Author Archive
Piedmont Urgent Care celebrates first anniversary
Back in 2004 Piedmont Family Practice in Warrenton spotted a trend. An increasing number of patients were looking for doctor appointments after hours and on weekends.
Often these were younger people with no family physician and did not want to spend three or four hours in an emergency room seeking treatment for the flu or a sprained back.
Like a moistened finger held high in the air trying to judge which way the breeze is blowing, this Warrenton medical practice “felt” a trend and launched Family Docs on Call. They offered evening and weekend hours out of their existing offices. The patients came.
On March 15, 2018, the service was rededicated into a separate section of its large medical building and named it Piedmont Urgent Care. It’s opened from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
The original concept of 14 years ago proved prescient. Today there are over 7,100 urgent care centers in the United States serving 160 million patients.
“We have three nurse practitioners down there with at least two working during the entire day,” said Dr. Christopher Ward a primary care physician and a member of the practice. “Down there” is one floor below the main practice but with a separate entrance and its own patient parking. It’s located at 493 Blackwell Road, Suite 101B.
Today up to forty patients daily are served with no need for an appointment. A typical visit lasts about 45 minutes but can extend to over an hour depending on treatment and workload. A lot faster than a typical ER visit.
Ward, 49, is one of eight medical doctors and eight physician extenders at Piedmont Family Practice. “Physician extenders” are professionals who can treat, order tests, and prescribe drugs. By any measure, 16 medical professionals are a large practice. Include the three additional staff at the urgent care center and you have what equates to a small hospital.
“If they are falling behind or have a difficult diagnosis, we can walk down one floor to provide needed assistance,” said Ward.
Ward is married to another physician, Dr. Amy Trace, who works with him giving new meaning the term “family practice”. “We were married right after medical school in Ohio and were looking for a region without the cold winter months of the north.
“We visited Virginia and fell in love with Warrenton and joined this practice in 2001,” he said. The couple has two daughters.
Treatment and advice
Virtually any type of medical condition can walk through the door of an urgent care center. It’s essentially designed to treat semi-urgent situations. If the problem can wait, patients are encouraged to see their own doctor if they have one.
“There are some things you don’t want to wait on like a sinus infection, possible pneumonia, lacerations or strep throat. We are not set up to handle things like a heart attack, stroke or car accident. In those cases, a person should go directly to a hospital emergency room,” Ward said.
The patient demographic is broad but tends to slant toward a somewhat younger profile. “My guess is younger folks tend to not have a relationship with a doctor because they don’t have many chronic health problems.
“The biggest factor is probably the convenience of being able to just walk in and get treated,” he explained.
But at the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to not have to visit a medical provider in the first place. How to achieve that? Listen to the good doctor’s counsel:
“First, take care of the things you can take care of, for both your physical and mental health. Both are so important to the overall quality of life. You can’t do anything about genetics and you can’t do much about what you are exposed to like workplace stressors,” he said.
What one can do is eat a healthy diet, avoid fast food, get regular exercise and cultivate healthy interpersonal relationships with both your family and friends. “Improving the quality of life makes our intervention so much less necessary. Take care of yourself like you take care of the material things you own.”
Good stuff but we’ve heard it all before. So, Ward drills down further. “We are a consumer-driven culture. Unfortunately, social media and cell phones have become ubiquitous in our lives. Our brains need to settle down and process things in a quieter meditative state.”
He recommends even simple outdoor walks as restorative. “We are surrounded by the constant pinging of digital devices it creates a stress factory. We never really get a chance to rest. That affects our immune system and raises stress hormone levels.”
He also believes the health care system itself needs some healing. “We are working toward a better model to keep people healthier for longer periods.”
The goals of both Piedmont Family Practice and Piedmont Urgent Care is to integrate with the community and enhance the health and wellbeing of Fauquier County residents and beyond.
“We are really trying to invest and become part of the community because most of us live here. We are raising our families here and we want to provide the same service that we want for our families.”
The ultimate message from Ward is that physicians and patients must work together to enhance lives. Shared responsibility will lead to a more joy-filled existence.
For a full description of its services, visit Piedmont Urgent Care at https://www.piedmont-urgent-care.com/
Published in the March 20, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Marshall barbershop spinning scissors and rock music
It’s tough to say when it began. Perhaps in the 1970s. Its progression grew quietly. Then, one day the American male arose from his hirsute slumber and realized most traditional barber shops had morphed into hair salons.
Guys had lost another battle to the increasing forces of the gentler persuasion.
There are those among us who will claim male dominance is on the wane, and it’s not just at the neighborhood barbershop. But it’s likely the guys that are staking out that position if they think about it at all.
Equality of the sexes is simply the multiplying power of individuals. It started with the vote and has accelerated to the overall benefit of humanity.
But still. There is something nostalgic about guys chatting away among themselves as their locks are shorn. To their benefit, there is a shop reviving the old-time haircut but with a modern twist.
“I started cutting hair at a salon near Akron, Ohio back in 2001. I don’t know why but I picked up a really strong male following. I enjoy cutting men’s hair. I don’t like coloring, permanents and all that, said Kristy Haase, owner of Rock-N-Barbers in the Food Lion Plaza in Marshall.
“I always thought it would be neat to combine the best of a hairstylist and a barber.”
But the idea had to incubate for a few years. In the interim, Haase moved to D.C. and cut hair at a high-end male-only hair salon. “They offered a full spa with massages and adult beverages. It was very much what I wanted to do and I spent several years researching the idea without success,” she said.
But there is more than one way to trim a head and Haase took a modified approach to her barbershop dream when she moved to Front Royal seven years ago.
Realizing a full-blown shop would take considerable financial investment Haase elected to start where everything does. At the beginning.
“I said, ‘You know, I’m just gonna start small. I don’t have all this money to get a huge, fancy place with fancy chairs so I’m just going to start somewhere.’ I knew I had the experience and talent and there was no one that could do what I could do.”
Confidence is what someone is looking for when they make a decision to place their hair in scissor-powered hands. It’s also why Haase’s shop has been a success from the first hairs that hit the floor.
What she has created is a traditional barbershop catering to men but also serving women. “About 90 percent of my customers are guys. But the men will tell their wives what we do. When the women come in, they don’t see old barbers in overalls cutting hair,” she said laughing.
What they do see is a shop staffed with experienced women hair stylists who know hair from the roots up. At any given time, you’ll see Haase and one or two of her staff of four cutting, or shaving while chatting away with their clients. Rock music plays in the background and friendly banter echoes around the shop.
“I wanted a shop that was modern but with a relaxed atmosphere. That’s why I went with a rock music theme. I’m originally from Cleveland which is the home of rock and roll and I just thought it was a cool idea,” to create a shop called Rock-N’-Barbers.
In addition to custom haircuts, the guys get to choose their favorite rock genre if they desire. Amazon’s Alexa stands at the ready to play classic rock or whatever generation of rock desired.
“There might be Pink Floyd or Guns N Roses playing but a customer can ask Alexa what they want to hear,” said Haase.
Clients and services
So are the loyal customers who drop by for a trim the edgy clientele she served at the high-end D.C. shop? Not quite. Haase explains her customers range across all age groups from the very young to seniors. “I’ve had customers where it was their first haircut and, unfortunately, where it was their last one,” she said.
There are a lot of businessmen and farmers who frequent the shop along with high schoolers reflecting the demographics of a rural location. And the dream of serving adult refreshments has been put on hold for now. Instead, there is a Keurig machine at the ready serving coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
All of the stylists are adept at razor, scissor, and clipper work, “We even have one girl who specializes in ethnic hair. Tell us exactly what you want and we will custom cut your hair. And that includes hot lather shaves if you want one.”
In addition to traditional haircuts, the shop specializes in cutting and sculpting beards. “Beards are definitely popular right now. They’re more like design beards where the beard is faded or tapered to what’s called ‘skin fade’. They can take as long as a haircut to do,” Haase said.
Men’s haircuts cost $17 and women’s go for $20 to $25. When asked if men silently endure their cuts Haase says, “The guys are probably as chatty as the gals but you do find some who just want to take a nap.”
Plans for the ultimate spa barbershop are on hold for now. “Someday I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a bigger place and have tanning beds and massages but I don’t know how far in the future that is.
“For sure we won’t leave Marshall. I just signed another five-year lease on this place,” Haase said.
The shop is opened seven days a week and serves about 30 customers a day. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to score a typical cut. Wait times can range from a few minutes up to 30 depending on the time of day. However, reservations are accepted and online booking is available from the shop’s website.
For a full description of the shop’s services and personal profiles of Haase and her four stylists visit https://www.rock-n-barbers.com/
Published in the March 13, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Tolson Appliance & Design Center launches new pricing strategy
The bane of small shop retailing is the competitive edge big box stores hold over the small guy. Absent the leverage the ginormous stores possess in purchasing power, it can be a struggle.
But that’s no longer the case with Warrenton’s Tolson Appliance & Design Center, Inc., located at 470 Broadview Avenue. Its challenge to the “big boys” benefits both the long-time appliance retailer and, more importantly, their customers.
How did they pull it off?
By thinking outside the washing machine while staying focused on its, “small is beautiful” theme. “We recently joined a buying group out of New York so our pricing today is basically the same as the big box stores,” said Dennis Lexo, the newly hired sales manager for the store.
