Arts + Culture

The Soul of the Suburb

Article by AJ Jones | Photography by The McLean Art Gallery You’re likely at the Chesterbrook Shopping Center to pick up groceries or grab a coffee, but lately, a different kind of storefront has been stopping residents in their tracks. It’s a space filled with canvases and sculptures that feel remarkably like home. For Jane McElvany Coonce, Gallery Director of the McLean Art Gallery, this "pop-up" space is the latest chapter in a story that began in 1955. What started as the McLean Art Club...

Education

A Sanctuary for Childhood:

Inside the Brooksfield School Article by AJ Jones | Photography by Courtesy of the Brooksfield School The Vision: From Town Halls to Tall Trees The story of Brooksfield began with Mary Anne Duffus, the school’s founder and Executive Director. Growing up in McLean, Mary Anne spent her childhood exploring the woods and climbing trees. This sense of freedom is something she believes is essential to a child's spirit. In 1987, after years of holding town hall meetings and connecting with local...

Health + Wellness

The Harmony of Facial Rejuvenation

Aging touches everything: Brows begin to drop, the eyes look tired, volume fades, skin loses its texture and glow.A comprehensive plan, one that restores balance from brow to collarbone, can create a more natural, synergetic result. Patients look refreshed, vibrant, and elegant. People will notice the rejuvenation, not the work.The best facelift results don’t shout.They whisper. Deep Plane FaceliftThe Deep Plane Facelift goes beyond surface tightening by repositioning deeper facial structures...

Health + Wellness

4 Ways To Complement Your Laser Treatement

Although permanently shrinking your pores requires laser treatments, it is possible to refine their appearance significantly with the proper skincare. Nurse Erin from Maia Medspa in Tysons Corner shares four helpful tips on how to achieve smoother, more refined pores. Pores are vital for the skin’s health, yet many people are concerned about their enlarged appearance. While it’s impossible to completely eliminate the look of pores, the good news is that you can make them appear much smaller. ‘By...

Health + Wellness

The Stress-Proof Scalp

Article by AJ Jones | Photography by Courtesy of Redwood K-Wellness In the pursuit of total well-being, we meticulously refine our diet, optimize our sleep, and curate our skincare, but one crucial pillar is often overlooked: the scalp. It truly serves as the essential bedrock for all healthy hair growth. Experts recognize scalp health as central to both hair vitality and overall wellness. The root system, the foundation for strength, growth, and resilience, requires attention just as much as...

Arts + Culture

Wellness in Interior Design

Article by AJ Jones The ultimate modern indulgence is the ability to truly exhale, recharge, and be completely yourself within your own walls. We sat down with Jennifer Fordham, owner and designer at Pembrook Interiors, known for creating homes that feel utterly personal, serene, and deeply rooted, to explore how interior design becomes the blueprint for well-being. Defining a Restorative Sanctuary Fordham defines a restorative sanctuary not just as a beautiful room, but as "an environment...

Health + Wellness

Stop Counting Reps, Start Counting Years

Article and Photography by AJ Jones Where personalized optimization is the ultimate luxury, true fitness is shifting away from short-term aesthetic gains toward a far more valuable goal: sustainable, lifelong vitality. The key is not the intensity of a single workout, but the resilience and capability of the body over time. This approach emphasizes building strength, mobility, and overall function that lasts into later adulthood. Experts note that the most effective programs focus...

Arts + Culture

Joseph Craig English:

A Life in Color, Craft, and Well-Being Article by AJ Jones | Photography by Joseph Craig English Background For Joseph “Craig” English, art has been a lifelong calling rooted in Northern Virginia. “My freshman year I attended Annandale High School. It was there that I was introduced to silkscreen printing and literally captivated by the process,” he recalls. That early spark eventually led to Virginia Commonwealth University's prestigious Communication Arts and Design program, which would...

Arts + Culture

Artist Jill Banks:

Painting Life, Love and Serendipity Article by Yankel Polak “I started this journey in 2003 with drawing and painting classes,” says artist Jill Banks, whose joyful, light-filled paintings have become beloved throughout Northern Virginia and beyond. “It took no time at all before painting was an all-in passion. My dream from almost the beginning was to travel, to capture life in oils, and to support a full, exciting life through my art. I’ve now been painting — almost every day — for 22...

Arts + Culture

The Magic of Gifting

How McLean’s Child’s Play Helps Families Find Joy in Every Gift Article and Photography by The holidays have a way of bringing out the best in all of us — that childlike excitement, the joy of discovery, and the spirit of giving. And when it comes to choosing toys that truly spark imagination and connection, there’s no better place to turn than McLean’s beloved Child’s Play — a local treasure inspiring creativity and generosity for decades. In a season overflowing with wish lists and flashing...