This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

Spring is here, and that means it’s time for the free (or nearly free) festivals you can find every weekend in Northern Virginia. Three of the best places to get a fine arts fix happen to be in Reston, and happen to be coming up very soon. Perhaps I’ll see you at one or all of them.

Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival

Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 24th annual Greater Reston Arts Center Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival at Reston Town Center is a nationally top-ranked fine art and craft festival, and one of my absolute favorite spring activities. It typically draws 30,000+ patrons to support GRACE — the area’s largest non-profit dedicated exclusively to enhancing community life through excellence in and the promotion of the visual arts.

The festival features over 200 skilled artisans, all of whom are juried into the show. You’ll find both traditional and unconventional materials and techniques used in the hand-crafted, original works of art. All of the artists are there, and it’s fun to talk to them about their art. The art is diverse, both in style and price. See the list of participating artists for 2015!

The Reston Market

Saturdays May through November at Lake Anne Plaza

Reston’s indie arts market runs every week from the first Saturday in May through the first Saturday in November, 8:00 a.m. to about 1:00 p.m. (sometimes the artisans stay a little longer if they’re having fun).

It’s not just one of my favorites because I run it. It’s my favorite because of the talented regional artisans who choose this venue to show their art — hand-crafted jewelry, linens, garden sculpture and more. The beauty is that the vendors can change week to week, so there is always something to discover here. And, of course, you can enjoy live music and shop at the Reston’s Farmers Market. Lake Anne Plaza is the place to be on Saturday mornings in the summer!

Second Annual Lake Anne Chalk on the Water Festival

Saturday and Sunday June 13 and 14, 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

So maybe this isn’t technically fine art, but it is great fun. And everyone can participate! Your inner artist can come out and paint Lake Anne Plaza red (or green, blue, yellow…) as we turn the Lake Anne Plaza into a chalk art museum. There are three categories and cash and prizes are awarded in each category. This event is fun for the whole family. Register online.

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.

Employers have occasionally attempted to gain access to the social media accounts of current and prospective employees such as during workplace investigations or background checks.

When employers request access to social media accounts of current and prospective employees, it promotes distrust in the employer-employee relationship and generally gives rise to a significant worsening of the relationship that could lead to other employment issues.

A new Virginia law that is effective July 1, 2015, prohibits Virginia employers in the private, state, and local sectors from requiring current and prospective employees to disclose their username and passwords of their social media accounts or to add an employee, supervisor, or administrator to their contacts list. The new law also prohibits an employer from accessing an employee’s social media account if the employer inadvertently obtains the employee’s login information. The new law, however, does not protect social media information that is publicly available.

Finally, the new law prohibits retaliation from an employer if an employee exercises his or her rights under the new law. Virginia is one of the latest states to enact social media protections for employees. View Virginia Code Section 40.1-28.7:5 for more information.

We represent employees and employers in employment law matters.  If you need assistance with an employment law issue, 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 Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

This week in Reston, 51 new listings hit the real estate market. That takes our total number of houses for sale to a high of 330. That’s more inventory than we’ve had in five years, but sales are keeping pace. Even though there is a lot of property for sale, at the rate they’re moving off the market it’s still only a three-month supply of homes.

There are 165 pending sales, which speaks to a good solid volume of activity. However, with an average number of days on the market of 34, I would describe things as moving at a steady, but not frantic, pace.

Here are a few of the new listings for this week.

1565 CHURCH HILL PL #1565. 2BR, 1.5BA. List Price: $315,000. Open Sunday

1581 POPLAR GROVE DR. 3BR, 2.5BA. List Price: $379,000. Open Sunday

2216 GLENCOURSE LN. 3BR, 2FB, 2 HB. List Price: $439,000. Open Sunday

11121 LAKE CHAPEL LN. 4BR, 3.5BA. List Price: $740,000. Open Sunday

1560 MOORINGS DR #1A. 1BR, 1BA. List Price: $219,000. Open Sunday

11186 FOREST EDGE DR. 3BR, 2.5BA. List Price: $417,900 Open Sunday

Meet Legacy, this week’s Reston Pet of the Week. Legacy is a rescue dog who found a happy home. Here is what owner Christine has to say about her:

​Legacy is a 8-year-old rescue dog I adopted when she was a year old.

