Jennifer Barger
Verified
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Consumers' Checkbook,
MSN,
MSN Ireland,
Yahoo Life,
Estadão,
The Washington Post,
Yahoo News,
Yahoo Singapore,
Aol,
National Geographic,
National Geographic Traveler
and
Covers:
Travel, home, design, fashion, history, culture
Doesn't Cover:
Sports
Senior editor at National Geographic Travel, ex WaPo, Consumer Checkbook and WHERE Mag. I love shoes. jennbarger.com.
Articles by Jennifer Barger
Why Your Next Trip Itinerary Should Include a Cemetery
Dramatic Gothic Revival architecture is part of the draw at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. Sergei Teterkin, Shutterstock Earlier this year, Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery opened a $43 million visitor center, a soaring exhibition and event space in a restored Victorian glass-and-copper greenhouse.
Why Your Next Trip Itinerary Should Include a Cemetery
1 hour ago Jeff Deehan is a real estate developer by day and a "hobby guy" by night. The 42-year-old has a workshop in his East Lansing house. One project remained elusive: a small piece of steel to secure a camper to his truck. While Deehan was toying with OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra in voice mode, he described the …
I Just Got Back from Pyrex Fest—Here’s What Collectors Are Actually Buying Original
On a recent Saturday, rainbow-hued mixing bowls, bright yellow glass butter dishes, and flower-decked casserole corralers decked dozens of folding tables in downtown Havre de Grace, Maryland. No, this wasn’t a giant church potluck—it was the biannual Pyrex & Vintage Fest, which sees dozens of vintage dealers bring their midcentury glassware to a historic waterfront town about a 30-minute drive north of Baltimore. “I think people like Pyrex because of the nostalgia.
The Push-up Pushers
The road to getting fit is paved with good intentions. You’ll start running five miles a day tomorrow, or head back to the weight room at the gym this weekend. If you can drag yourself to get off the sofa, our ratings of fitness centers and gyms will help you find facilities with equipment and classes.
Dance Classes
For thousands of years, humans have danced to celebrate, mourn, or, in the case of Zumba, shake off calories. There are nearly as many ways to learn how to groove and move as there are types of choreography. You can choose one-on-one lessons at a traditional dance studio (think a soon-to-be-married couple learning to waltz at Arthur Murray) or learn to salsa, maybe for free, at a local club. Whether you want to study up on Argentine tango or learn Zydeco, here are tips on how to get in step.
Delaware Valley Consumers' Checkbook
You splashed out on a formal wedding. You want a fab family photo for holiday cards. Or a job hunt/career change means new head shots are in order. There are many reasons you might need a professional photographer. So how can you find, and work with, a pro shooter who will get you great images at a good value? Here are our tips on hiring a shutterbug. Ask friends and family for recommendations of photographers they’ve worked with and liked.
Delaware Valley Consumers' Checkbook
If you need to jettison an entire household of belongings, an estate sale can provide a one-shot solution. Most events take place over two or three days, when an estate sale company (or sometimes, a family member) holds a jumbo tag sale or online auction during which furniture, art, dishes, clothing, and even unopened bottles of Pepsi are game. These liquidators take a big cut of sales proceeds—30 to 50 percent is typical—so don’t expect an estate sale to generate considerable money for you.
Sametová rakev ožila: Z ospalého města je centrum hudby, mrakodrapů a barbecue
Když byla v roce 1937 dokončena, stala se 94 metrů vysoká věž Texaské univerzity nejvyšší budovou Austinu. A tou zůstala přibližně dalších 40 let. Přestože bylo toto město ve středním Texasu hlavním městem státu i sídlem jeho druhé největší univerzity, po desetiletí šlo o ospalé místo, které lidé znali hlavně díky flákačům z filmů Richarda Linklatera a vlivným místním hudebníkům, jako byli Willie Nelson nebo Stevie Ray Vaughan.
From Bethesda Magazine: 6 powder room Ideas from Montgomery County designers
A mint green vintage sink basin, salvaged from a Georgetown house, inspired the decor for designer Sarah Goldfarb's own Potomac powder room. Photo credit: Robert Radifera. Tiny but potentially mighty, the powder room is coming into its own. Some say the term originated in 18th-century France, when nobles in party finery would sneak off to a small chamber to apply additional powder to their elaborate wigs.
