November 2008 ❖ Vienna Connection

HomeLife

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Shopp

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Play It Safe

Father Christmas carries at branch of greenat the entrance to the Woodland holidaysetting.

The County Holiday tree is brimming withneedlepoint figures.

The warm colors of theWilliamsburg-inspired mantle andholiday setting at the garden center.

Many other safes are available.

1893 Mosler Bahmann. Classic fire safe.Custom made in 1893 with cutting edgequality that exceeds the burglary and firedamage standards of 2007. Repainted tooriginal design. Approximately 1200 pounds.$10,000. at FEDLOCK 5130 Wilson Blvd.,Arlington www.fedlock.com

EVE Italian leather chair and ottoman inFestive Red with chrome legs. Available atDESI Pentagon Row, 1101 S. Joyce Street,Arlington VA www.DESISOFAS.com

Poinsettia napkin rings, wine red seededgoblets, La Rosa dinner plate with 12” redlacquer charger at Sur La Table 1101 SouthJoyce Street, Arlington.

Jewel-colored aluminum serving cups atSur La Table 1101 South Joyce Street,Arlington.

A VictorianChristmas settingInside the garden center atMerrifield Garden Center, the elveshave been working since thebeginning of October. Three plusrooms have been transformed intoholiday wonderlands filled withmultiple trees each with a differenttheme and setting.Ribbon is the garland on a Victo-rian inspired tree while birds reston the branches of another. A‘Country’ tree is adorned withneedlepoint figures while rostersand game bird feathers are featuresin the Williamsburg setting.

The 2008 White HouseChristmas ornamenthonoring the presidencyof Benjamin Harrison(1889-1893), the 23rdpresident of the UnitedStates was inspired bythe Harrison family’sVictorian Christmastree. The cost of theornament is $16.95 pluspacking and deliveryand can be ordered fromthe White HouseHistorical Association, P.O. Box 96586, Wash-ington, D.C. 20090-6586, or call toll free 1-800-555-2451, or visit online atwww.whitehousehistory.org. Each of the 27ornaments (from 1981-2007) is also available,along with educational brochures.

From White House toYour House

Festive Colors

Photos by

Louise Krafft

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By Donna Manz

Every town needs a caféwhere the music rocks,the mic is open, andthe guests are friends.

In Vienna, that café is on ParkStreet. In a house. In a livingroom.

Vienna builder J.P. Brehony andhis wife, Deborah, recreated thetype of “beat” café one mightfind in 1960s London, and whenthe two front porch lights are on,neighbors are welcome to “dropin.”

“Most people don’t use theirliving room for much,” says J.P.Brehony. “We thought we’dmake something that got a lot ofuse.”

It’s more than just the threebistro tables and stools andvintage rock posters that set thisliving room apart from most. It’s

the stage in the corner completewith microphone, keyboard,guitar, and voice modulator. It’sthe accent table that converts toseating or a drum, and velvetychaises lounge on either side ofthe room. Dramatic theatre-style

drapes frame a doorway andfront windows.

“The café brings neighborstogether. Especially in thesehard economic times, people arelooking for fun things to do thatdon’t involve spending money to

go out.”The Brehonys have long

been active in Viennaaffairs and volunteerorganizations. Deborahbrings food to thehousebound elderly; she ispresident of the Viennachapter of AARP, andparticipates in humanitar-ian work. J.P. mentors ayouth with intellectualchallenges. Both volun-teer in Vienna-TysonsRegional Chamber ofCommerce events.

“Deborah and J.P. are sowonderful, and every timeyou come to visit, it’s anexperience of coming outof your ordinary life,” saysSpring Street neighborDaphne Hendricks. Hus

Living a Café Life Home ‘café’ servesfriends and neighbors.

Jakob Drozd on stage.

See Café Life, Page 6

J.P. Brehony starts off the evening on stageat the café.Deborah and J.P. Brehony.

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See Yoga, Page 5

By Mike Salmon

Great FallsresidentEllen Rulefound a way

to incorporate her love ofpeople, yoga and commu-nity when she firststepped into her new yogastudio in her backyard inAugust.

