Living

Dave Nyczepir • July 26, 2011

With November upon us, many living in the District will participate in the annual fall exodus. On the weekends, Washington residents retreat to their preferred autumnal sanctuaries. Resorts and B&Bs throughout Maryland and Virginia play host to those reveling in the year’s most mild and fleeting
weather. Such traditional draws are a staple of the autumn spell.

When formulating your plans, it’s a good idea to explore less conventional avenues and find retreats not bogged down by throngs of tourists. The Eastern Shore is less than a two-hour drive from DC and promises some of the season’s best autumn activities. Spending the weekend on the Eastern Shore is an unconventional yet unparalleled experience, sure to liven your month.

Talbot County, Maryland is a hidden gem. The splendorous setting is rich with history and offers
some of the best biking, fishing, and kayaking to be found. What’s more, Talbot County presents visitors with several distinctive towns to choose from, each with a personality all its own. Guests to the area may choose to intimately explore one or town-hop for a taste of the entire area.

Easton

Easton is celebrating its 300-year anniversary this year, which only adds to the vibrant atmosphere
found there. Nestled away in the outskirts of town are family-owned farms, such as Chapel’s Country Creamery. Dairy cows graze its sprawling fields, attesting to Easton’s pastoral grandeur. The farm itself sells its all-natural produce on site. Additionally, many of the Shore’s best chefs use local creamers and farmers as their purveyors, strengthening Easton’s communal bonds.

One such chef is Jordan Lloyd, whose Bartlett Pear Inn recently received the second highest
Zagat rating in all categories for the East Coast. Lloyd owns the inn with his wife Alice, his fourth grade sweetheart reunited by fate 10 years later. The two embarked on a journey that led from Mason’s, another local favorite, to Michel Richard’s Citronelle here in DC, New York, Atlanta, Miami, and back again. Along the way, Lloyd apprenticed with four-star chefs at five-diamond and five-star enterprises, including DC’s Four Seasons Hotel. The end result is his upscale American bistro, where classic French techniques meet contemporary plate design, in an impressive 220-year-old establishment.

From November 12 to 14, Easton will host its 40th Annual Waterfowl Festival. Sportsmen and art connoisseurs alike should find something that intrigues them. Wildlife paintings, photos, sculptures, and carvings, including collectible decoys, will be available at multiple venues about town. Moreover, the World Championship Calling Contests and fly-fishing and stunt dog demonstrations are sure to draw a crowd. Easton’s colonial streets will close, and historic buildings will be decorated in celebration of its small-town heritage and support of wildlife conservation.

Also in Easton is the iconic Inn at 202 Dover. Restored by Shelby and Ron Mitchell, the 1874 mansion is an incredible sight. With its spacious rooms and Jacuzzis, you’d be hard pressed to find a more inviting inn in which to spend a few nights. Then again, the Tidewater Inn traces its roots back to 1712. Within walking distance of historic downtown Easton’s many boutiques, galleries and restaurants, the charming hideaway is sure to inspire romance. You won’t go wrong either way.

Oxford

Located southwest of Easton on the Tred Avon River, Oxford was founded in 1683 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Few towns have endured the marked phases of change that Oxford has. The landscape, once dominated by tobacco plantations and home to famous figures of the Revolution, later gave rise to oyster harvesting and packing industries. Despite the increase in tourism to the area, Oxford retained its small-town feel.

Those looking to dine in town would do right to give Pope’s Tavern, or else the Robert Morris Inn, a try. Both restaurants provide impeccable service and dining ambiance while affording incredible
views of the water. Robert Morris Inn deserves special note, as it recently reopened under new co-owner and executive chef Mark Salter. Salter was the former chef of the Inn at Perry Cabin, and his signature dishes go well with the wide array of vintages the inn has stocked. Dine in Salter’s Tap Room & Tavern or one of two 1710 dining rooms, a few feet from Oxford’s ferry dock.

St. Michaels

St. Michaels rests along the “Bay Hundred” stretch that runs to Tilghman Island. In its heyday,
St. Michaels was a major shipbuilding center that produced such models as the Baltimore Clipper, which served as privateers during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is one of its premier attractions.

Founded in 1965, the Maritime Museum occupies 35 buildings across 18 waterfront acres and features 10 exhibits that explore the geological, social, and economic history of the Chesapeake Bay. The museum also houses the largest collection of indigenous Chesapeake Bay watercraft in existence. Although the museum currently allows visitors to tong for oysters, on November 6 it will host OysterFest & Members Day from 10 am to 4 pm.

