January 2023

COVER PHOTO BY TATIANA DOVE

The Real Housewives of McLean holiday party

See Pictures on pages 14-22

It’s that time of year again, where we optimistically lie and tell ourselves we’ll be a better a person over the next 12 months. We’ll give up the booze, hit the gym and call Grandma a little more; that’s the New Year’s resolution tradition. But rather than sticking to same tired tricks we play out every year, maybe you should focus on something that has a little more meaning and a whole lot more likelihood of actually happening.

The biggest mistake we tend to make when it comes to New Year’s resolutions is setting completely unrealistic expectations. If you fail to properly plan, you’re in a bad spot from day one, making the object of your intrinsic development all the more difficult. Here are some tips for sticking to your 2021 New Year’s resolutions. Start small – Rather than focusing on a complete identity overhaul, it’s worth cutting your 2023 New Year’s resolutions into bite-sized pieces. If your goals are small, you are far more likely to achieve them. Be specific – Similarly, setting a specific target gives you less room to wiggle out of it. Rather than setting a goal like, exercise more, set a manageable and realistic target, such as visit the gym three times per week. This way, you are able to acutely manage your expectations and measure your propensity for success over a sustained period. Go easy on yourself – You’ll never achieve perfection, so don’t beat yourself up when you fall off the wagon. The best New Year’s resolutions are ones that end in long-term behavioral change. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so take your time and don’t be too hard on yourself.

Ask for support – Getting help from those around you isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a way to build out your network of supporters. If you feel overwhelmed by your goals, consider seeking a professional’s advice. Psychologists can offer strategies as to how to adjust your goals and help you change unhealthy behaviors. Until Next Month. But always keep in mind that we are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream!

Love, Gloria

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To learn more about becoming an EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR, contact Gloria at: 703-868-8071 or gbruni@bestversionmedia.com

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A New Year, a New McLean Family: Meet the THOBANI FAMILY of McLean

By Katie Culligan

Skiing, soccer, tennis, travel, and a brand new baby would be some appropriate buzz words for the Thobani family of McLean. But just how did this energetic family of five come to be? Matriarch Aekta and Patriarch Faizal met serendipitously in Washington D.C. in 2007. One of their favorite memories together was as early as their second date. On this special day, the new couple had “the best conversation” while brunching in Georgetown. They then walked around the charming streets and before they knew it, they had spent close to nine hours together! At the end of the date, to cap the evening off, Faizal cracked a joke that made Aekta uncontrollably laugh. It was then that she knew this guy had long term relationship potential.

Rewinding to their upbringing: Faizal was born in Toronto Canada, before his family moved to Atlanta GA, then settled in

Austin, TX. He considerers himself “basically raised in Texas”. Faizal attended the University of Texas, majoring in Computer Information Systems. After graduation, he took a job with a software company in Silicon Valley and worked there as a technical consultant for three years. He quickly realized there was a big market for the services he was providing and quit his job to start a consulting firm. He was fortunately able to procure contracts with a government agency which led him to Washington, D.C. Since arriving in the area, he has worked with many of the major Federal Agencies. His company helps them with digitizing their information, creating web applications for their online forms, then planning and implementing their cloud storage solutions. When asked what he liked most about his work, Faizal stated, “I get to work with and meet a lot of new people - every contract I work with is a brand new client or new government agency.” When not working, Faizal enjoys basketball and is an avid tennis player. He can often be found playing tennis at Linway Park or at Sport and Health

Photos by Tatiana Dove

born and raised in the area. She went to Virginia Tech for her undergraduate degree in Science of Human, Foods, Nutrition, and Exercise. She then went on to receive her doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine in Los Angeles, CA. She worked in Southern California for a bit until she decided to come back home. She worked at a private practice for close to five years before she decided to open her own practice in Arlington, VA, focusing on pain management. This proved to be a good decision, as she found herself very happy at her new practice. In 2014, she became pregnant with her first son, Ayaan, and started to realize the impact and importance that chiropractic medicine had on her body with how it helped her back pain throughout her pregnancy. She realized that she wanted to help other mothers and children for the rest of her career. She then furthered her education to become certified and specialized in prenatal chiropractic care before becoming a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. When she found herself pregnant with her second son, Armaan, in 2016, she decided to take a sabbatical from working to focus on raising her two children. However, another addition to the family was just a few years away as she had her daughter, Inaara, in May of 2022. She mentioned that she does miss practicing Chiropractic medicine and intends on going back to work soon because she is looking forward to treating patients again. A cool memory for her is while she was practicing

in 2009, Aekta treated Jennifer Lopez’s manager, Benny Medina, when they were in town for President Obama’s inauguration. “We got to spend time with her personally and were invited to her inauguration party, the Latino Caucus in Union Station. It was a surreal experience” Aekta gushes. She shared photos of her looking glamorous next to the likes of Marc Antony, George Lopez, Wimer Valeranma and Shakira!

The couple’s oldest son, eight-year old Ayaan, has been playing in McLean soccer and basketball for a few years and is currently on a travel team. Ayaan is an exceptional soccer and tennis player. He also enjoys flag football. He is very fond of computers and enjoys taking coding classes. He really enjoys working on the computer, creating on Roblox and creating power-points. In school at Chesterbrook this year, his favorite subjects are math and history.

Next youngest son, six-year-old Armaan, is very creative and considered the dreamer of the family. Aekta says he is a talented artist and loves to draw and paint in his spare time. In general, he likes working with his hands. He is very meticulous and detail-oriented with his work. Armaan, like his brother,

participates in McLean soccer and will join the travel team when he is old enough.

