I’ve been reading a lot of articles lately about how the era of the mall is dead. And while my Gen-X Mallrats self mourns a little, I haven’t actually been inside a mall in ages. I do, however, often find myself wandering around Reston Town Center in the sunshine, popping in and out of stores and dining on outdoor…

Every Saturday morning during farmers market season, an art market takes place on Lake Anne Plaza. If you haven’t taken a close look at the vendors there, I encourage you to do so. There is a lot of talent and quality on display every week. I’ve discovered some beautiful artwork and hand-crafted products at the Reston…

This coming Saturday, champion dogs will be leaping off the docks at Lake Anne and splashing into the water. This event will be part of the grand opening celebration of PetMAC, a new store at Lake Anne Plaza. There will also be dog scent work demos, cooking demonstrations, face painting, music, and giveaways. The fun will…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Halloween is over and the big slide into the holidays has begun. Chances are you will be a guest in someone’s home or need some original gift ideas for under the tree. Right here in Reston, residents are toiling away making products the old-fashioned way—small batch items infused with their passion for the process. The Soap…