by Susan Anspach

Matt Mignanelli

Regardless of where it is you live, when you’re coming into age in that place, you come to learn that it values certain rites of passage, ones it believes to mark your progress as a burgeoning member of society. 

It’s one of those bad news/good news things. The bad news is that in East Africa, that means slaying your first lion with a blunt spear—whereas in the U.S., it’s a 30-minute driving test, or performance on your premiere keg-stand. 

Good news is that this column is 99-percent conjecture, so we can pretty much argue anything we want. So, for the sake of our collective dignity, let’s make the case that if you take a closer look at home, you’ll see there’s more to it than that. 

In the Midwest, a friend from Nebraska tells me, you haven’t earned your claim to maturity until you’ve spent a summer “detassling” corn. (If you’re wondering if it’s as dirty as it sounds, it is: You’re basically at work from dawn to dusk helping the plants to get it on.) Meanwhile, in some places further south, bagging your first deer’s often considered your ticket to manhood. (Just throwing this out there: A shotgun’s no spear. Africa: nothing but respect.) 

Still elsewhere, in urban American radiuses like ours, the popular protocol’s to reserve the esteem of adulthood for folks who can afford stuff. Big stuff. Life stuff. Stuff that costs enough to require a down payment. I don’t want to get into what that says about the human spirit or the festering core of the American dream, because I don’t ask questions. I’m just saying that’s what we respect in the areas surrounding cities, where the cost to buy, say, the legal right to live in your own apartment, comes especially high. 

All of which may help to explain why, when that day came for me, I was flying higher than Girl Corn when she asks Boy Corn to the Sadie Hawkins dance. And maybe Daddy Corn gives his blessing and there’s a veil made out of corn silk and then, lots of wee baby kernels? 

But back to the apartment, the first place I could call my very own. I’d waited for this day ever since having seen “Sweet Home Alabama” and come away with the assumption that any young women with spitfire and a dream could
graduate college with her pick of sassy job titles and set of keys to a loft-style apartment with rooftop access and a riverside view. 

Try to hold your surprise when I tell you that’s not exactly how it panned out for me. 

First, the back-story. 

My first year after school was only mildly disappointing. So I wasn’t destined for the penthouse, at least not right away, when I was making roughly my age in thousands of dollars. I adjusted expectations, buddied up with two girlfriends from high school, and felt grateful for the tip that scored us a three-bedroom in Arlington that featured coin-operated laundry and sidewalks free of anything our parents could see and rightly airlift us by the scruffs of our necks. (Other places saw broken syringes, ambiguous powders … for the sake of my subconscious, let’s just agree someone who’d had a tooth pulled was overcome by the sudden urge to draw with chalk.) 

Anyhoo. The girls and I hung curtains, scrapped together a secondhand living room and managed to light only one grease fire that entire year. While none of us had a view of any water, we did manage to rig the communal dryer for free wrinkle-rid cycles any time we pleased. We were on our way up. 

The trouble didn’t come until the following summer. My roommates split— one for law school, one for a showoff fiancé with delicate spin—leaving me stuck facing paltry few Craigslist ads that fit my budget while accommodating my mandates that the residence didn’t house any nudists, whole litters of cats or evangelist vegans. 

Oh, or chickens. Unless you’re cool with that shit storm—and I do mean a literal, daily storm of shit—it turns out chickens are a deal-breaker. 

I finally landed on a shared house not far from my old place—suspect only in that it seemed too good to be true. For a generously sized bedroom and bathroom to myself, the cost of rent was considerably less than what you could ostensibly pay. 

The roommates seemed OK. The place looked pretty clean. The landlord had a nice smile and kind of reminded me of my dad. I could feel myself slipping into that most dangerous mental territory of real estate: where you just want to believe.

Naturally, it was all a trap. Within a week, one of my roommates had brought home a dog that urinated, forcefully and without fail, every time I walked in the room. There was a hornets’ nest in my bathroom, and I’m pretty sure the landlord was a ghost, because I never saw or heard from him again. 

Mostly, though, it was that pee thing. I knew there’d never be a clearer sign it was time for me to leave than a dog losing control of its bladder every time I passed through the front door. 

Setting out on my own wasn’t easy. It’s not like I suddenly had more money. It’s not as if some distant relative died, proving to be world’s richest and most charitable detassler when he left his gluten-feed fortune to me. 

My montage, should anyone have bothered, would have been a bunch of shots of me trudging up endless, M.C. Escher-style stairs, interspersed with occasional close-ups of meetings with landlords featuring me laughing nervously, tossing sweat-dampened hair and just generally trying too hard. 

True, I finally found a home. A series of them, actually—although don’t let my overly broad language and transparent attempt to skip over a breakup trick you into thinking things have been uphill ever since. 

Here’s something to think about before you take the plunge as a resident solo artist: spiders. Big, hairy, mutinous ones. Sure, in Somalia they’re doing battle with whole colonies of poisonous ants, but they’re bound to have had training for that kind of thing. I didn’t have training. I had a toilet plunger and an Old Navy flip-flop. 

Here’s something else to consider: bats. Bats are something you forget exists until there’s one ripping through your bedroom at 1 in the morning while you’re hiding under the box spring on the phone with an unsympathetic neighbor who keeps insisting “it’s probably just a moth.” 

Just be prepared, is all I’m saying. Maybe get yourself a net. Or maybe a gig out west, doing the corn-sex thing. A scenario practically guaranteed to be dog pee-free.

By David Gignilliat

Photography by Francis Tatem

Each spring, on Opening Day, Potomac Nationals president and owner Art Silber makes the walk from the home clubhouse at Pfitzner Stadium to the first-base coach’s box. 

The trip to the coach’s box is a short one, maybe 25 feet as the crow flies. The box is rectangular, confining only in the sense that it’s outlined before each game in chalk or lime. That space, located just to the right of the first base bag, is Silber’s virtual office for several home dates each minor league season. 

Baseball rules decree, but rarely enforce, that Silber not leave the box during the home team’s half-inning at the plate. His responsibilities in the box are direct and straightforward, yet critical. In baseball, a deliberate game of nuance and strategy, it’s often the smallest of details that divide the winners from the losers. 

Should the runner stay at first or advance to second? How many outs are there? What might happen next?

One of the unwritten roles of a first-base coach is to be an on-field cheerleader, a friendly face to root players on in the batter’s box, at first base or as they round the bag headed for second, third and, hopefully, home. The Potomac Nationals play in the Class-A Carolina League, and are one of over 150 minor league teams affiliated with major league baseball clubs. Single-A, as it is often referred to colloquially, is home to many athletes— signees fresh out of high school, junior college, or four-year colleges—who are at the beginning of what they hope is a long, productive career as a professional ballplayer. While adjusting to life as a professional—on buses, on the road, on their own, perhaps for the first time—they are hungry to learn, to excel, to get better and, ultimately, to get noticed.

It is rare for a minor league baseball owner like Silber to actually coach on the field. In 1977, media mogul Ted Turner once managed the Atlanta Braves for a day, but that was more of a publicity stunt. For Silber, the routine is real, as real as a double into the gap, a coaching role that suits Silber well. He likes to stay involved. During the baseball season, he leaves his home in West Palm Beach for a suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner. A lifelong baseball fan, a former high school and collegiate athlete, and the “oldest first-base coach in professional baseball,” the sport is in Silber’s blood. Even at 72, he still has the gait and carriage of a former athlete. The passion for the game, that’s still there too. It’s a part of who he is, and was. 

“The first game of every season, when I walk out to first base, I bend down and I pick up a few blades of grass, and I really recollect on where I came from … as a poor kid on the streets of Brooklyn, [first] using a broomstick to hit a ball,” remembers Silber in a recent interview with Northern Virginia Magazine. “So, it’s a little bit hard for me to put it all together without feeling a great sense of emotion.” 

“We Were Street Kids” 

Silber grew up in the shadows of Ebbets Field, one of baseball’s exalted bygone cathedrals. The stadium was once home to the National League’s Brooklyn Dodgers, before the club headed westward to Los Angeles for the start of the 1958 season. For baseball fans of a certain vintage, Ebbets Field is diamond nostalgia at its purest, part of the pantheon of great American ballparks. Located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, the stadium was just a few blocks away from the stickball games of Silber’s youth. 

“I think the sewer was home plate.” 

Silber grew up in the Crown Heights part of Brooklyn, N.Y. In the 1940s, the neighborhood was a mix of newcomers from Jamaica and the West Indies, African-Americans from the South and a large Jewish population. “Brooklyn was such a melting pot of minorities at that time,” recalls Silber. 

“And the left rear tire of a Chevy is first base.” 

