This is a promoted post by Visit PA, the Tourism Board of Pennsylvania.
By: Buzz McClain
School is back in session, work is heating up and vacation time is over. Or is it? We in the “DMV” are fortunate to have the “P” waiting to welcome us just to the north.
Pennsylvania is close enough for interesting day trips to historic city sites-where you can be out in the morning and back at night-and big enough for extended stays in scenic countryside that varies from picturesque lake fronts to slow rising mountains.
The scenery amid Pennsylvania’s 46,055 square miles seems to change every few miles: If you make the drive north and a little west from points in D.C. and Northern Virginia, you’ll reach the 51 miles of shoreline with Lake Erie; go east and you’ll get to the 57 miles of shore along the Delaware Estuary.
In between are opportunities to explore the Poconos and the Alleghenies, the Lehigh and Susquehanna Valleys, as well as, of course, the history, arts and cultural offerings of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Need ideas for destinations and activities? There is the handy “Happy Traveler” guide created by the Pennsylvania Tourism Board that catalogs the Keystone State’s highlights as well as some of the attractions off the beaten path (a trip along Dutch Country roads, anyone?). Download it at this address.
Meanwhile, consider some of these day trips that are an easy drive from D.C. and NoVa and start making plans for one- to three-day weekends this fall.
- York: Explore Colonial history at the York Heritage Center.
- Pittsburgh: Celebrate the city’s 200th birthday (born: 1816!) at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
- Hershey: Hmmm. Let’s think. Oh, right, chocolate. Explore the candy at Hershey Chocolate World.
- Bethlehem: Speaking of candy, did you know PEEPs were invented in Pennsylvania in 1953? Get the facts at the PEEPs Company Store.
- Nazareth: Speaking of inventions, C.F. Martin built his innovative Martin guitars here. Visit the museum and factory here.
And we didn’t even get to Gettysburg yet.
This is a promoted post from the Neurology Center of Fairfax.
Busy medical practice with offices in Fairfax and Reston seeks full0time patient care assistant to assist doctors in managing care of patients.
Direct patient contact responsibilities, requires strong computer skills for EMR responsibilities, ability to multitask and must have strong English language skills. Job requires full and independent mobility, and ability to stand for long periods of time.
Work day shifts, Monday through Friday. Excellent salary and benefits.
Email cover letter and resume to: [email protected] or fax to 703-940-1497.
This is a promoted post from Goldfish Swim School, which offers swim lessons for children in its heated indoor pool. Check them out at Goldfish Swim School, visit them at 12340 Pinecrest Rd., or give them a call at (703) 348-3261 to learn more.
Although kids are back to school, summer never ends at Goldfish Swim School.
Reston’s Goldfish Swim School is the leader in kids’ swim lessons, and provides high-quality year-round swim classes for kids four months to 12 years old. The pools are kept at 90 degrees and air temperature at 92, so kids’ bodies stay shiver-free as they get in and out of the pool. The parents’ gallery for watching lessons is kept at a comfortable temperature.
Goldfish Swim School first started in Michigan in 2006, and was an instant success. Goldfish Swim School-Reston boasts Ellis Certified Instructors and Lifeguards.
The Reston location has had an amazing response from the community since it opened in November 2014.
The staff at Goldfish Swim School knows that children learn water safety and swim skills best when consistent practice occurs, which is why they offer year-round lessons.
With a kid-friendly atmosphere complete with warm pools and fun, tropical décor, Goldfish Swim School has what you and your child need to be happy and successful in the water.
Call at 703-348-3261 to register now or come by for a tour to see what all the excitement is about. For more information, visit our website.
This is a sponsored post from Becky’s Pet Care.
This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Trouble, a male American Staffordshire/Mix who is currently housed at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.
Here is what the shelter folks have to say about him:
Don’t let his name fool you. The worst “trouble” this guy gets into is covering his humans in doggy kisses!
Trouble is a very people-oriented dog who loves pets and cuddles and kisses and is especially happy when you pull out the treats. He is 11 years old, but you’d never guess from his youthful attitude. He loves going for walks, is very easy to handle on the leash, and has become a volunteer favorite.
He was surrendered because his owner was moving out of the country, and they said he is great with kids and is housebroken. We can’t wait to find this friendly, cuddly guy a new home where he can be surrounded by love from his humans, because that’s all he really wants in life.