OysterFest celebrates the Bay oyster with live music, food and family activities. Skipjack and buy-boat rides will be available. Furthermore, oyster aquaculture, restoration, and cooking demonstrations will be ongoing. The oyster stew competition may very well be the highlight of the festival, which is included with museum admission.

If oysters aren’t your thing, Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and The Crab Claw Restaurant are two popular local eateries. Ava’s wood-fired pizza is complemented by its diverse selection of beer and wine. The Crab Claw has served steamed Maryland blue crabs since 1965. Also worth a look is Bistro St. Michael’s, which rounds out St. Michael’s wide range of restaurants.

Not far off is the Inn at Perry Cabin. An elite escape, the inn’s waterfront property offers a gorgeous panorama of the Shore at its finest. Though the inn has lost some of its exclusivity with an expansion to 78 rooms, the lavish accommodations and amenities make this less noticeable. In addition, the inn’s convenient location makes it the perfect place to stay if you plan on seeing the sights around “The Town that Fooled the British.”

In the interval between those dog days of summer and the sluggish winter months, autumn is the ideal occasion for a weekend getaway—one that will both relax and reenergize. If you haven’t made plans yet, do not fret. The Eastern Shore is an often overlooked and underutilized travel alternative. Add to this its breathtaking vistas and insulated townships, and the Shore might just be among the most well-guarded vacation secret in the country. [gallery ids="99421,99422,99423,99424,99425,99426,99427" nav="thumbs"]

Ari Post •

Walking around Cleo Braver’s backyard, looking out onto the Goldsborough Creek as hundreds of geese acclimated to their winter stead, it was easy to get lost in the crisp afternoon warmth. The East Coast and Bay area is a place of surprising beauty, even to those of us who have lived here all our lives. But it takes a certain kind of person to grow something out of that beauty. Leaving your job to start your own organic farm and promote Bay awareness and safe farming practices may not seem to be the most practical decision for most people, but for Braver, it was the only option.

Originally an environmental lawyer, Braver and her husband bought Cottingham Farm, a 156-acre property resting on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, for but the joys of living on such a property. Like the majority of farmland in the area, her land was tenant farmed. “It’s an owner like me who goes to her job during the day, and there’s a farmer, called the operator, who comes in and works the farm. You’re sharing the cost and you’re sharing the benefit, but you’re not really getting involved in it.”

Also like most farmland in the area, her 90 acres of tillable fields exclusively grew corn and soy for animal feed, notably for chickens in the industrial farmlands on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. “We were a quintessential post-World War II farm,” she said, with more than a hint of cynicism.

Having been an environmental lawyer, and her husband a serial environmental entrepreneur
currently involved in the water and wastewater treatment business, the nature of agricultural
wasn’t alien to Braver, but as she said, “We were just living here. But we weren’t involved in what’s going on with the farm. We were living on the land, we were enjoying the land. We used it a lot, but we didn’t run the fields. We had no understanding of farming because we’re not farmers.”

However, as a lawyer is prone to do, Braver began to read up on farming, modern nutrition and the environment. Slowly, over five years, she digested information about the impact of industrial farming practices on the Chesapeake Bay and its effects on topsoil, animal health, human health, and the economy. “There is so much information available if you seek it out,” she said, rattling off a slew of books and information centers, among them Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and John Robbins’ “Food Revolution.”

She grew greatly passionate for the state of the environment and the health of her community, and decided to take matters into her own hands by converting her farmland to an eco-friendly, organic farming operation. Initially, her mission was purely environmental, not humanitarian.

The first step she implemented was the addition of buffer strips around the perimeter of the property to protect the water. A buffer strip is a 100-foot wide strip of land surrounding the farming fields that uses deeply rooted, perennial, warm season grasses to help control soil and water quality, trapping sediment and enhancing filtration of nutrients and pesticides by slowing down and absorbing runoff that would otherwise enter local surface and ground waters. There is additionally a 120-foot wide native tree and shrub riparian buffer on the edge of the Creek, which is comprised of thousands of native trees and shrubs. Her farmer at the time did not want to do it, as it took away from tillable land. So Braver decided to take control of the farm on her own. “You may think they’re meaningless, these little buffer strips. But a 100-foot buffer strip, along the outside of the fields, adds up.” It ended up being 30 of the 90 acres.

