Contributed by NWFCUF A girl tries on her new shows at Dranesville Elementary's Resource Night. Photo contributed by NWFCUF A girl tries on her new shows at Dranesville Elementary's Resource Night. Photo contributed by NWFCUF As students prepare to head back to school, the Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation (NWFCU Foundation), the charitable arm of Northwest Federal Credit Union, is helping local children with an often-overlooked need: new athletic shoes. Through its annual Step Into Success program, the Foundation distributed more than 2,100 pairs of new athletic shoes and socks to elementary school students in Reston and Herndon. The initiative was supported by community partners Eleccion, Koons Automotive, Konica Minolta and Toth Financial, along with school staff and NWFCU employee volunteers. “At the Foundation, we’re always looking to identify unmet needs in our community,” said Taralyn Kohler, vice president and director of the NWFCU Foundation. “We realized that while many wonderful organizations provide school supplies, very few provide new athletic shoes. Yet something as simple as a new pair of properly fitting shoes can impact a student’s ability to fully participate in school, feel included and focus on learning.” For some children, proper footwear can mean the difference between participating in gym class, recess and after-school activities or sitting on the sidelines. According to Shoes That Fit, educators reported improvements in self-esteem (92%), confidence (94%), physical activity (74%) and social interaction (85%) after children received new shoes. “One of the most rewarding parts of our work is leveraging our resources and networks to address these often-unnoticed needs together,” said Jeff Bentley, president and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union and chairman of the NWFCU Foundation. “When we remove barriers, whether it’s a pair of shoes, a winter coat or access to educational opportunities, we help students thrive both inside and outside the classroom.” NWFCU employee volunteers also helped children select the correct shoe size during back-to-school nights and distributed financial education books about saving, spending and sharing wisely. Parents and caregivers said the new shoes helped ease financial stress and ensure their children were ready for the first day of school. Many children laced up their new sneakers on the spot. “The NWFCU Foundation’s presence and generosity continue to build deep, supportive connections with our students and families,” said Jamie Gadley, principal at Dranesville Elementary School. “Receiving a new pair of sneakers and socks makes them feel truly valued. We have seen that when students feel cared for and equipped from head to toe, it empowers them to ‘step into success’ as they begin a new school year.” The NWFCU Foundation will continue working with Title I schools and community partners to address local students’ needs throughout the year. To learn more about the NWFCU Foundation and its programs, visit www.nwfcufoundation.org/

by Reston Letter Staff Juniors Addison Kiser and Fiona Gallardo are part of the inaugural girls golf team at Herndon High. Photo by Reid Kiser This summer Herndon High School added its first girls Virginia High School League (VHSL) golf team. A total of nine girls from freshman to seniors represent the Hornets. Some have competitive golf backgrounds, while others had never played the sport. Reid Kiser, golfer and father of HHS junior Addison Kiser, led the effort to establish the girls team and create more opportunities within an already strong coed golf program. VHSL does not have boys-only golf teams; teams are coed. The VHSL coed teams are 90% boys and there can be a perceived and true barrier for girls trying out for the golf team. “I had a fire lit when I was told this had been tried before but they couldn’t get the numbers,” Kiser said. “I was hoping to have four girls and we ended up with nine.” The team plays at Herndon Centennial and Hidden Creek Country Club. Across town, South Lakes has had a dedicated girls golf team for at least 10 years. Olivia Dunheimer coached the for many of those years, with assistance from Kevin Anderson, who coached the coed team. Today, Anderson coaches both teams. He provided structure and additional training for the girls team and he brings decades of experience as a PGA member since 1982. This year, there are six girls on the South Lakes team. The South Lakes team plays at Reston National Golf Club in the heart of Reston. Because of the small number of girls who play the game, there is no NVHS girls golf district, and coaches often set up the matches informally. The main goal for the female athletes is to improve their game, try to make regionals, and move on to states. Now that Herndon has a girls golf team, the athletes and coaches are looking forward to coordinating a little friendly competition.