Ebbets Field was at 55 Sullivan Place. That address no longer exists, and the stadium’s former space is now home to high-rise apartments. From the age of 7 to 15, Silber used to camp out on the corner of Sullivan and Bedford Avenue, hoping to spy some of his beloved Dodgers as they made their way to work. 

“Another sewer is second base.” 

One Dodger in particular seemed to capture young Silber’s imagination, a speedy five-tool second baseman from Cairo, Ga. A man named Jackie Robinson. In 1947, Robinson broke major league baseball’s color barrier, ending decades of racial segregation.

“And all of the sudden, this magnificent [man] was a hero, not only to the African-American community but to most other minorities,” says Silber, who is Jewish. “He came to play baseball, and it helped to kindle that passion that I had.” 

“And the right front tire of a Ford is third base.” 

“We were street kids. We’d wait for [Mr. Robinson] on the corner. He had a blue Chrysler, and he would drive down Bedford Avenue, and there was this Mobil gas station across the street. And he’d stop, and an attendant would come out and take the car and park it in the back of the gas station,” he recalls. “And I would walk a whole block with him to the players’ entrance. I would always call him ‘Mr. Robinson,’ and one time he said I could call him ‘Jackie.’ And my only thought was that you don’t call God by his first name.” 

From Banks to Ball fields 

Silber spent the last 12 years of a productive business career as president and CEO of Sterling Bank, a Baltimore-based bank that worked with mostly high-net-worth clients. One of his A-list customers, a prominent D.C.-area real estate developer, was looking to buy a minor league ball club. The client was strong financially, so strong that access to financing was an afterthought. He could buy whatever team he chose, or multiple teams. The client received funding initially for two teams, and, as time went by, Silber began to notice the success his client had with his sports investments. Sensing a productive market segment for his company, Sterling Bank ended up financing baseball deals in other parts of the country. Over time, Silber and Sterling Bank had built up a significant group of customers in the minor league baseball business. 

In 1989, a representative of the then-Prince William Cannons approached Silber inquiring about potential interest among Sterling Bank clients in the sale of the team. Something was different this time.

“I went to my original customer, and he said, ‘Art, You love baseball. You should [buy] it yourself.’ And I had never really considered it,” says Silber. “The more I thought about it, the more interested I was. And I went to the board of directors
at my bank, to see if anybody thought it would be a conflict, and they didn’t.” 

Silber purchased the team, and later retired from the banking industry at age 55. Since taking over ownership, the team has been affiliated with the Yankees, White Sox, Cardinals, the then-Montreal Expos and, now, the Washington Nationals. All-time home run leader Barry Bonds played his first professional baseball on the grounds of Pfitzner Stadium, and scores of current and former MLB players got their start in Woodbridge, including current Los Angeles Angels superstar Albert Pujols. 

The ‘Pfitz’ 

Many things have changed, yet one thing has remained the same—the stadium. 

G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium, to be exact. The “Pfitz” as it is most often known. 

Originally called Davis Ford Park (after one of the main roads, at the time, outside the stadium), it was later renamed Prince William County Stadium a few years later. In 1995, the ballpark was renamed again, this time in honor of former county supervisor G. Richard Pfitzner, who had been instrumental in bringing the Alexandria Dukes to the county. 

But the facility, in spite of the best of intentions, was outdated almost as soon as it was built, Silber suggests.

“The existing facility, when it was built in 1984, was inadequate [at that time], in terms of the players and the satisfaction of the major league affiliate with the clubhouse,” adds Silber. “The ballpark that we’re in right now has a limited life expectancy. … We really have absolutely no amenities whatsoever.” 

Courtesy of Art Silber

Pfitzner Stadium has regularly been named among the worst minor league venues in the country, and is the only structure to be made out of metal, Silber says. The stadium has ample seating, but most of the seats are metal bleachers, not individual seats. There are no club level accommodations or corporate suites. The field has had episodic battles with Mother Nature, including last season’s drainage and field grading woes. The team’s major league affiliate, the Washington Nationals, has been cautious in sending some of the organization’s premium young talent to Potomac. Even last year’s clubhouse renovations, the result of a public/private collaboration between Silber and the county, could optimistically be seen as just a temporary salve. 

The team needs a new stadium, and sooner rather than later. Silber is currently working with the county on temporary sites, possibly one between Interstates 95 and 66, and hopes to announce a new location in the near future. “The [county is] doing everything they possibly can do [to work with us],” explains Silber. “They desperately want us to stay in Prince William County.” 

Even at the minor league level, these types of projects are extremely costly (north of $20M, conservatively), and are sometimes a tough sell in a period of county, state, national and international economic uncertainty. Yet the need for a new site lurks as the not-so-subtle elephant in the room, Silber says. 

“[The current stadium] is not going to last forever, and it doesn’t pay to rebuild the park where it is,” he adds. “We have zero visibility there. There are people who literally live across the street who have no knowledge that there is a professional baseball team there.” 

The Game He Loves 

Despite the stadium quagmire, the future looks bright for the P-Nats and their major league brethren 30 miles to the north. The Nationals finished the 2011 season with an 80-81 record, good enough for third place in the super-competitive NL East division that’s home to perennial contenders in Philadelphia and Atlanta. An exciting young core of major league talent (including former overall No. 1 draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper), some recent free agent additions and trades (including a swap with Oakland for frontline lefty starter Gio Gonzalez), a savvy veteran manager (Davey Johnson) and another year of seasoning, has many thinking that contention may come sooner rather than later. 

Maybe even as soon as this year. “It’s just exciting for us. The wonderful thing for our fans is that they get to see these guys when they’re young, and then when they get to actually follow them to Washington,” says Silber, who will be back at the Pfitz in time for Opening Day. “It’s really a win-win for the Washington Nationals, our ball club and the fan base.”

(April 2012)

The president and founder of Women on Course, a national women’s golf lifestyle organization headquartered in Oakton, dishes about learning to love the game, throwing stellar happy hours and how any woman can pick up a club. Golf club, that is.

Have you always liked golf?

Donna Hoffman (Photography by Francis Tatem)

“I really had no interest in golf my whole life … I tried it a few times and thought, ‘This is a boring sport.’ I was actually dating … and trying to avoid golfers because my first husband was an avid golfer. … The man I ended up meeting happened to be a two-handicap, and golf was his life—but he didn’t really let on to that.”

What led you to start Women on Course, an organization that’s worked with over 60,000 ladies across the country since 2003?

“At the time I was the president of Infocus, and I said, ‘This would be a great idea for a series of TV shows where we go to different golf resorts a month and film the whole lifestyle of the resort, golfers … and interview businesswomen who use golf.’ So I started a television series and AOL … aired the show. We had over 30,000 emails from women all over the country saying, ‘Golf looks like fun! Where do I get those cute shoes?’”

Tell me about your Happy Hours.

“Fleming’s Steakhouse is a big supporter of golf, so they put on happy hours for us. The happy hour is two hours, very unintimidating.”

How is your organization different from other golf programs?

“Most golf things are called tournaments … and the word scares a lot of people. We don’t use the word ‘tournament’; we don’t focus on the score.”

For women who don’t have a lot of time to invest into golf, how can they get involved?

“We really find that corporate women don’t have a lot of time, … so we try to give a short cut. If you come to these big signature events, you can find your group, you can do it in an afternoon and dabble in it twice a year …”

What kind of reactions have you heard from Women on Course?

“They say, ‘I now have confidence to do A, B or C. To go play with my office now.’ If you have industries where golf is a prominent activity, the women … come to our events, get familiar with it and then they have the confidence to sign up for an industry tourney or charity tourney at their company.”

www.womenoncourse.com

(April 2012)

By Matt Basheda, Lorin Drinkard, Natalie Kaar, Lindsey Leake, Lynn Norusis, Lexie Ramage & Clara Ritger

A Pentagon you’ve never heard of

Courtesy of Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS

Oh That Mean Brother
Author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, Jeff Kinney touched a nerve with many tweens in the past decade, and even had Hollywood calling. He grew up in the Maryland suburbs, but he’s become something of an honorary Northern Virginia resident since his brother, Scott Kinney, opened up Shamrock Music Shoppe in Purcellville. Jeff has appeared in Purcellville more than once to meet with fans and sign books. Most recently, he visited Blue Ridge Middle School upon the release of his sixth book, “Cabin Fever,” with a surprise appearance by the stars of the “Wimpy Kid” movie series, Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron. He took the time to autograph books, which can be purchased at Shamrock. —MB

Huntley Meadows
Now known as one of the area’s very best birding spots (over 200 species), there were once plans for what is now Fairfax County’s 1,425-acre Huntley Meadows Park to become the first international airport for the area. George Washington Air Junction was envisioned to be the largest transatlantic commercial airport in the world. Henry Woodhouse started buying land for the project in 1920, but the land was eventually sold to the federal government in 1941, to pay for back taxes and foreclosures. ¶ In colonial times, the land was part of George Mason IV’s plantation holdings. 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria; www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks —NK

