Northern Virginia

How Virginia’s First Post-Prohibition Distillery Got Its Spirit

Ambrosial, musky, and sweet fragrances of alcohol waft through: The A. Smith Bowman Distillery barrel warehouse welcomes with a distinct aroma. The wood varies from Hungarian to Austrian, American, Brazilian, and more—all destined for Bowman products. But the story behind the Bowman name goes deeper than whiskey. The company’s stills, George and Mary, aren’t named […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The Bone Zone

Fresh BBQ six days a week. At its two locations in Old Town Manassas and Gainesville, The Bone serves its classic hickory-smoked meats and homemade sides six days a week. Try one of the new breakfast sandwiches, which are served on a house-made buttermilk biscuit or potato bun, with your choice of […]

by Staff

Come Innside!

Everything’s fresh at The Goodstone Inn & Restaurant. (photo by Jennifer Chase) Sitting on 265 acres nestled in the outskirts of Middleburg, The Goodstone Inn & Restaurant sources its fresh ingredients from its own farm, including a variety of fruit, vegetables, and flowers. All six of the estate’s lodging accommodations are located […]

by Staff

Lecker, Lecker!

Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is Arlington’s staple for tasty German treats. Homemade cakes, among other sweet treats, are a hugely important part of German culture. And when Wolfgang Büchler came to Washington, D.C., from Heidelberg, he couldn’t speak a word of English—but he knew how to bake. But when he opened his Heidelberg […]

by Staff

Healthy Harvest

Fresh food is just one ingredient at Founding Farmers. At Founding Farmers restaurants, the idea of fresh farm-to-table is more than just a slogan, it’s a philosophy. “The recipe we’ve followed to build our company includes a large portion of farmer DNA combined with an oversized portion of conscious capitalism,” says co-owner […]

by Staff

Curtain Call

The historic State Theatre switched to hosting outside music events during a difficult year. Built in 1936, The State Theatre opened as a popular movie house in Falls Church until the late 1980s. But things changed significantly a decade later when a multimillion-dollar restoration turned it into the area’s favorite new venue for […]

by Staff

Celebrating Alexandria

The popular Art on the Avenue festival in Del Rey returns for the 26th time. (photo by William Niccolls) On the first Saturday in October each year, more than 50,000 visitors stroll down Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Rey, Alexandria, between Bellefonte and Hume Avenues and are greeted by more than 300 […]

by Staff

Scenic Setting

Lansdowne Resort and Spa is a sanctuary for golfers. Located on 500 acres overlooking the scenic Potomac River in Leesburg, Lansdowne Resort and Spa is a sanctuary for golfers, an oasis for productive meetings, and the perfect escape for couples and families. It also boasts a AAA Four Diamond award-winning golf resort […]

by Staff

Park Fever

Trailblazing in Fairfax County. Don Sweeney Burke Lake Park is an idyllic 888-acre area in Fairfax County that opened nearly 60 years ago. Whether it’s walking on the 4.7-mile lake trail, riding on the miniature train or carousel, picnicking, testing your skills on the mini-golf course, or fishing, biking, boating, and camping, […]

by Staff

Just Smile

For nearly 30 years, Orthodontics by Crutchfield has been known for its laid-back atmosphere. Dr. Bill Crutchfiled is the go-to choice for Northern Virginia families looking for high-quality orthodontics in a state-of-the-art, laid-back, family-friendly office—a lab coat-free zone. Crutchfield started practicing nearly 30 years ago, but he’s nowhere near sopping, and his energy […]

by Staff

Help is Here

Blue Ridge Psychological Center provides mental health services in times of crisis. Gainesville’s Blue Ridge Psychological Center comprises a team of licensed therapists and a psychiatric nurse practitioner who offer individual, marriage, and family counseling to clients ages 5 and older. For 10 years, they have provided quality mental health services to their community, […]

by Staff

Build a Bridge

Loveless Porter Architects value their community. Loveless Porter Architects, LLC has been a staple of Virginia’s architectural landscape since 1975, when Robert Loveless founded the firm determined to be a community leader who practices architecture, not an architectural firm located in the community. With a team of three lead architects based in […]

by Staff

Active Aging

Heritage Hunt is a retirement community for people 55 and up. Located in Gainesville, Heritage Hunt is nestled between many shopping and cultural opportunities. An active adult community for residents 55 years and up, it covers over 750 acres of natural landscaping and has its own 18-hole championship golf course, two clubhouses, […]

by Staff

Making History Today

Alexandria’s bustling Old Town district is home to more than 10 boutiques. (Sarah Marcell Creative for Visit Alexandria) (Chris Cruz for Visit Alexandria) (Sarah Marcella Creative for Visit Alexandria) (Chris Cruz for Visit Alexandria) Located just seven miles from Washington D.C. on the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria has always […]

by Staff

Ride On!

Haymarket Bicycles is a community staple for those who love to travel on two wheels. Opened by Jared Nieters and Curtis Prosser in 2007, Haymarket Bicycles set out to be a different type of bicycle shop—one where every customer, whether a first-time bike buyer or world-class racer, was to be treated well, […]

by Staff

Hyper Drive

Dream cars are increasingly common in the Commonwealth. Virginia’s car culture is on the rise, but that culture may not be one you’d expect. As the home of legendary tracks, teams, and drivers, the Old Dominion is a longstanding bastion of stock car racing and classic muscle cars. Weekend car shows around the state […]

by Dan Carney

Helix Habitat

Amazon’s second headquarters will bring new aesthetic and environmental standards to Arlington. (photo by Kyle LaFerriere courtesy of Amazon) AMAZON’S SECOND HEADQUARTERS will dramatically change Arlington’s skyline when construction wraps in 2025. Not only will the three 22-story buildings provide 2.8 million square feet of new office space, but one of them—dubbed […]

by Markus Schmidt

Pop-Up Pasta

An expanding Italian menu at Arlington’s Napoli Salumeria. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Courtesy of Napoli Salumeria LAST NOVEMBER, Washington, D.C.’s Napoli Pasta Bar opened Napoli Salumeria in Arlington as an Italian market and deli counterpart to the original restaurant. Now, as owner Antonio Ferraro temporarily closes the D.C. branch to search for a […]

by Ashley Hunter

The Sound, The Fury, and the Lanternfly

Learning to accept the things we cannot change—and which things need to be changed right now. Illustration by Zohar Lazar MY SPRING FEVER IS AS PREDICTABLE AS THE SEASONS. A string of 70-degree days sends me to the back patio, where I rhapsodize about the musty, rich odor of the forest coming […]

by Robert Nelson

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Events

April 25, 2025

Milk Tide

Reynolds Gallery

April 25, 2025

ValeArts Spring Art Show and Sale

historic Vale Schoolhouse

April 25, 2025

March – April @ Art Works!

Art Works

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

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

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

Northern Virginia

How Virginia’s First Post-Prohibition Distillery Got Its Spirit

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Events

Milk Tide

ValeArts Spring Art Show and Sale

March – April @ Art Works!

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A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Northern Virginia

How Virginia’s First Post-Prohibition Distillery Got Its Spirit

Current Issue

Events

Milk Tide

ValeArts Spring Art Show and Sale

March – April @ Art Works!

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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