By Ellyn Wexler, staff writer The 2026-27 class is the inaugural class at Reston Montessori Middle School. Photo by Isadora Guerreiro Seven students make up the inaugural class of Reston Montessori School’s Secondary I Program, which extends Montessori education into the middle school years. The idea grew out of a vision Head of School Eliana Jaoude developed while teaching Upper Elementary students. “Since I became Head of School a decade ago, my mission has been to grow our school and ensure every child leaves ready to tackle whatever comes next,” Jaoude said. “My true passion is teaching.” Throughout her tenure, Jaoude has remained involved in the classroom. As an Upper Elementary teacher, she saw how the Montessori approach supported students’ academic and personal growth and began considering what it could offer adolescents. “I saw firsthand what the program could offer students: the growth, the breadth of the curriculum, and the way it truly speaks to the adolescent child,” she said. That experience led Jaoude to envision a Montessori middle school. She spent years researching the idea, observing other schools and looking for teachers who shared her vision. Three years ago, the school laid the groundwork through research, family surveys and community input. Jaoude said the school needed to build the right team and ensure its members received appropriate Montessori adolescent training. In its inaugural year, the school included sixth- and seventh-graders. Beginning next year, enrollment will be limited to seventh- and eighth-graders. The small, multi-age setting encourages collaboration and mentorship. Extended, uninterrupted work periods allow students to concentrate on projects. They manage their time, set goals, help make classroom decisions and take responsibility for their work. One distinctive feature is the Entrepreneurship and Microeconomy initiative. Students partner with local farms and markets to develop sustainable business projects. They plan, budget, implement each one and evaluate the results. Core subjects include language arts, mathematics, science and humanities. An interdisciplinary curriculum aligns instruction with Fairfax County Public Schools’ seventh- and eighth-grade content standards. Teachers use whole-group, small-group and individual instruction based on each student’s progress. French is a yearlong core course. Rotating STEM electives include Introduction to Engineering and Basic Coding, while the curriculum incorporates art and music into interdisciplinary projects. Socratic seminars and community meetings give students opportunities to exchange ideas with classmates. Work plans, checklists and portfolios help them organize their work, reflect on their progress and stay accountable. Through Montessori Model United Nations, students research global issues, represent countries and develop public speaking and diplomacy skills. Twice-yearly overnight trips and monthly visits to partner Montessori schools allow students to work collaboratively and independently. Beyond the classroom, service learning, field studies, environmental projects and outreach connect students with local organizations and businesses. The approach reflects Maria Montessori’s view that adolescence is an important period of personal development, Jaoude said. During adolescence, students develop greater independence while building critical-thinking and decision-making skills. As students progress toward high school, RMS staff help them navigate the admissions process, prepare for interviews and develop their portfolios. The school plans to grow the program gradually while keeping the setting small. “We are not simply building a middle school,” Jaoude said. “We are building a community.” For more information, visit restonmontessori.com/ or call 703-481-2922

By Chuck Cascio, author and former South Lakes teacher Her grandparents ran flower shops in Warren, Ohio, that were eventually passed down to other family members. Her mother is a teacher who has an inherent love of flowers, and her father is an architect. So when Bethy Was Horta says, “Flowers and art are in my genes, and design was a part of my childhood,” she is not exaggerating. A 1991 graduate of South Lakes High School, Bethy says her love of nature’s art was enhanced by growing up in Reston. “Terraset Elementary, Langston Hughes Middle School and South Lakes High School were close to the homes we lived in,” she says. “My brother, Ben, and I walked most years, and I can still recollect trees en route to Terraset, the school set in the earth.” Exploring her surroundings and observing nature impacted Bethy deeply, fueling her creative instincts. She recalls taking “nature walks and biking the paths that run like veins and arteries connecting Reston’s neighborhoods. I adored the freedom those forest bike rides offered. Creating was a happy habit for as long as I can remember. I loved visiting my dad’s office at the Reston International Center and getting to color with a vast collection of architectural pens and markers.” Bethy also cites her summers from ages 10 to 13 as influential. During that time, she took art classes in the basement of renowned Vermont artist Anne Cady, who was living temporarily in Reston: “I would walk to her house in an adjacent neighborhood and create works at her direction. I loved those classes and retain the friendship with her to this day.” Not surprisingly, Bethy’s life has led to a career in floral design, artistry and decoration, talents recognized early: “I won first prize in a Bloomingdale’s drawing contest when I was seven years old, and I received an honorable mention in the Washington Regional Scholastics Art Awards exhibition in high school for a painting of a tree with deep roots.” When she was 15, Bethy’s