The next thing she did was convert a hydric or wet field to a 20 acre shallow wetland. All these installations were done with the help of Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, a local nonprofit organization which installs grasslands, wetlands, woodlands and other habitat in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Each year, she discovered, five tons per acre of sediment, and 10 pounds of phosphorus and 100 pounds of nitrogen would be carried off the land into the water, causing dead zones in the water where no life can be supported. She found subtle but important signs that something was amiss below the surface: Fish attempting to aerate the water between dusk and dawn, when dissolved oxygen levels are lowest; disappearing submerged aquatic vegetation; and the disappearance of all but the last one or two percent of historic oyster populations in the Chesapeake. After Braver put in the buffers, there was no sediment-laden rainwater leaving the farm, a sign that things were moving in the right direction.

Another big piece of the puzzle was the utilization of cover crops. A cover crop, such as winter wheat or rye, is planted in the fall, and it stays in until spring. Its job is to hold the soil together when it needs it the most; when the winter winds and tremendous precipitation is scouring the land. “The whole point,” says Braver, “is you’re not making the land work yet another crop that year. You’re trying to rejuvenate the soil with a high nitrogen crop, and then you till it in. That’s how you build and till the soil. Not by using synthetic fertilizers in the springtime.”

Acting quickly (almost precipitously, as she’ll tell you), Braver decided that what Maryland needs is a new green industry that grows real food containing no pesticides or herbicides. The food would be grown by locals and purchased by locals to take the place of food grown by California, Florida, Canada and Mexico. On top of the health benefits, the jobs it would create and the revenue it would keep within the area, this plan would cut down on the global warming and other impacts of food, which travels an average of 1500 miles to get to our plates.

While this may not seem practical, organic farming as she explains it does much more with much less. An acre of organic farmland can easily employ four workers, and produces far more fruit and far less waste than an acre of non-organic farmland. “I was growing heirloom tomatoes (bred for nutrition and taste rather than for transportability, uniformity and shelf life) for local restaurants and for an Annapolis and Baltimore Whole Foods on an acre of land,” she said. “That’s all. What it takes is people. I had seven people working with me working on a little less than two acres.

“This kind of agriculture does not take up a lot of land. It can be done anywhere. It can be done in the city. It is being done in the city. It’s fallacious to say we can’t feed the country on our land. What this movement needs now is the infrastructure to support it. We need to build a local sustainable food integration facility where sustainable or organically raised vegetables, meats, fruits and dairy can be processed, packaged, sold and distributed within a hundred or so mile radius, and where families can learn cooking, nutrition and wellness, and come together around food five days a week year round. This is as necessary to us today as the highway infrastructure of the 1950’s.”

She wanted to learn firsthand some of the production, marketing and distribution issues. Until early 2009, her sole foray had been to grow heirloom tomatoes for a local farmer’s market in Easton. “I considered it a grand success since my tomatoes were photographed by two food stylists and then were invited to a wedding.” she said.

In a few week period in January and February of 2009, Braver attended an intensive conference on sustainable farming and purchased two 96-foot long high tunnels, or plastic greenhouses, to build on Cottingham Farm. On June 9 of that year, she had made her first delivery to Whole Foods.

“My mission started out as being strictly environmental,” said Braver. “But what I’ve learned over the course of doing this for the last 18 months has blown my socks off. The health care issues are just as big, if not bigger.” For instance, she sites the difference between eating a free-range chicken egg and a CAFO chicken egg (industry abbreviation for Confined Animal Feeding Operations). A CAFO chicken is fed almost exclusively corn and grow under such harsh conditions that they require regular non-therapeutic doses of antibiotics to survive.

A free-range chicken egg has high levels of the “good cholesterol”, vitamin D and Tocopherols, because the chicken has been able to roam around outside. A CAFO egg has less of the good and high levels of the bad cholesterol. Needless to say, Braver plans to put up a chicken coop in the spring, as well as raise heritage turkeys, ducks and geese.

Her mission has become an education agenda— one to inform landowners and the public about playing a role in the change from industrial agriculture to a food supply system where food is produced sustainably and distributed locally.

“Most families don’t know that corn-fed red meat has seven times the level of saturated fats as the meat from a pastured animal. But the eating public can change the industry and their lives, by voting with their forks.”

However, the lack of knowledge stems deep. The vast majority of American physicians, she explains, no longer receive nutrition training in school. “And the American family doesn’t get it,” she said. “I didn’t know that if you apply pesticides to a vegetable it stops producing antioxidants, and that you can lose six pounds a year just by switching to grass fed meat.”

