Every December, the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Reston features an intricate gingerbread village created out of hundreds of pounds of sugar and flour. Visiting the gingerbread village is an annual holiday tradition for many Reston families, and a cherished part of the holiday experience at Reston Town Center. The gingerbread village is a charity fundraiser that…
It’s the final weekend before Christmas, so with any luck, you’ll be spending the next few days smugly relaxing at home with all your holiday preparations finished. But more likely, you’ll be spending the weekend rushing around the mall with the rest of us procrastinators. If you’ll be heading to Tysons Corner Center over the next few days,…
When people think of shopping for holiday decorations in Reston, they probably think of Target and Home Depot, and perhaps other chain stores like Pottery Barn or Williams Sonoma. But if you would rather have decorations that don’t look just like your friends’, or you’d like to support local businesses and independent artists, look beyond the chains. There are lots…
Bored with child-centric Hanukkah celebrations, Modern Reston co-founder Michelle Schoening and her husband Charlie decided to kick things up a notch this year. With a nod to Michelle’s Russian Jewish heritage and their collective love of swanky cocktail parties, a vodka bar sounded like a no-brainer. After all, it rhymes AND what better way to soak up a strong drink than with…
It’s time for another holiday home tour! Home tours are some of my favorite things that we cover here at Modern Reston, and they are especially fun during the holidays. We have featured lush autumn decor and dramatic Halloween decorations in earlier tours. Now we are pleased to present our first Christmas home tour, Allison Romero’s elegant house in North Reston. As you approach…
The weather gurus at The Old Farmer’s Almanac are predicting that this winter we will receive another arctic blast with above-normal snowfall. Well, if that doesn’t get you all excited for winter, I don’t know what will! Sarcasm aside, it’s time to actually prepare for this onslaught rather than just cross our fingers and tell ourselves that everyone’s exaggerating….
I’ve often been curious about the chocolate shop at Lake Anne Plaza. It’s always great to see a locally-owned business succeeding in Reston, but this one is particularly intriguing to me, because it’s such a charming little neighborhood store. And let’s be honest: anything involving chocolate is going to catch my attention. Probably yours, too. I’ve bought several…
A steady rainfall couldn’t keep away children excited to see Santa at Jingle on Lake Anne yesterday. This holiday celebration takes place at Lake Anne Plaza each year, with crafts, gingerbread cookies, and visits with Santa. This year the inclement weather led to the cancellation of the annual petting zoo, but the other children’s activities…
If you have children in Northern Virginia, you’ve probably heard of the Cox Farms Fall Festival. It’s legendary. Each fall, a farm in Centreville transforms into a massive playground with more clever and hilarious details than I could list. It’s absolutely worth the half-hour drive from Reston. Because my family loves the fall festival so much, I…
On the day after Thanksgiving each year, Reston Town Center welcomes the winter holidays with an all-day celebration, called “The Holidays are Here!” One of the highlights of the day is a parade down Market Street. This year’s 24th annual Reston Holiday Parade featured several community groups, including dancers, bands, ROTC groups, cheerleaders, and Scout troops. Macy’s-style balloons…
Holiday shopping time has arrived, and we are here to help! If you know someone who would appreciate a gift that celebrates Reston, especially during this 50th anniversary year, we have lots of ideas for you. Here is our Reston gift guide, with suggestions for toys, art, books, coffee, and tons more. The purchase of most of these items…
NOTE: This events calendar is from 2014. The guide to 2015 holiday events can be found HERE. Mark your calendars! The holiday season brings wonderful Christmas events and holiday celebrations to the Reston area. Here is our huge list of things to do for the holidays in Reston and surrounding areas, including Herndon, Vienna, McLean, and DC. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER…