Metropolitan Home joins list of design magazines that closed.

For holiday entertaining, "move the centerpiece above the table and decorate the chandelier," says New York and Washington designer Ondine Karady.

Hanging curtains on bare windows is a quick way to dress up a space as well as add softness and warmth.

From our design experts, here are other small things you can do in the dining room.

Now is the time to check your holiday tablecloth and napkin supply.

Get your dining room chairs ready for holiday entertaining.

Instead of flowers, D.C. floral designer Sue Bluford recommends arranging fruits, vegetables or gourds down the center of a dining table.

On defense for flu season? Doctors will tell you your best shot is to get a shot. But that won't cut it for Sue Berman of Silver Spring's Blue Heron Wellness. To keep sniffles at bay, she plans to spend a whole lot more time with needles.

Here is an edited excerpt from Local Living's daily blog, On parenting. Read the latest at voices.washingtonpost.com/parenting .

Garden help: boxwood shrubs, sheared blue spruce.

These food establishments were closed because of health code violations. The list, compiled from health department reports, reflects actions taken by the departments.

They all seem to be having a good time, the 20 or so girls wielding field hockey sticks on a tree-lined field tucked far behind the Loudoun County campus of Northern Virginia Community College. It's a pleasant fall evening, and the distant hum of cars on Route 7 provides a soothing soundtrack as the...

Travelers responding to my suggestions [ Dr. Gridlock, Nov. 1 ] about long-term solutions to Interstate 95's traffic congestion had their own practices and policies to propose.

A couple buys an apple press and attempts making apple cider at home.

Niermann Weeks will open its Millersville factory to the public on Saturday for a sample sale.

The countdown is on for the holiday season. It's time to take a good, hard look at your dining room and assess its readiness for entertaining from now until New Year's Day.

Try these designer-recommended colors to transform a dining room's walls:

If your floor is bare or your area rug is worn out, an inexpensive sisal rug will add an instant pick-me-up to almost any dining room.

"The hub of our home is threadbare. The window treatments, lighting, carpet, sofa, desk need to be replaced, but I do like the beams."

How to restore and preserve the shine of an old wood floor.

Los Angeles designer Michael S. Smith has the hottest decorating job in the country: the private quarters of the White House for the Obamas.

The slightest rustle of the Milk-Bone box gets mutts and purebreds alike drooling. But for pet parents who pledge allegiance to Whole Foods and the locavore lifestyle, the number of unpronounceable and unthinkable ingredients in mass-produced canine treats can cause a paw-size pause. So, if cooking...

Dear Dr. Fox: I have two male Westies, ages 6 and 3. They are healthy, happy and look great. No wonder. They are fed your home-cooked brown rice and lamb diet, an occasional hard-boiled egg, some turkey breast and a variety of vegetables. They also get daily Brewer's yeast and garlic tabs. Each dog...

Food can be photographed in magnificent ways, even if the food resembles a slab of concrete plopped onto a bun. That is evident in "Yum!!," a FotoWeek D.C. exhibit in which local photographers explore the beauty of food. Visitors can see how professional and student photographers snag shots of the...

Nov. 12 "BOING! PAINTINGS YOU CAN PLAY WITH" Abstract paintings by Tory Cowles. Opens Thursday; reception 6:30-8 p.m. Through Dec. 7. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Art League Gallery Room 21, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. 703-683-1780 or http://www.torpedofactory.org . Free.

The Grammy-winning rock band (which began as Los Lobos Del Este Los Angeles in 1973) plays music that builds on blues, rockabilly, jazz, Latin and the members' Mexican American heritage. Its singles include "Will the Wolf Survive?," "Don't Worry Baby" and "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes." Its most recent...

No report was available from the Alexandria Department of Real Estate Assessments for today's Local Living section.

From a health perspective, adult mammals shouldn't be drinking milk, especially the milk from another mammal ["Milk's skeptics would like to steer us away from our herd mentality," Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, Nov. 5]. I would do it anyway if I could find a cruelty-free source of milk and milk prod...

What if there was a small, inexpensive device that was proven to boost your fitness, help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure? Would you use it, especially if doing so was nearly effortless?

Contestants on NBC's weight-loss competition show "The Biggest Loser" undergo all kinds of duress in their efforts to shed pounds. Some of the ordeals they endure -- including a brutal workout in Washington's hot July sun for an episode that aired last week -- seem like sheer torture to me.

I often interview educators and gather data to find which high schools are doing the best job teaching kids. It is satisfying work, with the biggest payoff in visiting those schools and telling them how good they are compared to others. This is often a surprise to the teachers and administrators,...

The quarterly magazine NOVADog bills itself as "the ultimate guide to canine-inspired living" in the Washington area. It focuses on canine cruises, yappy hours and dog-and-owner hikes, among other activities. And it has articles offering lots of general advice on behavior issues, grooming, adoption...

This case was handled by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, which operates the city animal shelter and provides animal control services to the city. The shelter is open from 1 to 8 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. For information or to report emergencies involving animals 24 hours a...

The gift was simple but the message far-reaching: a multicolored scarf in a white box with a bright-pink ribbon and a button pinned on top that read, "My bald head is cuter than your bad haircut."

Arlington County and Alexandria officials are seeking volunteers and donations for programs aimed at helping underprivileged families and individuals during the holiday season.

Despite the tough economy, the majority of plans to revitalize and enhance Arlington County's Columbia Pike Corridor have remained on schedule, county officials said.

Angela B. Stepancic and Gabrielle J. Greene wear small, silver engagement rings that represent their love, loyalty and friendship. Last spring, the couple, who have been together for two years, decided to get married. They set a date, told friends and family and began planning an island vacation to...

For information on the following opportunities, call the numbers listed or contact Volunteer Alexandria at 703-836-2176, mail@volunteeralexandria.org or http://www.volunteeralexandria.org.

ZUMBA EXERCISE CLASS, for age 55 and older, exercise with Latin music, led by a Zumba instructor. 9:30 a.m., Walter Reed Senior Center, 2909 S. 16th St., Arlington. Four sessions, $16; registration required. 703-228-0955.

These were among incidents reported by the Alexandria Police Department. For information, call 703-838-4636 or visit http://www.alexandriava.gov/police .

Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N. Irving St., Arlington, offers a service, hot meal and program at noon every second and fourth Thursday. Meals are $4. Programs at 1 p.m. is "What Everyone Needs to Know About Estate Planning," by Paul Melnick. 703-527-8574 or http://www.morefaith.org .

"YUM" PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT, D.C. photographers explore the beauty of food, photographing the work of area chefs. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Thursday.; show, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Art Institute of Washington, 1820 Fort Myer Dr., Arlington. Free. 703-247-6885.