Reston Town Center is really grown up. As locals, we've been here for the Thanksgiving parades, the 5k, the bike races. This year, we saw them put up the christmas tree and take it down, the 4 year old is learning to ice skate, and we consider it our downtown.

In the evenings, there are a lot of well-heeled professionals and teenagers wandering about spending more on dinner than I could afford, but it still a place to see and be seen any weekend. That's why we like it more early in the morning.

There are always events here to go see, art events, beer drinking events, holiday festivals and more. It's a great place.

There is always somethingngoingnon at the town center. At Christams there is the beautifully decorated tree and skating rink. In summer there are the outdoor cares and live music in the town square. There are lots of great restaurants, stores, cinema choices and parking spots ( in the central garage which is free and walkable to anywhere.)

Imagine walking streets with corporate sounding names, enormous parking lots and restaurants the size of airplane hangers sprinkled with nothing but chain stores and chain high end restaurants and you have the Reston Town Center. The place is PACKED with people, locals and those either going to or coming from Dulles. There is NO street parking at all, but the highrise parking garages are free and clean and seem safe.

So am I complaining or extolling? Since I live in a suburb of New York City I knew almost all the stores and my daughter was pleased with the selection. Everybody was friendly, everything was clean, no garbage on the streets, no dog poop, even birds must wear birdie undies.

It would be better, in my opinion, if there were some stores selling locally-based goods. How many Jos. A Banks do we need? By the way, to be completely honest, I buy much of my clothes from Bank.

There was nothing "Virginia" about Reston Town Mall and nothing wrong with what was there. I just wish there were other things not there.

The town center is such a delight because it is not a Tanger Outlet mall type attraction. There are specialty shops, Anthropology which is a personal favorite that is not located in my hometown, and several clothiers. The streets are clean, safe, and, although it was not available on the day of my visit, there is the attraction of live music on weekends. It is a hot spot and if you have a chance...check it out for yourself and enjoy !