Ashburn Magazine | September/October 2023

LEADER OF THE PACK

Ashburn

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4

PUBLISHER

Bruce Potter publisher@ashburnmagazine.com

571-333-1538

EDITOR

Chris Wadsworth editor@ashburnmagazine.com

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From the Publisher

A PLACE FULL OF FAMILIAR FACES

With our kids now college-aged and older, my wife and I are starting to think about downsizing, so we’ve spent quite a few weekends recently touring various open houses around Ashburn. At one house recently, the Realtor told us how she had handled the sale of the house to the current owner, who bought it from none other than a former director of the CIA.

Sure enough, a quick web search revealed the original owner of the house was Gina Haspel, CIA director from 2018 to 2021.

As editor Chris Wadsworth writes in this month’s feature on Ambassador Hersey Kyota, in Ashburn you never know who you will meet. And this issue of Ashburn Magazine certainly captures that, along with the diversity that makes our community so great.

Our cover story, starting on Page 20, profiles local resident Christine Chang, whose desire for more fashionable yet affordable dog products led her to leave her career in healthcare and start a company called Sassy Woof. Just five years later, Sassy Woof’s colorful leashes, harnesses and more are sold at major retailers throughout the world, and the company is so successful that Chang’s husband left his full-time job to join her team.

currently filling in as co-host of “Great Day Washington,” a morning lifestyle show on WUSA-TV Channel 9. And then there’s Kyota, who moved to Ashburn with his wife in 2020. Kyota is the ambassador from the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau, and he’s also the longest-serving ambassador in the United States currently, which makes him the dean of the diplomatic corps and entitles him to additional rights and privileges. Meet him and learn a little bit about his homeland in the Q&A feature starting on Page 38. So next time you’re stocking up at the grocery store, walking along one of our beautiful trails or enjoying dinner at a local restaurant, pay attention – that face that looks familiar might actually be famous.

©2023 Rappahannock Media LLC.

Ashburn Magazine is published every other month and distributed to over 13,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Ashburn Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden.

Two features this month profile some neighbors who may look familiar. Our Wine & Dine feature (Page 30) is on Boyd Brown III, a local chef who has become a popular creator of cooking videos on TikTok and Instagram. In the Our Neighbors profile (Page 14), you’ll meet the Keltz family, including mom Elaine Keltz,

BRUCE POTTER, PUBLISHER PUBLISHER@ASHBURNMAGAZINE.COM

Furniture From Fungi

Local students look forward to a sustainable future

When you picture someone sitting on a mushroom, you might think of a fat, old bullfrog perched atop a toadstool in some children’s fairy tale. You probably don’t think of a bench, a table and stools in a school’s sunny atrium. But that’s what you will find at Belmont Ridge Middle School in Ashburn.

“It’s awesome to be able to grow your own furniture,” said Ferri Riar, a research scientist and the founder of Orblynx Academy. Orblynx is a Northern Virginia company that offers a wide variety of STEM-related enrichment programs for area students.

As part of the academy’s Summer Sustainability Program at Belmont Ridge, five area high school students learned all about mycelium – a thread-like tissue that makes up mushrooms – and how to turn it into actual usable, durable furniture.

“This project has been challenging, yet very rewarding,” said Elham Fakhro, a junior at Riverside High School. “Our team spent several weeks designing the best way to create mycelium furniture. It took multiple trials, but our final project shows

how far mycelium can take us to create a sustainable way of living.”

The word “sustainable” is key to the whole project. Instead of cutting down a tree or mining metal, the students showed that one could grow the specific material needed to make the various items, which in addition to the furniture included a sign board and pots for plants. And should the items wind up in a landfill, they will break

Fall into More Holistic Learning

down quickly and harmlessly instead of lasting for hundreds or thousands of years. Using wood chips, hemp fiber and bamboo, the students created the shapes of the items they needed – including the table top, the tops of four stools and the top of a bench. They then coaxed the mycelium to grow in and around the framework – while carefully keeping it in the mycelium stage so they didn’t grow into full mushrooms. Depending on the methods used, the final product can be as soft as foam or as hard as a wooden board.

The metal bases and legs all came from old, rusty furniture that was ready to be thrown out. They were sanded and painted with an eco-friendly milk paint.

“The most important thing was being persistent,” said Chinenye Ilodianya, a senior at Riverside. “Whenever we ran into a problem, whether it had to do with the strength of the furniture or maintaining the mycelium’s health, we immediately began thinking of ways we could solve it. The end products are better than we ever could have imagined.”

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Riar believes this project – growing sustainable mycelium furniture – may be a first in the nation for high school students. The other members of the team were Katarina Walordy, a junior at Riverside; Olivia Nugent, a sophomore at Riverside, and Riar’s daughter, Mahsa, a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax.

“I’m overwhelmed at the fruit of their efforts, their not giving up, and the learning that has taken place,” Riar said.

Katie Johnson, principal at Belmont Ridge – where all five girls in the group attended middle school – watched the product unfold over this summer and says it has been a marvel.

“The mission of Loudoun County Public Schools is empowering all students to make meaningful contributions to the world –and here we go,” Johnson said. “They are fulfilling that.” A

Avoid a Benched Kid, Understanding Growth Plate Injuries

Fall brings with it crisp weather, the smell of apple pies baking and of course…fall sports for our kids! If your child has ever come home from practice complaining of heel or knee pain, undoubtedly you’ve wondered if this could be something more serious than just overuse. Be on the lookout for knee and heel pain, which if not quickly addressed, can result in growth plate injuries benching your young athlete.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘growing pains’, but what really is that! During growth spurts bones and muscles grow at different speeds causing a tug of war. When bone growth exceeds muscle growth, the muscles feel tight and sore until they catch up to the new length of the bone. The greater tension on the tendons connecting the muscle to the bone and the combination of growth spurts and fall sports makes a child prone to injuries such as Osgood-Schlatter Disease of the knees and Sever’s Disease of the heels.

How susceptible your child may be to these injuries depends on many factors. How fast they’re growing and how tight their

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muscles are. Some signs of tight muscles include: feet toeing in, appearance of knock knees or even flat feet. A simple test such as our Foot Scan readily identifies pronation, knee rotation and your child’s propensity of experiencing growth plate injuries. Even if your child has not experienced any of these symptoms, It’s a good idea to have the Foot Scan done.

Treatment options range from ordering our custom orthotics, correcting the misalignment of the feet, ankle, knees and hips, to loosening up tight muscles with stretching. In fact our objective is to prevent growth plate injuries from occurring.