While Lexo is new to Tolson’s, he has 30 years in appliance sales tucked in his shirt pocket. “We are now one of 1,500 members in the buying group.” Challenging the behemoths with their own strategy bodes well for a store that has been serving Fauquier Country for 135 years.
And quite a history it is. The original store opened alongside the railroad tracks in Calverton in 1883 selling general merchandise. That was the same year that “Buffalo Bill” Cody launched his first Wild West Show in Omaha, Nebraska. In other words, a long time ago.
Even more impressive, the average life expectancy for a small retail shop is about eight years. Obviously, these folks know what they are doing.
The store’s owner, Church Matthews, has hired new management to execute his revised retail strategy while keeping valued long-time employees in place. His philosophy is what is right for the customer is right for the store.
Think of the tried and the true blending with the new to create another century of success. A staff of 10 employees works as a unit to make it all happen.
To underscore the philosophy another new hire Jennifer Drunagel, is now the store’s business manager. With experience running a family-owned business, she is a Vint Hill resident and mother of two who brings contagious enthusiasm to her job.
“My husband and his family were born and raised in Warrenton,” she said proudly, and she is dedicated to the long-term success of the business.
Drunagel says, “We have a beautifully updated showroom with new countertops and cabinetry,” that will trigger buying ideas for homeowners updating their kitchens.
In addition, Warren Cabinets Inc. is located nearby and stands ready to install any cabinetry and that may be purchased in conjunction with new appliances.
Showroom floor
So what sells in the world of household appliances today? The standard suspects dominate such as stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, microwave ovens and grills. The shift has been in colors and coatings not seen in the past.
Sales manager Lexo explains: “Stainless steel is still the number one choice for color. But it now comes in different coatings, including fingerprint resistant and smudge proof to aid in keeping them clean. Black stainless steel is also popular as is black matte.”
One interesting twist is the top-load clothes washer is making a comeback. The most popular manufacturer is American made Speed Queen.
“It is the most reliable washer in the industry. It will last 20 to 25 years. Most other washers have a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years,” said Lexo. “We see a lot of people who have been disappointed with their front-load machines.”
Speed Queen is only sold through independent dealers giving Tolson a big edge in meeting customers’ expectations for the much-desired product.
Lexo emphasizes that when you purchase a product from Tolson you also buy a support team to boot. “We have our delivery, installation, and service teams who are in place to assure proper installation and follow-up on any service-related issues.”
Financing and extended warranties are available on the store’s products.
Drunagel emphasizes, “What sets us apart is our knowledge of small appliances. We know exactly what we can do to meet a customer’s needs. We have customers repeatedly come back and buy from us, even for as long as 50 years.” That experience scores more than a wheelbarrow full Facebook Likes.
In addition to the depth of its product line, there is a fully stocked parts department at the back of the store.
One of the important goals for the “new Tolson’s” is to get its message out to a younger demographic.
“We are looking to pull the younger generation into the store,” said Drunagel. With the proliferation of today’s superstores, attracting a younger buying crowd becomes critical to tomorrow’s success.
The key to achieving that goal is quality backed by competitive prices. As the author Robert M. Pirsig once said, “Quality tends to fan out like waves.” And if it is emanating from Tolson Appliance & Design Center, then may the wave be with you.
For a full description of the store’s products accompanied by an impressive gallery of product photographs, visit their website at https://www.tolsons.com/index.html
Published in the March 6, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Warrenton Main Street eatery launches wine and whiskey dinners
It’s always nice when a family member comes home for a visit. But it’s even better if they stay and become part of the family business. That’s how Denim & Pearls owner Jennifer Robinson feels about the return her former chef Robin Woodrow Isaac.
“We are really excited to have Woody back,” said Robinson. “He’s got some great ideas and new menus he’ll be creating for us in the months ahead.”
Isaac mirrors her sentiments. “I worked at the former Iron Bridge and Bridge restaurants and then Denim & Pearls and was a chef at Poplar Springs on two occasions. I’m pleased to be back with Jen and her staff. I have a lot of ideas for the restaurant.”
Hitting the ground running is one of Isaac’s traits as evidenced by his new brunch, lunch and dinner menus which will be available starting this week. Accompanying the changes in food fare are updated drink menus also gracing the dining tables.
The restaurant’s emphasis will continue to be on Italian American cuisine but with a subtle shift to more American dishes. “With Woody back, we are going to be able to implement some really great changes. We will be utilizing our downstairs dining areas more and of course our rooftop setting when the weather turns warmer,” said Robinson.
Robinson opened the restaurant in 2017 and knows the importance of the new and creative to keep her regulars and newcomers coming back.
A quick scan of the restaurant’s website emphasizes in part the ambiance the restaurant seeks to create:
“The term “upscale casual” has been adopted by countless restaurants in the last 10 years. We wanted to find another way to convey that message. We want them to think of us for their anniversary and special occasions or because it’s Tuesday and they don’t want to cook.
The actual name is from a country song, by Drake White, “Making Me Look Good Again”. There’s a line in the song that goes “leather and lace, denim and pearls, whiskey and wine”. The “denim and pearls” part just stuck with me. We started with our cowhide barstools and went from there.”
Wine & Whiskey
One of the more unique new ideas will be a series of alternating wine and whiskey tastings the first Wednesday of each month followed by a companion dinner showcasing the same libations the last Wednesday of the month.
First out of the gate was Rappahannock Cellars pouring its wines on Wednesday, March 6. On March 27 the same wines will be served at a dinner in the downstairs dining room. The intimate room with its exposed original stone walls is the perfect setting for a social lubricant-centered repast.
“The monthly tastings will be accompanied with a menu for the follow-up dinner,” said Robinson. Guests can sign up for the dinner following the tasting or make reservations later. “We anticipate a strong response to the new offering so I wouldn’t have guests wait too long before signing up.”
The 6 p.m. wine dinners will focus on quality Virginia producers and each course will be carefully paired to accent both wine and food.
The whiskey tastings and dinners will highlight both Old Dominion and nationally known whiskey producers.
Incredibly, the first four-course dinner will be priced at $50 per person, not including tax and gratuities. This is well below similar dinners and offers “early adopters” an opportunity to experience what should quickly become a restaurant tradition.
“The introductory pricing will likely rise somewhat as we progress through our series to the $75 range. For now, we want to get the word out to the community,” said Isaac. There will be seating for 26 guests but if the dinner sells out some consideration will be given to increasing attendance.
“We want it to be an intimate and enjoyable experience so we do not want to sell an overly large number of seats,” said Robinson.
Interested diners are encouraged to attend the March 6 tasting and learn first sip about the wines to be poured at the 27th dinner. However, for those who know a good deal when they read one, reservations can be made anytime by calling the restaurant’s front of the house manager, Taylor Davenport at (540) 349-9339. NOTE: the March 27th dinner has been sold out. A second dinner is now scheduled for Sunday, March 31 at 6 p.m.
The whiskey producers for the April tasting and dinner have not been finalized but will be available on its website soon.
But wait, there’s more!
In addition to the new menus and dinners, Robinson says every third Wednesday of the month starting in April there will be a cigar and whiskey flight on the rooftop dining area. “It will be a blend of local and nationally known producers,” she said.
The restaurant’s wine list is comprised of some 25 selections while its whiskey list embraces 30 producers so no one will go thirsty when dropping by for a drink or dinner.
Moreover, the popular First Friday and ladies night specials will return with warmer weather. And of course, this week is Restaurant Week in Warrenton and eight of Denim & Pearls fellow restaurateurs will be serving specially created dishes through March 10 along with them.
For a complete tour of Denim & Pearls including menu items and hours, visit https://denimandpearlsrestaurant.com/
Published in the March 6, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Rappahannock Cellars expands sparkling wine production
Weddings, graduations and anniversaries are the quintessential time to lift a flute of sparkling wine and toast the celebrants. But special occasions are fading as the leading occasion to enjoy a bubbly.
Today, sparkling wines are the fastest growing segment in the U.S. wine industry. In 2017, 312 million bottles of champagne or sparkling wine were sold in the United States, a steady increase in sales dating from 2000 that shows no signs of abating.
Wine bubbles are increasingly consumed as an everyday libation simply because they are delicious. Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain have helped popularize sparklers and domestic production is drafting behind the accelerating trend.
A pulled cork of fizzy wine leaves the bottle at 25 mph and contains 49 million bubbles. And the real fun hasn’t even started.
Here in Virginia, winemaker Claude Thibaut is the most respected sparkling vintner in the state. He is co-owner of Thibaut-Janisson Winery in Charlottesville. The winery is a joint venture with Manuel Janisson, a French champagne producer. The winery produces some 4,000 cases of sparklers a year.
Patricia Kluge was among the first to make sparkling wine in Virginia starting in 1999 at her Kluge Estate Winery. Donald Trump purchased the winery at a foreclosure sale in 2011. It still is the largest sparkler producer in the Old Dominion at more than 10,00 cases annually.
It is estimated there are now 25 wineries in the Commonwealth producing sparkling wine. Most bottle between 500 to 2,000 cases a year. Among the fastest growing is Rappahannock Cellars in Huntly with a 3,000-case production.
