Written by Mina Fies, Synergy Design & Construction

When Sarah purchased her Lakeside townhome near Lake Thoreau, she knew it needed a complete overhaul. In addition to updating the usual suspects (kitchen cabinets, countertops, paint, flooring, etc.) she wanted a better flow throughout the main floor.

By removing the kitchen pantry, we were able to open up the view to the dining and living rooms and let the light flow throughout the entire space. We also gave the fireplace new life with a modern, brick-like ceramic tile in a herringbone pattern and repurposed a closet area into a built-in beverage and entertaining center.

As always, going beyond just replacing old finishes was important to us. We knew a better flow could easily be attained with a simple, yet thoughtful new floorplan and eye on the overall Interior Alignment® of the space.

The result? Another happy client in a clean and modern Reston home she’d been longing for.

Want to see more inspiring Reston remodeling projects?  

Learn more about Synergy Design & Construction — Reston’s own award-winning home remodeling firm focused on multi-room and whole home renovations. We provide a personal approach to home remodeling that is evident throughout the Reston community. Whether you’ve seen our work on the Reston Home Tour, through RA’s Helping Homes projects or at Cornerstones, we are dedicated to helping Reston “Live Better. Feel Better.”  

Meet Noel, a Terrier mix puppy available for adoption.

Here is what his friends at Safe Haven Puppy Rescue have to say about her:

Adorable little Noel and her sister Nova are unique pups, a blend of terrier breeds including Boston, Rat and maybe Jack Russell. They are both incredibly adorable 8 week old super sweet little wire-haired terrier mixes that weigh about 5 lbs and we believe will only get to about 30-ish pounds full grown.

Noel is an absolutely delightful, happy, bouncy pup that loves to romp and play, but also loves to curl up for a little love and one on one time. She is truly a natural born lover just like her sister!

The face on both these girls are just priceless…I mean I can’t even begin to tell you what absolutely unbelievably cute faces these sweeties have! Noel loves to be scratched, snuggle up and kiss all over your face every chance she gets!
Noel would love nothing more than a family to love and a home to call her own. Can you give Noel her forever home?

Noel is microchipped, up to date on vaccines and her adoption fee is $355. Thank you for opting to rescue and considering Noel for your next forever pup!

Are you and Noel 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 from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

When Your Cluster Board Won’t Keep Things Up…

Living in a townhouse means that you live in very, very close proximity to your neighbors. It also means that what your neighbors do or don’t do will have an impact on you and on your home’s value.

I recently showed a great townhouse in the Lake Anne area. The place itself was in fairly good shape — it needed some updates but generally it wasn’t too bad. What stopped the buyer wasn’t that the home needed a new kitchen, it was that the areas of the property that are owned in common, the parking lots, sidewalks, retaining walls, large trees and even light poles all needed attention, everything looked under cared for and a little worn.

I started looking more closely; the buyer was right. The asphalt in the parking area was in kind of shabby condition at best, the sidewalks needed power washing, the light poles were peeling, the trees needed trimming and a few significant retaining walls were in bad shape.

The buyer asked me to get information about how the Cluster Board was going to address these issues. The listing agent relayed there was no active plan in place to address any of the issues my buyer identified. End result; the buyer just couldn’t get comfortable with the lack of action on obvious maintenance issues and so decided to keep looking.

Neglecting your property has consequences. Next to location, condition is the next single biggest factor in determining if your property will fetch a price at the top of your market range or at the bottom of your market range. When you live in a townhouse this means that it’s not only the condition of your home that counts; it’s the condition of all of the property you own in common with your neighbors.

So, what do you do when the “powers that be” don’t or won’t take action to address maintenance issues?

I think the first thing to do is to read and understand your Cluster Bylaws and to know your Cluster financials. Most Cluster Bylaws state specifically that the Board is directly responsible for maintaining the commonly owned parts of the property in a way that keeps it safe and that maintains and enhances the property values. It’s important to know your Cluster financials because if the Board has been under reserving, (not saving enough for repairs, replacement and maintenance), the problem is bigger than just inactivity.

The next thing to do is to get involved. Cluster Boards are notoriously over committed. Volunteer to get bids for work that needs doing, organize a Cluster clean up day and be willing to participate on committees. Do not just be a person that complains.