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Local Girl Wins National Inline Roller Skating Title

Congratulations to Everly Livingston. The 12-year-old Ashburn Village resident recently won the World Skate Junior Inline Women Free Skate Championship at the USA Roller Sports National Championships in Lincoln, Neb.

Everly has been ice skating since age 2, but when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down ice rinks, she turned to inline roller skating in order to continue to train. Now, she competes in both disciplines.

“The seasons partially overlap so she has had to get comfortable with switching between her ice and roller skates each week,” said Everly’s mom, Donna Livingston. “She is also doing triple jumps on her ice skates and only double jumps on her roller skates, and spins are completely different on blades than wheels.”

Everly’s long-term dream is to compete for Team USA and to travel internationally for both ice and roller skating.

Stone Bridge Teen Advocates for Diabetes Research

Emory Ellis, a senior at Stone Bridge High School, was chosen to join a delegation of his peers and celebrity advocates in Washington this summer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 2023 Children’s Congress

Emory, along with more than 160 other youths from across the country, met with members of Congress and other leaders in July to discuss the critical role they can play in supporting efforts to fund Type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.

“I was diagnosed with T1D when I was 12 years old,” Emory

said. “I want to teach more people, especially our nation’s leaders, about what it’s like to live with T1D and why it is important to make insulin affordable for all and support T1D researchers working on better treatments and a cure.”

Together, the delegates hoped to convey to the federal government that T1D is a global issue that requires a global response. A

Lights, Camera … Family!

The Keltzes find together time in the spotlight

When you think of the world of modeling, you probably picture beautiful people, bright lights and glamorous locations while the cameras flash. What you probably don’t envision is – to put it delicately – doggie doo-doo.

“One time four of us got booked for a Virginia Beach tourism shoot,” said Broadlands mom Elaine Keltz. “We were supposed to look like a content and happy family sharing a picnic dinner overlooking a lake and right as we start in, a dog pulls up – out of camera shot, but right near us – and poops.”

The family did the best they could not to react or laugh, but Keltz also says she never saw those photos appear anywhere. “I’m going to assume they didn’t make the cut,” she said.

Ah, such is the life of the typical family next door – a family that also spends a lot of time in front of cameras.

The Keltz Family consists of dad Billy; mom Elaine; son Jaden, 16; daughter Nina, 14, and daughter Alyssa, 13.

You may have spotted Elaine recently because she has taken on one of her most high-profile jobs yet. At press time, she is co-hosting “Great Day Washington,” a morning lifestyle show on WUSA-TV Channel 9, the local CBS affiliate. She’s filling in for regular host Ellen Bryan, who is on maternity leave.

She calls it a long-time dream come true. “I couldn’t break into the D.C. morning

show scene – and I tried. But there are only so many stations, and each has their morning show with established hosts. So, I kept doing other things and when the opportunity came, I went for it.”

The other things Elaine mentions include a resume filled with jobs that put her in front of the public. After nearly a decade in pharmaceutical sales, she entered the Mrs. D.C. America contest in 2015 – and won. This pivot point in life led to gigs hosting several shows on Comcast’s community cable channel, appearing in commercials for real estate brokers, car dealerships and jewelry stores and even acting in some locally produced films.

“Looking back, I really think it was my experience as a drug rep that prepared me for a career in media. I learned how to be a good ‘people person.’ I learned how to charm my way through a door,” she said. “I learned to be tenacious, not give up and to take ‘no’ with a grain of salt. I learned to have a thick skin.”

But it wasn’t just Elaine who was smitten with the bright lights of television and

commercial work. Her kids took notice, and each in their own way has pursued a similar path.

Nina, a freshman at Briar Woods High School, may be the most serious about it at this point. She has an agent and is regularly hired for modeling jobs around the region – including high-fashion shoots and runway modeling.

“My first modeling experience was when I walked a runway for a nonprofit organization when I was 5 years old,” Nina said. “I had so much fun … I wasn’t nervous at all.”

Nina has been hired several times by Spirit Halloween, the big Halloween décor and costume store. When you’re looking for a kid’s costume online, she’s one of the young people you see on the Spirit website

modeling the crazy outfits.

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“I was so thrilled to be cast for Spirit Halloween,” she said. “It was my first solo shoot I had ever done, and it was cool because I had to get into character and do fun poses that went with the costume.”

Jaden, a sophomore at Briar Woods, and Alyssa, an eighth-grader at Eagle Ridge Middle, have agents as well and get their fair share of jobs, too – bookings they try to balance with sports, schoolwork and hanging with friends.

“It’s a funny thing – sometimes my son gets booked a ton and Nina will say, ‘He doesn’t even really like it’ – although he does,”

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says, ‘I’ll go.’”

Billy Keltz, whose day job is an account director with an area software company, doesn’t mind being pulled into the family business when it’s called for. He enjoys seeing his wife and kids doing something they really enjoy.

“When they need a back-up dad, this real dad is happy to help out,” he said. The old saying about ducks looking serene on the surface, but underwater they are paddling furiously might best describe the Keltz family during any given week – so many different schedules to manage.

“I love being a ‘momager,’” said Elaine, referring to the mashup of “mom” and “manager.”

“It’s really no different from managing the sports schedule and the home/school shuffle. It’s a lot of juggling, [but] somehow we’ve made it work. We work together a lot and it’s been a lot of fun. Long car rides to set locations, overnights and free snacks on set make for great bonding with the kids. Also, it’s funny when I’m hired to ‘act’ as their mom on a shoot. I am their mom.” A

In April 2021, as Rebecca Hall was preparing to bring home an 8-week-old mini Labradoodle puppy named Olive, she stopped at an area PetSmart for basic supplies.

“This was my first pet, and I was nervous,” Hall admitted.

The Broadlands resident studied the store’s vast display of harnesses, collars and leashes. After comparing brands, Hall chose a light blue harness with a dinosaur pattern made by a company called Sassy Woof. “Olive was tiny, so I was concerned about comfort, and this one was soft and padded,” she said.

What Hall didn’t know is that Sassy Woof is actually a booming business owned by a local woman. Olive’s harness was designed by none other than Lansdowne resident Christine Chang, Sassy Woof’s founder and creative director. Chang is a native Loudoun County resident, born and raised in Sterling. Chang’s husband, Arturo Chang, officially joined the company about a year ago as its chief operations officer.

Based in Sterling, Sassy Woof creates a popular line of stylish accessories for dogs and their owners – think color-coordinated harnesses, collars, leashes, bows, bandanas, pet waste bags, blankets, shirts, the list goes on. The items are sold online and at retailers and boutiques worldwide.

LEADEROF THE

CANINE FASHIONISTAS

One can’t visit Sassy Woof offices without first getting past the security officer, Winston, a chocolate-colored Dachshund with big brown eyes and an even bigger bark.

“He’s friendly, but he loves to make noise,” said Christine, as she scooped her other Dachshund, a light, silky-haired beauty named Maya, into her arms.

“Winston and Maya are the inspiration behind the Sassy Woof brand,” Christine said. “Maya is our Sassy model, the face of

our company, and Winston – well, he’s the Woof,” she explained as Winston and Maya dashed off to play with friends in the warehouse. Most of Sassy Woof’s more than 20 employees bring their pups to work.

Chang did not always own dogs. In 2015, she was a full-time project manager in the healthcare industry when she agreed to pet sit a friend’s Dachshund. “I fell in love with the breed, so I wanted one.”

By 2016, Winston and Maya were running the house, while Chang spent her spare time creating Instagram accounts for each dog and posting fun videos of them wearing fashionable outfits.

“I discovered that I loved being a social media influencer for dogs,” Christine said.

“But I noticed there was a gap in the market for stylish, affordable dog products. Hence, the creation of Sassy Woof.”

At home after work, Chang – who had no experience in sewing and learned from watching YouTube videos –  began making colorful dog bows and bandanas, which her dogs modeled on Instagram and she sold online. As product lines and sales increased, she networked with outside vendors, mostly in China and India, for bulk production of her

Colorful leashes from Sassy Woof sit coiled and waiting for customers.

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creations. Packing and fulfillment was handled in Chang’s basement with the help of her mother, Thanh-Hai Nguyen, and her niece, Aileen Giang – then 8, but soon to turn 12 –both residents of Belmont Country Club.

“My customer base started with the relationships I had formed with social media followers,” Christine said. All social media accounts combined, Sassy Woof now has more than 300,000 followers, mainly on Instagram and Facebook.

OFF-THE-LEASH SUCCESS

After officially launching in 2018, Sassy Woof moved into its first office space in 2020, and the company will celebrate its fifth anniversary in October. Chang noted that a lot has happened during those years, including the birth of her two children. She

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left her full-time healthcare career in 2019 to devote herself to building the company.

Sassy Woof has now sold more than 1.5 million products around the world. Its products are available at more than 600 boutiques worldwide, as well as at about 1,300 PetSmart stores and 300 Walmarts.

Online, Sassy Woof is sold on multiple websites, including PetSmart, Walmart, Petco, Chewy, Costco Next, Kohl’s, Kroger, Giant Eagle and Verishop. Chang’s designs have been featured on “Good Morning America,” as well as in a variety of print and online publications.

The product line includes an evolving array of collections and patterns, ranging from flowers and Christmas plaids to superheroes and television characters. Chang collaborates with big names like DC Comics, Warner Bros., Disney, and Mattel to turn out products featuring the likes of Batman, Mickey Mouse, Scooby-Doo, and Harry Potter.

“A lot of our customers watched those shows growing up, so it’s nostalgic,” said Christine, who is excited about some upcoming new Barbie-themed products, thanks to the huge interest in the recent blockbuster movie “Barbie.”

Chang is the daughter of Vietnamese parents who came to America in 1985 with little cash, but large dreams, she says.

“To start the company, I borrowed money from my mother, but I was able to pay her back almost immediately. The first year, we invested everything back into the business,” said Christine, who has watched sales steadily increase ever since.

At first, Arturo Chang admits he was skeptical of his wife’s vision.

“She had a stable career. I thought it was a ridiculous idea, but I told her she had my support,” he said. But by 2022, Arturo was a believer, and he left his own full-time career as an attorney to help with the company’s day-to-day operations.

“Life is based on risks,” Arturo said. “Sassy Woof remains Christine’s creation, and never in a million years would I have thought I would be working with her – for her – doing this. It’s been an incredible experience watching her balance being a mom, boss, owner and entrepreneur all at the same time, while taking a business from the basement to being a global brand in just five years.”

Sassy Woof also gives back to the community, donating time, products and a portion of proceeds to animal charities. Christine said the company has already donated more than $14,000 this year to local and national rescues.

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Sassy Woof’s chief photographer, Alex Bilbo, has been with the company since 2020. “The biggest compliment is when people ask if we are all family,” Bilbo said. “That’s how tight our team is.”

Bilbo, who graduated from Briar Woods High School and lives in Loudoun Station, said she never imagined she could find a creative photography job in the suburbs after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in mass communications and marketing.

“It’s a unique find among all the data centers and big warehouses, and I’m thankful for a job that fulfills my artistic needs while offering good benefits.”

Lansdowne resident Judy Nabong has a long history with Sassy Woof, first as a customer and then as an employee. Like Christine Chang, Nabong created a successful Instagram following for her dog, Krispy Kreme, a fluffy white Bichon Frisé.

“I had seen other dogs on Instagram wearing Sassy Woof products,” Nabong said. One day Nabong was waiting in line at

the Sterling post office and spotted several bins filled with outgoing Sassy Woof boxes.

“I wondered if it was a local company, so I messaged the company on their website.

Christine responded and said yes, she lived in Lansdowne. That was so exciting.”

Nabong took a part-time job helping with fulfillment at Sassy Woof in 2020.

“The packaging is beautiful, with everything matching, from stickers to tissue paper,” Nabong said. “Customers digitally share everything, from carefully opening the box to putting the products on their dog, with posts on Instagram. It’s called unboxing, and it’s an important part of the whole marketing shebang.”

For customer Rebecca Hall and Olive, their chance encounter with Sassy Woof at a local pet store has been fortuitous indeed. Because the harness is adjustable, Olive –now fully grown at 14 pounds – still wears it more than two years later.

“It’s the only harness she’s ever had,” Hall said. A

Jill

Woofie’s of AshburnLansdowne Hosts Kids From Boys & Girls Clubs

The local Woofie’s pet care franchise in Ashburn was one of two area businesses to recently host members from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. The goal was to help the young people learn the ins and outs of home service brands, as well as the possible career paths available to them in the franchise industry.

The Aug. 3 event was sponsored by Authority Brands, a major home services company. Along with Woofie’s of Ashburn-Lansdowne, the club members also visited Doody Calls of Northern Virginia, a pet waste removal company.

“As we took club members through these two franchises, they saw firsthand what it’s like to run the day-to-day operations of a business,” said Heather McLeod, chief growth officer of Authority Brands.

