This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is from another proud, local pet owner, which means he is not available for adoption.
Meet gentle giant Paco. Here is what owner Amy has to say about him:
As funny as it sounds, Paco adopted our family several years ago. After staying at our house while his original owner was gone, he fit seamlessly into our large household. Most importantly, his sister Kenya, a Rhodesian Ridgeback loved his company. When his owner was unable to take care of him, we were thrilled to welcome him permanently to the family.
Paco is more than we could have asked for. His freckled pink nose, floppy ears, and lap-dog mentality are hard to beat. Whether barreling though the house with his slimy ball, or attempting to share a chair with someone — thinking he is much smaller than he actually is — he is a great supply of laughter and joy in our lives. His pastimes include swimming in the lake, playing fetch and rolling in the mud. However on cold days, he enjoys cuddling near the fire with his humans.
Paco has been a great addition to our family and is the perfect example that pit pulls can in fact be loving and sweet family members too.
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 admit I’m partial to Lake Anne neighborhoods — they are beautiful and convenient to all the amenities Reston has to offer. Lakeside Cluster is a great Reston neighborhood that does not get as much attention as its famous neighbor, Waterview Cluster.
Frankly, the community likes it that way. This is a friendly, quiet, unassuming neighborhood.
Lakeside Cluster has everything all of the neighborhoods that border Reston’s Lake Anne share — access to the lake, a quick walk to Lake Anne Plaza, well-designed homes, many of which are direct lakefront.
Lakeside Cluster was built between 1965 and 1969, and comprises 90 lovely two- and three-level townhouses and patio homes with two to four bedrooms. They also have garages, which makes them different than most of their Lake Anne neighbors. All homes have lake access via a trail to the cluster dock, even if they are not direct lakefront property.
The cluster couldn’t be positioned better. It is located on Greenbriar Road and Orchard Lane off Fairway Drive, which is the south shore of Lake Anne. Fairway Drive provides easy access to both North Shore Drive and Wiehle Avenue.
For families with children, the cluster is an easy walk to Lake Anne Elementary. Children also attend Langston Hughes Middle and South Lakes High School.
For the parents, Lake Side Cluster is only 1.5 miles to the Wiehle-Reston East Station Metro station, and a short hop to Reston Town Center and the Dulles Toll Road. And, of course, a five minute walk to Lake Anne Village Plaza — home of the Reston Farmers Market and several great locally owned restaurants.
This is a sponsored post form Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
Only nine properties went from pending to sold in Reston last week. That small number is consistent with the very sluggish November/December numbers we were seeing.
What’s much more encouraging is the large number of pending home sales, which is at 66. More than half of those properties went under contract in the past two weeks. That confirms there is a lot of activity in the market — certainly more than at this time last year.
Overall inventory is at 218 active homes for sale, or about a three-month’s supply.
Here are a few of the homes that sold this past week in Reston.
11990 Market St. #2014. 3BR, 3 BA. List Price: $1, 362,834. Sold Price: $1, 362,834. Seller Subsidy: $ 0
12001 Market St. #276. 1BR, BA. List Price: $299,990. Sold Price: $295,000. Seller Subsidy: $0
2078 Beacon Heights Dr. 3BR 2.5 BA. List Price: $939,000. Sold Price: $918,000. Seller Subsidy: $0
12148 Captiva Ct. 4BR, 2.5 BA. List Price: $325,000. Sold Price: $305,000. Seller Subsidy: $6,800
11685 Bennington Woods Rd. 4BR, 3.5 BA. List Price: $799,900. Sold Price: $794,000. Seller Subsidy: $0
12001 Taliesin Place. #23. 2BR, 1.5 BA. List Price: $329,500. Sold Price: $322,500. Seller Subsidy: $5,800
12195 Chancery Stations Circle. 3BR, 3 BA. List Price: $749,000. Sold Price: $740,000. Seller Subsidy: $580
11400 Washington Plaza W #1003. 2BR, 2 BA. List Price: $440,000. Sold Price: $440,365. Seller Subsidy: $0
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. They write biweekly on RestonNow.