And If That Doesn’t Work…

It’s time for a Coup. Organize your like minded neighbors, identify candidates and get them elected to the Board. In most communities this isn’t too difficult to do. I think that 99% of what doesn’t get done is really a function of inertia and a lack of leadership. Read More

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John V. Berry and Kimberly H. Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Plaza America in Reston that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By Kimberly H. Berry, Esq.

When an employee has been accused of engaging in workplace misconduct, the employer will sometimes conduct an administrative or internal investigation. Some reasons why employers investigate employees include discrimination complaints, threats against others, safety problems and workplace theft.

Purpose of Workplace Investigations

The purpose of workplace investigations is for the employer to gather relevant evidence regarding the employee’s alleged misconduct and determine whether the misconduct warrants a disciplinary or an adverse action (e.g., termination or significant suspension) within the requirements established by law, policy or regulation or with respect to the employer’s own liability.

Occasionally, these types of investigations can lead to a potential criminal investigation. Depending on whether the employer is federal, the District of Columbia, Virginia or involves a private employer, a supervisor or other designated investigator may be asked to conduct an investigation regarding the facts at issue. Employees may then be asked to provide verbal or written responses to questions regarding the alleged misconduct.

Duties to Cooperate

During an investigation, an investigator (often a law firm) will be hired to conduct a workplace investigation. They will review documents related to the investigation and/or interview witnesses, depending on the investigation. Employees, depending on their particular employer, may have a duty to fully cooperate with an assigned investigator or can decline to participate in the investigation unless they are ordered to do so.

For example, federal employees may decline to participate in an administrative investigation if it is voluntary. Refusing to cooperate with an investigation or providing false statements or answers during an investigation can be grounds for disciplinary action. Providing false statements, if made to a federal or other law enforcement investigator, can also subject an employee to potential criminal penalties.

Employer Risks in Not Conducting Investigations

Internal or administrative investigations can also involve risks for the employer. Inadequate workplace investigations may raise questions regarding the accuracy of the results or whether the employee was treated fairly. In addition, the employer may not like what the investigation uncovers and will have an obligation to resolve or address issues, such as a systemic problem or legal impropriety.

Consider Legal Advice if Serious

Prior to providing information to an employer, depending on the severity of the issues under investigation, it can be important for an employee to discuss with an attorney the issues associated with the information being sought by the employer and the employee’s role in the matter being investigated.

An attorney familiar with administrative or internal investigations can provide legal advice to assist an employee in preparation for responding to questions about his or her actions in the matter being investigated. In addition, an attorney, in many circumstances, can often accompany the employee during any investigative interviews.

Our law firm represents and advises employees on employment-related matters in the District of Columbia and Virginia. If you need legal assistance, please contact our office at (703) 668-0070 or at www.berrylegal.com to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BerryBerryPllc.

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 Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

I have just returned from #KBIS18 which is the National Kitchen and Building Show of 2018 in Orlando, Florida. My expertise in creating functional and fabulous small kitchens was what brought me down there, but after being there, my head is buzzing with so many ideas to share with all of you.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my experiences and what I learned from other national and international designers. 

In the meantime, in this week’s post, I am sharing some of my Facebook Live posts so you can see some of the beautiful products out there to help your home not only feel more luxurious, and functional.

Global Designs — It’s a big world out there, and someone has to design it. As a panelist In this workshop, we discuss some of out throughs on how designers can work anywhere thanks to the internet. We also discuss global design has changed the way we think of design in 2018.  Find out my thoughts and ideas on Global Designs here: Here we go guys, going global.