From Humble Arlington Rambler to Serene Scandi Jewel Box
Home & Design ODE Design's transformation of this postwar ranch home added a second story with a butterfly roof and tons of natural light. Jennifer Barger By Jennifer Barger October 5, 2026 Share Facebook X Pinterest Email Copy URL Prefer us on Google This Arlington remodel by ODE Design transformed a typical postwar rambler into a serene, Scandinavian-inspired jewel box with minimalist finishes and tons of natural light. (Photo by Laura Metzler) Like this story? Get our free email newsletter.
Finding Someone to Take Your Pup on Safe Strolls
A pack of apps—Wag!, Rover, Pawshake, and others—now offer gig workers who can leash up Fido for his midday potty. These companies make sign-up and coordination easy: Register, plug in your credit card info, and pay about $20 per half hour for on-demand services. The concept seems like a great innovation and many dog owners are thrilled with the walkers they hire. But several dogs—a Wheaten terrier named Winnie in Houston, a Seattle mutt named Bandit—have been killed while on Wag! walks.
Deck Builders - Ratings and Reviews - Washington Consumers' Checkbook
Build (or rebuild) a deck off of your home, and you’ll have a spot for al fresco entertaining, grilling, or just chilling with a book. But it takes a lot of planning and money to create one, whether you hire a local business or—for the super-handy only—put one in yourself. Here’s what to consider. What Kind of Deck? The size and type of your home often dictates the sort of deck you need.
Austin, Texas: The College Town That Became a Metropolis but Kept Its Soul
5 hours ago Tom Bateman currently stars in The Love Hypothesis, a rom-com with a surprising connection to his wife, Daisy Ridley. Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley are one of Hollywood's most private couples. That didn't stop Bateman from starring in a rom-com inspired by his wife's iconic Star Wars character. For …
Austin, Texas: The College Town That Became a Metropolis but Kept Its Soul
The 1937 Main Building at the University of Texas at Austin, usually referred to as the Tower. A Beautiful World, Adobe Stock When it was completed in 1937, the 307-foot-tall University of Texas Tower became the tallest building in Austin, and so it remained for the next 35 years.
Austin, Texas: The College Town That Became a Metropolis but Kept Its Soul Original
When it was completed in 1937, the 307-foot-tall University of Texas Tower became the tallest building in Austin, and so it remained for the next 35 years. Though the central Texas city was the state’s capital and home to its second-largest university, for decades it remained a sleepy place best known for the slackers portrayed by Richard Linklater and influential local musicians like Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Guide to Working with a Landscape Designer
If your home is your castle, the landscape around it is the grounds, gardens, and maybe moat. Getting help with landscaping isn’t limited to planting bushes and flowers; it’s also about hardscaping (patios, walks, etc.), placing trees in spots taking advantage of sun and drainage, and plotting out how to best use your property. “A well-conceived outdoor space goes a long way toward improving your quality of life,” said Kona Gray, president of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Full Bloom
A post-World War II building boom brought hundreds of compact, brick two-story Colonial Revival-style starter homes to Arlington, Virginia. “I call them Monopoly houses,” says architect Charles Moore. “They were basically six-room homes, three rooms to a floor, and under 2,000 square feet.” That’s the kind of house landscape architect Jennifer Horn and her husband, Sammy Ponzar, an audio-visual technician, bought and moved into in 2017.
Caterers
Though most of us don’t hire caterers on a regular basis, at some point you might need to pay someone else to cook, serve, and (best of all) clean up after a meal for guests at a wedding, a nice-round-number-year anniversary, or even a fancy dinner party. But with a feast of options—from expensive-yet-convenient on-site hotel chefs to restaurants that will whip up (and deliver) dinners wherever you like—how do you choose? And what’s it all going to cost?
Salons - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
A good haircut or dye job can make you look younger, taller, or just plain better. And though many people learned to trim their own bangs—or to shave their spouse’s skull—during the COVID-19 pandemic, pro stylists usually have more skills (and sharper scissors) than you. So how do you choose a hair doctor to take care of your crowning glory? And do the most expensive salons perform the best work?