“The reason we got into sparkling wine is twofold. First, we like it ourselves and we think everybody should like it,” said owner John Delmare. “Secondly, it’s becoming more recognized as not just a celebratory drink. And it pairs well with lots of different foods.”
Delmare can spot a trend when he sees one. He opened his winery in 2000 after moving from California where he had a winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He pulled the 60th farm winery permit in Virginia. Today, over 300 wineries dot the Old Dominion’s winescape.
His overall wine output has gone from an original 2,000 cases to 15,000 annually.
Production commitment
Among the formidable challenges a winery faces when considering adding sparkling wine to its lineup is space, equipment, and skill.
It is relatively easy to produce a carbonated wine. Many wineries do. The production involves taking a still wine and injecting it with CO2. It produces a pleasant effervescent wine. But it’s not a true sparkler; a palate comparison between two would quickly reveal the difference.
Delmare has produced such a wine for several years dubbing it his “Fizzy Lizzy”, a carbonated rosé that is a tasting room favorite. But the bubbles in the wine struck a chord with him and his winemaker, Theo Smith. Why not make the real thing?
And the real deal, like so many things in life, comes with a high-sounding name called méthode champenoise, or the traditional champagne method of France.
The process involves taking a still wine and bottling it with the addition of some yeast and sugar and sealing it with a beer cap. Immediately the yeast knows sugar has become its best friend and the two work in tandem to ignite a re-fermentation, trapping the gases inside the bottle.
The process is similar to what many homebrewers use in making beer.
The wine is then aged for 9 to 12 months to make certain all the sugar has been consumed by the yeast. Since the bottles have been stored upside down, the dead yeast cells accumulate in the neck and are disgorged when the cap is popped off.
Immediately, a “dosage”, or small amount a sugar & wine, is often added back to the bottle to provide a bit of sweetness to the final product. It is then corked and a wire basket placed over the cork to prevent it from exploding during its final aging process.
Much heavier bottles are used in producing champagne and sparkling wine to prevent “grenade” bottles from being a safety hazard in the wine cellar and for the consumer.
In the original production of such wines two centuries ago, winemakers would be terrorized by shattering bottles ricocheting around their cellars. Experience dictated much heavier bottles be used to bring the wine safely to market.
Rappahannock Cellars produces three sparkling wines: Rosé, Blanc de Blanc and Prestige. Prices range from $34 for the first two and $40 for its Prestige, a blend of different blocks of Chardonnay wines.
Delmare underscores that the price point for the wines reflects the high production costs and more expensive corks and bottles employed.
Charmat method
This past December, Delmare took possession of a $40,000 stainless steel tank for Charmat styled sparklers. The new equipment will enable him to accelerate the amount of bubbly he produces and the time it which it takes to bring it to market.
The process uses a large pressurized tank that retains the carbon dioxide created by the refermenting wine. The process replicates the traditional method except that it occurs inside a 1,300-gallon fermentation tank, not a 25-ounce wine bottle.
The new equipment will enable the winery to boost production beyond 3,000 cases annually. If sparkling sales continue to grow as expected, production could top out at 5,000 cases or more.
Theo Smith
A winemaker is the beat in the heart of every winery. As the talent and skills of the man or woman crafting the wine goes, so goes the fortunes of the winery.
It’s emblematic of the success of Rappahannock Cellars that it has one of the largest wine clubs in the state. And it’s not just a quarterly club like most, but two bottles-per-month year-round.
That success is driven in large part by Theo Smith.
If customers don’t like your wines, they will not sign up as a club member. Over 80 percent of Rappahannock’s wines today are sold to club members. The numbers reinforce Smith’s talent and hard work.
Smith got his first taste of the wine trade working part-time at a vineyard in the Ohio Valley while attending Franciscan University in Steubenville. After graduating in 2008 with a degree in biochemistry, he worked for two years at a cancer research firm before realizing he was not cut out for laboring in a lab. The vineyard was calling.
Through a mutual contact, he reached out to Delmare seeking employment. “John encouraged me to go back to school for a wine degree since I already had the science prerequisites.
“He played a large role in returning to school and getting my viniculture and enology certifications from Brock University,” said Smith.
Smith, 36, represents a growing number of young Virginia winemakers who have scored their educational wine bona fides and go on to make a mark in Virginia. It’s sometimes referred to as seeking to be a “big fish in a small pond” rather than laboring in Calif. or elsewhere in competition with a legion of other winemakers.
The bet paid off for both him and Rappahannock Cellars. Today, his skill set has been demonstrated repeatedly with a string of exceptional still and sparkling wines produced since being named head winemaker and vineyard manager in 2013.
Claude Thibaut provided mentoring when Delmare brought him on board as a consultant to get his sparkler program up and running. In that position, he quickly observed that Smith was “…a very sharp young guy. He is eager to learn and not just learn but to implement. He wants to make the best sparklers he can.”
John Delmare echoes those sentiments. “Theo has mastered the process very quickly. There’s a lot of nuances in making sparkling wine. It’s a whole different process from making still wine. I give him incredible credit.
“Theo sent me an email recently after we disgorged our first Prestige wine that said, ‘This is the most favorite wine I’ve made at Rappahannock Cellars’. He loves making sparkling wine and he’s doing a great job.”
Delmare’s expectation for the future of his sparkling wine program is upbeat, observing, “At our recent annual soup events, I asked our members, ‘how many of you drink sparkling wine’. About half the room raised their hands.
“We have a good base and room for growth.”
The same can be said for a unique wine that is increasingly being produced and appreciated across the Commonwealth.
Look for a bubbly coming to a winery near you.
Published in the February 2019 edition of Dine, Wine & Stein magazine.
Blue Ridge Seafood Restaurant celebrates four decades of salt life
Ask almost anyone living in Fauquier or Prince William counties if they know where the Blue Ridge Seafood Restaurant is and the answer will be a variation of, “Of course. On Route 29 west of Gainesville.”
The restaurant’s iconic sign with its large crab logo is viewed by thousands of travelers a day as they motor past the down-home eatery or into its packed parking lot. Siting the restaurant in a quiet country location and then watching development encircle it bordered on genius.
Or more likely hard work created the success.
Rod and Cora Stringer founded the crab factory back in 1979. Working full-time as an air traffic controller Rod Stringer parlayed a part-time gig selling crabs out of a trailer in Dranesville into the beloved seafood restaurant.
Today the Stringers are enjoying the rewards of their work as retirees in Fla. They also beam with pride as they see their creation embraced by family members who are laboring as hard as they did to satisfy seafood appetites.
Mark and Donna Donavan and their son Kyle are the faces of the restaurant today. Donna is a daughter of the Stringers. She married a man like dad in Mark Donovan who is an entrepreneur in his own right. He owns Donovan Asphalt Paving in Warrenton.
“I grew up with a father that was always doing something. He had multiple side businesses. He would never sit still,” said Donna Donovan. “My mom worked in the restaurant for years.”
In the early days, success was fueled by personnel working at the Vint Hill military base who were among its first fans. Young Donna Stringer and her sister Gail worked at the restaurant then, “We helped out minimally in the beginning but then full-time as we got older.”
To keep the restaurant supplied in fresh seafood Rod Stringer traveled widely to wherever quality product could be obtained. Road trips to Fla, N.C. and up and down the East Coast were typical. The strategy paid off as customers increasingly counted on Blue Ridge to feature choice offerings on its menu.
Mark Donovan entered the picture when he met Donna at the former Napoleon’s Restaurant in Warrenton. “I asked her where she worked and she said, Blue Ridge. So, I went to Blue Ridge Hardware looking for her. I didn’t realize there was another place called Blue Ridge Seafood.”
His pursuit paid off at the altar and in the late 1980s. Rod Stringer asked him to work at the restaurant. The gig turned part-time when he developed his construction businesses and then the paving company. Today he works at Blue Ridge on weekends.
The eatery’s menu has expanded over the years and now covers the gamut of seafood and more. It showcases shrimp, crabs, clams, lobster, calamari, crayfish, haddock, scallops, mahi-mahi, salmon, flounder, and catfish. Oh, and gator tail.
If seafood isn’t your thing, choose from quail, chicken, steak, BBQ ribs, and even frog legs. Wine, beer and cocktails round out the chock-a-block menu.
If you leave this establishment hungry, shame on you.
To reinforce the popularity of the restaurant, its classic busiest days are Mother’s and Father’s Day. “We serve a tremendous number of people on those days. Our record is 1,900 people on one Mother’s’ Day,” said Mark Donovan. The restaurant seats 250 people, including its outside dining area.
To assure prompt service a staff of about 60 people is employed as needed, including many part-time high schoolers.
The future
Several members of the family’s third generation are now taking the restaurant into the future. The Donovan’s son Kyle is increasingly the point person and his role will undoubtedly grow in years ahead.
Kyle Donovan, 27, graduated from college with studies in business and hospitality. His success at managing the firm is giving his parents more opportunities to take time off from their demanding schedule. “It allows us to do more things on our own.
“We have a lot of customers tell us what a great job Kyle is doing,” said Donna Donovan. “I see him taking over more and more of the business. He is very good and he’s taking our social media to another level.” Kyle is featured in a video on the company’s website.
