Take The Party Outside With These Recipes For Easy Entertaining

One of the best perks of summer is the opportunity to enjoy a meal outdoors. Whether on the patio or by the water, we love packing a cooler, firing up the grill and pouring a few chilled sips as we converse with friends. What we don’t love, however, is spending hours in the kitchen, especially when there’s summer fun to be had. We’ve gathered a menu of recipes to keep in mind when hosting your next summer shindig. Simple to prepare, enjoyable to eat and popping with fresh summer bounty, these dishes are sure to delight in the great outdoors.

White Gazpacho with Green Grapes & a Twist

Recipe provided by Betsy DiJulio, author at The Blooming Platter, TheBloomingPlatter.com

Soup, you say? On a summer day? Oh yes, you may! This white (although technically light green) gazpacho is naturally creamy, cool as a cucumber and looks quite fetching garnished with a grape and served in chilled tasting glasses.

Ingredients
2 cups bread torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups whole or slivered blanched, skinless almonds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 large European seedless cucumber, peeled or unpeeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup fennel fronds and tender stems
2 large cloves garlic, halved (use roasted garlic if you prefer less pungency)
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: finely chopped fennel fronds and green grapes

Method
Place bread and almonds in a large bowl.

Scald milk in a saucepan on top of the stove, or heat for 2 minutes in the microwave and pour immediately over bread and almonds. Let soak for an hour, pressing solids down into milk every so often.

At the end of the soaking time, place cucumber, fennel, garlic, sherry, vinegar and a large pinch of sea salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Process for a couple minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary until smooth.

Add bread, almonds, milk and another pinch of salt and pepper and process for about 3 minutes, again scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, or until very creamy and smooth.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add plenty of salt to amplify the flavors, although the soup shouldn’t taste salty.
Garnish with finely chopped fennel fronds, if desired, and a green grape, speared on a cocktail pick and rested across the rim of
the glass.

Yield 8 cups

Clambake Packets

Recipe provided by Laura Davis of Tide & Thyme, TideAndThyme.com

Nothing says summer quite like a steaming packet of Old Bay–seasoned seafood. Add in a few ears of corn, quartered red potatoes and sausage, and you’ve got yourself a proper clambake. What’s especially charming about these packets, though, is that you can prep them ahead of time, toss them on the grill and voila—each guest can enjoy their own individual clambake, the most glamourous grab-and-go imaginable.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shell on25 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
12 ounces kielbasa or andouille sausage, sliced about 1 inch thick
3 ears corn, shucked and cut into 1-inch slices
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, quartered fresh lemon, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Old Bay
kosher salt

Method
Devein shrimp but leave the shell on as it helps retain moisture. Set aside in a medium bowl.

Prepare packets by tearing 6 sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12 inches long. Stack in a pile and assemble ingredients inside.

Divide potatoes, corn, sausage, clams, shrimp and lemon slices into equal portions in the center of each piece of foil.

Fold up the sides of the packets. Add olive oil, Old Bay and a sprinkle of salt. Gently toss to combine. Fold the sides of the foil over the ingredients, bunching and folding until completely sealed.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place packets on grill and cook for 20–25 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the clams have popped open.

Yield 6 clambake packs

Watermelon Salad with Thai Flavors, Cotija Cheese & Sea Salt

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When summer is in full swing, an ice-cold slice of watermelon does the trick to cool us down. Elevate that idea by adding some fresh herbs, lime juice and Cotija cheese for a summer salad that’s a little sweet, a little salty and a whole lot invigorating.

Ingredients
4 pounds watermelon
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh mint, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped zest and juice of 3 limes
4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled sea salt sprinkled to season

Method
Cut ripe watermelon in bite-sized cubes. Toss with herbs and add lime zest and juice. Crumble the Cotija cheese over the top and season with sea salt and olive oil.

Yield approximately six servings

Mason Jar Lemon & Raspberry Parfaits

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When it comes to outdoor entertaining, simplicity is key, even when it comes to dessert. No slicing, scooping or baking required, these individual lemon and raspberry parfaits can be made ahead of time and placed in a cooler until you’re ready to pass out the spoons. The bright tartness of the lemon curd, combined with the airiness of the whipped cream and yogurt, plus a burst of fresh raspberry in each bite, makes this dessert an ideal way to cap off any event.

