Q Virginia | Winter 2017-2018

NO. 11 Winter 2017-18 Holiday & Home Book

HOME

INDULGE

HOLIDAZE

Deck the halls with mid-century style!

‘Tis the season to eat, drink & be merry!

Tips, tricks & last minute gifts to make the season bright!

Equality Through Storytelling

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NOVEMBER 20TH

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Q Virginia Vol. 3 | Issue 3 Winter 2017-2018 Editorial Justin Ayars, JD Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Jesse LaVancher Deputy Editor & Art Director Art & Design John Dixon Deputy Art Director Taylor Pace Website Designer Marketing Steve Yavorsky Marketing & Communications Director Joy Farmer Advertising Manager Rivendell Media National Advertising Contributors Yasir Afzal; Justin Ayars; Savannah Cousin; Charlotte Ford; Katie Halverson; Eric Harold; Meredith Jenkins; Jesse LaVancher; Jenee Libby; Terri Schlichenmeyer; Jerome West; Michele Zehr Collegiate Fellows Savannah Cousin; Charlotte Ford; Amanda Hallesjo; Katie Halverson; Jihyun (Kate) Lee; Maxwell Manchester Editorial Office The Brookwood 1342 Flynn Road Richmond, Virginia 23225 Advertise with us and tell your story: sales@qvirginia.com qvirginia.com info@qvirginia.com

Published quarterly by Q Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Q Media, LLC is Virginia's Official LGBTQ Media Company.

It's mission is to promote equality through storytelling.

VIRGINIA'S OFFICIAL LGBTQ PUBLICATION

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NOVEMBER 30

FEBRUARY 8

DECEMBER 21

JANUARY 23

MARCH 15

Publisher’s Letter Welcome to Q Virginia’s Holiday & Home issue! The holiday season is a special time where friends, family and colleagues gather together to enjoy food, fellowship and festivities. Whether you celebrate the holidays at someone’s home (possibly yours), the office, a place of worship or another venue, we’ve filled this issue with stories that will make your season merry and bright. Given that the holidays are often centered around the home, we’ve also put together a guide to help you appropriate the timeless aesthetics of mid-century modern design, ways to adorn your abode with holiday cheer and tricks to being the perfect host(ess).

This time of year always reminds me of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic novel, A Christmas Carol. Although many believe the singular lesson from the story is for misers to embrace altruism—much like the Grinch adopted Christmas and Mr. Banks acknowledged Mary Poppins’ magic—this masterpiece contains powerful parables that span the calendar year and the human condition. Consider Scrooge’s nephew’s feelings about the season: I have always thought of Christmastime, when it has come round… as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

It’s worth contemplating the meaning of this passage and how it can instruct our daily interactions with each other. Let’s open our hearts and embrace both the holiday season and one another—particularly those with whom we disagree. If Scrooge can proclaim, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year,” then we can, too. Let the spirit of the season wash over you and fill your heart with joy and compassion throughout the New Year. As you do so, never forget to have fun because, as Dickens astutely noted, “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”

From all of us at Q Virginia, Happy Holidays!

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sections issue 11 winter 2017-2018 HOME | 21 Prepare your humble abode for the holiday season while embracing timeless elements of mid-century modern design!

INDULGE | 37 Gluttony is not a sin during the holidays. ‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry!

MEET VIRGINIA | 53 See how the Old Dominion gets into the holiday spirit and make plans to join in the festivities!

HOLIDAZE | 65 Check out our tips, tricks and trivia to help you make this holiday season merry and bright!

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Save the Date...

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 DOWNTOWN RICHMOND

vagaywedding.com

Winter 2017-18

CONTENTS

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HOLIDAY & HOME Opinion Queer Characters on TV | 12 Editorial The American Way | 13

Book Review Mask of Shadows | 19

Book Review Making Mid-Century Modern | 20

HOME Deck the Halls 15 Decorating Tips | 22 Home Sweet Home Mid-Century Modern | 27 Live the Life Bring Luxury Home | 35

INDULGE

Fruitcake 101 Love the Loaf | 38

The Sweetest Thing Red Truck Bakery | 39

Pumpkin Spice Our Favorite Flavor | 40

Wine & Dine Dinner Party Secrets | 41

Happy Hour Cocktail Party Tips | 46 Saucy Cowboy Syd’s D’lish Sauce | 48

Drink Up It’s Eggnog Time | 51 MEET VIRGINIA Celebrate Holiday Happenings | 54

Virginia Voices How We Celebrate | 63 HOLIDAZE

Merry & Bright 7 Holiday Tips | 66

Survival Guide The Office Holiday Party | 67

Queer Christmas Trick or Treat | 68 Faith Losing My Religion | 70

Coffee Talk Coffee Table Books | 72 Thanksgiving Pilgrims & Parades | 74

Keep it Reel Queer Holiday Movies | 76 Hanukkah Olive Oil & Donuts | 78 Passport Have a Pink Christmas | 80 Woof Holiday Pet Safety | 82

Mix Tape Top Queer Tracks | 83

O Christmas Tree Pagan Rituals Evolved | 84

Don’t Panic Last Minute Gifts | 86 Queerie Restoring Civility | 90 NYE Fabulous Party Tricks | 93

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o•pin•ion \ ə-’pin-yən \ The Final Frontier: Queer Characters on Television BY, JEROME WEST The inclusion of minority characters in mainstream television (including LGBTQ children’s characters and adult transgender characters) can bring benefits for those who do not identify with them—by broadening their minds. You only have to think back to the original Star Trek series in the 1960s that depicted Nichelle Nichols, an African-American actress, as Lt. Uhura. She was a prominent member—indeed, an equal member—on the bridge of the starship Enterprise during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Every week, Americans tuned into this wildly popular show and saw a black female portray a central and powerful character. As many Star Trek fans already know, Gene Roddenberry (the show's creator) saw the show as a vehicle to influence social change. After the first season of the groundbreaking series, Nichols was planning on leaving the show. At a Star Trek event, she met Martin Luther King, Jr. who told her, “Nichelle, whether you like it or not, you have become a symbol. If you leave, they can replace you with a blonde haired white girl and it will be like you were never there. What you've accomplished, for all of us, will only be real if you stay.” So, when Nichols told Roddenberry that she would stay on the show and that it was King who helped change her mind, Roddenberry reportedly responded, “Finally, someone gets it!”

Much like Nichols’ role helped changed the hearts and minds of Americans about civil rights during the 1960s, according to research from the forthcoming book The Path to Gay Rights by Jeremiah Garretson, plots involving LGBTQ characters can improve social tolerance. In his book, Garretson concludes that contact with gay characters on television predicted support for gay and lesbian employment protections. However, it’s important for LGBTQ characters to appear on television shows as returning characters, rather than simply making guest appearances. NBC’s Ellen and Will & Grace certainly proved this to be the case. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press in 2012 about the nation’s evolving attitude towards marriage equality, former Vice President Joe Biden said, “I think Will & Grace did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done so far.”

Hopefully, as viewers are exposed to five transgender characters in the upcoming FX 80’s drama, Pose, and a major gay character (Cyrus) appears on Disney’s Andi Mack, they might experience some of television’s attitude-changing effects. It’s encouraging to see some of the biggest networks in television boldly going where no one has gone before.

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ed·i·to·ri·al \ ,e-də-’tȯr-ē-əl \ The American Way: Civility & Mutual Respect BY, MEREDITH JENKINS This past year, political, economic and social headlines have struck a nerve in the American psyche, polarized the body politic and fundamentally altered the way in which we interact with one another. And, if we’re being honest, technology and social media have only added fuel to the fire. As we usher in a New Year, let’s assess how we can best address the issues of our time in a constructive manner—a manner that’s rooted in the principles underpinning our great nation: equality, fairness, diversity, inclusion and justice.

We should not take our politics too personally, nor should we take offense too easily.

We should never vilify those who espouse differing points of view. We should listen more than we speak. When we do speak, we should choose our words wisely. We must always bring our authentic selves to the table and speak from the mind—as well as the heart. We must strive to balance subjectivity with objectivity, feelings with logic and passion with dispassion. When we disagree, we should sensibly agree to disagree.

Above all, civility, congeniality and mutual respect must dominate our thoughts, words and actions.

2018 has the potential to be a year of great progress. Let’s thoughtfully channel our passions, work together and learn to compromise. That is truly the American way.

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

–Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Mask of Shadows YOUR SOMEDAYDREAM JOB IS NOT FOR WIMPS.

I needed to win.

They needed to die.

book review BY, TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

T

hat’s truth: it’ll be real work, and you’re prepared. You know it’ll take training, which will take time. You’ll have to learn to think differently, and that’s okay. You might get discouraged, and you’ll handle it. But – as in the new novel Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller – are you ready to die for it?

At first, Sallot Leon thought the scrap of paper might be money.

Erland nobles had been doing that – making money – ever since the war when Nacea was obliterated. But no, this bit of paper was worth more than money: it was an open call for a replacement member of the Queen’s Left Hand, an elite group of assassin-guards. Come by invitation or by skill, the poster said.

Sal had the skill, for sure.

Since Sal was eight years old, they worked as a street fighter and could climb anything. There was nothing they couldn’t steal, no lock they couldn’t pick. Those were skills the Queen needed, just as much as Sal needed to be Opal for the Left Hand and so, to get into the audition, they committed their first murder.

That, as it turned out, was the easy part: after passing the first interview, Sal was accepted and given a mask to wear at all times, the last mask awarded. Twenty-Three people were in the competition, for which the rules were simple: kill your competitors without being seen or getting caught, but don’t hurt anyone not competing.

Nine competitors were killed the first night.

As other Opal Wanna-Be’s fell almost hourly, Sal had to rely on past experience and new skills to stay alive. Core-strength training helped them dodge spears and arrows from other competitors.

Tutoring eliminated illiteracy. Medical training kept Sal from death by poisoning. But there was no way to avoid falling in love with someone forbidden, nor the aftermath that was sure to come.

Though it starts out a little on the clunky side and it may take a minute to get your bearings, Mask of Shadows quickly becomes a pretty good novel.

And a unique one, too: it’s rare to find a gender-fluid character in a main position, but that’s where author Linsey Miller places hers – and yet, though unusual, fluidity isn’t the driving force behind this story. We don’t know, in fact, that Sal doesn’t gender-identify until later in the novel. That’s uncommon, too.

As for character development, that’s where Miller shines.

Sal starts out a bit feral, a street-wise petty thief, uncivilized but with hungry focus. There’s a lot of selfishness in that early Sal, but as they mature into a trained assassin, egotism is replaced by allegiance and a much finer character. Add in a cast that could, one-by-one, die at any minute and, well, you’ll be hooked.

For fans of The Hunger Games-type fiction, this novel will be too appealing to pass up—too delicious to deny yourself. For readers age 15 and up, Mask of Shadows is going be a dream book!

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Making Midcentury Modern You’ll never forget the feeling of key in hand.

book review BY, TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

I

magine – you. A homeowner, finally, after saving, planning and a ceiling-high pile of paperwork. Starting today, you can go home (home!), shut the door and know that it’s all yours. So how do you reflect your style in this home you love? Begin with Making Midcentury Modern by Christopher Kennedy.

When he was a young lad, Kennedy’s parents taught him the proper ways to a well-mannered life: his mother made him write thankyou notes and she taught him how to “make a good first impression,” while his father advised him to “live each day to the fullest.” Those lessons were learned in “simpler, more gracious times.”

Kennedy insists it’s not nostalgia that makes him love interior design from that period. Instead, he just likes the trend and he doesn’t see it “slowing down any time soon.” In this book, he shows how you can include Midcentury Modern into your home, even if it was built last month.

You can start in the entrance.

Those first impressions matter when it comes to a home, says Kennedy. Paint your front door in a Midcentury Modern color to welcome guests warmly.

On the topic of colors, Midcentury Modern isn’t shy. Orange is the “caffeine of the color wheel,” and it really pops. Think pink (Mamie Eisenhower’s favorite color), turquoise, white, red or any shade of blue. Don’t just color walls, though; be bold with furniture, rugs and accessories. Pillows in out-there colors are inexpensive ways to dip your toe into the design.

Know the “secret to a beautiful and easy-to-make bed” – and for guest rooms, consider twin beds. Go ahead and mix metals, bring childhood treasures out for display and recall Mom’s kitchen or bathroom for ideas. Take your indoors, outdoors, weather permitting.

Pare down; Midcentury Modern isn’t cluttered (so on that note, hide your TV). And finally, have fun.

“Above all,” Kennedy says, “never take your home… too seriously.”

Sometimes, it’s easy to feel indecision or paralysis when it comes to décor. What if you make a mistake?

What if you have Making Midcentury Modern?

With 100 easy-to-use (and surprisingly budget-friendly) tips, author Christopher Kennedy gives readers the inspirational boost they need to make a home dazzle. You’ll see how simple color will transform a house’s entire look and where cherished possessions can become unusual displays. Kennedy fully admits that many of his favorite pieces were discovered online or at thrift stores, an idea that’s somehow very delicious. And pillows? Pile ‘em on!

The one criticism I have with this book isn’t with the information – it’s with getting that information: the font color against color can be very difficult to read. White print on a yellow background, for example, is nearly hidden.

It’s a design flaw in a design book. Go figure.

That’s not insurmountable, though: there are photos enough to make this coffee-table book a can’t-miss and full of fun. If you need your house to feel groovier no matter when it was constructed, Making Midcentury Modern may be key.

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HOME 15 Decorating Tips to Make the Yuletide GAY

Q's Guide to Mid-Century Modern Design

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15 TIPS

TO DECORATING SUCCESS BY, JEROME WEST

Have a gay Yuletide!

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1

Start with the Dinner Table

The easiest way to make your holiday decorations more dramatic this year is to spruce up your table setting. Don’t be afraid to deviate from the standard red and green color scheme. Try fabrics in malachite and hot pink peonies. Dress up a dinner party with lush garlands, silver candle holders and wood chargers. Complete each setting with golden flatware and a cinnamon stick wrapped in an evergreen or holly sprig.

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3

2

Wrap Presents in Style

Try wrapping your presents in rustic brown paper and top each gift off with a piece of greenery. This simple look is both charming and unexpected. Bonus Tip: Wrap your presents early and use them as holiday décor!

Modern Ornaments Are Your Friends

Go for a minimalist twist with geometric gold ornaments (always incorporate gold into your holiday decorations). Hang gold ornaments from your chandelier to create a both sparkle and depth to your décor. Check out Scandinavian home websites for decorating inspiration.

For more ways to embrace the Mad Men style, check out our guide to making your home a classic, mid-century modern marvel in this issue.

4

Embrace Vintage

Use your favorite antiques by styling them for the holiday season. Place a wooden sled draped in a garland, a burlap sack filled with tree clippings or some old boots by the fireplace.

Not only are you utilizing items you already have, you save money on decorations! Cha-ching!

5

Use Wallpaper as Wrapping Paper

If you have a truly important gift to wrap, use wallpaper. Although it’s more expensive, wallpaper offers amazing pattern options and textures that wrapping paper just can’t provide. Also, wallpaper is much more durable, so you won’t have to worry about the paper tearing—especially when you set your presents out as part of your holiday décor.

6

Improvise Earthy Napkin Rings

We’re back at the dinner table (you see how central the table is when it comes to decorating your home?). Instead of the napkin rings you have in your drawer, tie each napkin with a ribbon and top it with a sprig of pine. Compliment this look by placing a few glass ornaments around your place setting. Bonus Tip: To make your dinner guests feel truly special, ask them to take the glass ornaments home with them as a holiday goody!

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7

Do Not Fear Artificial Trees

Real trees, though they smell lovely, create an absolute mess in your living room that both you and your vacuum can do without. Not only do artificial trees avoid creating a mess, but they often have wires that you can easily curve and bend to hold your favorite ornaments. You can still get that pine smell in your living room by lighting some scented candles—just keep them at a safe distance from your tree, your presents, all decorations and, of course, your pets.

8

Create a Living Runner

Bring one of nature’s best color schemes to your mantle: green and white. Pair fresh greens with mercury candle votives and white lights. You can try the same when dressing up your dining room table. You’ll never get tired of this simple, classic look. Bonus Tip: For another classic look, try this simple formula: paperwhites, citrus and magnolia. Place cut magnolia on your mantle as a base. Then intersperse lemons or clementines and paperwhites (either the individual bulb or mossy pots of six bulbs) across your mantle. It will give your home a beautiful, natural look and it smells heavenly.

9

Stage a Holiday “Shelfie”

The shelving around your house is the perfect place to create a holiday vignette. Add some tabletop trees, bowls of ornaments and other holiday flair (lights, greenery, candles, etc.) to your bookshelves to create the ultimate holiday “shelfie” that will become an Instagram hit!

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10

Create a Candy Bar

Who doesn’t love candy? Create an impromptu “candy store” on an entry or side table with lidded apothecary jars in various sizes. Fill them with colorful taffy, chocolates and gummies. Put scoops and small baggies on the table, too. When guests drop by, they can take a sweet reminder of their visit on the road with them. Candy has a long shelf life (especially individually wrapped kinds), so you can enjoy the look all season long.

12

Use Ribbon Scraps to Update Candles

Customize plain pillar candles with colorful ribbon trims wrapped around their bases. Pin the ribbon directly into the candle with small stick pins or use a decorative pin to add even more flair. From classic holiday motifs and shimmery gold to tartan plaids and velvets, you can change your candles’ look from day to day the same way you change your outfit!

13

Add Sparkle to Unexpected Places

When it comes to outdoor lights, try draping them around trellis, birdbaths and other landscaping features that don’t normally get any holiday love. This will illuminate your yard and create the ideal setting for outdoor entertaining (if you live in a warmer climate or have outdoor heaters). Bonus Tip: Wrap lights around your holiday wreaths and around garlands that billow down your staircase railing.

11

Don’t Forget the Bathroom

Write holiday greetings like “Ho! Ho! Ho!” or “I’m so glad you’re here!” with a dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror. Or you can channel your inner-artist and draw a Christmas tree or menorah. It’s a fun way to add a little humor and surprise to your home. And afterwards, a damp rag wipes it all away

14

Have a Cake Stand Do Double Duty

Head to your backyard to search for pinecones and acorns to fill a basic, domed clear cake stand.

To make this unique and dramatic centerpiece: (1) Hold the dome upside down by its handle with one hand; (2) Fill the upside-down dome with the pine cones and acorns to the brim; (3) Take the base, turned upside down and cover your dome as if it was a lid; and, (4) With both hands, quickly turn the whole set right side up so that the cake stand and lid sit as they were intended. Voilà!

15

Make it Last

Once the New Year begins and the holiday decorations start coming down, don’t throw things away. Save leftover fabric scraps and make custom wreaths out of them. Save quality ribbons and bows for next year’s presents (or table décor). Over the years, you’ll not only save money; but you’ll become craftier, too!

This story was inspired by tips strung together our staff, DIY expert David Stark and the editors of www.elledecor.com

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Mid-Century

MODERN DESIGN GUIDE

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BY, JESSE LAVANCHER

CLEAN LINES, SIMPLICITY AND FUNCTIONALITY.

These are some of the reasons reasons why the mid-century modern design movement—which, was propelled by post-war homeowners wanting to feel modern and futuristic—has become a timeless look.

You can create that same feeling in your home, even on a budget. Here are Q Virginia’s 6 golden rules to incorporating mid-century modern design into your home, even if it was built last year.

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EMBRACE MINIMALISM THE HEART AND SOUL OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN

IS

MINIMALISM

AND

FUNCTIONALITY.

EVERY PIECE IN A MID-CENTURY MODERN ROOM HAS A PURPOSE. TO GET STARTED IN YOUR OWN HOME, GET RID OF ALL UNNECESSARY ITEMS AND KNICK-KNACKS. TO YOUR NEW “BLANK SLATE,” ADD NEW PIECES ONLY WHEN THEY SERVE A SPECIFIC FUNCTION. LESS IS MORE.

IN YOUR KITCHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, REPLACE CURVED, ORNATE KITCHEN CABINETS WITH PLAIN, FLAT WOOD ONES. ADD SLEEK STAINLESS STEEL AND MARBLE TO COUNTERTOP SURFACES AND CONSIDER CORK OR LAMINATE FLOORING. ABOVE ALL, KEEP THE LINES IN YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN, SIMPLE AND UNCLUTTERED.

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BOLD LIGHTING MID-CENTURY MODERN ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS RELISHED IN THE NOTION THAT ART AND FUNCTIONALITY COULD OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE. TRY COMBINING LIGHTING THAT HAS STRAIGHT, GEOMETRIC LINES WITH LIGHTING THAT HAS CURVED CONTOURS. A STANDING LAMP WITH TAPERED LEGS AND A WHITE DRUM SHADE PAIRED WITH A CIRCULAR BUBBLE LAMP PENDANT NEARBY MAKES A STATEMENT THAT IS TRULY MID-CENTURY MODERN.

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NEUTRALS TONES, VIBRANT COLORS NEUTRAL WALLS, EXPOSED WOOD ELEMENTS AND POPS OF VIBRANT COLOR MAKE MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN TRULY CHARMING. TRY DARING COLOR PAIRINGS LIKE AQUA AND TANGERINE TO MAKE A ROOM CHEERFUL AGAINST AN OVERALL NEUTRAL BACKDROP. PAIRING CITRUS TONES WITH GRAY FURNITURE DEMONSTRATES A SOPHISTICATED PALATE AND ADDS WARMTH TO A ROOM. EMBRACE BOLD ACCESSORIES (PILLOWS, SCULPTURES, BOWLS AND OTHER INTERCHANGEABLE DÉCOR) ALONG WITH NEUTRAL-TONED FURNITURE SO YOU CAN EASILY SWAP THINGS AROUND WHEN YOUR MOOD CHANGES.

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SIMPLE LINES, BOLD PATTERNS WHEN CONSIDERING THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, EMBRACE GEOMETRIC SHAPES, ABSTRACT ART AND STARBURST PATTERNS. YOU CAN USHER IN BOLD GEOMETRIC PATTERNS AND INTRICATE DESIGNS USING DRAPES, RUGS AND AUDACIOUS WALLPAPER. JUST BE SURE THAT THE BOLD GEOMETRIC PATTERNS COMPLEMENT THE ROOM’S CLEAN LOOK. TOO MANY PATTERNS CREATE CLUTTER. TO ENSURE THE PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN BOLD PATTERNS AND THE EVER-IMPORTANT NEUTRAL BACKDROP, THE SCALE SHOULD ALWAYS TILT TOWARDS THE LATTER.

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OUTSIDE, INSIDE MID-CENTURY MODERN ARTISTS AND ARCHITECTS PIONEERED THE MERGING OF DESIGN WITH NATURE. AN EASY WAY TO EMBRACE NATURE IS TO LET IN AS MUCH NATURAL LIGHT AS POSSIBLE AND BRING PLANTS INTO YOUR LIVING SPACES. TRY BUILDING A PATIO OUTSIDE YOUR LIVING ROOM BY CREATING A SLEEK AND MINIMALISTIC OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE THAT SEAMLESSLY TRANSITIONS INTO YOUR INDOOR SPACE. INVEST IN SOME WEATHERPROOF FURNITURE CONSTRUCTED WITH THE SAME CLEAN LINES AND POPS OF COLOR FOUND IN YOUR MID-CENTURY MODERN LIVING ROOM TO CREATE A STYLISH OUTDOOR RETREAT THAT BECOMES A NATURAL EXTENSION OF YOUR LIVING ROOM.

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WOOD, METAL THE TWO MOST ESSENTIAL MATERIALS YOU SHOULD EMBRACE WHEN INCORPORATING MIDCENTURY MODERN DESIGN INTO YOUR HOME ARE WOOD AND METAL. EXPOSED WOOD OFFERS BOTH AESTHETIC VALUE AND FUNCTIONALITY. BRASS IS ANOTHER MATERIAL YOU SHOULD CONSIDER UTILIZING, WHETHER YOU DO SO WITH FURNITURE OR HANGING WALL SCULPTURES. TRY MIXING DIFFERENT TYPES OF METAL AND WOOD TO MAKE YOUR ROOM FEEL WARM AND APPROACHABLE. CONSIDER PURCHASING AN ISAMU NOGUCHI COFFEE TABLE, WHICH HAS A WOODEN BASE AND A CURVED GLASS TOP. THIS QUINTESSENTIAL MID-CENTURY MODERN PIECE PERFECTLY UNIFIES NATURAL ELEMENTS AND MAKES A BOLD STATEMENT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. OTHER CLASSICS INCLUDE THE POPULAR EAMES LOUNGER AND THE AMAZING ARRAY OF GEORGE NELSON CLOCKS. IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE BUDGET FOR THESE HIGH-END DÉCOR PIECES, CHECK OUT YOUR LOCAL FLEA MARKET FOR SOME AUTHENTIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FINDS. YOU MAY STUMBLE UPON FOUR 1950S PEG LEGS THAT YOU CAN AFFIX TO A PIECE OF FURNITURE YOU ALREADY OWN! FROM VASES AND COFFEE TABLES TO ARTWORK AND SIMPLE SIDE TABLES, PICK OUT WHAT YOU LOVE AND LET IT BECOME THE STAR OF THE ROOM.

This story was inspired by ebth.com’s “Guide to Mid-Century Modern Design,” Sherry Nothingam’s “How to Give Your Home a Captivating Mid-Century Modern Style” and Shelly Little’s “10 Easy Ways to Add a Mid-Century Modern Style to Your Home.”

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Secrets to Living in a Boutique Hotel BY, JESSE LAVANCHER Don’t you love walking into a clean, well-appointed hotel room? Luxury hotels make us wish we could capture some of that magic and take it home to our cluttered apartments. I’ve put together five ways you can do just that. From embracing timeless mid-century modern themes to making use of your apartment’s limited space, you can transform your humble abode into the luxury hotel you always wanted it to be.

EMBRACE MINIMALISM Limit the number of pieces per room to five. Even a small room can feel intentional, composed and open when you limit the number of pieces in it. Doing so gives the furniture (and you) room to breathe.

AFFORDABLE, ORIGINAL ARTWORK You don’t have to be a millionaire to have beautiful works of original artwork. Check out the art department at a local college or university and find out when students put their work on sale. For an affordable price, you can find a lovely piece of artwork (perhaps even one that fits the mid-century modern motif you’re going for). Oh, and it’s time for that Starry Night poster to come down. Seriously.

TAKE A SEAT Add a lounge chair to your bedroom. Chairs (especially the mid-century modern variety) are a wonderful addition to your bedroom because you can spruce them up with textured throw blankets and soft pillows.

They are also a place where you can sit and decompress. Just don’t ruin your stylish new lounge chair by throwing clothes on it.You (and your apartment) are better than that!

STRUCTURAL POP If you’re not a huge fan of canvas paintings, no worries. Not all art is created equal. When decorating your bedroom wall (which, should be a neutral color, of course) try hanging something truly unique like a brass instrument you picked up at a flea market or a piece of wall sculpture.

These types of items add both depth and pop to your room. Make your wall art as unique as you are. Just don’t overdo it. One or two pieces is all you need. And you did throw away that raggedy Starry Night poster, right? Ok, good. Just checking.

USE SPACE WISELY If you have a small apartment (especially if you live in the DMV area), you need to make the most of every square inch of space you have. Invest in high-quality foldable wooden furniture that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but highly functional when you need to make room for guests at a moment’s notice. Also, consider pieces that do double-duty like side tables that can serve as extra seating and beds placed against a wall can double as a sofa (or be extra swanky and get a Murphy bed).

In general, I suggest you take inspiration from the mid-century modern design article in this issue. Apply those lessons to my tips here and you’ll be well on your way to making your apartment feel like a luxury hotel!

This article was inspired by Laura Ratliff’s piece entitled “5 Simple Design Secrets to Make Your Apartment Look Like a Ultra-Cool Hotel.”

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Enjoy an ambiance that will radiate joy and happiness.

Say "I do" to your dream wedding at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner with an intimate ceremony followed by an elaborate reception to celebrate your special day. Learn more by visiting ritzcarlton.com/tysonscorner.

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Š

INDULGE Q's Secret Recipe for the Perfect Dinner Party

Cowboy Syd Dishes with Q Virginia

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Here’s Looking at You, Fruitcake “THERE’S ONLY ONE FRUITCAKE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD AND PEOPLE KEEP PASSING IT AROUND.” - JOHNNY CARSON BY, JUSTIN AYARS, JD Johnny Carson once said, “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep passing it around.”

But, are fruitcakes really all that bad? They’ve certainly stood the test of thyme (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun). The modern fruitcake dates back (I did it again) to the Middle Ages when dried fruits became more widely available and Europeans began eating fruited breads. Over time, different variations of fruitcake began cropping up across the continent and the New World. Italy’s panforte (“strong bread”), which can be traced back to 13th century Sienna, is dense, sweet and spicy. Since the 1400s, Germans have made stollen—a tapered loaf coated with melted butter and powdered sugar. Various Caribbean Islands make black cake, a boozy descendant of Britain’s plum pudding where they soak the fruit in rum for up to a year! Captain Jack Sparrow would approve!

In the 18th and 19th centuries, people began making fruitcakes for special occasions (weddings, holidays, etc.) because they were cheap to produce and were quite indulgent. Somehow, the fruitcake became exclusively associated with the Christmas season. When and how did this happen? Your guess is as good as mine.

Equally elusive is when the fruitcake fell from grace. Possibly it was in the early 20th century when mass-produced mail-order fruitcakes became available. The fruitcake’s ubiquitous presence around Christmas time could have transformed humanity’s image of the once beloved occasional confection into that of an omnipresent, dry, leaden cake covered with tasteless candied fruits and pecans. In Manitou Springs, Colorado, there’s an annual fruitcake toss where people assemble with their unwanted loaves and catapult them out of their lives, medieval style (seriously). However, companies have been mass producing the darn things forrrrrrr-ehhhhhh-verrrrr, so some people must like them, right?

Call me nutty (last time, I swear), but I actually love fruitcake, especially when it’s homemade and there’s a bit of liquor involved in its creation. I have fond memories of my grandmother baking fruitcakes at Christmas and savoring that sweet, succulent smell throughout the holiday season. Being a good Southerner, she always made them with bourbon (and enjoyed a nip or two while she baked). My kitchen visitation rights were revoked when I tried to make fried chicken earlier this year and the fire department showed up (true story), so I don’t dare try my hand at baking. However, if you are more gifted when it comes to the culinary arts (and fire safety), I encourage you to find a fruitcake recipe that pleases your palette. But please, for the love of all things holy, just be a good Virginian and don’t forget the bourbon when baking your loaf. If your fruitcake feats fall flat, fret not—at least you’ll have a bottle of the good stuff on hand to enjoy. Happy fruiting!

This story was inspired by Jesse Rhodes’ 2010 article, “Fruitcake 101: A concise Cultural History of This Loved and Loathed Loaf,” which can be found at www.Smithsonian.com

38 | Q Virginia

by Jenée Libby One

of the Sweetest Places in America

Located in a renovated 1921 Esso filling station, Red Truck Bakery is a bakery lover’s delight located in the heart of Old Town Warrenton. Owner and baker-in-chief BY,Brian JENEENoyes, LIBBY a former magazine art director, serves up breakby Jenée Located in Libby a and renovated 1921 Esso filling fast, lunch, assorted sweet treats station, Red Truck Bakery 1921 is a bakery Located in a renovated Esso in a space causing antique loversfilllover’s delight located in the heart of Old ing station, Red Bakery a bakto swoon.

WalkTruck through the is authentic Town Warrenton. Owner and baker-inery lover’s delight located in the heart screenBrian doorNoyes, whileaenjoying that great ‑chief former magazine art of Old Town Warrenton.

Owner and “slamming” sound.

Eat at alunch, table and made director, serves up breakfast, baker-in-chief Brian in Noyes, former from a nearby barn door setaafire by assorted sweet treats a space causing magazine art director, serves up breakGenerallovers PhiliptoSheridan during the Civil antique swoon. Walk through fast, lunch, and assorted sweet treats the screen door while enjoying War.authentic A 1954 Ford F-100, candy apple that “slamming” Eat at a table in space causing antique lovers reda great of course, stays sound. parked outside. made from a nearby barn door set afire by to swoon.

Walk through the authentic The pristine vehicle was purchased General Philip Sheridan during the Civil screen door while enjoying that great from designer Tommy Hilfiger and is War. A 1954 Ford F-­ 1 00, candy apple of “slamming” sound.

Eat at a table made considered the bakery’s mascot. red course, parked The pristine from a stays nearby barnoutside. door set afire by vehicle was purchased from designer General Philip Sheridan Civil Three classically trained during bakersthe creTommy Hilfiger and is considered the War. A 1954 Ford F-100, candy apple ate pies,mascot. cakes, muffins, cookies, and bakery’s red course,using stays local parked evenofgranola andoutside. seasonal The pristine vehicle was purchased ingredients.

Everything is baked from Three classically trained bakers create pies, from designer Tommy Hilfiger and is scratch daily. cookies, Arrive early for fresh cakes, muffins, and even granola considered the bakery’s mascot. using local and seasonal homemade pumpkin oringredients. cranberry-orEverything is baked from scratch daily. ange-walnut muffins and Red Truck’s Arrive early for fresh, homemade pumpkin Three classically trained bakers creown special blend of “Hi-Octane” or cranberry‑orange‑walnut muffins ate pies, cakes, muffins, cookies, and coffee, created especially for the bakery and Red Truck’s own special blend of even granola using local and seasonal

by Counter Culture in Durham, North “Hi‑Octane” coffee, created for ingredients. is especially baked from Carolina. StayEverything on for lunch and enjoy a the bakery by Counter Culture in Durham, scratch daily. Arrive earlysandwich for fresh on hot homemade meatloaf North Carolina. Stay on for lunch and enjoy homemade or cranberry-orwithpumpkin mustard, afocaccia hot homemade meatloafmayonnaise, sandwich on and ange-walnut muffins and local Bibb lettuce.

Pairmayonnaise, thatRed withTruck’s aand soup focaccia with mustard, own special blend of “Hi-Octane” of theBibb daylettuce. and end local Pairthe thatwhole with ashebang soup of coffee, created especially for the with bakery withday a slice of apple pie. shebang the and end the whole a by Counter Culture in Durham, North slice of apple pie.

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Tradi-a Apple pie?

Red Truck has three! hot homemade meatloaf sandwich on tionalists will love the two--crust clasTraditionalists will love the two‑crust focaccia with mustard, mayonnaise, and sic version, but don’t hesitate to try the classic version, but don’t hesitate to try local Bibb lettuce.

Pair that with a soup Dutch crumb apple pie with cinnamon thethe Dutch crumbend apple piewhole with cinnamon of day streusel, or and the saltedthe caramel. shebang No a là streusel, or the salted caramel. No a là with a needed slice of apple pie.pie stands all mode here, this mode needed here, this pie stands all on on own its own and is bursting with spicy its and is bursting with spicy sweet Apple pie?

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Trystyle? the Kentucky pecan pie sic version, but don’t hesitate to try the Dutch crumb apple pie with cinnamon streusel, or the salted caramel. No a là mode needed here, this pie stands all

pecan pie with bourbon and chocolate, scrumptious! Or call ahead and order a traditional mincemeat pie. Baker Brian is on a one-man mission to resurrect this misunderstood sweet, and according to Esquire magazine, which recently with bourbon and chocolate, profiled his undertaking, he scrumptious! has accomOr call pie ahead and order a and traditional pecan with bourbon plished the feat with panache.chocolate, mincemeat pie. Baker Brian is on a one‑man scrumptious! Or call ahead and order a mission to resurrect this misunderstood traditional mincemeat pie.Red Baker Brian Conde Nast has called Truck sweet, and according to Esquire magazine, is on a one-man mission to resurrect Bakery one of profiled America’s 13 Sweetesthe which recently his undertaking, this sweet, andreaders accordBakery Destinations, and with the has misunderstood accomplished the feat panache. ing to Esquire magazine, which recently of Virginia Living magazine voted them profiled his undertaking, he has accomConde Nast has called Red Truck Bakery Best Bakery, Best Locally-Owned Cofone of America’s 13 Sweetest Bakery plished the feat with panache. fee House, Best Breakfast Place and Destinations, the readersin of ALL Virginia Best Place forand Sandwiches of Living magazine voted them Best Bakery, Conde Nast has called Red Truck Northern Virginia. Red Truck has been Best Locally‑Owned Coffee House, Bakery one of America’s 13 Sweetest profiled in Garden and Gun, The New Best Breakfast Place and Best Place for Bakery Destinations, and the York Times, The Washington readers Post, and Sandwiches in ALL of Northern Virginia. of Virginia Living magazine voted them Oprah magazine.

Red Truck has been profiled in Garden and Best Bakery, Best Locally-Owned CofGun, The New York Times, The Washington fee House, Breakfast Order Place and Can’t make it Best toMagazine.

Warrenton? a Post, and Oprah Best Place for Sandwiches in Double Chocolate Moonshine ALL Cakeof as Northern Virginia.

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Order your Fall foliage adventures? locationsChocolate for a fill‑up while on your fall as Double Moonshine Cake foliage adventures? well as Libby tons of goodies online at Jenée is other a writer of food, fiction, Foody Direct.

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Why notcrevisit books, andis aanything Technicolor Jenée Libby writer of food, fiction, travel, and both locations for a fill-up while on ated a Jell-O mold.

You diner can ephemera, catch essay.in She’s obsessed with vintage your Fall foliage adventures? old cookbooks, and anything Technicolor created her running her mouth, way too much, in a Jell‑O mold.

You can catch her her on her podcast, Edacious - running Food Talk mouth, way too much, on her podcast, Edacious Jenée Libby is a writer of food, fiction, for Gluttons. Available on iTunes and at‑ Food Talk for essay.

Gluttons. Available on iTunes and at travel, and She’s obsessed with http://edacious.co/ http://edacious.co/. vintage diner ephemera, old cookbooks, anything Picturedand from top to Technicolor bottom: HamcrePictured from top to bottom: ated in a Jell-O mold.

You can catch Quiche, Blood Orange Cake, RhuHam Quiche, Blood Orange Cake, Rhubarb Pie, her running her mouth, way too much, barb Cake,Rhubarb and Strawberry LemonPie, Cake,Lemon and Strawberry Pie. Photos on her podcast, Edacious - Food Talk Rhubarb Pie. courtesy Red courtesy Red TruckPhotos Bakery for Gluttons.

Available on iTunes and at Truck Bakery. http://edacious.co/ UNITE Virginia | unitevamag.com | 39 Pictured from top to bottom: Ham qvirginia.com | 39 Quiche, Blood Orange Cake, Rhu-

pumpkin spice and everything nice A HOLIDAY FAVORITE BY, CHARLOTTE FORD

Hello. My name is Charlotte (Carley) and I have a problem. I’m a latte junkie. I drink all type of lattes all year long. However, when the holiday season approaches, there is only room in my life for one type of latte: pumpkin spice. The pumpkin spice latte (PSL) has become so popular at Starbucks that it even has its own Instagram page with over 37,000 followers!

Interestingly, when it comes to the pumpkin spice flavor itself, no real pumpkins are harmed in its creation. To make it you just need some ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and ground cloves. Because this mixture of spices has become one of the holiday season’s biggest sensations, it is called “pumpkin spice” because there are so many fun things to do during the holiday season that involves pumpkins: going to pumpkin patches, carving pumpkins and even making/eating pumpkin pie. I can’t think of any negative connotations when I think about pumpkins. I love them so much that when my dad came to visit me for my birthday, which was in late October, he brought me a huge pumpkin—though, I’m still waiting for it to turn into a golden carriage.

As more companies embrace the season’s pumpkin spice craze, many have created a synthetic version to trick us into thinking it’s the real deal. Our brains are stimulated by the aromas these synthetic spice compounds create and we think we’re smelling/ tasting “pumpkin spice.” The word synthetic sounds bad, but it really isn’t. It’s just a different way to make an old favorite.

Starbucks isn’t the only company making big bucks off the seasonal flavor. Oreo has their own twist with a pumpkin spice flavor icing between their famous cookies; Baileys has a pumpkin spice Irish liqueur; Kraft Foods makes a pumpkin spiced Jell-O. If that’s not enough to satisfy your pumpkin spice craving, you can even get it as a deodorant!

It’s no coincidence that during the holiday season it seems like just about everything you see has pumpkin spice in it. According to CNN Health, marketing strategies (particularly those deployed by Starbucks) have conditioned our brains to consider pumpkin spice to be the flavor of the holiday season. This is why in late August, Starbucks starts advertising it’s PSL by simply stating, “Its back!”

This time of year I become a latte monogamist. Since pumpkin spice is the flavor of the holidays season, I encourage you to sip in the yuletide joy with a delicious PSL. Or, if you’re a pumpkin spice fanatic, try some pumpkin spice deodorant. As for me, I’ll stick to my latte.

40 | Q Virginia

THE

SECRET

R E C I P E FO R A S T R E S S -F R E E D I N N E R PAR T Y! BY, JEROME WEST The dinner party is alive and well. Hosting a dinner party of your own may seem complicated and overwhelming. Well, I’ve got news for you: it’s not. The trick is to focus on a few key details. Follow these tips and you and your guests will have a fun, stress-free and memorable dinner party!

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P L A N

P L A N

PLAN FOR FOR SUCCESS. SUCCESS PLAN

1

Invite Guests Like You’re Casting for The Breakfast Club, Not Friends No one should know everyone at the table. But make sure everyone knows at least one other person and that the group, as a whole, shares similar interests. A dinner party should create a social dynamic that’s never existed before. Handwritten mailed invitations are fabulous, but emails or phone calls will do the trick, too.

2

Ask about Allergies Normally, if a guest has a serious allergy or religious observance, they’ll tell you before your party. Even so, it’s always nice to ask ahead of time. Make sure there is at least one thing that everyone at the table can enjoy (besides the green salad without dressing).

3

Food Control Tell your guests not to bring anything. If you’re thinking this makes more work for you, remember: Figuring out where to stash everyone’s platters and bowls and how to serve what’s inside them? That’s work.

4

Cook Smart Avoid food that involves to-order cooking, constant stirring, flipping or checking. Keep it simple. Try onepot meals, casseroles and Crock-Pot dishes for a stress-free, satisfying entrée.

5

Inventory Check The weekend before the party, make sure you have all the necessary accoutrements (serving dishes, wine glasses, extra plates, dessert forks, etc.) so you’re not rushing around at the last minute trying to buy, borrow or steal them! Two nights before the party, set your dinner table and lay out all of your recipe ingredients. Leave the day of for emergency runs only.escobar ricardo

6

Be Flexible Make sure your menu and your plans for the evening don’t fall apart if somebody brings an extra friend. As a rule of thumb, make enough food to serve an extra two or three guests.

42 | Q Virginia

P R E P

P R E P

PREP LIKE LIKE AA BOSS PREP BOSS PART I emily robinson

1

Strategize Avoid a table laden with dishes that require last-minute prep, exotic ingredients (that require multiple trips to the grocery store), recipes with long prep times or items that need lots of time in the oven or fridge. It’s fine to have one elaborate centerpiece dish, but don’t drive yourself crazy in the process!

2

Do the Hard Work First Get as much prep work as possible out of the way ahead of time. Look for recipes that include instructions on how to “plan ahead” and mention what can be prepared a day or two early. Bonus Tip: (1) chop veggies the day before the party and put them in Ziploc bags; (2) make baked desserts a few days before the party.

3

Clean as You Go While it may seem like a pain in the neck, you should really wash pots and pans right after you finish using them. That keeps a pile of scary dirty dishes from amassing during the evening. Bonus Tip: Start the night with an empty dishwasher.

4

Delegate If a guest asks how they can help, put them to work slicing citrus fruit for cocktails, filling water glasses or doing something else that’s easy. Do not make guests help with the dishes. That is a party fowl and a half!

5 6

Start Early Cooking for a group takes longer than dinner for one. Give yourself extra time in the kitchen.

Ice, Ice Baby Stock up on plenty of ice before your party. Even if your freezer makes ice, buy more from the store. Better yet, ask guests to bring ice. There’s nothing worse than making a cocktail without ice (except one without a cocktail napkin!).

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H O S T

H O S T

HOST HOST WITHTHE THEMOST MOST WITH 1 2

emily robinson Get the Party Started You set the tone for the entire evening. Stay relaxed and cheerful, even if your cake caves in or your side dish burns. If you aren’t comfortable, your guests won’t be, either. Bonus Tip: Greet guests at the door in your socks or slippers. It sets a relaxed and casual vibe right away. I, however, would personally never be caught dead doing this. But that’s just me.

Sweet Tunes Make an awesome playlist to set the mood or let Pandora, Spotify or Sirius radio do the job for you. Bonus Tip: Play music from hip artists like Pink Martini and Zero 7 to set the perfect chill dinner party vibe all night long.

3

Don’t Overdo the Hors D’oeuvres Limit yourself and your guests to one or two options and don’t keep replenishing the supplies. If everyone gobbles up a huge plate of cheese, they won’t want to eat your fabulous meal.

4

Dim All the Lights (Sweet Darling) Lower lighting makes everyone look prettier, sexier and more mysterious. Turn down harsh overhead lights and light some candles. Christmas lights are a fabulous option during the holiday season.

5

Set the Right Tone with a Fabulous Toast Your toast should be short, simple and mildly sentimental and/or whimsical. “To old friends and new” will totally suffice. A dinner party should be a memorable event. And everyone remembers a toast. Bonus Tip: For a fancy Southern toast, try this one: “Bon appétit, y’all!”

6

Don’t Forget About Dessert Serve up something special (fruitcake, anyone?) along with coffee and tea to signal the end of the meal.

Then retire to the living room and offer guests an after-dinner drink (if the festivities are going to continue) or a nightcap (if the party is winding down).

44 | Q Virginia

B O N U S

B O N U S

Bonus Food & Drink Dinner for Ten? • Rub a four-pound pork shoulder with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and some crushed fennel seed. Set it fat side up on a rack in a pan with some crushed garlic and a cup of water. Cover with foil, then roast for three to four hours at 325 degrees.

• Make sure to have hunks of good bread from a bougie bakery. Warm it in the oven and serve with salted butter.

• Dress a big bowl of greens with your “house” vinaigrette (lemon and olive oil) just before you eat.

• Never, ever serve butter cold. It should always be served at room temperature so that your guests can easily apply it to their bread and savor the flavor.

Large-Format Drinks • Start off with medium-octane batch cocktails like an Aperol spritz so no one gets too sloshed. Mix two parts Aperol with three parts prosecco in a pitcher right before the guests arrive. Put out large tumblers, ice, seltzer to top it off and orange slices to garnish. Now pour a big one for yourself.

• Light reds, like Gamay, will impress wine lovers and neophytes alike.

• Always keep a case of beer, extra bottles of wine and plenty of booze (bourbon, gin, vodka, etc.) handy.

If you run out of alcohol during your dinner, the party will have ended before it ever started. True story.

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A Wise Gay Walked into a bar...

46 | Q Virginia

3 holiday

party tips: Forget frankincense and myrrh.

Bring on the cocktails!

NOT IN THE MOOD FOR EGGNOG THIS YEAR? I can’t say I blame you. I’ve assembled three holiday party tips and three drink recipes that will wet your whistle! Forget the gold, frankincense and myrrh. Bring on the cocktails!

1. Set Up a Bar and Make it Self-Serve When your guests first arrive, they’re going to want a drink straight away. Point everyone to all the options you’ve made available at the bar in the corner of the room. Your bar cart should have equal numbers of virgin and alcoholic options: an opened bottle of red, an opened bottle of white on ice, a good bottle of whiskey, gin and vodka, as well as a batch of three specialty cocktails (look right), all of your best cocktail glasses, lots of ice and plenty of juices, water, tonic and soda. And never, ever forget the cocktail napkins! A drink without a cocktail napkin is like RuPaul without a wig. Sashay away.

2. Toast the Collective, Not Individuals If you decide to make a toast, refrain from naming names because you’ll offend as many people as you honor. Keep it short, sweet and classy.

3. Batch Three Cocktails When throwing a holiday party, it’s a good idea to have a few large-batch cocktails at the ready. For those guests who don’t want to mix their own drink, you’ll have pitchers and punchbowls available for your guests to spoon their way to merriment and mirth.

IT’S HAPPY HOUR SOMEWHERE My three batch cocktails come in different strengths for all different tastes at your party.

fruit punch The key to this one is to let the spices steep long enough that you can taste them in the final product.

• 1 bottle lightly aged rum, like Smith & Cross • ½ cup fresh-squeezed and strained orange juice • ½ cup apple cider (as fresh as possible) • 1 ½ cups of clove-and-cinnamon simple syrup.

To make this, bring to a boil 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 ½ cups water, a couple of cinnamon sticks broken into pieces and 15 cloves. Lower the heat and let simmer for a few minutes to steep the spices.

Strain. (This is a fabulous concoction to have on hand for experimenting with holiday cocktails.)

gay uncle This drink is like a Manhattan, but swapping out the vermouth for Benedictine makes this drink more sweet than bitter.

• 1 bottle Rittenhouse Rye • 1 cup Benedictine • 10 shakes of Angostura bitters

drunk santa This is quite a bitter drink for your more adventurous guests and it packs a serious punch!

• 1 bottle of Del Maguey Vida mezcal • ½ bottle Aperol • 1/3 bottle dry vermouth

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COWBOY SYD’S D’LISH SAUCE If you Climb in the Saddle, Be Ready to Ride!

BY JUSTIN AYARS, JD 48 | Q Virginia

H

ow long does it take to create the perfect sauce that goes with absolutely everything? According to one Virginia Chef, Sydney Meers (Syd), it only takes 40 years. Syd’s hand-made, locally-produced sauce has a complex flavor profile, a little spice to it and is winning over both diners and food critics in Virginia and across the country. As Q Virginia discovered, an all-purpose sauce with a 40-year history has a fun story behind it and, of course, its fair share of secrets.

IN THE BEGINNING Syd grew up in Senatobia, Mississippi. He spent much of his youth in the restaurant kitchen run by his Grandma Winnie Lee Johnson who taught him all of her cooking secrets. He opened his first restaurant, The Calico Cat, in his hometown back in 1974, where he began to create his now-famous sauce. When asked about the genesis of his famous sauce, Syd quips, “Can we leave the genesis out? I’m not very religious.” According to Syd, he needed a sauce to go on one of the sandwiches they served at the Calico Cat. “I just grabbed a whole bunch of stuff, mixed it together and had some fun with it. And damn if it wasn’t delicious!”

As time went on, Syd realized he didn’t want to stay in Mississippi. Apparently, Syd’s hometown was located in a dry county that only recently went wet a few years back. Syd jokes that the reason he had to get out of Senatobia was because he couldn’t get a drink there. “You know, a man without a drink is like a day without rain. Had I stayed there this long, I would have killed people.” After leaving Mississippi, he joined the Air Force and attended culinary school. He eventually moved to the Hampton Roads region where he opened, owned and operated a string of highly successful restaurants. During all this time, he continued to tinker with his original 1974 sauce, “making it more complex and more delicious.”

GETTING SAUCY IN HAMPTON ROADS In the 1980s and 1990s, Syd opened two restaurants in Norfolk, both called the Dumbwaiter Bistro. The first Dumbwaiter was located on College Place and, when he closed that location, he reopened the Dumbwaiter on Tazwell Street. The Dumbwaiter was so popular that locals still talk about it—even though the second location closed almost 20 years ago! “During the Dumbwaiter days,” as Syd calls those years, “I started incorporating more ingredients to make a single all-purpose sauce.” When asked more about how he continued to develop his sauce, Syd smiles and says, “I would tell you more, but it’s a very secret agent recipe.” He did divulge that he called the new sauce “ketchup vinaigrette.” Syd explains, “I created it to get people who wanted ketchup on their tables away from wanting ketchup. I gave them a more sophisticated sauce and they liked it. They even told me I should bottle it!”

After closing the second location of the Dumbwaiter in 1999, Syd taught baking and pastry classes at Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk and conducted a private catering business. Mourning the loss of the Dumbwaiter, Syd’s fiercely loyal customer base in the region were clamoring for him to open another restaurant.

In 2003, Syd opened up Cowboy Syd’s Restaurant in Port Warwick, Newport News. By that time, Syd says, “I really got close to getting my sauce to the point where I could say ‘Oh, my god… EUREKA!’” But, Syd felt that there was still something missing from the recipe. qvirginia.com | 49

In 2006, Syd left his restaurant in Newport News to open Stove, The Restaurant in Port Norfolk, Portsmouth. For the past 11 years, Syd has been creating dishes at Stove for his secret sauce, which he has continued to perfect. “There were a couple of ingredients I took out and three or four more I added, and I got the balance just right. Finally, it was perfect.” Syd began talking to manufacturers and in 2014 found one who would manufacture his sauce in small batches.

THE SAUCE THAT’S GOOD ON EVERYTHING D’Lish Sauce is a wholly hand-made product. Syd grows all of the produce for it on local farms, including in his own backyard, which is across the street from Stove. Syd describes D’Lish as very complex with many subtle nuances and a little bit of spice.

One of those subtle nuances is a lovely smoked tomato flavor.

Syd explains that his team smokes the hand-picked tomatoes in-house with real smoke. The sauce has no preservatives and has a two-year shelf life. It’s recommended that you refrigerate it after opening, but he says you really don’t have to. “We never refrigerated things in the old days and none of us died.”

" [A] man without a drink is like a day without rain."

Syd is involved in the entire lifecycle of his sauce. “I do all the food prep, take it down to the manufacturer, help them cook it down, puree it and bottle it. Then I load it all up, bring it back here and hand-dip every bottle with a wax coated top.” After admiring a bottle of sauce sitting in front of me, I can honestly say that Syd is right when he proclaims, “The packaging is very beautiful and sophisticated.”

Syd uses his D’Lish sauce in many dishesin atNewport Stove, including In 2006, Syd left his restaurant News to open Stove, pork-o-rama, The meatloaf, rockfish his dried, aged beef (which Restaurant in Portand Norfolk, Portsmouth.

For the past nine years, Syd has been creating dishes Stove forahis secret sauce, is dried and aged in-house, of course).

Stoveatalso has cozy, has continued to perfect.where “There bar werepatrons a couple of eight-seat barwhich calledhe“The Cougar Lounge” ingredients I took out and three or four more I added, are watched over by a multitude of mounted game, includingand I got the balance just right. Finally, it was perfect.” Syd began talking buffalo, antelope and wildcats. When asked if he uses D’Lish to manufacturers and in 2014 found one who would sauce in any cocktails, Sydhisjokes, youbatches. mean sexually or the manufacture sauce “Do in small drinkable type? I mean, oh, yes! We use it in our Bloody Mary mix and in a whiskey drinktHat’s called Syd’s Knees.” tHe saUCe GooD on everYtHInG D’Lish Sauce is a wholly hand-made product. Syd grows all of D’LISH SAUCEthe ISproduce BIBLICALLY for it onDELICIOUS local farms, including in his own backyard, which is across the street from Stove. Syd describes Just like his grandmother hersubtle southern recipes D’Lish as veryWinnie complexshared with many nuances a little bit One of those is ato lovely smoked with him backof inspice.

Mississippi, Syd subtle is on nuances a mission share his Syd explains that his team smokes the handsauce with thetomato world.flavor.

In addition to seeking out new vendors pickedSyd tomatoes has no to carry his sauce, posts in-house recipes with thatreal usesmoke.

D’LishThe onsauce Stove’s preservatives and has a two-year shelf life.

It’s recommended website, www.stoverestaurant.com. It’s taken 40 years, but Syd that you refrigerate it after opening, but he says you really don’t has finally perfected sauce. According have to. his “Wesecret never refrigerated things in to thethe old Bible, days and none after Moses received the Ten at Mount Sinai, which of us died.

But youCommandments know, the United States government, he and the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years.

Although controls most of our lives and our toilet paper, wants you to Syd’s sauce took a biblical of time to so create, once try refrigerate it solength you don’t die only that you can you pay more taxes.will ” be transported the Promised Land! it your taste buds is involved the entire his sauce.

“I do all the Cowboy Syd’s Syd D’Lish Sauce in makes the lifecycle perfect of holiday gift. food prep, take it down to the manufacturer, help them cook it Be sure to buy some as a stocking stuffer (and for yourself): down, puree it and bottle it. Then I load it all up, bring it back https://www.stoverestaurant.com/stuff-to-buy/ here and hand-dip every bottle with a wax coated top.” After

admiring a bottle of sauce sitting in front of me, I can honestly say that Syd is right when he proclaims, “The packaging is very beautiful and sophisticated.”

Syd uses his D’Lish sauce in many dishes at Stove, including pork-o-rama, meatloaf, rockfish and his dried, aged beef (which is dried and aged in-house, of course). Stove also has a cozy, eight-seat bar called “The Cougar Lounge” where bar patrons are watched over by a multitude of mounted game, including buffalo, antelope and wildcats. When asked if he uses 50 | Q Virginia D’Lish sauce in any cocktails, Syd jokes, “Do you mean sexually or the drinkable type? I mean, oh, yes! We use it in our Bloody

Where to get a bottle of Cowboy Syd’s D’Lish Sauce?

• Stove, The Restaurant • All seven locations of Taste Unlimited • Ghent Seafood • The Westside Provision & Produce • Clarke Farm in Chesapeake • Various local farmer’s markets • Coming Soon: Whole Foods Market Stove, The Restaurant 2622 Detroit Street Port Norfolk Portsmouth, VA 23707 757.397.0900 www.stoverestaurant.com Twitter: @StoveRestaurant Instagram: @StovePONO

ROLL OUT

THE BARREL…

IT’S EGGNOG TIME! BY, JESSE LAVANCHER Rich, creamy and incredibly potent. That’s my rule of thumb when making eggnog. As I was thinking about my traditional hangoverinducing recipe, I started to wonder, “How did humans first think chugging a spiced and spiked egg and milk mixture was a good idea?”

Believe it or not, eggnog has charmed drinkers for nearly a millennium. Most culinary historians agree that eggnog originated from the early medieval England “posset,” a hot, milky, ale-like drink, sometimes made with wine or sherry. In medieval England, milk, eggs and sherry were foods that only the wealthy could enjoy. As such, eggnog became used in toasts to prosperity and good health. What is less clear is the etymology of the word “eggnog.”

When the various milk and wine punches from the Old World made their way across the pond in the 1700s, the drink got a lot more potent. American colonists replaced the wine with something they had in abundance: rum. In Colonial America, rum was commonly called “grog.” Some believe the egg-based drink, “egg-and-grog,” eventually became just eggnog. Others believe the “nog” comes from the word “noggin,” which was a small, wooden mug used to serve drinks at tables in taverns. Whatever its origins, by the late 1700s the combined term “eggnog” had stuck. Eggnog quickly became a popular holiday drink throughout Colonial America because it’s rich, spicy and alcoholic nature kept colonists warm and merry during the winter.

George Washington was a huge fan of eggnog. He even concocted his own recipe that was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try.

George Washington’s Eggnog Recipe • • • • • • • •

1 Pint Brandy ½ Pint Rye Whiskey ½ Pint Rum ¼ Pint Sherry 12 Eggs 12 Tablespoons Sugar 1 Quart Milk 1 Quart Heavy Cream

Mix the liquor first. Then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks and mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating.

Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently.

As you prepare to celebrate this holiday season, I encourage you to try this fine Virginia recipe and revel in the flavor and history of this frothy brew. But please drink responsibly. GW’s recipe not only has a lot of alcohol, it also packs about 400 calories per cup! But that’s what New Year’s resolutions are for, right?

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Delicieux.

Baker y · Breakfast · Lunch · Brunch

700 Rose Hill Drive, Charlottesville · 434.529.6118 · mariebette.com

MEET VIRGINIAÂ Seasonal Celebrations Across the Old Dominion

Virginians Speak Up About the Holidays

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MEET VIRGINIA

ABINGDON BY, MEREDITH JENKINS

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT WORKSHOP Have an ornament exchange this year? Want something with more of a personal touch than a gift card? Come create something special at Paper Moon Studio in Abingdon! We promise it will be much more fun than shopping! Paper Moon Studio will provide all the supplies and instruction needed to create 3-5 beautiful handmade ornaments you’ll be proud to give or keep for yourself!

Paper Moon Studio is a paint your own canvas studio that offers a wide variety of instructional art classes, workshops and events in the heart of historic Abingdon.

It’s a welcoming space for students to create, play and learn.

Cost: $40 per person, includes ALL supplies Paper Moon Studio 370 E. Main St. Abingdon, VA 24210 11/16/17, 6:00PM – 9:00PM 12/10/17, 1:00PM – 4:00PM

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VIENNA MEADOWLARK’S WINTER WALK OF LIGHTS Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court Vienna, VA 22182 11/17/17 – 1/7/18, 5:00PM – 10:00PM

Every year from mid-November until just after New Year’s Day, the garden is transformed into a half-mile, animated light show with over 500,000 LED lights and displays that bring the Gardens to life! Revisit perennial favorites such as the Lakeside Lights, the Fountain of Lights, the Holiday Nature Walk, the Gingerbread Village and look for new displays each year. Put on your walking shoes and bring the family to experience a Northern Virginia festive tradition. Round out your visit by roasting marshmallows and sipping on hot beverages by the fire. Don’t miss out on what Fodor’s calls “The #1 Botanical Garden with Wow-Factor Winter Transformations!”

When purchasing tickets, choose the date you wish to attend, then choose the time slot of your start time. There are a limited number of tickets sold per entrance time. qvirginia.com | 55

PORTSMOUTH A DAY IN OLD TOWNE PORTSMOUTH: HISTORY & SHOPPING One visit to Olde Towne Portsmouth and you’ll be hooked. Amble along the famous Seawall. Stroll through three centuries of historic neighborhoods. Go antiquing. Take in some art. Choose from a wide variety of fine, casual and family dining establishments. Many of Portsmouth’s attractions are clustered within easy walking distance of each other, making it the perfect place to spend a day.

Olde Towne boasts the largest collection of period homes between Charleston, South Carolina and Alexandria, Virginia. As one of America’s most historic naval seaports, Portsmouth holds the proud distinction of being an official U.S. Coast Guard City, designated in 2009.

Discover a bounty of goods along the streets of Olde Towne. Get that special someone the perfect gift, find new toys or add a little something special to your own décor.

Anderson-Wright Rooms & Gardens 622 High Street Portsmouth, VA 23704 757.398.0990

Bowman’s Garden Center 315 Green Street Portsmouth, VA 23704 757.393.2070

Tuesday-Saturday: 10AM – 5PM Sunday: 12pm – 5PM Set around an enclosed courtyard, Anderson-Wright Rooms & Gardens offers an extensive selection of decorative home and garden furnishings including cast iron urns, cast stone containers and statuary, as well as cast iron and aluminum furnishings. Their courtyard is an amazing place to inspire your next garden or patio project.

Anderson-Wright also offers a collection of 18th and 19th century architectural windows and doors from India and other European countries. If you are looking for an unusual gift or just want to enjoy a peaceful shopping experience – Anderson-Wright is your destination.

Ask for Bill and tell him that Q Virginia sent you!

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Bowman’s Garden Center is a business like no other. It features a wide range of decorative greenery, unique handmade gifts and exquisite seasonal displays, as well as traditional bedding plants, shrubs, cut flowers and gardening accessories. Bowman’s also operates the Green Bean Cafe which offers fresh dine-in or carry-out lunches. They grow many of the vegetables and herbs used in the restaurant themselves. Since they use the seating area in the cafe for retail, customers are literally dining inside a showroom display. You won’t want to miss their stunning Christmas displays!

NORFOLK AN EVENING AT THE MAIN After a relaxing day in charming Olde Towne Portsmouth, wander to waterfront on High Street and hop on the Elizabeth River Ferry to the Waterside District in Downtown Norfolk. From there, take a short stroll to Hilton Norfolk The Main.

The Main 100 East Main Street Norfolk, VA 23510 Make the evening last and book a room at The Main. You’ll find their contemporary, modern rooms define city elegance. Choose from one of over 300 guestrooms, including 11 luxury suites, with designer interiors and sweeping views of the Elizabeth River or the downtown skyline.

The Main is Downtown Norfolk’s newest upscale hotel, dining and meeting destination at the corner of Main and Granby Streets. Saltine—one of The Main’s three chic eateries—serves the freshest seafood in town and locally inspired cuisine. Grain— Norfolk’s only rooftop beer garden overlooking the Elizabeth River— offers classic American fare and one of the best selections of craft beers in Norfolk. Varia is The Main’s romantic, upscale Italian restaurant and wine studio. Varia’s wine studio boasts over 100 handselected wines, including 50 by the glass. Enjoy live piano music six nights a week as you indulge in homemade pasta, freshly tossed pizzas and signature Italian desserts like tiramisu.

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NEWPORT NEWS TURKEY PARDONING

Virginia Living Museum 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard Newport News, VA 23601 11/22/17, 11:00AM – 1:00PM For the seventh year, the Virginia Living Museum will celebrate the long and healthy life of its wild turkeys during the annual Turkey Pardoning Ceremony at 11am. The Museum has three turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) on exhibit. All of them came from breeders around the area. The two older turkeys, the male, called a Tom or a Gobbler, and the darker female, called a hen, came from a breeder over in Smithfield. They are both about six years old. The lighter colored hen is about two years old and came from a breeder in Chesterfield. Male turkeys are the ones that make the familiar gobbling noise.

Females cannot gobble, they can only cluck.

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The first unofficial presidential pardons were granted to domestic turkeys in 1947 by President Truman. Since then, every president has “pardoned” two birds (a presidential turkey and a vice presidential turkey) before Thanksgiving, sparing the bird from someone’s dinner table and ensuring the rest of its days are spent roaming on a Virginia farm.

Cost: VLM members free, non-members Museum admission $20 adult, $15 children (ages 3-12)

WILLIAMSBURG BUSCH GARDENS® CHRISTMAS TOWN™

Busch Gardens Williamsburg 1 Busch Gardens Blvd Williamsburg, VA 23185 Open select days from 11/24/17 – 1/1/18 The world’s most beautiful theme park is aglow with over eight million lights, making it one of the largest Christmas light displays in North America. Festive food and drink, holiday shopping and heart-warming shows make the season come alive at Busch Gardens. With many of the park’s rides and attractions still open during this Christmas event, adults and children of all ages can join in the festivities. Keep warm with a mug of the park’s signature peppermint fudge hot chocolate as world-champion figure skater Elvis Stojko brings the magic of Christmas to life on ice in ‘Twas that Night™. Meet Santa Claus in the North Pole and capture an unforgettable memory with a Christmas photo. Most of all, enjoy this wonderful time of year with friends and family.

Christmas Town is a separate ticketed event. For more information, visit www.christmastown.com/va. qvirginia.com | 59

RICHMOND VICTORIAN HOLIDAYS AT MAYMONT Maymont 1700 Hampton Street Richmond, VA 23220 11/17/17 – 12/31/17 Start your day celebrating the season at Maymont and revel in Victorian holiday splendor. Major and Mrs. Dooley’s spectacularly decorated Gilded Age home brings the wonders and festivities of Christmas past to life. Marvel at the 12-foot Christmas tree, the opulent dining room set for a feast, evergreen decorations and lavish gifts and games from 1893. Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, visits with St. Nick and Maymont’s Christmas Fairy, seasonal refreshments, festive music and special activities that are sure to fill everyone with a merry holiday spirit!

DINNER & DRINKS

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

L’opossum

Richmond Ballet’s The Nutcracker

Located in the funky Oregon Hill neighborhood, Chef David Shannon’s playful, sophisticated restaurant offers craft cocktails and a fabulous southern spin on French cuisine in an eclectic, art-filled space.

When you walk through the front door, you’ll find dim lighting, groovy light fixtures, bizarre portraiture and wacky tchotchkes adorning every inch of wall space (note the opossum taxidermy and Liberace plate behind the bar). Make your reservation early (trust me on this). When you arrive, savor one of their craft cocktails, stew on the interior, pore over the whimsically worded menu, order to your heart’s content and give the entire sensory experience your full attention. Chef Shannon’s masterful creation demands it. Also, tell them that Q Virginia sent you.

12/3/17 – 12/27/17

626 China Street Richmond, VA 23220 804.918.6028

OpenTable ranked L’opossum one of the “100 Best Restaurants for Foodies America 2016” and Richmond’s Style Weekly named it 2016’s “Restaurant of the Year.”

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Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center 600 East Grace Street Richmond, VA 23219

Every year, the Richmond Ballet and the Richmond Symphony team up to present Tchaikovsky’s quintessential Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker. The wonder and magic of the season are set to come alive with sugarplums, chocolates, marzipan, coffee and tea, a dancing bear, life-like dolls and sparkling flowers. From a battle beneath the branches of a mystical Christmas tree, to a winter white forest, and then off to a far-off kingdom of delectable sweets, The Nutcracker has become a favorite tradition for Richmond audiences. With Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, this dazzling production is sure to bring joy to everyone’s December.

Visit www.richmondballet.com for performance dates, show times and tickets.

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CHRISTMAS AT MOUNT VERNON George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy Mount Vernon, VA 22309 11/24/17 – 1/6/18, 9:00AM – 4:00PM

The holidays are full of delight at George Washington’s estate.

During the day, tour the Mansion, watch historic chocolatemaking demonstrations, and meet Aladdin the Camel!

Chocolate Making: Listen to costumed interpreters describe each step of the chocolate making process—from cacao seed to chocolate mills—and learn more about the preparation of hot chocolate and chocolate tea at Mount Vernon. Offered daily in the Vaughn Lobby from 12-4PM. At 3:30PM, join in a toast to Christmas with a taste of a 18th century style chocolate drink, a Washington family favorite!

Holiday Fifing: Join Mt. Vernon’s resident fifer on the bowling green for a musical demonstration and discussion of 18th century holiday music! Every Tuesday-Thursday at 2:30PM and Friday-Saturday at 10:30AM and 2:30PM. Special Tour: Take a special 60-minute tour that provides an in-depth look around the estate, including the Mansion’s basement, as you learn about 18th century food, dining and the Washington’s famous hospitality with a holiday flavor. Offered daily, 12/26-12/31 at 12PM. Cost is $7 in addition to general admission.

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Camel Chat: Chat with one of estate’s costumed characters and learn more about the fascinating animals at George Washington’s home during the holiday season. Offered daily at 11AM. Holiday Entertainment: Visit the Greenhouse and listen to friends, family and enslaved servants of the Washingtons tell charming stories of Christmas traditions of the past.

Offered daily at 2PM and 3PM. Dessert with Martha: Visit with Martha Washington in her parlor while she discusses the foods and desserts that were served during the holidays at Mount Vernon. Enjoy a piece of Martha Washington’s Great Cake and coffee before taking a photo with Mrs. Washington at the conclusion of the event. Offered 12/9 from 2-3PM. $35 per person.

Mount Vernon is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. It’s also pet friendly.

VIRGINIA

VOICES

BY, JEROME WEST

QUESTION:

What is your favorite thing about the holiday season?

Arielle Branson | My favorite thing

about the holiday season is having a break from classes and a chance to relax. With my busy college schedule, it is a rarity to get time to myself, so time off around the holidays is a blessing. It is also wonderful to be able to spend time with my friends and family while enjoying good food. I love to cook, so the holidays also give me the time to pursue that passion.

Yasir Afzal | The holidays are the one

time of the year where people from all different backgrounds come together and share experiences. Whether you hate the holiday season or look forward to it all year, the time from October to New Year’s Day is filled with so much magic. This is the season where old traditions can be honored and new ones created as you solidify your bonds with friends, family and loved ones.

Christian Meade | My favorite things about the holiday season is having my family come together. I don’t get to see everyone much during the year, so I really enjoy the time that I get to spend with them during the holidays. And, of course, I love all of the delicious food that the season brings!

Maxwell Manchester | I simply love the holiday season! I enjoy seeing beautiful lights and decorations, hearing my favorite holiday tunes and seeing family members I love like crazy. I also have a sweet tooth for a whole bunch of holiday treats, especially the ginger snap and oatmeal butterscotch cookies my mom makes every year. I also have a weak spot for pumpkin pie—so whether it’s dinner at Thanksgiving or Christmas, I make sure I eat all the pie I can!

Charlie Williamson | My favorite

thing about the holiday season is probably getting to spend time with my family. We are all so busy and live so far apart that we only get to see each other once or twice a year, so we make it a point to all be together for Christmas. My family has a bunch of strange holiday traditions. Although I think they’re super corny, for some reason I always find myself looking forward to them every year.

Kevin Costanzo | My favorite thing

about the holiday season is good beer. It’s not just the beer though—it’s realizing that with my first sip, I know that for at least the next 24 hours I’ll be surrounded by friends and family.

It doesn’t necessarily matter what type of beer it is, though I would prefer it be of the craft variety. Regardless, sipping beer during the holiday season signals that I can take a break from everything else going on in my life and spend time with friends and family. Cheers! qvirginia.com | 63

WHERE

WASHINGTON, D.C. GETS ENGAGED!

