Teaching Healing Through Altruism
Marymount students learn counseling technique by helping U.S. troops.
A group of counseling students got to experience a therapeutic technique while also helping service men and women serving in Afghanistan. Graduate students in the Pastoral Counseling program at Marymount University in Arlington assembled care packages for U.S. troops as part of a community service requirement. One of the project’s goals was to teach the future therapists how altruism can have long-term mental health benefits.
Advice for Buying Jewelry for Mother’s Day
Experts offer suggestions for choosing the perfect piece for Mom.
Mike Grantham of North Potomac shuffled from one jewelry display case to another. His eyes surveyed each row of sparklers: yellow and white diamonds, deep blue sapphires and blood-red rubies.
Yoga Week Comes to the Area
Local effort offers budding yogis a chance to improve their minds, bodies and spirits with free or $5 classes.
D.C. Yoga Week Runs through May 5 For more information and a list of participating studios, visit HYPERLINK "http://dccy.org/" http://dccy.org/. “This event will raise awareness about how great yoga is for your mind, body and spirit.” — Amanda Shipe, Mind Your Body Oasis, Arlington
Norwood School Student Displays Art at Yellow Barn Gallery
Student presented her first collection of artwork at a Maryland gallery.
When Neelam Shaikh was in nursery school, she had an extraordinary fascination with her ability to create.
Marymount Professor, McLean Resident Named Virginia Counselor Educator of the Year
A Marymount University professor was honored recently for her work to educate and train school counselors.
Countdown to College Decision Day
Local college counselors offer advice on making the right choice.
As the May 1 national college decision day looms, the day students must shell out hefty deposits to secure their spots at colleges and universities, students like Daniels are feeling pressure.
A Place to Read
Family turns cluttered “catch-all” into elegant library.
When a family of four, which includes two young daughters, decided to create dedicated reading space in their home, the wanted to blend serenity and style. The couple enlisted the help of interior designer Debbie Wiener of Design Solutions.
Virginia Historic Garden Week Celebrates 80th Anniversary
Celebration raises money to restore and preserve Virginia’s historic landmarks.
“Historic Garden Week has transformed the landscape of Virginia over its 80-year history. It's really an incredible accomplishment.” — Karen Cauthen Miller, Historic Garden Week state director
Remodeling in Reston
Local homeowners and designers create ideal entertainment space.
“The main challenge on this project was framing the cathedral ceiling over the sunroom, given that it is about 24 feet up.” — Bruce Case, president of Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
Play ball
Nats fans design a tribute to their favorite team — in their bathroom.
“The biggest design challenge was incorporating the inherent fun that comes in a themed design with the sophistication appropriate for a master bathroom.” — T.J. Monahan, general manager of online remodeling, Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
2013 DC Design House Unveiled
Annual event raises money for Children’s National Medical Center.
Details: The home opens for public tours on April 14. Hours are Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at HYPERLINK "http://www.dcdesignhouse.com" www.dcdesignhouse.com.Details “It’s exciting to be part of such a wonderful cause and to share in the creation of a design house with such talented designers.” — Jamie Brown, Akseizer Design Group
Hundreds of Low Income Residents Receive Free Dental Care
Event was part of The Northern Virginia Dental Society’s 10th Annual Mission of Mercy
Several hundred low income and uninsured residents of Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax County received free dental care recently when the Northern Virginia Dental Society (NVDS) hosted its 10th Annual Mission of Mercy (MOM) project.
Local Researchers Address ‘Concussion Culture’
Education and proper health care are keys.
With the impending warmer weather comes an increased number of children participating in outdoor activities. Some local health care professionals and researchers are issuing words of caution.
Norwood Students Head to Odyssey of Mind Finals
Some Potomac-area students were recognized recently for their creative thinking and collaborative abilities when Norwood School in Bethesda hosted Odyssey of the Mind earlier this month.
The Sound of Music
Enhancing your child’s music education during Music in Our Schools Month and beyond.
From the powerful sounds of a high school band to the soothing melodies sung in a kindergarten music classroom, local music educators are using the month of March to raise awareness of the benefits of learning music.
Historic Home for Sale in Alexandria
Designer/owner brought the home up to date while preserving its architectural integrity.
“We wanted to keep the character of what it was. We were careful about integrating the spaces that we added.” — Sydnye Pettengill
The Power of Light
Designed with a bounty of large windows, a new Potomac home pays homage to natural light.
“There are no rooms in this house that don’t have large windows and big natural light.” — James F. Rill, Rill Architects, PC
Decorating for Easter
Easy ideas to welcome spring into your home.
From floral arrangements that burst with pastel blooms to candles that fill one’s home with scents reminiscent of warm weather, local style experts offer suggestions for accents that welcome spring.