Ingredients
Easy Lemon Curd
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
All at room temperature

Whipped Cream
2 cups cold heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
2 cups Greek yogurt
2 pints fresh raspberries

Method
For the Lemon Curd
In a small saucepan, add sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and eggs. Heat on low heat and add the butter in small pieces as you whisk, cooking the curd for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Strain it though a fine sieve and reserve. *Editor’s Note: To thicken, we brought the temperature of the curd to 170F.

For the Whipped Cream
In a mixer, mix the cream and the sugar for about 3–5 minutes on high to form stiff peaks.

To Assemble
Mix the whipped cream with the Greek yogurt. Layer a mason jar with as many or as little layers as you would like with the lemon curd, raspberries, and whipped cream/yogurt mix. You can make all of this in advance and store in the fridge up to a few days or build your own at the table.

Yield 12 servings if using miniature Mason jars

A voyage on Virginia’s “Valley” road

STORY & PHOTOS BY JOE TENNIS

Route 11 parallels I-81 like a neighborly older sibling, taking you from the scenic Shenandoah Valley to the majestic mountains of Southwest Virginia. This highway grew from the Native American Warriors Path to the Great Stage Road and the Valley Turnpike. It’s a road that runs more than 339 miles in Virginia, north to south, slipping in and out of Staunton and Salem, Roanoke and Radford, yet always staying close to I-81. >>

Winchester sits near the top, little more than a dozen miles from where U.S. 11 enters Virginia at Berkeley County, West Virginia. Winchester is the hometown of country crooner Patsy Cline, as well as where George Washington established a surveying office in 1755, long before the Revolutionary War. I visit monuments to both individuals in Winchester and take a stroll at the handsome pedestrian mall of “Old Town Winchester,” just off U.S. 11.

Heading south, I soon slip into Stephens City, checking out the Newtown History Center. Then I take a 4.7-mile detour on Va. 277 to discover Dinosaur Land, where timeless replicas of reptiles stand with frozen ferociousness alongside educational explanations.

Back on Route 11, I meander into Middletown and stop at Shaffer’s BBQ & Market; it sports a funky collection of rehabbed furnishings inside what was once a service station. “We’re a Route 11 barbecue joint,” says storeowner Matt Shaffer. “Route 11 used to be, before the interstate, the only way to get around. And barbecue is sort of timeless in that sense, as well.”

For lunch, I sample Shaffer’s most popular items—a chopped pork barbecue sandwich with a side of broccoli salad. Next, I find Strasburg, where Route 11 makes a hard right beside buildings boasting murals. Near this small town’s center stands a movie theater transformed into the Box Office Brewery.

Just beyond, Strasburg signals the start of Route 11’s gorgeously green “Scenic Road” status, which rolls south for more than 30 miles to New Market, passing through Woodstock, Edinburg and Mount Jackson in Shenandoah County.

A quick detour off the highway finds the factory of Route 11 Potato Chips. Originally established at Middletown, in 2008, this company moved to its present location at Quicksburg, where the business now handles 14,000 pounds of potatoes per day. All chips are kettle-cooked, says clerk Freda Sigler. “And we cook six days a week.”

Through most of its journey, Route 11 is a connector of colleges, caverns and courthouses. Until I-81 came on the scene in the 1960s, this was the main north-south route through the Valley of Virginia, cutting past the campuses of James Madison University, Radford University, Mary Baldwin University, Virginia Military Institute, Washington and Lee University and Hollins University—to name a few.

Route 11 remains a gateway to subterranean treasures called Dixie Caverns, Shenandoah Caverns, Endless Caverns, Grand Caverns and the Caverns at Natural Bridge. Also, just north of Harrisonburg, where Route 11 resembles a country road, you’ll see a wedding venue called Melrose Caverns—the site of a cavern that’s been closed to the general public for more than 50 years. Still, says owner Richard Yancey, this Melrose place is sometimes shown to curious wedding parties.

Historical markers line Route 11 from Glade Spring to Greenville. And you could spend days reading about long-gone battles and pioneers. Or you can make Route 11 a journey of wine, wild honey and a school bus turned into a food truck at the Valley Pike Farm Market.

Housed inside a “bank barn,” relocated to the Weyers Cave community, the Valley Pike Farm Market faces Route 11, midway between Harrisonburg and Staunton. “One of the biggest draws that we have is just the building and the warmth of the building,” says owner David Gardner. “It was going to be destroyed, and I just hated that. It was 125 years old.”