One segment of the business getting special attention is catering. Some modest catering occurred in the past but it will intensify in the future. In addition to two catering trucks, a special trailer is being constructed to further advance this side of the business.
Ironically, the trailer concept casts back to the Stringers earliest days bringing the business full circle. Two major catering events occurred at Philip Carter Winery with successful crab and oyster feasts. An increasing number of similar events are planned.
As the family takes aim at their 50th anniversary, Donna Donovan underscores their commitment to quality. “We use local crabs as much as we can and all of our seafood is produced in the U.S. We buy the freshest seafood we can with no chemicals involved in its production. We pride ourselves on high quality.
“It’s also gratifying to have longtime customers come back for a meal even if they’ve left the area. You lose a lot of people over the years as they move on. We consider our customers as part of our family and they come back to visit their favorite seafood restaurant.”
Blue Ridge Seafood Restaurant is opened six days a week and closed Mondays. For a mouthwatering digital visit to the ocean emporium visit https://www.blueridgeseafood.com/. Or check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeSeafood/
Published in the February 13, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
March 9th fundraiser to aid restoration of North American Elk
In 1855, a hunter took careful aim at a lone elk in southwest Virginia. Resting his sights carefully on the 700-pound bull he slowly squeezed off a shot and unknowingly dropped the last elk in Virginia.
Thus ended centuries of the regal animal’s existence in the Old Dominion.
The exact nature of the last elks’ demise here is conjecture but for certain it was a combination of hunting pressure and loss of habitat that saw the noble Cervus elaphus fade from our mountains and valleys.
Much like the buffalo who would be brought close to extermination in the late 1880s by professional buffalo hunters who slaughtered up to 250 animals a day, elk had the unfortunate luck to thrive and die in an era when killing wild game was dictated by hunger…or greed.
But there is a Warrenton resident who has spent 29 years tirelessly working to reestablish elk throughout the U.S., with an emphasis on Kentucky, North Carolina, and especially Virginia.
It’s a success story that many are only vaguely aware of and positions both wildlife enthusiasts and hunters for unique outdoor experiences for generations to come.
Meet Danny Smedley, a retired senior manager for an electronic funds transfer company, who ignited his passion for elk and elk hunting 29 years ago when he picked up a magazine called Bugle, published by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation headquartered in Missoula, Montana.
“I was out in Yellowstone on a family vacation after my first child was born. I looked through that magazine and was very impressed and joined the foundation,” Smedley said.
“About six months later, a gentleman who had been a former chair of the national organization invited me to a meeting in D.C. He said they were thinking about starting a Warrenton chapter of RMEF.
“I attended that meeting and for 29 years have been involved with both the foundation and organizing the local fundraiser that supports our cause.”
In the beginning
The RMEF was founded in 1984 by four guys sitting around a western elk hunting camp opining that unless action was taken both elk habitat and the species itself would disappear. Its success is measured today by the 500 active chapters and thriving herds around the country. Over one million elk roam the western states.
The organization’s template was taken from the pages of Ducks Unlimited who worked tirelessly since 1937 to successfully preserve wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people.
Today RMEF has brought over seven million acres under conservation easement providing critical survival habitat for the America Elk. While the emphasis has been on western land preservation, individuals like Smedley and cadre of other dedicated sportsmen have achieved similar success in the eastern U.S.
There are now some 13,000 elk in Kentucky, 200 in North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 200 near Grundy, Virginia, 1,000 fittingly thriving in Elk County, Pennsylvania, and 100 in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.
By any measure, the success of the relocation of these herds represent diamonds on an elk’s rack. Moreover, the location of some of the herds is on reclaimed strip-mining land, often located in some of the poorest sections of the country.
“Down in Grundy they’ve got little cabins, a visitor center and viewing stations throughout the area. Last year we had 350 people visit the area and pay $30 each to see the elk and listen to them bugle,” Smedley said.
The positive economic impact on these rural areas cannot be understated. Moreover, as is often the case in re-establishing one species, it serves to boost the advantages for a variety of other wildlife.
Hunting is conversation
This is the slogan of the RMEF and underpins why the hunt is an integral part in saving a threatened species.
Smedley says he is often asked about the dichotomy between hunting and recovering threaten wildlife. Actually, the two go hand-in-hand. He cites as an example the tale of two birds: The America Wood Duck and the White-Billed Woodpecker.
The former thrives as both a game duck and successful survivor because Ducks Unlimited became its “sponsor”, recovering wetlands and building hundreds of thousands of duck boxes. Today it is one of the most numerous ducks in the country for the mutual enjoyment for both birders and hunters.
Conversely, the latter had no sponsor and today the White-billed Woodpecker is extinct. “A species can lose out if it does not have a purpose and a sponsor,” said Smedley.
Fundraiser
This year the RMEF’s local fundraiser will be hosted at the Fauquier County Fairgrounds on March 9th from 3:30 p.m. till 9:30 p.m.
In addition to speakers updating attendees on the success of elk restoration nationwide, there will be games, live and silent auctions with prizes as exotic as a premier elk hunt in Wyoming, an Illinois Whitetail hunt, a 10-day African safari valued at $16,000, and a two-night cabin Virginia elk tour.
High-end hunting rifles, numerous pieces of art, jewelry, and a host of related items will also the gifted to the lucky assembled. A catered big game banquet will round out the evening.
Join some 200 other sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts and learn more about the valued work of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Tickets are $85 each, $135 for couples and support the goal of elk revival throughout the United States. Tickets can be purchased by contacting John Overend at (703) 930-7594. For information on the foundation itself or on making a donation, reach out to Danny Smedley at (540) 222-4994.
Tickets can also be ordered online at https://events.rmef.org/shop/bullrun. A digital tour of the world of elk recovery can be taken at https://www.rmef.org/default.aspx
Finally, consider visiting any of the east coast elk recovery areas and be riveted by the sound of the haunting bugle call of this stately king of the forest.
Published in the February 27, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Weighted blankets helping the weary overcome insomnia
One of the silent health issues today is sleeplessness. Silent in the sense it occurs in the depth of night as the afflicted lies motionless, staring at walls and ceilings waiting for the sleep fairy to arrive.
Often, she fails to show or does so reluctantly in the early morning hours. The resulting next day’s work is a slog for the underpowered as they labor through another day of chronic energy loss.
Just less than 50 percent of Americans claim they are not getting a good night’s sleep. Some 164 million citizens struggle with the curse at least once a week.
Coming to the rescue—and profit—are prescription drugs and OTC sleep aids. Americans spend an estimated $41 billion annually on such remedies. The number is anticipated to swell to $52 billion by 2020.
A 2016 Consumer Reports investigation found on average, popular sleeping drugs like Ambien and Lunesta only helped the afflicted get eight to 20 minutes extra sleep a night. Even science seems flummoxed on how to treat the misery.
Given the extent of the problem, troubled sleepers will try almost anything to get some shuteye. In addition to a sea of drugs washing over the problem, numerous devices are pedaled as the secret to sawing wood in peace.
Glasses that block “blue” light emitted by tablets and smartphones are supposed to help counter the loss of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. White-noise machines that block distracting noise, special sleep-inducing masks, “smart” mattresses, calm-inducing smartphone apps and much more are also marshaled to solve the problem.
Perhaps one untried strategy is to simply cruise the internet looking for the best drug, device or secret to a good night’s rest. With over 33 million results popping up on the search word “sleeplessness”, an extended Google hunt might simply bore a person to sleep.
Segmented sleep
Before we jump to the conclusion that not getting eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is a calamity, let’s consider a pattern that has been around for centuries: segmented sleep.
Segmented sleep, or “polyphasic sleep”, is sleep that is divided into two or more sessions. Someone who comfortably coexists with this pattern may go to bed at 9 p.m. and wake at 1 p.m., read or work—in or out of the bed for one or two hours—then retire for a second time.
It’s not insomnia and anyone who thinks it’s unhealthy will be surprised to learn many of our ancestors slept this way until the 19th century.
Historians believe humans naturally evolved to sleep in blocks of time—not a straight eight hours. There are written descriptions dating back 3,000 years of this behavior; polyphasic sleep is even referred to in Homer’s Odyssey.
The “in between” time was considered sacred. People would use it for purposes as diverse as praying, visiting neighbors or enjoying a romantic interlude with their loved one.
Physicians in the 16th century even advised patients that the time between sleeping was ideal for conception, going as far as telling couples they, “would have more enjoyment” and “do it better” than other times of the day.
Today, one should carefully consider waking a mate at 1 a.m. with a whispered suggestion it was time to get “chummy”. But if they proceeded anyway, they might simply be displaying evolutionary behavior’s sleepy face.
Suffice to say, waking up in the middle of the night is not all that unnatural. If it works for you, enjoy. But given today’s work schedules, a more modern approach to beddy-bye may be in order.
Weighted blankets
Into this battle for dreamland comes riding yet another claim for achieving sleep nirvana: weighted gravity blankets. Never heard of them? They’ve actually been around for a while but mostly used by therapists and psychiatry clinics.
Today the blankets are going mainstream and are increasingly catching the attention of a sleepy workforce. Whether their benefits ultimately collapse in a heap as a passing fad or settled into an accepted and proven sleep solution, time will tell.