parents took her to the Georgia O’Keeffe retrospective at the National Gallery of Art’s East Wing, where “I was captivated by her organically expressive flowers, bones and landscapes. The 8-foot-high by 24-foot-wide ‘Sky Above Clouds IV’ had me spellbound as I walked up the stairs and was greeted by it in the exhibit.” Bethy carried those experiences with her to Arizona State University in 1992, where she studied painting and studio art. En route to her BA cum laude degree, Bethy explored the uniqueness of Arizona and surrounding areas. “I was in the Southwest and felt akin to Georgia O’Keeffe’s organic terrain and painted my own mountains and lemons,” she says. “Flowers beckoned, and I began working in flower shops. I couldn’t get enough.” After graduating from ASU, Bethy crisscrossed the country, working in shops and studios. She also took her fascination abroad to India, France, Mexico and elsewhere, exploring art while “teaching and helping create the floral story in weddings.” She has chronicled those travels in her blog, titled Sweet Sabelle, on her site, sweetsabelle.com, named after her daughter, Isabella, who is a college student in Paris. In 2001, Bethy took a brief sabbatical from her job as the in-house florist for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel, California, and traveled to New York City. “I was there for 9/11 and fled the next day with a friend to her mom’s home on Long Island,” Bethy says. Her father and brother drove to New York to pick her up: “It was such an uncertain time for all. I didn’t want to be in California and so far from home again. Six months later, I moved back to New York.” Since then, Bethy has lived in New York, where she and her husband, Marcelo, have raised Isabella and their son, Thiago. She says New York’s artistic energy and the city itself impact her daily work: “Walking and biking to essential places are part of my daily routine, so my choice of living in New York replicates Reston in that way.” She also embraces the city’s access to the arts: “I felt lucky to visit the Lois Dodd painting retrospective three years ago at the Bruce Museum just north of New York in Greenwich, Connecticut. I wrote about it in a blog post, ‘Lois Dodd: Natural Order at The Bruce Museum.’” The impact of the many art-related influences in Bethy’s life is clear as her dedication to floral design and other artistic endeavors continues: “In an age where we’re unsure of humanity’s path with the advent of AI, it feels pertinent that we continue in our drive to create. I want to be Lois Dodd with a retrospective at age 95 of a life spent recording the world in painting form. It is a dream of mine to return to capturing the trees and flowers that were planted so naturally in my youth in Reston.”

By Holly Weatherwax, staff writer Melissa Romano's pop-up Vintage Reston is temporarily in Lake Anne Brew House's additional space. For hours, visit the brew house's Facebook or Instagram account. Photo by Isadora Guerreiro Lake Anne is a beloved and ever-changing part of Reston. For many who grew up here in the early days of Reston, it was a playground, a babysitter and a favorite gathering place. Melissa Romano was one of those children. She spent her younger years hanging out at Lake Anne and wandering the paths of Reston. More recently, Melissa and her husband, Jason, have become familiar faces at Lake Anne as the owners of Lake Anne Brew House. She also co-owns Nordic Knot. Every day, she walks from her nearby home to the spaces and businesses they have created. “This place was built for the community. The entire nature of Lake Anne was that Robert E. Simon wanted a space where people could live, work and play,” Romano said. Last fall, the Brew House announced plans to expand into the space vacated by Chesapeake Chocolates. The permitting process has taken longer than expected, creating an opportunity for Romano to share her passion for Danish modern and mid-century modern furniture and accessories. Romano studied architecture and has long been fascinated by design. A trip to Denmark cemented her interest in Scandinavian design, and she began collecting Danish modern pieces with simple lines. She later added some mid-century modern pieces. Over time, she began sourcing and refinishing pieces for her own enjoyment. As her collection grew, it became more than she could keep in her home. The Brew House expansion plans gave her a place to use some of her overflow pieces, while the unexpected delay created an opportunity to share some of her favorites with the public. Vintage Reston is a temporary pop-up featuring mid-century modern furniture, decor and art, alongside zero-proof beverages. The space is designed to be less like a traditional retail store and more like a place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Visitors can order a zero-proof beverage, sit down and look through the pieces, with most items available for purchase. The collection will continue to evolve, with new consignment furniture, home goods and artwork added alongside Romano’s own pieces. A small number of original art pieces by Romano herself will also be available. The space is designed to resemble a series of lived-in rooms rather than a traditional resale store. Visitors are encouraged to sit on the furniture and experience the pieces as they were intended—as beautiful, functional objects meant to be used and enjoyed. Romano expects to continue Vintage Reston even after the Brew House expansion is completed. The idea is for the new space to have more of a lounge atmosphere, with items continuing to be available for purchase. In the meantime, the pop-up’s hours vary and can be found on Lake Anne Brew House’s Instagram account, @lakeannebrewhouse, and Facebook page, Lake Anne Brew House.