Get your music on, for Free
Saturday evenings Memorial Day weekend through August, Netherlands Carillon, at the northern edge of Arlington National Cemetery, has free concerts, representing various genres. The bells were a gift from the Dutch people in honor of American World War II aid. Arlington National Cemetery, by the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial; www.nps.gov/gwmp/nethcarillon —NK

Charter Away in Occoquan
It’s not just Alexandria that gets to take all the credit for cruising up and down local waterways. It’s a beautiful time of year to cruise along the Occoquan River aboard the Miss Rivershore, a 50-foot commercial pontoon boat that offers public and private specialty charters. In addition to four-hour swim parties, fishing and bird-watching tours, weddings and bridal showers, the Miss Rivershore offers rides to popular waterfront restaurants along the Occoquan and Potomac Rivers. The heated and air-conditioned vessel also provides travel to and from the semiannual Occoquan Craft Show. www.missrivershorecharters.com —LL

Music
Shamrock Music Shoppe
holds live music shows for local bands and consigns used instruments. Many of the store’s new guitars are made by a local luthier. The store is owned by Scott Kinney, brother of Jeff Kinney (See page 48). You can often find autographed copies of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series. 108 N. 21st St., Purcellville; www.shamrockmusicshop.com —LR

Action Music
If you a re a dye-hard guitarist, or simply a collector, Action Music is the place to go for hard-to-find used, vintage and NOS (new-old) instruments and accessories. The independent store also makes repairs and offers guitar lessons. 212-B N. West St., Falls Church; www.actionguitar.com —LR

POWs in Fairfax
After World War II ended, much of Fairfax County was rural land. In order to move forward with labor while some American soldiers were still overseas, the government set up POW camps along Route 29, where the county government center now resides, to work on the lands throughout the area. Farmers rented the POWs, paying $0.43 an hour to the government, who would in turn pay the POWs $0.80 a day. After six months, 200 POWs were sent back to Europe from Fairfax in November 1945. —LN

Food
Del Rio is a Mexican restaurant known for their Saturday night comedy club, which is associated with the Riot Act comedy theater in the District. Nationally known comedians like Patrick O’Donnell, Lamont King and Lucas Bohn perform in this eatery on the side of Route 7 in Leesburg. Whether it’s the margarita or the comedy, you’re sure to have many laughs here. 701 E. Market St., Leesburg; www.delriocomedy.com –LR

Arlington’s Weenie Beenie hot dog stand’s claim to fame is that it was the title of the Foo Fighters’ song “Weenie Beenie” from their debut album. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl grew up in the area and must have felt the former chain deserved a nod. Weenie Beenie was founded by pool hustler William “Weenie Beenie” Station, who died in 2006, and is now reduced to this one and only location. 2680 S. Shirlington Road, Arlington –LR

Don’t let the orange umbrellas and picnic benches fool you—the Döner Bistro in the Mighty Midget Kitchen serves authentic German food. Although the kitchen was fashioned from the fuselage of a WWII Bomber, it’s a great place to eat, and they really know how to cook Bratwurst, wienerschnitzel and their famous Döner sandwich. 202 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg; www.doener-usa.com –LR

The Lone Rt. 50 Flyer
Ever wonder about the lone Cessna 150 that faces U.S. 50 in South Riding? The space was the area’s original airfield, but the story behind the original owner is Hollywood fodder. In the late 1920s, when Lenah resident Delmas “Bill” Glascock was just 16, he proclaimed he had plowed his last field. He set off on his motorcycle to get more out of life. Along the way he came across a baby bear, which, remarkably, helped fund his dream of owning his own airfield. That landing strip, called Glascock Airport, still sits at the corner of U.S. 50 and Route 659—with one plane tied down, facing the passing traffic.

After traveling the country on the rails and working odd jobs along the way, Glascock headed back home in 1932. He found a baby bear in New Jersey, wrapped the bear in a blanket, nestled it in the motorcycle side car and headed back to the place he once called home—only to be stopped en route from New Jersey to Virginia by police who questioned him about the stolen Lindbergh baby.

Back in Lenah, Glascock set up a hot dog stand and drew business by allowing people to bottle feed the bear. The money he made allowed him to move forward with all his endeavors—owning a gas station and restaurant in Arcola, restaurants in Fairfax (including The 29 Diner), becoming a bondsman, holding a real estate brokers license, and dabbling in gambling (owning slot machines) and the moonshine business.

At its high point, the airport was base to 12 to 15 airplanes. Passengers could take tours, pilots put on shows, and Glascock would fly out of the airport for work. “I would fly with my dad when he was a bondsman, and he would handcuff [the bail jumper] to me so he wouldn’t get away,” Glascock’s son Johnny recalled. —LN

The man behind Mr. Washington
Mason Locke Weems is not a name that comes up often, if at all, when discussing George Washington; however, the stories this bookstore owner told sure did catch on. Weems, of the Weems-Botts Musuem in Dumfries, is the man behind many of Washington’s famous tales—“I cannot tell a lie” and Washington being able to throw a silver dollar across the Rappahannock. Weems’ book telling the tales was the second best-selling book at the time, with the first being the “Holy Bible.” Another interesting thing to note about Weems’ old store is that it is thought to be haunted by the Merchant family, who eventually purchased the building. —LN

Historic Haunts on the water
Experience the spooky side of Occoquan on a historic, walking ghost tour hosted by the Occoquan Merchants Association. Tours are given seasonally on Fridays and Saturdays from late April through October. Mayor Earnie Porta cites the Rockledge Mansion, where the ghost of a Confederate soldier is said to lurk, as one of the tour’s key landmarks. While paranormal investigators have confirmed the presence of a spirit on the premises, Rockledge Owner Lance Houghton reassures visitors that the mansion’s ghost is a friendly one. www.occoquanmerchantsassociation.com/ghost_tours —LL

The Skinny on the area’s Spiteful Houses
Neighbors have spats all the time. “Spite House,” a seven-foot-wide, 325-square-foot two-story townhouse on Queen Street in Old Town, was built in 1830 by the owner of one of the adjacent houses, John Hollensbury—determined to keep horse-drawn carriages out of his alley. Arlington also has a skinny house, due to an argument over zoning variances, a 12-foot wide, four-floor, 2,880-square foot attraction, or eyesore, on North Barton Street. —NK

Creative minds do not think alike
Tucked away in the Madison Building in Alexandria, home to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is the National Inventors Hall of Fame, where patrons can experience the entrepreneurial spirit through displays and interactive kiosks showcasing inventions such as Dr. Kelloggs’ vibrating chair, Lydia Pinkham’s vegetable compound (which is still available in drug stores today), President Calvin Coolidge’s electric horse (Zander’s trotting machine), and eavesdrop on a panel discussion with Edison, Madison, Jefferson and more as they discuss their take on inventions today. The exhibits rotate on a yearly basis. 600 Dulany St., Alexandria; www.invent.org —LN

Rocket man
John Glenn’s home was in Arlington when he became the first American to orbit Earth. He lived on North Harrison Street, and his two children both attended Williamsburg Middle School. —MB

Cemeteries
We all know NoVA is rich in history, but, because of that, some fascinating anecdotes get overlooked.

