Author: ARLnow.com Sponsor

WWBG: Natural Wines

By ARLnow.com Sponsor


Editor’s Note: This biweekly column is sponsored by Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court, Falls Church). It is written by Sarah Garratt, a wine and food pairing blogger. Follow her blog  or on Instagram @grapepairings.

Looking through a wine aisle or a wine list, you may have spotted the words “natural wine” on a bottle or description. Natural wines are becoming more and more prevalent in wine stores and restaurants, and it is important to know what “natural” really means in the wine world.

What is Natural Wine?

Natural wines are as pure, raw and bare bones as grapes and wine can be. They are unfiltered and made from all local grapes and yeasts. The grapes are typically grown by small and independent producers, and everything is done organically and sustainably.

During the winemaking process, nothing is added or taken away. This means no additives or preservatives. However, this also means that they can spoil quicker, as there is nothing to help them to age. Being unfiltered, many natural wines have a cloudy tint to them (coming from the yeasts) and can taste quite unique!

Is Natural Wine Healthier?

Not necessarily.

True, there are no added sulfites in natural wine. However, there is still no proven evidence that sulfites cause headaches, so that is not exactly a bad thing.

True also, natural wines are unfiltered and have no additives. However, this means that whatever bacteria or imperfections that were grown on the grapes of the natural wine have also been unfiltered and are in the final product.

It is also good to know that not all additives are bad for you! There are usually more harmful additives in the processed foods we eat than in the wine we drink! While not necessarily healthier than any other bottle of wine, natural wines are definitely a great way to try something new.

Three Wines to Try

Dominion Wine & Beer has some natural wines for you to try, three of which are featured today! All of them are unique, from smaller producers, and excellent to pair with food.

Let’s start with an Italian white wine, 2016 Montenidoli Vernaccia Di San Gimignano ($20). This Vernaccia has so many flavors going on! Each whiff of the wine brought out a different note. Smells and tastes of lemon, peach, camomile, yellow apple and freshly baked bread are all present in this white wine.

It is definitely a conversation starter! Being very full bodied for a white wine, oil or mayonnaise based salads would be excellent. Think tuna, chicken, bean, pasta or potato salads.

The 2017 Biha Andreas Vineyard Gewürztraminer ($20) is an orange wine from Oregon.

Don’t be fooled! There is no food coloring in this wine! While white wine is made from grapes without the skins on during fermentation, orange wine is made with white wine grapes and fermented in the skins. This gives the wine that orange color.

This gewürztraminer is bright orange, and full of honeysuckle and orange blossom notes. It has a long and acidic finish that would make it delicious with curry, chutney and hummus.

Not all natural wines are white. This 2015 Sono Montenidoli Il Garrulo Chianti Colli Senesi ($20) from Italy (same producer as the Vernaccia mentioned above) is a red wine with a gorgeous, garnet color.

Due to its medium tannins, this Chianti was made for pairing with tomato-based sauces, such as spaghetti with meatballs, pasta bolognese or lasagna.

Similar to the Vernaccia, the tasting profile is endless and has lots to offer. Flavors of violet, tobacco, spice, vanilla, cherry and stewed strawberries are all evenly balanced within the wine.

Do you like natural wines? Have you ever tried them? Curious to learn more? Stop by the shop and pick some up!

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Team Cathell, “Your Orange Line Specialists.”

Home buyers were sleeping this week, but sellers were eager to get started in the fresh fall season.

Only 33 buyers ratified contracts this week. They were probably exhausted after partying over Labor Day weekend and then dragging themselves back to a short work week. But sellers seemed excited to get on the market with 67 new listings.

As the fall season begins, watch for the frequency of multiple contracts on fresh listings. That may be the earliest sign of the market’s temperature, whether cooling down or heating up. There is some concern that price increases may be hitting a ceiling as the average household income in Arlington has matched the affordability for the average home price.

So until incomes start to rise, we may not see much movement on prices. The average household income in Arlington has barely moved in the last five years.

Glossary Term: Setbacks.

Setbacks pertain to county building codes and are the distances allowed for a structure to be from the property lines.

In Arlington, they must be no closer than 25 feet in back and in front to the property lines. On the sides, neither side can be less than eight feet, and total for both sides cannot be less than 18 feet. So typically 10 + 8. Detached garages can be within 1 foot of back and side property line, and minimum 8 feet from any structural part of the house.