On Jan. 15, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum ordering federal agencies to offer up to six weeks (240 hours) of advanced paid sick leave to federal employees relating to the birth of a child, adoption of a child, or the placement of a foster child in their home. The Office of Personnel Management will have 90 days to issue guidance to federal agencies in implementing the new leave policies detailed in the Memorandum.
The Memorandum is designed to address the disparity between federal and private-sector leave policies. While private sector paid sick leave policies tend to vary considerably by occupation, they are generally better than federal sick leave policies.
In his Memorandum, the President reasoned that “offering family leave and other workplace flexibilities to parents can help achieve the goals of recruiting and retaining talent, lowering costly worker turnover, increasing employee engagement, boosting employee morale, and ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
In addition, the President has asked Congress to pass a national paid sick leave standard by way of the Healthy Families Act that would allow employees who work for businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven annual paid sick days. While the new paid parental leave policy will help federal employees with new children, it is hard to predict whether Congress will pass the broader Healthy Families Act. The President’s proposal for a paid sick leave standard is generally good for employees, employers, and for the economy as a whole.
Our law firm represents and advises federal employees on employment-related matters. 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 veterinarian Elizabeth Arguelles, owner of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne Plaza. She writes weekly on Reston Now.
It takes a lot people working behind the scenes to ensure that a patient’s visit to a veterinary clinic goes as smoothly and pleasantly as possible for both the cat and the owners. One of the key members of your cat’s healthcare team is your practice’s licensed veterinary technician.
Though the terms “licensed veterinary technician” and “veterinary assistant” are sometimes used interchangeably, there are definitive differences between the two positions.
For starters, though licensed vet techs sometimes do the jobs of veterinary assistants, the latter usually cannot do what the former does. No specific educational training or credentials are required for someone to become a veterinary assistant. Licensed veterinary technicians, on the other hand, must complete a two-year program at an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited college or technical school and hold a professional license that must be renewed annually. Licensed technicians are also required to complete a certain amount of continuing education as well. Read More
This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
Reston real estate has had a great start to the New Year and we’re coming out of the post-holiday slowdown with some strong activity.
We’ve had 18 properties listed for sale this past week bring us to a total of 213 active property listings. That represents a 3.8-month supply of homes for sale.
Here are a few of the new listings for this week.
11797 INDIAN RIDGE RD 4BR 2.5 Baths List Price $507,000
1325 VINTAGE PL 2BR 2.5 Baths List Price $452,500
2206 SPINNAKER CT 3BR 3 Baths List Price $825,000
1645 YORK MILLS LN 4BR 2 Full 2 Half Baths List Price $665,000
12108 CHANCERY STATION CIR 3BR 3.5 Baths List Price $988,000
1855 STRATFORD PARK PL #103 2BR 2 Baths List Price $435,900
This week in Reston there is property ranging from $2,490,000 for a 20,000 sq. ft. 8BR 11.5 Bath giant to $110,000 for a 497 sq. ft. efficiency at Thoreau Place.
This is a sponsored column by Jessica Storm, ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist. Jessica is the owner of Storm Fitness – A Personal Training and Nutrition Company based out of Reston, VA. Her Company has been servicing the Northern Virginia area for over a decade and has received numerous recognitions for the life changing results they have delivered to their clients. Read more about their offerings at www.StormFitness.com
As a personal trainer, one of the questions I get asked most is “how do I get rid of my saddlebags?” It’s a common complaint among women as stubborn fat often resides in the hip and thigh area. There are some really great exercises that can have this area toned up and trim for you in no time. It just takes some dedication and consistency.
Sorry my friends, there is no magic pill out there to melt off those saddlebags, and I wouldn’t be expecting one anytime soon. Good old-fashioned exercise will do the trick. Exercise will make you feel great — even better when you see the results.
