When the Capitol Building is under seize, and all the nation’s leaders are held hostage, one Cabinet member is secure in a distant location. That person is chosen by the president to be the designated survivor. Chantilly author John H. Matthews imagines this scenario in his latest novel, a gripping thriller set in D.C. and Northern…

A new school is coming to Reston this fall, offering Montessori education for inquisitive elementary and middle school students. As an admirer of the Montessori method, I was eager to learn more about this venture. I recently met with Garrett Wilhelm, the co-founder and Head of School of Berthold Academy, to learn more about this new school….

This area is filled with great opportunities for outdoor recreation! One of our most popular articles of all time is our Ultimate Guide to Kids’ Indoor Fun in the Reston Area. The next logical step is a guide to outdoor fun, but this time we didn’t limit the excitement to kids’ activities. Here are our favorite ways for…

Contributor Kate Schwarz reviews her family’s experience traversing NoVa’s very first Ninja Warrior Course. Let’s just say they had a super-fun time — from the biggest to the smallest among them. Read on to find out more. There is no escaping American Ninja Warrior in our house. Without my knowledge and consent, my husband let…

It’s finally spring and many of us are sprucing up our yards and planning to tackle home projects. Well, before you demo anything, you may want to read this article, for Reston is a very special place… For instance, do you know you need design approval from the Reston Association’s Design Review Board before you alter the exterior…

The bright colors and fluid lines of Celeste Friesen-Nikkel’s paintings were the first things that caught my eye. Then when I learned that she uses freely flowing paints without brushes or other painting tools, I was especially intrigued. Her pieces are varied and unexpected — ranging from subtle and delicate to bold and intense — but they are connected by their…

Guest contributor Kate Schwarz is something of an expert on children’s books. She has three kids and reviews what they read together on her blog, Kate’s Bookery: Raising Kids with Books. It’s a treasure trove of beloved classics, modern picture books and Caldecott winners. If you have kids who love to read, bookmark this blog! I promise you’ll return…

Washington, D.C. is arguably most beautiful in the springtime, and the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin are worth their hype. If you haven’t strolled around the Tidal Basin during peak blossom season yet, you really need to add that treasured local experience to your bucket list. It’s extraordinary. But if you’ve been there and done that… eh, skip it this…

Now that spring has arrived, treat yourself to a walk through some of Reston’s most beautiful scenery. Here is the next tour in Modern Reston’s series of trail tours: a walk at Reston National Golf Course. This route is great in all seasons, with shade in the summer, vibrant foliage in the fall, and sunny fields in…