The studio is on thesecond level of her car-riage house that has akitchen and living roomon the ground floor, andthe studio a few steps up.

One wall is a set ofknotted ropes and loops,

Home

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Kathy Armstrong of McLean relaxes and listens as yoga instructorDarshan Kaur explains what she has planned for the session. Ellen Rule in the sitting room of her newly completed studio.

The class begins with a mantra and then breath-work.

of the structure yet but she’s startingwith a few classes and mediationsessions focusing on kundalini yoga.

“It’s kind of evolving,” she said.Kundalini isn’t full of mainstreamposes like the downward dog, or thewarrior. It relies more on the thoughtprocesses and the inner calm that “isgreat for relieving stress,” Rule said.She has been teaching this type ofyoga for seven years.

Herndon yoga teacher DarshanKaur Khalsa is a kundalini spe-cialist and Sikh who teaches allover Northern Virginia, includinga few classes in Rule’s studio, Inthe yoga world, she is known asjust Darshan.

“The studio is calm and peace-ful, that’s what the teachingemploys. It feels like an oasis of

“for people to do inversions,” shesaid. The room also has wood floors,a podium, windows for natural light-ing, and a sound system for soothinginstrumental music.

“The gong is an instrument forhealing, it vibrates every cell in yourbody and helps remove tension,” shesaid.

Since the carriage house and yogastudio was just finished in August,Rule hasn’t explored the full potential

Home Yoga StudioPhotos by Louise Krafft

Ideas? E-mail HomeLifeStyle@ConnectionNewspapers.com

From Page 4

peace,” Darshan said. In thestudio, Darshan trains yogateachers and leads special work-shops. “It’s a beautiful studio, ithas a beautiful ceiling paintedlike clouds, and a gong that isgreat for relaxation,” she said.For the past 20 years, Darshanhas also taught yoga at NorthernVirginia Community College.

All this stretching and meditat-ing isn’t a source of income forRule though.

“I don’t really make moneywith yoga,” she said, adding thather husband’s lawyer practicepays the bills. Rule spends hertime between teaching yoga, hereight adopted children, and hersurroundings in Great Falls.

“Yoga helped me so much, Iwanted to help the community,”she said. Any money she makesis donated to Yogaville, a yogafacility south of Charlottesville.

Ellen Rule’s Yoga Studio in Great Falls.

Home Yoga Studio

Near the conclusion of the morning sessionDarshan sounds the gong.

Rule’s children, ranging fromage six to 21, were introduced toyoga through the years but onlyher 9-year-old daughter Carolinereally showed interest. Carolineincorporates singing when shedoes the poses, and has foundher voice through yoga.

Photos by Louise Krafft

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band Jimmy, an econo-mist by day, sings vocals forFace the Fish, a Viennagroup which occasionallyplays Jammin’ Java.

“They’re so creative withtheir home and their par-ties, it’s a joy to be in-cluded.”

All the décor for the “BeatCafé” was purchasedonline, from the cherry-finished tables to the theat-

rical drapes and Rolling Stonesand Bob Dylan posters. GeorgeHarrison, Paul McCartney, andJohn Lennon peer out, too, fromposters … no Ringo.

“Nothing was expensive,” saysDeborah. “We wanted to make itsuch that nobody who comeswould have to worry about spill-ing their soda or wine, damaginganything. We wanted everyone tobe comfortable here, no worries.”

When the Brehonys moved intotheir home about three years ago,they built a house to be used by

Living a Café LifeFrom Page 3 the community, as a gathering

place.“We don’t just want to live here.

We want the community to feelwelcome in our house.

“People come here and makenew friends.”

Neighbors who drop by bringtheir own refreshments, andDeborah estimates the “Beat Café”welcomes guests twice a week.

J.P. Brehony is comfortable withthe microphone and, from it,works to engage everyone in theroom, from adults to children.

Deborah plays a tambourine andbeats on the chair/table/drum.

“In this economy, people aren’tspending as much to go out,” saysDeborah. “Instead of spending $10on a glass or two of wine, theyspend $10 on a whole bottle, bringit here, and enjoy the evening.”