Spot reducing is a myth. The great thing about these exercises is they have the ability to tone the entire body. This will really boost your overall calorie burn so that you see results all over. It is important to remember that in order to tone and trim down, eating whole, nutritious foods and following a healthy lifestyle is an essential requirement for longterm results.
Here are my top seven exercises for melting off saddlebags. The best part is no equipment is required:
- Do these exercises in a circuit format. Perform each exercise in order and then follow it with a one-minute break.
- Repeat the circuit two to three more times. If you are just starting out with exercise, then build up to doing the circuit three times. Perform this routine three days per week for the next four weeks.
- Cross over lunge with leg lift out to the side, 20 each side
- Plié squats, 20 total
- Step Ups with lateral leg lift, 20 each leg.
- Skater lunges, 15 on each side
- Side walking squat with resistance band, 20 each side.
- Lateral side step lunge back to a one leg balance, 15 each side
- Fire-hydrants – performed on hands and knees, 20 each side
Email me your results at [email protected]. I can’t wait to hear about your success!
If you need more detailed descriptions of each of these exercises you can head over to my website to find videos and descriptions on how to perform each of these exercises.
Reston Now returns this week to submission from a proud pet owner (so this week’s pet is not up for adoption). Meet Lucy, a chocolate-loving Chocolate Lab.
Here is what owner Mollie has to say about her:
My pet is a Chocolate Labrador named Lucy. She is 3 years old. She is very sweet and lovable. She likes to play outside, especially in the winter. She likes to catch snow balls and tennis balls. She likes to chew on bones and play tug of war.
Lucy has been trained. She likes lots of attention. She also likes to go on walks and play outside. She is decently obedient.
She is indestructible. She can eat whole chocolate bars and not get sick. She is also very strong. She is very healthy and has only had ticks twice. She is gentle, but she can defend herself as well as others.
Lucy is very caring. She is also empathetic. She likes to help people. She loves attention of any sort, especially petting. Lucy is caring, gentle, and willing to try almost anything!
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.
In my opinion, January is not too early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day. And let’s be honest, about the lovely chocolate treats that make it a day worth celebrating.
One of my favorite local Reston businesses for cakes and confections is Edibles Incredible Desserts at Reston Town Center. I can practically taste the fudge as I write this.
A common passion for desserts led couple Alan Furman and Robyn Hanna to pursue their dream of creating a shop specializing in irresistible gourmet treats. Edibles Incredible Desserts launched in 1999 with a kiosk in Fair Oaks Mall, selling fudge and toffee.
Today, Edibles Incredible Desserts is a local favorite — named winner of Northern Virginia’s best bakery and best kids cakes as voted by 150,000 readers of Northern Virginia Magazine. But the greatest joy for Alan and Robyn is when seasoned customers come in and begin telling others how great their treats taste.
Immediately after launching their business, their two flagship products “Robyn’s English Toffee” and “Alan’s Secret Recipe Fudge” became hot sellers at Dean and DeLuca in Georgetown. Soon after, they opened their first store in the Reston Town Center at 11917 Freedom Dr.
You don’t have to go to Reston Town Center to enjoy a delicious dessert as they ship their cakes, cookies brownies, candy and cupcakes, among others, anywhere in the country.
In early 2007, they opened a commercial kitchen and production facility in Sterling, just minutes from Dulles International Airport. This allows them to ship their baked goods and other desserts right out of the oven and ship fresh directly.
Their motto is “to please palates everywhere. ” And they do … in our stores and online.
Enjoy browsing through their site, and maybe order a cake online. Call them anytime to discuss their products 703-437-3008.
Photo: Cake by Edibles Incredible/Courtesy of Edibles Incredible.
This is a sponsored post by veterinarian Elizabeth Arguelles, owner of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne Plaza. She writes weekly on Reston Now.