Down in Staunton, I explore the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States and a guiding force during World War I. Where Wilson lived for the first few months of his life is preserved along Route 11—just like the birthplace of his second wife, I shall find, many miles down the line.

But, first, it’s time for an ice cream break. And I take a right at Wright’s Dairy Rite, a Staunton landmark along Route 11 since 1952. Golden oldies blast on the jukebox at this frozen-in-time ice cream stand.

I order a chocolate malt milkshake at Wright’s and head to Lexington for the night, moving into a 1901 house called A Secret Garden. It’s a bed-and-breakfast that’s not marked with a sign, but they will leave the light on for you.

For dinner in downtown Lexington, I take a brisk walk to feast on steamed mussels and a salmon club at the Southern Inn. The next morning, for breakfast, A Secret Garden’s Amber Barraclough serves a spinach frittata with fresh fruit and thick slices of bacon. Later, for lunch, I savor shrimp tacos at the Devils Backbone Outpost Tap Room & Kitchen, which sits on a hill overlooking Route 11, just a couple miles north of this handsome city’s historic district.

Lexington is where the South’s two greatest generals, Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, lay at rest—now more than 150 years since the silence of the Civil War battlefields. Lee and Jackson are loved in Lexington, and their names are on monuments and street signs. You will also find a museum dedicated to the early life of Jackson, pinpointing the time when the devout Christian served as a teacher at Virginia Military Institute during the 1850s-years before the Civil War.

The most entertaining way to see Lexington is to take the carriage tour, where you’ll hear stories of fires that fell on the city and how the streets were lowered to help wagons roll uphill. You’ll even hear about the ghost of Lee’s horse, Traveller, as the tour rolls to Washington and Lee University. “His ghost was seen running across the campus of the school,” says Courtney Rhodenizer, a longtime guide for the Lexington Carriage Company.

Heading south from Lexington, I cannot resist stopping at what sits essentially at the center of Route 11 in Virginia—and even beneath the actual road: Natural Bridge.

Now the centerpiece of a state park, Natural Bridge is the key attraction of a Rockbridge County village that includes the fun-loving Dinosaur Kingdom II. Much like Dinosaur Land near Stephens City, Dinosaur Kingdom II is a showpiece for the fertile imagination of artist Mark Cline.

For two nights, I move into the Country Inn & Suites near Hollins University, only a half-mile
from Route 11 on the north end of Roanoke.

This hotel proves the perfect point to base explorations, beginning with a late-night supper
at the nearby Hollywood’s Restaurant & Bakery, which serves a Cranberry Salmon entrée on a
menu that also features a “Route 11 Burger.”

At daybreak, I make a beeline for Buchanan, a town on the James River, about 20 miles north of Roanoke. I trace the swinging bridge above the James, stretching beside Route 11. Then I take a five-mile kayak journey with Twin River Outfitters, a business operated by twin brothers John and Dan Mays.

“People like the scenery,” John Mays tell me while standing on the banks of the James River. “It’s just a fun, family-friendly activity, outdoors, in nature.”

On the river, I drift across light riffles and slip beside the silent stone pillar of a former railroad crossing. I also paddle beneath I-81, where I quietly listen to its roaring traffic. I spy on turtles and baby ducks. And I work up a hunger for more fish—satisfied with a chunk of fried Pollock at the Buchanan Fountain and Grille on Main Street.

Back down in Roanoke, I roll down Route 11 on Williamson Road, which leads to the attraction-packed downtown district, where you’ll find the O. Winston Link Museum, Taubman Museum of Art, Virginia Museum of Transportation, Hotel Roanoke and Center in the Square. You’ll also catch a glimpse of the famous star on Mill Mountain without ever leaving Route 11.

A caveat: It’s terribly tough trying to figure out where Route 11 continues through Roanoke. It’s not well-marked.

Maps and GPS also do not agree. But do find and follow Salem Avenue, take a left on 13th Street, and keep going across the Memorial Bridge, eventually coming upon Raleigh Court, a neat neighborhood centered by the Grandin Theatre, built in 1932.

Sailing into Salem, Route 11 crosses the Roanoke River three times until reaching Salem’s quaint downtown district, where I window shop at the Antiques by the Market Antique Mall then munch on a soft-shell crab sandwich at Awful Arthur’s Seafood Company. I also devour a plateful of oysters, which, I’m told, had been harvested from the James River—many miles downstream from my kayak ride into Buchanan.