She picked me out at the animal shelter. Legacy got her name because she was abused and neglected before the shelter rescued her. I thought she had a story to tell, and a pretty fancy story is a Legacy.

She loves long walks and car rides. Legacy really enjoys playing in fresh snow of three or more inches. She will baseball slide through snow with her mouth open.

Legacy loves getting baths and getting her hair brushed. She always has a smile for everybody.

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 Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

I think Golf Course Island Cluster is one of Reston’s gems.

From the outside, these contemporary, cedar sided homes look small. But walk inside and it’s like one of those magic tents in Harry Potter–the space just expands. This may be one of the reason’s the community won an architectural design award when they were built in the late 1960s.

There is a lot going on in Golf Course Island Cluster right now. Over the last five years, the original owners have been moving out and young families and young professionals are moving in. As this happens, people are renovating the homes — mostly updating the kitchens. With 188 units, homes come up for sale often; some are fixer-uppers, others have been freshly renovated. Whatever you are looking for, you will find it here.

The Golf Course Island townhomes come in various sizes. Most are three bedrooms, although there are a couple with two bedrooms and a few with four bedrooms and lofts.

The hallmark of all are a well-designed space that flows, large closets, and privacy. Yes, privacy in a town house. The cluster is designed so that every home feels private and secluded–you won’t hear your neighbors through the walls.

Much of the cluster backs Hidden Creek Country Club’s golf course, and the main living areas open to the common areas and green space.

The common spaces are beautifully maintained. For the children, there is a new playground with wonderful slides in block 12 (there are 12 blocks in the cluster). The children love it. On most nice afternoons, you will see the neighborhood families sitting on the bench while the children run around the quad in delight. For those with dogs, there are many paths through the neighborhood, and plenty of squirrels to chase.

Each townhome is assigned one carport space, and there is ample open parking for every unit to have a second car. For visitors, there is parking on Links Drive and North Shore Drive.

Golf Course Island is about one mile from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, Reston Town Center, and Lake Anne Plaza. There is easy access to the Reston Association pools and other recreation areas.

Prices are ranging here depending on the condition of the home, but for the most part are in the mid $400,000. Check out this beautiful and friendly cluster.

This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

The past seven days, we saw 31 Reston properties go from Active to Pending and 13 properties go from Pending to Sold.

The Reston real estate market is bolstered by a strong job market and general desirability. There’s still a lot of “softness” in the broader regional housing markets.

It’s important to remember that from the buyer or seller’s perspective the real estate market can  only be viewed through a local lens, sometimes even hyperlocal. In any case, the Reston market continues to be strong.

Here are a few of the houses that sold this past week.

1645 Bennington Hollow Lane. 3BR, 3.5BA. List Price: $614,500. Sold Price: $614,500. Seller Subsidy: $0.

1577 Church Hill Place #1577. 2BR, 2BA. List Price: $315,000. Sold Price: $315,000. Seller Subsidy: $0.

2316 Hunters Run Drive #2316. 2BR, 2 BA. List Price: $259,900. Sold Price: $245,000. Seller Subsidy: $1,300.

1984 Solaridge Court. 3BR, 2.5BA. List Price: $679,000. Sold Price: $660,000. Seller Subsidy: $3,000.

11990 Market Street #914. 2BR, 2BA. List Price: $638,500. Sold Price: $633,000. Seller Subsidy: $0.

1848 Golf View Court. 3BR, 2FB, 2 HB. List Price: $499,000. Sold Price: $500,000. Seller Subsidy: $8,000.

This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

The Reston real estate market is turning quickly, with property coming on and off the market at a nearly even pace.

This week we had 41 new properties come on the market and 36 go from Active to Pending. The past 30 days we’ve had 101 properties sell, which leaves us with a three-month supply of housing inventory.

