In Country

Gary Tischler • August 15, 2013

The scene looked very familiar.

There she was, biographer Kitty Kelley on NBC’s “The Today Show,” managing to look elegant in black with pearls, blonde hair, while being interviewed about her latest book by current co-host Savannah Guthrie this Tuesday.

It looked familiar because Kelley writes big books about big people that generate controversy and buzz, people like the British Royal Family, the Bush family, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Reagan, Liz and Jackie Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey. Because of all that, it’s only natural that Kelly should be on a morning news show, right up there with the usual mix of the important issues of the day like the quickly mushrooming scandal over the startling resignation of CIA Director General David Petraeus and his mistress, alongside the presence of hunky movie star Bradley Cooper promoting a movie and the British boy rock group One Direction, filled the streets of still-reeling-from-Sandy New York with thousands of fans outside.

It was familiar, and then again not. Because the book wasn’t the kind of book Kelley is known for, big, onrushing bestsellers full of bombshell revelations, accompanied by threats of lawsuits and denials. It was something else entirely, a kind of love letter, a gift to his- tory, the nation and our own younger selves. This time the book is “Capturing Camelot,” subtitled “Stanley Tretick’s Iconic Images of the Kennedys,” authored by Kitty Kelley and published by Thomas Dunne Books and St. Martin’s Press. On the cover: President John F. Kennedy walking outside at the White House with his young son John F. Kennedy, Jr., part of a commemorative Look Magazine cover in December 1963, called “The President and His Son,” photographed by Tretick.

The photographs themselves were taken over a period of days in October 1963, only a month before the president’s assassination. They include the iconic, endlessly remembered shot of the two-and-a-half-year-old son of JFK snuggled under the Resolute Desk, while his father seems to be rifling through some papers, although you see the hint of a fatherly smile on his face.

“Stanley said, ‘When I shove off, that’s probably the only shot I’ll be remembered for,’ ” Kelley told us in an interview at her office in Georgetown.

“Stanley was my friend, my mentor, my buddy, he was brave and a pal ever since I met him,” she said. “When he suffered a series of strokes late in his life, I took care of him and had his power of attorney, and I was with him when he passed away in a home.

“See, this all came about with his trunk. Stanley had this trunk, and I asked him what was in it. He sort of grinned and said ‘nude pictures.’ He left it to me. After he passed away in 1999, my husband John said, ‘Aren’t you going to open it? Don’t you want to see what’s in it?” So, we opened it, and it was like a treasure chest of Kennedy memorabilia” There was a PT 109 tie clasp and a lucite box with a gold airplane that was given to those people who had flown with him on the Caroline during the harrowing, exciting and historic 1960 campaign for the presidency against Richard Nixon. There were signed pictures, campaign buttons and bumper stickers.”

Eventually, with all the material in the trunk and elsewhere—including an oral history made by Tretick for the Georgetown Public Library—Kelley decided to do the book. All her profits from it will go to the D.C. Public Library Foundation. It is, as noted, not a Kelley book in the sense of what anybody who knows only the Kelley books knows about her. In some ways, there are similarities—looking at the pictures of crowds reaching out wildly to touch JFK during the campaign and well as during RFK’s campaign. You can see the beginnings of the idea of political leaders as part of an emerging celebrity culture.

Kelley’s writing in this book puts the gifts she displayed in her best-selling biographies to good use. She moves the book along with her storytelling gifts. Her writing is the engine of the book, and it’s a thoroughbred engine of telling tales, illustrating and illustrative.

“He was my friend, he was a photographer, a cranky breed, sometimes,” he said. “Sometimes, he made me so mad I wouldn’t speak to him for days on end,” she said. In what she called a loving and intended good deed in “the sweet service of friendship,” he sent the Washington Post book critic who had panned her book on Elizabeth Taylor fishheads—mafia style—wrapped in elegant paper in stout defense of Kelley.

There was also the occasion when he worked with her on an interview with Frank Sinatra, Jr., who had whispered to her that he knew where Jimmy Hoffa was. “Here was Stanley, shooting like the pro he was, unobtrusively, when suddenly he jumped in and said ‘Well, out with it, man. What the hell happened to Hoffa?’ ” In the book, and in person, Kelley tells the story. “Sinatra reared back as if he’d been shot.” The upshot was that he bolted out of the interview because of Tretick’s shouting. She never got her answer, and Sinatra had denied ever doing the interview. “That’s where Stanley saved the day—he shot a picture of me with pencil and notebook, talking with Sinatra. It was the proof. But I was furious, my God, I was mad at Stanley.”

In her office, which is filled with her books and posters, a place that has a kind of quiet, gentle and genteel atmosphere, she obviously loves telling stories about her friend Stanley. In any conversation with Kelley, her love of Georgetown as place, idea and home also comes through—“Stanley when he came over said that’s the Brennan (Supreme Court Justice William Brennan) house. ‘It still is,’ I told him.”

This is, as she said, a kind of love letter, an homage to Tretick, a man with a craggedly handsome face and eager eyes which seem to fulfill legendary photographer Walker Evans’s admonition: “When you go out in the world, go out with hungry eyes.” When she talks about the book, about the Kennedys (and it should be remembered that one of her first subjects was Jackie Kennedy, herself), about the pictures in the trunk, old friends and losses, you get a real appreciation of the rich treasures of history that are “captured” in this book. It’s not just Camelot, frozen in warmth and energy, but ourselves over time.

When Kelley met Tretick, a veteran UPI and Look Magazine photographer in his day, she was working on a book about Elizabeth Taylor, and he apparently had some anecdotal information about Liz and Dick. There is a picture of them in the East Room of the White House in 1982, preened over by chandeliers, Kitty in curls, Stanley with big, black eyebrows, a “Hi, there” smile on his face.

A lot has changed just about everywhere you look. Kelley, in the process of chronicling uniquely and with great, heart-blasting originality the lives of the biggest celebrities, leaders and players in the world, became a celebrity herself, the object of prying eyes, and public resentments, a status she still seems not entirely comfortable with. She has always had courage—a quality she shared with the Korean veteran and marine Tretick and friends like the pugilist and actor Tom Quinn—under fire, but she has endured losses, like everyone else, and those uniquely hers.

It’s easy to tell she’s still in shaken mourning over the death of her second husband Jonathan E. Zucker, M.D., from a heart attack in late December 2011. “He was the love of my life,” she will tell you, and you could see that if you saw them out together. Singly, they were both impressive people with unique gifts and bearing— together, out and about as a couple they lit up a party, brightened up a room like a high-energy candle and flower setting.

The book has Kelley’s energetic writing. It brings to life not only Camelot but also the man who captured it with his lens. Tretick had a warm connection to the Kennedys which continued after JFK’s death through Bobby and Jackie. He had an exclusive connection through Look magazine.

In his last years, in which Kelley took care of him, she got John Kennedy, Jr., who was then editor of George Magazine and 37 years old, to sign a copy of the famous under-the-desk picture that she brought to his room. In July 1999, Tretick took has last breath with the television in his room showing images of the search for John Kennedy, Jr.’s body near Cape Cod. “Days later,” she writes, “John Kennedy, Jr., was buried at sea and Stanley’s ashes were placed in the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery not far from the Kennedy grave sites and the glow of the eternal flame.” Tretick was 77 when he died.

The book is also a loving ghost story—memories and losses are on display here. The book is dedicated to Kelley’s husband “who made dreams come true.” It is a pane to the gifts of Tretick, his work fully and richly on display. More than that, it is, of course, about “capturing Camelot,” the times of our lives, the days of glory for wire services, daily newspapers and weekly picture magazines like Look and Life, the Kennedys alive in the cold memories of November, in the streets of Georgetown.

In the end, “Capturing Camelot” is a gift book, a history book, a picture book with marvelous stories. Mostly, it’s a gift to all of us. [gallery ids="101061,137070,137049,137065,137060,137056" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Oysters occupy a unique intersection on the cultural and culinary map. The salty little pearls bring us together, bridging the gap between working class bar fare and high-society gastronomic opulence. As far back as ancient Rome, where an oyster would fetch its weight in gold, the seduction of these bivalve delicacies is proven to be irresistible to coastal dwellers. And for a Washingtonians, it’s in the blood.

Going back to the turn of the 20th century, Washington had more than 150 oyster bars, which were frequented by all members of society. Fueled by the oyster populations of the Chesapeake Bay, it is part of our city’s cultural heritage. Unfortunately, Chesapeake Bay oysters had dwindled to about one percent of their population from the late 19th century due to overfishing, bay pollution and disease. Thankfully, due to population restoration efforts, sanctuary reefs have been set up to redeem the species, and more efforts are in the works. The reefs, set up almost a decade ago, are now home to over 180 million native oysters.

Washington is full of places to indulge oyster cravings, from Old Ebbitt Grill—where tickets for their Annual Oyster Riot last year sold out in ten minutes flat—to Hank’s Oyster Bar, which offers a half-priced raw bar every night from 10 p.m. to midnight. Now is the time of year that the surrounding area holds its most popular oyster festivals. From wine and beer pairings, to barbecuing and shucking contests, there are plenty of ways to enjoy oysters in the next few weeks. So
don’t waste these prime “R” months, and make sure to catch these seaside festivals for all the shucking oysters you could ask for.

Old Ebbitt Grill’s Oyster Riot
Washington, D.C.
November 16 & 17
Back for the 18th consecutive year, the Oyster Riot is one of Washington’s most anticipated annual events. Traditionally held on the Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving, each night sees nearly 1,000 guests devour tens of thousands of oysters, paired with the gold medal winners of the International Wines for Oysters Competition, which selects the best “oyster pairing” wines from over 200 entries from vineyards worldwide. And, of course, there will be some righteous tunes.

The Saturday afternoon Matinee Riot, a recent addition to the festival, will be from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the oyster restoration efforts of the Oyster Recovery Partnership. The music won’t be quite as riotous as the evening before, so those who want to slurp and taste without the usual cacophony of sounds are free to do so. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.Ebbitt.com.

Urbanna Oyster Festival
Urbanna, Va.
November 2 & 3

The official oyster festival of the Commonwealth, the Urbanna Oyster Festival is a celebration of the town of Urbanna and the oyster’s role in its economy. The festival has grown steadily over the years, and so have the crowds, which no approach nearly 75,000 for the two-day event. Food and craft booths number well over 100, and the Oyster Festival Parade has become the focal point of the weekend. With numerous marching bands, all the bizarre oyster
costumes you could dream of, and the crowning of a “Queen” and “Little Miss Spat” (a “spat” is a baby oyster), this is an annual tradition that cannot be missed. Let’s not forget the food. Over fifty vendors will be there to deliver the goods, in ample supply and in a variety of presentations: raw, roasted, fried, smoked, steamed, in fritters, in a stew and everything in between. For more information, visit www.UrbannaOysterFestival.com.