But for many current users, the jury is in and the verdict is, “These things work.”
In clinical settings, the blankets’ history revolves around their use in an occupational therapy called sensory integration. The treatment is employed to help deal with autism and similar disorders by focusing on sensory experiences.
Let’s listen in as one manufacturer describes its blanket:
“The weighted gravity blanket is filled with hypo-allergenic, non-toxic, odorless glass beads engineered to be around 10 to 15 percent of your body weight. The deep pressure from the weight causes the body to produce serotine and endorphins, improving mood and promoting restful sleep.
“It can help promote sleep by reducing anxiety, improving cognitive function, overcoming sensitivity to touch and pacifying obsessive-compulsive behavior. The blanket can help with sensory disorders, sleep insomnia, ADD/ADHD Spectrum Disorders, Asperger’s and Autism Spectrum Disorders”.
Think of curling up in your mother’s loving arms as an infant. Huggly snuggly.
Some studies have shown the blankets do reduce anxiety, creating a safe and more comfortable feeling while sleeping. One study even demonstrated a drop in heart rates for dental patients having wisdom teeth removed.
And yet, like snake oil salesmen of yesteryear, one must be cautious when a single product promotes relief for multiple ailments.
But if the blankets work, they can achieve startling results without the use of drugs. Even some clinicians find the blankets have more up-value than many conventional sleep aids.
Proof in the snoozing
A quick review of Amazon’s verified customer reviews shows four to five-star ratings on most of the blankets for sale. Typical comments include observations such as:
“Feels really great on. I got the 20 lb. blanket and I weigh about 165. I love it.”
“After about a week of use, I feel like the blanket works incredibly well. I’ve been sleeping 8-9 hours a night, falling asleep faster and tossing and turning less.”
“I’m not a fan of being held too tight or being restrained but I must admit I love!”
“This blanket is amazing!”
Lullabyland does not come cheap. Be ready to bruise your credit card for $70 to $150, depending on the size and quality of the blanket purchased. But you may recover from sticker shock after a couple weeks of solid rest.
And if you do pull the trigger and are unhappy with your purchase, return policies for most in-store and online sales are accommodating. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Except a good night’s rest.
Published in the February 20, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Spiritual Care Support Ministries forged in a dream
Dreams can come true. But you may have to wait 15 years and labor with endless love to see them materialize.
One story that embodies that reality belongs to Liz Danielsen, a nationally endorsed ordained minister, whose gift of compassion has changed the lives of thousands of Fauquier County citizens and beyond.
Chances are you’ve never heard of Danielsen. Scoring headlines is the furthest thing from her mind. Bringing peace to souls suffering from any number of physical and emotional torments is her only goal.
As a result of her labors, today the Spiritual Care Support Ministries is a quiet yet integral part of Fauquier County.
“For the love of God”, is often a throwaway line for exasperation. But for this dedicated minister, it is her core value and drives everything she does. The Piedmont region is a better place for the work of this love-focused individual.
The tale
The story begins in New Jersey in 1989. Danielsen was working as a hospital and hospice chaplain and repeatedly saw a need that was not being met.
Chronically ill people, those who had lost loved ones, and the personal loss of divorce, drugs, aging and more took a toll on lives beyond what physicians could cure.
One day she returned home exhausted from the strain of tending to the psychic pain of those she was ministering to. “I was very exhausted and tired because of my work and went to bed praying and asking God to give me an idea of how to meet the needs of both children and adults dealing with loss and chronic illness.
“Then I had a dream. I had all these deaths and emotional issues I was dealing with and I had a dream—a vision—of this ministry,” said Danielsen.
Intriguingly, she had never dreamed before and the next morning shared the dream with her husband who urged her to see their pastor. The man counseled that if the dream was God-directed, it would come true.
In the interim, he let Danielsen have a room in his church where she began her nascent counseling services.
One of her early revelations was to learn grief cannot be assuaged quickly. One needs time to work through emotional trauma. “If you lose a child, others may want you to move along quickly but it can take years.
“Nowadays we know it takes at least two years for people to just find they are getting back to normal after emotional trauma.”
In the course of her emerging ministry, her husband’s job was relocated to Warrenton in 2000 because of a corporate merger.
Shortly after arriving here both the Culpeper Hospital and the Hospice of the Rapidan (now the Hospice of the Piedmont) recognized her talent and hired her as a chaplain.
Almost immediately she again recognized the unmet needs of those in emotional pain. Then God stepped in. “I was in a car accident in 2004 and suffered multiple broken ribs and swelling of the brain that affected my eyesight.”
The accident was not her fault but not wanting to pursue an extended lawsuit she accepted a financial settlement from the insurance company.
“I called that settlement my ‘seed money’ for the counseling center. My husband had a good job and he was 100 percent behind me so we used the money to open the center at 76 West Shirley Avenue.”
In a twist of irony, the location was a former palm reader business. “I felt like now we could really help people who came here. Fifteen years after my dream it had come true.”
Center’s programs
In addition to Danielsen’s own initial funding, a few grants also helped established the non-denominational, non-profit center. Some additional operating revenues come from local churches via monthly investments.
Most importantly, volunteer contributions offered by those who have been healed through the ministry’s work fund the majority of its operating budget. There are no fees for any of the services rendered.
What is the scope of the work? The center is officially opened Monday through Friday. However, with special sessions and training, it is not unusual to see something unfolding seven days a week at the center.
The ministry is led by Executive Director, President and CEO Danielsen. She has three part-time paid employees; 13 counselors; 114 volunteers; conducts almost 700 counseling sessions annually; leads a seven-member board of directors and serves some 3,000 people in need each year while publishing a newsletter for 4,000 recipients.
“The number served does not count our telephone ministry. And because of technology, I talk and Skype with people all over the world. I’ve been to Bangladesh, Nepal, England, and Australia to conduct training sessions. Not to mention my speaking engagements throughout the United States.”
Each Wednesday she conducts counseling sessions at the Chapel Springs Church in Bristow. “I’ve been doing that for years because there are people in the Manassas area that need ministering also.”
Danielsen does all of this without compensation. Her work is performed gratis.
“Because we do not charge for our services, we have locally licensed counselors who send us patients when they can no longer afford their counseling. Often these people only have so much money and after that there is nowhere for them to go. We work with children from six years old and up.
“For many of these people, the light has gone out of their eyes. To see them working toward healing is exciting for me,” said Danielsen.
A recent example of such healing was a woman who anonymously wrote an article for the center’s website describing the grief she experienced with the death of her father.
As her recovery progressed, she asked to write a follow-up article using her byline. In it, she revealed her father had committed suicide.
“She realized the way to fully resolve her grief and help others was to reveal the truth. That’s the key to our ministry. Healing is a process. A journey. And we’re here to support that journey.”
The future
Under the banner of, “what goes around comes around” the next chapter of Spiritual Care Support Ministries is emerging off of Airlie Road across from the Chestnut Forks Athletic Center.
A couple who were healed through the work of the center is funding a new 3,500 square foot counseling office that is under construction and will launch the next chapter of the organization.
“The work we are doing is so exciting. I hope to be blessed with doing it until I die, said Danielsen,” Such sentiments will surely echo from future sufferers who will be comforted through the work of this extraordinary ministry.
To learn more about Danielsen’s dream that came true, visit the organization’s website at https://www.scsm.tv/
Published in the February 21, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Founder of White Grass Ski Touring Center widely known and beloved
Wild, wonderful West Virginia? True enough. But the state’s slogan might also fittingly apply to Chip Chase. Chase is the whirling dervish owner of White Grass and is everywhere present at one of the most popular cross-country skiing centers in the Nation.
Chip Chase
Almost 25 years ago the Washington Post named it one of the best ten Nordic ski areas in the country. Chase hasn’t taken his foot off his snowy gas pedal since. If you are looking for the perfect definition of authenticity, then a trip to White Grass is de rigueur.
Nestled on the northern slope of Cabin Mountain in Davis, W.Va., the resort is one of the oldest “free-heeling” ski venues in the country opening in 1979. More impressively, its current lodge dates to 1959 when it served as an early downhill ski resort.
The magic starts when you step into the lodge and simultaneously back in time. All in one footfall. Chances are good Chase will be there to greet you. “Hey, good to see you.” Typically followed by a wave, handshake or hug.
His voice is so distinct you can hear it above the raucous din of a packed lodge when you think they can’t possibly get another skier inside the small building. His banter bounces around the room like a laser light show: “You do the same!” “Want a sip of shine?” (seriously) “Go pick out a pair of boots, we’ll make a deal.” “Conditions are ideal. Get out there and ski!” And on and on.
The man was vaccinated with a phonograph needle as evidenced by his nonstop chatter. But what you are really hearing is the sound of love coming from him and ricocheting back from his legion of fans.
“I just love people. People turn me on. They just get me excited. If I see somebody I know, I get a rush in my body. I just want to hug them.
Chip’s mom Janie
“I learned that from my Mom, Janie, who was super friendly. She taught me everything I know about loving people. I just happen to be in the kind of business where that works,” said Chase.
