Over the last few years, more than half of my extended family has had to give up gluten for medical reasons. They are dropping like flies around here. Chances are, you know someone who has had to give up gluten, too. At first, that transition was hard for me, a devoted cookie/cake/brownie lover. But gluten-free baked goods…

Reston really shines in the summertime. This season of fun always slips by too quickly — don’t miss it! Here’s a list of some of the best things to do during summertime in Reston and nearby parts of Northern Virginia. How many of these things can you check off this year? You’ll want to bookmark this page and refer to it…

As summer approaches, many of this area’s most fun events are returning. Highlights this month include the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, the reopening of local pools and water parks, and Memorial Day celebrations. Here’s what’s happening this month in Reston, Herndon, and surrounding areas of Northern Virginia. SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016 March for Babies…

The announcement that the Lake Anne Coffee House is changing hands has everyone a-buzz with excitement! Finally, Reston will have a bonafide independent coffee house. What you might not know is that the improvement to the actual coffee will be MONUMENTAL. Future owners Eve and Rick Thompson have chosen Monument Coffee — the Manassas-based small-batch roasters —…

With Memorial Day Weekend just a few days away, summer is almost here. But first, let’s look back at the last few months of Reston’s springtime. This area is gorgeous in bloom!

It’s science and ice cream combined! A vendor at the Reston Farmers Market has turned this summer treat into an entertaining display of chemistry in action. With fresh ingredients, your choice of flavors, and a dose of liquid nitrogen, you can have custom ice cream made right in front of you, even on the hottest days. Nitro’s Creamery…

As we near the end of ramp season, we thought it might be useful to compile a bunch of inspiring recipes so you can get the most out of this fleeting spring vegetable. For those of you who aren’t familiar with ramps, they are essentially a wild leek that can only be harvested by foraging in the…

I’ve got to applaud the person who first came up with the idea of a Peeps diorama. It’s genius. To use Peeps in ridiculous arts and crafts projects is a huge improvement over the original use of Peeps. As I understand it, you were originally supposed to eat them. The Just Born candy factory makes one billion Peeps…

It’s bivalve season! Huh? you ask. Months that end in an ‘r’ are commonly believed to be the best months for oysters, mussels and clams. Cooler waters have less of an occurrence of algae blooms which can lead to high levels of toxicity in bivalves. These shellfish also spawn during warmers months and don’t taste as…