Living

Georgetowner • August 15, 2013

In the May 8, 2013 issue, our In Country section featured Celebrating Equestrian Life which celebrated the equestrian lifestyle of Virgina. In continuing the celebration, meet Kate Samuels and her horse, Nyls du Terroir. Watch as they tackle the Advanced cross country course at The Fork Horse Trials in 2013, finishing clear with 8.4 time penalties to finish the class in 5th place.

Check out the video of Nyls and Kate riding the course. Kate is fitted with a helmet mounted camera that allows the viewer a great perspective the ride.

Nyls & Kate: The Fork Advanced from Kate Samuels on Vimeo.

Kate Samuels In 2009 had the honor of being named the Young Adult Intermediate Rider of the year, as well as being listed in the Developing Riders program for the past three years. Kate is currently seeking students in the Charlottesville, Virginia area, as well as pursuing both corporate and private sponsorship in her journey towards Olympic competition.

To learn more about KateSamuels and Nyls, visit www.katesamuels.com

Gwendolyn Shearman •

The walls of Anna Banana’s colorful studio are lined with the artwork of famous and influential artists alongside mini replicas crafted by the small hands of her students.

Georgetown’s newest arts and craft studio opened Jan. 7 and provides hands-on art lessons for children ages 2-8 taught by owner Anne Freeman.?“I was an art dealer for 20 years, but I really wanted to find something that would marry my love of art with my desire to teach,” said Freeman.

Before opening Anna Banana’s Arts and Crafts on S Street, the enthusiastic Freeman taught art privately for two years and was also the instructor at the Art Resource Program at Chevy Chase Bethesda Community Children’s Center and at the Art Resource Unit at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church Nursery School.

Each class begins with a short lesson about a different artist and the importance of their work. Then, Freeman allows her students to recreate the artist’s work using their own imagination.

For example, students learn about Josef Albers, the German artist known for his color experiments, or Alexander Calder, the American sculptor famous for his mobiles, and get to recreate those experiments using colors and shapes of their choice.

“I try to keep it simple. I don’t overwhelm them with information. I give them an idea, I show them examples, and I have them go at it. It’s supposed to be fun, but educational at the same time,” said Freeman.

The small classes of up to ten students are also introduced to the basics of art, like color combinations, the color wheel, and dimensions, through the use of different materials and tech- niques, such as clay, watercolors, and paper pulp. Students also create seasonal crafts, such as Valentines for their parents.

When Freeman decided to expand her private business, she was excited to find the Georgetown location, “I’ve worked and lived in this area for a long time and when I saw the space, I had to have it” said Freeman of her S Street location. “It’s just a great place. Parents can go get coffee or go for a walk during class. So, it can give them a little break.”

The arts center also hosts birthday parties for small groups including a craft project and games, as well as drop in hours on the first and third Saturday of every month, with register required 24 hours in advance.

Anna Banana Arts and Crafts is gearing up for its spring session, beginning March 18, well as a day camp during the summer months. Sessions are offered in 10-week increments.

The summer day camp, running in June and July, will provide children with a morning lesson and an afternoon at the nearby park.

For more information, or to register, visit (www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com)[http://www.annabananaartsandcrafts.com]
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Ari Post •

Many drinkers have yet to acclimate to the regional texture and character of East Coast libations. Our terroir—the flavor of our land—is still new to the cultural palette, as opposed to wines from France and California or whiskey from Scotland, whose nuances of tastes and textures we know. The reputation of East Coast wines and spirits is gaining momentum in the arena of the national beverage community. Granted, there is a lot of ground to cover, and it can be difficult to know where to start sipping.
The bodies and flavors of wines up and down our coast are quiet and subtle, more comparable to offerings from Oregon’s Willamette Valley than to the bright peppery fullness of France or the dense richness of Napa Valley. But anyone in the Washington area with a passion for regional drinking now has the opportunity to develop a beautiful relationship with the fruit, the land and the distinct character of East Coast elixirs.

Unlike many regions around the world, whose well-established techniques have been honed over centuries of trial and error, East Coast regions offer us the opportunity to grow with the very drinks we sip. As the distinct nature of climate and soil composition are still being worked out by area distillers, cidermakers and winemakers, the flavors of our brews are developing and maturing noticeably with each harvest. In Virginia, there is no better combination of beautiful countryside beverage offerings and knowledgeable professionals to make a distillery or vineyard visit an unforgettable winter getaway. However, if you don’t feel like leaving town, you can always just pick up a bottle of the good stuff at your local wine store.