The Region’s Best Home Designs
Local contractors get top honors for remodeling projects.
From designing a kitchen with a concave glass tile backsplash to creating a backyard with a fireplace and pool, some local home remodelers were honored recently with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s (NARI) 2013 Regional Contractor of the Year awards for design acumen. Winning projects ran the gamut from historic preservation projects to environmentally conscious conceptions.
Mental Health Counseling Professors Honored
Cultural sensitivity at the heart of their work.
Fred Bemak and his wife Rita Chi-Ying Chung, who are both professors at George Mason University in Fairfax, recall being in Haiti shortly after the catastrophic earthquake of 2010. They were there to provide mental health counseling to those traumatized by the natural disaster.
Household Queen Comes Home to Arlington
Heloise reminisces and offers special tips to local homemakers.
If you have a household problem, there’s a good chance she’s got a solution.
A Lesson in Stomach Flu Survival
The ABCs of recognizing, treating and preventing stomach flu.
“The best way to prevent the stomach flu is by washing your hands, especially after using the restroom.” — Dr. Jean Glossa
Choosing a Summer Camp
Region offers programs to tempt children with interests ranging from sports to drama to science.
While most of Washington is braving the winter weather, April Toman has been planning for summer. At the top of her list: choosing a camp for her two children, Claire, who is in fifth grade, and Will, who is a second grader. “I start thinking about it in January,” said Toman, who lives in Alexandria. “I talk to my kids about what they are interested in taking. There are so many options and the popular camps fill up quickly.”
Learning From the Past
What some area schools are doing to celebrate Black History Month.
The sound of steel drums vibrates through the air of a crowded auditorium in Potomac, Md. In McLean, elementary school girls share their understanding of the struggles of Rosa Parks. A group of second graders from Alexandria treks to downtown Washington to see the massive memorial statue of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
McLean’s Potomac School Gets New Leader
John Kowalik described as a wise and gifted educator.
The Potomac School in McLean will soon have a new leader at the helm. School officials announced recently that John J. Kowalik will assume the role of head of school. The announcement came in a statement from Larry Culp, chair of Potomac’s board of trustees. “John Kowalik is a wise and gifted educator, with a rare combination of inspirational leadership capabilities and exceptional management skills. He is the right leader to build on [current Head] Geoff Jones’ remarkable achievements at Potomac during the last 13 years.”
Marymount Students Plan Fundraising Fashion Show
Event will raise money for needy students in Haiti and the U.S.
A group of Marymount University students are celebrating Black History month in high style, literally. The school’s African-Caribbean Student Association (ACSA) is presenting its fifth annual charity fashion show, “Voyage to Utopia.”
International Infusion
Alexandria designer creates inviting home for passionate world travelers.
>Blending an eclectic mix of home accessories and furnishings to create a harmonious and tasteful interior can pose a decorating conundrum for many homeowners.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Capital Home and Garden Show set for Feb. 22-24 at Dulles Expo Center.
Since Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow on Groundhog Day earlier this month, spring might be around the corner. But whether one believes in folklore or not, the winter chill will soon give way to warm weather blooms.
All Tied Up
New clinic teaches children how to tie their shoes.
Like many parents of young children, Mary Hanlon decided it was time for her five-year-old son, Hank to reach another milestone: learning to tie his shoes.
Design Solution for Busy Family
A small kitchen is transformed into a spacious, light-filled room.
When a busy Potomac family decided that it was time to turn their tiny, dark kitchen into free-flowing, light-filled gathering space, they decided to expand their home. Their decision is part of national trend.
Preserving Mental Health as People Age
Experts say diet, exercise and mental stimulation are key.
“Exercise [is] the ‘lifestyle’ factor with the strongest effect. A number of different research groups have found benefits of aerobic exercise on both brain structure and function and on cognitive performance.” — Pamela Greenwood, Ph.D., George Mason University
February Is Heart Month
Diet and fitness experts offer suggestions for maintaining a healthy heart.
When Mary Elizabeth O’Conner enters a supermarket, she is careful stay within the outer perimeters of the store. “Most grocery stores are designed so that the healthiest and non-processed food, like fresh vegetables and meat are kept on the outer edges,” she said. She looks for heart-healthy foods like whole grains and fresh fruit.
Beating the Winter Blues
Locals offer suggestions for finding cheer during the cold-weather doldrums
When the snow falls and temperatures drop, but you can’t hit the slopes, there are still plenty of indoor options for fending off the doldrums.
McLean Author Launches New Book
Rebecca Shambaugh shows how organizations can harness the collective strengths of both men and women to create stronger businesses.