Church Road Cemetery This crumbling, seldom-noticed cemetery sits across Church Road from the current Sterling Cemetery. Some stones are so mossy you can hardly read them. Many date to the 19th century. –MB

Hoffman Mausoleum Just off Telegraph Road near the Eisenhower Holiday Inn in Alexandria, there sits a large, ornately designed mausoleum. Real estate mogul Hubert “Dutch” Hoffman Sr., who saw great potential in the formerly swampy 71 acres he purchased back in 1958, is buried there, along with his older sister Mildred. –LD

Ashburn Shopping Center Cemeteries There’s a headstone at the intersection of Shellhorn Road and Ashburn Village Boulevard, in the Chipotle parking lot. The stone’s latest date is 1933, when the area was still a town called Ryan. A small plot also lies at the edge of Ashburn’s CVS parking lot off Farmwell Road. The site even has an unmarked grave. Dates go back to the 1800s. –MB

Ball’s Bluff Cemetery Union casualties from the Civil War’s Battle of Ball’s Bluff are buried here. All 53 soldiers buried are unknown but one: a man named James Allen. There is another, separate cemetery in the park, one that holds the grave of Confederate soldier Clinton Hatcher. –MB

Pat Monk, Atom Bomb Physicist & Sculptor
For the past 70 years, Gaines “Pat” Monk has used metal, wood, concrete, marble and steel to create intricate, one-of-a-kind sculptures. Monk, who graduated with MS and BA degrees in physics, math and art, also worked on the atom bomb project during World War II. “I was a young physicist working on the separation of the uranium isotopes used to make the Hiroshima bomb,” says Monk. After sculpting part-time while working as a physics consultant in 1970, Monk transitioned into full-time sculptor at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in 1974, where he’s worked ever since. In addition to his 37 years of creations in studio 33, Monk has an ever-growing sculpture garden in his Hollin Hills yard, which he notes is “always open and free” to visit. —LD

Bailey’s Crossroads
The area is named after Hachaliah Bailey, who purchased land at the intersection in 1837. His son, Lewis Bailey, owned a circus, and was the first to use canvas circus tents. Lewis’s circus eventually became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. —MB

George Fitch, Warrenton Mayor & “Cool Runnings” team founder
Familiar with the inspirational Disney film “Cool Runnings?” Meet the man behind the real-life Jamaican bobsled team: Warrenton Mayor George Fitch. While working as a trade consultant for the U.S. Embassy on the island, Fitch and American businessman William Maloney had the idea to form a team to compete in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. “I knew that if I could recruit good athletes, we could beat a few teams,” says Fitch, who has served as Warrenton’s mayor for the past 13 years. With out-of-pocket funding and four willing athletes, Fitch’s team did just that—beating 10 teams and proving that the world should never underestimate the underdogs. —LD

Internationally renowned glass harpist delights alexandria
Head to Old Town Alexandria’s waterfront on a nice day, and often times you’ll hear the sweet, ringing sounds of water harpist Jamey Turner. Growing up in a musical family in Montana, Turner’s musical foundation was set at a young age. “Watching everyone play the stemmed water glasses, from chord to chord, I found my sound,” says Turner, who has worked on mastering the water harp for the past 34 years. From creating an original layout chart for his 60 water glasses and performing original, never-before-played double concertos to guest appearing on “The Tonight Show,” at The Kennedy Center and around the world, Turner is one of just a few-dozen professional glass harpists worldwide. “It took me one year and 28 glasses to learn a Mozart piece,” admits Turner, whose musical repertoire ranges from classical to “Star Wars.” Since recent YouTube uploads from the waterfront performances have created an overwhelming demand, Turner will be re-releasing his music on CD Baby this year. “It’s been really marvelous … so many of the people are from all over the world,” say Turner. “I’m reaching people I wouldn’t otherwise, and He [God] gets all the glory.” —LD

Stephen’s City Drive-in Theater
As NoVA’s only remaining drive-in theater, located an hour west of Fairfax, the Stephen’s City Drive-in offers bargain family entertainment April through October; tickets ($4-$8), many times include two new release showings. 5890 Valley Pike, Stephen’s City; www.familydriveintheatre.com —NK

No freedom at freedom house
One could not even conceive of it from its size, but this slender rowhouse on Duke Street had more slaves sold during the slave trade than all the slave traders put together.

Isaac Franklin and John Armfield, owners of Franklin, Armfield & Co. (1828-1836), operated the most successful slave trade business in America, using the home and adjacent property to set up shop. The men sent more than 1,000 slaves a year from 1315 Duke Street. Franklin and Armfield, who also owned their own fleet of slave ships, would march slaves to New Orleans in the summers (1,100 miles in six to eight weeks) or ship them by boat in the winters (20-30 days, two times a month)—fetching more than $100,000 in profits annually, selling 1,200 slaves.

The home later became the business grounds for four other slave traders—Kephart & Co (1836-1845), Bruin & Hill (1845-1852), Millan & Grigsby (1852-1858) and Price, Birch & Co. (1858-1861).

One man who made his way through the home was Rev. Lewis Henry Bailey, who was born into slavery in Drainesville; taken from his mother; marched to New Orleans; and in 1863 walked back to Alexandria looking for his family. Rev. Bailey later went on to found Ebenezer Baptist Church in Occoquan, Little Zion Baptist Church in Burke, Mount Pleasant Church in Floris, Prosperity Church in Coklin, Summit School (the first black school) in Occoquan and others in Neabsco, and spearhead the Northern Virginia Baptist Minister’s Association.

In 1878, the building was Alexandria Hospital, the first civilian hospital in Northern Virginia. Currently, the building is home to the headquarters of the National Urban League. 1315 Duke St., Alexandria; www.freedomhousemuseum.org —LN

Watch what you say!
Hollywood pales in comparison to the government tell-alls that we have living in our neighborhoods. Who can forget Linda Tripp’s involvement in Clinton’s affairs with Monica Lewinsky? While she can no longer be found in the center of government scandal, she can be caught at the Christmas Sleigh in Middleburg, a year-round Christmas boutique she owns.

Since his announcement of being Deep Throat, Mark Felt has since passed. But what does remain of the biggest government scandal is a marker in a North Nash Street parking garage in Arlington, of the place where Felt would hand over information to Bob Woodward that led to former President Richard Nixon’s resignation. —LN

Scandalous Shopping
Speaking of the Tripp/Lewinsky showdown, the location that got the ball rolling on the impeachment process of former-President Bill Clinton is also the same mall as Marv Alberts’ 1997 biting escapade that drew nationwide media attention. Pentagon City Mall shoppers, beware of men in dark suits! —LN

Miss Deaf Virginia Pageant
Sponsored biennially by the Virginia Association of the Deaf, this pageant gives deaf and hard-of-hearing women from Virginia the opportunity to showcase their talent, self-confidence, intelligence and personality. The contest’s ultimate mission is to promote success and encourage young deaf women to become leaders of tomorrow. Contestants must be between the ages of 17 and 27, and are judged based on a private interview, platform presentation, talent show, evening wear and on-stage interview. The current Miss Deaf Virginia, Rosa Herrera, graduated from Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg and now attends the University of Mary Washington. www.vad.org/mdvp —LL

Virginia Academy of Fencing

Springfield is home to this 13,000-square-foot facility, which is the largest fencing school in the world based on student enrollment. The academy is also one of the only schools in America that teaches historical swordsmanship in addition to the modern sabre, foil and epee. Since its inception in 1991, the Virginia Academy of Fencing (VAF) has produced nationally and internationally ranked athletes. VAF offers classes for fencers of all ages and experience levels. www.vafinc.com —LL

The Exchange
In addition to selling antiques, The Exchange also sells entire estates. Trade silver, gold, jewelry, coins or other types of antiques for anything in the store. 111 E. Market St., Leesburg; www.exchangeva.com

Freedman’s Village
In 1863, about 100 former slaves gathered together and took up residence in Arlington, as the government-sanctioned freedman’s camps in Washington, D.C., were overcrowded, poorly conditioned. The Arlington Estate, located on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, was chosen as the new site for the Freedman’s Village, and housed several thousand freedmen who lived on the property over the years. The Village, which eventually included a schoolhouse, mess hall and a hospital, was in use until the government closed it in 1900. www.nps.gov/arho/historyculture/emancipation —LD

Meade’s Pyramid

In 1898, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society erected a 23-foot-high stone pyramid as a memorial for where they believed Stonewall Jackson’s Civil War headquarters were formerly located. According to historian Donald Pfanz, though, the marker actually reflects the area where Union General George Meade and his troops came through, hence the unofficial name of “Meade’s Pyramid.” —LD

Vestal’s Gap Road
Vestal’s Gap Road began as a game trail for Indians and the animals they hunted as many as 11,000 years ago. General Braddock used the road during the French and Indian War, and President George Washington frequented the road throughout his life. Now there’s a park for Vestal’s Gap Road in Dulles Town Center’s parking lot. —MB

Bluemont Vineyards
Have high expectations for a memorable local winery visit? Head to Loudoun County’s Bluemont Vineyards, tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, for a truly elevated experience (elevation: 951 feet) with clear views to Tysons. 18755 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; www.bluemontvineyard.com —NK

First Martyrs of the Civil War
Alexandria’s Hotel Monaco is on the site of the Marshall House Inn, where at the beginning of the Civil War, the North and South lost the lives of the first martyrs for their opposing causes. The bloodshed occurred when, upon Union invasion of the city immediately after Virginia’s secession from the Union, Union Col. Elmer Ellsworth snatched the Confederate flag from the roof of the Marshall House. As he came down the stairs, rebel innkeeper James W. Jackson shot and killed Ellsworth just before being fatally shot himself. This fulfilled Jackson’s promise that the flag would be removed “over my dead body.” —CR