Ashburn Preschool Unveils New Little Library Location

The Primrose School of Ashburn recently celebrated the launch of a new Little Library location in front of the school at 44830 Lakeview Overlook Plaza. The library is decorated with Og, a colorful bookworm, and is open to any child in the community. Unlike some Little Library locations that have books for adults, the Little Library at the Primrose School is aimed specifically at children and will maintain an inventory of children’s books at various reading levels.

The Little Library operates under the honor system. Parents are encouraged to bring their children and borrow any books they wish. The books must be returned after reading for others to enjoy. Donations of children’s books are accepted.

Ashburn Editor, Illustrator Contributes to Award-Winning Time Travel Book

Book coach Joanne McAlpine of Ashburn is an illustrator and editor on a new book about time travel that recently won a major award. McAlpine worked with author Dannelle Shugart on “The Future of Impossible: The Physics and Ethics of Time Travel.” The book describes the different scientific theories that could allow for time travel including wormholes, black holes, quantum foam, warp-drive and others. The butterfly effect, the grandfather paradox and the multiverse are also examined. The work was honored with an award from the Nonfiction Authors Association in July.

“I couldn’t have done it without Joanne,” Shugart said. “She is a true professional and a wonderful collaborator. I’m lucky to have her on my team.” The book is available at area bookstores and all major online book retailers.

THE UNDRAFTED CHEF

Boyd Brown III serves up viral cuisine from his Ashburn kitchen

When chef Boyd Brown III posted his secret recipe for lemon pepper wings to Instagram, pairing them with his homemade blue cheese dip, a minor viral riot broke out among his more than 300,000 followers over the merits of blue cheese versus ranch.

The Ashburn-based chef and digital creator followed up the post with a video recipe for the blue cheese dip and the provocative statement, “Ranch is for kids, and I stand on that.” Viral chaos again ensued.

Someone who has always cooked for his family and friends, Brown, 46, has become a popular food content creator, with a lively community of half a million followers

across Instagram and TikTok. Known for his elevated sandwiches and smart takes on New American cuisine, he signs off each video with the tagline: “Picasso, follow me for more.”

“I think of my food and the way I put together my videos as art,” Brown said. He is also building a YouTube channel to share longer videos and cooking lessons. He released “The Undrafted Chef,” an e-book of some of his most viral recipes, in late 2022 and has sold more than 5,000 copies through his website, chefboydbrowniii.com.

A Seattle native, Brown lived in Atlanta for several years, where he met his wife, Ashburn native Natasha Jeter. They moved to Ashburn in 2018 to be near her family

and live in the Belmont Country Club neighborhood. A graduate of Broad Run High School, Jeter is a math teacher at Park View High School in Sterling. Brown — whose full-time job is in telecommunication sales — says it was easy to relocate here.

“I love Ashburn. It has a real family feel,” said Brown, who, along with Jeter, is raising three teenagers here.

He had been putting food content on his Instagram feed, along with pictures of his family and his hobbies, but during the first days of the pandemic in 2020, “when everyone was at home,” he joined TikTok and found the world of food creators there.

“I see so much creativity on this app,” he said.

Inspired by such mega-creators as Owen Han and Salt Hank, whose sandwiches and other creations garner millions of views, Brown studied the site’s most viral food videos. He froze them second by second, figured out how they were filmed and noted how much time the food stayed on screen.

In the past year and a half, he has steadily worked at upping his video production values, and many of his TikTok and Instagram videos now go viral.

“I think of my food and the way I put together my videos as art”

Another popular TikTok creator, Jennifer Abernathy (jenniabs3), said, “There are so many food creators that focus on pumping out quantity instead of quality. Boyd really focuses on the flavor of his food – and it shows.”

Brambleton resident Mark Ettrich, a passionate home cook, began following Brown when he showed up in his recom-

mended follows on Instagram. Ettrich said Brown’s recipe for beef short ribs helped him win a summer family cooking contest at Dewey Beach.

“He has a real flair and some great ideas,” Ettrich said.

Seafood is Brown’s favorite go-to protein, and one of his first TikTok videos was of honey-glazed salmon and Maryland crab cakes. His mother, who lives in Mississippi, and his late father, NFL player Boyd Brown Jr., filled the family home with good food when Brown was growing up. He said they incorporated the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest into their Southern cooking. Brown planned to be an NFL football player like his father. He went to college on a basketball scholarship and then played professional arena football for several teams in Georgia.

The name “The Undrafted Chef” came to him when he was watching a sports program and heard a player referred to as “undrafted.”

“That was it,” Brown said. “That’s me. I wasn’t drafted!”

follow me for more.”

Although his move to Atlanta in his 20s didn’t result in a lasting sports career, it was where he found some of the most delicious food he’d ever eaten. He discovered oxtail, something he’d never eaten growing up, at Jamaican restaurants there.

“I quickly learned that it is delicious,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite proteins.”

Knowing that many followers are intimidated by an ingredient they’ve never cooked, he posted a video showing how to clean and prepare it for use in such popular recipes as his oxtail-and-gruyere sandwich. Ironically, his first viral video was not for one of his favorite proteins but for a vegan spicy kale salad, complete with nutritional yeast instead of cheese. It was his attempt to recreate one of his favorite items in Atlanta, the spicy kale salad and kale salad wrap at Tassali’s Raw Reality.

“It’s one of the best vegan spots in the country,” Brown said. Although the owner won’t divulge her recipe, he said she did comment on his video to say, “This is close.” He hasn’t found a comparable vegan

sandwich in Ashburn, but he does enjoy discovering local restaurants. Melt in Leesburg is his pick for best burger, and he also enjoys Sense of Thai at One Loudoun. He said the seafood he can source for his cooking here, especially crab, is superior even to that he grew up with in Seattle. He hopes to release a second e-book this fall, with the ultimate goal of having multiple income-producing products on his website.

“The next level is coming up with a short cooking show,” Brown said. “My passion is food. I want to do what I love for a living. Sooner rather than later, I’m going to leave the 9-to-5 behind.”

Is there anything he can’t cook?

“Omelets,” said Brown, laughing. “Mine turn out like bricks. My wife makes the omelets in our house.” A

“Picasso,

island Diplomat

Sometimes Ashburn can be a surprising place. You just never know who you might walk past on the street or be sitting next to in a local restaurant. Sometimes these neighbors can have a fascinating story. Take Hersey Kyota, who lives with his wife, Lydia, in the Alexander’s Chase neighborhood of Ashburn. Sure, you can call him Mr. Kyota, but according to protocol, you

can also call him, “Your Excellency” or “Mr. Ambassador.”

That’s because Kyota is the ambassador to the United States from the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau. His country has a “compact of free association” with the United States, meaning that the U.S. military can operate bases there and America in turn helps provide security and economic assistance.

Even more noteworthy, Kyota is also currently the longest-serving ambassador to the United States, which gives him the title of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and grants him special privileges – such as being introduced at the president’s annual State of the Union address.

This 71-year-old is a father of six and grandfather of three — including two children and two grandchildren who live with him and Lydia here in Ashburn. Kyota has spent nearly his entire adult life in public service to his country, including six years as a senator in the Palau National Congress. He became the Palauan ambassador to the U.S. in 1997

and works out of the country’s embassy in an office building in downtown Washington. Ashburn Magazine sat down with Kyota at a Brambleton coffee shop to discuss his life and career. Here are excerpts from our conversation.

How did you become Palau’s ambassador to the United States?

“A seat in my district was vacant, so I ran in a special election for the Senate – and I won. After two years, there was a general election – and I ran, and I won again. I served for four years and then there was another election, and unfortunately, I lost. The president called me, and I went to his office, and he asked if I wanted to be a minister of one of like seven ministries. I said, ‘Let me think about it,’ and then he said, ‘We also need an ambassador to the U.S.’ So, I chose ambassador. I said, ‘Let me try this. What can go wrong? I get to [live] in the United States and it’s good for my kids’ – who were still young then.”

You’ve been an ambassador to the United States during the presidencies of Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden. Have you met some of them?

“With my wife and kids, I presented my credentials to President Clinton. Presidents Obama and Bush hosted diplomatic receptions at the White House, and I had the chance to meet them as well. I have also met Presidents Trump and Biden.”

pAshburn man has a place of honor in the halls of Washington

all about palau

Palau is located in the Western Pacific Ocean near the Philippines and Indonesia.

The country consists of roughly 340 coral and volcanic islands.

As an ambassador, what is the focus of your job?

What’s a typical day like?

“We promote business opportunities and investment in Palau. The main details of the relationship between Palau and the United States are in that compact so we make sure that everything is followed correctly. We also have a large Palauan population living all over the United States, so we assist them. We run a very small mission – it’s just me and one other person. And then my wife does a lot of work on a voluntary basis.”

You’ve served as ambassador for more than 25 years.

How have you managed to stay in the position so long?

“You’re not the first person who has asked me that. Many people have asked me, ‘What’s the trick? What’s the trick to being here so long?’ I can only think of two things. Either I’m doing such a good job or Palau doesn’t care who is in Washington [laughs] But I like to think it’s the former. Palau is very small. Everyone who has served as president has known me.”

Due to your long service, you hold the title of Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. What does that entail?

“It’s mainly ceremonial. When the president gives the State of the Union address, I get to be announced. All my colleagues will sit, and then I wait, and I get escorted into the House chamber and then they announce, ‘Mr. Speaker, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps’ and then the cabinet and the justices of the Supreme Court come in and the president will come in and speak. When we meet in the State Department for functions, I get to be announced. With the seating at the table – I get to sit close to the Secretary of State.”

The population is estimated to be about 17,600.

Palau was a member of the UN’s Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which was established in 1947 and administered by the United States.

The Republic of Palau officially became an independent state on Oct. 1, 1994.

The country is in free association with the United States, which continues to handle Palau’s defense. Palau also uses the American dollar as its currency. Its official languages are English and Palauan – which is part of the same language family as Hawaiian and Malay. Tuna and clothing are the country’s main exports. Tourism is a major part of the economy.

The name Palau is pronounced like “puh-lau” with the emphasis on the second syllable.

SOURCE: Britannica.com

There was a time when the thought of living off MREs did little for your appetite. But those days are done—at Falcons Landing, you’ll find the MRE replaced by culinary delights ready for your enjoyment. Whether you’re looking for something quick and convenient, a cocktail with friends or something more elegant, our three dining options are sure to keep you coming back for more.

Do you enjoy all that?

“It is fun, but I would rather that they announce the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps from Palau. They don’t say Palau.” You must encounter leaders from around the world. Who are some of the well-known world figures you have met?

“I have met quite a few heads of state. I met Pope Francis. I met Fidel Castro – at the U.N. and in Mexico. I met [Vladimir] Putin. I’ve always imagined him as a big man, but he’s not. He’s a little bit taller than me – I’m 5-foot-5 – but he’s not as big as I imagined. However, he was the director of the KGB, so he was firm. Very strong.”

“When a [foreign] head of state visits the White House, I am part of the welcoming committee. I have welcomed the prime minister of Japan, the prime minister of Australia. All the members of the welcoming committee stand in line and the leader comes in and we all shake hands. The last one was the president of Korea, who came a few months ago. Before that it was the president of France.”

What is something that might surprise our readers about Palau?

“I think many of them will be surprised that we exist at all [laughs]. Palau is known for scuba diving. People who dive around the world are familiar with Palau. One diver said to me, ‘If you haven’t dived in Palau, don’t consider yourself a diver.’ It’s really one of the most beautiful spots to dive.”

As part of the Diplomatic Corps, you also have a role when leaders from other countries visit, correct?

(Clockwise from right) Kyota with his family at a Washington Nationals game; Kyota on the golf course with a friend; Kyota and his wife, Lydia, gather with extended family and friends; wreck diving in the waters off Palau.

Remind me – I know in some places in the Pacific you can dive down to sunken ships and planes that went down during World War II. Does Palau have that?

“Yes, we definitely have some of that. We have the reef driving and we have wreck diving. We also have salt water lakes with non-stinging jellyfish. People can swim with them.”

You came to Ashburn in 2020. What made you decide to move out here?

“We were living in a big house that we were renting, and the owner wanted to sell it. We had been living in Alexandria since we came in 1997, so my wife said, ‘Let’s explore some other places.’ We drove around and we came here, and we found Ashburn very attractive, very relaxing. I really like Ashburn. It’s not quite the countryside, but it’s very close.” What do you like to do here in Loudoun? Restaurants? Wineries? Walks in parks?

“My wife enjoys the wineries. I like to play golf. I play at Brambleton a lot. In fact, I have a tee time at 1:30 today with some friends.” A

Stunning

new homes for vibrant senior living at Ashby

Ponds.

Announcing Harpers Mill, the new residence building coming soon to Ashby Ponds,® the premier senior living community in Loudoun County. These 110 new apartment homes include beautiful quartz countertops, new cabinet finishes, screened porches, and indoor, reserved parking.