Trouble’s adoption is FREE, thanks to a sponsorship from Copper Cramp Shugrue via the Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter’s Shelter Pet Sponsorship program.
Are you and Trouble a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you some treats and prizes.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact her at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and check out her work on Houzz, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
Whether you remodeled before or this is your first time at it it’s important to remember a few basic guidelines of remodeling DON’TS in order to avoid costly pitfalls of your projects. Relying on your instincts or ideas that you saw on TV/ Pinterest not always going to work best at your house, affecting your home renovation project negatively.
How do you know whether you are hurting or helping the project? Here are some remodeling pitfalls to consider:
Purchasing your own materials
Although it seems like a money saving idea, you should not buy your own materials. Your contractor most likely gets better prices then you and even though they markup the materials, you might not notice the price difference. On the other hand, it will be put the liability on your contractor in case something is wrong with the order.
Keep changing your mind or delaying decisions
In order for your remodeling project to go smoothly as possible, you should make your decisions before the work starts. Some things are out of your control and mostly involve the actual construction.
Opening walls is always like a jack-in-the-box, especially in older construction. Decisions regarding your design and selections must be made before the works starts as order time can vary and your contractor may move faster than your decisions making, creating a delay. Changing your mind will create the same effect and may cost you lots of money and time if the items were already ordered or installed.
Working without contingency funds
Always have a backup plan and funds! As I said earlier, older homes and even some of the new construction can surprise you. If the work that you plan to do will cost more money than you can afford, you should reconsider the project. Make sure to setup realistic budget expectations with your designer and contractor. Make sure to leave at least 10 percent of your total budget toward the unexpected. So if the plumbing behind the sink needs to be updated in order to avoid future leaks, you will avoid the stress of coming up with additional finds. And if you don’t use the funds, you can now shop for furniture for your new space.
Cutting corners
When thinking about materials and design layout options make sure to invest in the best quality materials and workmanship you can afford. A shoddy job or not what you really wanted will have to be redone sooner, creating more waste and costing you more in the end. Choose materials that will stand up to kids, clean freaks, dogs — whatever’s “real” in your world. Listen to the experts. Kitchen designers, architects, and experienced contractors all know things you need to learn — the sooner, the better.
Last week’s poll results. Where do you feed your pets?
According to our latest poll, 70 percent of our readers feed their dogs in the kitchen. Keeping the pooch part of the family and the food on protected ground is key for most people. Just remember to give them a quit spot to rest and keep plenty of water available all day.
This is a sponsored post by Becky’s Pet Care, which has provided quality pet sitting services to the area since 1998.
Meet Ice, a little Pekingese pup who is looking for a forever home. Here is what the people at Safe Haven Rescue have to say about him:
Ice, along with his sisters Liv and Elle and brothers Pop and Ned, are adorable Pekingese mixes with amazingly different looks.
Liv and Ned have a longer coat, while Elle, Pop and Ice have a more medium coat, and Ice even has a blue left eye!
These pups are only eight weeks old and are quite small, maybe three to four pounds, so they’ll grow up to be small dogs, probably in the 15-pound range.
They’re happy, friendly little pups who love playing together and being with their people. This totally adorable bundle of love is sure to brighten any adopters life, so please get your application in pronto!
Ice is up-to-date on all shots and dewormings and carries an adoption fee of $329. We can also have him micro chipped for only $25 additional. This extremely friendly fella is going to bring lots of joy to some lucky adopters, so don’t delay, get your application in to coordinator Bob at [email protected]
Are you and Ice a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you some treats and prizes.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Becky’s Pet Care, which has provided quality pet sitting services to the area since 1998.
Meet Ruby, a Boxer with a disability who is looking for a new home with a lot of attention.
Here is what the people at Boxer Rescue and Adoption have to say about her:
Ruby is totally deaf, but one very smart Boxer. She was adopted, but she didn’t cope well with long hours alone. Her previous adopter loves her and takes her for weekend visits. We joke and call it Rent-A-Ruby time.
Ruby gets along well when playing with other dogs, but not when it involves special treats. That’s why we said no dogs or small children. She is VERY smart and makes intense eye contact. She follows hand and signal commands. For example, if I want her to come in, I flip the spotlights on and off, she looks my direction and comes running.
She is affectionate and loving, but needs someone who isn’t gone all day long or will need to go to doggie day care. If you are interested in Ruby or any of our other rescues, please email [email protected] for an adoption application, then arrange a time to meet her.
