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A Leesburg baker is one of 10 contestants on the Food Network’s “Summer Baking Championship,” which premiered on May 15.

Kristina Krause is a self-taught home baker who was inspired to learn how to make and decorate cakes and sweet treats during the pandemic.

She has always had a passion for cooking but says she did not have any experience baking until three years ago.

“I decided to challenge myself to make one recipe a day,” Krause told the Times-Mirror in an interview. “Cooking has always been my first love and I have always enjoyed being in the kitchen.”

She baked brownies, cookies and cakes and her friends were “designated taste testers.” After realizing that Krause had a lot of natural talent, they encouraged her to start a business and she launched Kristina’s Kitchen.

One of her specialties is making cookie cake tarts — a layered almond sable cookie tart with whipped vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and decorated with flowers, fruit and macarons.

“I love to research and experiment and refine my cake decorating skills,” she said.

The Food Network contacted her last year after seeing her posts on Instagram and after multiple interviews she was one of 10 bakers from around the country selected to be on the show, which taped in January.

In each episode, the bakers are challenged by host Jesse Palmer to create a dessert with a summertime theme as judges Duff Goldman, Carla Hall and Damaris Phillips decide who continues to the next round. At the end, the winner will take home a $25,000 grand prize.

While the challenges were “really hard,” Krause said the experience on the show was “amazing” and she found the critiques from the judges to be “very helpful” especially from Goldman and Hall.

“It’s very different from sitting and watching the show at home on the couch. The hardest part were the timed challenges,” Krause said.

She enjoyed meeting the famous judges who she had watched on television for years.

“I was just star struck and it was so cool after seeing them on the Food Network, and it was surreal to be there,” Krause said. “Overall, it was just a fantastic experience, and I would happily do it again.”

The mom of three children, one with autism, has plans to continue to grow her business. She would like to eventually teach baking classes, especially for children with special needs.

For more information, visit @Kristinas_Kitchen_official on Instagram and Facebook or foodnetwork.com/shows/summer-baking-championship.

VIRGINIA — Memorial Day, when many pools around Virginia open to the public, is just around the corner. To mark the approaching summer, Patch is highlighting several homes on the market with unique and luxurious pools.

One home in Leesburg has a recently upgraded pool and spa. The home even had a new deck and walkway added near the pool, which will allow the new owners to entertain and relax around the water.

Other notable homes have enclosed pools with skylights, saltwater pools, heated pools, and Jacuzzi hot tubs.

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Patch has put together a collection of beautiful homes on the market in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg. You can find photo galleries of properties in the listings linked in each article.

Spacious Leesburg Oasis Boasts Bar, Wine Closet, And Heated Pool

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McLean Home On Market For $10.2M Features Indoor Pool With Skylights

Arlington Home On Market For $3.1M Comes With Heated Pool, Jacuzzi

Stafford Home With Enclosed Pool, Greenhouse Lists For $1.2M

$2.85M Reston Penthouse Has Pool Perks, 50M-Year-Old Fossil Backsplash

(Listed by: Kim Spear, Keller Williams Realty

This Reston penthouse listed for $2.85 million comes with pool and fitness center access. Plus, the kitchen features a 50 million year-old fossil as a backsplash. Another luxury feature: a water closet tucked behind a pocket door has hand-painted gold-flecked wallpaper from England.

$1.37M Herndon House With Saltwater In-Ground Pool Perfect For Summer

Listed by: Jabar Baig, Reston

This Herndon house listed for $1.378 million says summer living. It offers a sunroom solarium indoors, plus a professionally landscaped backyard perfect for entertaining with a saltwater in-ground pool, outdoor kitchen, and large pergola with ceiling fans. The historic Queen Anne style home has been fully updated, and comes with a two-level detached guest or in-law structure that has its own entrance.