Click to see all the fresh new inventory in MRIS and call Team Cathell (703-975-2500) when you find a home you like.

Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead, But You Can — Prepare Now

The average warning time for a tornado is 13 minutes. Would you be able to get your family to safety in 13 minutes? Would more time help?

The National Weather Service issues weather Watches when the potential for a weather incident exists, but how would you find out?

Be informed by signing up for Arlington Alert, the emergency notification system in Arlington County. It’s more than just notifications during major emergencies; you can also choose to receive alerts for weather, traffic closures and severe transit delays.

Currently, there are 25,763 people signed up for Arlington Alert; that’s less than 10% of the Arlington County population. Of those people, only 4,769 opted in to receive Flash Flood Warnings. These types of floods happen quickly, and have been happening in our area recently.

Would you be ready if that happened right now?

By Staying Aware, You Are Better Prepared!

September is National Preparedness Month and we challenge you to do one thing each week to get you and your family prepared.

  • Week 1: Sept 1-8 Make and Practice Your Plan
  • Week 2: Sept 9-15 Learn Life Saving Skills
  • Week 3: Sept 16-22 Check Your Insurance Coverage
  • Week 4: Sept 23-29 Save For an Emergency

Make an emergency plan and talk to your kids about it.

Make sure they know how to contact you or where your meeting location is if there is a fire in your home.

Learn first aid or sign up for ‘Until Help Arrives’, our hands-on training with the Arlington County Fire Department that teaches participants how to help until first responders arrive. Get an insurance check-up and set aside funds for an emergency.

Disasters don’t plan ahead, but you can. Prepare now!

Sign up for emergency notifications at ArlingtonAlert.com and follow us @ReadyArlington on Facebook and Twitter.

Healthy Paws: Summers End

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Editor’s Note: Healthy Paws is a column sponsored and written by the owners of Clarendon Animal Care, a full-service, general practice veterinary clinic and winner of a 2017 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Best Business Award. The clinic is located 3000 10th Street N., Suite B. and can be reached at 703-997-9776.

With the unofficial end of summer this week, it’s time to look at what changes and challenges fall brings to our furry friends.

Most notably, school has started and the weather will start to cool. This combination generally brings about school and home improvement projects, which also creates an smorgasbord of inappropriate things for our pets to ingest.

Cats tend to go for shiny objects as well as string-type things. Dogs, well, they might go for just about anything — but we’ve personally seen them ingest carpet that was being ripped up, nails and many a kids art project. Glues, paints and markers can cause upset stomachs and other toxicity.

Antifreeze is highly toxic to both cats and dogs. Generally, cats are known to be particularly attracted to its taste. Antifreeze can cause seizures, severe kidney failure and ingestion is often fatal if not treated rapidly and aggressively.

The use of rodent traps and poisons increases in the fall as well. Products used to kill small rodents are toxic to both cats and dogs and can lead to neurologic dysfunction or bleeding problems, depending on the product used.

Ticks and fleas are just as active through the fall in this area! They don’t look at the calendar and because we don’t get multiple hard freezes in a row even during the winter they never actually go away. In fact, the fall tends to be the time of year we see fleas and tick-borne illness in our patients the most frequently.

This may be because pets spend more time outside when it’s nicer out but also it’s easy to think that because it’s cooler it’s okay to stop using preventives. This may hold true much farther north, but in our neck-of-the woods it’s best to use preventives year-round.

Mushrooms also start to come out in the fall — and while most are non-toxic, there are a small handful that are very toxic. It’s best to steer clear of all wild mushrooms. If you’ve seen your pet ingest a mushroom, please contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) and your veterinarian.

For information on toxic plants in general — ASPCA Animal Poison Control has a great website resource.

This recent sweltering heat definitely makes us appreciate the upcoming cooler seasons — Have fun and be safe as we start to transition to fall!

Raise Your Glass at the Inaugural Crystal City Oktoberfest

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Despite temperatures still pushing 90 degrees, cooler weather, changing colors and pumpkin spice everything are on the way.

This year, Crystal City welcomes the fall season with the inaugural Crystal City Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 29.

More than 1,000 beer enthusiasts are expected to attend this event — which coincides with the middle weekend of the real Oktoberfest in Munich. Attendees will enjoy 100 craft beers and ciders from 50 regional, national and international brewing companies, as well as live music and food from a variety of local food trucks and food vendors.