South of Salem, Route 11 overlaps U.S. 460 on a scenic stretch that links Elliston and Shawsville to Christiansburg, the courthouse town of Montgomery County.

Here, I find another retro restaurant, Dude’s Drive-In, standing next to the Starlite Drive-In Theatre.

I ramble on to Radford, cross the New River and then pass through Dublin. I ultimately land in Pulaski, where I stand in awe of the stately Pulaski Train Station then study the model railroads at the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Transportation Museum.

Brace yourself: Leaving the once-booming factory town of Pulaski, Route 11 climbs up and over Draper Mountain. It’s a fun ride on a motorcycle. Crossing Draper Mountain also affords overlooks on both sides of the highway, providing picnic sites and insights into the valley below.

In what you might call Route 11’s final act through Virginia, the highway drifts down Draper Mountain and simply joins I-81 for the next 16 miles, zipping past truck stops and antique markets. Then it takes a fancy curve into the handsome town of Wytheville, with its roomy Main Street anchored by the Bolling Wilson Hotel. I spend the night on the fourth floor of this structure, topped with “The Perch,” affording a bird’s-eye view from the roof.

This is the hometown of Woodrow Wilson’s second wife, Edith Bolling Wilson, and her story is told at this hotel through her love of canaries, orchids and bourbon. It is also shared at a museum in the “Bolling Building,” her birthplace. Various scenes of her life, as well, appear on a mural just off Main Street in an alley at a crosswalk near the center of Wytheville.

Come dusk, I cross Main Street near that downtown mural.

And I take a taste of light beer while tearing into a rack of ribs—served with sweet potato fries—at the new 7 Dogs Brew Pub on Wytheville’s Spring Street.

About 25 miles south of Wytheville, Route 11 provides the Main Street of Marion, a town where the nationally-televised “Song of the Mountains” PBS TV-Show originates from the 1929 Lincoln Theatre. Marion is also known for its downtown chili cook-off that coincides with the Hungry Mother Festival at nearby Hungry Mother State Park on the third weekend of each July.

At the end of July, look for the Virginia Highlands Festival in artsy Abingdon, a courthouse town lying about 25 miles south of Marion—yet little more than 15 miles above Route 11’s touch into Tennessee at Bristol. Abingdon is where you’ll also find live musicals, dramas and comedies at the Barter Theatre—right on Route 11—plus the must-try Strawberry Kiwi Cosmopolitans at Morgan’s, an upscale restaurant on Main Street at Courthouse Hill.

Bristol wraps up Route 11’s ride through the Old Dominion with a green space at Sugar Hollow Park, open space for development at The Falls and a salute to songwriters at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Bristol is the town where country music legends Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family each made their first recordings, separately, in 1927. It’s also where current country music superstar Kenny Chesney made his first recordings—for a cassette, released in 1990—at Classic Recording Studio on Moore Street. All of these musical milestones—and more—are celebrated with block parties, festivals and concerts on Bristol’s State Street, where you’ll see Virginia on one side and Tennessee on the other. State Street lies about 300 miles south of where country music’s Cline lies at rest in Winchester—a far journey, for sure, yet one that’s connected by that long and winding road.

My husband is really starting to wish we had never planned a Lynchburg Living Idea House.

He loves the house itself, of course—but me being at the house so often during the month of June was starting to put a strain on our marriage.

“I showed you the kitchen already, right? Look at it again… Are you looking? Isn’t that gorgeous? We should have tried to do that with the shelves. Should we try that backsplash?”

“John—they used this stuff in the house that looks like shiplap… but it’s not!!! It’s this other stuff that’s easier. Oh, I already told you? Well… could we do that maybe in the kids’ play area?”

“You know how we need to stain our deck? They used this really light gray stain. What do you think? Could we do something like that… and maybe before Brooks’ first birthday party? Possibly?”

Bless his heart.

I’ve explained in prior editor’s letters about how we built our own house in 2016-2017 (and we are still finishing it… which apparently is completely normal when you are on a budget and have two small children). But because of that experience, I was in absolute awe of the Idea House as it came together over the past month. Scott Elliott and his team at Custom Structures paid attention to every single detail in this home. From the appliances to the flooring to the décor, they went above and beyond to truly make this a house full of ideas for you.

This project has been a labor of love from everyone involved: Custom Structures, our Preferred Partners, other various subcontractors who worked on very tight deadlines, Woody Watts with Watts Creative Studios who helped photograph and promote the house, and the entire Lynchburg Living team. Summer, for many, is a time to let work take a backseat for a bit so you can take a few extra days off. But those who were a part of our Idea House worked overtime in May and June—and it shows.

