples against the laws put in place by Emperor Claudius II. The Emperor’s reasoning was that unmarried men were better soldiers.

When the Emperor found out that he had been defied, he had the priest killed.

Another version is that Valentine was helping Christians escape prisons in Rome where they were being tortured.

And lastly, the story that makes sense for the greeting card companies, is that Valentine was the first one to send a

Smiling Singles February Events Sat., February 10th 8:00 p.m.

Bowling • Warrenton Lanes Shoes & 2 games cost $8 pp Need Group to Get Discount Please RSVP to Kelley

by Feb. 7th 349-0196 Saturday, February 17th Treat Yourself Right Night Dinner & Contra Dance Dinner at Applebee’s 5:00 p.m.

Meet at WUMC after to go Contra Dancing as a Group.

Remember to RSVP to Kelley for all or either part of the night.

349-0196 Saturday, February 24th Dance with McLean Singles RSVP 349-0196 28

greeting of some sort to his jailer’s daughter who had been visiting him during his captivity. Legend has it that he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘From your Valentine’.

The oldest valentine on record was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans. Charles was imprisoned in the Tower of London after he was captured during the Battle of Agincourt.

He wrote the poem in 1415 while awaiting his execution.

There are many more stories regarding our reasons for celebrating this holiday but the only reason that really counts is that it gives us one more special day to tell our significant others how much we really love them. So how you celebrate it is not as important as taking the time to let him/her know you care. Whether you choose a silly card, some succulent chocolates in an Elvis Presley tin that sings every time you open it, a pearl necklace or a quiet romantic dinner, Warrenton has dozens of ways you can tell that special someone how you really feel about them.

Advertise here…

Your ad here would reach 30,000 Warrenton consumers at their homes & businesses.

For rates & advertising information contact Cindy McBride at 540.347.4466 or email: CindyMcBride@piedmontpress.com Warrenton Lifestyle

Hunt Country Celebrations Holds Bridal Show

Features One-Stop-Shopping for Bridal Parties Hunt Country Celebrations is holding its annual Bridal Show at the Fauquier Springs Country Club on February 4, 2007. A consortium of over 50 wedding and event professionals, Hunt Country Celebrations offers prospective brides with one-stop-shopping and the combined experience of seasoned professionals.

The show starts at 12:00 p.m. and the much anticipated event, the bridal fashion show, begins at 1:30 p.m. Always a favorite, everyone will get the latest trends in wedding dresses, styles to best fit body types and what to avoid in dresses. Over 20 designers will take to the runway and showcase their most elaborate dresses.

Tickets are $5.00 in advance from Hunt Country Celebrations or $10.00 at the door. They can also be purchased in advance by calling Elaine Burke at 540-253-5000.

February 2007

29

30

Warrenton Lifestyle

February 2007

31

A division of Piedmont Press & Graphics 404 Belle Air Lane • Warrenton, Virginia 20186

*****************ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER