April 2025 Issue

Historic Riding Program Evolves Into Learning Tool

Since 1939, horses have been woven into the fabric of Congressional School, a legacy that began with the founding family’s passion for equestrian life. The Devers’ love of horses not only shaped the school’s identity—inspiring the “Colts” team name and horse mascot—but established a tradition that continues to innovate today. During the warmer months, Congressional’s […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Books For Serious (and Aspiring) Gardeners

The Land is Full, by Nelson Byrd Woltz. The Monacelli Press, 2024 The latest book by Nelson Byrd Woltz (NBW), the renowned landscape architecture firm in Charlottesville, is a celebration of parks and public gardens whose designs reflect the land’s histories. From Houston’s 1,500-acre Memorial Park to Brooklyn’s Naval Yard meadows, NBW crafts spaces that […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Where to Get Your Edible Cookie Dough Fix in Virginia

Anyone who says they’ve never sneaked a taste of cookie dough before popping it in the oven is either lying or has superior self-restraint. Sometimes, the best part of baking is that secret sample. Now, you can do it with pride—and safely! Edible cookie dough has increasingly popped up on Virginia menus. Build Your Own […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Chickadees are Easy to Recognize, Hard to Tell Apart

When it comes to birdwatching, to call myself a rank amateur would be an insult to rank amateurs. Give me something incontrovertibly identifiable—your cardinals, your blue jays, your crows and Canada geese—and I’m all swagger and self-confidence. But throw a white-breasted nuthatch or a dark-eyed junco at me, or ask me to make the call […]

by caroline kettlewell

Arlington’s Ambar Serves Balkan Cuisine That’s Earned a Michelin Nod

They had to call it fried chicken. At first, the restaurateurs at Ambar put their signature dish on the menu by its preferred name—“monastery chicken.” It was served for generations to the monks at Gracanica Monastery in Serbia, to end their fast. “But nobody ordered it when we called it monastery chicken,” says Uros Jojic,director […]

by Craig Stoltz

Controlled Burns are Virginia’s Environmental Superpower

I’m guessing you don’t have this in a smaller size?” I ask the day’s burn boss. The bright yellow Nomex suit she hands me is laughably large on my 5-foot frame, requiring duct tape around the ankles so I don’t trip. While it may not be runway-worthy attire, I’m thankful for the peace of mind […]

by Ellen Kanzinger

Memorial Garden at River Farm Honors Longtime AHS Volunteer

The backyard garden of longtime American Horticultural Society volunteer Clara Plein is the inspiration for a posthumously named garden at the AHS headquarters at River Farm in Alexandria. Dedicated last summer, the Clara B. Plein Memorial Garden showcases combinations of native plants and cultivars based on how well they support the property’s natural ecosystems—from providing […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Alexandria Home Brings “Viewing Garden” Trend to Virginia

So many elements conspire to make an outdoor space successful—how it’s organized, how it’s used, how it functions over time, how it works as part of a larger composition. And then there’s the beauty factor—the eye candy in the form of plants and details—that paint a pleasing picture. In the case of a particular garden […]

by Kendra Taylor

Must-Have Gardening Gadgets & Gear for Spring

As gardens spring back to life, having the right stuff makes all the difference. We’ve curated this season’s most innovative and reliable garden essentials—from boots and blooms to balms and bags. Tame prickly beasts with these Felco 705 Rose Gloves—your armor against vicious roses. Their leather-suede construction and adjustable nylon cuff shield against even the […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Virginia Tech’s Partnership Will 3D-Print Homes Statewide

Technology continues to amaze us, from AI to driverless cars. Now, Virginia is … printing houses? Virginia Housing, the state’s housing finance agency, and Virginia Tech unveiled a robotic 3D printer last November in Virginia Beach, capable of constructing homes. The nearly 11-foot high, 4-ton Tvasta printer, designed and built in India, cuts construction time […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Pharma Growth and Boutique Hotel Fuel Petersburg’s Boom