Braver’s farm now grows a vast assortment of seasonal produce. Her current offerings include a peppery Arugula, Mizuna, Tatsoi and other Asian greens, red, green, orange, yellow and silver Butter Chard, green, red and blue Kale, Spinach and Collards, three colors of Beets, red, yellow and orange Sweet Carrots, and other offerings like French and Asian Heirloom Winter Squashes and radicchio, dandelion and chicory. She grows this all on about two acres.

She distributes to seven restaurants, including the Bartlett Pear and the Out of the Fire (where her produce is highlighted on the menu), as well as Whole Foods and two local markets. If visiting Easton, her produce can be purchased year round at the European style Market House at Easton Market Square (open Thursday through Sunday).

Braver’s first step was becoming a food producer and learning the markets, and in the process she learned how tremendous the demand is for healthy food, including within hospitals, schools and prisons.

The next step is to help this industry grow. “I want to build a facility with the help of policy makers in a visible place where food gets integrated. So whatever landowner wants to sustainably grow food, whether it’s meat, dairy, vegetables, we would try to create an infrastructure to help people do that on their own property, even providing the staff to do it. And then it gets integrated into this food production facility, where the produce gets washed and packaged, so there’s a retail facility, where people know they can go buy food that is healthy and clean. There’s a distribution facility distributing within a hundred miles—a sustainable food chain. There will be cooking classes, wellness classes, nutrition classes…”

As she rambled on, brimming with excitement and filled with conviction and industry knowledge, it became clear that this farmer is more than an idea woman. She has her money where her mouth is—and I don’t mean that proverbially. This project, like her others up to this point, will reach fruition. The cost and hardships are of no concern to her, for the toll it takes is negligible when compared to the cause for which she is fighting: the health and wellbeing of her community at large. “The cost of industrial agriculture is not included in the cost of food,” she warned, “but be sure that we pay it in the end.” [gallery ids="99551,104543,104534,104547,104529,104551,104524,104555,104519,104539" nav="thumbs"]

Georgia Shallcross •

Can one put a price on polo lessons with polo superstar and Ralph Lauren model, Nacho Figueras? (Yes, a lot!) Yet the cause for which Figueras is donating instruction is priceless. On June 18, Salvatore Ferragamo, (Grandson of the famed Italian designer), John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted, and Tim Gannon, co-owner of Outback Steakhouse, and other polo greats, will play in the Van Metre Polo Cup. Inaugurated in 2007, the competition will benefit Capital Caring and the new Adler Center for Caring on the Van Metre Campus. The ground-breaking for the state-of-the-art facility in Stone Ridge is scheduled for October 2011.

In an age of senseless celebrity from Snoop Dogg to Snooki, true heroes are individuals who care for chronically and terminally ill patients on a daily basis. Capital Caring, with their committed staff and volunteers, provide extensive services to help families cope with illness and loss. Through the generosity of the Adler and Van Metre families, and other donors, patients and loved ones in Loudon County will benefit from Capital Caring’s coordinated care.

Ashley Van Metre, an accomplished polo player, will play in the match which takes place at Great Meadow in the Plains. Ashley’s grandfather, Al Van Metre, a developer and philanthropist, was a longtime supporter of hospice care. With the Van Metre Cup, his legacy continues in a delightful day of polo for a wonderful and worthy cause.

Dea Van Metre (Who is chairing the event with her husband Beau) shared thoughts on the polo cup and the new Adler Center for Caring.

GTMG: When was the Polo Cup founded?

DVM: This will be our fifth year. It is another area to raise funds for a charity that has been important to our family.

GTMG: Nacho Figueras has played in the past. What celebrities will be on board this year?

DVM: Nacho regrettably had a conflict, but he has been very dedicated to our cause. Tim Gannon, founder of Outback Steakhouse, John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted, and the handsome Salvatore Ferragamo will be on the field.

GTMG: How did you decide to benefit Capital Caring?

DVM: My father-in-law, Al Van Metre, started a sailing regatta over 35 years ago to benefit the cause. While hospice is not particularly glamorous, it is about quality of life. The Adler Center will provide comprehensive care for people in Loudon County.

GTMG: Tell us about the new Adler Center on the Van Metre Campus?

DVM: The first donation was three million dollars from the Adler Family. Prior to that, our Company executives and my father-in-law donated the land for the facility. We have raised 11.5 million and our goal is 15 million. We have also received in kind donations, including a large donation of electrical equipment.

GTMG: How can people help?

DVM: We welcome volunteers for the event. There is a tent with sponsored tables and tailgate spaces, as well. Out Back Steakhouse is providing wonderful food at cost. We are grateful for volunteers and for contributions, many of which are from the community.