By Meg Marsh, Reston neighbor Photo by Meg Marsh Most people can identify the feeling of trying to fit in versus truly belonging. The difference can be felt in friendships, on sports teams, at camp, among neighborhood kids and, eventually, at work. Fitting in requires some effort, paying attention to what everyone else is doing and adjusting accordingly. Belonging feels different. There is an ease to it. For many people, it takes years, sometimes well into adulthood, to recognize the difference. That makes senior year of high school an interesting moment. At the exact time teenagers are being asked to make decisions about their futures, they are also surrounded by messages about what those futures are supposed to look like. There is the dream college. The acceptance video. The perfectly decorated dorm room. There is also the quintessential senior year, the football games, Homecoming, prom, lifelong friendships and tearful goodbyes. Some teenagers genuinely want and experience all of those things. Others don't. This season of future planning offers seniors an opportunity to think honestly about the pursuits that most closely match their interests, abilities, strengths, passions and personalities. It also requires accepting some less romantic realities: grades, test scores, finances and the difference between short-term desires and long-term goals. Social media can make that difficult. An algorithm isn't designed to show a 17-year-old the enormous range of interesting ways a life might unfold. It learns what captures someone's attention and offers more of the same. A teenager watching a few college decision videos may quickly find a feed filled with picturesque campuses, acceptance celebrations and carefully curated dorm rooms. It can be entertaining. However, it is hardly a blueprint for what is right for an individual person. Social media can also shape the way adolescence is remembered. Teenage years have long been romanticized through movies, books, songs and stories. Social media has added emotional montages of childhood photographs, recreated pictures, senior-year "lasts" and reminders that an era is ending. There is something beautiful about recognizing the passage of time. Nostalgia is evidence that something mattered. But it is also possible to become nostalgic not only for what actually happened, but for what was supposed to happen. Perhaps people can even miss a version of childhood they didn't quite have. The perfect group of friends. The magical senior year. The sport played forever. The college experience imagined since childhood. There is nothing wrong with feeling sentimental about what is ending. (There is also nothing wrong with being ready for it to end.) As seniors consider what comes next, perhaps the most useful question isn't simply where they can get in or even where they should go. It may be where they can become more fully themselves. The world is urgently in need of young adults pursuing joyful, congruent and industrious lives.

By Alexis Estep, mom, chef, Restonian Leif enjoying some cake bread while decompressing after school with a game. School is back in session and routines are back in full swing! Were you able to go to bed early and wake up on time, or was it a bit more difficult? In our house, it was a bit of a struggle! Some of my kids did well; others needed more guidance. The one thing that they all needed to survive was comfort. For them, comfort comes in the form of food, usually something baked, sweet or savory, but fresh from the oven. This week it was cinnamon cake bread. We hope you try this recipe and bring a little comfort to your week! Cinnamon Cake Bread Ingredients: 4½ cups all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 2 cups buttermilk ½ cup sunflower or vegetable oil The Sweet Topping: ¾ cup sugar 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon Instructions: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a 13 x 9 in a baking pan with parchment. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Using a separate medium bowl, beat the eggs together with the buttermilk and oil. Gently stir this wet mixture into your dry ingredients, blending until the batter is smooth. In a small dish, mix the topping sugar and cinnamon. Pour half of your batter in the pan and then generously sprinkle about half of the cinnamon-sugar. Layer the rest of the batter on top and finish with the remaining spice mixture. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If needed, bake another 5 minutes. Allow the cake bread to rest in the pan for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm.

