One of our favorite things about the Brambleton community is the opportunity to watch families blossom as part of it. Seeing children grow up here, families moving in as they get ready to welcome new life, and generations living together as part of the beautiful tapestry that makes up this landscape is what Brambleton is all about. There could not be a better example of this than the Pistolesis, who moved here in 2004 and have been thriving as a family since. Parents Alison and Vince decided to make the leap from Alexandria to Ashburn because they wanted to plant roots for their family, and now that they have two teenagers and two pets, their choice 18 years ago still feels like the perfect fit.
Since Alison had spent nearly a decade in the construction supply industry, she was confident that she and Vince would be able to find not just a beautiful home but a quality one, and she could not have been more right. After they toured several planned communities that were starting in the area, they came upon a Brambleton in its infancy and instantly something felt different, like it was the right fit for them. They both fell in love with the Christopher Companies Kensington model floor plan and were told to move fast if they wanted to be a part of it all. That night at dinner, Alison and Vince decided to take the plunge, and the pair moved into their new build soon after. This ended up being perfect timing, as twins Sofia and Sydni were born just two years later.
Their home now gets to host not just the family (including dog Enzo and cat Dino), but Brambleton friends that have become like family. With Alison’s job (CMO of Mosaic Home Interiors) exposing her to so many new ideas, they’ve made several updates to customize their living space, including a full kitchen remodel, multiple bathroom renovations, a basement with a wine cellar and poker room, an office renovation and most recently, an outdoor space with a built-in fire pit, patio and pizza oven for warm weather gatherings. “We absolutely love it,” said Alison. “We get so much enjoyment from our home and love having spaces to entertain in.”
The Pistolesis’ excitement for their Brambleton home reaches far outside their four walls too. The family loves to take walks on all of the trails that run throughout Brambleton, and they reminisce about summer days when the girls were little every time those trails lead them by the pool and what fun they’ve had. Vince, an account manager for Mondelez, is lovingly known to friends and neighbors as “Uncle Cookie.” He keeps their garage stashed with Oreos and Chips Ahoy, and loves sharing with local food pantries or just a hungry neighborhood pal. Sofia and Syndi have loved growing up here, and now Sofia is on the soccer team at Independence High and Sydni plays flute in the marching band there. The Town Center is full of beloved hangouts, from AhSo, which has hosted so many of their celebrations, to the new favorite Himalayan Wild Yak, Scotto’s for when pizza night at home doesn’t quite go as planned, and so much more. All of this allows them to connect further with their incredible neighbors.
“We moved out to LoCo from Alexandria literally not knowing anyone in Loudoun County. Years later, our Brambleton neighbors have been here for us through life, death, sickness and health.
Our Brambleton neighbors have watched our kids during snow days, taken care of our pets when we’re out of town, and always been there for us and we love doing the same for them…we have no desire to move, our house is perfect for us! Even though some of our friends have moved over the years, the new neighbors that moved in are always fabulous!”
When the Pistolesis moved to Brambleton nearly 20 years ago, they threw themselves into creating a life here. Now, every part of their lives is full of the magic you just can’t get anywhere else. Both in their home and beyond it, the entire Pistolesi family has woven itself seamlessly into the Brambleton tapestry, making it all the more beautiful for their contribution.