The Galley Kitchen  — The Galley Kitchen can have a big impact on a small kitchen space. Galley Kitchens were created to solve the age old problem of fitting the most functionality into a small kitchen. The brand is known for taking a sink and creating a multi-functional kitchen prep and serving area. You can learn more about The Galley Kitchens here: Tips for small spaces from #Kbis2018

Kitchen Hoods — The trend of kitchen hoods are changing. They are no longer big boxes that are unattractive. They are circular and created to match your kitchen’s style. You can learn more about the different kitchen hoods now offered here: Fabulous Hoods

Showers — What would you do if you had a personal waterfall in your home or brought outside moss indoors? These were the themes of the showers we saw. If waterfalls and nature doesn’t appeal to you, then we also saw some fully functional and beautiful show heads that were all about getting the water pressure for your perfect hot shower. You can see all the shower heads here: Showers! The bold look of KOHLER #kbis2018

Fire Pits — The show had some beautiful fire pits that were a combo of fire pits and waterfalls. Some of the fire pits for your backyard can also have additional seating for guests at your next outdoor event. You can learn more about Fire Pits here: Live from #kbis2018

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

It was an interesting year in Reston real estate. Overall more than 1200 properties traded hands accounting for more than $572M in volume. These numbers sound great but they represent a third straight year of declines in average home prices. While home prices were somewhat flat, demand was strong and housing inventory was low, an equation which would typically trend towards a Seller’s Market.

However, intense price sensitivity kept the market fairly balanced with well-informed buyers not being willing to pay more just because there were so few. The attitude seemed to be, “if not this one, I’ll get the next one.” Given that prices haven’t been moving much it’s up to sellers to create motivation in the buyers by presenting the very best option possible in the price category in which they’re competing.

We currently have just 120 properties on the market; 70 homes sold in the past 30 days and 81 homes are pending.

All of this indicates that if you’re ready to sell in 2018 you shouldn’t have too much trouble, provided you work with your agent to get your house ready and dig into the numbers to really understand what the market is doing in your neighborhood.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Ah, summer! Imagine wandering out your back door and down to your private dock, where you launch your canoe for a lazy paddle around the lake. Sound perfect? It is. And that dream can become your reality.

Cabot’s Point Cluster in South Reston is a beautiful community of cedar patio homes sitting on Lake Audubon, Reston’s largest lake.

Built in the early-to-mid 1980s, these townhomes have a distinctive contemporary design with sharp right angles and sun-drenched cedar siding. Rather than the adjoining walls typical of most townhouse developments, two-car garages attach these units. The yards are beautifully landscaped, and common areas provide a wooded setting. The homes have one or two decks and are staggered along winding, narrow cul-de-sacs that give the impression of a small village. Many units have lake views; all have lake access.

Did I mention it’s also private? The neighborhood is so secluded that many people don’t realize there are houses back there. And the resident’s like it that way. I’ll tell you how to find it though–you enter from South Lakes Drive, across the street from South Lakes High School.

Cabot’s Point may be close to every activity Reston has to offer (including the Reston Metro station), but for many residents, lazy evenings on the lake are the leisure activity of choice.

Homes don’t often come on the market here, that’s how much the residents love their neighborhood. So if you see one, jump on the opportunity immediately. And then go shopping for a new canoe.

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Reston Town Center that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement, and private sector employee matters.

Termination from employment can be very devastating, especially when it is completely unexpected. Most often, employees allow their emotions to get the best of them and become angry upon receiving notice of termination from their employer. However, it is very important for employees to try to handle a termination the right way. Here are five tips to consider if you are being terminated:

1. Handle Termination Day Without Getting Visibly Angry: This is by far the most important tip and usually one of the most difficult to do. Individuals who cannot keep their emotions in check often end up in a much worse situation than those who gather their belongings and leave quietly. For example, if an individual makes a scene when they are terminated, the employer may exaggerate the situation and call the police. Furthermore, leaving in a pleasant manner makes it much easier to settle a wrongful termination case with the employer later. By doing so, it also reduces the possibility that the employer will challenge the former employee’s attempt to obtain unemployment compensation or cause a problem if the former employee later applies for a security clearance or another employment position.
2. Don‘t Take Employer Materials: Employees should be very careful not to take proprietary employer materials, physical items or other types of employer documents or digital materials without permission when leaving employment. If an employee brings forth a legal claim about termination it is often an employer defense to allege that the former employee stole materials (even information) or proprietary data.
3. Don‘t Sign Agreements Presented at Termination: Employers will often try to limit their liability by presenting agreements to employees they are terminating. Such agreements might offer a week’s pay in exchange for extinguishing all of the employee’s rights or may even offer nothing. Given the emotional trauma of being terminated, individuals should never sign a binding agreement as they are being terminated. Before signing such an agreement, it is very important to have an attorney review it. Once such an agreement has been signed, it is very difficult to take any type of legal action later.
4. Consult with an Attorney if Wrongful Termination Issues Arise: Not all terminations are wrongful under Virginia law. However, if an individual believes that he or she was wrongfully or illegally terminated and is concerned with his or rights, he or she should seek legal advice from an employment attorney in a timely manner since many employment rights are time sensitive.
5. Obtain a Reference: If a former supervisor will not serve as a reference, try to seek others, such as former supervisors or coworkers, who no longer work for the former employer. Having employment references will vastly improve one’s chances of quickly obtaining new employment. Even if an individual has been terminated, having someone available who can speak to his or her work ability can help mitigate the damage of the termination.