$875K Fairfax Oasis Features Heated Saltwater Pool

Heated Pool Provides Perfect Backdrop For Summer In Mount Vernon

Dive into summer with access to your own heated pool at this Mount Vernon property. Located minutes from George Washington's Mount Vernon, this four-bedroom home has a backyard perfect for summer gatherings. Along with the pool, the yard is spacious and comes with a stone patio and deck. The pool was resurfaced in 2019, and concrete around the pool was completed last year.

More featured homes:

The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital is officially accepting donations for the 84th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale. Donations will be collected on Saturday, May 6 (rain date May 7), from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at two locations:

Many kinds of donations are needed including antiques, jewelry, furniture, sports equipment, books and media, clothing, home goods, holiday items, linens, tools, pet supplies and toys. Organizers request that items be packed in boxes with lids or flaps closed. Only clothes and non-breakable items should be placed in plastic bags and tied shut. For a complete list of acceptable items, please visit ladiesboard.org/rummage-sale-donations.

Donations will be offered for sale at the 84th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale on Saturday, Oct. 14 and Sunday, Oct. 15 at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds, 17558 Dry Mill Road, Leesburg. For more details about the Sale, please visit ladiesboard.org.

Find out what's happening in Leesburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Net proceeds support Inova Loudoun Hospital and the Ladies Board Nursing Scholarship Fund. The Ladies Board raises several hundred thousand dollars each year for special needs equipment at Inova Loudoun Hospital and has awarded over $2 million in nursing scholarships since the program began.

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The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote goodwill between the community and the hospital and to raise funds for patient services, nursing education, and hospital projects.

Inova Loudoun HospitalFounded in 1912, Inova Loudoun Hospital is a 211-bed nationally recognized hospital committed to providing comprehensive, compassionate care for the entire family. Inova Loudoun Hospital is ranked among the top hospitals in the country for nursing excellence, emergency care services, and patient safety. Inova Loudoun Hospital is also a Joint Commission Center of Excellence for Hip and Knee Replacement, Perinatal Care, Spinal Surgery, and Stroke Care.

Inova Loudoun Hospital offers family-centered care with its children’s emergency room, children’s inpatient unit and NICU, and is home to Loudoun County’s only designated trauma center. Inova Loudoun Hospital’s two additional 24/7 free-standing emergency rooms (ERs), located in Ashburn and Leesburg, are Joint Commission Certified Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals (ASRH).

LEESBURG, VA — As the weather warms up, more people may be trading in commutes by car to bike along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and other locations. The DC region's 22nd annual Bike to Work Day will encourage local commuters to bike and score some freebies along the way on Friday, May 19.

The annual event held by the Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association features bike stops around the region with giveaways, food, and beverages. In addition, the first 15,000 people to register for Bike to Work Day get a free T-shirt, and all registered participants are entered to win a free bike.

The event promotes biking as a low-cost, environmentally-friendly commuting option. DC area commuters who are returning to in-person or remote working will notice congestion on the roads as driving continues to be a popular commuting option.

Find out what's happening in Leesburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Bike to Work Day brings together our local communities while promoting a healthy, fun commuting alternative that helps reduce traffic congestion on roadways that are getting crowded once again," said Nicholas Ramfos, director of Commuter Connections.

Over 100 pit stops will be held around the DC region, including several in Loudoun County:

Find out what's happening in Leesburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Other nearby stops include:

Participants can typically only receive freebies at one pit stop they choose when registering. Register for Bike to Work Day at www.biketoworkmetrodc.org.

Along with hosting Bike to Work Day, Commuter Connections provides resources for regional commuters who bike, carpool, vanpool, walk or take transit, including a Guaranteed Ride Home program.

Given its proximity to Washington, D.C., and a busy international airport like Dulles, you'd expect Leesburg to feel like a modern suburb on the verge of sprawl, but just the opposite is true. Locals and travelers enjoy an authentic small-town experience as they stroll cobbled sidewalks of the historic district or jostle down dirt roads to an area vineyard. And at Christmastime, the whole town gets into the holiday spirit.

