Season Change Marks Return of Oktoberfest to Old Town Winchester
by Michael Bradford It’s that time of year when the hills around Shenandoah Valley are painted in Autumn’s colors, the last apples are picked from the orchards, and the air in Old Town Winchester is crisp and the atmosphere warm. Residents and visitors savor this beautiful season by dining al fresco in one of Old Town’s many restaurants, or finding that one-of-a-kind treasure in one of the many boutiques. On October 17 and 18, the streets of Old Town Winchester will reverberate with “Gutan tag” and “Ein prosit” as visitors are welcomed to another Gateway Funding Octobeer Fest. This two-day event is a great foundation for a weekend trip to Winchester. Octobeer Fest merges a wine and beer festival with a spirited revelry that has lasted generations. Oktoberfest is a German tradition that began on the fields of Bavaria roughly two centuries ago. The 19th century had barely begun when Prince Ludwig invited the citizens to celebrate his marriage to Princess Therese. The following year it was decided that such a great time was had by all, the prudent action would be to repeat the celebration, and thus Oktoberfest commenced. More than 25 different craft beers — several of them seasonal brews — and 15 wines from around the globe will surely satisfy wine enthusiasts and craft beer buffs alike. Beers like Löwenbräu Original and Krombacer Dark, and Erbacher and Matheus wineries have added a German Season Change Marks Return of Oktoberfest to Old Town Winchester by Michael Bradford flavor in the past, and should offer delicious choices again this year. Oktoberfest staples kielbasa and pretzels, courtesy of Village Market Bistro and Jordan Springs Market BBQ, will be on hand to complement the spirits on tap. Throughout the event live entertainment will accentuate the ambiance of the mall with traditional Biergarten oompah music echoing down Loudoun Street courtesy of the Edelweiss Band. Hailing from the Washington, D.C. area, current and previous members of The Edelwiess Band have been entertaining crowds in the region since 1969. After the success of last year’s Octobeer Fest, they are returning to Old Town Winchester to bring a blend of woodwind, brass horns, and percussion that will have attendees wanting to dance along with their take on traditional themes. If the spirit of the music, and maybe of the drink, moves you to the dance floor but you are an einsteiger (beginner), don’t worry because there will be, on hand, a troupe of Bavarian dancers spinning, gliding and instructing onlookers. So don’t be shy, and come prepared to dance! Entertainment won’t be limited to the established event area. Amid other attractions, an accordion player...
It’s a Classic: The Staunton Music Festival
by Fred Wish The city of Staunton, Virginia is known as a hub for all sorts of music. Bluegrass, jazz, blues and rock ‘n’ roll have found a home in the clubs, restaurants and backyard jam sessions in this city of 23,000 nestled in the central Shenandoah Valley among the foothills of the Blue Ridge. With all the contemporary music available in Staunton, it may be surprising to some that a standout event of the year is the Staunton Music Festival’s summer celebration of the form generally known as classical music – although present-day composers also attract enthusiastic fans. 2014 marks the 17th annual gathering of world-class vocalists and instrumental performers for 10 days of the best in traditional and modern chamber music. The Summer Festival began as a modest gathering of a handful of musicians, mainly music instructors and professors from nearby colleges, who gathered for a weekend of community concerts, a project brought to life by noted harpsichordist Carsten Schmidt. The following year, a few more musicians joined in and a few more music lovers showed up to listen to and discover chamber music. Thanks to the quality of the music and the efforts of Schmidt, the festival’s Artistic Director, along with Executive Director and music historian Jason Stell and a dedicated group of Staunton Music Festival members and volunteers, the festival has expanded to its present form. This year’s festival runs from August 15 through the 24th and features performances in several venues scattered through Staunton’s historic downtown area. Notable among them are the Trinity Episcopal Church, which was built in 1855 and houses a Taylor and Boody organ, and the Blackfriars Playhouse, the only replica of the London theater famed for serving as an indoor theatrical home to William Shakespeare’s acting company. Other venues for this year’s festival include Central United Methodist Church, and Hunt Hall at Mary Baldwin College. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church is the only location outside the downtown area and will be the site of a noontime organ recital played on that church’s own magnificent Taylor and Boody organ. The Summer Festival attracts performers from all over the world, thanks in large measure to Schmidt, whose professional travels put him in the company of musicians with the talent and team spirit to match the needs of the festival. Of the more than 60 musicians who will gather in Staunton, fully two-thirds come from outside Virginia, with many European and Canadian participants. Kathy Moore, who is handling public relations for the 2014 Summer Festival, says one reason for its success is that the festival is truly “rooted in the community.” Local residents host...