“I’m super excited for the upcoming Crystal City Oktoberfest!” says Charlie Adler, Founder of TasteUSA, the company bringing Oktoberfest to Arlington, “I’ve always loved this time of year with the cooling weather, craft beer and other German “oompah” celebrations, but when I heard that the Shirlington Oktoberfest had been cancelled, I knew that I wanted to continue the tradition. After seeing all the great events and fun energy in Crystal City right now, the decision to bring the Festival there was a no-brainer!”

Adler and TasteUSA have been organizing events in the area since 1997 including the creation of the Chesapeake Oyster and Wine Fest and taking on management of the Virginia Wine Festival, now in its 43rd year. The Crystal City Business Improvement District in partnership with JBG SMITH is sponsoring the event.

“We are thrilled to host an event that celebrates the outstanding local craft beer scene in Virginia and D.C.,” says Tracy Gabriel, Executive Director and President of the Crystal City Business Improvement District. “We’ve always found creative ways to repurpose parking in Crystal City, and this time we’re converting a parking lot into a biergarten to bring great beer, live music and outdoor fun to the area!”

Participating breweries include Blue Mountain Brewery, Caboose Brewing Company, South Street Brewery and Starr Hill Brewery, with more to come. Wine and cideries, including Bold Rock Hard Cider, will also be available for those non-beer drinkers in the crowd.

In addition to drink and food, attendees will be able to enjoy live entertainment and visit unique vendors, like the Arlington Psychic.

General Admission tickets are $30 in advance and include admission to the festival and 10 tasting tickets. VIP tickets are also available for $50 in advance and include 1-hour early admission, 15 tasting tickets, and a private tent with bathrooms. The first 500 VIP guests will also receive a Crystal City tasting glass.

Event: Crystal City Oktoberfest
Date: Saturday, September 29
Time: 12-6 p.m. (VIP: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.)
Location: The Lot at 220 20th Street S. (two blocks from the Crystal City Metro Station)
Tickets: General Admission: $30 in advance, $45 at the door, VIP: $50 in advance, $65 at the door

Small Biz Focus: Put Away Your Crystal Ball

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

By Tara Palacios

Entrepreneurship is tough.

Entrepreneurship is demanding.

Entrepreneurship is being present at the right time, and at the right place.

Why? Can’t you simply have a good idea and execute? Does entrepreneurship have to be tough, and demanding, and at the right time and place?

Well, an important reason why (and one not explained too often) is because you must be able to predict the future. Yes, your ability to invoke keen foresight is a key skill for an entrepreneur. However, don’t dust off the crystal ball yet.

As an entrepreneur, one must constantly be ahead of trends — whether it is the latest innovation, keeping up with your competition or knowing “exactly,” how the U.S. economy will respond to outside forces (i.e., think trade war). An entrepreneur must constantly be several steps ahead of the market to plan, to prepare, and to mitigate risk to succeed over time.

How does the overall U.S. economy impact the region? Will the trade war impact Arlington businesses, and if so in what way? Unemployment is at an all-time low — but does that mean many people are working? Or are individuals underemployed?

We hope to be able to help your crystal ball predict the future by bringing in experts who are looking at the current trends that may impact your business.

BizLaunch is pleased to announce with our partners the Arlington Community Federal Credit Union and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce our latest Brunch and Business: The 2018 Economy — Navigating Trade Wars and Discovering Business Opportunities.

Join us October 3 at SPACES The Artisphere as you hear from two experts in the field who will address this topic: GMU’s Director of the Center for Regional Analysis, Dr. Terry Clower, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Director for International Policy, Kris Denzel will engage in a dynamic discussion of the 2018 economy and beyond.

The event is free and open to the public. We hope you will be able to join us!

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by licensed broker Aaron Seekford of Arlington Realty, Inc. GET MORE out of your real estate investment with Aaron and his team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6116 today!

Please note: While Aaron Seekford provides this information for the community, he may not be the listing agent of these homes.

Today is National Be Late for Something Day. Yes, it’s a real thing. Fun facts: It has been celebrated each and every September 5th since the Procrastinator’s Club of America created it in 1956.

So, why in the world am I telling you this?

Well, amid all the things you can choose to be late for today, tomorrow or any day… don’t let it involve your real estate decisions and or transactions. If and when you see something you like, you must act quickly before someone else scoops it up. Sometimes if a seller is presented with equal offers, they may just opt to go with the buyer that responds quickly, too.

Timeliness is a good thing in real estate. And, on that note, you’ll want to work with a team that will help you GET MORE out of your transaction and does things in an efficient fashion. When you’re ready to roll, we’re ready to get things done on your behalf.

As of September 3, there are 182 detached homes, 46 townhouses and 226 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 26 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week.

Here is this week’s selection of Just Reduced properties:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Aaron Seekford.

Stop Stressing About Your Car

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Every car owner has a horror story about hours wasted at a dealership or car wash only to be left disappointed, stressed and frustrated.

Getting your car cleaned or serviced can be inconvenient and time consuming. “When you work in Arlington and your dealership is in Rockville that check engine light is going to cost you a whole day,” says Carvoodoo founder Pierce Boisclair. “Similarly, If you work demanding hours and car washes are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. you’re forced to go on the weekends when they’re slammed. There needed to be better way to make car maintenance and cleaning more convenient for customers. So, we created one.”

Carvoodoo provides vehicle cleaning and maintenance delivered at the click of a button. It is a convenient, transparent and friendly vehicle concierge service that deals with the hassles of car ownership, so you don’t have to. Carvoodoo’s mission is to make sure you never have to visit a car wash, dealership or service station again.

To use the service, customers login into their personalized account at carvoodoo.com, choose the service they want and a pick-up time and location. Carvoodoo handles the rest.

Their crew members make the appointments, pick up the vehicle, take it to be serviced, check the work and keep you updated on your vehicle’s status. When the work is complete, a crew member returns it to the location of your choosing. All you have to do is hand over and collect the keys. It’s that simple. They also provide subscription services for customers who want routine cleaning and maintenance.

Book now and get 15% off your first order with promo code ARLNOW15

Ask Eli: GreatSchools.org Changes Ratings… Again

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Rosslyn resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: Do you know why GreatSchools.org changed the ratings for Arlington’s schools?

Answer: Sometime this summer, the popular school rating website GreatSchools.org changed their rating for most of the schools in Northern Virginia. If this sounds familiar, it’s because they made sweeping changes to their grading system less than a year ago, which I wrote about in March.

The previous changes resulted in a drop of 1-2 points for nearly every school in Northern Virginia, leaving Arlington with high schools rated 5, 4 and 3. The latest adjustments seem to have increased the rating for most schools, but some schools got dinged again like Jefferson Middle. After the latest changes, Arlington’s high schools are rated 8, 6 and 4.

School Ratings Influence Home Prices

If you’re wondering why I’m talking about school ratings in a real estate column it’s because the ratings issued by GreatSchools.org heavily influence where people buy and how much they’re willing to spend. You can debate the merits of these ratings systems all you want, but the fact is that they play a significant role in real estate.

While Niche.com generates the most traffic, I find that GreatSchools.org is much more popular locally and I think it’s due to the fact that they grade harder than Niche (Niche gives out a ton of A-, A, and A+ ratings).

What Changed?

I reached out to GreatSchools.org for details on why so many ratings were changed and was told something along the lines of “GreatSchools is always improving our rating systems to make sure it is as accurate as possible.”

Through various threads and Googling I did earlier this year, it sounded like the changes earlier this year were due to a new score for how well schools help under-performing students improve year-to-year.

I haven’t been able to find any information on why scores changed so dramatically this time around. If any of the readers have insight into the scoring adjustments, I would love to hear from you in the comments section or by email.

Tracking the Changes

GreatSchools would not provide me with historical ratings, so in March I compared scores I had recorded for clients in Fall ’17 to the new scores in March ’18.

Now that we have another round of changes, I added a column to that table so we can continue tracking past and current scoring trends.

Unfortunately, when I built the table in March I didn’t have any recorded scores for elementary schools and limited middle and high schools in Fairfax County.

Good News/Bad News

The good news is that the most recent adjustments helped almost all of Arlington’s schools, especially the high schools.

The bad news is that it hurts the credibility of GreatSchools.org and other rating systems because it makes it hard to rely on their ratings when you have a school like Yorktown HS go from a 7 to a 5 to an 8 in under a year.

Ultimately, consumers need to decide for themselves how much they rely on these scores to influence their decisions, but nothing beats talking to neighbors, joining online forums and calling or visiting a school.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Legal Review: Virginia Schools Teaching Child Abuse Prevention this Fall

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

By Criminal Defense Attorney Nicholas Braswell of Price Benowitz LLP

Math, science, history and English are all subjects expected to be taught in school. This school year, however, students will also be getting an education in child abuse prevention in some Virginia schools.