You can find the full Idea House feature starting on page 60. And if you want to see it for yourself—or even get your hands on a piece of furniture or décor—save the date for one of three open house weekends in July. Find event details on page 75 or at lynchburgideahouse.com.

I hope to see you there! (And if you notice a guy walking around taking notes and looking overwhelmed, that’s my John. He’s about to start about 10 new projects around our house!)

All My Best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Father’s Café and Bakery Joins the Community Market Family

For Father’s Café and Bakery, May 18 was like a family reunion.

After a five-year hiatus, owner Ken Reed and his team re-opened their ovens in a new location inside the Lynchburg Community Market. The bakery serves fresh and handmade breads, muffins, pastries and gourmet donuts.

“Welcome to our little hole in the wall,” said Reed.

After Reed moved from the Catskills in upstate New York to Lynchburg in 2004, he opened his first Lynchburg bakery, Father’s Table, in Forest. On March 29, 2014, Reed closed that shop and pursued a career at Runk & Pratt.

When the well-known Lorraine Bakery closed in the Lynchburg Community Market late last year, Reed looked into the space. The previous manager of the market was a former customer of Father’s Table and encouraged Reed to recharge his former passions.

Reed described the celebration of his bakery’s rebrand and re-opening as “humbling.”

“I think we will do okay here, it’s a good location. The people at the market are wonderful,” said Reed.

For hours on that first opening day, hungry customers waited in line for baked goods like ciabatta bread, cinnamon rolls, muffins, crusty French bread, danishes and other Reed-designed creations.

“The reception of the vendors and the shoppers has been overwhelmingly positive. I really felt welcomed last weekend,” said Reed.

Through laughs, the 63-year-old said the experience almost made him emotional.

“A lot of our old customers have come and are so happy that we are in business again. … It’s like I had unfinished business,” said Reed.

Hannah Frazier is the manager at Father’s Café and Bakery and previously worked at Lorraine Bakery as a crepe maker. When she knew her time there was coming to a close, she approached Reed and asked to be a part of his work family.

“[Reed] is so great, he is so nice and he is so respectful. It’s really hard to keep him from giving everything away,” said Frazier.

One example of his generosity and connection with the community—Reed added challah (a special bread in the Jewish community) to the menu per request of a local rabbi so that those local congregations can properly observe the Sabbath. Reed also works hard to ensure his breads are primarily GMO-free—they also use cage-free eggs.

Frazier described their home in the community market as having “a special atmosphere” and said there’s not another place in Lynchburg like it. With over 45 diverse vendors, the market has been a fixture in the city for generations.

“Where else are you going to go in Lynchburg where there are all these farmers and all these artisans?” said Frazier.

Reed started baking when he was 15 years old. He studied at culinary school in New York and later baked for a Bible college and Christian conference center in upstate New York. When he’s not baking, he’s outside in his garden or fishing. He practiced taxidermy for 20 years and enjoys working with his hands.

“But—baking is my passion,” said Reed.

By Lillian Abbatacola
Photos by Ashlee Glen

Smith Mountain Lake Pirate Days
July 17-21
Batten down the hatches and raise your Jolly Roger as pirates take over Smith Mountain Lake! Back by popular demand, the lake’s “Pirate Days” weekend includes numerous events and activities such as a Pirate Ball, Pirate Trivia Night, and Pirate Ship Parade. Learn more at www.visitsmithmountainlake.com/sml-pirate-days/.

Steve Miller Band with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
July 20, 7 p.m.
Classic rock meets classic country in this incredible summer tour that’s making a stop at Lynchburg’s Riverfront Park. Find ticket information at www.cityauditorium.com.

State Games of America
July 31-August 4
Approximately 15,000 athletes from across the country will descend upon the Hill City to compete in this Olympic-style event at Liberty University.  Sports competitions include track and field, archery, yoga, figure skating and much more. Opening ceremony is August 2. Visit stategamesofamerica.com for more information.

Daniel’s Hill History Days
August 17 (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.), August 18 (1 – 4 p.m.)
The Lynchburg Museum needs your help documenting the untold stories of Daniel’s Hill and illustrating African American life in the neighborhood through the years. Gather your old photos, memorabilia and memories and stop by the Carriage House at Point of Honor.