Giant Watering Can
Staunton’s Willie Ferguson, who crafted that city’s famous watering can and flower pot sculptures at U.S. 250 and U.S. 11, is also responsible for the giant watering can and flower pot at Alexandria’s Holly, Woods and Vines. Vanessa Wheeler, co-owner of the garden center, says the store approached Ferguson to craft a similar sculpture set, one that actually pours water. One half of Holly, Woods & Vines’ pot recycles water; the other has soil. Holly, Woods and Vines, 8453 Richmond Highway, Alexandria; www.hollywoodsandvines.com —NK

Deadly Protector
Fort Marcy, off the George Washington Parkway in McLean, is one of 68 forts built around D.C. during the Civil War and one of the few to survive. Its mission was to protect the Chain Bridge, which was one of the only bridges from Virginia into D.C. at the time. More recently, it was where former deputy White House counsel during the Clinton administration Vince Foster’s body was found following his suicide in 1993. www.nps.gov/gwmp/fort-marcy —LR

Hidden Park
Fort Ethan Allen was the companion fort for Fort Marcy during the Civil War. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and currently serves as a park. 3829 N. Stafford St.; Arlington; www.arlingtonva.us —LR

Fisher’s Oasis
Beaverdam Creek Reservoir, a 350-acre water supply impoundment just west of Brambleton, is operated by Fairfax City, providing drinking water for Fairfax City and eastern Loudoun County residents. Locals in the know consider it a great place to cast reels—with cappies, largemouth bass and more—hike, canoe and kayak. Reservoir Road, Ashburn; www.fairfaxva.gov/utilities/BeaverdamDirection —NK

Pardon Us
While its name suggests otherwise, for over a decade the Thanksgiving turkeys granted presidential pardons were sent to Frying Pan Park in Herndon to live on in peace. 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon; www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fpp —NK

Exile mansion gone exquisite
Built in 1799, the Belmont Manor House was a sanctuary to President Madison during the War of 1812 and to the exiled government of the Philippines in World War II. In the early 1900s the mansion was owned by the McLean family, who also owned the Hope Diamond, which they kept in the house. Now it’s Belmont Country Club’s clubhouse. —MB

Card Collector’s Mecca
Whether you’re looking for baseball cards or Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, Collector’s Corner on Route 7 has them. The store has even had a Lou Gehrig autographed jersey card in its inventory. 47024 Harry Byrd Highway, Suite 106, Sterling; www.collectorscornerva.com —LR

Standing up for their rights, first sit-in happens in Alexandria
On August 21, 1939, Barrett Branch Library was more than a library; it was the place of America’s first civil rights sit-in.

On that day Samuel Wilbert Tucker walked into the library and asked to apply for a library card. After he was denied, he simply picked up a book, sat down and started to read. Minutes later another man walked in and went through the same motions, which ended with with him sitting and reading. This continued five more times. Police came and arrested the seven silent protesters.

Lawsuits were filed, and the protesters were left with a compromise of a separate but equal library facility.

Tucker refused to apply for a library card at the “new” library, which is now part of the Alexandria Black History Museum, and went on to fight for civil rights, being the lead lawyer for the NAACP and appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court four times. —LN

(April 2012)

By Nancy Croft Baker

Brian Jenkins, Stacey Sheetz and Jeremy Harvey, the people behind the “Get Lost in Loudoun” Series at Sunset Hills Vineyard, location of Episode 4. (Photo by Fracis Tatum)

It’s a Tuesday afternoon in mid-November, and Donna Felder is taking a break from her duties as office manager of a bustling healthcare practice in Maurepas, La. Staring intently at her computer screen, she hits one of her bookmarks and is transported to Loudoun County, Va., where she watches a group of young people race down the Potomac River in search of a prize.

Felder chuckles as her favorite contestant, James Wilson, whoops as his raft shoots a Class 3 rapid. “I’ve been watching this reality show every week since it began airing in September,” she says.

The reality show to which Felder refers is actually a series of seven-minute unscripted ad videos for Visit Loudoun, the county’s convention and visitors’ bureau. She followed the link on a friend’s Facebook page and got hooked after the first episode. “I couldn’t wait to see what the contestants would do next,” says Felder, 43. “Every challenge featured a different tourist spot, and it looked like a lot of fun. Loudoun is definitely on my radar screen for vacation next summer.”

That’s just the reaction Jeremy Harvey was aiming for when he conceived the “Get Lost in Loudoun” series. “I was inspired by watching ‘The Amazing Race,’” says Harvey, vice president of marketing for Leesburg-based Visit Loudoun. “Every time I watch the show, I want to go to the places where the contestants have been. Then it occurred to me that we could do the same thing right here in Loudoun.”

Dave Gambale, owner of Freedom Bail Bonding, and Faith Poe, of pure advertising agency, at Dave’s main office in fairfax (Photo by Francis Tatum)

Reality Bandwagon Goes Local
With millions of viewers tuning in to dozens of new reality shows each year, it’s no wonder that a growing number of business owners in Northern Virginia are posting their own unscripted videos on the web and local cable networks.  

“The reality show craze is out of control right now on the national scene,” notes Aba Bonney-Kwawu, president of D.C.-based marketing and public relations firm The Aba Agency. “Reality TV allows us to indulge our inner voyeur to see how other people live. We identify with them, and you build a sort of relationship with them. So it’s a natural progression for businesses to want to tap into that as a way to generate a loyal clientele.” 

Kwawu, 36, points to the phenomenal success of “DC Cupcakes,” a reality show on TLC about sisters Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis of Georgetown Cupcake. “When my husband’s boss traveled from New York to visit D.C. last year, it was cold, she was very pregnant and it had been an extremely long day, but all she wanted to do was go to Georgetown Cupcake,” Kwawu recalls. “She’s a big fan of the show, and the highlight of her trip was getting one of their cupcakes. I’ve seen people stand in line for two hours in the rain to get into that place.”

Faith Poe hopes to create that same avid fan following for client Dave Gambale, owner of Freedom Bail Bonding in Fairfax. “The Real Ride to Freedom,” which airs on COX Cable Video on Demand and YouTube, takes viewers into the daily world of bailing people out of jail. A cross between “The Office” and “Night Court,” the episodes feature Gambale’s eclectic staff and colorful cast of characters, who wander in and out of his office at all hours of the day and night.

“People have been telling me for years that I should do a reality show, because you can’t believe the craziness that goes on here,” says Gambale, a hard-boiled former Marine drill instructor with a soft heart for the down-trodden. He had been advertising his five locations primarily via Spanish-language radio spots and signage on his fleet vehicles. Poe, however, saw a wider market for Freedom Bail Bonding and sent a film crew to capture a day in the life of Gambale and friends. The first two episodes are steadily gaining viewership with a third episode scheduled to begin shooting this spring. Poe also is pitching the series to national cable networks, such as the Discovery Channel. 

Viewer Emily Blease tuned in to “The Real Ride to Freedom” after a friend sent her the YouTube link. “I was curious to see what that world was all about,” says Blease, a 24-year-old college student who works part time in Fairfax. “The subject matter turned out to be pretty interesting, and I like the combination of unscripted interaction with the on-camera interviews. I feel like I know some of the regular characters. It doesn’t seem like a marketing ploy to me.” Although Blease says it’s unlikely she would ever need Gambale’s service, “he’d be the first one I’d call if I ever found myself in jail,” she laughs. “Dave seems to genuinely care about his clients.”

‘The Real Ride To Freedom’ - Fairfax-based Freedom Bail Bonding owner Dave Gamble says his show is more than marketing. Its focus is to show that he is there for his clients; it’s like a “ministry.”

Gambale, in fact, hopes “The Real Ride to Freedom” transcends mere advertising. “What I really want to do is give people hope and a second chance,” he says. “When people get arrested, they’re in a bad place emotionally and spiritually.” Contrary to the perception that bail bonders are rough-and-tumble bounty hunters, Gambale and his staff offer advice to the wayward, food to the homeless and a place to regroup after lockup. In Episode Two, a former drug addict and frequent customer shares a moving story of how Gambale helped him turn his life around. “I really see this as a ministry,” remarks Gambale, 49.

The series has been good for business, too, notes Gina Castro, Gambale’s assistant. “A lot of viewers now recognize us on the street, and the advertising numbers are looking great.” Media coverage has picked up as well, including a Washington Post Magazine cover story, a segment on CBS affiliate WUSA9 and numerous radio interviews. 

Ad-weary Viewers Embrace New Genre
“I’m excited about this trend,” says Ted Smoot, a Sterling-based IT professional who plans to launch his own Internet reality show next spring. “I think everyone is tired of the loud, obnoxious, in-your-face commercials over the last 20 years.”

Smoot, 35, began following the “Get Lost in Loudoun” series as a means of reconnecting with his home county after years of traveling outside the Commonwealth. “I was looking for things to do on the weekend and stumbled upon the series,” he says. “I really enjoyed watching the foursome compete in a variety of challenges at venues I might like to visit.” Smoot’s favorites? “I loved watching them trying to catch a pig at Great Country Farms in Bluemont, paintball at Pev’s in Aldie and throw pots with Redskins tightend Chris Cooley at Glenfiddich Farm Pottery in Leesburg. The contestants were believable, and the activities looked like something I’d enjoy.”

Attracting a younger demographic was high on Harvey’s mind when the 40-year-old began planning the reality-style marketing videos. “People typically associate Loudoun County with relaxing tours of wineries and Civil War battlefields,” he explains. “We decided to take it up a notch and show some adventure. We wanted to capture average 20-somethings discovering Loudoun.” 

A cast of four contestants and a Ted Allen-esque host was selected from among 35 people who responded to Visit Loudoun’s casting call last spring. 

“I had never heard of Loudoun County and wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but I had a blast,” says Haley Phillips, an office manager for a financial services firm in New York. She was joined by Austin, Texas-based poet James Wilson and videographer Andrew McDonald as well as graphic designer Jolyn Janis, who hails from Ocean City, Md. 

“The four of us completely forgot the cameras were rolling and really got caught up in the competition,” says Phillips, 26. “I wasn’t looking to become a reality star, but seeing myself on video has been a lot of fun.”

Caveat Venditor
While the thought of becoming a local reality star may appeal to some business owners, PR and branding guru Kwawu advises them to be aware of the caveats before plunging into that world. “Today’s consumers are extremely smart. They value authenticity and can quickly spot a fake,” she says. “They want to see the good as well as the bad, so business owners should be ready to expose their flaws to the public.”

Indeed, when “The Real Ride to Freedom” first posted on YouTube last summer, Gambale was the target of some scorching comments, albeit mostly from competing bonding firms. “It didn’t bother me,” Gambale shrugs. He adds, “You’re always going to have critics in anything you do. People who take time to watch the whole show can see we’re the real deal.” 

Kwawu also warns business owners to avoid blatant product hocking in their productions. “Consumers have gotten very sharp about spotting product placements,” she says. “A subtle approach is best.” Like when reality star Kate Gosselin made a cameo appearance on “DC Cupcakes” in Season Two. The divorced mega-mom of eight spotted a handsome passerby outside the bakery and decided to meet him via an impromptu cupcake sample. Turns out he had a gluten allergy. Whether staged or serendipitous, the encounter proved to be the perfect opportunity to mention the bakery’s gluten-free selections. Just in case viewers were dubious, an on-camera interview revealed the gentleman had no idea he had just been wooed by a famous reality star. He thought she was the bakery owner. Ouch. 

Whether it’s cupcakes, catering or bail bonding, Northern Virginians can expect to see more of their favorite local proprietors on the air. 

PURE Advertising’s Faith Poe, for example, is working with another client on a reality series, while Ashburn-based videographer Nicholas Cambata of  8112 Studios has several productions in the works and has been approached by a growing number of local bloggers, entrepreneurs and entertainers who want to take their enterprises to the airwaves. 

That’s just fine with folks like Ted Smoot. “I don’t think our appetite for reality video is going to be satisfied any time soon,” he says. “Whether it’s a show or an ad, it’s equally entertaining.” 

Are You Ready For Reality?
Nicholas Cambata, owner of 8112 Studios, was not surprised to see one his potential clients on a national reality series recently. He had been approached by a jet-setting couple wanting to bolster their business by chronicling their escapades and philanthropic endeavors via their own reality show. But when it came down to focus and financing, their sparkle quickly fizzled. Cambata decided to turn them down.

“Clearly, they were determined to get on a reality show,” he says, but their negative portrayal on the national series may not have worked in their favor.

Specializing in documentaries, music videos and reality productions, Cambata, 31, says he has turned down more clients wishing to get on reality TV than he has accepted. He explains, “Most people are totally unprepared for the reality of reality.”

The Checklist
Be sure you have a clear story to share. “I tell potential clients that if they can’t describe their show in 15 seconds, it’s probably not worth watching.”

Be well capitalized. “People have no idea how much work and expense goes into video production. A five-minute clip can easily run five figures.”

Show plenty of conflict and cliffhangers. “Nobody wants to watch someone who tries to seem perfect. Viewers tune in to see people behaving badly and how they resolve their differences. Conflict and cliffhangers keep them coming back.”

Keep it real. “If you don’t normally interact with colorful characters, you can’t fabricate them. People respond to the development of relationships, and consumers are very savvy about authenticity.”

Let it all hang out. “If you’re uncomfortable with cameras watching your every move and you don’t like public criticism, this is not a good venture for you.”

(March 2012)

By Matthew Basheda

What’s with the name change?
“Well, when you’re an artist operating under the banner of a band, you don’t really have to worry about your name as an individual; however, if you’re a solo artist, your name is slightly more important—you’re a brand, so how you brand yourself is very important. My legal name is David Cook. I’m assuming that most people are familiar with the “American Idol” David Cook. If you can’t have two Toyotas or two McDonalds [sic], you can’t have two David Cooks, and based on that theory, I’m using my mother’s maiden name, Wazeter, as my stage name.”

Courtesy of David Wazeter

What’s your favorite thing about your new single?
“I love that it doesn’t have any electric guitars on it.”

What’s different about your new music?
“It’s much more mainstream, very beat-driven, and I honestly think it’s better than anything I’ve written before.”

What’s next for you? Do you have any album plans? How about a tour? If so, when can we expect any of those?
“I’d like to release a new album at some point in 2012, and I’m going to do my best to make sure that happens. I don’t really have any plans to tour at this point.”

What’s your take on the current Northern Virginia music scene?
“To be completely honest, I’m very unplugged from the local music scene, so I’m probably the wrong guy to ask. That said, I love local music, and I support any artist with talent who’s trying to make something happen.”

(March 2012)

By Susan Anspach

Illustration by Matt Mignanelli

Who here remembers riding bikes as a kid? 

Who remembers that cool lick of breeze lifting your hair, that healthy burn building in the back of your calves? That sense of sweat-crowned triumph when you reached the top of a high hill, and that electric moment when you released the handlebars and slowly rose in your pedals to a standing position, assured in that moment of your repute as King of Incomparable Equilibrium and Thus the World? 

Well, take a seat, Sparky, because the game rules have changed. 

In Northern Virginia, biking’s not a leisure activity anymore. It’s a sport. And if you want to play, you need to know what you’re getting yourself into. 

For starters, there’s a dress code now. And while it may not seem necessary to slick up in spandex, blinding neon and a helmet fit for a Velociraptor, even if it seems silly to splurge on a lightweight frame for something that never leaves the ground, if you don’t at least try to fit in, they’ll pick you out from a trailhead away. 

And that’s exactly where you’ll get yourself into trouble. 

Because gone are the days of beaded spokes and basket streamers, my friend, and if you didn’t get that memo, here’s where you don’t want to be on any given spring Sunday afternoon: huffing along the Mount Vernon Trail in sweatpants and the T-shirt you may or may not have slept in the night before; somewhere more than five but (God, you hope) less than 10 miles from your car; at the mercy of every man, woman and child speed Satanist on wheels whizzing past—every one of whom takes enough time, it should be noted, to fix you with the kind of glare you once thought reserved for fascist warmongers. 

On the trail, it turns out, you’re worse than a whacked-out jingoist. Oh, yes. You’re far worse. You’re a friggin’ slowpoke. 

And for that, may God have mercy on your torturously indolent soul. All three speeds of it. To the community of serious cyclists, the worst thing you can do is hold up traffic. They want to move, and they want to move now. Because you get the sense these people have a lot of pent-up energy. But like, a lot. 

When you stop and think about it, it shouldn’tcome as a surprise. Outside of New York City (urban lair, you’ll recall, to the bikemessenger industry, one of the few fields that demands its workers present valid ID in addition to notarized death wish), our region has the consistently worst wait time for wanting to go anywhere. 

There’s a lot of great things about this area. I’ll defend it til the day I die. But if you have the need for speed, brother, you really couldn’t have picked a worse place. 

For that reason, I can completely empathize with anyone around here with a commute and the need to let off steam. There was a time when the only
way for me to make it from point A to B was air-guitaring the spit out of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” (you may have seen me, and you may have laughed, but if you’ve never felt the force of a death-metal cult icon surge through your fingers, you’ve never lived). On the surface of things, there’s nothing wrong with a little dispensation of vigor. Energy is great! Activity is a good thing! Release the endorphins, I always say. Let fly the epinephrine. It’s just when the activity turns to antipathy that I start to get worried. 

Here’s why. 

