One of my favorite things about living in Northern Virginia is enjoying a bottle and the scenery at one of our many local wineries. Like many of us, though, I tend to associate a winery outing with a sunny summer afternoon and a picnic basket. Then February comes along. Winter really takes the fun out of a hillside game…

When the weather outside is frightful, it’s the perfect time to relax under a cozy blanket with a book. Unless you’re a kid, that is. For kids, it’s the perfect time to bounce off the walls. If you’re looking for ideas for indoor activities for your kids, we have lots of suggestions for you. Here is a…

Maybe it’s nostalgia for my college days back in Texas, but I am always willing to travel the extra mile for good BBQ. Most of the time I’m on a quest to find the elusive Beef Rib that is rarely found outside of The Lone Star State, but I am just as happy with pulled pork and smoked brisket….

Now that the holidays are over, we have little to distract us from the next two months of bitter cold. Yet the kids still expect to go out, even if that means their parents will be grumbling through chattering teeth. Fortunately we live in an area with lots of indoor amusements for children, many of which are free….

What a year we have had! In 2014, we celebrated the 50 years of Reston’s past, and welcomed the Metro and all it represents for Reston’s future. This year was the perfect time to create a new resource for the thriving community that Reston has become. In September, we launched Modern Reston, an online magazine about local recreation, dining, and…

If you’re like lots of people, you start each year invigorated and committed to getting fit. It’s a fresh start! You are motivated! And then you discover an overcrowded gym packed with all the other resolution-makers, and the thrill is gone. Or maybe you spend the first day of January in your traditional spot on the sofa, recovering…

It’s the first day of winter break and already you are at a loss for what to do with the kids. Well you’re in luck, we spent the weekend exploring two of the DC Area’s best botanic garden holiday displays — The U.S. Botanic Garden in DC and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. Both were…

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…

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…