St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival
Leonardtown, Md.
October 20 & 21
On the weekend of October 20 the St. Mary’s County fairgrounds, just an hour and a half outside of Washington, turn into an oyster lover’s Mecca. Among the annual festival events, there is the National Oyster Cook-Off, where nine finalists from all over the country compete for the $1,000 prize. There is also the National Oyster Shucking Championship Contest, held both days of the festival, featuring the fastest shuckers representing ten states and the fastest local tidewater shuckers. On Saturday, at 2 p.m., an amateur oyster-shucking contest will also take place. As far as eating goes, “Oysters any way you like ‘em” has always been the trademark of the festival: served up raw, scalded, grilled, on bread, on the half shell, stewed, nude, cooked in savory sauces, in salads, even in desserts—just about every way imaginable, and a few more to boot. Other seafood lovers can feast on fried clams, scallops, softshell crab, crabcakes, shrimp, fried fish, seafood chowder and more. For more information visit

www.USOysterFest.com.
OysterFest
St. Michael’s, Md.
November 3
In St. Michael’s, Md., the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s (CBMM) OysterFest will celebrate the local oyster heritage. The event features live music, oysters and other food, children’s activities, boat rides, oyster demonstrations, harvesting displays, an oyster stew competition among regional chefs and more. Festival-goers can join in or just watch an oyster slurping contest, while others enjoy sampling the oyster stew by local restaurants, who will also perform cooking demonstrations of signature oyster dishes throughout the day. This festival also boasts plenty of family-friendly waterfront activities designed to help kids get to know the oyster and its importance to the Chesapeake Bay. You can explore an oyster nursery, learn how oysters clean the Bay by building your own filter, participate in a scavenger hunt or face painting, or watch dip-net making and knot-tying demonstrations. For more information, visit www.cbmm.org/ OysterFest. [gallery ids="102488,120247" nav="thumbs"]

Nico Dodd •

The National Sporting Library and Museum in Upperville, Va., hosted the 2012 Benefit Polo Match and Luncheon Sept. 23 as the cap to its POLO! Weekend.

On Sept. 22, the library hosted a symposium, “The Evolution in Polo in America,” which featured prominent experts in the sport. Panelists included H.A. Laffaye, Michael H.S. Amato and Charles Muldoon.

Sunday’s main events were a benefit luncheon and polo match at the Virginia International Polo Club in Upperville. A two-course luncheon was paired with Dusky Goose Pinot Noir, donated by Rambouillet Vineyard in Oregon. The match was between Beverly Polo club and Right At Home polo club and was officiated by German Noguera.

In addition to the polo match, festivities included a parade of the piedmont foxhounds, a performance by the Washington Scottish Pipe Band, a ladies hat contest and a release of doves. An awards ceremony followed the match. The event was chaired by Jacqueline B. Mars.

The art exhibition, “Chukkers, The Sport of Polo in Art,” runs through Sept. 30 at the National Sporting Library and Museum. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

To learn more about the The National Sporting Library and Museum, click here. [gallery ids="100999,132985,132992,133000,133007,133016,133023,133032,133040,133046,133054,133061,133067,133074,133083,133090,133097,132979,132971,133130,133125,132878,133119,132888,133113,132897,132904,132912,132919,132928,132934,132942,132949,132957,132964,133105" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

“We need the tonic of wildness,” wrote Henry David Thoreau. “We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.”

Since its publication over a century and a half ago, Thoreau’s novel “Walden” has become a seminal manifesto for naturalists and admirers of wildlife, as well as philosophers, poets, artists and wandering spirits. Living in a sparse cabin in the woods and enfolding himself within the untamed wilderness, Thoreau painted an unprecedented portrait of spiritual discovery through nature, one that is still called upon to inspire us to preserve, protect, and adore the sweeping, rapturous beauty of the American landscape. He makes a case for solitude, observation, and consideration, asking we look inside of ourselves to find the beauty that surrounds us.

I return to passages of this book frequently, usually when autumn starts rolling in and the warm daylight of late summer starts giving in to gusts of evening chill. The changing of the season reinvigorates my sense of the natural world—perhaps it is the anticipation of the beauty of changing leaves, perhaps the eagerness to come out of hiding from the August heat. There is a clarity and crispness about fall that wipes clean the slate of our spirits and offers a fresh perspective. And during this time of year, no area better captures the spirit of the swelling season like the sprawling, endless Blue Ridge Mountains.

Around every bend of the Blue Ridge Parkway, we come face to face with natural splendors, historic landmarks, cultural heritage, and timeless beauty. Starting at Skyline Drive in Front Royal, VA., (just an hour outside Washington) and winding down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina border in Tennessee, this network of mountain roads holds within its graveled palms all the secrets, spells and quiet adventures that Thoreau has long implored us to share with him—with a few added luxuries and amenities that he probably never considered.

Whether embarking on a quick weekend getaway or taking a week off to explore autumn’s ephemeral bounty, there are worlds to explore in the Blue Ridge. From wineries, restaurants and B&Bs, to art centers, historic sites and heartbreaking overlooks, the perfect season is fast approaching to appreciate this hidden treasure of the East Coast.