Are you and Ruby a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you some treats and prizes.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact her at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and check out her work on Houzz Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
Do you love pets? Of course! So do we. Our Chief Assistant and office floor mat, Oliver, is a daily reminder that dogs are man’s best friend. He provides plenty of health and lifestyle benefits to the whole family.
According to a Harris Interactive Poll, nearly 90 percent of pet owners say their dogs or cats are members of the family. And considering that nearly two out of three Americans own a pet, that’s a lot of people willing to share their home with barking dogs and pouncing cats.
Here are some simple ways to move beyond the monogrammed food bowl and create the sleep spots, hangouts and dining locales in your home that will pamper your four-legged friend and keep him or her safe.
Sleeping Station
Dogs need a designated sleep space, says New Jersey-based dog trainer Kathy Santo, author of Kathy Santo’s Dog Sense.
“This relates back to the times when they were den animals,” she says.
Find the pooch a spot beyond the doggie bed. Cats love to perch, climb, and snuggle in small spaces, look around the house, some unexpected places can be fantastic and easy to convert, incorporate these features into your room’s design.
Feeding station
According to PetFinder, it’s important to give your pooch a relaxing spot to eat, away from the hustle of the house, as it can cause your dog to become anxious and gulp his meal, which can lead to digestive problems.
That is followed by problem No. 2 — food bowl getting kicked by the kids or the pup pushes his bowl all around the kitchen? No more! Consider furniture-style built -in or free standing designs.
If you are about to remodel or have a little room to spare, a built in feeding station creates flowing design keeping those bowls out of sight and a private spot for the animal to eat.
This is a sponsored post by Becky’s Pet Care, which has provided quality pet sitting services to the area since 1998.
Meet Hendrix, a German Shepherd/Collie mix who is currently at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter waiting for a would-be dog owner to adopt him.
Here is what county shelter staff have to say about Hendrix, who is estimated to be about 11 years old:
Hendrix came to us from one of our rescue partners, where he had come in as a stray. We don’t know much about his background, but we have found him to be a sweet, older gentleman.
He would do best in a home where he can have a warm soft bed to lay in and some short afternoon walks. He has excellent leash manners, is a very mellow dog, and appears to get along fine with other dogs. He will probably need some dental work in the future, but that’s a small price to pay for a loyal companion like Hendrix!
If you are interested in adopting Hendrix, call the shelter at (703) 830-1100 to speak to an adoption representative. If you are a match, let us know and we will give you treats and $100 in Becky’s Bucks from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a promoted post from the Neurology Center of Fairfax.
Busy medical practice, located next to Reston Hospital seeks FT patient care assistant to assist doctors in managing care of patients.
Direct patient contact responsibilities, requires strong computer skills for EMR responsibilities, ability to multitask and must have outstanding English language skills. Job requires full and independent mobility, and ability to stand for long periods of time. Work day shifts, Monday through Friday. Excellent salary and benefits.
Email cover letter and resume to: [email protected] or fax to 703-940-1497.
This is sponsored post from Becky’s Pet Care.
This week’s Reston Pets of the Week are Laverne and Shirley, two kittens who are almost ready to go to a forever home, hopefully together.
Here is what the people at Fancy Cats Rescue have to say:
Laverne and Shirley were born on June 17, 2016. They will be ready to be adopted on Aug. 12, but we are accepting applications now.
They came into Fancy Cats care together, with just the two of them. They love each other very much and need to be adopted together.
We believe them to be Siamese mix kittens. Laverne is what we call Siamese on the inside. Even though she does not look Siamese, she sure acts like it.
She loves to be held and petted and carried around. She loves to eat. When she wants either, she comes to your feet, plops herself down on her hindquarters, throws her head back and MEEEEEOOOOOOOOWS!!!!
She meows so big that it seems her eyes disappear and her whole head is taken up by her open mouth. She keeps meowing until you give her what she wants. She does like to play, but she is not super high energy when compared to other kittens.
Shirley, however, LOVES to play. We call her the Siamese-on-the-outside kitten. She looks Siamese, complete with the beautiful ice blue eyes. She plays and plays and plays. When you pick her up and rub her just right, she will reward your efforts with a really big purr, but she doesn’t demand to be held and carried like Laverne. She does however prefer to sleep on you, rather than the boring old couch, so be prepared to be needed by some sweet little kitties.