To reinforce his mother’s influence, her photo, taken in 1948 and holding a set of ski poles, is prominently displayed in the lodge. A beautiful woman with Chase’s knowing smile.
In the beginning
So how did a self-described “Air Force brat” grow up to become the owner of a legendary ski resort? First, with Chase “grow up” is loosely defined both emotionally and physically. The “Chipper”, 65, is a slim, athletic man who has never won the tallest man in the room contest.
And secondly, if someone told Chase he had to grow up when he was young, it’s likely he would have suggested where they could stick the idea. Yes, he’s successful. Yes, he’s a savvy businessman. And yes, he’s a loving husband and father of a daughter and three sons.
But he would emphatically refuse to wear a “grown-up” label that might be taken as the aura of conventionality. His badge of honor is childlike exuberance. And it’s contagious.
As a young lad, he traveled the world as the son of an Air Force father who was a downhill skier and sportsman. Chase first learned to ski in Alaska and Colorado while the family lived there but later gave the sport up.
“Then one winter I went up to New England to visit my sister and I got turned on to cross-country skiing. I was 19. My whole family was downhill skiers. There weren’t many cross-country skiers back then,” said Chase. “It was like people felt sorry for you if you cross-country skied.”
Back home in Virginia, he met his second wife. “Laurie and I had three boys together and have been married almost 40 years. I had had a previous marriage and it was awesome and I have a wonderful daughter from that marriage.”
Chase lived in Northern Virginia while his father worked at the Pentagon and Laurie originally hailed from Strasburg. But the young suburban couple loved country living and moved to the Shenandoah Valley, got married and set up a, “sorta homesteading life together.”
“We were into a kind of subsistence living. I was a back-to-the-lander and worked all kinds of jobs; carpentry, apple picking, chimney sweep. I did a little bit of everything to make ends meet.”
From the suburbs to living in the mountains is where the White Grass journey began. Chase’s emerging love of cross-country triggered an idea to start a ski place around Harrisonburg, Virginia. Unfortunately, nature did not cooperate with sufficient natural snow.
Hearing that Canaan Valley W. VA. had reliable snowfalls, he discovered an old downhill ski resort south of Davis that had success written all over its weathered facade. Almost four decades later, the genius of not tearing the original building down but turning it into a homey, retro cross-country venue is evident to thousands of his loyal skiers.
As the ski operation took off, a café was opened to feed the growing kick and glide crowd. Its food reputation is equal to the skiing resulting in popular cookbooks written by his wife Laurie, who heads up the kitchen.
Chase says, “The café is great. We serve international cuisine focused on healthy foods. Its operation is subsidized by ski revenues. “We never tell the kitchen there are too many expensive ingredients. We just tell them one thing. Cook! And to never hurry up.
“The café is a no-brainer. Skiers come in here so hungry after skiing they’re chewing their arm off.”
As White Grass sets its sights on its 50th anniversary Chase says, “I feel pretty healthy. I eat well. I sleep well and I don’t have many physical ailments. The farmer that I rent this land from is 97 years old and going strong; 65 is today’s 45.
“We started with a simple goal and if you take baby steps toward reaching such a goal it makes it even better when you achieve it. It’s so much fun,” said a grinning Chase.
White Grass ski resort is opened whenever the snow flies or lays packed on its trails. If you don’t cross-country ski, consider renting top quality equipment and taking a lesson. Or rent or bring your snowshoes and explore the 18 miles of mountain and pasture trails.
Oh, and bring your appetite.
For the complete White Grass story, including trail conditions and webcam photos drop by https://whitegrass.com/
Published in the February 13, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Culpeper shop showcasing upscale coffee and bikes
Let’s pretend you’re an entrepreneur looking to start a small business with lots of potential. What might you consider? Gift shop? Restaurant? Pet grooming? Microbrewery? Self-Storage?
All good choices.
But what if you had the opportunity and experience to open two linked businesses with a potential customer base of 250 million Americans who enjoyed your products? Your business plan would brighten considerably.
Such a shop is thriving in Culpeper centered on two staples: coffee and bicycles. And both items are focused on audiences with upscale tastes. Or more accurately, folks who may not know they have high-end tastes until they experience the products for sale.
Welcome to 18 Grams Coffee Labs and VeloConcepts. It’s a twofer business. Open one door and walk into two shops; artisanal coffee on one side and high-performance bikes on the other.
The eclectic business model is the brainchild of Joe Coppola, a high energy guy with an idea never far from his active imagination. Linking coffee and bikes evolved as he sought to build and expand his business.
There are 150 million coffee lovers in the U.S. and 100 million bike riders so the potential is obvious.
Today Piedmont residents can score an exceptional cup of java and a pedal machine of the highest caliber under the same roof at 201 Waters Place #110 in Culpeper.
Coppola, 46, labors as an IT professional during the day while overseeing his two passions. “About four years ago I started a bike shop called VeloConcepts. I carry high-end boutique bikes. I don’t cater to kids and lower cost bikes,” said Coppola.
The reason is he grew up racing both road and mountain bikes beginning in his college days and realized there was a market for riders with similar interests. “It was my way to give back to the cycling community. Over the years I had gained weight and gotten out of shape. I got reinvigorated getting back into cycling.”
As part of his shop, he always had coffee available for visiting customers. “I thought it was better to offer them a cup of coffee or expresso as opposed to saying, ‘What do you want to buy from me’. I was into quality coffee and thought it was just a small thing to provide as part of my customer service.”
The bike shop was opened in 2014 but a year and a half later he learned he was going to lose his lease. He began a hunt for another shop and located an old apple warehouse that needed considerable work to suit his needs. It also expanded his retail space from the original 700 square foot store to 2,500 square feet.
“It was going to be tough to support such a large space just selling bikes. There’s a big-time tie in between cycling and coffee and I said, ‘Let’s open a café as part of the bike shop.’ I also didn’t want to be on Main Street because the expectation is you’d be able to find lower priced bikes there and I don’t deal in that kind of product.”
What do high-performance cycles cost? Be prepared to pay anywhere from $1,500 for an entry level machine up to $11,000. If it helps, think Tour de France.
The bike shop also sports $50,000 in fitting equipment to enable bikes to be custom fitted to each rider. In addition to recreational riders, professional racing cyclists from throughout the mid-Atlantic region call VeloConcepts home.
The Waters Place location also enabled Coppola to safely launch customer bike rides headed out of town without dealing with heavy downtown traffic.
Café
Coffee is coffee, right? Not so fast. If you told Coppola that, he’d leap off his bike to share the fuller story with you. “We serve third wave coffee and expresso and get our product from a roaster company in North Carolina called Counter Culture Coffee.”
Third wave coffee is a movement to produce high-quality coffee as an artisanal foodstuff, much like wine and craft beer. It involves improvements at all stages of production, from coffee plant growing, harvesting, and processing, to stronger relationships between coffee growers, traders, and roasters.
The coffee side of the business is called 18 Grams Coffee Lab because of the technique used to brew the cuppa. “It takes 18 grams in a filter basket to produce espresso and coffee. It’s a scientific method to ensure the perfect cup each and every time.
“We are very temperamental and weigh and measure everything that goes into our recipes. We actually go down to the hundredth gram to make a perfect blend or 18.4 grams per cup.
“We also feature a wide range of seasonal epicurean toasts, healthy starts, and house-made sandwiches, pastries and sweets. We often get comments such as, ‘This is the best cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted,’” said Coppola.
Never willing to rest on his coffee beans, the café recently launched a series of flavored brews that are produced to replicate a craft cocktail bar except coffee and lattes are the prized drinks.
One new offering is the campfire s’mores latte. It consists of graham cracker infused milk with homemade chocolate and marshmallow. The drink is then placed in a smoke infuser box to produce a smoked hickory flavor drink replicating a campfire s’more treat but snuggled inside a 12-ounce cup. It’s served with a signature food item.
Coffee hounds should not expect to drop by and just grab a cup and run. These handcrafted drinks may take up to 10 minutes to produce providing time to gaze at the sleek racing bikes on the other side of the shop.
In summing up his passion for life and business, Coppola said, “Anything I can sink my teeth into and gain more knowledge of while educating my customers is what I’m all about.”
What his customers are all about are enjoying the fruits of his labors. For a sneak peek into this unique café and bike emporium visit: https://www.veloconcepts.com/ and https://www.18gramscoffeelab.com/
Published in the February 6, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Young People’s Concert showcases tomorrow’s stars
Discovering something before the world does can create a long-term thrill. Seeing Tiger Woods golf at age 6. Watching Tom Cruise in a 4th-grade school play. Listening to Taylor Swift warbling as a 14-year-old.
Such experiences deepen as the years roll by because one couldn’t have known what the future held for those young phenoms.
On February 17 residents throughout the Piedmont will have an opportunity to bank an experience they too may look back on in the years ahead. Three talented student musicians will be performing in the Young People’s Concert at the Highland Center for the Arts.
The concert is one of many programs sponsored by the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra. Founded in 1996 as the Piedmont Regional Orchestra by Conductor Emeritus Michael A. Hughes, it performs in the Rice Theater at the Highland Center for the Arts.
Dozens of musical performances have been held over the last two decades providing a legion of music lovers a wide variety of entertainment. Think of it as the “Piedmont Kennedy Center”.