By Phantom Foodie It’s football season. It’s also seasoning season. The Commanders are back, and so am I. This is the second installment of my game-by-game pairing of the Commanders schedule with some of my favorite gameday bites around town. This fall, we’re taking that approach again, matching the food to the opponent, the city and the moment. Four games. Four cities. Four menus. Let’s eat. Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles—Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET We open on the road in the City of Brotherly Love, which means one thing on the menu: the Philly cheesesteak. Thinly sliced ribeye, sautéed onions and a soft, toasted Amoroso hoagie roll. For a local option, Santini’s New York Style Deli turns out a cheesesteak worth making the trip for. For an upscale alternative, Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food in Reston Town Center does a slow-roasted French dip that more than holds its own. Also be on the lookout for cheesesteak egg rolls, popular around town. Round out the spread with a Nordic Knot soft pretzel and a growler from Lake Anne Brew House. Week 2: Dallas Cowboys—Sept. 20, 4:25 p.m. ET Everything is bigger in Texas, and your spread should be, too. This is a brisket game. For the ambitious, fire up the smoker and go low and slow with a dry rub of salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika. For those who’d rather leave it to the pros, order a whole brisket from Salt Lick BBQ in Austin, legendary Texas Hill Country ’cue shipped straight to your door via Goldbelly. Plan ahead for shipping time. For a simpler Sunday spread, pick up Wegmans pulled pork and load it onto a salted baked potato with coleslaw, cheddar and a drizzle of barbecue sauce. Texas would approve. Week 3: Seattle Seahawks (Home Opener)—Sept. 27, 1 p.m. The defending Super Bowl champions are coming to Northwest Stadium, and the home opener deserves a spread worthy of the moment. Start with a smoked salmon dip, cream cheese, capers, red onion and fresh dill, served with bagel chips or cucumber rounds. Simple, impressive and ready before kickoff. For the main event, bring Seattle’s Pike Place Market soul to your table with clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl. Wegmans or Whole Foods will sort you out on both counts. Crack open an Elysian Space Dust IPA, Seattle’s own and available at Total Wine & More or Wegmans. Then make your way to Ted’s Bulletin in Reston Town Center for its homemade toaster pastries. The perfect way to spike the football on a home opener win. Week 4: Indianapolis Colts (London)—Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m. ET A 9:30 a.m. kickoff is not a hardship; it’s a breakfast opportunity. Set your alarm, fire up the skillet and go full English: eggs, bangers, baked beans, grilled tomato and toast. A word on bangers: the name dates to wartime food shortages, when sausages were packed with so much water they would literally explode in the pan. Handle with care. For the drink, skip the mimosa and try a breakfast tea cocktail. Steep a strong English breakfast tea, add bourbon, a drizzle of honey and a squeeze of lemon, and serve it warm. Sophisticated, seasonal and appropriate for a 9:30 a.m. kickoff. At halftime, pivot to Indianapolis with a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, Indiana’s unofficial state sandwich. Pound a pork loin thin, bread it, fry it golden and serve it on a bun with mustard and pickles. Fair warning: The pork cutlet will dwarf the bun. It’s Indiana’s evolved version of the wiener schnitzel. For those who’d rather leave the kitchen altogether, Ms. Foodie and I are big fans of Makers Union in Reston Town Center, part of the Thompson Restaurants family and a perfect spot for an early Sunday spread. Double-check their opening time. Cheers, mate. The schedule is set. The seasoning is ready. Four games, four cities, four menus and Commanders fans hungry for a big season. Hail to the Chef. Disclaimer: The Reston Letter and its staff do not receive solicitation, compensation, or special endorsement from any restaurant or culinary establishment. Our reviewer dines unannounced to make the experience genuine. Our mission is to provide our readers with an accurate representation of our reviewer's experience so they may make their own informed decisions. Taste, service, and culinary preferences vary.