To pull a word of advice from Mr. Thoreau once more: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
Live in it now, before it all disappears into the grey dawn of winter.

Come For The History
One of Thoreau’s greatest influences was Thomas Jefferson, and it’s easy to understand why. Jefferson’s genius and influence as a leader, a politician, an independent and original thinker and a downright American is impossible to overlook or encapsulate. He quite literally wrote the book on independence and the virtue and value of the individual. Jefferson was also a man of relentless curiosity – fascinated by the world around him, always learning from what he encountered.

The house and grounds he built at Poplar Forest for his retirement, just outside of Lynchburg, VA, was a private, personal retreat, where he was free to indulge in his favorite pastimes of reading, studying and thinking. Today, the preserved estate is one of this country’s true hidden gems. The culmination of many of Jefferson’s long-incubated philosophies of life, Poplar Forest became a canvas on which he designed and built his most personal landscape and architectural creation. It was a place where he came to find rest and leisure, rekindle his creativity and enjoy time with his family.

Witness meticulous historic restoration in progress at the house Jefferson considered his best design for the life of a private citizen. Tours of the house offer the chance to learn about the estate’s architecture, preservation, and life in the early 19th century. Discover Jefferson’s vision for his gardens, ornamental plantings, and farm. There are also special events, including musical performances, historical theater, and lectures centered around the private genius of this American icon.

At Poplar Forest, visitors are offered not only a peak into Jefferson’s life, but into his mind and private world. A visit to Poplar Forest will deepen your understanding of Thomas Jefferson, as here he focused on his personal pursuit of happiness.

If you’re looking for a bridge between history and the great outdoors, The Natural Bridge, less than an hour down the road from Poplar Forest, might just do the trick. Equal distance from Charlottesville and Roanoke, VA, this bridge of solid limestone rock is a National Historic Landmark and twenty stories of sheer natural wonder.

After hiking to the top, the adventurous among us can descend 34 stories to explore the deepest caverns on the East Coast. A serene nature trail takes you through the great stone archway and alongside the Cedar Creek, and then down to the spectacular Lace Falls.

For those with less of an itch for adrenaline but an equally unquenchable interest, the exotic indoor butterfly garden offers a unique opportunity to experience an array of these delicate natural beauties.
In an oddly befitting twist of fate, the Natural Bridge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson—it was also surveyed by a young George Washington and traversed by Civil War soldiers. It is a true portal to history. For more information visit www.PoplarForest.org

Wine, Dine & Stay the Night
When combing through over 500 miles of historic roads and highways, resplendent with rich and vibrant communities and lush farmlands, there are going to be more opportunities to eat, drink and relax than to shake a stick at. However, there are a few undoubted highlights, both near and far from the Washington area.

For those who want to keep within relative proximity to the District, Barboursville Vineyard lies north of Charlottesville, VA , on the outskirts of the Blue Ridge Mountain range. If you’re embarking on a longer trip, it’s a great stop en route to more distant Blue Ridge territories.

The centerpiece of Barboursville is their tasting room, built in the style of a Northern Italian farmhouse that greets guests with a roaring double-sided fireplace during the colder months. Here you can sample the vineyard’s award winning wines, peruse books on all things viticultural, or relax at a table or on lawns overlooking the vineyards and the Blue Ridge with a bottle of wine. Their winery guides free weekend tours that takes guests around the vineyards and reveals the rich history of the Barboursville estate.

Palladio Restaurant is the estate’s restaurant, the culinary expression of the vineyard and the region, with Northern Italian influences that reveal a rooted culinary sophistication. Their sweet potato gnocchi with apple-pecan slaw is not to be missed. Enjoy a regular lunch or dinner, or reserve a wine dinner or cooking class, and get a backstage pass to the art of food and wine pairing, with an unmistakable local flare.

There are dozens of places to stay around the area—Barboursville is just a hop, skip and jump from Charlottesville. If you want the full accommodation and dining experience, The Boar’s Head Inn resort is a great choice, as well ask Keswick Hall and the Cedar Springs Inn & Spa. For more information, visit www.BarboursvilleWine.net

If you’re in it for the longer drive, Banner Elk Winery & Villa is perhaps the quintessential Blue Ridge getaway. In the far west of North Carolina, almost by the Tennessee borderline, Banner Elk is nestled far into the mountains, and a stay at their intimate villa might just give you the refreshing taste of wilderness you seek. Awaken to the cricks, whistles and willowy swoons of nature, followed by breakfast on the veranda.

Their Farm to Table dinners begin with a glass of wine and a nibble from the vineyard kitchen, followed by a stroll through the kitchen garden where the season’s offerings are explored, and a peek into the barrel room that offers a brief overview of their winemaking process. Kitchen ingredients change seasonally and are grown and sourced locally, either on the grounds of Banner Elk or from local farmers. For more information, visit www.BannerElkWinery.com

The Arts of the Blue Ridge
From bluegrass music and folk art, to time honored carving and furniture-making traditions, there’s no shortage of artisanship in and around the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Music Center celebrates the music and musicians of its past and present, established by Congress in 1985. The site includes an outdoor amphitheater and indoor interpretive center used to highlight an important strand of American musical culture, which is still alive and thriving in the region.