Race 4 the Fallen Glow Run
August 24, 8 p.m.
Bring the whole family to Percival’s Island for a colorful, nighttime event that raises money for the Police Benevolent Foundation. Register today at runsignup.com

Local Openings And Closings
Hello! to Mighty James River Company, a fully mobile float company on the James.

Hello! to wine tasting room Reserve by VinoWine on Jefferson Street.

Goodbye to McCraw’s Furniture, an iconic furniture and collectibles shop on Main Street.

Hello! to a second location of Market at Main in the Boonsboro Shopping Center.

Hello! to Sugar Rush, a new candy shop in River Ridge Mall.

Hello! to Wingstop on Wards Road.

Hello! to an expanded Oshun Organics in the Lynchburg Community Market.

Goodbye to Emerald Stone Grille on Jefferson Street.

Hello! to Everyday Sommelier, a wine education and tasting shop on Fifth Street.

Hello! to home furnishings store Bailey Grey Interiors in the Boonsboro Shopping Center.

Hello! to BVA Mercantile, a home décor/furniture store, in Downtown Bedford.

Hello! to Main Street Nutrition, a wellness and shake bar located inside the Holiday Inn Downtown.

For The Birds
Local man with learning and developmental challenges breaks stereotypes with woodworking creations
By Logan Smith

Chris Russell has always appreciated nature.

But something was different when the 46-year-old and his father, Mark Russell, stepped outside their Boonsboro home nearly a decade ago.

A bluebird, perched on a tree limb several yards away, caught their attention. Bright blue coated the feathery creature’s head and back, and a rusty orange pigment highlighted its soft belly and neck.

“Chris watches nature very closely,” Mark Russell, 71, said of his son who was born with mental health challenges, intellectual challenges and a seizure disorder. “He loves walking through the woods and observing animals.”

The bird remained on the branch for a short period, possibly looking for soft grasses or pine tags to enhance its nest. After surveying its surroundings, it fluttered out of sight—but not out of Chris’s mind.

His observation, although brief, prompted a conversation with his father that ultimately changed Chris’s life—and the Lynchburg community—for the better.

That day, Chris learned about the struggling bluebird population and the necessity for human intervention. Bluebirds experienced a decline in population during the 20th century, but have gradually recovered thanks to the efforts by many, including Chris Russell.

Bluebirds reside in meadows and small openings surrounded by trees. You may see them perched on wires or low branches, and they commonly use woodpecker holes as homes, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a member-supported organization dedicated to the understanding and protection of the natural environment.

After observing the bluebird in its simple, yet beautiful setting, Chris decided to make a difference.

“For the Birds” was born.

For more than eight years, Chris has used his woodworking skills to handcraft high quality bluebird houses, wood duck boxes and other products. He operates his business at Wall Residences in Madison Heights, an organization that assists individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

He sells his woodworks to members of the greater Lynchburg community and to several retailers including Ace Hardware.

“If I don’t help them, then the baby bluebirds will get eaten by other animals,” Chris explained. “[For the Birds] gives me a place to go when I’m extra bored at home. If we don’t build the birdhouses, the birds will get eaten by the hawks. We don’t want dead birds.”

Chris uses western cedar and pine to craft his birdhouses. Unlike many birdhouses purchased online, Chris fastens his birdhouses with wooden screws, not nails, to guarantee a secure, crack-free surface.

Unique equipment decorates Chris’s shop, including a table saw, drill press, electric sander and chop saw. A long, heavy concrete table stores most of the wood.

Chris works hard, sometimes daily, and he occasionally juggles multiple orders at once. While he executes most of the hands-on work, his father and several employees assist when needed.

“I just love for Chris to be able to make a difference and to be proud of everything,” Mark Russell said. “I’m 71 and he’s 46, but I just love for him to have a real productive and positive life.”

Chris’s intellectual disabilities include reading comprehension and math, and his medical side effects result in weight gain. He also struggles with PTSD and anxiety.

Similar to those with Asperger syndrome, Chris cannot read emotions. He does not have Down syndrome, although many may mistakenly assume.

Despite his disabilities, Chris’s love for people outweighs his condition. You may find him at a coffee shop with a friend, playing bongos at his church, or volunteering with Meals on Wheels.

“[I like] going out and having fun, staying happy, seeing people and having regular conversations with them,” Chris said.

