Heather Bien

Heather Bien, a Virginia- and D.C.-based writer looks for the intersection of tradition, history, and home. Her work has appeared in Martha Stewart Weddings, Apartment Therapy, and more.

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House + Garden

Step into an Alexandria Home Where Blues Rule

Growing up on a farm in rural North Dakota, Christine Gunderson was surrounded by never-ending blue skies. “Blue reminds me of that sky. It reminds me of home.” That blue inspired Gunderson for decades. When she and her family began a custom build project with Robert Ransom, owner of The Ransom Co. in Alexandria, and […]

Weddings 2024

Anushka & Jack

Dual ceremonies and vibrant colors unite cultures.

Weddings

The Art of the A-List Guest

Be on your best guest behavior with tips from etiquette experts.

HOME

Checkerboard is Back

But now it has multiple personalities.

Food

Ovoka Farm’s Wagyu Beef Operation

Karen Way, CEO and founder of Ovoka Farm, wasn’t born into cattle farming, despite her ease in the pastoral countryside of Paris, Virginia. She spent over a decade as an attorney in Chicago, dreaming of a more bucolic life.

Culture

All About Richmond’s Cotillion

Cotillion is alive and well in Richmond, and it’s more than just an old-fashioned dance. But, on the exterior, teaching children to waltz and navigate a receiving line could seem like a lost cause.

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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