GTMG: Has the event grown considerably in the last five years.

DVM: Yes! We have the other side of the field now, so we have over 800 guests.

GTMG: You have fabulous silent auction items. Can you tell us what they include?

DVM: We have a backyard picnic for one hundred guests donated by Outback Steakehouse. Round trip tickets to Italy with a stay at the Ferragamo Estate, Il Baro in Arezzo, Italy. Two round trip tickets to Argentina or South Hampton for private lessons with Nacho Figueras, and the use of a private jet for up to six people to West Palm Beach or South Hampton.

GTMG: How wonderful! Good luck with the event.

To make donations to Capital Caring visit CapitalCaring.org or call 800-571-5700.
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Dr. Dorree Lynn •

Wanna know a secret? Grownups, even some very grownup grownups, are playing…with sex toys! In fact, for couples and singles alike, there is a revolution occurring for people over 50. Adult sex toys, pornography, erotic literature, game playing, and other pleasure products and practices have become much more mainstream than ever before. This is good news for those in good health, as sex toys can add fun and excitement to adult life. And it’s even better news for those in ill health because of new products available to help make sex easier, possible, and more satisfying for those with health challenges—like eyeglasses and hearing aids for the bed.

You’re Never Too Old to Play with Toys. Whatever your situation or age, jazzing up your sex life with sex toys
and perhaps pornography can be a great way to feel vitally alive and sexy for all your years. Single folks
may find that a little help from a manufactured friend can be a welcome addition. And for couples in long-term relationships, some added spice is always nice. While no sex gadget can fix a broken relationship, experimenting with sex toys, erotic books, educational sex films, role playing, and perhaps even working with a sex or relationship therapist can be very helpful for lifting an otherwise good relationship out of a passion slump.

The Joys of Toys As We Age.

While vibrators are the most popular after-50 sex toys, there are many other passion playthings on the market today. Now that we are living longer, it’s the perfect time to incorporate adventure (and convenience) into your sex life. After all these years, we’ve finally arrived at the joys of sex unzipped. Adults of advanced years are grownup enough to enjoy their sex lives to the fullest, and they are going for it in droves.

Researchers attribute the widespread use of adult sex toys to easier availability and a cultural shift away from the bad boy, X-rated sex toy industry. New Internet sites for sex products aimed at mainstream couples now feature images of middle-aged models and realistic sex scenes. Women, as well as men, are buying more sex toys and pleasure products than ever before, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by the adult novelties industry. In fact, several companies now market exclusively to postmenopausal women. In many regions of the country, Tupperware parties have given way to adult toy sales gatherings, almost always attended and led by women. Not only are women buying and using more sex toys, but the sales of erotic novels are up, even in a slumping economy. An entire flourishing industry now markets erotica especially for older women.

Overcoming shyness and shame is part of the way to keep those hormones healthy. If you don’t know where to shop, you might be surprised by what you find in your local Target, Walgreen’s, or department store under body back massagers (Use your imagination.). Even local drug stores and supermarkets now carry vaginal lubricants. Read the label, and make sure to use one that’s water-soluble. This kind of between-the-sheets shopping can be useful as well as fun.

Try some of these toys as surprise stocking stuffers. There are hundreds of thousands of sex toys on the market today. With a little creativity and fun, you can come up with all kinds of ways to spice up your love life just in time for the holiday chill!

Dave Nyczepir •

Middleburg has long been considered the heart of horse and wine country, with plenty of antiquing to be had. The area has quietly become one of the premier travel destinations on the East Coast. Come December, more and more travelers fancy Christmas in a country village, and nowhere will you find a Christmas experience quite like Middleburg’s.

From the minute you enter Middleburg, the sense of community becomes evident. On Saturday, December 4, residents will flock to Middleburg Elementary School for breakfast with Santa and a silent auction. By 11 a.m., locals are ready for the Middleburg Hunt, where horseback riders and their hounds parade through the streets.

Once the Hunt is finished, the Middleburg Christmas Parade commences. Spectators line Washington Street (Route 50) to watch as floats, bands, and troops pass. Plenty of animals take part in the festivities. Antique fire trucks are always a staple of the parade, and make sure to stay for Santa, who closes the procession as he rides in on an ornate horse-drawn coach.

Throughout the day, visitors are encouraged to go on hayrides, enjoy choir performances, and take in the Craft and Garden Club’s Christmas Flower & Greens Shows. Middleburg offers a variety of local shops and restaurants to explore. At 2 p.m., local musicians can be found performing live Christmas music at the Middleburg United Methodist Church.