Through his hard work, love from his family and gracious support from Wall Residences, Chris has taken agency over his life. Not only has he helped the natural habitat, but he has also made his own money to purchase CDs, movies, food and coffee.

Other than Chris’s earnings, “For the Birds” does not generate profit, but he normally breaks even on materials.

Mark expressed satisfaction that his son has pierced the traditional mold of citizens with disabilities by staying occupied and adding value to the greater Lynchburg community—instead of simply occupying a facility.

“The important thing for Chris is that he owns his own life,” Mark said. “People need to be in the community, not just living in a nice house somewhere.”

Watt Foster, CEO of Foster Fuels, has been one of Chris’s faithful customers for years, purchasing more than 120 birdhouses to spread over 2,000 acres.

“When I see all the bluebirds on my farm, I appreciate Chris and his efforts,” Foster said.

Foster noted that Chris’s birdhouses are excellent, complete with precise sizing, crawl capability for baby birds, and an easy opening door for nest cleaning. Chris sometimes even installs small screen ladders for baby birds and ducklings to comfortably crawl out of their home.

“[Chris] is passionate, and dealing local is important to me,” Foster said. “Chris is fun, and I really enjoy being with him.”

Chris has lived in Lynchburg for more than 40 years and enjoys interacting with members of the community like Foster. But the great outdoors is his greatest joy—he loves walking through the woods and keeping an eye out for numerous wildlife including birds, turtles and foxes.

“I like to watch birds, and I love nature. It’s neat to see all kinds of nature,” Chris Russell said.

Improving Walkability in Local Communities

By Emily Mook & Shelley Basinger

How often do you walk to the store, to your child’s school, or to work? Maybe these places are too far from where you live. Or—maybe there really isn’t a safe route to get you there.

According to Anne Nygaard, a planner in Lynchburg’s office of community development, many communities used to be a lot more walkable. In fact, walking to school or to the store was common in the mid-20th century. “But in the ’50s and ’60s we sort of stopped building sidewalks and started prioritizing the car over multi-modal transit. People returned from war, got their car and their single-family house out in the suburbs. This was a nationwide trend,” she explains.

Thankfully, that trend is shifting—and we are seeing walkability become a priority once again across Central Virginia.

In Bedford, the Central Virginia Planning District Commission is in the process of preparing the town’s “Bike|Walk Plan” in an effort to help people connect to and through the community and to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Mary Zirkle, the town’s economic development coordinator, proposed the plan to the CVPDC in spring 2018, and they agreed to help make it a reality. “This plan didn’t intend to reinvent a wheel but to bring together past ideas and current projects with next step ideas,” Zirkle says.

“It allowed us to look at what was suggested and completed in the past and pick up from other plans as well as ideas from new public input.”

A public open house held in late 2018 provided valuable insight in terms of Bedford citizens’ specific needs and wants. “One of the most important aspects of the public meeting was having people draw where they currently walk or bike around and out of town,” Zirkle notes. “It was very illustrative to have them show us how they use the public space now and where they have issues or concerns.”

Additionally, a survey made available to the public for two months gleaned detailed and helpful results. “Simple things like the condition of sidewalks, the lack of crosswalks, and the limited number of bike racks were brought up. The need for a bus was also mentioned several times,” says Zirkle.

The survey also indicated that Bedford’s famous walking “Loop” could use some updates and gave citizens the opportunity to rank five major projects in order of importance.

Because the plan is still in its draft stages, the order and exact parameters of these items are subject to change. That said, the survey results indicate that the order of importance is as follows: first, the trail connecting Liberty Lake Park to Falling Creek Park; second, the trail connecting the D-Day Memorial to downtown Bedford; third, the trail connecting the Bedford YMCA to Liberty Lake Park; fourth, a bike route from the town to Peaks of Otter along Route 43; and fifth, Little Otter River Greenway connecting Route 43 and 122.

In addition to these five projects, Zirkle says there are a few basic initiatives that should be addressed promptly such as repairing current sidewalks and installing new sidewalks and bike lanes throughout town.

While improved sidewalks and other pedestrian updates were ignored for decades in Lynchburg due to a suburban zoning ordinance that was adopted in the ’70s, there has been a renewed focus on walkability in the city over the past 20 years. In 2013, the city adopted the “Better Streets Policy” into its comprehensive plan, a move that said city officials were committed to building sidewalks and making other pedestrian and transportation related–improvements. Then in 2016, the city adopted a zoning ordinance update that requires developers to include sidewalks in their plans. “[The ordinance] does not emphasize exactly how the sidewalks will look, but this does address the pure safety aspect of making sure residents can walk in these areas,” says Nygaard.