Glenn Quader is the music director and conductor and has worked over the past 13 years to build paid membership, strengthen volunteer participation and collaborate with a host of local art organizations to further the goals of the PSO.
Cooper Wright, former president of the PSO board of directors, said, “In 2001 the symphony decided to begin its young artist competition. It provides students throughout the region the opportunity to compete for scholarship prizes.
“The program works by students wishing to compete submitting a piece of their music on CD. We have a panel of judges that review their submittals and then they select the top three.”
The young talent is drawn from 11 counties in the Piedmont region. This year six finalists performed before a panel of music experts who then selected the final three who will perform in February.
Each young musician plays a separate piece during the first half of the performance. Then a panel of judges experienced in working with young people huddle and select the third, second and first place winners.
At the conclusion of the second half of the show, the master of ceremonies announces the winners. The scholarships provide $1,500, $750 and $500 checks for college studies. Since the program began in 2001, over $40,000 has been contributed to talented local students’ educations.
This year the Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé will be the featured performance.
In addition to the music, student artists will be selected to have their art projected on a screen during the concert, enlivening the show with visual themes drawn from the symphony. The multimedia effect heightens the audience’s enjoyment of the orchestral piece.
The opportunity for these young musicians to play alongside accomplished members of the PSO broadens their experience of performing in a live concert setting.
The talent
This year’s three young musicians hail from Gainesville, King George, and Fauquier County. Here’s a peek at the talent you’ll be missing if you don’t’ score tickets for this upcoming concert.
Thomas Se-Roam Kim
Thomas Se-Roam Kim is a freshman at Battlefield High School in Prince William County. He began his piano studies at the age of 7 under Dr. MiHyang Joo at her home studio in Centreville, Virginia.
Kim started off last season with a 1st Place win at the 2018 Asian American Music Society International Piano Competition. He has won all three of their divisions (Peewee 2014, Junior 2017, Senior 2018). His accomplishments were acknowledged during the winner’s concert and was gifted the audience award. This is his second year returning as the PSO Young Artist Concerto Competition finalist.
Kim was the 1st Prize Winner of 2018 James A. Bland Music Competition at the club, regional, and at district levels. He advanced to the state finals representing district 24-A, where he finished second place. He also finished second place at the 2018 William Knabe International Young Artist Piano Competition.
Kim has won various competitions including the 2018 East Carolina Young Artist Piano Competition, the 2016 and 2018 Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association Piano Achievement Awards, the 2016 and 2017 Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association, Robert Spencer Piano Concerto Competition, and the 2017 Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Concerto Competition.
He was also the Grand Prize Winner of the 2017 American Fine Arts Festival International Concerto Competition where he was invited to perform at the Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall.
Kim has performed at venues such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, The Mansion at Strathmore, and at the Hylton Performing Arts Center as the featured solo violinist performing Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Winter with the Manassas Symphony Orchestra during their 2016 Winter Concert.
Kelsey Payne
Kelsey Payne is a 16-year-old from King George. Since August 2016, she has been a student of Ricardo Cyncynates, assistant concertmaster with the National Symphony Orchestra. She is the youngest of four children all who are string players.
Payne started piano lessons at age four and took up the violin at age eight. Through the years, she has enjoyed playing with many ensembles. She participated with Fredericksburg Area Young Musicians, Awards for Young Musicians, Youth Orchestra of Prince William, and the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
She currently plays with her siblings in the Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra and the Payne Quartet.
For three out of the last four years, Payne has had the honor of sitting as concertmaster for North Central Virginia’s Regional Orchestra. She has also participated in the All Virginia State Orchestra for the past three years, placing third and then second overall respectively in 2017 and 2018.
Patrick Smith
Smith is a senior at Kettle Run High School. He began playing saxophone in the 7th grade and started private study in 9th-grade. He has participated in the Kettle Run marching band, jazz band, and wind ensemble for the past four years.
Smith was chosen for the District Band during all four years of high school, making the 1st chair in the district for the past three years, as well as participating in the University of South Carolina Honor Band Clinic in 2017 and 2018. He also made the prestigious Honor Band in 2017, All-County Jazz Band, and Tri-County Band for all four years of high school.
He further made the 2017 and 2018 All-VA Concert Band groups, placing 7th and 6th in the entire state. He made the cut for the 2017 and 2018 All-VA Jazz groups, placing 2nd and 4th.
Smith was a student at the Summer Residential Governor’s School for Visual and Performing Arts for saxophone performance. He wishes to continue to study music at a prestigious university and turn music into his career.
The opportunity to see these three talents in person should not be missed. In the years ahead you may well claim, “I saw them in the beginning.”
Tickets for the upcoming Young People’s Concert on Sunday, February 17 at 3 p.m. at Highland Center for the Arts in Warrenton can be obtained at this ticket window: http://demetersoft.net/piedmontsymphony/tickets/show_listing.php
Published in the January 27, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Warrenton gym up and “running”
What’s your most prized possession? A classic car? Lush lawn? Beautiful home? Sleek boat?
None of the above. The most precious thing we all possess is our body. Without health, lives suffer. Even those struggling with disease and handicaps seek to maximize health and enjoy life.
So it’s good news that the fastest growing gym franchise on the planet has chosen Warrenton as its next location. It’s an auspicious event for those seeking to maintain optimum physical conditioning.
Of course, heading off to a gym to get in shape is just one of several ways to stay healthy. But the discipline and support available at a professionally run health club offers an edge to achieving the often-elusive healthy body.
The force behind the new venture is the Parsons family. Richie and Carissa are the parents of four children ranging in age from six years to two months. The family lives in Leesburg and owns four other Anytime Fitness gyms; two in Pa. and two in W.Va.
Richie Parsons, 34, hails from W.VA. and grew up learning the gym trade from his father. “My dad owned a gym and I became interested in owning and running a business in high school. This is our first business foray into Va.,” said Parsons.
The new facility is located in the former RadioShack store in the Warrenton Village Center but has been expanded by converting two adjacent stores into one 6,400 square foot emporium to health.
The concept behind Anytime Fitness is underscored by its name. Whenever a club member wishes to work out the facility is open; 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.
Sounds like any excuse not to exercise just evaporated.
Entry into the gym is through the use of a key chain fob used to scan the lock. The door remains unlocked for about five seconds so only one person at a time can gain entry.
“It’s a very secure facility. A member could come out at two o’clock on Christmas morning and get a workout in,” said Parsons. More often members elect to train during conventional hours. Once it’s up and running up to 200 member visits a day are anticipated.
In addition to individual exercisers, trainers and coaches will run group training sessions throughout the week. Employees are typically on site from around 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. “Staff is usually present about 15 hours a day,” said Parsons.
The facility has four private bathrooms with two equipped with showers, the most of any of their other gyms. “We decided to add an extra bathroom to make sure there would be no waiting time.”
Equipment
To ensure members get an optimum workout a host of equipment stands ready to accommodate faithful exercisers. In addition to hydromassage, tanning beds, a heart rate monitor, and body composition scanner there are a number of cardio workout machines.
“We will have 15 to 20 cardio machines, 15 to 20 plate-loaded weight trainers, eight power racks, lots of dumbbells and kettlebells. Whether you are a serious lifter looking for heavy weight training or just a casual exerciser, you’re going to find something to keep you busy.”
To emphasize the safety features built into the facility, Parson’s explains both security cameras and panic buttons are located throughout the gym. “We’ve only had one safety issue in our other gyms. A member fell once while training alone and hit our panic button. We were on site quickly.”
The cost of club membership depends on the level of services a user seeks. Basic access to cardio and weight equipment runs $17.45 biweekly. The company synchs the debit withdrawal to a member’s payday.
To access all of the club’s services including tanning and hydromassage a premier membership is $45.69 biweekly. There are also a variety of customized payment plans based on workout goals.
Agreements are for 12 months but after the first-year memberships can be extended on a month-to-month basis. “There is a cancellation policy but we try to make it less cumbersome.”
Parsons emphasizes 16 percent of Americans have a gym membership but only half of them regularly workout. “It’s important to join a gym but it’s even more important to actually go and train, even if it’s just for an hour or two a week.”
To help encourage delinquents the club sends out email reminders to members who have slacked off on their training routines. “Statistically people spend more on health care costs than they would on a gym membership. Such costs often dwarf what a membership would run.”
Parsons emphasizes Anytime Fitness seeks to become part of the community they serve. Last year one of his clubs in W.VA sponsored a fundraiser to support a local activities group.
“We ran a fundraiser in Charles Town and committed to donate a penny for every calorie the members burned in one day. Collectively they burned 40,000 calories and we wrote a check for $400 to the charity.”
Becoming an integral part of the local community is Parsons goal. “Warrenton is a great town. We are really excited to be opening here. The response has been fantastic.”
Next year look for Parsons to open another Anytime Fitness in Bealeton, further extending their commitment to the Old Dominion.
For more information on the club’s facilities and membership plans visit: https://www.anytimefitness.com/gyms/4257/warrenton-va-20186/?upu_uid=c1bf57e7f0cc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8fSTtOHo3wIVA8DICh0gHQMcEAAYASAAEgJQ7vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Or better yet, drop by the gym and introduce yourself to Richie Parsons. He’s waiting to greet you at 251 West Lee Highway.