Catoctin Creek Distillery
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company was founded in 2009 as the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition. It is a certified organic distillery in the heart of the Loudoun Valley. Just a stone’s throw from the city’s outskirts, Loudoun County has dozens of successful vineyards and has become unofficially known as Washington’s wine country. Now, the District has a distillery to throw into the mix.

Catoctin’s grain and fruit, free of pesticides and chemical additives, are sourced locally as often as possible, and its quality is being recognized on a national level. Its whiskies have a laundry list of silver and gold medals from a number of different competitions, from Whiskey Advocate Magazine to the American Distilling Institute. A tour of their facilities, just an hour’s drive from the Washington, is worth the trip. Their Organic Mosby’s Spirit, a clear grain rye “white whiskey,” is incredibly versatile as a mixer, giving a new grainy sweetness to traditional vodka or rum cocktails. Their Organic Roundstone Rye, one of the only organic whiskeys in the nation, took home a silver medal at last year’s American Distilling Institute Whiskey Competition.
Catoctin Creek 1757 is Virginia’s first commercial grape brandy since the establishment of the Commonwealth. Brandy, a traditional old world digestif most widely used these days to spice up eggnog, has long been favored for its soothing, warming qualities. Made from locally grown wine grapes, 1757 is distilled and aged in French Bordeaux oak barrels for a minimum of two years. Try some—this stuff warms the heart.
For more information, visit CatoctinCreekDistilling.com

Virginia Distillery Company
A small-batch, artisan distiller, Virginia Distillery Company (VDC) in Nelson County, just 25 minutes south of Charlottesville, has brought notoriety to the region with its award-winning selection of double malt whiskies.

Their Virginia Highland Malt Whiskey will appeal to devoted Scotch and single malt drinkers, and it invites bourbon drinkers to look at malt whisky in a new way. The process starts by acquiring aged and vatted Highland malt from Scotland, already complex and luscious with acacia honey and notes of ginger. To enhance its quality and to throw in a taste of the region, VDC then finishes the whiskey in French oak wine barrels used to age Virginia port-style wine from a local vineyard. The months spent in the port-style wine barrels added notes of dark chocolate and raspberry jam, transforming the whisky to a deep, copper color. Whether sipped neat, with a splash of water, or mixed into a cocktail, this whisky is a pleasure.

Named for their home in Eades Hollow near Lovingston, Va., the distillery’s Eades Double Malt Whiskies represent the quintessential malt whisky experience from each of Scotland’s major distilling regions: Islay, Speyside and Highland. The name Double Malt comes from the two single malts that are selected for their classic characteristics and complementary natures to make each expression of Eades. Some of these malts are rarely found in the US, but all represent the finest flavor profile of each region. First, the two malts are finished separately in fine wine casks, such as Chateau Lafitte, Grenache and Zinfandel. Then, they are paired to create the perfect flavor profile of their region, giving us the Eades Double Malt.

To create Eades Double Malt, VDC’s master distiller has borrowed techniques not just from lauded whiskeymakers, but from the world’s finest winemakers as well. Just as two grapes from a particular season can produce a wine far better than a single grape alone, Eades Double Malt Whiskies demonstrate that two malts can create an experience that actually heightens and refines each region’s flavor profile.

The Islay is robust with, with peat smoke and hints of sea spray, while the Speyside is smooth and mellow, with the sweetness of summer berries. The Highland, perhaps the most popular of Scotland’s distilling regions, is famously rich and malty, lingering with hints of toffee and vanilla.

The first batch of their authentic, double-distilled single malt whiskey is now aging, and will hibernate and mature for at least another year or two, turning from the clear spirit to the subtly aged amber whiskey we all know and love, with the added distinction of local flavor character. In the meantime, keep yourself warm with their double malts, and check back next year.
For more information visit VADistillery.com.

King Family Vineyard
King Family Vineyards is a family-owned and operated boutique winery located in Crozet, just 15 minutes from Charlottesville at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The winery specializes in small productions of premium wine that showcase the remarkable qualities of nearly 100-percent estate grown fruit. Founded in 1998, the winery’s first vintage was only 500 cases. Today, the winery produces approximately 5,000 cases of wine per year. When beginning your love affair with Virginia wines, King Family Vineyards is the right place to start.

David King, owner of King Family Vineyards, is on a larger mission: to make local wine more accessible in the state of Virginia. “We sell everything we make,” says King. “Yet wine made here is only 4.5 percent of the wine consumed in the state. Our biggest goal right now is merely to make more wine.”

There is a large local market in Virginia and its bordering states that has yet to be developed, he says, but with the state legislators helping to promote local wines in more shops and fine dining establishments, consumers have more opportunities to support local growers. King hopes for more wine lovers to discover the burgeoning industry right in their backyard.