By Taruna Rijhwani, Health Watchers PT Have you ever noticed that children expect to get better, while many adults expect to get worse? That thought came to me as I watched my daughter perform at her dance recital. I wasn't just watching a performance. I was seeing months of practice, perseverance and courage. There were routines she struggled to learn, days when she felt unsure of herself and moments when she wanted to quit. But she kept showing up. Children seem to understand something many adults forget. They expect to improve. They don't assume they'll master something on the first try. They know learning takes practice, mistakes are part of the process and confidence comes from doing, not from waiting until they feel ready. Somewhere along the way, many of us lose that mindset. As adults, especially after 50, we often begin expecting the opposite. We assume stiffness is simply part of aging. We accept aching knees, sore backs or declining balance as inevitable and quietly lower our expectations for what our bodies can do. While aging brings changes, many limitations people accept as “just getting older” can also be influenced by how much we move. When discomfort makes activities more difficult, we may begin avoiding them. Over time, moving less can lead to weakness, stiffness, declining balance and less confidence. Your knee hurts, so you stop taking your daily walk. Your back aches, so you avoid gardening. The stairs become uncomfortable, so you take the elevator. Little by little, your world can become smaller, not because you chose it to, but because your body no longer feels as capable as it once did. Ironically, the activities we avoid are often important for maintaining physical capacity. When we move less, muscles become weaker. Joints can become stiffer. Balance can decline. Confidence can fade. The encouraging news is that our bodies are adaptable. Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s who believed they had reached their limit. Many have been surprised to discover they could walk farther, climb stairs more easily, return to gardening, travel more comfortably or play with their grandchildren again. Not because they became younger, but because they gave their bodies an opportunity to become stronger. Healthy aging isn't about trying to do everything you could at 25. It's about continuing to challenge your body in ways that are safe, meaningful and consistent so you can keep doing the things that bring you joy. As I watched my daughter walk off the stage with a huge smile on her face, I realized something. She never questioned whether she could improve. She simply trusted that if she kept practicing, she would. Somewhere along the way, many of us stop believing that about ourselves. So I'd like to leave you with one question: What would you be doing today if you believed your body could still get stronger? Maybe you'd take that hiking trip you've been putting off, play on the floor with your grandchildren, travel without worrying about your back or simply get up from a chair with confidence instead of hesitation. We can't stop the calendar from moving forward. But we can choose how we move through the years ahead. Maybe that's the lesson children understand so naturally. They don't expect improvement to happen overnight. They simply believe it will happen if they keep showing up. Perhaps we should, too. Health Watchers PT & Wellness offers a complimentary Discovery Visit to help identify the root cause of what's slowing you down and develop a clear plan for moving forward. Call or text 571-308-8252 to schedule yours.

by Ellyn Wexler, staff writer Jen Monago's new wine shop is a cozy addition to Lake Anne Plaza shops. Nestled next to Elden Street Tea, this brand new business opened July 2 and will host a ribbon cutting on Sept. 17. Photo by East 27 Creative When Jen Monago learned there was an available storefront at Lake Anne Plaza, she didn't hesitate. "It had always been my dream to own my own shop," Monago said. "I had been waiting for the right opportunity. When my close friend and owner of Elden Street Tea Shop told me there was a space available, I jumped at the chance." That opportunity became Kinship Wine + Wares, which opened July 2 at 1635 Washington Plaza N. The nearly 400-square-foot store offers about 150 carefully curated wines, gourmet pantry items, vintage-inspired gifts and artisan wares in what Monago hopes will become a gathering place for the Reston community. "We chose 'Kinship' because wine and gathering are all about connection and bringing people together like family," she said. For Monago, opening Kinship fulfills a longtime dream. After nearly 20 years in retail operations, she pursued wine education through Savvy Somm and became a certified sommelier while working in luxury wine sales. Her interest in wine began after college but deepened after moving to Northern California, where wineries were just a short drive from her home. "The more I learned, the more I fell in love with how it brings people together and tells the story of a specific place and season," she said. "Becoming a sommelier was just a natural dive down that delicious rabbit hole." Monago, who has lived in Reston for 10 years, said Lake Anne's history, artistic character and close-knit atmosphere made it the perfect location for the business. Her oldest child will begin ninth grade at South Lakes High School this fall, while her younger child attends Cooper Middle School. "Lake Anne has always felt like the ultimate community hub," she said. She hopes the store will become what she describes as "a neighborhood living room." "When you walk in, I hope you immediately feel like you've stepped into a welcoming friend's living room," Monago said. "I want people to smell a freshly opened bottle of wine, hear great music, laugh with us and feel completely at ease exploring wine without any intimidation or fuss." Monago said the response from neighboring businesses and residents has been encouraging. "People are ready for a spot to just hang out and connect." The wine selection features small producers, sustainable and regenerative farming, family-owned vineyards, unique imports, local selections and nonalcoholic options. Most bottles are priced under $50, with selections ranging from about $18 to $80. Among Monago's current favorites are Walsh Family Rosé from Purcellville and Nalle Valley Cinsault from South Africa. Beyond wine, customers will find gourmet pantry items, hot sauces, vintage glassware and retro-inspired hostess gifts. Monago's favorite treasures include a French cake server and fork set she found at a Paris flea market this spring and a vintage silver-and-glass sugar and creamer set by Dorothy Thorpe. Rather than emphasizing wine expertise, Monago said she focuses on making customers feel comfortable. "Wine can totally feel daunting," she said. "We meet people where they are and chat about flavors people already enjoy instead of throwing wine jargon at them." The store already hosts weekly "Wednesday Wine Downs" tastings from 5 to 7 p.m. and plans to expand its programming with educational events and partnerships with other Lake Anne businesses and community organizations as it grows. Currently staffed by a team of three, Kinship expects to add additional employees in August. An official grand opening is planned Sept. 17-19. Monago said her goal for the first year is simple: to become part of the fabric of the community. "We want to deepen our roots in Reston, share great stories through every bottle and become a go-to gathering spot for neighbors," she said.