All jokes aside, my memories of riding bikes with my parents as a kid through the streets of my hometown are some of the sweetest I have. On weekends and some nights after school, we’d visit one of the local parks, or circle around the historic train station. It sat across from an ice cream parlor whose owners knew us by name and flavor order. (Aww.) 

Recently, for old times’ sake, my dad and I tried to recreate the essence of the experience. True, the ice cream shop had long since closed (pour one out for good old Bubblegum Chunk), but we still had our bikes, and our heart. In the spirit of charting new territory, we chucked our two-wheelers in the back of the car and hit the trail close to Arlington Cemetery. 

Things started out pretty OK, I guess. The sky was clear; the day was crisp. Sure, the trail was a little crowded, but we live in a crowded place. These are crowded times. And anyway, even if it wasn’t the most breathing room, if you’ve ever fought to plant both feet on the inside of a rush-hour Metro car, you know it certainly wasn’t the least. 

Which is why I don’t understand how come, after about 10 minutes of strictly single-file riding—all while, I should add here, hugging the right side of the path (yeah, I know about these things)—the other riders started barking at us like little lost lambs. Little lost lambs with a strong, mutton-y tailwind flapping behind. 

These people were out for blood. 

My initial reaction was, of course, one of defense. For the record, I’m no baby sheep. I can shoot un-fluffy eye lasers as good as the next guy, and my bark’s not half bad, if I do say so myself. 

But then I realized it wasn’t just us. That’s just how these people talk to each other. On the trail, apparently, you can forget about eye contact, and any chance for a friendly “How do you do?”. Learn to woof in place of speaking, and bone up on your directional code words (as far as I can tell, grunts count). Most important: Recognize that anyone in headgear who looks like he or she derived from the Cretaceous Period means business. 

I bring all of this up because I know it doesn’t happen everywhere—so I know there’s got to be some other way! But that may not be as obvious as it seems. 

If you’re a NoVA native, like me, then you may be surprised to learn that the greater D.C.-Metro region is a veritable hotspot for cyclists. When you grow up in a place, you don’t realize everything about it you take for granted—but I’ve got a friend who once confided in me that he was offered a job promotion that would require a move to Baltimore, and didn’t take it for the simple fact that Charm City, it seems, doesn’t offer enough resources (trail mix, I guess? I don’t know that I want to know what other stuff a bunch of folks who identify with flesh-hungry canines get into) for the wheelie enthusiast. 

I want to emphasize here that those were his words, mostly, and not mine. God knows the last thing I need is for the bikers to buddy up with the Hons and come pounding down my door with flaming pitchforks fashioned from wheel spokes dunked in hairspray. 

All that aside, however, here’s the crux of the situation: Apparently, we’ve got it going on in a way with the bike paths and stuff! And for that reason, we should all feel welcome to make the most of it. 

So to you, presumed non-superjock, non-Baltimorean reader, I propose a new deal. 

The next time you get the itch to stretch your legs on the trail, you go for it, yeah? 

And I will, too. 

You can rest assured in the knowledge that I lately realized the dino helmet would double great as an on-the-go battering device. And if anybody so much as snarls at us, they’ll have this p.o.’ed ram to answer to.

(March 2012)

We’ve compiled some of NoVA’s hottest spots for book-lovers, as well as this spring’s best releases.

March Must-Reads

‘Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World’
Ian Bremmer
Bremmer argues that the world’s economy lacks a clear leader; the U.S. no longer fills its former role.
March 1, $26.95, Portfolio

‘It’s a Big World, Little Pig!’
Kristi Yamaguchi
The sequel to celebrated figure skater turned author Kristi Yamaguchi’s “Dream Big, Little Pig!” finds the lovable Poppy the Pig on a trip to Paris.
March 1, $16.99, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

‘Ruins’
Orson Scott Card
“Ruins” is a new addition to masterful science-fiction author Card’s “Pathfinder” series, meant for teens but enjoyable for readers of all ages.
March 6, $18.99, Simon Pulse

‘The Song of Achilles’
Madeline Miller
A modern retelling of “The Iliad,” “The Song of Achilles” focuses on the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus.
March 6, $24.99, Ecco

‘National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States, 7th Edition’
National Geographic
An indispensable guide to our nation’s treasured parks bursting with 380 breathtaking photos and 80 maps.
March 13, $26, National Geographic

‘Stay Close’
Harlan Coben
Best-seller Coben’s latest effort is about several suburban citizens with sinister pasts that threaten to boil over into their current idyllic lives.
March 20, $26.95, Dutton Adult

‘A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel’
By George R.R. Martin; adapted by Daniel Abraham; illustrated by Tommy Patterson
The popular fantasy novel that turned into a wildly popular HBO TV series of the same name now gets a new iteration.
March 27, $25, Bantam

‘Amelia Bedelia’s First Vote’
By Herman Parish; illustrated by Lynne Avril
The treasured “Amelia Bedelia” series is still going strong. Herman Parish, nephew of original “Amelia Bedelia” author Peggy Parish, now writes the stories.
April 3, $16.99, Greenwillow

Some extra-special titles this spring

	‘Tough Sh*t: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good’ Kevin Smith The director of the ground-breaking 1994 film “Clerks” and producer of the Oscar-winning “Good Will Hunting,” doles out advice in this book. $25, Gotham Books MARCH 20
	‘Shadow of the Titanic’ Andrew Wilson For years, most Titanic research focused on the ship itself or on the passengers’ ordeals during its sinking. Few stories of survivors’ post-disaster lives have been exposed. That is until now. $25, Atria MARCH 6
	‘Imagine: How Creativity Works’ Jonah Lehrer Creativity is not necessarily a gift, argues Lehrer, but a primarily learned behavior. He also discusses environmental factors, like the effect of colors on a person’s creative output, and argues against brainstorming meetings. $26, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt MARCH 20
	‘Mister Death’s Blue-Eyed Girls’ Mary Downing Hahn The author of the award-winning “Stepping on the Cracks,” bases her latest young adult novel on a true story: the murder of two teenage girls that leaves a small town reeling. $16.99, Clarion APRIL 17

Leesburg First Friday with The Writer’s Center

The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md., offers literary events and instructional workshops throughout the D.C.-Metro area. Leesburg’s popular First Friday events each month feature talks by authors in the Leesburg town hall. Tickets for each discussion are $4 for Writer’s Center members and Leesburg residents; $6 for others.

Here are this spring’s talks:

Pamela Ehrenberg
Making Time to Write
March 2, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Ehrenberg, a former junior high school teacher, is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C. She has written two novels for teens, “Tillmon County Fire” and “Ethan, Suspended.”

L. Peat O’Neil
Writing About Travel and Food
April 6, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
O’Neil wrote for the Washington Post for 17 years. She has also taught at Georgetown University and George Washington University. Hear her discuss the vital importance of sampling foreign cultures’ food when traveling.

Courtesy of Erin Silber (Ehrenberg); courtesy of the Writer’s Center (Peat O’Neil)

Stephen King at the Fall for the Book VIP reception (Courtesy of GMU/ Grace Kendall)

Fall for the Book Spring Events

Marion Winik
March 8, 7 p.m.
George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, Research Building 1, Room 163
Marion Winik is a prolific personal essayist and memoirist. Her book “First Comes Love” has been tapped for a feature film, and her articles regularly appear in publications like The New York Times Magazine.

New Leaves
April 19-20
Authors like Stephen King congregate en masse for GMU’s autumn extravaganza Fall for the Book festival. But Mason also has a spring version of the literary gathering called “New Leaves,” which typically draws lesser-known but equally talented writers. This year’s celebration takes place April 19-20. Visiting writers include Julie Carr, poet and recent recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship; Sabina Murray, award-winning screenwriter and novelist; and distinguished journalist Dick J. Reavis. Visit creativewriting.gmu.edu for more information.