Ashburn’s TOP TEN

The big picture

Home sales dropped about 29% in the two Ashburn Zip codes combined in July, compared with July 2022 But… pending sales were down only slightly compared with July 2022, and sales prices jumped, according to the latest data from the Dulles Area Association of Realtors. Many houses continue to sell within 10 days of going on the market.

The July Details

Closed sales:

• Down 38.2% in 20147 Zip code

• Down 15.8% in 20148 Zip code

• Combined sales totaled 132, down from 186 a year earlier. That was a little worse than the overall Loudoun County decline of 23.7%.

Pending sales:

• Down 2.6% in 20147

• Down 8.1% in 20148

Median sales price:

• Up 9.7% to $688,050 in 20147

• Up 10.7% to $902,358 in 20148

Average days on market

(homes sold in July):

• 10 in 20147

• 11 in 20148

What they’re saying:

“Low inventory, paired with higher mortgage rates, continues to pose a challenge for the housing market … There’s no question we’ll continue to be in a seller’s market for the foreseeable future as the lack of available homes puts pressure on prices, but certainly buyers have more negotiating power than they did in the height of the market in recent years.”

–

Dennis, 2023 president of the Realtors group.

Top sales: The five highest-priced homes that sold in each of Ashburn’s two Zip codes between late June and late August. Data and photos from Realtor.com.

20147 20148

ABBEY KNOLL COURT

July 14

ASHMEADOW COURT

21

AIRMONT HUNT DRIVE

July 28

WAXPOOL ROAD

On the Right Track

Virginia Scenic Railway in Staunton a hit with riders

Ask 86-year-old Jimmy Baird of Bealeton when he first fell in love with trains, and you may not get a straight answer.

“I can’t remember when I wasn’t,” he said. As director of the Piedmont Railroader, a Warrenton-based group of railroad enthusiasts, Baird loves to talk about railroads big and small. He and his son even operate a scenic railroad that carries tourists on twice-weekly excursions through picturesque farmland outside of Frederick, Md.

“Scenic trains are good for the local economy,” Baird said. “Tourists stay in local hotels. They buy things in local shops… and eat at local restaurants.”

Baird has ridden more than a dozen scenic railways across the country, but, unfortunately, they are almost like an endangered species. “We’ve seen so many come and go,” he said. “The truth is it’s a very difficult thing to do right.”

So, father and son were delighted to hear about the opening of the state’s newest scenic railroad last summer – the Virginia Scenic Railway, which operates from the Staunton Amtrak station.

“It’s absolutely wonderful, the best thing that could happen, that we have one close by,” Baird said.

THE MASTERMIND

Down in Staunton, Steve Powell, president of the 275-mile Buckingham Branch Railroad, a freight line based in Dillwyn

IF YOU GO

What: Virginia Scenic Railway

Where: 12 Middlebrook Ave., Staunton

When: Thursdays through Sundays currently, but check schedule

Info: virginiascenicrailway.com or (434) 391-9772

Pro Tips: ✔ The rides are so popular that they book up quickly, but check back often and keep an eye on social media – tickets are released in batches periodically, so everyone has a chance.

✔ Keep an eye out for themed events on holidays throughout the year, and at Christmas time try Santa’s Scenic Railway, a magical, round-trip 40-minute train ride that features dazzling views of holiday lights, sparkly Christmas trees, delectable treats, holiday music and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

in southern Virginia, is living his dream. Not terribly thrilled with the model trains his dad built for him as a child, he preferred to accompany him to work. “My Dad worked for CSX. I got to ride up front with the engineer. It was a whole different world,” he recalled.

Now, with a Virginia Tech degree in mechanical engineering, Powell says he has “real trains to play with.” Aside from Buckingham Branch, Powell is also the entrepreneur behind the Virginia Scenic Railway.

Powell’s goal was to create a unique experience combining the thrill of a train ride with breathtaking scenery of the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains and an upscale dining experience – all in a cozy, nostalgic railway passenger car departing from the historic mid-19th century Amtrak station.

“It all goes back to the view,” Powell said. “When you’re on a train, you go over bridges. You go through tunnels. Sometimes you have to go on a siding and wait for another train to pass you, and that train comes so close to you can’t believe the trains aren’t touching. You get to appreciate the incredible engineering that has gone into building the railroad.”

It took two years to restore a 1940 Budd Company stainless steel 34-seat dining car with cherry and maple wood trim. “I wanted American wood. I wanted the inside to feel comforting,” he said. He found a General Motors GP38 Norfolk Southern diesel locomotive to pull the car.

The passenger rail cars are historic, but they have been retrofitted and modern-

ized with all the 21st-century conveniences visitors are used to. Expect ultra-comfortable seats, exceptional service, modern restrooms and Wi-Fi.

Above all else, Powell did not want anyone on the three-hour trip to be bored. The staff is trained to tell stories, not only about the railroad but also about the towns and places they pass.

And there would be no pokey train rides on Powell’s watch. After riding other scenic trains for comparison, he said, “They went too slow. There is a unique feeling of motion when you’re on a train. Ten miles, 15 miles an hour is boring. Any train on my line would have to go at least 25 miles per hour.”

And considering that eating on a train is part of the entertainment, he wanted the food and service to be as good as possible. Visitors choose from a menu offering sandwiches, salads and soups as well as classic desserts and non-alcoholic beverages.

THE PASSENGERS

From the day conductor Travis Carter called out his first “All aboard!,” tickets sold fast. Getting a seat on the Virginia Scenic has become like scoring a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Nearly every ticket sells out two months in advance, with many repeat riders.

The train does two different excursions each day, with the train passing so close to cliffs and rock cuts that you feel you could almost touch them. The westbound Goshen excursion is the more restful, showing

off the rural splendor of the Shenandoah Valley. The eastbound trip to Ivy swoops through the Little Rock Tunnel and the nearly-mile-long Blue Ridge Tunnel built by Claudius Crozet.

The excursions are fun for any age. “We’ve had folks celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. We’ve celebrated with toddlers all the way up to one fellow who was over 100,” Carter said.

And people are thrilled with the experience. “We were blown away,” said Linda Trainum of Waynesboro, who took an excursion with her husband. “Everything was spotless and shiny. The service was excellent. The food was delicious, and the scenery was gorgeous. Virginia Scenic Railway hit it out of the park in every single way.”

Powell has his eye on additional routes and scenic railways throughout Virginia. “This train has been more successful than we believed,” he said. “I can’t wait to see where it’s going to take us.”

All aboard! A

prolific writer

author whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kirkus Reviews and elsewhere.