Fat Chance guitarist and vocalist,Scott Butler, takes the stage and themicrophone, playing a repertoirefrom “Brown-Eyed Girl” to EricClapton’s “You Look WonderfulTonight.” The adults joined in asButler led them in “Drift Away.”

“Spring Street is the most musicalstreet in Vienna per capita,” saysButler, a Spring Street homeownerwho owns Tango Software inVienna.

Ike Butler performed a duet withJ.P. to Leonard Cohen’s “Susanne.”Cohen’s poetry and music was theinspiration for the Beat Café.

“Cohen is a Canadian who wrotesome folk music in the ’60s,” says J.P.into the microphone. “His gift ispoetry. He puts his poetry to music.”

If a café can have an anthem,

“The Café brings neighbors together.”

Cohen’s Oscar-nominated “Hallelu-jah,” is the Beat Café’s.

“The ‘Beat Café’ was birthed out of‘Hallelujah.’ The café was built tocontain this song,” Deborah said.

At the end of evening, after thelast resounding chorus of “Hallelu-jah,” neighbors cut throughBrehony’s back yard to their homeson Spring Street behind the ParkStreet address.

“Especially in bad times, there’scomfort in community,” saysDeborah Brehony.Jim Hendricks accompanies J.P. with a multi gyro and hair comb. Ike, Max and Scott Butler.

Anna, Michael and Daphne Hendricks and Lukas Butler sing along to a guitarsolo by Jakob Drozd.

“Most people don’t use theirliving room for much … Wethought we’d make somethingthat got a lot of use.”

— J.P. Brehony, homeowner and builder

“Especially in bad times, there’s comfort in community.”— Homeowner, Deborah Brehony

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HOLIDAY

See Decking the Halls, Page 9

By Mike Salmon

After SharonMill’s husbanddied last year,decorating the

house for the holidays waslow on her priority list.But after talking to SunLee at WashingtonianInteriors, Mill found away to get her housedecorated without addingany more stress or bring-ing back memories.

Lee came in with a crew,and with a combination of

Mill’s ornaments and some newribbons and garland for the tree,mantle and railings, she createda festive look in Mill’s Arlingtonhome.

“It was very nice,” said Mill. “Ihonestly didn’t feel like doing itmyself.”

For many in the area, whetherit’s a family situation or just thefear of teetering on a stepladderto hang ornaments and lights,there are services that takeholiday decorating to the nextlevel.

Help Available for Holidays

Sun Lee and Will KnicelyPhoto by Mike Salmon

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From Page 8

“So many people are nesting,we take it very personal and do itto fit their needs,” said WillKnicely, the manager at Washing-tonian, in McLean.

Safety is just one of the reasonsWashingtonian Interiors startsgetting busy in the fall.

“I would advise, if you’re olderand don’t need to get on a lad-der, it’s dangerous,” said Lee.Beginning in October, when theleaves start turning color, thephones start ringing from house-holds in the area that need alittle help decorating, or want a

complete interior re-do for theholidays.

Washingtonian does everythingfrom garland around stairwaysand the family tree, to painting,wallpaper and new furniture.Mill really liked “the warmth ofthe presentation, it was more ofa polished finish,” she said.

Washingtonian can either bringa whole new package, with newornaments, artificial tree andribbons of all sorts, or they cancome into the house and use theowners existing decorations andarrange them to fit in the givenspace.

Lee makes a floor plan andthen makes a list of materialsneeded, and it takes off fromthere. “When we do trees, welike it a certain way,” she said.This year, metallic ribbons are in,she said.

Lee is seeing more householdsholding back to see what theeconomy does.

She thinks many will be deco-rating their trees themselves,cutting costs.

Knicely agreed. “People arebeing very frugal, they’re doing alot of their own holiday decorat-ing,” he said.

Help Decking the Halls

‘Magical winged Santa Fairies’ byMark Roberts at the showroom ofWashingtonian Interiors in McLean.

