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By Katie Bianco, Stefanie Gans and Michael Balderston
Putting the Ghostbusters on speed dial
It’s been a while since I’ve had a good scare. Scary movies don’t typically do much for me, so I’m going to make my way out to Leesburg so I can get some frights first-hand at Paxton Manor’s Shocktober event. The backstory of the manor, if you don’t know, sets a pretty creeping, compelling scene. Time to test my mettle, and see if I’ll be able to go to sleep that night with the lights off. –MB // Paxton Manor: 601 Catoctin Circle NE, Leesburg; $35
About to get #basic: pumpkins, apples and babies at breweries
My husband and I have two kids and it’s fall, so that pretty much means we need to get to a farm and set up some photo-ops with pumpkins and tractors and maybe a horse. But we haven’t totally stopped being us. We’re thinking a trip to Bluemont and starting the day at Great Country Farms and then driving a mile to the farm’s sister business, Dirt Farm Brewing. Sounds like a pretty nice little Saturday. (more ideas) -SG // Great Country Farms: 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; Dirt Farm Brewing: 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont
Learning to read in an illustrated world
If you have kids, you know that the bedtime story is of paramount importance. My daughter is currently hooked on a pop-up Halloween-themed book and she keeps asking me to “read” her coloring books. As a newish parent, I’ve been so impressed by the artistry in many of the books I read to her at night. So I’m hoping to make it out to The Candy Factory in Manassas for their exhibit “Visual Magic: The Art of Four Picture Book Illustrators.“ The exhibit, which wraps up this Friday, looks at the work of four children’s illustrators. I’m sure I’ll come away with our next great bedtime read. -KB // The Candy Factory: 9419 Battle St. Manassas; Free