Both boys, along with their mother, share a love for the holidays, especially Halloween, because they can dress up in scary costumes. Both of the boys have a love and passion for sports in general and cheer on the Dallas Cowboys because of Faizal’s Texas ties. They also adore Thai food and want to send a shout-out to Pasa Thai in McLean!

Prior to 2017, the Thobanis lived in a great condo in Rosslyn and they just loved the area. When their second child Armaan arrived in 2016, they realized that they simply needed more space. McLean seemed like the best suburb for them. They now have been living in the Potomac Hills subdivision for five years and they know they made the best decision as they have come to love their neighbors and their new McLean community.

“We absolutely love the fact that we live in a safe neighborhood. We feel like we can trust our neighbors and the community around us, which gives us a sense of peace. There are many children in our neighborhood that have become

friends with our kids - to see them enjoying living here puts a smile on my face,” Aekta warmly states. When asked about fun neighborhood memories Aekta muses that during the pandemic, for both boys' birthdays the family got the neighborhood involved by renting an Ice Cream Truck for Ayaan’s summer birthday, and a Hot Cocoa Truck for Armaan’s December birthday.

The family does as much volunteer work as they can in the community, including being involved in food drives and collecting items for those in need. They have been involved in making meals for individuals in shelters in the Alexandria, VA area. The boys have been very helpful in assembling and organizing meals with Aekta. Unfortunately, they have not been able to be very active in community outreach this holiday season because of the birth of their new baby and the fact that their kids are still young which makes it difficult to mobilize and organize such tasks. “We plan to do community service work in the future, as we believe in giving back to the community and want our children to understand and appreciate the value of service and giving back.”

The family loves to travel anywhere from Italy to Mexico and everything in between! They love to explore older cities, but also enjoy fun on the beach. Their annual trip is always traveling to an island and they pick a different island every summer. This past summer, Faizal and the boys went to Punta Cana while next summer they plan to all go to either Jamaica or Europe.

They also happen to enjoy the exact opposite of island hopping, which is skiing! The whole family loves to ski. Faizal is such a fan that almost every weekend during ski season he will drive to Whitetail or Liberty to get a few runs in. Even on their Babymoon prior to Inaara’s birth, the couple went to Vale, so they expect even their newest addition will join in their enthusiasm for the slopes someday.

The Thobanis certainly know how to stay busy with work and play in an around the McLean area. And now that we’re well-into ski season, look out for them on the slopes!

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Photos by Tatiana Dove

By Dani Banegas

The Smith-Lasner residence was the setting for “Pink Elephant,” an event that brought together the wonderful women of McLean. The event was marked by a Christmas mood, signature cocktails, lights, and seasonal flavors.

As in every holiday party, a gift exchange had to be done, but let's remember that these women’s lives are full of creativity and fun, so they had to put both into the evening with a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Definitely not a traditional gift exchange; in this one, they could choose a gift from the pool or steal an already opened one. As you can imagine, naughtiness played a role in this game.

Between laughs, sparks, gifts, and, of course, glamour, the finest housewives of McLean shared an unforgettable Christmas evening.

© Best Version Media

The SPATZ adjustable ballon offers patients outstanding weight loss results.

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By Pam Soncini, Social4Good

community and local nonprofits making a difference.

In November 2022, S4G hosted a food drive to support Second Story’s annual

Photos by Sarah Shamlal

hanksgiving basket distribution.

As food insecurity and food prices continued to rise in the DMV, Second Story expected to distribute over 800 baskets this season. To help them achieve this goal. S4G set a goal to create 100 baskets, which included holiday staples and a grocery store gift card for each family to purchase a turkey.

Second Story (www.Second-Story.org), formerly known as Alternative House, has been providing critical services to at-risk youth for 50 years. They run both residential and community-based programs. Their residential program provides housing, counseling, and life skills support for teenagers experiencing crisis, young mothers, and young people experiencing homelessness. The community-based programs provide after-school homework help, life skills support, and safe-haven for 2nd-12th graders in vulnerable communities. Over the last several years, Second Story has expanded their outreach from Northern Virginia to communities throughout the entire DC Metro Area.

On November 17th, S4G volunteers gathered for a Sort & Social to fill

“baskets” with food collected from members throughout the month and learn more about Second Story’s mission and programs. The turnout was amazing. Alexis Villegas, Community Outreach Liaison at Second Story, enthusiastically shared the organization’s 50 years of service to youth in the community and spoke with pride about Second Story’s mission and the many services they offer. “It’s a small organization that does a lot!”

With generous contributions from members and our community, S4G exceeded its goal and provided 130 Second Story families with a food-filled reusable grocery bag and a grocery gift card. The financial and in-kind contributions totaled more than $5,000.

To learn more about Social4Good or to contribute to support local nonprofits, visit www.Social4Goodevents.org.

Photos by David Kemas Photography

By Eesha Somasundar Just at 14 years old Zosia Henryson-Gibbs, a promising tennis

"She’ll need to earn her place." Mrs. Henryson-Gibbs puts it perfectly. Since Langley’s girls' tennis team has gone to States multiple times, earning a spot on the team is very difficult. But Zosia’s experience and youth gives her an advantage over the other opponents, both Freshmen, and recurring upperclassmen.

"My favorite thing about tennis is the time I get to spend with my girls traveling and watching them compete." Mrs. HenrysonGibbs said. Tennis takes a lot of time, especially when you're playing in the high-ranking and stressful tournaments that Zosia is in, so having supportive parents who you can spend time with is a plus.

Tennis also teaches life lessons and skills that can be used in a person's daily life.

"[Tennis] helps you control your emotions and teaches you discipline," HenrysonGibbs said. Discipline and poise are crucial when playing at the national level.

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