For example, Nygaard mentioned the Wards Road area, which saw its biggest boom of growth in the ’90s. At the time, there were no requirements for any sidewalks. As a result, the city has been working over the past decade to make that area walkable—and safer—with the addition of the pedestrian bridge and connecting sidewalks/paths.

Nygaard says the quality of the walking environment is also a crucial component of their plans—especially when the goal is to change a person’s mindset.

“You have some people who have the choice to drive or walk. How do we get them to choose to walk more?” she asks, explaining that street trees, crosswalks and connectivity to other parts of town make walking more enjoyable and ideal.

Also, the Downtown 2040 master plan released in late 2018 includes a chapter on mobility and calls walking “transportation’s lowest common denominator.” It says with each downtown project, walkability will always be prioritized.

When listing off all of the proven benefits of walkability, Nygaard mentions improvements in safety, the environment, the economy, social equity, and the promotion of a healthy, active lifestyle.

“Just the idea of making sure you have some level of exercise worked into your day.

Also, having places to run and bike, too,” she says.

This interactive, aquatic attraction will open in Lynchburg in a few months. We have everything you need to know before you plan your first visit… broken down by the numbers.

10 U.S. locations:
Lynchburg’s SeaQuest is one of four new locations opening by late fall (others are in Connecticut, New Jersey and Florida). The current six locations are in Utah, Colorado, California, Texas, Nevada and Minnesota.

$14.95 adult passport, $9.95 for children ages 2-11:
This price gets you admission for the entire day so you can take your time exploring at your own pace.

Approximately 1,200 animals from 300 species:
From fish to birds and reptiles to mammals, SeaQuest houses both freshwater and saltwater species. Guests leave with more knowledge about their unique habitats, dietary needs and personalities.

22,000 square feet:
The Lynchburg location is located inside River Ridge.

5 continents:
Don’t be fooled by the name. Once inside SeaQuest, guests will meet animals from the Amazon rainforest, Egypt, Asia, the Caribbean and Iceland.

257 rescues:
These fish and marine-life animals were rescued across SeaQuest’s locations.

30-minute “Snorkeling with Stingray” sessions:
Put on a wetsuit and take a swim in Seaquest’s largest tank while meeting, touching and feeding some of its friendliest residents.

75 jobs created in Lynchburg:
SeaQuest started hiring for the Lynchburg location in March. The positions include 10 marine hausbandry team members; 10 to 12 bird, reptile and mammal team members; and positions in other areas such as management and marketing. The majority of those positions will be filled in late July/early August. Be on the lookout for a hiring fair in that time frame.

More than 100,000 foster children admitted for free across all sites in the U.S. annually:
SeaQuest Cares also partners with community-based organizations at all locations to support local needs.

More than 300,000 school-aged children participate in SeaQuest field trips every year:
The students have interactive encounters with sharks, stingrays, birds, reptiles, amphibians, tropical and cold water fish.

Save the Date
American Red Cross Blood Drive
Saturday, Aug. 24
River Ridge
SeaQuest will give out free passes to all donors!

Learn more at lynchburg.visitseaquest.com or find them on Facebook: SeaQuest Lynchburg.

BEHIND THE SCENES
We are fortunate to have so many unique historic destinations in Central Virginia. Some are very well known—others… well, you may drive right by them and not even realize it!

In early May, Lynchburg Living Editor Shelley Basinger and Photographer Ashlee Glen got a chance to go inside Mead’s Tavern, which was built in 1763. The unassuming white house located right off 460 is being restored after Liberty University purchased it a few years ago.

Archaeologist Randy Lichtenberger led a tour of the home, which included the basement (watch your head!). Then, archaeologist Keith Adams showed a few artifacts they have uncovered so far in their excavations.

Learn more about the history and discoveries at Mead’s Tavern in our This City department on pages 41-46.

It was a hard day’s work for Lynchburg Living Art Director Chris Meligonis—but the backdrop was easy on the eyes.

In early June, he helped style a photo shoot for this issue’s Taste feature at a co-worker’s beach house. (VistaGraphics is based in Virginia Beach.) COVA Magazine Editor Angela Blue and Photographer David Uhrin were also a part of the effort. The best part of this photo shoot was when it came time to “clean up”—the team spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the food in the beach breeze.