These days, any storage space at Reston’s Elden Street Tea Shop is full.
That’s not solely due to the success of the business, which first opened its doors in 2017, but rather the result of precautions taken as the tariffs cloud the shop’s future.
These days, any storage space at Reston’s Elden Street Tea Shop is full.
That’s not solely due to the success of the business, which first opened its doors in 2017, but rather the result of precautions taken as the tariffs cloud the shop’s future.
Virginia Attorney General blasts Fairfax and Arlington prosecutors — “On Tuesday in Fairfax County, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares met with crime victims and their families who shared their stories about how they feel local prosecutors went easy on alleged criminals.” [ABC7]
One person killed another injured in Oakton construction accident — “A construction accident in Oakton, Virginia, left one woman dead and sent a man to the hospital with injuries, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.” [ABC7]
It’s Wednesday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 76 degrees, accompanied by a northeast wind of 5 to 7 mph, shifting to the east in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with lows near 55 degrees and a southeast wind of about 5 mph, calming down later in the evening. [NWS]
Capitals player puts McLean home on market — “Nicklas Backstrom has put his McLean home on the market for $15 million, per Fairfax County property records and local real estate listings.” [Axios]
Ambulance fees going up in Arlington — “Fees for Arlington ambulance trips are going up in July, with baseline costs increasing to between $1,000 and $1,500.” [ARLnow]
Fairfax families now have a vibrant new destination for creative exploration — a dedicated children’s art studio has officially opened its doors, bringing with it one of the largest selections of children’s art programs in the area.
A Vision Rooted in Community
The journey behind this new studio is a simple but meaningful one: a belief that every child in the Fairfax community deserves access to quality art education. That conviction became the driving force behind building a space where young people can discover, create, and grow — not just as artists, but as individuals.
“We wanted to provide the opportunity of art education to the Fairfax community,” the studio shared.
More Than 40 Art Forms Under One Roof
What makes this studio particularly remarkable is its breadth. Children have access to more than 40 varieties of art, offering a rare opportunity to explore disciplines far beyond the typical drawing and painting classes. Whether a child is drawn to sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, or illustration, there’s a path here waiting to be discovered.
The philosophy is intentional: instead of narrowing a child’s focus too soon, the programs are designed to let curiosity lead the way. Children are encouraged to try, experiment, and explore until something clicks — because finding a true passion is just as important as developing a skill.
Programs Built for Every Child and Every Schedule
The studio has been thoughtfully designed to meet families where they are, with age-appropriate programs that build skills progressively and purposefully. Here’s a closer look at what’s available:
Tiny Hands (Ages 3–4)
Art is a skill developed over time, and it all starts here. In Tiny Hands classes, children begin to express themselves through art in guided, small group activities that encourage community, collaboration, and relationships. This two-year program introduces young learners to drawing, painting, clay, printmaking, collage, design, and more — laying the foundation for a lifelong creative journey.
Intro to Art (Ages 5–6)
This two-year program introduces children to beginning art skills, tools, and basic vocabulary. Students are encouraged to explore different mediums and express their growing interests, working with clay, printmaking, charcoal drawing, painting, design, montage, watercolors, sculpture, stained glass, and more. Along the way, they’ll learn about color theory — including primary, secondary, cool, and warm colors — while gaining self-confidence and earning recognition for their creations.
Beginning Art (Ages 7–8)
Building on the foundation of Intro to Art, Beginning Art is designed for children ready to deepen their skills and grow more comfortable with art tools. Students expand their art vocabulary, apply their knowledge of color theory, and explore design principles through hands-on creating. This two-year program offers opportunities to work with charcoal, mono printing, clay, ink, color design, collage, self-portrait, watercolors, balsa wood carving, sculpture, and much more.
Art 1 (Ages 9+)
Art 1 is the foundation of the studio’s four-year curriculum — a class designed to maximize and maintain each child’s art interest as they develop a higher level of skills and knowledge. Students also begin building their personal portfolio. Projects include ebony pencil from photomontage, charcoal still life, India ink design, and scratchboard art, with a strong focus on line, value, and texture. Later in the program, students dive into an in-depth study of color theory and apply it to a series of color design projects. Art 1 also includes hand building with clay.
Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Apr 22, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
The weather will transition from partly sunny to sunny, reaching a high of around 76°F. The morning’s 5-7 mph northeast winds will give way to an easterly direction in the afternoon. Expect mostly clear skies on Wednesday night with a low near 55°F. A gentle southeastern breeze of 5 mph will become calm as the evening progresses. See more from Weather.gov.
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced today that it’s kicking off widening work on two miles of Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) near Fairfax Station starting this weekend.
The widening will run from Route 123 (Ox Road) to Nomes Court/Ladues End Lane. The goal is reduced congestion along with the installation of a shared-use path and a grade-separated cyclist/pedestrian crossing, along with other improvements.
Event location
Caboose Commons
2918 Eskridge Rd
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Join the Do It for Dan Foundation for our annual fall fundraiser supporting lung cancer research at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. Enjoy live music, trivia, raffles, foundation updates, and a special presentation from thoracic oncologist Dr. Janakiraman Subramanian. Help us raise $10,000 to advance research and better treatment options for people facing lung cancer.
One of the world’s most popular fast-casual brands will open a new Reston restaurant tomorrow, six years after closing its last neighborhood eatery.
Panera Bread is coming to 2401 Fulton Place, placing a grab-and-go option in the mixed-use development Halley Rise — located at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive near the Reston Town Center Metro station.
Fairfax County supervisors commemorated the lives of county’s top legislative staffer and the head of the Roman Catholic Church at their Tuesday (April 22) meeting.
Supervisors also welcomed back a colleague who had been absent for more than a month owing to health issues.
Ramp closures and detours are in place during overnight hours this week around the I-495 and George Washington Memorial Parkway interchange.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said ramp closures and detours will be in place between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. this week.
Supervisor Pat Herrity, long seen as the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s lieutenant governor nomination, is bowing out of the race due to health reasons, he said Monday.
Herrity’s decision comes five weeks after undergoing heart surgery, which required the 65-year-old to take a step back from the campaign trail. Subsequent complications, he says, made the race much harder to run.
Fairfax County urges locals to kill spotted lanternflies — “On your next outdoor excursion, try finding the egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect in Fairfax County.” [Fairfax County]
It’s Tuesday — Expect a partly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 78 degrees, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. As for Tuesday night, the skies will be mostly cloudy and the temperature will drop to approximately 56 degrees, while a gentle north wind of 3 to 5 mph persists. [NWS]
Gov. Youngkin announces Virginia passes 500 immigrant arrests — Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force has made over 521 arrests since it was formed in February, claiming the group has arrested over 500 ‘criminal illegal immigrants’. [WDBJ7]
Falls Church considering fee-based trash service — “At the March 24, 2025, budget presentation Mayor Letti Hardi directed staff to look into the feasibility of implementing a fee-based trash collection service in FY2026. Staff returned in April with the cost data while pleading for more time to implement such a plan.” [Falls Church Pulse]
GMU experts share gun violence data at Capitol hearing — “Featured speakers included several of the nation’s leading experts on firearms violence. They presented to an audience of more than 230 registrants including congressional staff, federal agency representatives, researchers, and advocacy organizations.” [GMU]