Located in historic Galax, VA , long revered for its regional musical heritage, the Center brings visitors into the traditions of ancient fiddle and banjo traditions of Virginia and North Carolina, music that can be traced to the meeting of the African banjo and the European fiddle in the Tidewater before the founding of our country.

The Center’s concert series, performance-talks and new exhibition, The Roots of American Music, trace the history of this regional music through local artists back to the creation of the music generations ago by Europeans and West Africans, showing how it continues to influence many forms of folk and popular music made across America today. The music performed is from today’s revered keepers of the Appalachian music tradition, like the duos Bill and Maggie Anderson, and Bobby Patterson and Willard Gayheart. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org

Located five minutes from downtown Asheville, N.C., the Southern Highland Craft Guild and Folk Art Center brings together the crafts and artistic traditions of early America to a contemporary venue for all to explore. The dynamic and multifaceted center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary crafts of the Southern Appalachians, housing three galleries, a library and craft shop that host events and exhibits throughout the year.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild, chartered in 1930, is one of the strongest craft organizations in the country, representing close to 1,000 craftspeople in nearly 300 counties throughout nine southeastern states. For more than 80 years, the Guild has been bringing together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands to educate and preserve these historic traditions, and now hosts five craft shops, regular educational programming and two annual craft expositions.

From Oct. 18 – 21, you can experience this unique tradition at the 65th annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. From stone and wood carving, blacksmithing and wheel thrown pottery, to ancient yarn spinning techniques using natural plant dyes, the festival is, rather fittingly, one for the ages. For more information, visit www.SouthernHighlandGuild.org

Foliage Watching and Skyline Drive
During the month of October, usually mid-to-late month, the autumn foliage reaches its peak radiance, changing first on the highest peaks and working down to lower elevations. It’s really impossible to predict how and when the leaves will change each year—there’s no simple formula to it and there are many determining natural factors—but the best plan of action is to pick a day and start driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Another tip: go on a weekday, even if you have to take a day off work. On weekends during peak foliage, the Parkway can turn into a near parking lot.)

Perhaps the most scenic and breathtaking route is Skyline Drive. A 100-mile stretch of mountain road that runs the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park, beginning in Front Royal, VA., on the north end, no other highway carries the zeal and sweep of the rolling Blue Ridge landscape quite like Skyline Drive. Around every bend you are met with picture-perfect, draw dropping overlooks. It is almost a requirement to have two passengers in every vehicle: one to drive, and one to take photographs. There are also plenty of scenic overlooks and turnoffs that offer opportunity to step out and really soak in fall’s transient splendor.

The reminder of nature’s grace and beauty is truly the greatness of the fall season. Take a tip from Thoreau and don’t let it pass by you. [gallery ids="100985,131821,131809,131816" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Ayrshire Farm opened its doors for a unique event Sept. 15 that offered guest the chance not only to enjoy a magnificent farm feast dinner but to see this spectacularly beautiful certified organic farm with its heritage breed animals.

Attendees enjoyed a meal that was both elegant and down home. It featured the best of Ayrshire Farm’s fresh products and local foods and enjoy local wine and beer, hay-wagon tours of the farm, live music and demonstrations by Ayrshire chefs and livestock managers shared their vision and dedication to certified organic, certified humane and sustainable farming practices. The meal included grilled peaches, field green, heirloom pecans with a honey-lavender vinaigrette.

There were hay-wagon rides, demonstrations at the Shire Horse Stable, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and a demonstration of “farm-to-table cooking” as well as music provided by Flint Hollow and Steve Hagadorn.

Ayrshire Farm, located in Upperville, Va., was the first Virginia farm to be certified both organic and humane. The farm produces a variety of meats and organic produce supplied to top regional restaurants, including its own Hunter’s Head Tavern, Home Farm Store and Ayrshire Farm Catering Company.

For more information, visit www.ayrshirefarm.com. [gallery ids="100981,131786,131780,131766,131775" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Right now is an incredible confluence of events in the real estate world. Prices of homes seem to have bottomed out in 2011 and are expected to increase slowly over the next five years. Mortgage rates are also at an all-time low with 30-year fixed rates at under 4 percent.

This situation has turned itself into a solid opportunity for those looking to invest in second homes in the Virginia and Maryland countryside. Real estate development companies that specialize in country living are holding onto steady and well-priced properties that offer the same low-cost, low-mortgage benefits as the rest of the country, inside a radius of which Washington residents can take full advantage.

Within a 30-minute to three-hour drive of the city, sprawling country and waterfront estates are waiting to be bought up. From Keswick, to Middleburg, to the foothills of West Virginia and Maryland, it’s a great time to get a foothold in countryside real estate.

Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a great place to start looking. The Virginia countryside has long been a favorite area for Washingtonians’ interest in country living. Renowned for its prominence in the horse world with its several hunts, horse farms, and abundant open countryside, the area draws worldwide interest.
There is also some worthy real estate news for the Middleburg area. Thomas Anderson, president of Washington Fine Properties, has announced that his brokerage firm, long regarded for its luxury market success here in the Capital Region, will now operate their brokerages in Middleburg and Washington, Virginia as Washington Fine Properties.

“I’m so excited about this,” says Anderson. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I know the upper end market very well. This change allows us to offer our clients in Middleburg and the Virginia countryside maximum exposure for their farms and properties through the direct connection to Washington Fine Properties.”