RESTON TOWN CENTER 11990 MARKET STREET SUITE D RESTON, VIRGINIA 20190 703-570-5341 www.midtownjewelers.com

HOLIDAZEÂ Pilgrims, Olive Oil & Pagan Rituals

Holiday Conundrum: What is it Like to be you?

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7 steps to a

MERRY & MANAGEABLE HOLIDAY SEASON

BY, MEREDITH JENKINS (BPT) For many, the pressure of the holiday season can be enough to wear away the glitter and magic.

According to research cited by Harvard Medical School’s Department of Neurobiology, some 62 percent of American adults define their stress as “very” or “somewhat” elevated over the holidays. But, that old chestnut doesn’t have to be true for you. When you plan ahead and keep your expectations reasonable, the season can unfold at an even and enjoyable pace, making room for new and happy memories.

That’s doubly true when you’re entertaining. As long as you’re well-prepared, your event can create holiday cheer, goodwill and even strengthen bonds between friends and family. Consider how these entertaining tips can help you stage a minimal-stress, maximum-impact event at which your guests can relax this holiday season.

MAKE YOUR LIST, CHECK IT TWICE. Assign tasks to different days leading up to the event so you can stay on task, factoring in the time you’ll need for other holiday happenings.

ENLIST ELVES. It’s likely unrealistic to expect yourself to single-handedly master all the cooking, cleaning and mingling your event will involve. In the spirit of the season, consider hiring younger family members to help with the more grueling tasks then paying them with Christmas shopping money.

SAVE TIME ON SIDES. Instead of diverting your time peeling and mashing potatoes or shredding cheese, turn to instantly delicious refrigerated side dishes like Bob Evans Original Mashed Potatoes or Macaroni & Cheese. Rich with real butter and milk, they’re so delectable your guests will never guess they’re not homemade. Bonus Tip: Keep a secret stash on hand for unexpected company.

DECK THE HALLS SIMPLY. Fresh, sweet-smelling pine boughs tied with red ribbon can be tucked into containers throughout your home, while inexpensive or vintage colored glass bulbs look festive when wound with strings of white twinkle lights and placed in translucent bowls.

TIDY THE WORKSHOP. Assign one room to be the catch-all when company is coming, then keep that door closed while entertaining. Sort it out at your own pace after the holidays.

RUDOLPH AS REMEDY. Weariness and/or a bad mood can be hard to sustain when you’re playing festive, upbeat holiday music people have been singing along to since they were kids.

The holidays are typically filled with a mixture of joy and stress.

But, when you make a conscious attempt to reduce the busywork, you’re more apt to feel warm and happy about the memories you’ve created for yourself and others. Happy Holidays!

BRING ON (THEN FREEZE) THE FIGGY PUDDING. Let’s face it, many dishes taste just as good (or better) when prepared ahead of time and frozen or simply kept in the fridge until they’re ready to serve. Save the last hours leading up to your event for recipes that will taste much better freshly made and/ or hot out of the oven.

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JUST THE TIPS

SURVIVAL GUIDE: THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY

BY, JESSE LAVANCHER

Rule #1:Don’t skip it.

If you receive an invite to your office's holiday party, be sure to attend. Not showing up to the party sends signals that you don't care or you aren't part of the team. It can also lead to awkward moments the following workday when your teammates are all laughing about something that happened at the party and you're left out. Attendance at your office's holiday party is especially important for new employees. An office holiday party is a great opportunity to connect with your boss and your peers and show them you're more than the responsibilities of your professional role.

Rule #2:Dress appropriately.

Be sure to check in with your co-workers to determine the appropriate dress code for your office party. If the theme is ugly sweater, then be sure to wear the ugliest holiday-themed sweater you can find. It’s a definite conversation starter. Not doing so, however, can result in conversations happening behind your back about you not being a team player. If the theme is more formal, make sure you take that route. Be sure to follow whatever dress code is in place and you’ll be off to a great start.

Rule #3:Alcohol in moderation.

Drinking too much alcohol at your office holiday party can lower your guard and make you act ridiculous.

Don’t be the person who drinks too much and then makes a spectacle of themselves at the office party.

You’ll never live it down. Your behavior will go down as legendary and you may even end up losing your job altogether.

Rule #4: Stay away from sensitive subjects.

As a general rule, shy away from politics, religion and office flings.

Rule #5: Prep your elevator pitch.

If done properly, your office holiday party can offer a great opportunity to help you move up in your company. It isn’t often that you get a chance to talk to the c-suite staff. The office party offers just such a chance. Be sure to be prepared when the chance does present itself. Put together an elevator pitch that presents you as a model employee and makes mention of your contributions, without coming across as bragging, of course. Be personable during the conversation, and be sure to ask questions as well. Show you care about others and be genuine in your communication.

Be serious about office parties, but have fun. I realize all of these office party etiquette rules kind of take the fun out of the party.

So, I want to stress that it’s also important to allow yourself to have fun. As long as you do so within the confines of the rules above, you’ll make it through your party unscathed, and you might just enjoy it as well.

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Q u e e r 68 | Q Virginia

BY, SAVANNAH COUSIN

Christmas may not be here yet, but for an entire community something better with even more lavishness and festivities exists. Over the last 40 years, Halloween has become the ultimate, self-proclaimed LGBT holiday; however, this process was not an easy one and it has interesting origins. The cultural significance of this holiday is still felt within the community, decades after the first queer Halloween parties took the country by storm.

In the 70’s, locations ranging from New York to San Diego experienced a shift in demographics; and in changing times, average, annual Halloween costume parties became the location for the LGBT community to shine. It only took a few years before these costumed, proud queens took over and became not just the life of the party, but the reason the party started. Costume parties, parades and everything else under the Halloween sun had in influx of people craving to be themselves. Drag queens started to openly express themselves during Halloween.

The queer community had found its holiday match.

San Francisco’s Castro District transformed from a location that was invaded by single men into a place that was the hotspot for one of the best annual queer Halloween costume parties. In New York, the first Village Halloween Parade created an opportunity for the creative to shine through handmade costumes. These parties and Halloween traditions prompted more people to come out of the closet and feel comfortable in their own skin.

During the 80’s and 90’s—an especially hard period for the gay community because of the AIDS epidemic—Halloween became a night where the LGBT community could forget their worries and be as queer and fabulous as they wanted.

On Halloween, campiness is king. The more over-the top, the better. Over the years, however, some feel that straight people have appropriated the queer “camp” culture when they joined in the festivities—especially because they can return to their “normal” lives after the holiday while members of the LGBT community must continue to deal with societal hardships.

As the original gay Halloween party locations have

become tourist attractions for straight revelers, it is worth questioning the future significance of the holiday for the LGBT community.

Lovers and passionate participants of the holiday have spoken out about contemporary queer Halloween—that it’s still a time to celebrate the “other” and a night when a general sense of acceptance permeates the festivities. The heart of what made the holiday so special to an entire community is still there.

As one trans woman explained, “Halloween is the one time a year I can be myself without fear of rejection.”

Decades after the original queer Halloween parties originated, Halloween remains the night that the LGBT community can truly be themselves without fear. And if they don’t want to be themselves, they have an opportunity to be whoever else they want to be. For one night, freedom of expression erases all judgment and fear. This gift is why Halloween continues to be considered the unofficial gay Christmas. As the holiday season gets underway for most people in November, don’t forget that for the queer community it already started on All Hallows Eve.

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LIFE ON THE INSIDE “At what point did we evolve a soul?”

BY, ERIC HAROLD

Kyle and I met while working at a Virginia state park the summer before he left for his first semester of college. Kyle opted for a small, private Christian school in Indiana where he didn’t feel the need to reconcile his beliefs. He never saw reason to question the conservative interpretation of his religion’s holy book. Many years earlier, I attended a secular, public university and majored in wildlife management.

While I often had more questions than answers, somehow the tenets of evolutionary theory and the Genesis creation account were true all in the same breath.

Three years later, a contract job I had lined up in Michigan fell through and I accepted an offer to work at a campground and country store in the town where Kyle grew up and had returned to live after college.

We immediately started spending time together outdoors – camping, 70 | Q Virginia

hiking and fishing – and passionately debating Christianity and science.

Our differences were greater in both extent and number than were the points we could agree upon. Kyle’s conservative leaning came as no surprise from someone who believed that virtually every Biblical passage was to be taken literally. I objected entirely to this view, but lobbied instead for compromising positions.

I insisted that while most of the Bible was not meant to be taken literally, there could be a “truth” to every passage and page.

The back-and-forth continued through the end of summer and into

early fall. Weeks later, I found myself examining and questioning my own views. In light of the evidence, did I have reason for believing ideas that I had been taught way back in Sunday school? As I advocated for theistic evolution and other positions that seemingly reconciled conflicts between mainstream Christianity and the secular world, I came to feel as though I was pleading for something that I, myself, no longer bought into.

Suddenly, I felt like the door-todoor salesman who was peddling a product they personally would not buy themselves. I was no longer a Christian, a believer or a person of faith… none of those labels really fit

" The idea that our consciousness will not cease forever as a result of the end of our earthly lives is a lovey thought. It is something of a stark reality when you accept that you no longer subscribe to this idea."

anymore. For the first time in my life, I was without a religious identity.

Although my beliefs had changed, I hadn’t completely accepted it. One day, Kyle asked me, “If evolutionary processes explain how everything has come to be, at what point did we evolve a soul?� I found the question to be simple, yet compelling. A soul is not something that could have evolved because it is not biological (or even physical, for that matter). What good reason did I have to cling to the notion that some unknown deity had randomly inserted a soul into some generation of ancient humans and arbitrarily started holding

them accountable for subjective moral transgressions? Prior to that moment, it never occurred to me that the concept of a soul could be so utterly ridiculous. I was faced with the realization that I could see no good or logical reason to think that some inner, undetectable part of me existed that would allow me to experience some uncertain world beyond the grave.

The notion that we can somehow live forever probably dates back to the early days of Homo sapiens when our brains grew large enough to allow us to entertain thoughts not essential to survival. The idea that our consciousness will not cease

forever as a result of the end of our earthly lives is a lovey thought. It is something of a stark reality when you accept that you no longer subscribe to this idea. A feeling of reluctance emerges and then you realize that you have to be true and honest with yourself. Life on the inside is of the utmost importance. Most of my family and friends still do not understand, but those that sincerely care about me, including Kyle, have come to accept this monumental change in my life. For me to try to cling to past beliefs or claim that I still subscribe to Christianity is no longer an option, even if doing so would make life on the outside a lot easier.

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PICTURES & WORDS THE BEST COFFEE TABLE BOOKS OF THE SEASON BY, MEREDITH JENKINS

(StatePoint) Coffee table books are not only sources of knowledge, but also high impact art statements. For this reason, they make great holiday gifts A BOOK ON BOOKS From ancient masterpieces such as The Art of War to Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book, Remarkable Books delves into the stories behind the most incredible tomes ever produced, offering an insight into their wider social and cultural contexts. Alongside images of the books and manuscripts are close-up views highlighting interesting features and biographies telling the lives of the people who produced them. This coffee table-worthy book makes a thoughtful gift for those with an interest in literature, art and design.

TAKE A HIKE An illustrated account of human travel, from the first trade networks to space missions, Journey features evocative accounts, archival images, historical maps and artifacts of human migration arising from all manner of impulses.

AN ILLUSTRATED EPIC The Illustrated Mahabharata brings the world’s longest epic to life. With more than 500 images showcasing India’s varied art forms, the book encapsulates the complete stories in an accessible way, providing details of the principal cities and kingdoms involved, a seamless weaving of Sanskrit text with regional variations and detailed family trees. It’s a great gift choice for mythology enthusiasts and history buffs, alike.

EXPLORING THE NATURAL WORLD Discover Earth’s natural landmarks, and the animals and plants that inhabit them, with Natural Wonders of the World. From the granite domes of Yosemite to the reefs of the Bahama Banks, this unparalleled survey of the world’s natural treasures features landscape photography, illustrations with 3-D terrain models and other explanatory artworks to reveal the geological processes that formed them.

GUIDE TO THE MASTERPIECES A visual celebration of artists from the Early Renaissance to the present day, Artists tells the stories behind their masterpieces, including the historical context in which each artist worked, their influences, creative development, friendships, loves and rivalries. From Donatello to Dali and Giotto to Giacometti, this book showcases artwork, as well as images of artists at work, making it a great gift for anyone with an interest in art, art history or biography.

TOURING BOLLYWOOD Mumbai’s charming movies, with vibrant costumes and epic song-and-dance productions, have captured hearts worldwide since the early 1900s. Bollywood features film stills, plot timelines, star and producer profiles, plus historical insights, lesser-known facts and behind-the-scenes gossip on such iconic movies as Mother India, Mughal-e-Azam, Sholay, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Bajirao Mastani. A colorful, glittering cover makes this book stand out in any home library.

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history of THANKSGIVING Pilgrims, Parades & Presidents

BY, JUSTIN AYARS, JD

Over the past 400 years, the autumn harvest feast known as Thanksgiving has become the quintessential American holiday. But how did this annual festival come about?

When did it become an official holiday? How have the traditions surrounding this holiday evolved? And why does the President “pardon” a turkey every year?

Ancient Origins Thanksgiving—or, rather, an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty—is a festival that spans cultures, continents and millennia. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Our notion of Thanksgiving also resembles the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Also, long before the Mayflower reached Plymouth, Native Americans had a rich tradition of marking the fall harvest with feasts and celebrations. According to most historians, the first Thanksgiving in the New World took place in 1621 between the Plymouth colonists (aka – the Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag Indians. Believe me, they had a lot to celebrate.

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The Pilgrims Arrive in the New World In September of 1620, 102 Pilgrims departed merry old England aboard the Mayflower and endured 66 treacherous days at sea before reaching America. A month later, they crossed Massachusetts Bay to establish a village at Plymouth.

That first winter was brutal. Most of the colonists remained on board the ship where they suffered from disease, exposure and scurvy. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers lived to see their first New England spring. In March of 1621, the weakened Pilgrims ventured to shore and were astonished when they were greeted by an Abenaki Indian who spoke English.

They later met a member of the Pawtuxet tribe, Squanto, who taught them how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the Pilgrims forge an enduring alliance with the Wampanoag tribe.

The First Thanksgiving In November of 1621, the Pilgrims’ enjoyed a bountiful corn harvest. Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and

invited their Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, to join in the celebration. The festival lasted for three days! Historians believe many of the dishes were prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods.

Because the Pilgrims had exhausted their supply of sugar and there were no ovens lying around, the fest lacked the cakes, pies and other sweet desserts that are now associated with the Thanksgiving holiday.

Did You Know?

Lobster, seal, swans and deer were on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. And, of course, lots of corn.

The Thanksgiving Tradition Continues In 1623, the Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration to mark the end of a drought that prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Thereafter, it became commonplace in settlements throughout New England to have annual days of fasting and Thanksgiving. The Continental Congress continued this tradition during the Revolutionary War and

in 1789, George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the new national government.

New York became the first state to adopt Thanksgiving as an annual holiday in 1817. Other states followed suit (except states in the American South), but each state celebrated the holiday on different days. In 1827, the writer Sara Josepha Hale—famous for writing the nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb—began a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. 36 years later, Abraham Lincoln heeded her request and in 1863—at the height of the Civil War—proclaimed that Thanksgiving would be celebrated nationally on the final Thursday in November. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week hoping to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. Critics of this move called the holiday “Franksgiving” and in 1941, Roosevelt reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November, which is when we celebrate the holiday today.

Thanksgiving Traditions: Food, Parades & Presidential Pardons The holiday has lost much of its original religious significance and is instead about cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with friends and family. Turkey has become synonymous with the holiday, but we’re not entirely sure if the Pilgrims enjoyed the plump bird on the first Thanksgiving. Today, 90% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving according to the National Turkey Federation (yes, this is a real organization). Other traditional foods now include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie (I doubt many families put seal on the table anymore). Volunteering and food drives have also become Thanksgiving traditions as Americans band together to help those less fortunate.

You can’t have Thanksgiving without New York City’s famous Thanksgiving Day parade, which has been presented by Macy’s department store since 1924. This spectacle draws up to 3 million spectators and has a huge television audience.

Around the mid-20th century, the President has “pardoned” one or two

Thanksgiving turkeys each year. Doing so spares them from slaughter and allows them to live out their lives peacefully on a farm in Virginia. Some governors have adopted this practice, as well.

Other “First” Thanksgivings?

Some historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks that predate that of the Pilgrims in 1621. In 1565, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Avile invited members of the Timucua tribe to dinner in St. Augustine, Florida after celebrating Mass thanking God for the safe arrival of his crew. On December 4, 1619, 38 British settlers landed at Berkeley Hundred on the banks of the James River in Virginia and proclaimed the date as “a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Whenever and wherever the “first” Thanksgiving actually occurred is somewhat immaterial. The annual festival has evolved into a national holiday that is uniquely American; a holiday in which people gather together for food, fellowship and family. Now that is something for which we can all be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This story could not have been possible without the help of www.history.com.

qvirginia.com | 75

QUEER HOLIDAY MOVIES WE LOVE AH, THE HOLIDAYS. FAMILY, FRIENDS, EGGNOG AND… GAY-THEMED MOVIES! FIND A SNUGGLE BUDDY OR HAVE SOME FRIENDS OVER AND CHECK OUT Q VIRGINIA’S TOP 6 LGBTQ HOLIDAY MOVIES. BY, MEREDITH JENKINS

The Family Stone

A family gathers for their annual holiday celebration at the home of their liberal, New England parents. One of the guests is Meredith who is played by Sarah Jessica Parker, which is almost gay enough! But, there’s also a fabulous side story about the gay son, a deaf artist, and his partner who announce to the family that they’re ready to adopt!

Make the Yuletide Gay

Gunn is totally at ease with his sexuality when it comes to everyday life. But going home to spend the holidays with his well-meaning Midwestern parents— who have no idea that he’s gay—is a little different. Of course, his closeted charade seems to be working fine until his mom and dad try to set him up with an old female flame and his current boyfriend shows up unannounced!

Home for the Holidays

Every year, Claudia dreads her trip home for Thanksgiving. Between her parents, her sardonic gay brother (a hot, young Robert Downey, Jr.) and her overdramatic sister, things are bad enough. But this year, Claudia has more angst than usual. She lost her job and is dealing with her daughter’s revelation about her sexual activities. Jodie Foster directs this fabulous ode to dysfunction!

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Miss Richfield 1981: Fall on Your Knees Christmas Extravaganza

This camp production showcases a spectacle of variety, live on stage from her sold out show, and comes with lots of fun music. The film also includes Miss Richfield 1981’s candid interactions with audience members at a pre-show celebration. How can you turn down a holiday comedy show from Minnesota’s Mistress of Mayhem?

Carol

This is the big-screen adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s lesbian novel, The Price of Salt. Socialite Carol falls for a younger shop girl in the toy section of a New York department store around Christmas of 1952. The movie follows their budding relationship during a time when the subject of two women together was the ultimate taboo. This stunning film, which stars the incomparable Cate Blanchette, is a cinematic masterpiece that captures the essence of New York in the 1950s down to the tiniest detail.

Holiday Heart

Ving Rhames gives a powerful performance as Holiday, a Christian drag queen who stumbles upon a troubled family and seeks to help them while also dealing with a heartache of his own. This movie packs a little diva, too!

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U N A H F O Y R O T S I H E TH fzal By, Yasir A

H

anukkah is an eight-day Jewish celebration that begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew Calendar. It falls between November and December, meaning it typically overlaps with the traditional American holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. In America, Hanukkah is seen as Christmas’ little sibling due to how close both holidays are celebrated.

Since the dates change every year, many Jewish people resort to googling its start date! There are roughly seven million Jewish people in the United States and over 15 million Jewish people around the globe. Hanukkah is a beautiful celebration of culture, religion and tradition.

DID YOU KNOW: The foundation of Hanukkah is associated with the miracle that took place during the rebellion.

of Lights.

The new king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, outlawed the Jewish religion and forced Jews to worship Greek gods. He ordered his soldiers to enter Jerusalem, massacre thousands of Jewish people and desecrate the city’s holy Second Temple by sacrificing pigs and erecting an altar to Zeus within its walls. It was clear that the king was trying to religiously cleanse the Jewish people and force them to assimilate. The Jewish people began a rebellion led by a priest named Mattathias and his five sons. When Mattathias died during the revolt, his son, Judah Maccabee (aka – “the Hammer”), took over the rebellion and, within two years, successfully drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem.

THE ORIGINS OF HANUKKAH

DID YOU KNOW: The menorah in the Second Temple was a gold

DID YOU KNOW: Hanukkah is considered the Jewish Festival

In 200 B.C., the Seleucid king of Syria, Antiochus III, took over the Land of Israel (Judea). Hanukkah honors the period of time in Jewish history where Jewish rebels, called Maccabees, rose in a revolt against their Syrian oppressors. This was a time where religion was synonymous with power and control. Kings throughout Asia and Europe understood this very well. The Syrian king was somewhat merciful compared to others and let the Jewish people continue to practice their religion. This all changed when his son came to power.

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candelabrum that had seven branches representing knowledge and creation.

When Judah and the other rebels regained control of the city, they began rebuilding the alter inside the Second Temple and lighting its menorah. The candles on the menorah were meant to burn all night; however, they only had enough olive oil to keep the candles burning for one day. Miraculously, the candles stayed lit for eight days, which gave Judah and his follower time to find a fresh supply of oil for the candles. This pivotal event led to the celebration of Hanukkah as we know it today.

KKAH What Hanukkah Traditions Are Observed?

Like all religious holidays, there are many traditions associated with Hanukkah.

The Menorah

During each night of Hanukkah, a candle is added to the ninebranched menorah, also called a hanukkiyah, after sundown. There are many different variations of the menorah, but the traditional one has nine branches.

Each candle branch signifies a night that Judah and his fellow rebels spent in the Second Temple. Each set has an additional ninth candle called the shamash or “helper,” which is used to light the other candles. A family elder usually recites a blessing during the lighting ritual. To properly celebrate Hanukkah, a family needs 44 candles because tradition calls for letting each candle burn all the way through. Acknowledging this tradition, many stores sell boxes of 44 candles to ensure families can appropriately celebrate the holiday. Menorahs are typically displayed in windows as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired Hanukkah, much like the Christmas tradition of putting candles on windowsills.

DID YOU KNOW: Traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil, which is an allusion to the miraculous lamp oil that lasted eight days in the Second Temple.

Presents, Food & Toys

Much like Christians during Christmas, Jews exchange gifts with family and friends during the Festival of Lights. When it comes to food, latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyots (jam-filled donuts) are favorites in Jewish households. Elders often give children chocolate coins, called gelts. Children play with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels. There is a Hebrew letter embossed or printed on each of the dreidel’s four sides. These four letters form the acronym of the phrase: “Nes gadol hayah sham,” which means, “A great miracle happened there”—a reference to the miracle of Hanukkah.

DID YOU KNOW: When under Syrian control, children were forced

to learn the Torah in caves (studying the Torah was punishable by death). When soldiers patrolled the caves, Jewish children would pull out their dreidels and pretend to be playing a game until the coast was clear. Then they’d go back to studying the Torah.

Thanks, in large part, to its proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah has become a major commercial holiday in the United States. Its prevalence affords non-Jewish people the opportunity to learn about this beautiful holiday. Learning about other cultures’ traditions is a wonderful way for us to grow as a community and society. No matter what you celebrate this time of year, I hope that your holiday season is filled with light.

This story could not have been possible without the help of www.history.com and A&E Television Networks, LLC. qvirginia.com | 79

EVER DREAM OF A PINK CHRISTMAS? BY, JEROME WEST

Don’t want to spend Christmas at home this year?

Then grab your passport and fly to Germany! Because they practically invented many of the Christmas traditions we enjoy today (check out the article about the history of Christmas trees in this issue), the Germans take Christmas VERY seriously. They created the first Christmas markets. In fact, there are even some GAY Christmas markets in Germany, the most popular being the famous Pink Christmas market in Munich.

Munich’s Pink Christmas market has been around for over a decade.

During its humble beginnings, the market was only open for a few days during the holiday season. However, since 2016 the market has been open every day until 10pm for an entire month (November 24th – December 23rd)! Wunderbar!!

The Pink Christmas market in the heart of Munich’s gay neighborhood and just around the corner from some of the city’s popular gay bars. A pink glow emanates from Stephansplatz (where the market is held) and a sign explicitly delineates the market as Pink Christmas. Yeah, you can’t miss it.

Once you’re inside the market, you’ll realize how popular it is.

This place is packed at all hours of the day! The Christmas stalls are typical of most German Christmas markets—they serve coffee, snacks and glühwein (German mulled wine). Although you’ll find items emblematic of other Christmas markets, the Pink Christmas market has its own je ne sais quoi. You’ll find daily drag shows, DJs and performances starting at 7pm. Next to a stall that sells traditional wreaths, you may find a stall that sells phallic salt shakers or seat cushions in the shapes of boobs and penises. Gift for grandma… check.

One of the most famous stalls is operated by Evelyn’s Glitzerwelt who sells sexy mermen Christmas ornaments. People travel to this stall from across Europe to get the latest mermen ornaments. It’s like a sexy Hallmark ornament festival every day! Last year, the company that makes the famous mermen ornaments launched a special edition to commemorate the victims of the mass shooting at Pulse in Orlando.

Bonus Tip: If you can’t make it to Munich this year, head to Bowman’s Garden Center in Olde Towne Portsmouth and check out their selection of tastefully scandalous December Diamond ornaments, which includes muscled mermen and busty mermaids. Tell them that Q Virginia sent you!

Munich’s Pink Christmas market is a fun, lively and truly quirky place. If you find yourself in Germany this December, pretend you’re Hansel (or Gretel) and follow the trail of gay breadcrumbs to Munich’s Pink Christmas market! Prost!

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Photo by Lindsey Walters.

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Pet Safety During the Holidays BY, KATIE HALVERSON As the holidays approach, it’s important to remember which traditions aren’t so fun for everyone. Innocent festivities abound with hidden dangers to your pets. Here are six tips to keep your furry friends safe this holiday season. As is with many pet-related incidents, most of them involve eating something.

Mind the Tree If you have a Christmas tree, your pets may be drawn to investigate the branchy addition to your home.

Whether you bring home a real tree or unpack a fake one year after year, double-check that it’s sturdy and secure in its stand to prevent any cats or dogs knocking it over. Every time a Christmas tree is knocked over, an angel loses its wings (ok, not really, but do make sure your tree is secured firmly).

The decorations can pose another hazard. Keep the ornaments, ribbon and light wires out of reach to keep your pets from hurting themselves. Biting through the cables can cause an unwelcome shock and stringy decorations can damage your cat’s GI tract. If necessary, you may just have to move your tree (or your pets) to a different room (and keep the angels airborne).

Deck the Halls - Thoughtfully Many decorative plants that are popular in the winter months (e.g., holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, etc.) can seriously harm dogs and cats if ingested. If you must have one in the house, best to keep it far away from curious pets. Be careful of leaving pets around fragile decorations and candles – left unattended, these could be a danger to your pets or yourself.

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Wrap Presents with Care If you’re the giving type, make sure all new toys are safe for your animals to have. Get rid of any pieces that may be a choking hazard, including those your pets tear off themselves and any squeakers, buttons or bells that come loose. Trust me, a trip to the vet is not on your pet’s wish list (or yours).

Skip the Cookies and Milk It can be tempting to share food with your pets as a special treat in the spirit of the holidays, but most of the season’s foods aren’t meant for them.

Know which foods not to give to your pets, and make sure all your guests do, too.

Keep Spirits Bright All the changes the season can bring with it may distress your pets, especially during parties. Remember to set boundaries with your guests, both about the house and the pets. Make sure your animal friends have somewhere to go away from the noise, and can easily access their food, water, bed and other necessities for when they need for when they need a break from the festivities.

Don’t forget to give your pets plenty of love and attention during the holiday season. After all, they’re part of the family so be sure to include them whenever possible. The extra fur on your sweater and slobber on your face is worth it.

BY, JESSE LAVANCHER Yes, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole will likely make appearances this holiday season singing their famous Christmas tunes, but queer artists have their signature contributions as well. I mean, Fred Schneider’s ridiculous humor may not compare with traditional carols, but he proves we need a little disco year-round. And Pink Martini can croon with the best of them.

Here’s a rundown of Q Virginia’s top queer Christmas tunes to add to your mix tape.

Bing and Nat won’t mind the fabulous company.

10. The Superions — Christmas Disco. This album is a pure exercise in the absurd, but Fred Schneider’s side project turns the reverent holiday into a flat-out house party.

9. Johnny Mathis — “We Need A Little Christmas.” Mathis belongs right there with those legendary singers for Christmas tunes, but John-John is ours just as well.

He’s adorbs when he gets into the spirit here.

8. Chely Wright — “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The country star wasn’t out at the time she sang this jaunty tune, but it’s cute to see her still coming into her own as a music star.

7. Band Aid — “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Boy George and George Michael brought the gay to this all-star chorus of pop stars in this anthem to heal the plight in Africa. Even in a pre- YouTube time, the video spread rampantly thanks simple old television.

6. Queen — “Thank God It’s Christmas.” Freddie Mercury croons to holiday delight in this B-side track to 1995’s “A Winter’s Tale.”

5. Pink Martini — “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Gay bandleader Thomas Lauderdale nary made a miss on the 2010 holiday album Joy to the World. With lush arrangements steeped in traditional deliveries, they came quite close to perfection.