The 4 Estate Sale Rooms Everyone Else Forgets to Search Original
After braving early mornings and lines to enter an estate sale, many treasure seekers get dazzled by the plush sofas in the living room or the fancy art in the dining room. But experts say that more out-of-the-way spaces sometimes yield the best finds. “There’s a misconception that all the best stuff is either in the main rooms or displayed in some prominent spot,” says Amy Byer, the founder and principal of Handled, an estate sale company in Los Angeles.
The 4 Estate Sale Rooms Everyone Else Forgets to Search
After braving early mornings and lines to enter an estate sale, many treasure seekers get dazzled by the plush sofas in the living room or the fancy art in the dining room. But experts say that more out-of-the-way spaces sometimes yield the best finds. “There’s a misconception that all the best stuff is either in the main rooms or displayed in some prominent spot,” says Amy Byer, the founder and principal of Handled, an estate sale company in Los Angeles.
Framing Shops - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
Any kind of art—from the Mona Lisa to your family snapshots—looks better in a nice frame. To elevate, protect, and display paintings, photos, and other prizes, you’ll either need to find a good shop to do the work or buy supplies and DIY. Here’s info on how to get help. Many framing shops in the area have staff that provide expert advice, take care of your precious stuff, and don’t charge high prices.
The Kneading You Need
Visits from your in-laws. Aches and pains from arthritis or overdoing it at the gym. Politics. Reasons to stretch out on a massage therapist’s table are as numerous and varied as the bones in your spine. And massages boast well-documented health benefits, from easing migraines to treating stress and depression to reducing pain to speeding the healing process for some injuries. Here’s advice and ratings to help you figure out what kind of treatment you want and find a good masseuse to do it.
Dog Walkers - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
A pack of apps—Wag!, Rover, Pawshake, and others—now offer gig workers who can leash up Fido for his midday potty. These companies make sign-up and coordination easy: Register, plug in your credit card info, and pay about $20 per half hour for on-demand services. The concept seems like a great innovation and many dog owners are thrilled with the walkers they hire. But several dogs—a Wheaten terrier named Winnie in Houston, a Seattle mutt named Bandit—have been killed while on Wag! walks.
Countertop Suppliers & Installers
Click here for ratings of local cabinet suppliers. Countertops are usually made from various slabs of stone, but also from a wide range of other materials, from wood to plastics to metal to concrete. These days, the most popular kitchen countertops are made of quartz, which looks like stone but is actually a mashup of minerals and resins and usually colored with patterns that mimic granite or marble. Granite is still very popular, with soapstone, marble, and laminates gaining ground.
Deck Builders - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
Build (or rebuild) a deck off of your home, and you’ll have a spot for al fresco entertaining, grilling, or just chilling with a book. But it takes a lot of planning and money to create one, whether you hire a local business or—for the super-handy only—put one in yourself. Here’s what to consider. What Kind of Deck? The size and type of your home often dictates the sort of deck you need.
Concrete Contractors
The latest trends and technical innovations in concrete mean it’s no longer just the stuff of sidewalks, driveways, patios, and the like, and no longer limited to an elephant-gray hard surface underfoot. You can now install polished concrete as the floor of your family room or kitchen, and get an almost indestructible poured concrete kitchen countertop that screams Brooklyn loft.
Gutter Installers - Ratings and Reviews
A solid roof is the best way to keep water out of your house, but it works in tandem with gutters. If they’re installed, and regularly cleaned and maintained, gutters prevent water from dripping onto and damaging exterior walls, backing up underneath roof shingles, and carrying rain away from the perimeter of the structure, preventing moisture issues inside. Repair or Replace? Before replacing your gutters, determine whether they can be repaired.
Photographers - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
You splashed out on a formal wedding. You want a fab family photo for holiday cards. Or a job hunt/career change means new head shots are in order. There are many reasons you might need a professional photographer. So how can you find, and work with, a pro shooter who will get you great images at a good value? Here are our tips on hiring a shutterbug. Ask friends and family for recommendations of photographers they’ve worked with and liked.
Jewelry Stores
In the market for diamond jewelry? Head over to our Diamonds Buying Guide for advice on what to do, what not to do, how to avoid scams, and results from our undercover price shopping that will help you identify stores that charge thousands less than their competitors.