Tens of thousands of drivers speed past Petersburg daily on I-95, but its exit ramps are becoming busier as the city emerges as a destination in itself. The industry is moving in and fast. Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk acquired a facility there last December, and Phlow Pharmaceutical launched operations last summer, positioning Petersburg as […]

by Hope Cartwright

Crab Point: Home & Landscaping on the Rappahannock River

Landscape plans are always works in progress. Expected outcomes can be confounded by weather, soil, wildlife, even changing goals. That’s why it’s helpful to take a long view—just as Susan and Michael Tempest are doing with Crab Point, their property at the tip of a high-profile White Stone peninsula. Working with father-and-son team Ken and […]

by Paula Peters Chambers

Finding Connection Through Birdwatching and Serendipity

While out for a stroll, my husband and I wander into a garden shop in Georgetown. The person behind the counter is in her 20s, pale-skinned, nose ring, blue jean overalls. “Can I help you find something?” she asks. “We’re looking for a tablecloth,” I tell her. She points to a stack of Indian block […]

by Page Evans Corey

Tour the Tastes of Virginia Through Honey

By Rachel Kester What does a forest taste like? Or perhaps a bustling city or lush meadow? Savoring a landscape’s flavor might seem impossible, but don’t tell honey that. Ranging from hardwood forests in the west to agricultural fields near the coast, Virginia’s diverse environment makes for a very tasty adventure that beekeepers seek to […]

by Staff

Peggy Singlemann is Horticulture Royalty

Peggy Singlemann and I sit at her kitchen table on a cold, snow-covered January morning, sipping Lady Grey tea and enjoying a fresh loaf of her sour cream coffee cake, made from a recipe handed down to her through a family friend. When Peggy was 10, she entered it in a church baking contest—and won […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is Among the Country’s Best

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts clinched 11th place in The Washington Post’s top U.S. museums ranking, outshining major institutions in Dallas, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Critics celebrate its seamless blend of galleries and gardens, world-class collections spanning global cultures, and standout exhibitions of contemporary photography. Richmond’s art scene is set for a seismic shift as […]

by Madeline Mayhood

World’s First Grid-scale Nuclear Fusion Plant in Chesterfield

Chesterfield is making history as the future site of the world’s first grid-scale commercial nuclear fusion* power plant, with a goal of delivering power in the early 2030s. Commonwealth Fusion System (CFS), a spin-off of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will independently finance, build, own, and operate the facility at the James River Industrial Park. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Nikki Bettis stood on the jagged summit outcrop of Shenandoah National Park’s 4,011-foot Stony Man, awed by westward panoramic views. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned to watch her 13 kids shoulder their loaded backpacks and fall into a clamorous single-file line heading back to the Appalachian Trail (AT). “We were in an […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Authentic Greek Olive Oil Comes to Richmond Coffee Shop

In Greek culture, the olive tree is a sacred symbol representing peace, prosperity, and love. For centuries, olive trees were included in marriage dowries, in which they were often split equally between the newlyweds and the bride’s family to keep the two connected for future generations. In Palaiopanagia, a small village south of Sparta at […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Pages: 123

Events

May 30, 2025

Manassas Chorale “Princesses and Pirates” Spring Concert

Hylton Performing Arts Center

May 30, 2025

Falsettos

Keegan Theatre

May 31, 2025

Yorktown Market Days

Riverwalk Landing

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Virginia Scenic Railway Adds Dome Car for Spectacular Valley Views The popular Virginia Scenic Railway just upped its game with a vintage dome car offering breathtaking 360° views of the Shenandoah Valley. The “Shenandoah”—built in 1948 as the “Silver Palace” for the California Zephyr—now gives passengers an unmatched vantage point on three-hour excursions from Staunton. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Eight Virginia schools received the National Blue Ribbon 2024 award for their high performances. The Exemplary High Performing Schools are Spring Hill Elementary in McLean, Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Bethel Manor Elementary in Hampton, and St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton. The Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are Central Academy Middle […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

In Colonial America, a grand garden was the ultimate status symbol—the 18th century equivalent of a Lamborghini. So when archaeologists at Colonial Williamsburg uncovered John Custis IV’s property, they struck horticultural gold: the remains of a football field-sized garden alongside his Jacobean manor house. Custis, a tobacco magnate and Martha Washington’s first father-in-law, went all […]

by Madeline Mayhood

April 2025 Issue

Historic Riding Program Evolves Into Learning Tool

Current Issue

Events

Manassas Chorale “Princesses and Pirates” Spring Concert

Falsettos

Yorktown Market Days

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

April 2025 Issue

Historic Riding Program Evolves Into Learning Tool

Current Issue

Events

Manassas Chorale “Princesses and Pirates” Spring Concert

Falsettos

Yorktown Market Days

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today