Established in 1758, Leesburg lies in northern Virginia, along the Potomac River and the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which you can see on its western horizon. Rolling hills welcome visitors into town as farmland and family-owned wineries begin to pepper the landscape. Over time, this once-quiet hamlet has blossomed into a dynamic and desirable area, the seat of the third most populated county in Virginia (Loudoun) as well as a commuter hub for, and weekend escape from, D.C. Today, Leesburg is an eclectic mix of old and new, high tech and rural, as locals fiercely cling to its distinctive historic character and authenticity.

Shop in a Christmas Wonderland

Much of the hometown appeal centers around the Leesburg Arts & Cultural District, including King, Market, and Loudoun Streets. The town encourages residents and visitors to meander around on the first Friday of the month, when many restaurants and shops stay open until 9 p.m. or later to host live music, lectures, special exhibits, and wine tastings.

Drawn to the district's walkability, Nicole Morgenthau wanted to build a center for the maker community, a place where, she says, "They feel connected and gather with a common interest, with people different from themselves." Set in a circa-1790 three-story retail building, Finch Knitting + Sewing Studio on the corner of Wirt and Loudoun Streets provides locally sourced yarns, along with high-end fiber supplies from Quince & Co. and other socially responsible establishments that follow the "farm-to-needle" philosophy. Classrooms on the first floor serve beginner to experienced sewers while knitting groups adopt sofas and cozy nooks on the second level. During the holidays, Morgenthau decorates the exterior of her studio to look like a giant gift box.

A relative newcomer to the historic-district retail scene, 27 South Interiors sets a high bar for providing stylish and comfortable home furnishings. Co-owners Carolyn and Nick McCarter opened their three-story shop after a successful run selling vintage furniture out of local consignment stores. "We intentionally designed it like a home," says Carolyn. "Everything is selected to create a very curated look."

The McCarters celebrate with a tall Christmas tree, along with ornaments showcased on a large branch suspended above the front of the store. The branch has become a town conversation piece and now changes with the seasons, from bare winter limbs to budding flowers in spring. Carolyn tries to create more traditions to encourage the downtown revival. "Historic Leesburg is coming into its own again, and we want to take part," she says. "Our King Street storefront is a great tool to connect with everyone and help it grow."

"Christmas in Leesburg really does bring out the best in our community," says Tammi Ketterman, co-owner of Ketterman's Jewelers. Since 1988, this fine-jewelry shop has welcomed shoppers while giving back to associates, customers, and residents. Ketterman does not follow suit with those retailers who start decorating for Christmas in October.

"We feel strongly that Thanksgiving needs to be celebrated, not overshadowed," Ketterman says. "So we wait until the last Saturday before Thanksgiving and gather the staff and their families for a meal. Then, after dinner, we break out the decorations, and the store is transformed into a Christmas wonderland." Slices of her delicious homemade rum cake are served every day from Thanksgiving until New Year's.

People in Leesburg appreciate tradition and continuity. Owner Anita Henry of Rouge Spa & Boutique creates custom perfumes, body sprays, and bath bombs in a variety of seasonal fragrances. Kids are welcome too. During two-plus decades at the same King Street storefront, Henry has helped a generation of youngsters she calls "Rouge babies" find the perfect presents for their parents.

The Old Lucketts Store on Lucketts Road is not a place you can breeze through. You'll need time to wander what was originally an 1879 general store and is now a three-story furnishings and decor emporium—along with numerous outbuildings holding everything from architectural salvage to garden goods. Owner Suzanne Eblen opened the store in 1996. She and business partner Amy Whyte have developed a devoted following with their signature style, which includes lots of pieces that are new but look vintage.

For the holidays, the two of them decorate to a degree that even Eblen describes as "level 10 bonkers." The large painted murals on exterior walls make ideal backdrops for taking family photos. Greenery, ornaments, and other holiday swag embellish just about everything from the ground to the gutters. One of the highlights of the Lucketts property is Eblen and Whyte's extraordinarily popular Design House, a 100-year-old home with each of the spaces (including the bathroom) furnished to suit its original intended purpose and designed around its own theme. It has morphed from a pop-in weekend shopping space to a ticketed event during the first 12 days of November. Eblen and Whyte have to shut down the house for two months before the holiday opening to transform the place.