Cats have sensitive ears and can suffer from a variety of ear problems throughout the ear as a result. Ear issues can occur in any of the four major parts of the ear: the pinnae or the outer ears sitting on the top of the head, the external ear canal, and the middle ear and inner ear. In this article, we examine some of the more common problems associated with each part of the ear. As always, if you suspect any ear problems in your cat, contact your veterinarian for an exam.
Issues affecting the pinnae or outer ears
Wounds or external trauma: By far the most common problems affecting the pinnae are wounds. In the majority of cases, these cuts, scrapes or scratches are a result of fights with other cats. Occasionally, however, your kitty can inflict these wounds to itself when scratching its head.
Fortunately, most of these external traumas are minor in nature. If a bite or scratch is deep enough, though, it can tear all the way through the pinna creating a greater risk for infection, and if deep enough maybe even sutures. With any noticeable cut or scratch on the outer ear, have your veterinarian examine the ear. Abscesses can develop and cause considerable pain to your cat and require immediate medical attention.
This is a sponsored column by Cindy Beyer, ASID,NCIDQ. Beyer is a Reston-based interior designer and Reston Now Best Reston Business Award winner. Find her online at www.CindyLBeyer.com.
Now that we are heading into the coldest months of the year, it is time to make your home warm and toasty.
By now, most of us have heard about the benefits of keeping our home energy efficient. There are some simple things you can do, including sealing gaps in windows and doors or installing door sweeps on the bottom of exterior doors. You can also seal the gaps in your attic and basements to make a difference in heat loss. Don’t forget to check your kitchen vent fan as this is also a source of energy leaks.
You can also try installing a programmable thermostat with numerous setting for various times of the day. That should help reduce the heating bill and get the room all toasty when you preset it.
If you use a wood burning fireplace, make sure you have a glass fireplace front and close the damper when not in use. If you have ceiling fans, switch them on the winter setting. This will reverse the airflow and send more warm air down into the room.
There are many other things you can do from a design point of view. For example, you can install insulated, lined draperies on the leaky windows. Not only are they attractive, they keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Also, when the sun is out, open up your drapes to let the sunlight heat your space. You can close them up at dusk.
You can also add area rugs to those chilly floors, especially the bathroom and bedroom floors. If you happen to be thinking about bathroom renovations, investigate using a heated floor under your tile. You don’t have to cover much of the room, just enough to get the benefit and the warmth. However, always place a mat on the bathroom floor.
Furniture placement is also a consideration. Make sure you place furniture away from the vents. Also, make sure your vents are open. Clear furniture away from the radiators. You can put foil behind the radiator to reflect more heat into the room. And don’t forget to bring out a lot of nice, furry pillows and throws.
Finally, try firing up the oven and baking some bread and cookies to warm up the kitchen. After the baking, go for a long run on the treadmill to work off the cookie calories. That will surely warm you up.
Remember spring is fewer than 90 days away. If you are thinking about remodeling or simply need a room makeover, please contact me at [email protected].
Reston Now will now be featuring pets available for adoption as our Pets of the Week. If the pets find a new home after our posting, the new owners will win prizes and treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care.
This week’s pet is Bandit, an older dog from Homeward Trails Animal Rescue who loves to ride in the car.
Little Bandit is an 8-year-old, adorable and active Lhasa Apso with the cutest little underbite!
His ideal family would be one that would love to spend time with him, taking him on lots of walks, car rides, and just hanging out with him and giving him lots of love.
Bandit thinks sitting in your lap and cuddling is the perfect way to spend the evening and he gets exercise by running circles around you. Literally!
Bandit simply loves to go for car rides so you can take him anywhere you go. He is a bit unsure around very young children, so an adult home or one with older children is ideal. If you will give him a wonderful home, Bandit will repay you by being your loving, loyal companion for life.
See more about Bandit on his Petfinder page.
Are you involved with a pet rescue group and would like to post a pet here? Contact us at [email protected]. Send along a few paragraphs of info about the pet, 2-3 horizontally oriented photos and contact info for interested adopters.
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.