Read More

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 Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

Choosing the right bathroom design for you and your family can seem overwhelming as the number of choices to pick from can seem endless. To help narrow down your options below is an insider’s guide to bathroom lighting, paint colors, storage and flooring.

Lighting — Although, you may dream of beautiful light fixtures in your bathroom the reality is if you pick the wrong one, you could look an unattractive yellowish-green color while putting on your makeup. Instead, we suggest trying to use as much natural light in the bathroom as possible. Alternatively, if you love the appeal of a romantic sconce lighting, don’t use this as your primary light source, add some recessed lighting overhead.

Paint Colors — Similar to lighting, paint color can affect the look of your skin color, so be careful with paint selection that would make you look sickly or you have a bit too much makeup on. When choosing the right color for your bathroom, white never goes out of style. If you love the idea of white but need some color in your life, you can always do white cabinets, sinks or toilets, and paint your bathroom something brighter like Sherwin-Williams Organic Green, which is part of the 2018 Sherwin Williams Color Swatch.

Flooring — With the frigid temperatures, the country has been feeling, this is the perfect time to talk about heated flooring. Heated flooring is relatively inexpensive and easy to install under the tile. Heat flooring is usually a mat with coils in them. They are installed under tiles and often come as a kit. Many kits have temperature controls, so you can set the heat to be on from during the time you and your family take your showers to when you are ready to get in and out of the shower. When your floor is warm, you stay warm, allowing you to save on your heating bill, because you will not be required to use as much forced heat.

Storage — When designing a small bathroom, it is important to remember to use all the space wisely. The first step to design is matching the storage space to your lifestyle. So, first ask yourself if you need everything your bathroom is currently storing? If you do not, lighten the load and design for a space where you can comfortably get to everything you need and want in your bathroom.

Utilize the wall space above the toilet by adding floating shelves. If you do like to hold a lot of your makeup and toiletries, along with towels for yourself and guests in your bathroom, we suggest a vanity with drawers where you can add various sized baskets organize your things.

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

What could be more perfect for singles or young families than adorable two or three levels townhomes? Not too big, not too small — just right. That’s Woodcrest Cluster.

This is a small cluster with only 63 homes. The quaint colonial style townhomes have an average of 1,000 sq. ft. of living space, two bedrooms and 1 ½ or 2 baths.

Several of the homes also have fireplaces, and many have fenced-in back yards — perfect for letting the dog out! Surrounded by wooded areas, they afford privacy and are light and bright.

Located in North Reston, North Point Shopping Center (grocery store, restaurants and more) and Lake Newport pool are both easy walking distance. The surrounding Reston Association walking paths provide easy access to outdoor activity.

The proximity to Reston Parkway, Fairfax County Parkway and Route 7 — and Dulles Airport for those who travel — make commuting a breeze from this location. Armstrong Elementary School is walking distance, and Herndon Middle School & Herndon High School are a short ride away.

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Plaza America that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry

The Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) is a law that governs the complaint procedure against Members of Congress and congressional employers in cases involving sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other related labor and employment matters.

The CAA has played a part in protecting Members of Congress and other congressional employers from having to pay or disclose settlements involving discrimination or sexual harassment. The CAA is flawed and changes to the law have been proposed. The CAA covers 13 employment-related laws, but the major problems in the law relate to the handling of sexual harassment and discrimination cases.