Published in the January 27,2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Internationally known beekeeper to teach training course
As one gains an understanding of the Piedmont’s population, it’s inspiring to learn of the number of talented people that choose to live, work or retire here.
A newcomer may think our scenic landscape is rural living at its best. And it is. But beyond the beautiful vistas is a deep reservoir of successful men and women who are making significant contributions to the commonweal.
The intellect, drive and success of these “locals” likely outshines most rural areas in the Nation: physicians, IT professionals, writers, pilots, political mavens, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and beekeepers abound.
Beekeepers? Well yes, but one in particular: Ann Harman.
Harman lives on a farm outside of Flint Hill and has honey in her blood. “I’ve been a beekeeper since the late 1970s but I wanted to be a beekeeper from the time I was a very small child.” Like five years old.
Ann Harman
Educated as a chemist at the University of Maryland she was in the labor force until motherhood found her tending her own “hive” of three children. As they grew older, she rejoined the workforce as head of the science department at a private school in D.C.
“While at Maryland I was enrolled in agricultural classes taught by an excellent professor.”
He encouraged Harman to take up beekeeping commercially given her fascination with the little guys.
She established a 50-colony honey production operation in Maryland before eventually moving to Flint Hill where she nurtures her own four hive operation in concert with a neighbor.
One of her daughters lives separately on the farm working as a horse veterinarian.
One of the pivotal points in Harman’s life was when her former professor also urged her to join various beekeeping associations. Join she did but not as a passive member. Her love of the flying insects was too strong not to become more deeply involved.
To glance at her packed resume is to marvel how far passion can take a person.
Consider just a few of her experiences: Maryland State Beekeeper of the Year 1982; 1990 President, Eastern Apicultural Society; Vice Chairman of the board, Eastern Apicultural Society 1992-2007; President, Virginia State Beekeepers Association 2008-2010; Certified Honey Judge, Wales UK Beekeeping Institute; The President’s Volunteer Service Award, 2004, 2005, 2008; Chairman’s Award Eastern Apicultural Society 2000; Coauthor of a honey cookbook; author of international beekeeping journal articles, and on and on.
Harman is also a regular contributor as a writer and editor for a number of well-known beekeeping magazines and books, including BEE Keeping and Bee Culture. Google ‘Ann Harman beekeeper’ and watch as more than 20 links pop up. Mention her name in bee circles and the reaction will likely be, “Oh yes, I know who she is.”
Worldwide
To reinforce her “doer bee” reputation, Harman connected with two international organizations and traveled worldwide for two decades teaching beekeeping, often in countries trying to establish a thriving honey production industry. During this period, she visited 29 countries on 54 separate assignments for two-week training sessions. While her expenses were covered, the work was otherwise all volunteer.
“I traveled around the world on volunteer missions because they were looking for people with experience that could help others get into the business. It was just for two weeks at a time but you can accomplish a lot in that short period,” said Harman.
Colony Collapse
Much has been written over the last decade about the decimation of the bee population commonly referred to as Colony Collapse and its harmful impact on agriculture. Harman shares an interesting insight into the problem.
“They really had no idea was happening in the beekeeping world and today we don’t actually use that term anymore. A very intelligent Ph.D. student cracked the cause of the problem. He identified a non-native parasite in our western bees. It attacks both the hive and also transmits a virus; viruses cannot be controlled with antibiotics,” said Harman.
The solution to the problem has yet to be found. “I couldn’t tell you how long it will take to find a key to the solution but there is hope today we can find a cure.”
It’s interesting that feral bee colonies that live in trees seem to be unaffected by the parasite. Such bees, however, exist in a different environment than domesticated colonies.
Classes begin soon
It’s useful to understand Harman’s breath of bee knowledge as preamble for considering spending some time with her as a mentor. Starting on February 5 at Verdun Adventure Bound in Rixeyville, Harman will conduct a seven-class course for beginner beekeepers.
Some years ago, Harman worked with a Loudoun County beekeeper to develop the training course.
The classes are limited to 20 participants but individual families who sign up are considered a single participant. The course will cover all the basics of starting and nurturing a hive.
Students will receive two training books and a substantial amount of related written material. The course will also provide a CD containing all the information from the course for home study and as a ready-reference. The cost is $100 for the course and materials.
Students are not be expected to purchase a hive or bees prior to the course but will be trained to do so by the end of the sessions, which dovetails with the beginning of the bee season.
In summing up her expertise and love of bees, Harman said, “Bees are absolutely fascinating. Every time you open a hive you learn something new.” Anyone sitting in on Harman’s classes will also learn something new and much more from this master apiarist.
For additional information and registration details, contact Karen Hunt, treasurer, Northern Piedmont Beekeepers Association at (540) 937-4792 or at kahu9@juno.com
Published in the January 23, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
Littering with roadside ads
Cash for Used Cars. Fast Cheap Internet. Yard Sale. Bush Hogging. House for Sale.
Ever seen these ads emblazoned on telephone poles, stop signs and in median strips? Of course. Ever responded to one? Unlikely. So why does all manner of businesses advertise this way?
Because it’s free. And to some degree, it must work. Nonetheless, it’s unsightly, illegal and growing.
Roadside advertising is simply littering. No sooner than a good citizen might pull one off a telephone pole or out of a median strip the rascals are back planting their crop.
The Code of Virginia prohibits signs and advertisements within the limits of the highway. The Virginia Department of Transportation is authorized to remove any sign that is in violation.
The agency can levy a $100 civil penalty for each occurrence. VDOT also works with localities and the Adopt-A-Highway program to enforce the law.
The law does allow advertising within sight of highways but it must meet certain requirements and require a permit as well as permission from the local government.
You can bet the farm most of the signs have not been sanctioned. Stick it and run is the game plan of the violators.
In 2017, Stafford County cracked down on the practice. Its county parks and recreation staff risk their own safety removing as many as 800 signs in a single weekend.
VDOT
Dwaine Ware, VDOT’s program manager for outdoor advertising, underscores ad signs are illegal on any state right-of-way unless allowed by permit. Typically, the right of way extends to utility pole lines but varies in distance depending on location.
“Every sign that is illegally placed is subject to a $100 penalty in addition to civil penalty fees. We do remove them but we also enter into agreements with local governments to act as our agent.”
Adopt-A-Highway volunteers also aid in making the signs disappear when they clean their section of roadways twice annually. Unfortunately, the limited number of volunteers are no match for the army of sign planters continually on the hunt for prime real estate.
To levy fines, offenders need to be identified. “If the signs don’t have an address its often hard for us to identify them,” said Ware. The administrative costs of pursuing violators can also mitigate against widespread enforcement. “Individual VDOT district offices are the ones who would remove the signs and level fines.”
To underscore the scope of the problem Ware states, “At the beginning of political campaigns we do send letters to known candidates about the violation incurred by placing political signs on VDOT right-of-way.” We all know how effective that warning is.
A more frequently used strategy is employing VDOT contractors to sweep highways in advance of mowing operations to protect equipment and reduce the multiplying effect of mower blades turning a single sign into a blizzard of garbage.
In addition to blighting our scenic highways, safety looms as another threat to motorists. Signs can be dangerous, obscuring views of oncoming traffic. After bad weather, they can become even more unsightly and dangerous.
Piedmont Press & Graphics
The signs most frequently used in illegal advertising are plastic with inserted wire legs. In the industry, they are known as “Popsicle” signs. They are quick and easy to install and violators can place dozens a day when their marketing juices are flowing.
Where do they come from? “I’m guessing the internet has made it easier to procure the signs at cheaper prices,” said Tony Tedeschi, owner of Piedmont Press & Graphics in Warrenton.
A quick online search reveals one can score a two-color 12-by-12-inch sign for as low as 88 cents apiece but larger signs with colors go for a couple bucks each when purchased in bulk.
The signs present somewhat of a conundrum for Tedeschi who also sells the signs at his shop.
While it’s a legitimate business practice he opines, “We talk about this issue all the time because it’s important. Yes, I am in the sign business but I can also make a living being a good business person, a good citizen, and steward of the environment.
“We don’t question people about the use of their signs but if they tell us where they are going to put them, we tell them if it doesn’t seem appropriate. ‘I don’t believe you’re supposed to do that. I don’t think that’s legal. You should go check with the county.’”
He also knows the town and county is overwhelmed and doesn’t have the staff for widespread enforcement.
Tedeschi says he has never received guidance from VDOT on the illegal use of the signs. “The state does not give us any advice on the legality of them on VDOT right-of-ways.
“I think it’s a good idea if they provided some information. A little pamphlet or brochure that we could give out to our sign customers advising them when they may be violating the law.”
VDOT does not currently communicate directly with sign vendors.
There are myriad legal ways to promote a business, including inexpensive social media. For firms who break the law, it not only does injustice to the environment but it undercuts honest businesses who pay for conventional advertising.
Perhaps the most effective ways to counter the pernicious practice is for citizens to occasionally note an offending roadside phone number and call the company stating they would not do business with someone littering the highways.
At the end of the day, only the bottom line is likely to stifle a practice that’s both against the law and scene-stealing.
Published in the January 23, 2019 edition of the Fauquier Times.