Try functioning without half of your brain. You might not be able to remember anything. You might not be able to drive. You might not be able to walk or talk. Now imagine a business that operates using only half its brainpower. It’s destined to fail.
Indoor Winter Fun with Children
Ideas for entertainment when Jack Frost appears.
Winter weather often means limited open air playtime for some children. “It is very important for children to get as much outdoor activity as possible, but there are times when it is not safe for them to be outside for an extended length of time, or any time at all, because it is too cold. ” said Shannon Melideo, chair of the Education Department at Marymount University in Arlington. “There are many other things that children can do besides sledding and ice skating.”
Winter Fun with Food
Easy and tasty ideas for winter meals.
The stove is fired-up, a sauté pan is sizzling and the thud of a steel knife blade hitting a wooden chopping block fills the air along with the woodsy aroma of fresh thyme. The temperature outside is frigid, but the kitchen feels like an inferno as Chef Kristen Robinson drives a knife though a fennel bulb, kale leaves and a tough-skinned butternut squash with staccato succession.
Residents Attend 57th Presidential Inauguration
Many brave crowds to witness history.
Local residents were among the hundreds of thousands who left their homes on a cold winter holiday, Jan. 21, to brave packed Metro trains and slow-moving security check points for a chance to celebrate and witness President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Churchill Competes in National Robotics Tournament
Students create robots that travel aboard the International Space Station
Potomac students were in Boston earlier this month competing in the ZERO Robotics Challenge, a competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Area Residents Attend 57th Inauguration
Many brave crowds to witness history.
Local residents were among the hundreds of thousands who left their homes on a cold winter holiday, Jan. 21, to brave packed Metro trains and slow-moving security check points for a chance to celebrate and witness President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Queen of Household Hints to Share Five Essentials Every Home Should Have
Heloise to headline 2013 Home and Remodeling Show at the Dulles Expo Center.
The high priestess of household hints will share her domestic wisdom this weekend at the 2013 Home and Remodeling Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Va. A nationally syndicated columnist, Heloise is one of the presenters scheduled to headline the weekend’s show.
Importance of Recess
Pediatric researchers say unstructured play can help a child’s cognitive, physical, emotional and social development.
Can climbing on monkey bars help a child’s cognitive development? Can a game of tag boost preschooler’s social skills? The nation’s top pediatricians say “yes” and some local educators agree.
Off to the Movies
Mason professor has unconventional method of teaching complex concepts.
An Arlington resident and George Mason University professor has an unconventional way of helping her students master complex concepts and evaluating their proficiency: She requires them to watch movies.
Preparing for a Spring Wonderland
Experts offer advice on what to do now to create a pleasurable outdoor space in spring.
Chilly January temperatures can make spring seem far away. However, it’s closer than you think. A recent Residential Landscape Architecture Trends survey from the American Society of Landscape Architects showed that as the weather gets warmer, many want an undemanding, outdoor space.
Home and Remodeling Show Comes to D.C. Area
Nationally Syndicated Columnist Heloise and local contractors will educate homeowners.
Whether you’re planning to renovate an entire house, update an antiquated bathroom, create a more functional kitchen or simply add more color to your home, there will be inspiration and ideas aplenty at the 2013 Home and Remodeling Show.
Unforgettable Spaces
Local designers share their favorite home designs from 2012.
Local interior designers spend their days mixing colors, accessories and furnishings to create chic and stylish rooms. As the new year begins, some local tastemakers look back on some of their most memorable accomplishments.
Advice for Seniors on Fitness in the New Year
Suggestions for making and keeping exercise resolutions.
Mary Garner’s New Year’s resolution is to increase the intensity of her workout routine. The 69-year-old retiree plans to seek the advice of a fitness trainer to create a plan to achieve her goal.
Living Up to New Year Resolutions
Benefit of cardio workout plan includes weight loss and decreased heart disease risk.
During Martin McKay’s annual physical examination shortly before the holidays, his doctor suggested that he consider intensifying his cardiovascular exercise routine.
The Truth About Hypnosis
Local hypnotherapists use World Hypnotism Day as a time to debunk myths and emphasize health benefits
After several failed attempts to stop smoking and an emphysema diagnosis, Margaret Cahill turned to hypnosis for help quitting.
Contractors Call Holidays Ideal Time to Ponder Remodeling Projects
Local contractors say that the holidays offer an opportunity to consider home renovations.
While the holidays can bring glad tidings and cheer, they can also spark an interest in remodeling, say some local contractors.
Decking the Halls
Local designers share holiday decorating suggestions.
Looking for inspiration for decking the halls this season? Three local home design experts offer doable tips for capturing the magic of the holidays.
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