Anderson, who has worked with the well-known Middleburg firm Armfield, Miller & Ripley founding partners Gloria Armfield, Carole Miller, and Ruth Ripley for over 25 years, is honored to now be heading the firm. Washington is the primary feeder market for the Middleburg area, and this merger of Washington Fine Properties’ offices is meaningful in further strengthening the bond between these complementary locations.

“Everyone knows it’s not only quite special and important in terms of being perhaps the greatest hunt country territory in America,” he says, “but for the sheer beauty of its remarkably undisturbed landscape.”

Helen MacMahon, of the Middleburg-based Sheridan-MacMahon Realtors, is also optimistic with the direction of the market. “People are surprised that what they thought were low offers are being accepted,” she says. “Things are also being priced correctly. That’s why there are so many places under contract now.”

MacMahon is anticipating new inventory this fall, as buyers and sellers settle in from the summer. Yet August, she admits, “has been crazy—we’ve had more properties go under contract in the last six weeks than in I don’t know how long.”

Keswick Estates, Keswick, Virginia
Sitting on 600 acres, Keswick Hall is a sprawling country estate in the lush foothills of Keswick, Va., perhaps one of the best-kept secrets on the East Coast. With the very best of comfort and accommodations, couples spa treatments, exceptional wines both local and international, and world-class cuisine, Keswick Hall brings together all the luxuries of the world’s finest resorts with the distinct character of the Virginia region. They also have a large handful of estates and homes for sale in their private neighborhood—perfect for those who want to live in the lap of quiet luxury.
With over thirty available lots available, the prices range from the $300,000 to the $650,000 range—well under the million-dollar mark. For the remarkable beauty of the area and the world class amenities just down the street, these houses are worth considering, and now is a good time for a few reasons.

“I can say that right now we are in the process of evaluating the master plan for Keswick Hall and the club itself,” says principle realtor Jeff Galanti, who works for Riverstone Properties, the firm that acquired the Keswick Hall Estate from Orient Express last year. “While the results are still to be determined, we will be enhancing the property, which will certainly add value to those lots and homes. I’d say it’s better to get in before these things happen rather than after, when prices will likely go up.”
To get an idea of what Riverstone will be planning with Keswick Hall, Galanti points to the firm’s other resorts for a portfolio. Among others, the firm owns the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, and Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, where they just had the PGA championship.

Thomas Jefferson called this area of the country the “Eden of the United States,” and Keswick Hall holds true to this claim.

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
The Greenbrier has distinctive and beautiful neighborhoods peppered throughout the lush estate of its historic resort. West Virginia real estate and luxury golf course homes feature fairway, creekside or mountain views, with many enjoying close proximity to the resort and Greenbrier Sporting Club amenities.

Greenbrier estates have many options. You can choose to be in the center of everything with a home in Copeland Hill, its first neighborhood, or if you enjoy privacy with spectacular views, a home in The Ridges might more to your liking. Whichever property you choose, it is a property that you and your family can call home for generations to come.

Creighton Farms, Aldie, Virginia
Conveniently located on Route 15 in the scenic Route 50 corridor, near to the shops and restaurants of historic Leesburg and Middleburg and within minutes of Dulles Airport and Tysons Corner, Creighton Farms is a community for those who don’t want the luxury and privacy of a first-rate community without having to drive an hour outside the city.

Creighton Farms also has a large handful of luxury home sites with dramatic views of woods, meadows, mountain ranges or their gold course. The sweeping vistas, style and club community are available as a limited edition for most homeowners.

Wintergreen Real Estate, Wintergreen, Virginia
A peaceful resort community nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, close to Charlottesville, Richmond and Washington, D.C., Wintergreen Real Estate offers year-round living inspired by seasonal magnificence in a combination of mountain and valley settings, both complete with world-class golf, tennis, swimming, miles of marked trails, and countless other amenities. After almost a decade of careful planning and design, Wintergreen was founded in 1974 by agents of Wintergreen Real Estate Company.

No matter what you are looking for, from a house on a mountain top to land in the magnificent rolling valleys and mountains of Central Virginia, you will find it here. Wintergreen Real Estate has a constantly-changing collection of houses, condos, and land in and around the Wintergreen Resort.
The firm also has access to countryside estates in Nelson County, home to thousands of acres of farmland, gorgeous estates, and homes of all sizes. Just thirty minutes outside of Charlottesville, Nelson County offers peace and seclusion within a stone’s throw of a great community.

East Beach, Norfolk, Virginia
East Beach is a waterfront community in Norfolk, Va., designed and built in the tradition of Atlantic Coastal villages. Beautifully crafted homes reflect the timeless architectural character of traditional Tidewater Virginia homes.

East Beach is located just ten minutes from Norfolk International Airport, and twenty minutes from downtown Norfolk. The community is right on the Chesapeake Bay where the Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. In only ten minutes, you can walk from the beach at the north end of the community to your boat at the deepwater marinas at the south end of the community. For beach or bay-loving homeowners, this would be the community for you. [gallery ids="100966,130839,130832,130821,130829" nav="thumbs"]

Eve Barnett • July 18, 2013

Near the roaring Rappahannock River, the 2013 Castleton Festival, running through July 28, is making some noise of its own – in the form of beautiful, harmonious operas and orchestras.