The problems with the CAA are many. First, the CAA itself was passed immediately after the Republicans took over Congress in 1995. It was essentially an attempt to place Congress under similar rules as other federal employers but with built-in protections for Members of Congress in order to protect them. The CAA was not debated extensively and many loopholes were left when enacted. Second, the CAA left out the ability of congressional employees to challenge improper employment terminations or adverse actions — rights given to most other federal employees through the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

Main Issues With the Current CAA

1. Claims take too long.

The CAA takes too long to address claims, often stifling congressional staffers from filing complaints. Under the CAA, one cannot start the process of initiating a complaint of sexual harassment or discrimination for at least 30 days while waiting in a holding period known as the counseling process. A regular federal employee can initiate a complaint immediately, and regular federal agencies may take immediate remedial action against illegal practices. This is not the case for Congress.

Once a congressional staffer waits 30 days in the holding period, he or she must proceed to mandatory mediation with the congressional employer. This is not required for regular federal employees. This process can take at least 30 days or more. If mediation succeeds, it is confidential. If mediation fails, which it often does, then the next step is for the congressional staffer to wait another 30 days to file an administrative complaint or go to federal district court. Then after filing a complaint, the process in the courts can take years, or the congressional staffer can agree to expedite his or her case through the in-house confidential process, which only becomes known if the case decision is appealed.

Congress should change the CAA to enable congressional employees and staffers to have the same rights as regular federal employees. Doing so might put an end to serious cases of sexual harassment, retaliation or discrimination rather than allow it to linger while the process unfolds.

2. Members of Congress have extensive legal representation that they do not pay for.

Read More

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 Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

Whether you are super organized and finished your holiday shopping this past June or felt great you finished up on Cyber Monday; you may be realizing you may need a last minute gift or two for your favorite home chef in your life. Don’t worry the gifts below are sure to get a smile on their face while they immediately start thinking what they will be making when they use them. The great thing about all of them is they all under $50, inexpensive enough so you can buy one for yourself too.

Vintage Blacksmith Flatware Caddy — This is an excellent gift for those who love to throw a buffet-style dinner party. They are made out of mango wood and have either an F, K or S engraved in each one, so your forks, knives and spoons are neatly organized awaiting hungry guests to get them as they go down the buffet line. Retailing at $59 it can be bought with the Vintage Blacksmith Lazy Susan to add a bit more charm to your sauces for an additional $49.

Silpat Silicone Cookie Sheet Liners — We all have our favorite bakers whom we end up eating one too many of their cookies. Let’s encourage them to keep baking by buying them a Silpat silicone cookie sheet liner. These help cooks save money and help the environment by giving them a baking mat they can bake with, without having to use cooking grease or parchment paper. Wilson Sonoma has them at four different sizes with prices ranging from $17.56-$21.56.

WonderVeg — Veggie Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer — Veggie Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer — Who does not love a Zoodle? A zoodle are noodles made with zucchini. Many cooks are looking for healthy alternatives to heavy kinds of pasta meals, and the Wonder Veg machine creates zucchini spaghetti noodles quickly and efficiently, which is a great time saver for any cook. The WonderVeg can be bought on Amazon. It comes with six spare parts; it also includes a cleaning brush and mini recipe book. The WonderVeg retails at $23.97 and is part of Prime’s free two-day shipping products.

Jenaluca Herb Scissors Stainless Steel — For those home chefs who love to add fresh herbs and spices to their food. These are the perfect gift to make herb confetti. They are a five blade cutting wonder. The blades are stainless steel. They come with a unique cover and a special cleaning comb for after use. They are currently part of Prime’s free one-day shipping and retail at $14.97.

Come meet the AKG team. Join us this Sunday, December 17 for a breakfast and a private shopping event at Pottery Barn, Reston Town Center. Hope to see you there!

This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

Have you ever been to a holiday party where the host doesn’t serve red wine, or any dark liquids actually, to avoid staining the carpet? I have and I always want to take the host aside and say you don’t need to worry. After years in this business, and seeing a whole lot of different stains on carpets, I know you can get stains out.

I found the video below on YouTube, and I think it does a great job of describing one of the easiest methods to spot clean your carpets. It really works, so you don’t need to fear red wine anymore! This method works on all different types of stains — wine, urine, red Kool-aid, chocolate (assuming any of that ever makes it to the carpet). It also works on all different types of carpet. Just follow his instructions to make sure you don’t damage the carpet during the cleaning process.