Here are a few of the new listings for this week.

1657 PARKCREST CIR #101. 1BR, 1 BA. List Price $220,000. Open Sunday.

11569 LAKE NEWPORT RD. 4BR, 3.5BA. List Price $1,545,000. Open Sunday.

12025 CREEKBEND DR. 4BR, 4.5BA. List Price $975,000. Open Sunday.

10704 MIDSUMMER DR. 4BR, 2.5BA. List Price $825,000.

1937 SAGEWOOD LN. 2BR, 2BA. List Price $349,000. Open Sunday.

11759 NORTH SHORE DR. 3BR, 3.5BA. List Price $499,900.

Visit Reston Real Estate for more listing information.

This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.

I have a definite routine of things I like to do in Reston. But sometimes it’s nice to shake it up with new ideas. So I was thrilled when Washingtonian magazine wrote an article in the neighborhood guides about things to do in Reston and Herndon.

Sure, a few of my favorites made this list — Lake Anne Plaza, the Reston Farmers Market, Walker Nature Education Center (which is having its Spring Festival May 2, 1 to 5 p.m.), and Urban Retreat (my favorite place for chic home furnishings).

But there were several things on the list that I had forgotten about until I read this article. I know what I’ll be doing this weekend…

• Ariake is a Japanese restaurant Washingtonian describes as Zen-like spot. It’s on Glade Drive near Hunters Woods Village Center in South Reston, and it has a great flagstone patio for warm-weather dining.
• Green Lizard Cycling is a bike shop in Old Town Herndon. But it’s also a coffee shop. I love that combination. The owners are very community oriented, and it’s a great place to hang out.
• ArtSpace Herndon is Herndon’s hub for the visual arts in historic downtown (and just a few blocks from the Green Lizard). I may get a coup of coffee and wander over to see what exhibit is showing.

Even though I know how much there is to do in this community, it was nice to have a reminder. I suggest reading (and bookmarking) the Reston, Herndon neighborhood guide for a complete list of fun things to do–and then make a plan to go do everything on the list.

This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Lina, a special pup in need of a new home. She is currently being fostered by a Reston resident. If she helps get Lina some forever friends, Lina’s new parents will get treats and gifts from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care.

Here is what foster mom Susan has to say about her:

Lina is a female hound mix who loves nothing more than a soft blanket to snuggle in, and she’s looking for her forever family!

She’s about 30 lbs. (but could stand to gain a few more) and very calm, gentle and sweet.

She’s approximately a year or so old and gets along well with other dogs. She’s been spayed and is excellent when crated. Lina especially enjoys poking around the backyard and meeting neighbors ­– she’s a Reston natural!

Lina was surrendered to a high ­kill shelter in South Carolina and brought here by Rural Dog Rescue. She’s been stressed by the all moves between foster homes and kennels and is currently being fostered here in Reston. We would love nothing more than for her next move to be into her permanent home ­ we would keep her ourselves but our family raises service dogs for the blind so we don’t have room for another permanent pet.

If you or someone you know might be interested in adopting Lina, please email Susan at [email protected] for more information.

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.

Chamber Spotlight is a feature sponsored by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. Today’s Q-and-A is with chamber member Mark Watts, Partner with the CST Group. CST Group is a Certified Public Accounting firm in Reston. CST provides comprehensive accounting, tax, and business advisory services for closely held businesses, medical practices, real estate firms, government contractors, non-profit organizations, as well as for professionals and business owners.

Reston Now: Why did you decide to start your business in Reston?

MW: Reston is one of the most dynamic areas in Northern Virginia. Because of Reston’s close proximity to Washington DC, Tysons Corner, and Dulles Airport, the area is extremely accessible for employees and clients. Metro’s new Silver Line has also made the commute to Reston even easier.

CST is always trying to recruit top talent, so we chose Reston as an alternative to the congested Tysons Corner area. Many of our employees embrace the “live, work, play” lifestyle.