A Calendar of Community Events

FALL FESTIVAL AT CLAUDE MOORE PARK

Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Claude Moore Park

21544 Old Vestal’s Gap Road, Sterling

Spend a beautiful fall day outdoors. Enjoy music and pumpkin painting. Shop from handmade crafts for sale by local artists. View the work of entrants to the Friends of Claude Moore Park’s 14th Annual Photo Expo.

8TH ANNUAL “WE’RE ALL HUMAN” 5K COLOR RUN

Sunday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. Woodgrove High School

36811 Allder School Road, Purcellville

WANT MORE?

For a complete list of events around Northern Virginia, visit InsideNoVa.com/calendar

10TH ANNUAL “NOT YOUR KID’S SPELLING BEE”

Saturday, Sept. 30 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. National Conference Center, 18665 Conference Center Drive, Leesburg

The Loudoun Literacy Council is hosting its annual “NOT Your Kid’s Spelling Bee,” a unique evening filled with entertainment, delectable cuisine and an assortment of auction items. The proceeds will contribute to the various literacy programs offered by the council.

VIP HOSPITALITY AT THE MORVEN PARK

INTERNATIONAL & FALL HORSE TRIALS

Friday-Sunday, Oct. 13-15 Morven Park International Equestrian Center, 41580 Sunday Morning Lane, Leesburg

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the Ryan Bartel Foundation, whose mission is to prevent youth suicide, will come together with families and members of the community to run or walk and get showered with colors that symbolize sources of strengths teens have in their lives.

LEESBURG AIRSHOW 2023

Saturday, Sept. 30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Leesburg Executive Airport

1001 Sycolin Road, Leesburg

The Leesburg Airshow takes to the skies again with a free, fun event for the whole family on the ground and in the air. Antique aircraft, kids’ activities, festival food and more. Remote control plane demos start at 11:30 a.m. and the headline aerial performances begin at 1 p.m.

SHE GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK

Local clinic has a modern, medical solution to treat your Peripheral Neuropathy and is seeing incredible results!

WORKHOUSE HAUNT: GAME OVER!

All Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October, plus Oct. 31

Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton

The Haunted Trail: Game Over immerses guests in a highly themed walk-through experience, as creepy characters deliver contactless scares in multiple scenes. Guests will travel in small groups via a timed entry for a frightening experience that brings them next to abandoned, historic buildings where they will encounter terrifying characters and sights.

Celebrate 50 years of events at Morven Park with the best seats in the park. Enjoy prime viewing of dressage and show jumping at the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials.

LEESBURG CAR SHOW

Saturday, Oct. 14, Noon to 4 p.m. Downtown Leesburg

Car buffs – here’s the event for you. The 35th Annual Leesburg Car Show presented by the Academies of Loudoun is a family event in historic downtown Leesburg. Come out and see classic cars of all kinds of makes and models.

LOUDOUN LATINO FESTIVAL

Sunday, Oct. 22, Noon to 5 p.m. Shenandoah Building

102 Heritage Way NE, Leesburg

Celebrate and showcase Latino culture at the free Loudoun Latino Festival. Enjoy live music, food, giveaways, local businesses, vendors, children’s activities and more.

“It started out as a normal outing. My wife and I had to run to the grocery store. We were driving down the road casually going over our shopping list when the car ahead of me started to slow down anticipating the yellow light.

I started to move my foot from the gas to the brake as any normal person would do when they see brake lights in front of them but I couldn’t. I couldn’t feel my foot. The car kept moving forward and I just couldn’t get my foot on the brake. And CRUNCH! I finally came to a stop when I hit the car in front of me.”

This tragic story was shared with us by Dan S., an Ashburn resident, who has peripheral neuropathy And while no one was hurt in this accident, Dan S. had suffered almost every day of his life with tingling and burning in his feet until numbness set in and he could no longer feel even the brake pedal beneath his foot

“The first stage is pain.” shares Rachal Lohr Acupuncturist of FIREFLY Acupuncture & Wellness.

“ You feel burning tingling, sharp pa ns, or you feel like you’re walking on tacks or marbles. This pain eventually subsides and the numbness sets in. Unfortunately the numbness brings with it a whole other host of problems.”

This was the case w th Dan “I said I wasn’t going to drive again What if that had been a pedestrian?”

It is terribly common that peripheral neuropathy and ts debilitating symptoms interfere with a person’s ab l ty to live their life Dan was now reliant on his wife to drive him around, even the simple pleasure of cruising down to play golf or taking her out to dinner was outside his capab lities. And even more common, Dan’s general practitioner and several specialists told him there was nothing they could do other than prescribe him pills that would ease the pain of his neuropathy.

That’s where Rachal Lohr and her staff at FIREFLY come in.

“About 75% of our current patients come to us suffering from the same condition as Mr. Dan,” tells Rachal.

“They’re in constant pain from neuropathy and t prevents them from not only liv ng their lives but more importantly, it prevents them from enjoying it.

Depending on the severity of their nerve damage, we typically see tremendous progress in 3-4 months of treatment I like to say we’re in the business of making your golden years golden.”

“I can’t lie,” confides Dan. “I was skeptical at first. The folks down at my pain center told me there was nothing that could be done and then there’s a doctor right here in Loudoun who tells me she can help. Turns out she was right! About three months after treatment I was able to confidently drive myself to my appointments!

My wife and I celebrated by buying ourselves a new car! It’s hard to put into words how incredible this is, quite frankly [Rachal] gave me my life back.”

While FIREFLY special zes in acupuncture and it’s definitely part of their protocols in treating neuropathy, the real secret is in a more modern medical solution called ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ “This technology was originally developed by NASA to expedite healing and recovery” shares Ann, a Senior Patient Care Coordinator at the clinic. “It’s like watering a plant. ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the per pheral nerve and provide them the proper nutrients to heal and repair.”

You can learn more about Rachal Lohr at FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com. If you’re ready to schedule a consultation call (703)263-2142 and do so quickly.

FIREFLY is a very intimate cl nic and the staff takes pride in their ability to take their time with each patient so they are very limited in their ability to take on new patients. Visit FIREFLYAcuAndWellness.com to learn more and to take advantage of their New Patient Offer!

Pool Hall Past

Nearly forgotten watering hole in Ashburn has a

new claim to fame

Sometimes a journey can start with something as simple as an old blackand-white photo spotted online.

Such was the case with the Hanes Pool Room, once a local watering hole in the heart of Ashburn, but today nothing but a fading memory for a few old-timers.

It started in June when Greensboro, Ga., resident Steve Foote shared a photo on Facebook showing his mother – Joan Lorraine Alban – “posing on a mid-’40s Plymouth in front of her grandfather’s [John Hanes’] pool room in Ashburn, Virginia.”