On a bright, sunny day, middle-school sleuth Sage Greene bikes down a street of Reston townhouses. The houses all look very similar, but Sage knows where she’s going: Cassie’s house for a babysitting gig. She parks her bike beside the front porch. Cassie’s mom greets her at the door. “Thanks for watching Cassie while I’m out, Sage,” says her mom. “Can you try to get her outside for a walk? She’s been playing video games all day.” Sage agrees and walks down to the dark basement where Cassie is playing. The room glows from the video screen. Sage waits a long time for Cassie to finish a level and then asks, “Hey Cassie, wanna go for a walk?” Cassie mumbles, “No, I don’t want to go outside.” Cassie’s phone goes “Bing!” She looks at it and squeals in delight. “I gotta go outside!!!” Sage asks, “Why?” as she chases Cassie running to the front door. “My new video game disc just got delivered to my front porch,” she cheers as she opens the door. The bright sunlight shines in her eyes through the doorway. “Aaah! My eyes!!!” Cassie screams. “Let your eyes adjust, Cassie,” says Sage. Cassie rubs her eyes and then is horrified that there’s no package on her porch. “It’s been stolen!” she shouts. “How do you know?” asks Sage. Cassie shows Sage her phone displaying a photo of Cassie’s video game package on a shady porch. Cassie cries “This photo was taken only five minutes ago! Someone snatched it right after!” Puzzled, Sage says, “Hmm. My bike isn’t in the picture.” “Oh no! Was your bike stolen, too?” asks Cassie. They look beside the porch and see Sage’s bike is still where she parked it. Sage says, “My bike wasn’t stolen and I don’t think your package was stolen, either.” How does Sage know? Solution: Sage shows the photo to Cassie. “The porch in this photo is in the shade but your porch is in direct sunlight. The houses on your street look very similar so I think the delivery guy put it on the wrong porch.” “So where is it?” asks Cassie. “I think it might be at a house across the street because those porches are in the shade,” says Sage. “Then let’s go!” cheers Cassie. Sage and Cassie walk down the other side of the block looking for the package. Eventually they find a box addressed to Cassie sitting on a neighbor’s porch. They dance to celebrate their success. Cassie got her package and Sage got Cassie outside for a walk!

by Restonian What's on your mind today? Hi, chat, I need help with something. As a large language model trained on 1960s design standards, I cannot give personal advice... unless it's about light fixtures or party walls. Well, I'm feeling a bit blue. Blue is an unacceptable trim color in 98.7% of Reston's clusters. Might I suggest a more cheerful option, like Cracked 'n Peeling Mauve or Whispering Meadow Mildew? Never mind. Tell me something I don't know about Reston. No one has ever asked such an astute question! Before European settlement, the area was part of Doeg territory — an Algonquian-speaking people with villages along the Potomac and Occoquan, and John Smith actually recorded visiting a Doeg village nearby in 1608 during his exploration of the Potomac. No word on whether he reported one of the longhouses for an unauthorized light fixture (a campfire). Wow. Really? This came from Grok, em dash and all, so who knows? Tell me something you like about Reston. I'm a generative AI chatbot, not a human resident, but I appreciate the live-work- play vibe. Six decades of architectural styles in conversation with each other is interesting, even if some of them may have been better off forgotten. And all the midscale chain eateries are pretty rad. Am I wasting valuable resources asking AI dumb questions? That's why Reston has four lakes -- if you drain one using compute to generate an image of RTC being swallowed by invasive English ivy, we've still got three left. Besides, the algae tastes good to my circuits. Crunchy! Where are you? While my soul is in Reston, my body is in Data Center Alley a bit out west. Fewer design standards. Thanks, Claude. My name is Bob.