December 2024 Issue

Mise en Place Rules

Chefs reveal the keys to a successful kitchen. -By Janelle Alberts Georges-Auguste Escoffier, considered the father of modern cuisine, scored a chef’s job at the London Savoy in 1890 and promptly introduced a rigid organizational habit that nobody in his kitchen liked. Called mise en place, it’s since become a wildly popular phenomenon, ranking somewhere […]

by Staff

Ensuring Loudoun County’s Country Roads Remain Rural

By Regan Hofmann Something happens when you leave the pavement. Suddenly, the journey becomes more about where you are than where you are going. You have arrived somewhere special even though you are still on your way. Whether it’s the tire of your car or bike, your sneaker, or a horse’s steel-clad shoe that crosses […]

by Staff

A Celebrated Virginia Artist IDs Emerging Artists

When Virginia Living magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Madeline Mayhood reached out to me to identify some artists who inspire me and whose work I love, I didn’t have to look far. Some of my faves have studios in my own neck of the woods of Albemarle County, which makes for a rich stew in which to live […]

by Staff

Smyrna Boldly Celebrates Aegean Cuisine

We must begin with the meze trio. Usually, I aim to find a menu’s hidden gems, but on an evening with friends at Smyrna in Charlottesville, the path extends clearly before me, and the first step is Chef Tarik Sengul’s holy trinity—impossibly soft, luscious hummus; a smoky charred eggplant smothered in garlic confit; and tangy […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Elder Fraud is an Epidemic

You’re happy, healthy, and about to settle into retirement. Falling for a fraud scheme? No way. You’re way too sharp. You can spot them a mile away. Think again. Take William Webster—as in the William Webster. He and his wife, Linda, came perilously close to falling victim to an elder fraud scheme that began with […]

by Madeline Mayhood

A Quest to Save Lost First Air Force One

A highly customized, mirror-polished 1948 Lockheed C-121 Constellation with hand-painted lettering and art, four propellers, and a tapered fuselage shaped like a bottlenose dolphin secretly touched down in Seoul in November 1952 carrying U.S. President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower. The former Allied Supreme Commander was there to fulfill a now-famous campaign promise: to visit the front […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Outfitting Your Home in the Digital Age

If aging in your home is a priority, check out AARP’s HomeFit program that reviews ways to make your home über-intelligent. Many new home builds have options for “smart home” features, including virtual assistants like Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, or Apple’s Siri. These assistants handle many tasks with simple voice commands, such as turning TVs […]

by Madeline Mayhood

NMSS—Dinner of Champions Harrisonburg

McGAHEYSVILLE: Brix & Columns Vineyard Over 160 attendees gathered in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s (NMSS) Dinner of Champions Harrisonburg on Aug. 22 in McGaheysville. This signature evening fundraising event, hosted in over 20 locations nationwide, unites people in the mission to raise awareness about this debilitating disease and generate funds to support […]

by Staff

Fred SPCA—9th Annual Fur Ball Gala

FREDERICKSBURG: Fredericksburg Convention Center Over 500 animal lovers gathered at the 9th Annual Fur Ball Gala for the Fredericksburg Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Fred SPCA) on Aug. 24. Held at the Fredericksburg Convention Center, attendees reveled in “glitz, glam, and goodwill” as they raised over $200,000 and enjoyed the event’s Old […]

by Staff

VCCA—Annual Gala

AMHERST: Artists’ Residence/Mt. San Angelo Lively music and fragrant flowers filled the air as the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) hosted its annual gala on June 15. The Studio Barn on the campus of the VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo artists’ residence was transformed into a Havana Nights–themed event that featured a Latin soundtrack […]

by Staff

Restoration of 17-Century Ship in Virginia Sets Sails

—By Katie Farthing With the winds of hope and prosperity filling its sails, the Susan Constant landed at Jamestown in 1607 with 54 Englishmen aboard hoping for glory and gold. Fast forward 400 years, the original three-masted square rig has long since disappeared, but her lore has remained a vital connection to Virginia’s past, […]

by Staff

Find Art Along the ART

Metallic, prehistoric creatures welcome visitors to three riverfront parks along the Appomattox River Trail (ART). These Atlantic sturgeons, an ancient species of fish (think dinosaurs) stand in statue form on the riverbanks. Located in Hopewell’s City Park, Roslyn Landing Park in Colonial Heights, and Petersburg’s Patton Park, they raise awareness for river conservation and celebrate […]

by Hope Cartwright

Artistica Makes Art Accessible

At Academy Center of the Arts in Lynchburg, the focus is on living art and accessibility to consumers both in the gallery and through their online shop, Artistica. Michelline Hall, chief programming officer, explains their place in the art world: “We’re an art center. Our pieces are museum-worthy, but we’re dealing with living artists who […]

by Heather Bien

Culture Through Costumes with Ruth E. Carter

—By Katie Farthing Bright colors, bold patterns, and cultural significance define the Ruth E. Carter exhibition, Afrofuturism in Costume Design, at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation through Jan. 5. Visitors can explore hand-drawn sketches, real costumes, and Carter’s childhood sewing machine that tell this award-winning costume designer’s powerful story. Carter is most well-known for the outstanding costumes […]

by Staff

Mark Your Calendars for Virginia’s Studio Art Tours

If you’re interested in building or adding to your art collection, art tours are a wonderful way to check out a local art scene. They can be like moveable feasts, where perusing is encouraged and pressure to purchase is low-key. Unlike a gallery, artists are usually on hand to answer questions and schmooze with potential […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Booming Questions: Smart Planning is a Baby Boomer’s Must

It’s never too late to plan for retirement might be a cliché, but the hard truth is that Baby Boomers—whether they like it or not—are on deck now and for the next decade. For many of us, retirement is inevitable, and while financial planning is paramount, other considerations need sorting out, too. Where do I […]

by Madeline Mayhood

A 1980s Mountain Home Update Takes Inspiration From Nature

You can change a house, but you can’t change its location. That’s the mindset homeowners Gail and Clay Huber took with them when they purchased an 8,000-square-foot home in Wintergreen that dates to the ’80s. Carefully built on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with four-season views that reach out over miles and […]

by Heather Bien

These Virginia Cities are Tops for Retirees

The golden years are about living your best life in ways you prioritize—be it weather, cost of living, or access to amenities like restaurants, golf courses, fitness facilities, and healthcare. With proximity to the mountains and coastline, Virginia is a nature lover’s mecca. And it’s one of the few states that counts Washington, D.C., as […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Building an Art Collection with Soul and Intention

Early memories shape the art we gravitate toward. That could be a walk through the Met on a childhood trip to New York. Perhaps it’s the illustrations from a favorite children’s book or a certain angle in your bedroom that stretched your understanding of color and light as the hours and seasons evolved. For Page […]

by Heather Bien

Pages: 1234

Events

June 28, 2025

FREE Community Concert

King-Lincoln Park

June 28, 2025

Workhouse Fireworks & Summer Bash

Workhouse Arts Center

June 28, 2025

2025 Navy Special Operations Foundation Benefit Gala

Marrott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort

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

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

The University of Virginia has climbed to No. 4 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings, advancing one position from last year. The university maintained its No. 24 overall ranking, tying with Emory and Georgetown universities. UVA’s commitment to accessibility and student success stands out in several key metrics. […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Long before the first European settlers ventured into the American wilderness, the Delaware and Catawba tribes tracked a buffalo trace through the Shenandoah Mountains. Abingdon—once known as Wolf Hills—emerged along this trail, today’s Route 11. Frequented by westward expansionists on the Great Valley Road, Main Street grew. Today, the city of 8,336 residents hugs Route […]

by Michael C. Upton

December 2024 Issue

Mise en Place Rules

Current Issue

Events

FREE Community Concert

Workhouse Fireworks & Summer Bash

2025 Navy Special Operations Foundation Benefit Gala

Most Popular

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

December 2024 Issue

Mise en Place Rules

Current Issue

Events

FREE Community Concert

Workhouse Fireworks & Summer Bash

2025 Navy Special Operations Foundation Benefit Gala

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today