“Christmas in Middleburg is a wonderful tradition,” said Parade Co-Chairman and Middleburg Eccentric Founder and Editor Dee Dee Hubbard. “This year’s event will be especially exciting because the parade will immediately follow the kick off of the day, with the tradition of the horses and hounds parading down the main street. This will give families more time to enjoy the many activities taking place in Middleburg.”

Middleburg is a mere 45 minutes from Washington D.C., close to the Dulles International Airport. To get there take I-66 West to Route 50 West (toward Winchester) via Exit 57B. From there, Middleburg is a 25-minute drive.

Those interested in learning more about Middleburg’s holiday offerings should contact the Pink Box Visitor Center at 540-687-8888 or the Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association at 1-800-752-6118.

Christmas In Middleburg Events List

Friday, December 3

5:30 pm—Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Pink Box, music, refreshments

Saturday, December 4

8 am—Breakfast with Santa at Middleburg Elementary

9 am—Chrstimas Craft Show at Middleburg Community Center

10 am—Middleburg Garden Club Greens Sale & Bazaar at Emmanuel Episcopal Church

11 am—Hunt Parade, Christmas Parade with Santa immediately following

12:30 pm—Santa will visit with children on the porch across from Post Office

12:30 pm – 3:30 pm—Hayrides starting at the Pink Box immediately following the parade

11 am – 2 pm—Soup & ham & biscuit luncheon at Middleburg United Methodist Church

2 pm—Concert at Middleburg United Methodist Church, Trinity Choir, AGGE & Hill School

5:45 pm—Christmas Concert featuring the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra performing Mozart’s Requiem at Emmanuel [gallery ids="99567,104809" nav="thumbs"]

Katherine Tallmadge •

People are more successful at achieving their New Year’s Resolutions than widely believed. In fact, a study found the success rate of resolutions is ten times higher than the success rate of adults desiring to change without making a resolution.

Half of American adults make New Year’s Resolutions. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, researchers found half of the people who made New Year’s Resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight, or start an exercise program were still successful at their goals six months later. The study, which compared people who carried out their resolutions and those who didn’t, clarified a few important things about how people successfully change.

They found desire to change and introspection didn’t make a difference. What made the difference were actions. While unsuccessful resolvers talked a lot about their problem, successful resolvers actively worked toward their goal. They controlled their surroundings, avoided difficult situations and rewarded themselves for changing.

If you want to lose weight, find strategies you can easily work into your lifestyle. Don’t try to make sweeping overhauls that are doomed to fail. Your goals should be realistic, specific and simple. Try just a few of the 192 tips excerpted from my book Diet Simple:

Minesweep for Calorie Bombs

Get rid of the foods in your house that you have a problem controlling.

Bottom Line: If that saves just one 500 calorie binge per week, you could lose 7 pounds in a year.

Choose “Surf”

The numbers tell the story: 6 ounces of prime rib is 600 calories, sirloin is 450, salmon is 300, white fish is 180 calories. Choosing seafood over fatty red meat could save at least 300 calories per meal.

Bottom Line: Do it four nights a week and lose 18 pounds in a year.

Irritate the Waiter

Shake up the usual order of things in a restaurant by ordering a salad or soup first, eating it, then ordering your entree. This will take the edge off your appetite so that you’ll order more modestly. Count on saving at least 400 calories per night out.

Bottom Line: If you “irritate the waiter” just once a week, that adds up to losing 6 pounds a year.

Hit the Ground Running

Wake up in the morning. Yawn. Roll out of bed, go to the bathroom, have a drink of water, and slip on some exercise clothes. Don’t check e-mail or phone messages. Start moving. Now! Right away! Exercising first thing in the morning is one of the best things you can do for yourself. And it’s over with before you’re even awake!

Bottom Line: Do it for just 15 minutes a day, and lose 10 pounds in a year!

Get Sexy Lingerie

After accomplishing just one of these strategies, reward yourself—or ask your spouse to—with something that’s not a box of chocolates or an elaborate dinner out. Make the substitution just once a week and you’ll save at least 1,200 calories.

Bottom Line: Lose 18 pounds in a year.

Successful weight loss is a lot like being successful at anything in life. Set a goal or resolution, plan concrete steps which will take you there and anticipate and avoid pitfalls while rewarding yourself along the way. Above all: Know thyself and plan appropriately!

Regardless of Oscar Wilde’s belief that resolutions are “pure vanity; their result absolutely nil,” you can be successful at achieving your New Year’s Resolution!

Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D. is a weight loss and nutrition consultant with a 20-year private practice in Georgetown. She is a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of, Diet Simple: 192 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations (LifeLine Press)

Robert HigginBotham •

Thanksgiving is ancient history now. And as the trees shed those last few colorful stragglers refusing to join the pile, we’re forced to face the fact that fall is coming to an end, and the cold is here to stay. Nonetheless, DC transforms almost overnight into a city of lights, as the yearly holiday festivities begin with the immediacy of instant oatmeal.

The annual lighting of the National Chanukah Menorah is already in full swing, and a 40-foot spruce tree sits discretely on the side, waiting to be unveiled. There are parades, plays, concerts, cocktails, gift exchanges, gift returns, families and friends, cookie parties, party parties—just enough so that by the time the ball drops and the fireworks go off, you may well be writhing in bed at night, the sound of bells engrained within the hollows of your ears, trying to figure out where to put the extra 10 pounds you’ve tacked on.

As truly wonderful as it all is, it can (and will) get hectic and overwhelming. It’s times like these we can be grateful for, and truly appreciate, a peaceful countryside. Who can refuse a jaunt over the hills—or over the river and through the woods—for quiet views and great food? What better escape for you and your loved ones to flee the city for a couple hours and soak up the holiday spirit together in quiet relaxation?

If this is ringing a bell and you need a place to go, we’ve got a few in mind. Places like the Billard’s Patowmack Farm in Lovettesville, VA, just north along the river and west of Point of Rocks, are perfect for a respite from the holiday madness.

With views overlooking the Potomac and the Point of Rocks Bridge, Beverly Morton Billard and Chuck Billard started Patowmack Farm in 1986 as a place to grow fresh herbs and seasonal vegetables. In 1998 they opened their restaurant, championing—and in many ways, pioneering—the farm-to-table concept. The Farm’s well known “Chef Christopher” focuses on providing fresh, organic produce straight from the grounds, paired with sustainable seafood and wild, natural meats.

Helping to maintain an environmental balance using sustainable practices is of the utmost importance to Chef Christopher and the Patowmack crew, and it’s never compromised on the menu. Such items include Truffle Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke, incorporating burgundy truffles, black trumpet mushroom powder and a mushroom puree. Or, on the more savory side, choices include dishes like Duck A L’Orange served with caramelized endive, juniper spice pesto, candied orange peel and grand marnier. As for dessert, one can’t go wrong with the Maple Crème Beignet, a dark chocolate ganache combined with shaved white chocolate and Virginia peanut streusel.

Everything on the menu is available a la carte, or as part of a 5-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairings. And of course, vegetarian options are always available.

The exquisite high-ceilinged glass dining room at Patowmack Farm is open Thursday night through Saturday, and brunch is served on weekends, mixing in organic breakfast dishes into their already healthy repertoire.

More recently, the Farm has cooked up what they call “Thursday’s on the Farm,” as a way for the curious (or the repeat offender) to sample the unique tastes, much like tapas. Dishes are smaller (and priced accordingly) and served with organically infused cocktail options. The menus for both change weekly allowing for a wide range of what the Farm has to offer.

The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm has joined an elite crew of the most renowned dining experiences in the area (DC included), and not only for serving food, but for giving back as well. Earlier this month the Farm teamed up with INMED Partnerships for Children in an event goaled toward helping to stop child hunger, disease, abuse, neglect and violence. More specifically, the proceeds of the “Chef’s Collaborative Event” went toward establishing a greenhouse organic gardening system at the Loudoun County Homeless and Transitional Housing Shelter. They are hoping the greenhouse will provide both education and food year-round to those in need. It isn’t just good food they’re serving up at the Farm, it’s Good, period.

And if you’re not sold yet, Patowmack Farm throws in some wonderful special events every month to help coax you away from the concrete jungle. Whether it’s a jazz brunch, a top notch cooking class, or simply holiday music and great food (this year provided by Music by Anthem’s string quartet hosted on Dec 17 and Dec 18), there always seems to be something going on at the Patowmack Farm to spice up a great day spent in the country. Sided with a view of the bridge among rolling hills, while leaning back in a quiet gazebo miles away from food trucks, bus stops, pay stations and buildings over three stories tall, you may realize that, occasionally, the city of lights needs to be beat—at least for an hour or two. [gallery ids="99578,104869,104873" nav="thumbs"]

Dr. Dorree Lynn •

Yes, you read that correctly! People always say communication is the key to improving your relationship, but clearly, that’s not true. We’re already always communicating. Yelling is communicating, abuse is communicating, the raised eyebrows of countless unsaid criticisms are communicating, unfulfilled sex is communicating, and bickering over who didn’t put the top on the peanut butter jar or why the toothpaste was squeezed the wrong way is communicating. And we can probably agree that little of any of that helps to improve relationships, feel close, or have great sex.