Winchester Dental Spa
Helping people fall in love with their smiles by Sasha Braithwaite photos by Monika Wertman For some, it is a normal appointment done at least twice a year. For others, it is a necessary evil. Going to the dentist has haunted many people since childhood, and it has the ability to unnerve the bravest person. However, it does not have to be that way. Dr. Tammie Miller, at Winchester Dental Spa, has centered her entire practice around not only the best care for her patients, but also ensuring that they can take a situation that is daunting for many and turn it into time well spent. Winchester Dental Spa opened in May 2014 and has already made an impressive debut with its state-ofthe-art offers and equipment. Dr. Miller, who has been in practice for 18 years, recognized that many of her patients were afraid of going to the dentist for one reason or another. She had moved her practice from Stephens City, Va., to Winchester, Va., and wanted to bring a new concept with her. She and her husband Jackie, the spa’s business manager, made it a joint effort and created a well-developed establishment that would cater to patients’ needs while striving to enhance their overall experience. “I wanted to gear it towards relaxation because a lot of people, when they come to the dentist, are really afraid, so I wanted to try to help them relax as much as I could,” Dr. Miller says. At the front of the office is a seating area decorated unlike any dentist office most have ever seen. Beautiful wood paneling fills the entire building, and professional-quality pictures taken by some of her employees are sprinkled throughout the rooms. There is a mini fridge of drinks, and cookies are baked fresh daily for patients. There are flat screen TVs in each room so the patients can watch whatever they would like, and there is also a massage chair for customer use that completely engulfs and thoroughly massages the body. And for many patients, the most important benefit is that Dr. Miller often uses a painless laser in many of her procedures. There are even more spa-like services offered, but the best part is that all of these features are complimentary of Dr. Miller. Most people see “spa” in the name and assume that procedures and visits would be even more expensive than a regular dental office. However, the prices are the same as they were when she had her practice in Stephens City before incorporating the spa aspect. “Everything is complimentary because she wants her customer to feel appreciated,” Jackie explains. “She goes...
The Purple Iris
A local hidden gem By Sasha Braithwaite photos by Monika Wertman Pulling into the Purple Iris with its 17 acres of beautifully landscaped property is enough to make any visitor forget that it is located just off of busy Route 11. A grand manor of stony structure serves as the pinnacle part of the property and gives the impression that visitors are about to encounter elegance and romantic gardens. A frame of woodlands encompasses the house and property, creating a secluded vestige of centuries past. Owners Daniel and Tiffany Harshbarger purchased the Purple Iris in March 2002. Both Daniel, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and Tiffany had been involved in the restaurant industry since they were teenagers and were looking for an establishment to call their own. While the previous owners ran the Purple Iris mainly as a venue for weddings and events, the Harshbargers decided to not only let it continue that role, but they also expanded further, incorporating a restaurant on the second level of the house and catering on and off site. Originally named Hartwood Mansion, the house was built in 1929 as the private home of George Mulliss. He served as the vice president and director of operations at the Martinsburg mill of the Interwoven Stocking Company, the largest employer in Berkeley County during the Great Depression. According to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory, Hartwood was built and modeled after Georgian Revival Architecture and is still considered an architectural achievement in Berkeley County today. Georgian Revival, or Neo-Georgian Architecture, essentially means that the design of the home was created to look like a Georgian manor and seem older than it actually is in appearance. “It’s just magnificent—the architecture of the house,” Tiffany beams. “I never get tired of looking at it.” Known to be a wedding venue, the Purple Iris hosts an average of about 50 wedding receptions a year with 75 percent of them also being the wedding ceremony location. While their peak wedding season runs from April to October, winter weddings are not unheard of and are accommodated indoors. Almost every week the Purple Iris hosts some sort of special occasion, whether it be a major event, wedding ceremony or reception. There is a beautiful glass room adjacent to the house which seats 130 guests as well as large tent outside that holds about 220 guests. Inside are inviting rooms on the first floor where guests can mingle, get a drink from the mini bar and have designated gift and cake-cutting areas. In addition to the house, there are three rooms available for guests to...
Kitchen Kapers
14th Annual Kitchen Kapers Tour Five Fabulous Designer Kitchens by Maggie Wolff Peterson photos by Lauri Bridgeforth This will be the fourteenth year for Kitchen Kapers, a fundraiser that came about for Winchester’s Quota Club after one of its members attended a similar event in Ohio. This year’s event is Sunday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 5 p.m., and includes five designer kitchens. Each year, the club determines which non-profit organizations will receive the proceeds. This year’s Kitchen Kapers will benefit Special Love, an organization for children with cancer that organizes family events as well as Camp Fantastic, a summer camp in Front Royal, Va. Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event, and are available at Kimberly’s and Simply Charming in downtown Winchester, and The Daily Grind on Jubal Early Drive. Also, PayPal is an option. Click on www.winchester.quota.org. and follow the links. At each of the five houses on the tour, local vendors will offer a taste of their wares. These include Valerie Hill Winery in Stephens City, Va.; eM Restaurant in Old Town Winchester; The Cookie Guy in Berryville, Va., I.J. Cann’s in Winchester’s Creekside Station and Cajun Experience, the restaurant at the restored Taylor Hotel on Winchester’s Loudoun Street Mall. At each house, a door prize also will be awarded. Additionally, several retailers in Winchester have agreed to donate a portion of their receipts to Kitchen Kapers. “It’s a portion of their sales for a certain time in the day,” says Linda Vickers, event co-chair. “Whatever they sell, they give us a percentage.” Vickers, a Winchester native, says that finding houses to include in Kitchen Kapers means relying on referrals. “Word of mouth, and people I have met over the years,” says Vickers. 1. Niessner Kitchen When you’ve been in as many homes as Marty Niessner, you get a good idea of what you like. Niessner, principal of 41 Construction LLC in Winchester, has renovated a lot of kitchens. He’s torn down walls, constructed islands, installed countertops, hung lighting. He’s helped homeowners through the thicket of selecting which surfaces, appliances, flooring, fixtures and cabinetry makes the best sense for their aesthetic and budget. He’s seen drab kitchens become dramatic ones. So when he first laid eyes on the mid-century brick home in Winchester’s Whittier Acres (910 Isaac Street), he saw the bones of a good house. What he and his wife, Beth, have done with it goes beyond updating. The interior is now an architectural statement: an open floor plan on the main level that centers on a floating fireplace and focuses on the kitchen. The remodel took...
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