Community impact is an important focus at CST Group, and we’ve really enjoyed having the opportunity to partner with local charities in the area.

RN: What are the challenges and rewards of being a business owner?

MW: As a small business owner there are two critical components to know — your client base and your employees. Those are my two challenges and my two rewards. There’s nothing more rewarding and satisfying than helping a client. We’ve worked with many of our clients for decades and consider them friends and partners. Read More

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.

On April 3, the Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe took the first steps, at the state level, to “Ban the Box” for individuals applying for state employment positions by signing Virginia Executive Order 41. “Ban the Box” is a reference to a movement seeking to ensure fairness for individuals previously arrested or convicted of a crime from being automatically disqualified for employment.

According to the Wall Street Journal, nearly one out of every three adults in the United States has a prior arrest or conviction on file with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The “Ban the Box” movement attempts to stop employers from using initial background checks to screen out applicants before those applicants have the opportunity to show that they can perform the position.

Such checks have created significant obstacles for individuals, even with minor arrests or convictions, to obtain employment. Essentially, once an individual has checked the box on a job application indicating that he or she had previously been arrested or convicted, the applicant often finds that the application was automatically rejected.

According to the National Employment Law Project, 15 states and 100 cities or counties now have “Ban the Box”-type restrictions in place. Virginia is the latest to implement such a restriction on a statewide level. Executive Order 41 implements a “Ban the Box” policy for those individuals seeking state employment and ensures that the Department of Human Resource Management takes the following actions:

1. Amend the state employment application to remove questions relating to convictions and criminal history;
2. Inform all state executive hiring authorities that state employment decisions will not be based on criminal history unless clearly job-related and consistent with business necessity or where state or federal law prohibits hiring an individual with certain convictions for a particular position;
3. Instruct state agencies to ensure that any criminal history check is conducted only after a candidate has been found otherwise eligible for the position and signed an appropriate release; and
4. Identify sensitive state employment positions where initial disclosure of criminal history will still be required.

Executive Order 41 only applies to state employment, not positions in the private sector. However, it is likely only a matter of time before such laws are eventually enacted more broadly.  At the city/county level, a number of Virginia counties have also passed “Ban the Box” rules for county employees, including, but not limited to, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk.

We represent employees and employers in employment law matters.  If you need assistance with an employment law issue, 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 Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. 

There were 50 new properties that came on the market this week, bringing the total number of active listings to just under 300.

The Reston market is very active but still very, very price sensitive. When you sit down with your agent to review comparable home sales, resist the urge to pad the price so you can negotiate it. That usually leads to lingering on the market. Your goal as a seller should be to find the best intersection of price vs. condition to motivate the buyers to take action.

Here are a few of the new listings for Reston this week.

2367 Paddock Lane. 4BR 3.5BA. Price $699,000

2402 Red Maple Lane. 4BR 2.5BA. List Price $609,990

1777 Wainwright Drive. 3BR 2.5BA. List Price $449,000. Open Sunday

1804 South Shore Court. 4BR 3.5BA. List Price $475,000. Open Sunday

1253 Wild Hawthorn Lane. 3BR 2FB, 2 HB. List Price $538,000

On the Just Sold front, we had 22 properties go from PENDING to SOLD in the last week.

With 299 active listings, that leaves us with an average inventory of just under 3.5 month’s supply. The first-quarter sales in Reston were up by 10 percent over the past five-year average.

Here are a few of the sold listings from this past week.

• 1602 Woodstock Lane, 4BR 3.5BA. List Price $900,000. Sold Price $900,000
• 11739 Great Owl Circle. 3BR 3.5BA. List Price $560,000. Sold Price $560,000. Subsidy $14,500
• 11415 Great Meadow Drive. 4BR, 2FB, 2 HB. List Price $599,900. Sold Price $595,000. Subsidy $9,000
• 11870 Abercorn Court. 4BR, 3BA. List Price $410,000. Sold Price $415,000. Subsidy $7,500
• 12025 New Dominion Parkway #508. 2BR 2BA. List Price $725,000. Sold Price $705,000
• 1830 Fountain Drive. #503. 2BR 2FB. List Price $543,000. Sold Price $539,000. Subsidy $2,000

For more information on Reston’s real estate market visit Reston Real Estate.