4. Melissa Etheridge — “Christmas in America.” Etheridge delivers strongly in this contemporary, holiday ode to those missing their loved ones serving overseas.

3. Halford — “Oh Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Gay front man Rob Halford breaks away from Judas Priest with his own side project Halford. Christmas for metal heads? Sure.

2. k.d. Lang — “Hallelujah.” hypnotizes you into falling for her version of the classic Leonard Cohen track that fits perfectly at this time.

1. Wham! — “Last Christmas.” Before George Michael was out, he was swooning for the ladies with Andrew Ridgeley in this rather dated and silly video. But the season is not the same without hearing it once. qvirginia.com | 83

O Christmas Tree:

How a Pagan Ritual Evolved into a Beloved White House Tradition BY, JUSTIN AYARS, JD

Why Do We Have Christmas Trees?

For millennia, long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year long have had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just like we decorate our homes during the holiday season with pine, spruce and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. Many ancient civilizations believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the winter solstice because it meant that the sun god would begin to heal. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god regained his strength. During the winter solstice, Ancient Egyptians filled their homes with green palms, which symbolized the triumph of life over death. Ancient Romans celebrated the solstice by decorating homes and temples with evergreen boughs and holding a feast called the Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. Ancient Celts and Vikings decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life.

Other cultures believed that decorating their homes with evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil, and illness.

Did You Know? Christmas trees generally take 6-8 years to mature.

Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition. In the 16th century, devout Christians started bringing full evergreen trees (not just boughs) into their homes and decorating them. Germans brought this tradition to America when they settled in Pennsylvania.

The first public Christmas trees in the U.S. were seen sometime in the 1830s.

Did You Know? In the first week, a tree in your home will consume as much as a quart of water per day.

Interestingly, up through the mid-1840s most Americans thought Christmas trees were un-Christian, pagan symbols. Everything changed in 1846 when Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were sketched with their children standing in front of a Christmas tree. Copies of the sketch quickly made their way throughout the British Empire.

Given Queen Victoria’s immense popularity, the Christmas tree instantly became seen as fashionable in the U.S. The Christmas tree fad quickly expanded across the North American continent, from the gold mines in California to the White House.

Did You Know? Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850.

The National Christmas Tree Tradition According to the White House Historical Association, President Benjamin Harrison was the first president to set up an indoor Christmas tree for his family and visitors to enjoy in 1889. It was decorated with ornaments and candles. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland was the first president to decorate the indoor White House Christmas tree with electric lights.

Did You Know? Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882. Christmas tree lights were

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first mass-produced in 1890. In 1900, large stores started to erect big illuminated Christmas trees.

On Christmas Eve of 1923, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to The Ellipse and pushed a button to light up America’s first National Christmas Tree as 3,000 enthusiastic spectators looked on. That 48- foot tall Balsam fir was not only the first White House “community” tree; but, it was also the first to be decorated with electric lights—a strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs.

Did You Know? Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska.

President Gerald Ford lit the first live tree in 1974 (cut trees had been used since 1954). Since then, the living National Christmas Tree has been central to the season’s celebration. Today, the National Christmas Tree (a Colorado Blue Spruce from New Jersey) stands as a daily reminder of the holiday spirit and of the tradition each succeeding President has participated in since 1923.

Did you Know? In 1963, the National Christmas Tree was not lit until December 22nd because of a national 30-day period of mourning following the assassination of President Kennedy.

photo: London News

Victoria Christmas Tree 1846

1st National Christmas Tree 1923

2014 White House Christmas Tree

National Menorah

The Ellipse Becomes a Multicultural Tableaux In 1979, President Jimmy Carter commemorated the first National Menorah in Lafayette Square to commemorate Hanukkah. The 30-foot-high gold-painted, steel menorah was moved to The Ellipse in 1987 and replaced with an aluminum menorah in 1998.

Did You Know? In 1979, the National Christmas Tree was not lighted except for the top ornament. This was done in honor of the American hostages in Iran.

In 1997, President Bill Clinton oversaw the installation of the National Crescent and Star on The Ellipse. This 10- foottall Muslim symbol consists of a lime-green crescent moon with an orange star hanging within its curve. The Ellipse’s multicultural tableaux—the crescent and star, menorah and Christmas tree—has come to represent the major religions within America and the diversity of our population.

Did you Know? The Christmas tree industry employs over 100,000 people.

From Pagan Traditions to a Multicultural Celebration of the Holiday Spirit The pagan ritual of bringing evergreen boughs into the home has evolved into a beloved holiday tradition shared by millions of Americans, including the First Family. As President Barack Obama said during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on December 4, 2014, “[Christmas] is a story dear to my family as Christians, but its meaning is one embraced by all peoples across our country and around the world, regardless of how they pray, or whether they pray at all. And that’s to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

This story could not have been possible without the help of www.history.com.

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BY, JESSE LAVANCHER

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PADDYWAX SWEET SALUTATION SCENTED CANDLES There’s no more flattering light than the flicker of a handpoured soy candle. In unique fragrances like Mistletoe and Mint, Juniper Citrus and Balsam and Fir, these create a festive vibe.

PBS KIDS AURORA PLUSH TOYS AND EVEREARTH WOODEN TOYS Kids don’t need Wi-Fi to build a castle or play make-believe.

Give them timeless handheld trucks, trains or other wooden toys — or an exceptionally cuddly lion, tiger or narwhal (all PVC and phthalate-free—oh, my!).

PACHA FROTH BOMBS Spike your tub with deliciously scented bath bombs that froth up and soothe skin, available in Gingerbread Man, Holly and Berries and Winter Birch. For those who prefer showers, whipped scrubs in Peppermint Twist or Vanilla Butter do the trick.

TRILOGY ROSEHIP HYDRATE AND NOURISH GIFT SET Frosty weather can turn once-radiant skin dull and dry, but this skin care trio helps restore dewiness, stat. Cream Cleanser targets pores, Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ can help protect against environmental damage and Vital Moisturizing Cream is like a tall drink of water for parched skin.

FEELGOODZ SLIPPERS A hygge holiday (“hygge” is a Danish concept associated with coziness and little pleasures) begins with a supremely cozy pair of patterned slippers. They’re handmade by Vietnamese weavers and lined with warming faux sherpa or a recycled poly blend.

BURT’S BEES TIN ORNAMENT ‘Tis the season for chapped lips and rough mitts. Luckily, there are two skin-soothers tucked into each festive tin ornament: Burt's Bees Beeswax Hand Salve, plus a Lip Balm in Unflavored, Pomegranate, Coconut & Pear or Vanilla Bean.

MARQUET FAIR TRADE ORNAMENTS Dress up the tree in ornaments that you can feel good about.

These little animal pals, made from artisans in Thailand and Vietnam, are downright adorable and handmade from recycled phonebooks, waste paper or cotton with poly fiber fill!

MINERAL FUSION MINI NAIL POLISH KIT Nutmeg is the spice of the season, but variety is the spice of life. This six-pack of nail lacquer minis comes in runway shades like metallic copper (Pretty Penny), moody teal (Lagoon) and iridescent mauve (Cashmere). Even better, they’re vegan and not tested on animals.

EVERY MAN JACK SANDALWOOD BODY KIT These products should really be labeled “Every Person Jack,” since the body wash, body lotion and aluminum-free deodorant all have the subtle scent of warm sandalwood—irresistible to men and women alike. Comes with a bonus toiletry bag.

BOSKA HOLLAND CHEESE TOOLS Selecting the right cheeses to serve at a party can seem daunting, but choosing the perfect knives are a breeze: a curved one for spreading, a pointed one for slicing, a perforated one that doesn’t stick and one with a pronged tip for skewering.

BANSHEE SONOMA COUNTY PINOT NOIR Ruby red with notes of red fruit and earthy florals, this superb pinot noir is ideal for sipping fireside while curled up with a good book—and, of course, for picking up on the way to a party as a gift for your host.

PAPER SOURCE WASTE NOT PAPER GIFT WRAP AND TAGS Printed in beautifully curated color palettes meant for mixing and matching, these gift bags, tags and ribbons are a wrapper’s delight. They’re as smartly produced as they are chic, produced with renewable energy and 100% recycled materials.

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Save the Date...

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2018 DOWNTOWN RICHMOND

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QUESTION

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE YOU? 90 | Q Virginia

BY, MICHELE ZEHR, M.A., M.ED. Michele Zehr, M.A., M.Ed., is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Earth-Based Healing, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization offering ecotherapy programs for trauma survivors. To learn more, please visit www.earthbasedhealing.org

The holidays are upon us once again, and I can feel our collective anxiety levels beginning to rise as all those giant blow-up snow globes and Disney characters begin filling the yards of houses everywhere.

As I’m writing this, we haven’t even made it to Halloween yet, but it’s only a few days away. For some, this is the beginning of a magical season, and for others it’s the beginning of the dread we feel knowing we’re going to have to “be around that one relative” for the holidays and we swore we’d never do it again (we swear this every year in fact) because they always push our buttons and there’s always drama. Or maybe you’re the one that holds it all in to keep the peace, but you still feel the dread and frustration nonetheless. Drama or not, it’s simply not enjoyable for you. There has to be another way.

I had this epiphany the other night. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about dealing with a difficult family member at a holiday dinner, arguing with our partner or watching two egotistical world leaders sit down and act like they are enjoying one another’s company, there is one fundamental thing missing from every equation where all of those “triggering people” send us over the edge time and time again: re-humanizing compassion. That’s probably not the answer you were expecting.

their way the best they can through a challenging life (and let’s be honest, we ALL have our less than glorious moments!).

Open your heart and remember that they, too, are afraid sometimes and need the very same things we need. The question to ask yourself or, if it’s appropriate, to sincerely ask them outright is, “What is it like to be you?” The point is to rehumanize the person from a place of authentic and curious compassion.

I know it’s a tall order to think of offering this to the person who makes you draw your sword and shield faster than anyone on planet Earth, but at some point, the “way it’s always been” no longer works, so we have to try something new.

Asking that question—“What is it like to be you?”—opens a door to curiosity about them as a fellow living, breathing, struggling human being who is zooming through space with you on this little blue planet. We can respond to life when we are curious, but we can only react to life when we are triggered.

What do I mean by re-humanizing compassion? Let’s say you’ve got that difficult sibling standing in front of you; you can feel the tension building because “here they go again.” It is in this moment where you have a great deal of power to exercise, yet most of us miss this opportunity and move directly into defending our view point like always.

Instead of reacting, take a pause and a few deep breaths. I am not saying taking the pause is easy, but I am saying that if I can learn this, and you can learn this, and a few more people can learn this, that we can quite literally change the way humans engage in conflict over time.

Why do we get triggered or why can that one person push our buttons so relentlessly? The first layer of answers will sound a lot like this: “I get triggered because the other person is an inconsiderate butthole who gets great pleasure out of making my life miserable,” or something along those lines. This must be true, otherwise they wouldn’t act that way, right? Maybe, maybe not. But, what if we go one layer deeper into our own frustration? What lies beneath the anger and hurt we feel is a deep sense of being misunderstood. Clearly, if that other person understood me, understood my context, maybe they could understand why their words/actions are hurtful to me.

After taking the pause and breathing, really look into the eyes of “your enemy” and really try to see them as another human being who, like you, is making

Another way of putting it is that we feel “unseen,” like the other person does not understand what it is like to be us. See how this works? Wouldn’t YOU appreciate

it if, for once, that triggering relative changed the routine and sincerely looked you in the eyes and, instead of lashing out, asked, “What is it like to be you? I want to understand; I want to listen.” Notice nowhere do I say you have to agree.

If we boil down all conflict (wars, arguments, etc.) down to their essence, the “point” of participating in conflict is to “prove you are right.” And in order to prove you are right, the other party must first see you as a human being who deserves to be truly listened to; however, the other person is usually too busy “proving they are right,” so the whole paradigm is bound to fail. There is no true listening, no empathy and no compassion.

It also supports our desire to de-humanize or “make an enemy” out of the other person. Clearly, if they are wrong, they must be the enemy.

So, here is the Truth—yes with a capital T. Every person needs the same fundamental “stuff” out of life. We all need to feel connection; we all need to feel a sense of belonging; we all need love.

So, I extend an invitation to every person who reads this. The holidays can remain “the dreaded triggering event of the year,” or they can become a new way of meeting challenges from a place of re-humanizing compassion and curiosity.

Imagine a world where that was normal.

You and I have the power to begin that change. Happy Holidays!

Full disclosure: The concepts I’m sharing were inspired by a beautiful video I saw called, What Is It Like To Be You? by Sustainable Human. You can watch it for free on YouTube.

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Catering & Special Events With over 30 years of experience, Homemades by Suzanne offers staffed full service catering for corporate and social events, easy “Carry Out� catering, boxed lunches, deli buffet trays, gift baskets, homemade breads and bakery items

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gossip worthy! NEW BY, MEREDITH JENKINS

YEAR'S EVE party tricks!

(BPT) How can you outshine yourself this holiday season, especially when you ring in the New Year?

The answer is simple: Think BIG. Don't be confined to the party supplies you have around your house; stretch out and rent equipment similar to what professional party planners use.

Serve your food the right way. Preparing a holiday meal is a labor of love. But, even for small gatherings it can be a real challenge to make sure that delicious food stays warm and is served at its optimal temperature.

Renting chafing dishes for main courses and hors d'oeuvres can ensure that the temperature and flavor of your food stays just right and that those masterpieces you cook up taste better than ever.

Add some smoke, snow or bubbles. Whether you want to bring some snow or cool smoke and fog effects to your New Year’s Eve party, renting a snow or smoke machine can create a party atmosphere like none other.

Drink in style. To throw a truly stellar New Year’s Eve party, you need a full-service bar. If you don't have a built-in bar in your home or party venue, you're in luck.

Why? Because you'll have more options to choose from when you decide to rent one. Whether it's an illuminated bar, modernist style or a classic stone-top design, renting a portable bar to fit your party is essential.

Fountains of deliciousness. To really go all out for your end-of-year bash, you need to think bigger. You need to plan as though you were throwing an A-list celebrity party. Renting a champagne or chocolate fountain is a sure way to do this. A perfect blend of luxury and deliciousness, a fountain will leave guests talking about that tumbling tower of liquid chocolate or bubbling champagne for years to come.

Focus on the details. For many New Year’s Eve gettogethers, it's all about having the right plates and serving ware. For a reasonable price, you can easily rent fine china and exquisite glassware that will wow your guests. Best of all, you won't have to spend a fortune on items you only use a couple of times a year!

Need help finding these items or have other party ideas in mind? Locate virtually everything you need by visiting www.RentalHQ.com and be prepared to set a new standard for your New Year’s Eve bash!

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3R D 20 Â A 18 N - NU 20 A 19 L

FEB. 2018

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A celebration of love, marriage and family.

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