The real key is honest, positive communication that renders your relationship better for both of you, so that you feel more understood, appreciated, connected, bonded, trusting, and/or turned-on. However, honest, positive communication does not always mean being nice. It does mean learning how to be truthful about your own needs without purposely being hurtful, and actively listening to what your partner has to say without getting wounded every time he or she tells you something you would rather not hear.

Truth and authenticity are never easy to achieve–they require a fairly good understanding of yourself and the courage to reveal your inner workings. Everyone wants to feel understood, especially by his or her lover. But since few of us understand ourselves all of the time, how do we learn to help our partners understand us, no less learn how to better understand them? It is a process that requires practice and possibly help. If this were something you could learn in ten easy steps, everyone would be doing it overnight. The truth is that honest, positive communication takes much skill, awareness, effort, and sometimes also the help of a good counselor or therapist; most new learning takes some guidance.

Georgia Shallcross •

A beguiling print of Benjamin Franklin hangs in the powder room of The Fox’s Den Tavern, in Middleburg, Virginia. Why is Benjamin Franklin hanging in the loo? As it happens, one of the owners of the restaurant, Charlie Carroll, is a direct descendant of Franklin and three other signers of the Declaration of Independence. There are countless other surprises at the Fox’s Den Tavern, which Carroll recently opened with his longtime companion Christie Knoff. If lighting is everything, this cute couple has brilliantly succeeded with a sophisticated ambiance worthy of any great dining establishment. While the Fox’s Den Tavern has the inviting atmosphere and comforts of a private club, the comparison ends there.

“We wanted the best,” said Knoff of their decision to hire Vi Nguyen, a highly accomplished chef trained in the classical French tradition. Nguyen has created a superb menu of fine American cuisine, including pan seared rainbow trout with beurre blanc, lobster and truffle macaroni and cheese, and the enormously popular fried oysters. Parts of the menu change daily, so one will never tire of this magical spot, which even makes the famously temperate founding father smile.

The Georgetowner sat down to speak with Charlie and Christie (C&C) about their new establishment and discuss the joys of being countryside restaurateurs.

GT: How did you decide to decorate in an elegant Edwardian fashion? The objects are lovely and seem to have a rich provenance.

C&C: That is because they are our own belongings! We had many things in storage. We wanted to create a space that was inviting and makes you want to stay.

GT: The Burgundy walls have magically transformed the space. Who chose the color?

C&C: We did, despite some skepticism about a dark color. We found the color and tripled the hue to bring out the texture and warmth.

GT: What other structural changes were made to the space?

C&C: We refinished the bar using old wood with a beautiful patina and we utilized the wall to make a long banquet with comfortable pillows

GT: You have created a sumptuously elegant interior, which makes people want to stay for hours.

C&C: Yes, thank you. That’s also why we have different seating areas. The bar and a casual lounge with sofas are separate from the tables and banquette room, which makes it easy to accommodate large groups.

GT: What inspired you and helped you prepare to open the Fox’s Den?

C&C: We were the general managers of the Charlotte Inn on Martha’s Vinyard for thirteen years. Every aspect of the inn was impeccable and set a great example.

GT: Before we get to the food, how did you select the staff?

C&C: We wanted a familial feeling. We have Noel Ryan tending bar and Jamie Plaskitt, a fourth generation Middleburg native, and other wonderful staff members.

GT: How did you find your chef?

C&C: Before we met our chef we knew that we wanted a classic comfort food. Our chef, Vi Nguyen, is classically French trained. He worked at the Ritz Carleton and in his family’s restaurant. We wanted the best, and I’m pretty sure we got him.

GT: What distinguishes your restaurant from others?

C&C: Good Service, good food, and an elegant, but casual atmosphere.

GT: How do you like being in Middleburg?

C&C: We love it. It’s such a small and friendly community. We were inspired to open the Fox’s Den while we were visiting family in the area. It’s a perfect place to have a restaurant like ours. We are thrilled about the restaurant and being in Middleburg.

The Fox’s Den Tavern is located at 7 W Washington St, Middleburg, VA 20117. Call the restaurant at 540 687 4165 for reservations and more information. [gallery ids="99581,104900,104894,104897" nav="thumbs"]