The move comes after Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill back in April, allowing the new program to be added to the schools’ curriculum. However, schools will not be required to include the new material in their family life education curriculum.

That is a step away from what the law currently requires of schools. All schools must already provide education on issues such as dating violence, domestic abuse, sexual harassment and sexual violence. Many, such as the bill’s sponsors Senator Jennifer McClellan and Senator Jennifer Wexton, did not think that was enough and pushed to move this latest bill forward.

The bill went into effect on July 1, 2018, and included guidelines for the program. The guidelines suggest that the education be focused on preventing child abuse, recognizing child abuse, abduction and sexual abuse and exploitation. All programs are to be made age-appropriate for the grades these subjects will be taught in.

The new law, says Wexton, is a great step forward for Erin’s Law, a movement that is gaining attention around the country and asking schools to implement sexual abuse prevention programs. While Wexton does not believe this constitutes enough to comply with Erin’s Law, she does believe it is greatly paving the way.

“Many children do not know what to do if they are being abused or are not even aware that it is happening,” says Nicholas Braswell of the Richmond Defense Group. “Being accused of these kinds of abuses can be life-changing, so it’s important that we educate our youth on what healthy relationships and behavior look like so they are armed with solid information that keeps us all safe.”

The Chew: Dos and Don’ts of Introducing Your Pets to Each Other — Part 2

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The following bi-weekly column is written and sponsored by Bark + Boarding, which provides a heart-centered and safe environment for your pets. Conveniently located at 5818-C Seminary Road in Bailey’s Crossroads, Bark & Boarding offers doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking and training services, plus in-home pet care.

by Chelsea Pennington, Bark + Boarding Writer and Animal Enthusiast

For Part I of this article, click here.

We’ve all seen the cute videos and photos of dogs and cats cuddling together on the internet. But how can you make sure your pets become the best of pals? While some animals are just made for the single-pet life, others can live well with and even become friends with other animals, but it largely depends on having a proper introduction.

Here are some tips of what you should and shouldn’t do when introducing a new animal to your pet.

Don’t be panicky, anxious or overbearing.

Animals pick up on how their humans are feeling, so the tone of the meeting between pets can be impacted by how the owners behave.

When handling a dog, keep the lead loose (though it shouldn’t be an extendable leash). If the person is anxious or the leash is tight, the dog will react accordingly and feel threatened and fearful. In many meetings, a calming voice is enough to diffuse tension. You should only physically separate the animals if they become overly aggressive.

Reacting too hastily on your part can reinforce to the dogs that this is a threatening situation. As the pets meet, you may feel the need to micromanage the situation, but it is often best to let them figure out the interaction on their own, only stepping in if it becomes clear a fight is looming or one of the animals is overly excited.

Do separate them while you’re gone.

After the animals have met while on a leash or partially separated without conflict, you can allow them to interact in an enclosed environment while you are present. For dogs, this should still be a neutral territory at first. For cats, it can be in a room where each has access to a safe space.

Even if these times go well, you should still separate them when you aren’t available to watch them. This can mean while you’re out of the house, or even if you are just going to be busy and unable to give them the supervision they need.

It only takes a second for a fight to break out and someone to get hurt. Only after several months of conflict-free interactions should you consider allowing them to roam freely together without your supervision.

Don’t force it.

In some cases, you might be able to make a pet situation work. Cats may require separate litter boxes, or dogs may need to be fed separately if they get possessive of food.

For some animals that seem aggressive, you may need to call upon a trainer or a behavioral specialist to see if the situation can be worked out. But there will be times when it simply won’t happen. Some animals are made for the single-pet life, and it would be detrimental to both pets (and you!) to try and force it.

Having multiple animals can prevent loneliness and stress for your pets while you’re gone, and thus keep them from destructive behaviors. But it’s important to be prepared going into the introductions so that everyone gets off on the right foot–er, paw.

Looking for more tips, interested in adorable pet pics or just want to get more information on what we do? Stay connected with Bark + Boarding on Facebook, Instagram and our website!

Click here to check out our short video about this article!

Mention this article for a FREE evaluation and click here to sign up for one today. If you have a question about your pet, feel free to come in, or email [email protected] any time.

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