Entertainment

Crowds Enjoy Reston Ice Rink

The Ice Skating Pavilion in Reston Town Center is a hot destination.

The temperature was holding pretty steady in the lower 30s, there was ice off the rink as well as on it, and the occasional snow flurry drifted about Reston Town Center on Saturday, but none of those potential obstacles kept the Ice Skating Pavilion from being plenty packed. Although there were a few skaters with obvious skills making the rounds, it seemed that the majority were more suited to the novice category, judging by the numbers of flailing arms, "derriere skaters" and the amount of time the staff spent helping would-be Apolo Ohnos and Ashley Wagners regain their skates and their balance. It was also pretty obvious that no matter what level of expertise each skater brought to the arena, everybody was having fun.

Herndon Holiday Train Show Attracts Crowds

Train enthusiasts enjoy Train Show at Herndon Municipal Center.

"I have tons of train equipment, which I have kept since I was 5-years-old," said Larry Aronson, a Herndon resident visiting the train display at Herndon Municipal Center on Saturday with his daughter and his grandson. "It is nice to have layouts like this that can put on a display like this." On both Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of members of the community stopped by to see the model trains. Displaying their model trains were members of the Northern Virginia NTRAK and the Potomac Module Crew. Herndon Chamber of Commerce and the Herndon Historical Society sponsored the train show.

Teaching Love of Music in Vienna

Hyun-Mi Chung, owner of Elite Piano Academy, is announcing the third anniversary of her studio in Vienna. Chung has brought her 28 years teaching experience to Vienna to the delight of her many students who share the desire to learn. She expresses her gratitude to the students and their parents for their support during this time. Chung, a graduate of Juilliard School (B. M. & M. M.), the first woman pianist to have recorded all 35 Beethovens Sonatas, has a love of music that has been the motivation for her dedication to teaching. Since coming to Vienna, she has maintained a class of 50 students in a six day-a-week schedule. In addition, she has held two recitals per year (one per semester) for her students at the Vienna Presbyterian Church.

Vienna/Oakton Students Perform in The Nutcracker

On Dec. 11 through the 15, 16 students from Vienna/Oakton elementary, middle & high schools took the stage to perform in the Conservatory Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker. Performances took place at the Reston Community Center’s CenterStage.

A Visit from St. Nick

Vienna’s traditions shine during holidays and, in December, it shines an awful lot. Traditional activities and events abound, from the Church Street Stroll to Santa visits. Every year, Santa takes time out of his busy toy-making schedule to stop by the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department’s pancake breakfast. He turned up there again on Dec. 14 to the cheers of young children. He listened to wish-lists and sat for photos and seemed to know the names of many of the children and their parents. Parents rushed to take photographs.

Santa Run Begins

Vienna Volunteer Fire Department volunteers cruise Vienna neighborhoods in antique fire engine.

In most places, people go to events. In Vienna, occasionally, events go to the people. And the annual Santa Runs, operated by the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department and volunteers, is an event that goes out to the people, the whole Vienna community, for a full week leading up to Christmas. The 2013 Santa Run kicked off on Dec. 15 with drives through side streets off Beulah Road near Meadowlark Gardens.

Vienna Celebrates "First Night" on New Year’s Eve

Vienna Business Association and Town of Vienna debut family-focused New Year’s Eve celebration on Historic Church Street.

First Night Vienna is planned to be the best family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration the community has ever seen.

Christmas Celebrated At Colvin Run Mill

Santa and carolers visits historic park.

At historic Colvin Run Mill Park Santa Claus made a visit to the miller’s office from 3 to 6 p.m. Despite damp, overcast weather on Saturday, spirits stayed bright as visitors came by to see Santa and hear carolers from the Virginia 49th Infantry, participate in crafts, or join in a marshmallow roasting.

Oprah Winfrey Wears Jorge Adeler ‘Rock Candy’ Ring

The cover of the January 2014 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, features a Jorge Adeler one-of-a-kind "Rock Candy" ring.

Join Generations of Great Falls Families for ‘Christmas Eve at the Nutcracker Club’

Performances Saturday, Dec. 21, and Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Waddell Theater on the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

The first cast of the "Gingerbread Cookie" dance were the youngest dancers in the company when The School of Theatrical Dance [SOTD] in Great Falls first staged "Christmas Eve at the Nutcracker Club" in 2006. Now those dancers are in the Level 8 Ballet class that SOTD Director Theresa D"Alessandro says she created, "in response to their talent and technical accomplishment." When one of those dancers, Dylan Murphy of Great Falls, was a member of the Level 7 Ballet class a couple of years ago, she said, "The Winter Show is a great tradition. The show is a lot of fun.

Home for the Holidays: Surviving a Long Trip

Keeping children entertained on lengthy airplane rides.

Liz Henry is nervous about her upcoming flight to San Francisco. It’s not TSA regulations or long lines that are causing her anxiety, however. It is traveling alone with her three children — all of whom are under the age of 6.

Art Educator Releases Two Books

Stories offer children and parents innovative ways to explore art.

Elizabeth Augenblick Smith, 10, spent a recent Saturday afternoon gluing strips of brightly hued tissue paper to create a collage. There were no rules or guides to follow.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Wine shops from around the region give their suggestions for bottles to bring to holiday parties.

Holiday season means parties, hostess gifts, office Secret Santas and other occasions where many people bring a bottle of some spirit or other to spread good tidings. So what to pick up? What's right? What kind of wine goes with what kind of food? And where to go for some good advice?

‘Tis the Season

Greed, ghosts and redemption in LTA’s ‘A Christmas Carol.’

It’s a tale nearly as old as time: The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is ethically and emotionally transformed after being haunted by visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come in the Charles Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol," now playing at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.

Let There Be Light

'A Christmas Story' wins Best in Show.

Crowds lined Alexandria's waterfront Dec. 7 as nearly 40 boats cruised the Potomac River to take part in the 14thAnnual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights.

The Connection