The 2010 Petit Verdot is a safe bet this time of year, guaranteed to send a warm shiver down your spine. Violet, blueberries, and a hint of cinnamon on the nose introduce a full textured wine with lots of tannin and spice. The finish is long and velvety, exhibiting ripe blackberries and plum. This wine is quite popular locally, so supplies are somewhat limited, so get your hands on a bottle while you can.

During the summer months, the veranda, expansive lawn, or brick patio are perfect for outdoor picnics. In the winter, however, the winery’s tasting room is home to a warm stone fireplace and rich, family-friendly seating areas. Bring your own goodies or pick from the tasting room’s gourmet assortments of chocolates, cheeses, salamis, spreads, and hot French bread.
KingFamilyVineyards.com. [gallery ids="101123,139569,139565" nav="thumbs"]

Holly Harmon •

Did I say “sex”? Blush.

Well, yes, I did.

Exercise. Health. These words are no fun. They have you should-ing all over yourself.:

“I should be eating less crap.”

“I should get to the gym.”

On Nov. 6, CNN Health reported: “Add this to the list of reasons why exercise is good for you: A new study says 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, leisure time exercise is associated with roughly 3.4 years added to a person’s life.”

The list they refer to includes all the facts you know: exercise supports weight loss, better sleep, better focus and attention and prevents disease. Even with the abundance of facts you still find yourself throwing on sweats after work rather than lacing up your sneakers. So how do you stick to, or start, exercising?

The missing piece is pleasure. Pleasure is not a should. It is not forced. Pleasure is something you seek out. You make time for.
I am a health counselor that did not have a regular exercise routine for several years. Believe me, I had a lot of should going on.
The guilt of all my shoulds did not have me walking out the door with my yoga mat or bounding toward the gym. My body craving the euphoric pleasure of movement I love is what created a sustainable practice.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center, recently wrote “To Health with Fun? Bring on the Epidemic!” for HuffPost Healthy Living. He paints a picture of the infectious fun of hula-hooping getting a whole crowd unintentionally exercising on the White House lawn. He says, “People having fun might accidentally get healthy. We can get health in the pursuit of pleasure, and pleasure in the pursuit of health.”.

Working from your shoulds is not sustainable, with food or exercise.

If you have been telling yourself for years, “I should run”. But, you know you hate running. I am going to guess this has not been a regular activity for you.

The way to keep you going back for more movement is in the sexercise — moving your body (safely, responsibly!) in a way that brings you pleasure.

Movement + Pleasure = Sexercise

You don’t have to be at a gym. Dance with your vacuum in your pajamas. Any movement is better than sitting on your couch reading, watching, and thinking.

With New Year’s celebrations recently behind us you may already be in the mist of a plan to cut way down on certain foods and get to the gym “x” number of times per week.

Be gentle with yourself and your body. Start slowly. Notice what your body is enjoying and asking for.

On the overly busy days you skip your pleasurable movement you will be that much more excited, and have a better workout, when you can fit it in the next day. The key is finding something that has you wanting to go back for more.

Suggestions to start your Sexercise plan:

1. Experiment with different things you think you will enjoy. Be open to trying different playlists, classes, DVDs, gyms.
2. Get workout gear that makes you feel attractive. You show up in an old t-shirt you will workout like you are worn out.
3. Ask a friend to join that is fun, motivating and you think will also enjoy the activity. (Same goes if you like team sports or seeking a class/group that meets regularly-make sure the people are positive, uplifting, supportive and fun for you.)
4. Mix up your music. Create new playlists regularly that keep you pumped up.
5. Set the intention to show up for fun rather than “to get your workout in.”

Here’s to a new year with more enjoyment: more sexercise.

Need inspiration to get back on track? Contact me by Feb. 14 for 50 percent off your Breakthrough Session!

www.HollyRHarmon.com
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Gary Tischler •

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"]

Hayley Markovich •

As the autumn and winter months arrive, so do the pictur- esque reds, oranges, and yellows of fall, and the snowy winter wonderland.

With the arrival of colder weather, skin loses the moisture and glow it had during the warmer weather. This can lead to dry, itchy skin, especially on hands, because they are constantly exposed to the winter elements.
To combat winter skin as colder weather sets in, individual beauty routines must be altered to keep skin and yourself looking and feeling great all winter long.

When purchasing a hand cream to use during the winter months look for specific ingredients. Shea butter ensures that the lotion can help skin retain moisture. Also purchase items with natural oils like avocado, sunflower or coconut oil. These mois- turize and heal skin naturally.