“A place where future meets the present – the future stars of the opera and concert worlds are nurtured by its present stars,” the festival describes itself as a meeting place of musical minds and talent. Through the rehearsals and shows, aspiring musicians have the opportunity to meet, work with and learn from veteran virtuosos. Through their interactions, both generations of musicians can share past experiences, learn from each other, and hone their skills.

“Both of us care very much about young people, and feel that there is a kind of basic misunderstanding, especially in the United States, that young people don’t care about classical music or theater or opera or whatever,” said festival-founder and renowned conductor Maestro Lorin Maazel in an interview with PBS NewsHour’s Jeffrey Brown of his and his wife’s motivation to start the annual event.

This year, more than 180 young artists, students, and mentors are involved in the festival, presenting audiences with a kaleidoscope of musical performances. Renowned conductor and festival-founder Maestro Lorin Maazel, German actress Dietlinde Turban Maazel, Jewish opera singer Neil Shicoff and orchestra conductor Rafael Payare are among the musical gurus participating.

The festival features productions of “Otello,” “The Girl of the Golden West” and “La Voix Humaine” and concerts, including the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mahler, Britten, Tchaikovsky and the festival’s own Young Composer’s Forum. In addition, the festival offers many song recitals and chamber music shows.

Located at Castleton Farms, the Maazels’ home, the natural setting coupled with the mellifluous music creates a one-of-a-kind experience. “You forget you are in a field on a farm because you are transported to another place – an exciting, thrilling, world-class performance worthy of the Met or Kennedy Center,” said festival spokeswoman Jenny Lawhorn.
“It is impossible to avoid the creativity and enthusiasm all around the place,” Lawhorn continued. She recommended the recitals performed in the small theater by students from the Castleton Artists Training Seminar because “they attract an insider audience of artists and singers who are electrifying company.”

“The Girl of the Golden West” is another highlight. “An opera about the American Wild West [and] California Gold Rush,” the performance “is so fabulous…like Gunsmoke but in Italian,” explained Lawhorn.

To round out the experience, the festival also offers fine dining. Dinners and brunches prepared by chef Claire Lamborne include gourmet options such as truffle scented lobster risotto, jumbo lump crab cake and parmesan-crusted cod, sweet potato biscuits and Virginia ham and orange cranberry scones.

On a full stomach and musical high, festivalgoers will gain an appreciation for “how interesting and modern and relatable” these art forms are, Lawhorn said.

Who could say “no” to this?

Information about performances, tickets, directions and fine dining can be found [here](http://castletonfestival.org) [gallery ids="101395,154101,154081,154097,154092,154087" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

From the spring through the early summer, farmers markets around the Washington area swell with the season’s bounty. From asparagus and strawberries to fresh lettuce, zucchini and eggplant, there is a certain sensation about being able to simply eat nature’s offerings right out of the ground that is unique from other seasons. Perhaps it is the soft, crisp seasonality of these fruits and veggies, which lend themselves to a myriad of flavor sensations, but the varieties and flavors of local produce are stunning. They awaken a spirit within us of a more primal nature—and one that also wouldn’t mind drizzling olive oil and basil over a sliced red tomato and kicking back with a bottle of Viognier.

Farmer’s markets, simply put, offer the best and freshest produce in the area. And with more than 160 farmers markets in and around the nation’s capital, you’re sure to find one no matter where you are or what day you shop. Farmers empty their trucks of recently harvested produce throughout the week, coming in from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia with more than just fruits and vegetables, but local honey, homemade jams, fresh flowers, artisan bread, and even local meat and cheese.

Here’s a guide to what to look for from your local farmers in farmer’s markets now, as well as a few recipes from local farmers.
Lydia’s Fields is a Wheatland, Va., based farm that sells their produce at Arlington Courthouse Farmers Market in Va. and the Market at UMD in College Park, Md., as well as supplying restaurants around the area. Marsha, who helps run the farm, has a long list of her veggies to watch right now: kohlrabi, Swiss chard, squash blossoms, escarole, cucumbers, summer squash and eggplant are all on her list, with a few other curveballs. Dandelion greens, for instance, are a dense and bitter green leaf that looks like a weed—in fact, it is a weed—but is known throughout the farming community for its nutritional value, loaded with vitamin A and calcium. If you cook them the right way and pair them with the right ingredients, they become a unique and tasty treat. Because the greens are bitter, they pair perfectly with rich flavors: think goat cheese, egg yolk, bacon, potatoes.

A long-standing favorite of many farmers is also kale—resilient and hearty, it is as nutritiously dense as it is tasty. Red Russian kale is a slightly softer variety which cooks faster and, if you can acclimate yourself, is even edible raw.

Marsha’s recipe for red Russian kale salad is a winner. For the dressing, mix tahini with olive oil, pressed garlic, salt and pepper (think of it as hummus dressing), and squeeze a good amount of lemon over the kale about fifteen minutes beforehand to soften. Mix the greens with the dressing, and toss with roasted pine nuts, dried cranberries or raisins, and even chickpeas for texture, then serve as a starter salad or eat with a hunk of artisan bread for lunch. There’s easily enough flavor and nutrition in there for a light meal.

Francis and Jean of Roland’s Farm operate their small plot in Friendly, Md., and they have been bringing their produce to the Arlington Farmers Market since it opened in 1979 with eight small vendors in the courthouse Judge’s parking lot. Like many local farmers, they remind us of the earth from which our food comes, offering the ripest cucumbers, yellow wax beans, turnips, cabbage, and herbs plucked fresh from the land.