This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Bailey, an senior dog with youthful vigor. Here is what his owner, Bart, has to say about him:

Bailey is 13 ½ years old now, but you’d never know it. He still lives to catch the ball or Frisbee, which we do every morning at the Baron Cameron Dog Park, rain, shine, snow, or sleet.

He’s a bit slower now, he’s lost his hearing, and his eye/mouth coordination is not what it used to be. He was the centerfielder, able to catch a ball thrown to him from 40 yards away. And smart? We stopped counting the number of words he understood after it went over 200. But he also understands categories, not just names of toys (e.g. a bone is not a toy).

He can also be a grump, as the morning dog park people will attest to, telling all those little pups to stay away. No time for play, he’s got work to do!

He does manage to relax at home some by keenly watching TV. His favorite show is golf, but he also loves horseracing. When he could hear, he would go to the TV when he heard his favorite commercial jingle (especially the Nasonex bee).

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 veterinarian Elizabeth Arguelles of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne Plaza.

Obesity is a common problem among cats and can negatively affect their long-term health. Excess weight puts additional strain on a cat’s body and increases the risk of developing diabetes, joint pain, liver and heart problems, or other issues as it gets older.

The cause of obesity is typically very straightforward. It usually develops when your cat’s food intake exceeds its energy requirements. Typically, this means overfeeding coupled with an overly sedentary lifestyle. The good news is that obesity can easily be prevented by feeding your cat a nutritious diet, portion control, and ensuring that it gets regular exercise.

What is obesity?

Obesity is determined by percentage of body fat. If a cat has accumulated enough fat that it weighs 10 to 20 percent more than its ideal body weight, then it is considered “overweight.” Medical obesity occurs when the kitty’s weight swells to more than 20 percent of the normal weight.

Is there an easy way to check if your cat is obese? Obesity is determined by more than body weight alone. When touching your cat, you should be able to feel its backbone and palpate its ribs. If you cannot feel your kitty’s ribs without pressing, then it is potentially carrying too much fat. Always consult your veterinarian to confirm the diagnosis. You should also be able to see a “waist” between the back of your cat’s rib cage and hips when looking down. There should be a “tuck” in its tummy when viewed from the side, meaning the abdomen should go from the bottom of the rib cage to the inside of your kitty’s thighs.

What can you do if your cat is obese?

If you believe that your cat is too heavy, please visit your veterinarian. Once your vet has determined that your feline friend is indeed overweight, the first step is to help your cat with weight loss. Depending on your kitty’s specific case, your vet might prescribe a different diet either over the counter or prescription or may even have you switch to more wet food as opposed to dry food. Typically, diets lower in calories and fat, but higher in fiber can help your cat feel full without all the unnecessary extra calories.

In other instances, your veterinarian might suggest that your cat stay on its regular food, but that you limit it to specific portions or frequencies. Whatever food you and your veterinarian decide on make sure it is nutritionally balanced and a high quality food to keep your feline friend feeling great all around.

It is critical that you consult your veterinarian before making any dietary changes designed to reduce weight. Shedding pounds too quickly can cause a cat to develop serious and potentially fatal liver diseases in the short term and to become malnourished in the long term. Simply reducing the volume of food your cat consumes is not recommended without consulting your veterinarian.

Once your cat is on the new food plan determined by its vet, it is up to you, the cat parent, to resist the temptation to give your feline friend snacks. And just like for humans who are on a weight loss plan, regular weigh-ins are essential. Those usually take place every two to three weeks at your veterinary clinic. If your cat prefers weigh ins at home, purchase a digital baby scale for maximum accuracy.

Are there other things that you can do at home to help? Increased physical activity is also very important for both weight loss and maintenance. Talk to your vet about exercises that burn more calories and help to enrich your feline’s well-being.