Photo by Louise Krafft

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In the area, 56 homes sold for $1 million or more, three are in VIENNA.❖ 315 LEWIS ST NW (5 BR, 5 FB, 1 HB) in Windover Heights sold for $1,350,000 on Sept. 23, 2008❖ 9510 FRANCIS YOUNG LN (4 BR, 3 FB, 1 HB) in Francis Young Estates sold for $1,325,000 on Sept. 22,

2008❖ 200 TALAHI RD SE (4 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Onondio sold for $1,115,000 on Sept. 2, 2008

Three are in OAKTON.❖ 2605 GENEVA HILL CT (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Hannah Hills sold for $1,750,000 on Sept. 19, 2008❖ 3106 WHIMBRELL CT (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Willow Creek Estates sold for $1,734,500 on Sept. 26, 2008❖ 2964 PALMER ST (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Grays Oakton sold for $1,030,000 on Sept. 15, 2008

Five are in FAIRFAX.❖ 3438 FAWN WOOD LN (6 BR, 5 FB, 2 HB) in Oak Hill Estates sold for $1,485,000 on Sept. 15, 2008❖ 3505 ROSE CREST LN (5 BR, 5 FB, 2 HB) in Oak Hill Estates sold for $1,250,000 on Sept. 12, 2008❖ 3438 PRESERVATION DRIVE (4 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in PICKETT&Apos;S RESERVE sold for $1,190,000 on Sept.

30, 2008❖ 10110 DANIELS RUN WAY (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Farrcroft sold for $1,100,000 on Sept. 08, 2008❖ 3440 PRESERVATION DR (5 BR, 4 FB) in Picketts Reserve sold for $1,001,890 on Sept. 30, 2008

Eight are in MCLEAN.❖ 8322 WOODLEA MILL RD (5 BR, 5 FB, 1 HB) in Woodlea Mill sold for $2,500,000 on Sept. 12, 2008❖ 1511 SPRING VALE AVE (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in West Mc Lean sold for $1,745,000 on Sept. 9, 2008❖ 1324 WOODSIDE DR (4 BR, 3 FB, 1 HB) in Woodside Estates sold for $1,487,500 on Sept. 11, 2008❖ 1880 VIRGINIA AVE (3 BR, 2 FB, 1 HB) in Franklin Park sold for $1,475,000 on Sept. 15, 2008❖ 1432 WAGGAMAN CIR (4 BR, 3 FB) in Salona Village sold for $1,395,000 on Sept. 4, 2008❖ 1880 VIRGINIA AVE (4 BR, 3 FB) in Franklin Park sold for $1,300,000 on Sept. 1, 2008❖ 6529 SOTHORON RD (6 BR, 5 FB) in Salona Village sold for $1,300,000 on Sept. 30, 2008❖ 1450 EMERSON AVE #502 (3 BR, 2 FB, 1 HB) in Palladium At Mclean sold for $1,050,000 on Sept. 23, 2008

Five are in GREAT FALLS.❖ 853 NICHOLAS RUN DR (5 BR, 6 FB, 2 HB) in Grovemont sold for $2,600,000 on Sept. 16, 2008❖ 11553 TRALEE DR (6 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Tralee Estates sold for $1,950,000 on Sept. 26, 2008❖ 9708 MILL RUN DR (5 BR, 4 FB, 1 HB) in Mill Run Acres sold for $1,600,000 on Sept. 10, 2008❖ 9020 BELCOURT CASTLE PL (5 BR, 5 FB, 1 HB) in Cheshire sold for $1,400,000 on Sept. 29, 2008❖ 974 MILLWOOD LN (4 BR, 3 FB, 1 HB) in Offutt Home Tract sold for $1,150,000 on Sept. 26, 2008

Sold: Million-dollar Homes

315 LEWIS ST NW(5 BR, 5 FB, 1 HB)in WindoverHeights sold for$1,350,000 onSept. 23, 2008

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11553TRALEE DR(6 BR, 4 FB,1 HB) inTraleeEstates soldfor$1,950,000on Sept. 26,2008

200 TALAHIRD SE (4BR, 4 FB, 1HB) inOnondiosold for$1,115,000on Sept. 2,2008

3507POTOMACST N (5 BR,5 FB, 1 HB)in Minor Hillsold for$1,650,000on Sept. 19,2008

1511SPRINGVALE AVE (5BR, 4 FB, 1HB) in WestMc Lean soldfor$1,745,000on Sept. 9,2008

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