Here are the supplies you need:

• Hairdryer
• Cup of hot water
• Grease-fighting dishwashing liquid and a teaspoon for dispensing it
• Steam iron
• Bucket of clean water
• Clean cotton rags
• ShopVac (or any type of wet/dry vac that you can use to suck up moisture)

The ShopVac is likely the only thing on this list you don’t already have. I recommend getting one. They are not horribly expensive, ranging from $50 to $100. It’s the kind of item that, once you have one, you can’t imagine how you survived without it.

Now that you know how to clean up carpet stains, go enjoy that red wine.

Meet Sugarplum, a retriever and shepherd mix available for adoption.

Here is what her friends at Safe Haven Puppy Rescue have to say about her:

Sugarplum along with her sister Nyce and brother Jolly are adorable little Retriever (maybe golden?) and shepherd mix babies of maybe 10 weeks old. She has a beautiful yellow coloring and is going to make a terrific companion. All three of these pups have happy, friendly dispositions and will be great family dogs.

Sugarplum is a sweet, affectionate girl who would like nothing better than a family of her own with whom she could share her bounty of love. These great pups are a nice blend of friendliness and normal puppy playfulness and will all be great company. Precious pups like these go fast, so please send your application on in pronto so you don’t miss out. Sugarplum is up to date on all shots and dewormings and carries an adoption fee of $355 which includes her micro chip. This extremely friendly little baby girl is going to bring lots of joy to some lucky adopters.

Are you and Sugarplum 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 from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. For a more complete picture of home sales in your neighborhood, contact her on Reston Real Estate.

One of my favorite things about this time of year are all the lights everywhere. It is so cheerful and festive! Of course Lake Anne and Reston Town Center put out the lights and it’s lovely. But there is nothing like a lights show to really make you smile. We are lucky to have three great ones nearby, and each is worth the trip. I suggest going to all of them.

Winter Walk of Lights at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

This is my favorite, and it happens to be closest to Reston — just a 15 minute drive over to Vienna. Fodor’s named it the #1 Botanical Garden with “Wow-Factor Winter Transformations.” The garden is magical any time of year, but for this, it is transformed into a half-mile, animated walk of lights. There’s the Lakeside Lights, the Fountain of Lights and the Holiday Nature Walk, along with new displays each year. At the end of the walk, you can gather around the bonfire and roast marshmallows while sipping hot beverages.

It actually started in November, and it will run until Sunday, January 7, 2018. It’s open every day from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (last tickets sold at 9:30 p.m.) and it’s only $13 for adults if you buy your tickets online. Children under 3 are free and ages 3-12 are $8. Timed tickets are required, so that’s another reason to purchase your tickets online. Use promo code SOCIAL17 for $2.00 off admission January 1-7.

Bull Run Festival of Lights and Holiday Village

This is another annual favorite and is great for people who want to stay in their car as they enjoy the lights, which on cold winter nights is very appealing. The Bull Run Festival of Lights is 2.5 miles of illuminated glory. You turn off your headlights and follow the magical glow and the variety of displays. When you’re done, stop by the holiday village to enjoy rides, refreshments and photos with Santa Claus.  Monday through Thursday you can get discounts and avoid the long weekend waits.

It’s open every night until January 7: Monday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and Friday-Sunday & Holidays, 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. The cost of driving through the light show varies from $20-$25, depending on the day you attend (note: vans w/ 15-34 people and motorcoaches cost extra — visit website for details).

Winter Lights Festival at Seneca State Park

This one is a little more of a drive (it’s in Gaithersburg, Md., which means you have to cross the bridge) but it’s worth it. It’s a 3.5-mile drive through the enchanted setting of Seneca Creek State Park. There are 380 illuminated displays and 65 animated vignettes. So many lights! Themes include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, the North Pole and much more. This one runs until December 31, so get there soon.

The hours are Sunday-Thursday: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday: 6 p.m.-10 p.m. It’s closed Christmas. Price is $12 per car Mon-Thurs; $15 per car Fri-Sun. Cash only. See the website for van, bus and limo rates.