Northern Virginia-Based Literary Journals

Phoebe
Accepts fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art.
www.phoebejournal.com

George Mason Review
Accepts work from all academic disciplines.
gmreview.gmu.edu

ArLiJo, Arlington Literary Journal
Accepts fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art.
arlijo.com

Hispanic Culture Review
Accepts essays, brief narratives, visual art and poetry related to the Hispanic world.
hispanicculturereview.wordpress.com

Gargoyle Magazine
Accepts a wide variety of creative works.
www.gargoylemagazine.com

Independent Bookstores and Literary Venues

Busboys and Poets
4251 S. Campbell Ave., Arlington; 703-379-9757; www.busboysandpoets.com

C & W Used Books
Multiple NoVA locations; 703-968-7323; www.candwused0books.com

Epicure Café
11213-A Lee Highway, Fairfax; 703-352-9193; www.epicurecafe.org

Read All Over
307 William St., Fredericksburg; 540-656-2911

Reston’s Used Book Shop
1623 Washington Plaza, Reston; 703-435-9772; www.restonusedbookshop.com

Richard McKay Used Books
8345 Sudley Road, Manassas; 703-361-9042; www.mckayusedbooks.biz

The Griffin
723 Caroline St., Fredericksburg; 540-899-8041; www.thegriffinbookshopandcoffeebar.com

The Soundry
316 Dominion Road, Vienna; 703-268-3155; www.soundry.net

(March 2012)

By Matt Basheda

Oscar-nominated director Gregg Helvey grew up in Northern Virginia, and graduated from Loudoun Valley High School. He even took his first film class at Monroe Technology Center in Leesburg as a teenager. His master’s thesis, a short film called “Kavi,” took him all the way to the Academy Awards. But an Oscar nomination was not the conclusion of Helvey’s goal for “Kavi.” “Kavi” is the story of a young Indian boy who is enslaved, and works at a brick kiln. Helvey is now a prominent activist in the fight to end modern-day, worldwide slavery, his website for which is kavithemovie.com. Helvey sat down to talk about how this area helped his cause, why he’s glad he didn’t study film as an undergraduate, and how everyone has the power to help shape the world.

Gregg Helvey (Photo Courtesy of Gregg Helvey)

Was it challenging to try to develop as a young director in Northern Virginia, an area not known for producing film?

“I was just having fun, so when it came to making films, they were for high school projects. … I wasn’t ever really thinking about a career in film. Creative people always find ways of being creative, regardless of where they are.”

How did your film class at vo-tech [Monroe Tech Center] help you?

“It was a good opportunity to … have fun and create … and … to learn to not worry about the results but be willing to experiment.”

You majored in French and English in college. Why did you choose these majors? Was it simply because UVA didn’t have a film program at the time?

“I studied English because I just love good stories, and I wanted to become a better writer and a better storyteller. … And as far as French goes, I spent five years learning French before I went to UVA, starting at Blue Ridge Middle School [in Purcellville] all the way through Loudoun Valley High School [in Purcellville], and it really didn’t make sense to me to give it up once I got to college after … investing all of that time in it. I continued taking French … also because I love traveling and exploring other cultures and meeting people along the way. … I got to study abroad in Paris, and teach French at a boarding school in England, and … it’s opened up doors for traveling in Tunisia and Rwanda and other African countries. And I do love meeting people and … learning people’s stories; and with a second language, I can hear even more stories and explore even more parts of the world.”

How did those majors help with your filmmaking career?

“I really value a diversity of life experiences. And that’s why I’m thankful to have not studied film during undergraduate. I think different life experiences and studying things other than film is what will make films richer. … But I’m a little torn sometimes when younger people ask for advice about going to film school right after high school, because I think it’s really important to study other things and maybe do a graduate program or something for film, because that other life experience will inform what you do.”

At what point in your life did you begin to consider professional film as a potential career?

“Basically, once I took my first film analysis course at UVA, everything clicked for me. And everything just made sense. And I loved everything that I was learning, and everything came naturally for me, and it was a great fit. … The issue was that UVA didn’t have any production courses at that time, so … that summer I applied to NYU and did their summer film production workshop. But still, film didn’t seem like a realistic option after college, because unlike most professions, there’s really no clear path to get into the film business. But I guess … everything in film is unpredictable, and … it’s a risky career path. But it can be really rewarding.”

Do you have other jobs besides film?

“I do a lot of speaking engagements, and workshops, and that’s my day job, while I’m getting my next film ready. I really enjoy … being able to share my story and my journey and hopefully encourage other people who are interested not only in film production but just following their passions and their dreams to do what they have always dreamt of doing. … I will often do a screening of “Kavi” and give a talk or a workshop based around the film that can be directly related to filmmaking or it can focus on modern-day slavery and using it as an opportunity to raise awareness, and looking at ways that we can all use our gifts to serve causes bigger than ourselves.”

You grew up in Northern Virginia, but now you live in LA, and you’re involved with the film industry—pretty different from NoVA’s lifestyle. So now when you visit, what do you think of this area?

“Yeah, it’s very different from Los Angeles, but … I enjoy this area the most in the fall and in the spring, but mostly the spring because the air is, at least out in the countryside, it’s just so sweet, and obviously you don’t get that in Los Angeles. And I grew up out in the countryside on gravel roads and kind of in the middle of nowhere, and … I really like the quiet.”

Film still: Kavi at the brick kiln where he is forced to work as a modern-day slave. (Photo courtesy Gregg Helvey)

Has Northern Virginia influenced your film at all?

“I think being close to D.C. was fundamental for me because it was the … location that made it possible for me to go work … at National Geographic Traveler magazine right after I graduated at UVA. And working at the magazine was so important because it was there that the editor I was working for, he was part of a nonprofit started to help save kids forced into sex labor in Eastern Europe, and that’s how I first learned that slavery still exists. And I was, you know, shocked to learn that, and since that moment had always wanted to tell people that slavery still exists, and that partly informed my approach to filmmaking, in terms of using stories to raise awareness, to make a difference, but also to entertain and engage people in a way that can lead them to want to make changes.”

You tend to film in exotic locations, at least in relation to the American suburbs, but would you ever consider filming here, in NoVA?

“Yeah, I would consider filming in Northern Virginia, if the story calls for it. … But … there’s always got to be a reason; it always has to be motivated. And I’m sure it’s possible to find an interesting story that ties into Northern Virginia that people may not be aware of. For me, when thinking about the films that I want to make, my priority is to tell a powerful story that takes the audience on a journey emotionally, and leaves the audience better off for having seen the film, and as long as I can still do that, then it doesn’t really matter where it’s shot.”

Have you ever run into serious danger while filming [overseas]?

“I produced a film in Kenya, and we had to have armed guards with AK-47s on set, because there was a lot of expensive film equipment. … And there was one point where we were [filming] in a small village … and we found out that there were some armed bandits heading our way, so we actually had to get armed reinforcements from another village and set up a perimeter as a deterrent. … So luckily we had a great line producer who was a local, and able to make that happen really quickly.”

Do you think “Kavi” has succeeded so far as a call to action?

“I used to think that the idea of raising awareness was a cliché until I realized that I couldn’t have even made “Kavi” without someone else raising awareness and telling me that slavery still exists. … Don’t underestimate the power of awareness, because you never know how someone else will respond and how they may take action. … “Kavi” has made a concrete difference. “One in particular is Sagar Salunke, who plays Kavi. … The Indian government … made a commitment to pay for Sagar’s education for the rest of his life. So that was a huge difference for a 12-year-old boy who didn’t have the benefit of this before. “And one of the other things is that I’ve been able to partner with International Justice Mission, which is based in Northern Virginia, and they have licensed the film, and translated and dubbed the film into three more Indian languages. And so what they’re doing … is screening it for 10,000 schoolchildren and law enforcement and local government officials all across southern India. “One other thing is that [“Kavi”] was used to help pass legislation in the California Senate requiring businesses to examine their supply chains for any elements of slavery.”

What advice do you have for kids who are currently in the same situation you once were—starting a film career from scratch in the suburbs?

“In no particular order: Work hard. Be nice. Be humble. Get a job working as a production assistant on a film set. Move to Los Angeles. Study a variety of subjects. Travel and experience the world. Watch great movies. Read great scripts. Learn how you can serve others. Make lots of short films. And learn by trial and error.”

(February 2012)

Mary Mattingly, “Everything You Own Including the Shirt Off My Back” Courtesy Robert Mann Gallery

Fledgling Programs Don’t Scare Rosanna Ruscetti.

As the newly hired director of programming at the 1-going-on-2-years-open Artisphere, Rosanna Ruscetti brings with her decades of experience navigating the ins and outs of art centers. Over the past 20 years, she turned George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium into a fully functioning, thriving arts program. Now that she’s working on this side of the Key Bridge, what can we expect from Arlington’s young art center in 2012?

“I’m looking at program possibilities and getting familiar with what works well in various spaces,” says Ruscetti. “There’s a good territorial team here—I think we’re going to have a good programming mix.”

One concern from spectators and critics is that Artisphere’s lack of a robust theater would hold them back from achieving substantial success, but Ruscetti isn’t flinching. “You have to be adaptive,” states Ruscetti. Her key to Artisphere’s flourishing relies on what the art center does have to offer, such as a vast array of programs, including nights of dancing, visual arts, film festivals, etc. And visitor-to-artist interaction. With a healthy mix of both local and touring artists, the center gives the community the chance to look on and experience art as it is formed, shaped.

“We’ll try to create that component as often as possible, when feasible,” says Ruscetti. “It’s important to give people that insight for artists that are based here. I think those artists want that kind of exchange.”