Carpenters - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
For small building projects—built-ins and bookshelves, installing a custom closet system, repairing or installing wood trim and moldings, or replacing rotting exterior wood—consider hiring a carpenter instead of a remodeling outfit. Sure, many general contractors trained as carpenters or employ them, but hiring your own woodworker usually is less expensive than trying to book a busy team that specializes in big jobs, and a one-on-one working relationship should help your job run smoothly.
Where to Rent or Buy Horns, Strings, and More
Need a French horn for your marching band-mad kid or a cello to channel your inner Yo-Yo Ma? Go to an instrument store, where you can try before you buy. These shops are staffed by experts who can give suggestions on models from student level to so-you-joined-the-symphony professional. Such melody marketers usually also sell sheet music, accessories (drumsticks, viola bows, etc.) and, often, on-site lessons. Click here for customer reviews of local music stores.
Tile Installers - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
Putting in bathroom or kitchen tiles used to be a grueling, time-consuming affair involving laying tiles into a thick bed of cement. Such “mud sets” were durable and hard to break, but they’ve most been replaced by “thin sets,” where adhesive is spread in ribs with a notched trowel. It’s faster and less expensive but, because houses move, not necessarily better—flexing floors and shifting walls may eventually crack or buckle the work.
Working with an Interior Designer
Does decorating your home—furniture, floors, wallpaper, artwork, etc.—overwhelm you? Do you want someone else’s design ideas or access to wholesale showrooms and more furniture choices? You might want to hire an interior designer. You can find a decor pro at a furniture store or hire an independent one. They could work on one room or tackle your whole house, from developing a design concept to purchasing and supervising installation of the furnishings.
How to Shop for Lighting
When electric lighting debuted in American homes in the late 19th and early 20th century, many fixtures were just bare bulbs suspended from cords. In 1891, the White House installed fixtures, but President Benjamin Harrison wouldn’t touch the switches because he feared electrocution. The ways—and the styles—with which we illuminate our homes have evolved greatly in the century since.
Landscapers - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
If your home is your castle, the landscape around it is the grounds, gardens, and maybe moat. Getting help with landscaping isn’t limited to planting bushes and flowers; it’s also about hardscaping (patios, walks, etc.), placing trees in spots taking advantage of sun and drainage, and plotting out how to best use your property. “A well-conceived outdoor space goes a long way toward improving your quality of life,” said Kona Gray, president of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Estate Sale Companies - Ratings and Reviews - Chicago Consumers' Checkbook
If you need to jettison an entire household of belongings, an estate sale can provide a one-shot solution. Most events take place over two or three days, when an estate sale company (or sometimes, a family member) holds a jumbo tag sale or online auction during which furniture, art, dishes, clothing, and even unopened bottles of Pepsi are game. These liquidators take a big cut of sales proceeds—30 to 50 percent is typical—so don’t expect an estate sale to generate considerable money for you.
I Plan Vacations Around Antiques Fairs. Here Are 5 on My List for Fall Original
Some people plan travel around Taylor Swift concerts or beautiful gardens. Me? Vintage and antiques markets are what inspire me to road trip and buy plane tickets. I think of these mostly outdoor events as alfresco antiques malls or flea markets, where top dealers from around the country pack up their vans to bring Victorian furniture, midcentury lighting, and vintage quilts to throwback style fans like me.
I Travel for Antiques. These 5 Fall Markets Are Next on My List
"Hearst Magazines and AOL may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Some people plan travel around Taylor Swift concerts or beautiful gardens. Me? Vintage and antiques markets are what inspire me to road trip and buy plane tickets. I think of these mostly outdoor events as alfresco antiques malls or flea markets, where top dealers from around the country pack up their vans to bring Victorian furniture, midcentury lighting, and vintage quilts to throwback style fans like me.
Grow the garden of your dreams without spending a ton of green
Filling your backyard or front-porch container garden with flowers, veggies and other growing things can feed your body and soul. But green-thumbing it will also cost you: The 2026 National Gardening Survey found that, on average, American gardeners spend $740 a person each year, a jump of more than 18% compared with 2025. Mark Lane, a British gardening expert and BBC commentator, is passionate about making cultivation and landscaping more approachable and affordable.