Reston Architect Ken Bonner is well known in Reston for his contemporary, single-family homes.
But he also designed townhome communities. Among them, Colts Neck Cluster on Escalante and Greywing Courts, built in 1972-1973. These contemporary townhomes are three levels with cedar siding exteriors. The homes have between 1,600 and 2,000 square feet of living space.
This community is comprised of 60 townhouses in South Reston, near the intersection of Colts Neck Road and South Lakes Drive. Escalante Court is off South Lakes Drive and next to the South Lakes Drive Park. Greywing Court is off Colts Neck Road.
The Colts Neck community is close to the Reston National Golf Course and the Hunters Woods Village Center Shopping Center. It is also within two miles of the new Silver Line Wiehle-Reston East Metro station.
The community is within walking distance of the Reston Town Center, Reston Community Center, and Reston Association offices, as well as schools, public pools, tennis and basketball courts, athletic fields, a golf course, community gardens, grocery stores and restaurants, and much more.
These lovely homes are perfect for anyone looking for well-designed, contemporary architecture in a close-knit, townhome community.
Photo courtesy Colts Neck Cluster
This is a sponsored post by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate. We’re 12 days into the New Year and so far 15 properties have sold — not bad for a notoriously slow time of year.
Total inventory is down to 209, lower than it has been but not unusual for this time of year. Expect inventory to climb as we move into February and March.
Here’s a few of the properties that sold in the last 12 days:
11400 WASHINGTON PLZ W #1401. 2BR, 2BA Condo. List Price: $359,000. Sold Price: $350,000. Seller Subsidy $0
12000 MARKET ST #479. 2BR, 1.5BA Condo. List Price: $399,900. Sold Price: $404,000. Seller Subsidy $0
1635 PARKCREST CIR #301. 2BR 1.5 Baths List Price $229,000 Sold Price $214,000 Seller Subsidy: $0
1503 STUART RD. 5BR, 3.5 BA SFH. List Price: $838,000. Sold Price: $825,000. Seller Subsidy: $5,000
12212 DORRANCE CT. 3BR, 3.5BA SFH. List Price: $779,900. Sold Price: $743,600. Seller Subsidy: $0
2253 CHESTNUT BURR CT. 4BR, 3.5BA TH. List Price: $389,900. Sold Price: $390,000. Seller Subsidy: $9,435 Here’s a look at 2014 sales in Reston: 
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. They write biweekly on RestonNow.
At Berry & Berry, we represent many federal employees in the workplace, including defending federal employees against proposed disciplinary actions. Despite the common belief that it is hard to discipline or terminate a federal employee, federal employees do face discipline and termination. We have summarized below some of the most frequent issues that federal employees encounter and provide some general tips regarding how to avoid these potential problems:
Don’t surf the Internet at work for personal use: While many federal agencies are somewhat relaxed in their enforcement of Internet policies, it is important to avoid using the Internet for personal use while at work. We have represented many federal employees who are investigated for either inappropriate use of the Internet (accessing inappropriate sites) or for too much personal Internet use.
Often, we defend federal employees who have used the Internet to watch Netflix, check their banking accounts or purchase items on eBay. Keep in mind that, if an agency wants to, an agency can check the websites that a government employee has been accessing and determine the amount of Internet usage.
Don’t use government email for personal use: Always use your personal email account for personal email correspondence. We have represented a number of federal employees who have been proposed for discipline due to misuse of their official government email account. Sometimes the federal employee’s issues involve using government email for personal use or sending inappropriate correspondence or photos. In addition, avoid using famous quotations or sayings, like inserting a famous quotation below your signature block, when corresponding using your government email account.
Don’t use government credit cards for personal use: We have represented many federal employees who have mistakenly or innocently used their government credit card for personal charges. Not only are many federal employees disciplined or terminated for such misuse, but they can be forced to repay the funds inappropriately charged to their government credit card. Even if policies on credit card usage are not apparently enforced, do not use a government credit card for personal use under any circumstances.
