My father-in-law, Sudha, had one rule: Saturdays belong to the family. No exceptions. My wife, Kripa, brought that tradition into our relationship early on. Turns out I’d signed without reading the fine print.
I was born in Zimbabwe and have lived in five countries on three continents. I can order dinner in a few languages. Ask me about a city across an ocean and I’ll give you a list. Ask me about the trail ten minutes from our house and, for years, I had nothing. Adventure meant a passport. Home was the layover.
Kripa changed that. We grew up in different worlds, yet found in each other the same values, the same heart. We met in Washington DC and spent our early days exploring the city and discovering new sides of each other. Now settled in Loudoun County, we’re still exploring, one Saturday at a time.
Our crew has grown since. Our toddler now runs the show. He gives the orders; we follow, snacks in hand. His Gogo, my mother, is with us every weekend. His Khulu, my father, used to come too, and he was game for anything, every single time. We still save him a seat. His Hajurama, Kabita, often joins by WhatsApp video from Kathmandu, where our morning is her evening. Two grandmothers. Two continents. One Saturday. The rule he’s growing up with is his Hajurbua’s.
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That ritual is why I started LoudounGo, the weekend guide for families in Loudoun. Every week we do the homework busy parents don’t have time for: what’s on, what it costs, where to park, how to beat the crowds and everything else to know before you go. We launched in October, and families have been signing up and passing it along faster than we ever could have hoped. We’re grateful for every one of them.
Hajurbua’s rule shapes the LoudounGo philosophy too: everybody comes along. So when a parent at our farmers market booth asked for calmer outings for kids with sensory needs, we listened. Every weekly guide now has a sensory-friendly pick.
So what can a Loudoun Saturday actually look like? Here’s our plan for the next four, from the end of Tihar into the holidays. Each one has a place to explore, something good to eat and something for every generation, whether they’re in the back seat or on the screen. Borrow any of it.
SATURDAY, NOV. 14: BIRDS, THEN MOMOS
Start early at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve near Leesburg: meadows, woods and creek trails. It’s free and open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. all winter. Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy leads a bird walk at 8 a.m.; register ahead. Bring binoculars. Expect the toddler to scare off half the birds.
Then lunch, at a gas station. Trust me. Everest Momo Plus sits inside the Liberty station on Route 50, and owner Krishna makes the best momos in Loudoun. Order the jhol momo, swimming in spiced tomato broth. Plates run about $9 to $13, and there’s a kids’ menu. It’s one of LoudounGo’s Go-Tos, the places we’d send our own family. Nobody can pay their way onto that list. Fill the tank while you’re there. Efficiency.
|| For Hajurama: Point the phone at the plate. She will judge the pleats.
SATURDAY, NOV. 21: A MILE FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Leesburg’s Freeze Your Gizzard 1-mile fun run starts at 10 a.m. at Ida Lee Park. The name is a promise. Bring two cans for Loudoun Hunger Relief. Know before you go: no strollers or wagons, so little legs walk or ride on shoulders. Your shoulders. Stretch first.
Then drive ten minutes to Red Rock Wilderness Overlook. An easy 1.2-mile loop ends at a fenced lookout high above the Potomac.
Late lunch is back east at 4 Sisters Asian Snack Bar in Ashburn, from the family behind the much-loved Four Sisters in Falls Church. Banh mi, Spam musubi, boba. We’re there often, so say hi to Tony and Angela, the owners. It closes at 7 p.m.
|| For Hajurama: The river from the cliff top. Loudoun’s answer to the Himalayas. Smaller. Much smaller.
SATURDAY, NOV. 28: BARN, MANSION, PIZZA
Thanksgiving weekend. The house is full and the fridge is fuller. Leesburg Animal Park keeps its barn and indoor play zone open all winter, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Seniors pay the kids’ price, $16.95, so Gogo’s ticket is cheaper than mine. Holiday hours can shift, so call ahead.
Then Oatlands in Leesburg, dressed for the holidays, with house tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Both are in our Thanksgiving in Loudoun guide, along with every turkey trot, the pie deadlines and what’s open on Thursday.
By dinner, nobody can look at turkey. World of Pizzas at Cascades Overlook in Sterling fires Neapolitan pies on imported Italian flour. There’s a kids’ menu, a Margherita for the purists and a Tikka Masala pie for everyone who’s had enough of tradition for one week.
|| For Hajurama: The barn, with live commentary from her grandson.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5: MAKERS AND TREATS
The Leesburg Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show at Ida Lee Park is free and indoors. Warm, easy on the knees, dangerous for gift lists.
Then The Difference Baker in Sterling, an allergy-safe bakery where the kid with the allergy list gets to point at anything in the case. Pre-order holiday treats. There are only a few seats, so take them home. They won’t survive the car ride.
Still standing at 6 p.m.? Leesburg lights its tree on the Town Green.
|| For Hajurama: The first lights of the season. Tihar, part two.
Hajurbua’s rule was never about where you go. It was about who comes along. A toddler on your shoulders. Gogo at your side. Hajurama on the screen. Khulu, still game for anything. And a dad who finally found his own backyard.
Four Saturdays. Bring everyone. Charge the phone.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
