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A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Beer

They werebest pals at Loudoun Valley High School and now they are the three young partners in a fledgling, foamy craft beer business located in Leesburg that is definitely not your grandfather’s favorite watering hole.

50 West—A Fortunate Change in Ownership

In addition to the town of Middleburg, I visited many of the area’s inns, restaurants, equestrian events and some of the wineries. I’d been blogging about Virginia wine for some time and had been to all the local wineries except one. Leaves of Grass near Aldie seemed to be perpetually closed. So when I drove by and saw an “Open” sign, I pulled off of Route 50 and drove up the twisting, rutted gravel path that passed for a winery lane.

Puppy Love for Dean and the Disabled

by Leonard Shapiro If you happen to run into Joan Symansky on a back street…

Side Saddle Chase Coming to Oatlands

The second annual Side Saddle Chase will take place April 17 at the Loudoun Point-to-Point races at Oatlands Plantation. The brainchild of local sidesaddle rider Maggie Johnston, this year’s race is part of a three-race triple crown that is attracting international attention.

It’s Fine Dine and Wine at Grandale Vintner’s Table

Grandale Vintner’s Table marks something of an evolution in the fine dining experience. Known as the Grandale Restaurant for the past ten years, a shift from the formal to the more casual atmosphere has left new and old patrons thrilled.

Like Father Like Son at Marshall Post Office

It is very labor intensive around here in the morning,” said Blair Lear, postmaster in Marshall. Lear’s day had begun, as it often does, at 5 a.m. with a huge shipment of parcels arriving from Amazon.  “And wehaven’t even received the UPS shipment yet.” 

Lear has served as Marshall’s postmaster since 2005.

“I had been in Amissville,” he said. “And in 2004, my boss asked if I would help out briefly in Marshall as officer in charge.”

An Olympic Horseman Looks Back at Fun and Games

Middleburg’s Jim Wofford won a team silver medal at the Mexico City Olympics aboard Kilkenny in 1968. Over his illustrious career, Jim won team silver at the 1972 Munich Olympics, individual silver at the 1980 Fontainebleau Alternate Olympics, individual bronze at the 1970 World Championships and team bronze at the 1978 World Championships. He’s also served as president of the American Horse Shows Association and vice president of the USET and been inducted into the U.S. Eventing Hall of Fame. Today, he travels the country as a highly sought after clinician and coach. This article first appeared in The Practical Horseman.

Help and Collecting Dogs

Both British and Americans divide breeds of dogs into seven groups. For the Brits, their terminology of gun dogs, pastoral and utility dogs correspond to the American sporting, herding and non-sporting groups.

Both countries use hounds, terriers, toys and working dogs for the other four groups. It’s simple enough until one discovers, for instance, that a Boston terrier is not a terrier, but a toy.

In the Country, Who Needs Big City Dog Grooming

Three years ago, our beloved pups, Sophie and Isabel, made the transition from city to country life with nary a woof of dismay.

They were seven years old and accustomed to a predictable regimen of leashed walks on urban sidewalks and occasional visits to the local dog park. Those visits were more for our benefit than theirs, as they clearly had an unabashed disdain for such contrivances.

Of Note: What’s Goin’ On

The 91st running of the Virginia Gold Cup, one of the premier steeplechase events in the country, is scheduled Saturday, May 7 at Great Meadow in The Plains.

After great success with pari-mutuel betting, the perk continues on site.  The Virginia Gold Cup, and October’s International Gold Cup, are the only Northern Virginia venues to offer sanctioned betting. The widely-acclaimed West Point Alumni Glee Club will sing the National Anthem at the event, performing at noon.