Gardeners Gourmet is a farm in Westminster, Md., that sells their produce at the farmers markets at Dupont Circle and Eastern Market. While they offer a variety of delicious vegetables, and other occasional treats like rhubarb squares, Gardeners Gourmet is renowned for their greens: mesclun, spinach, arugula, indigo frisee, pea shoots, sorrel and many others. The rich lemon-flavored sorrel serves as a unique bed for grilled or roasted fish, and as the juices drip down it form a natural sort of citrus dressing. Pea shoots are wonderful sautéed with eggs, and the spicy indigo is a great addition to a salad mix with real kick.

Abundant stalks of basil, which are present at almost every farmer’s stall, beg for fresh pesto, and most of the market purveyors are happy to discuss their personal variations. Chad, who works for Laurel Grove Farms in Westmoreland, Va., substitutes pine nuts with sunflower seeds—it’s a unique flavor experience, a little easier on the wallet, and wonderfully nutritious. You can try substituting basil for sage, adding olives or sundried tomatoes, or combining a mix of herbs.

The bottom line is: the year’s best produce is happening right now. Run to the nearest farmers market and pick it up while you can. The coming weeks will see the arrival of peaches and tomatoes, and with that whole new worlds of culinary delight. What are you waiting for? [gallery ids="101371,153200,153193,153198" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • June 27, 2013

The goals of the Maryland’s Best Program — now in its 11th year and run by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Office of Marketing — are to promote Maryland agricultural products and to encourage consumers to buy locally produced and grown products in the Maryland and D.C. areas through advertising and marketing promotions.

The program works closely with grocery retailers, restaurants and institutional buyers to help them source locally and show them the benefits of carrying locally grown and produced food. In 2012, a poll conducted by the University of Baltimore’s Schaefer Center found that 78 percent of Marylanders said they would prefer to purchase and consume fruits and vegetables identified as having been grown in Maryland.

We strive to increase consumer preference towards local and help to identify local products so that they can be easily found. We also look to continue and increase our partnership with restaurant and retailer buyers to raise awareness of the great local options in Maryland when sourcing ingredients and food.

This was our primary purpose for helping to sponsor this year’s Chefs Go Fresh tour. Another event which we put on to help restaurants and grocery retail buyers connect with local producers is our Buyer-Grower Event, held every January in Annapolis. Be sure to visit our web site — www.marylandsbest.net — where consumers can search for locally produced agriculture products.

— Stone Slade of Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Office of Marketing

Robert Devaney • June 11, 2013

The birthplace of George Washington, James Madison, James Monroe and Robert E. Lee, the Northern Neck of Virginia lies between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Early in America’s history, its plantation-owning society was a powerful leader with river transport so easily at hand but the peninsula was left behind by the railroad and the nation’s expansion. Today, we benefit from this pause in time.

What to Do

On the main road, King’s Highway, easy-going choices await. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument on Popes Creek with home and farm (not original) evoke the 1700s. There is Stratford Hall, home of the Lee family, the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington and the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum.

Of course, there are marinas and beaches for boating and water sports – it’s all about the water along this peninsula of eastern Virginia’s Tidewater. (There are more than 1,000 miles of shoreline, after all.) A few Washingtonians can recall Colonial Beach’s gambling days when barges floated on the Potomac – all of it is owned by Maryland – to be legal. Although gambling is no longer an option there, the beach, which has updated itself to a point, is well worth a visit.

For more restless members of family, there is the Northern Neck Heritage Trail Bicycling Route – from Colonial Beach down to Smith Point. And there’s still much more to visit: Kilmarnock is a classic hometown one must see. Check out the maritime history in Kinsale and the Mary Ball Washington Museum in Lancaster.

Where to Eat

Love to eat? The Northern Neck features good eating from roadside stops to fine dining at the Tides Inn in Irvington or Sandpiper in White Stone. Westmoreland Berry Farm, an orchard that sells fruit preserves, along with numerous wineries, welcome visitors.

Some visitors even buy a farm and plant a vineyard. One such D.C. transplant – of which there are many – is Steve Madey, who owns the Hague Winery, established in 2008. The retired Navy aviator, Senate staffer and part-time lobbyist bought the old farm in 2000.

For Madey, his lifelong dream began while working on Capitol Hill where he used the Library of Congress to learn about viniculture. His wife Cynthia now has a wine named after her and his son works at a California winery.

“It’s great out there,” says Madey, who has grown his business slowly, because – as he likes to explain – it requires you to “bring money.”

The Northern Neck boasts other wineries: Ingleside, Belle Mount, Oak Crest, Vault Field, Athena and White Fences. The region even has an official wine appellation: Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA. If you like, journey the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail with a designated driver.

In Montross, sample Angelo’s pizza. For good sandwiches and pastries, try Art of Coffee or the Daily, which is down the road in Warsaw.

Local farms offer produce to weekenders as well as to restaurants in D.C. and elsewhere. Virginia ham? You know it, and someone mentioned Whitley’s peanuts and Joe Lewis’s tomatoes, to name but a few top items.

Where to Stay

Good places to rest over night are the Kilmarnock Inn with its wonderful cruise packages, The Chesapeake Inn and Hope & Glory Inn, a B&B in Irvington featuring vineyards, fine dining and spa treatments.
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