Grow the garden of your dreams without spending a ton of green
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Jennifer Barger For The Washington Post Filling your backyard or front-porch container garden with flowers, veggies and other growing things can feed your body and soul. But green-thumbing it will also cost you: The 2026 National Gardening Survey found that, on average, American gardeners spend $740 a person each year, a jump of more than 18 percent compared with 2025.
Tile Installers - Ratings and Reviews - National
Putting in bathroom or kitchen tiles used to be a grueling, time-consuming affair involving laying tiles into a thick bed of cement. Such “mud sets” were durable and hard to break, but they’ve most been replaced by “thin sets,” where adhesive is spread in ribs with a notched trowel. It’s faster and less expensive but, because houses move, not necessarily better—flexing floors and shifting walls may eventually crack or buckle the work.
Grow the garden of your dreams without spending a ton of green
Filling your backyard or front-porch container garden with flowers, veggies and other growing things can feed your body and soul. But green-thumbing it will also cost you: The 2026 National Gardening Survey found that, on average, American gardeners spend $740 a person each year, a jump of more than 18 percent compared with 2025. Mark Lane, a British gardening expert and BBC commentator, is passionate about making cultivation and landscaping more approachable and affordable.
Grow the garden of your dreams without spending a ton of green
16 hours ago President Donald Trump knows grass. In fact, he would like Americans to know that he knows quite a lot about it. “I’m very good at grass because I have a lot of golf courses all over the world,” Trump said Wednesday during an appearance at the White House, once again returning to one of his more …
Planning a New Closet
Ask homebuyers what they’re willing to give up to fit their budget, and most will say they’ll readily live with a smaller dining room or home office. But downsizing the square footage of their closets is usually a nonstarter. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ ongoing survey of buyer preferences, storage space is one of the last things homebuyers will sacrifice, even when shrinking nearly everything else about a house.
Love Vintage Fashion and Vinyl? This Falls Church Shop is a Gem
Shopping Coco Cameo boutique is a curated wonderland of retro clothing, accessories and groovy records from decades past. Jennifer Barger By Jennifer Barger July 24, 2026 Share Facebook X Pinterest Email Copy URL Prefer us on Google Coco Cameo proprietor Jessica Stanis at her Falls Church boutique (Photo by Julia Saperstein) Like this story? Get our free email newsletter. More on the people, places, and culture defining Arlington, McLean and Falls Church.
Outlets don’t always offer the best deals. Here’s how to find the real bargains.
Outlets don’t always offer the best deals. Here’s how to find the real bargains. (washingtonpost.com) Outlets don’t always offer the best deals. Here’s how to find the real bargains. By Jennifer Barger 2026072310012200 The words "outlet mall" or "factory store" make many shoppers envision marked-down designer bags, slightly damaged furniture or first-quality, last-season fashions at steep discounts.
From Bethesda Magazine: How a Bethesda woman refreshed a Kent Island rental
Kent Island Home. Photo by Hometrack Real Estate. When Bethesda real estate developer Jenna Jacobson purchased a 1995 four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom colonial in Stevensville, Maryland,last summer, she envisioned filling it with nothing but guests by transforming it into a vacation rental. “I’ve worked in both residential and hospitality development, and I’ve been wanting to create a place that was super fun and easy for parents and kids to escape to,” she says.
Do outlet malls offer real savings and sell made-for-outlet goods at lower quality?
SEATTLE — The words “outlet mall” or “factory store” make many shoppers envision way-marked-down designer bags, slightly damaged furniture or first-quality, last-season fashions at steep discounts. But a new study by Consumers’ Checkbook found that many are churning out cheaper merch specifically for their “discount” locations.
Mending clothes makes a comeback as a way to save money — and the planet
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Jennifer Barger Special to The Washington Post One dusty family photo album in my attic holds black-and-white snapshots of my mother and grandmother darning their socks in the early 1950s. My mother told me they’d stuff the socks with burned-out lightbulbs to hold them as they stitched. I was a 1980s kid when I first saw the photos, and the concept of fixing and saving your worn-out clothes felt retrograde even then.
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