Libby Bondi

BY LIBBY BONDI, STAFF WRITER
Tucked beside the Fairfax City Regional Library, Layered feels less like a quick coffee stop and more like a curated experience. With its glossy, fruit-shaped desserts and crafted drinks, the cafe has quickly become one of downtown Fairfax’s hottest destinations.
The cafe was established in July of last year, slowly making a name for itself through social media. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., it caters to both early-morning coffee runs and late-night dessert cravi...

The curtain is rising once again for the Pickwick Players this weekend, as the community theater troupe celebrates two decades of performances. They will present their 20th Anniversary Revue tonight and tomorrow at Capital Community Church in Ashburn.Founded in 2005, the Pickwick Players began with a mission to bring Loudoun’s young theater community together on one stage. The group has long been dedicated to creating a fun and supportive space where young performers can get their start. That's...

The 13th annual Middleburg Film Festival is bringing the hottest trends in film to Virginia’s hunt country this weekend. The festival’s schedule is packed with award contenders, upcoming projects, and events that add to the cinematic experience.The festival begins today with three pre-opener films and a showing of Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” starring George Clooney, at 7 p.m. The film’s casting directors Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold will received the festival’s inaugural Ensemble and Casting Awa...

The LoCo Wine Festival returns to Old Farm Winery at Hartland in Aldie this weekend, showcasing more than a dozen wineries for two afternoons of wine, food, and live music. Festivalgoers will receive a custom wine glass and tasting pass with admission, allowing them to sample wines from across Loudoun, from long-established vineyards like Willowcroft to newer players like Good Spirit Farm. Glasses, bottles, and even cases will be available for purchase, alongside food trucks, artisan vendors, an...

BY LIBBY BONDI, STAFF WRITER
At George Mason’s Center for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering (CASSBI), recent breakthroughs in wearable bioimaging technology by Drs. Samuel Acuña, Siddartha Sikdar and Parag Chitnis are shaping the future of personalized prosthetics.
Karl Dussik was the first neurologist to use ultrasound for medical imaging in 1942, primarily employing ultrasonic waves to detect brain tumors. By the mid-1950s, English obstetrician Ian Donald developed the ultrasound te...

BY LIBBY BONDI, STAFF WRITER
Just off Fairfax Boulevard stands a little slice of Cape Cod-style paradise. Ned’s New England Deck, founded in 2023, is a maritime haven of seafood delicacies and Massachusetts-inspired cuisine. 
Founders Steve Forbes and Tony Galloto grew up in New England as childhood best friends and sought to bring that feel-good summer cuisine to the DMV area. “After being a D.C. chef for 12 years, we figured it was time to do our own thing,” said Forbes. 
Visiting their restau...

BY LIBBY BONDI, STAFF WRITER
Since the creation of the league, the National Football League (NFL) has recognized that football is a rough, contact sport that can result in gruesome injuries.  Within recent seasons, severe head injuries have become increasingly common, proving Guardian Caps are needed in games now more than ever.
Created in 2010 by Erin and Lee Hanson, owners of Guardian Sports and the Hanson Group LLC, the Guardian Cap acts as a protective sleeve with padding, fitting securely o...