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry

You probably won't make it through all the shops downtown before you have worked up an appetite. The Wine Kitchen serves inventive meals with an emphasis on both local and organic ingredients and a menu that changes seasonally–and sometimes more frequently, depending on availability. "December is always an interesting time for us," says owner Jason Miller. "The area farmers are getting some much-needed rest after a long fall harvest. We use a lot of root veggies, but instead of being boring, we get creative."

Look for a beet-and-citrus salad or seared duck breasts and confit on their winter menu. There's good wine here, but consider ordering a comforting homemade eggnog that's kicked up with spirits from nearby Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. The Bubble-icious sparkling wine flight stays on their menu year-round. They also have 10 pre-made flights that feature red wines, white wines, or special themes like "The Hills of Italy" or "Working for the Weekend."

Completed circa 1880, the building that currently houses Shoe's Cup & Cork was previously a post office, an auto showroom, and then a shoe-repair store. The small, cozy restaurant has a secret garden and bocce court out back as well as a speakeasy-inspired poker room upstairs. Shoe's offers a hot chocolate flight, perfect for a chilly evening.

At the corner of Loudon and King, Señor Ramon Taqueria's Mexican street food hits the spot. Don't overlook sides like the popular corn nuggets and tasty empanadas. Across the street, Delirium Café features Belgian-style food and all types of local and holiday-themed brews such as Gingerbread Stout. The group of cafes started in Brussels, but Leesburg has the first U.S. location.

On East Market Street, Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers was voted the state's most delicious burger joint and has an array of toppings for the classic beef patty (not to mention bison, crab, tuna, lamb, and veggie versions).

A few miles north at the intersection on Route 657, Roots 657 looks like one of the modern metal-roofed barns peppering many of the country roads in this part of Virginia. Inside, half the space is dedicated to local crafts, foods, wines, and beer while the other section is a casual, family-style restaurant. (The Maryland Crab and Corn Soup and Signature Brisket Sandwich stay on the menu for good reason.)

Sip Local Wines

Loudoun has more wineries than any other county in Virginia, and the rolling hills surrounding Leesburg provide a stunning setting for 300-acre Stone Tower Winery offering expansive views of Bull Run and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Holidays at work are especially sentimental for Lacey Sautter, vice president of the second-generation, family-owned winery. Garland and swag lights drape over terraces and porches to add a touch of drama, but it's the dozens of trees adorned with ornaments that kindle memories. Wine lovers come here for the Porton, which is available only upon request. The port-style sipper is made from Virginia-native Norton grapes and fortified with locally made Catoctin Creek brandy. A food menu is available at the harvest barn, which is also family and dog friendly.

Re-Experience History

The Loudoun Museum serves as a repository for the county's history, from the early days of the republic to the formation of the local wine industry, and includes an adjacent circa-1760 log cabin. You can see fine 19th-century architecture via tours through a few of Leesburg's restored historic homes, including Dodona Manor, former home of Nobel Peace Prize winner Gen. George C. Marshall, architect of the post-World War II Marshall Plan. Drive a few miles north of downtown to the Davis Mansion at Morven Park, a former Virginia governor's estate with an international equestrian center, and don't miss Christmas at Oatlands, which features self-guided and candlelight tours around Oatlands Historic House & Gardens.

Stay in Luxury

Large families can stay right on the Oatlands property at the six-bedroom historic Inn at Oatlands Hamlet. Landsdowne Resort, a modern, full-service retreat, has everything from upscale rooms to 45 holes of golf, a spa, and several other luxury amenities. For an authentic experience on a Loudoun County farmstead, stay at Stone Gables Bed & Breakfast, a home converted from a circa-1823 stone gable barn, set within 10 acres of verdant countryside.