Please note that it is Fancy Cats policy that kittens be adopted in pairs or have an age-appropriate playmate in the home already. We also do not adopt kittens to families with children under six years old without seeing appropriate history/experience with cats.
If interested in adopting, please fill out an adoption questionnaire.
Are you and these kitties a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you $100 in Becky’s Bucks, as well as some treats.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
Meet Raschka, a Husky mix currently in a foster home. She is searching for her forever home.
Here is what the people at New Love Animal Rescue have to say about her:
Meet Rashcka! Raschka is a 2 1/2 year old Husky mix. She loves to snuggle and lounge around the house.
Raschka is great with other dogs and cats as well. She loves to greet you when you get home and it’s usually her most excited part of the day. She loves getting brushed and petted — anything as long as someone is touching her! She also enjoys wrestling with other household pets.
Like most shelter dogs, Raschka may need a refresher on housetraining. Raschka is spayed.
Raschka’s adoption fee is $380. If you are interested, please fill out an adoption application.
Are you and Raschka a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you $100 in Becky’s Bucks, as well as some treats.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact her at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and check out her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook; and Twitter.
The Fairlington community in Arlington was built in 1940s, and the small kitchens in these models reflect what was popular at the time. As you can see from the before pictures, this kitchen had a small footprint and was closed off to the rest of the house; pretty much the exact opposite of what we are looking for in our kitchens today!
With this remodel, we focused on giving the client, who is a budding chef, the space she needs within a design she loves.
With many small townhouses in Reston, we can use some of the lessons here.
Footprint
The footprint of your kitchen doesn’t have to change dramatically for your space to expand.
In this kitchen, by removing a wall we were able to push the boundaries of the kitchen out in two directions, creating a larger footprint.
Additionally, we replaced the 30″ cabinets with 42″ high ones that go all the way to the ceiling, maximizing her storage capacity in every direction.
Layout
Removing those walls not only gave us a larger footprint but also provided us the opportunity to create a large island work space to better fit the homeowner’s lifestyle. Read More
This is a sponsored post by Becky’s Pet Care.
This week’s Reston Pet of the Week Big Boy, an American Staffordshire Terrier mix who is being sponsored by Safe Haven Puppy Rescue and is available for adoption.
Here is what his people at Safe Haven have to say about Big Boy:
Big Boy is a truly amazing dog who wants NOTHING more than to worship the ground his person walks on. This is a dog who will be by your side, give you hugs, play with you when you want to be silly and be quiet and mellow when you want to just veg.
He loves, loves, loves to share a bed, if allowed, or is happy to lie next to you on a dog bed. Big Boy knows a repertoire of tricks, including sit, stay, come, shake, and sit pretty. He is quiet — not a barker. At this point, he remains at the shelter in South Carolina and has been a shelter dog for three years. At present, there is no foster home for him, but he is available for adoption to an approved adopter.
Big Boy gets along well with female dogs of similar size, and some male dogs who are not dominant or in his face. Or, he is more than happy to be an only dog.
He loves to go for car rides, and is even a good rider on a golf cart. Big Boy is about 5-6 years old, and about 60 lbs.
If you feel you have the perfect home for this very special boy, please email: [email protected].
His adoption fee is $200.
Are you and Big Boy a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you $100 in Becky’s Bucks, as well as some treats.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post by Becky’s Pet Care.
This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Hope, a 4-year-old Terrier/American Staffordshire mix who needs a forever home. Here is what her people at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter have to say about her:
Hope [noun]: is defined as a feeling that something good will happen or be true. Hope’s new family is in for something REALLY good!
She is a bit quiet and shy with new people, but once she gets to know and trust you, she is a gentle, happy girl who wants nothing more than to be near her people.
Some of her favorite things include playing hide-and-seek, napping in the sunlight, keeping watch at the windows, and carrying her favorite toys with her wherever she goes.
She is housebroken, will quietly sleep on her dog bed (although she’d prefer being next to you in the human bed), and is a great walking companion. She still needs some work building her confidence and being comfortable with new situations and people, but she will be the perfect addition to a patient, calm, and loving home.
If you’d like to see Hope in action, check out some of her YouTube videos at
Hope is currently staying with a foster family who says she has captured their hearts! If you are interested in meeting this sweet girl, please email us as [email protected] for more information.
Thanks to a sponsor, Hope’s adoption is free.
Are you and Hope a match? If so, let us know and our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, will send you $100 in Becky’s Bucks, as well as some treats.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?
Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.
Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
