Virginia Living Photography Awards submissions 50% OFF until Oct 9th! 📸 Enter Today!

About
Advertising
Where To Find Virginia Living
Careers
Editorial Submissions
Current Issue
October 2025
Subscribe Now
Subscribe
Chiles T.A. Larson

Chiles T.A. Larson

Chiles T.A. Larson is a past contributor to Virginia Living.

All Posts

Culture

Kiss Me Kate!

Oh, how we love the classic Christmas custom. (Illustration by Austin Anderson) Ah, mistletoe, a name that conjures up a Victorian Christmas scene of rooms strewn with greens and gentlemen stealing kisses from willing ladies who linger demurely under the fresh sprigs that hang above many a doorframe. But where did this […]
Current Issue
Subscribe to the Magazine
Most Popular

Top 10 Fall Festivals in Virginia 2025

Alexandria – 23rd Annual Alexandria Art Festival Sept. 13–14: Stroll Old Town’s John Carlyle Square Park as it’s transformed into an outdoor art gallery for this fall festival. Admire the work from more than 200 juried artisans from around the globe. VisitAlexandria.com Virginia Beach – VIRGINIA BEACH NEPTUNE FESTIVAL Sept. 26–28: The 51st anniversary of […]
by Madeline Mayhood

Where to Eat, Drink, & Stay in Staunton During Queen City Mischief & Magic

Staunton might be a small town, but during the annual Queen City Mischief & Magic Festival, the last week of September, it’s larger than life. The festival draws tens of thousands of witches, wizards, warlocks, ghouls, and more to the Shenandoah Valley—and they fill up the local hotels, restaurants, and bars quickly. To plan ahead […]
by Hope Cartwright

A Couple’s Small-Town Makeover

After a successful career in investigative services in Washington, D.C., Terri Wesselman and her husband, Julien Patterson, decided to settle down in Irvington. Initially drawn to the area by the Tides Inn, the couple had been weekending in the Northern Neck since the late ’90s. “There was something about the area that was quiet but […]
by Stephanie Ganz