Sure enough, behind the young woman, a sign on the façade of the building reads “Coca-Cola” in big letters, and above that, “Hanes Pool Room.”

But where exactly was this Hanes Pool Room? When? How long was it here for?

When did it close? What was it used for?

“The building was originally a store,” said Foote, an Ashburn native. “My great-grandfather purchased the house and store there … and moved the family there from Georgetown. It must have been early- to mid-1930s. [He] ran it as a pool hall with air conditioning and television. Three generations of us lived together in the house that

was adjacent to the pool room.”

Foote said the house had English boxwoods that were 10 feet tall, leading him to wonder whether perhaps a Colonial dwelling had been on the site centuries before.

To dig deeper, we enlisted the help of local amateur historian John Gretka, who lives in Ashburn Village. Here’s a bit of what he uncovered.

According to a map in an iconic local history book written by Eugene Scheel called “Loudoun Discovered,”* it appears that the pool room – referred to as Hanes Store & Hall on Scheel’s map – sat more or less opposite the old Ashburn Mill on the north side of the long-gone railroad line.

The railroad is today the W&OD Trail. The Hanes building would have been more or less on the site of the small parking lot used by bikers and runners accessing the trail opposite the Carolina Brothers restaurant.

Scheel writes that this area was commonly referred to as Hanes Bottom and was named for George W. Hanes – nicknamed “Pop” – who ran a shop there from the late 1880s to the late 1920s.

“Hanes did a bit of everything, including [black]smithing and selling furni-

ture,” Scheel wrote. “His ‘Quick Lunch,’ peddled to train passengers … consisted of crackers and a can of sardines.”

According to Scheel, “Pop” Hanes’ son, John – Steve Foote’s great-grandfather –“was the first in line for a beer license when the 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933. His beer and pool hall, open through the 1950s, had a 5-gallon bucket for a restroom.”

The end of Prohibition was a big deal in Loudoun – really everywhere – and, although it’s difficult to confirm whether Hanes got the first permit in the county, newspaper records show he very well may have received the first one in Ashburn, sometime in 1934.

The book also notes that in its early years, the Hanes building was a community hall and hosted medicine shows – touring acts where salesmen sold “patent medicine” between entertainment acts. A local literary society also met there, and Pentecostal church services were held there in the 1920s.

Joyce Poland moved to Ashburn in 1949 as a recent high school graduate.

She was living with her aunt and working in Washington when she started to date one of John Henry Hanes’ grandsons.

“He lived right behind the pool hall and he wouldn’t allow me to go by it to go to his house,” said Poland, now 90 and living in southern Virginia. “I heard they served alcohol, and you know when you get a bunch of guys there I think it got a little rowdy at times.”

The building was reportedly standing as recently as the late 1990s or early 2000s. That’s when the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority bought it, had it removed, and put in the parking lot.

But perhaps thanks to Gretka, the memory of Hanes Hall lives on.

When Toll Brothers announced plans to build a townhome community in Ashburn called the Regency at Belmont near Route 7 and Claiborne Parkway, Gretka had an idea: “I suggested that they should name the streets with names that reflected local area history.”

He told the developers that Belmont Chapel would be a good name for a street, because an old church road used to cut through the property on its way to the nearby Belmont Chapel, now in ruins next to St. David’s Episcopal Church.

But Gretka didn’t realize until much later, that Toll Brothers had gone further and given another street in the new neighborhood a name that would bring this story full circle. Yes, today, there is a street in Ashburn called Hanes Hall Terrace. A

*The full title of Eugene Scheel’s book is: Loudoun Discovered – Communities, Corners & Crossroads. Volume One: Eastern Loudoun: "Goin’ Down the Country”

- speakers, valid topics, the day flew by. I feel so inspired by all the incredible women I met and saw today!” — Anna M.

A round-up of the latest restaurant, retail, and other cool news from Ashburn and beyond. Check out The Burn at TheBurn.com and follow it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

pionships. The fitness programs at Mayweather Boxing + Fitness were developed by Mayweather and are based on training regimens he used during his career.

1 BUBBLEGUM SPA PLANNING ASHBURN LOCATION

A new spa and tea room that will host children’s parties is in the works for Ashburn. Bubble Gum Spa & Tea Parties recently opened its first location in Rockville, Md., and the owners are now looking for a location in Ashburn. BubbleGum offers spa parties for kids with services including a spa robe to wear, edible chocolate facials, foot soaks and massages. They also have high teas – with a variety of sweet and savory finger foods served along with sweet fruit tea or even chocolate milk.

2

A new restaurant called Mirzaan Cuisine has opened in Ashburn. It specializes in Indian and Pakistani dishes. Mirzaan is in the Ashburn Farm Market Center, the Giant-an-

chored shopping plaza at Claiborne Parkway and Ashburn Farm Parkway. The Mirzaan menu features many fan favorites, including samosas, chicken biryani, chicken korma and garlic naan. The owners have an established catering business and are now trying their first storefront location.

3

4 AREA’S LATEST POPEYES RESTAURANT OPENS

Two years after news broke that Mayweather Boxing + Fitness was opening an Ashburn gym, the new facility is under construction. It’s going into the Lexington 7 development on the north side of Route 7. That’s near the Texas Roadhouse restaurant and The Ballpark Loudoun. Mayweather Boxing is named for boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, who won 15 major world cham-

A new Popeyes fried chicken restaurant has opened in Ashburn. It’s at the Commonwealth Center project near Loudoun County Parkway and Russell Branch Parkway. Popeyes is next door to the CVS pharmacy and the Silver Diner restaurant. The new restaurant is one of the first in the area to feature a fresh look for the brand, including heavy uses of colors the company has dubbed “Popeyes orange” and “NOLA teal.” The new Popeyes also has a double drive-thru lane.

Flowers & Décor and it’s at 20931 Ashburn Road in a new retail and office building. The shop offers delivery and prepares arrangements for many occasions, including birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and funerals.

WhiteSummer’s delivery area covers all of Ashburn and eastern Loudoun County and stretches to Herndon as well.

6 WORK UNDERWAY ON A NEW BREWERY NORTH OF ROUTE 7

of a new brewery and restaurant in Ashburn. It will be called Route 7 Brewing and it is taking the large end-cap position at the Lexington 7 development. The space features big windows and roll-up doors overlooking Route 7. Plans call for a large seating area with a long bar running through the space, as well as seating upstairs on a mezzanine overlooking the brewery. Owners hope to open sometime next year. A

A flower shop has opened in the Old Ashburn area. It’s called WhiteSummer