food for thought

Tipping Point: Surviving the New Age of Gratuity Guilt

There’s a little song and dance we’re all used to when paying at a restaurant, takeout spot, boutique food shop, or even a farmers market. It starts with the person behind the iPad who’s completing your sale saying something like, It’s gonna ask you a few questions. The ensuing quiz is all about if and […]

by Stephanie Ganz

The History of a Valentine’s Day Favorite

By Janelle Alberts You know you’ve hit adulthood when you level up from trading candy conversation hearts on Valentine’s Day to gifting elegant boxes of chocolate truffles. A funny thing about chocolate truffles though—how they got their start was possibly an accident. Also, the story likely includes a screaming pastry chef. In short, the origin […]

by Staff

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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

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

Staunton’s Queen City Mischief & Magic Celebrates 10 Years

You’ll hear the festival before you see it, mostly through the excited shouts of even more excited children. You’ll feel your footsteps fastening almost of their own accord, driven by the anticipation that hangs like a spell over the town of Staunton. And as the buildings of Beverley Street envelop you, some centuries old, you’ll […]

by Hope Cartwright