April 2010 issue

A Beautiful Spy

Tue, 10 May 2011 14:46:34 GMT

Laura Ratcliffe was a Fairfax City lady who helped the Confederate cause. Now the owners of her former house, Merrybrook, are working to save the historic structure from its own demise.

The Urban Underbelly

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:45:00 GMT

Cynical cops hunting hard-luck losers—and, always, bloody crimes: It’s a collection of noir.

Boys with Toys

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:06:00 GMT

A go-to place for classic car collectors.

Amsterdam, by Design

Tue, 04 May 2010 18:56:55 GMT

In the Dutch capital, a rich collection of Baroque, neoclassical and early-20th-century expressionist structures coexists almost organically with a new crop of contemporary buildings, creating what one designer calls “a good friction.”

Fresh Bread and Warm Places

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:57:17 GMT

The Taubman Museum is transforming Roanoke’s cultural landscape and attracting a new kind of tourist to the city—and downtown eateries are striving to keep up.

A “Marvelous Vision”

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:35:11 GMT

With its $150 million renovation and expansion, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts now has the wherewithal to, as one curator puts it, “surprise people with the treasures on view in their own backyard.”

The Vantage and the Vista

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:03:14 GMT

Over the last decade, an Orange County couple has created an ambitious, spectacular garden with English, French and Italian influences. But the strongest presence of all is the Virginia countryside beyond.

Spring Fling

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:24:14 GMT

Now is the time to stalk the many possibilities of asparagus.

The Little Busy Bee

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:12:45 GMT

Honeybees are crucial to our environment as primary pollinators of plants, and scientists are scrambling to discover the causes of the recent decline in their numbers. One group might help to reverse the trend: beekeepers.

A True Redoubt

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:21:50 GMT

Formerly a railroad depot and, 100 years ago, the largest and most progressive town in Fairfax County, Clifton is now a “back-in-time” community thanks to its strategic location and its commitment to preservation.

Hide and Speak

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:26:22 GMT

Unmarked doors, passwords, exclusive elegance: The speakeasy is back, serving up carefully crafted cocktails with Jazz Age ambience.

Hall Raisers

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:51:58 GMT

Upperville Restores a once-swinging landmark.

Closer to Home

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:49:43 GMT

For the discerning home buyer, context is key. And Virginia’s planned community developers know it.

One Spark of Genius

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:32:22 GMT

A new setting—and a few amenities—can lead to new energy and new ideas.