Maximize the benefits of the lotion when you apply it by doing regular self-hand massages. Follow these simple steps:

1. Start by clasping your fingers and rubbing the heels of your palms together in a circular motion.

2. Keeping hands clasped, take one thumb and massage the area just below your other thumb in circular motions, moving outward to the center of the palm. Repeat with the other hand.

3. Release your fingers and use your thumbs and index fingers to knead your palms, wrists and the webbing between your fingers.

4. With one hand, gently pull each finger of the other hand.

5. Finish by using your thumb and index finger to pinch the webbing between your other thumb and index finger.

Protect your skin and treat yourself with these products sure to combat winter skin.

La Mer Soft Crème: This crème is one of the crèmes that branched off the original La Mer Crème de la Mer. The formula penetrates skin deeply to replenish moisture and strengthen the skin. (Blue Mercury available in 30ml or 60ml- $150)

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle: This lotion nurtures and moisturizes while the scent of grapefruit creates a sense of opti- mism and contentment. The formula does not contain parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs or triclosan. (Sephora – $29.50)

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream: This hand cream is enriched with twenty percent sheabutter, honey, almond extracts, and coconut oil. This mixture of ingredientsleave hands soft and smooth. (L’Occitane5.2 floz- $28)

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve: This formula of botanical oils and natural wax derived from olive oil, offers all–day moisture, conditioning and protec- tion. It creates a protective barrier against moisture loss and protects against and repairs the appearance of severe dry- ness caused by winter’s harsh elements. (Kiehl’s 2.5 oz- $15 or 5.0 oz- $22)

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Ultra Hydrating Body Butter: Josie Maran uses her signature ingredient, Argan Oil, in this velvety body butter. This body but- ter works to revitalize skin and restore softness while improving skin’s texture. It is available in Sweet Citrus or Vanilla Apricot. (Sephora – $35) [gallery ids="101041,136311,136306,136296,136301" 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"]

Alison Schafer •

You can see them huddled together near the basketball court at Rose Park. Catch a snatch of a conversation between two moms on N Street. Watch them fret over iced tea and poke at salads at Patisserie Poupon. Parents. Fretting.

It is private school admission season, and tensions are running high.

“It is a tragi-comedy,” mutters one mother, whose son is in kindergarten at Georgetown Day. It certainly generates a lot of anxiety, and a great deal of discussion among a certain set. It is also time-consuming. All those school tours. All those parent coffees, Q and A’s, and child visits. A lot of bother for the privilege of paying $25,000 a year for something you can also get for free.

“It is a long process,” says another mother. “You go look at the school, at yet another posh art room, then you apply and write essays about your kid’s strengths—painful—and then, worst of all, you take the kid in and the school decides she ‘has trouble with transitions’ and they don’t let you in!”
Then, there are the standardized tests for four-year-olds with questions like “Can you name a vegetable?” Then there are SSATs for the bigger ones. “Boat is to ship as log is to…” The tests mean more appointments, more fees, more stress, and more time spent away from schoolwork, running around outside, or sanity.

Parents complain the process can make you crazy. All the rumors and “helpful” tips have a famous parent. Okay, then, know any famous people? Hillary Clinton wrote for one kid. He got into Sidwell. Or do you have a lot of patience and a lot of dough for myriad $50 admissions fees? Another family applied to 13 private schools—13! That girl got into Washington International School. Got private-plane kind of money? One school is rumored to have let in both its richest and the dumbest class during the first year of a massive capital campaign. “All the rooms in this building,” the mother of an 8th grade boys says, “are named after the families in our class.”

Annie Farquhar has been the director of admissions at Maret for 24 years. She says applications come in at a healthy clip, despite the economic downturn, and she recommends a relaxed attitude toward the whole process. That’s probably because she is in the enviable position of gatekeeper, when demand for spots is high and supply is low.

“If parents are nervous about applying,” she says, “their child will pick up on it, so try to relax and enjoy this discovery process as much as possible.”

Of course, the best way to approach it all is with a big worldview. How much does it really matter? Perhaps less than it seems on that March day when the letters fall through the mail slot? Perhaps admissions directors know what they’re doing when they don’t let little Tommy in because he cannot sit still? Maybe he would not thrive at school X, despite what his parents want?

Megan Gabriel is the mother of three kids—one in college, one at St Albans and another at NCS. She says perhaps private school parents ought to “jump ship, save our money and put the time, effort and thousands of dollars into public schools. After all, as far as colleges are concerned, an A is an A, no matter where it comes from.”

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"]