For tasty seafood and casual ambiance in Ashburn, you have to try the Bonefish Grill. This restaurant in the Broadlands Village Center might be part of a national chain, but the welcoming atmosphere will make you feel as though you’ve just entered a neighborhood seafood place.

The bar is a perfect spot to meet up with friends for a draft beer, glass of wine, or specialty cocktail to watch the game or just hang out. If you’re coming for lunch or dinner, make sure that you check out the seasonal specials, or go for the bang-bang shrimp, a very popular dish among regulars.

The Bonefish Grill is open Mondays through Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Fridays, 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bonefish Grill
43135 Broadlands Center Plaza
Ashburn, VA 20148
(703) 723-8246
http://www.bonefishgrill.com/locator/details/ashburn-virginia
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bonefish-grill-ashburn

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/ralph and jenny

Since its inception in 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has demonstrated success in its mission to "protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend." Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the ESA separates dwindling species into two categories: Endangered, which means it's in danger of extinction; and Threatened, which means the species might become endangered in the near future. In the U.S., the ESA has been instrumental in restoring the populations of the Grizzly bear, Steller sea lion, Atlantic leatherback and green sea turtles, and the whooping crane, to name a few. However, there are still more than 1,500 endangered and threatened species in the United States.

If you want to learn about said species—some of which might even be right outside your front door—surf over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website. There, you'll find an interactive map that spotlights threatened and endangered species in all 50 U.S. states. Click any state of the map to find an alphabetical list of a state's periled species, info about where a species is commonly found within a state, plus intel on the species' recovery plans. Success stories are highlighted, too, showcasing the positive impact of the ESA initiative.

Get to Know Your Species [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]
Endangered Species Act Overview [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]
ESA Basics [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]
110 Success Stories for Endangered Species Day 2012 [Center for Biological Diversity]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/BFS Man

With no shortage of bakeries and cupcake dealers in Northern Virginia, The Boutique Bakeshop serves up a warm and inviting take on small-batch baked goods in Herndon. Tasty treats are available fresh from the oven include the moist, cream cheese-frosted red velvet cupcakes and the “Triple Threat” – a cookie, cheesecake and brownie hybrid – for the most serious of sweet fanatics. Enjoy the shabby chic styling of the seating area and take in the delicious smells from the bustling kitchen located just behind the counter. If you’re part of the nine-to-five crowd in need of a boost to office morale, place an order for one of their “Bakeshop Boxes” and deliver an assortment of fresh-from-the-oven baked goods, including house-made pop tarts, seasonal fruit scones, buttery croissants and donut twists perfect for dunking.

Always certain to include a little bit of TLC in all they do, the friendly staff of The Boutique Bakeshop add plenty of this special ingredient to all of their custom cakes, available by request. Check out their website for additional information on seasonal offerings, Bakeshop Box ordering and more.

The Boutique Bakeshop
336 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170
(703) 835-4179
http://www.theboutiquebakeshop.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-boutique-bakeshop-herndon

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/simple up