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5 ways to ease grief & loss during the holidays

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

From the first sight of Halloween decor, the dread begins, The Holidays are coming and I won’t have my loved-one.

With a recent diagnosis, it’s a panic to make the most of what could be your last season together.

To help navigate what can be overwhelming emotions, here are 5 Ways to Ease Grief and Loss During the Holidays from Jane Lowery, M.A., Resident in Counseling with Arlington therapy practice Sarah Moore, LPC:

1. Be open to things looking different this year.
2. There are a lot of events happening now. It’s okay to have JOMO: Joy of Missing Out.
3. Things are going to be different and that’s okay. You being sad about them is also okay.
4. You get to decide how you want to honor the person you’ve lost this year. Some ideas:

        • Playing their favorite music
        • Making their treasured holiday recipe
        • Wearing their jewelry
        • Having an empty chair at the table
        • Sharing a toast to them
        • Gifting yourself something that they’d pick out for you

5. Schedule a free 20-minute consultation to create a personalized plan to help you through the season.

Jane Lowery, M.A., Resident in Counseling, currently has openings for new clients and offers free 20-minute consultations. She sees clients in-person on Wednesdays and online Monday through Wednesday. Find out more and schedule your consult at sarahmoorelpc.com/about-jane-lowery. 

Shop local this holiday season at Lee Heights Shops

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

The holidays are warmer and brighter when celebrated with those you love!

Lee Heights Shops has everything you need with gift ideas from a unique selection of curated shops and dining options — perfect for that special someone. 

No matter how long or daunting your list might be, you’re bound to find something for everyone here at the Shops. And you may even discover something for yourself along the way!

We offer a festive experience with a mix of food, fashion, and fun right in the heart of Arlington including:

Enjoy the free parking, convenient UPS shipping, and shop local this holiday season!

Lee Heights Shops is located at 4500 Cherry Hill Rd, Arlington, VA 22207.

Listing of the Day: 915 18th Street S

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 915 18th Street S
Neighborhood: Addison Heights
Type: 4 BR, 4 (+1 half) BA single-family detached — 4,265 sq. ft.
Listed: $2,179,000

Noteworthy: Open concept 4-level home with outdoor entertainment spaces!

Welcome home to Addison Heights! This 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath Classic Cottages design features an open concept floor plan and plenty of outdoor entertaining spaces, including a screened porch, covered porch and roof top deck.

The ground level of the home includes a tandem two car garage, mudroom, entry level bedroom and full bath with private entrance, exercise room and rec room. The main level includes a generous sized office, dining room and butler’s pantry, great room, kitchen featuring JennAir appliances. Bedroom level features laundry and two secondary bedrooms and baths. The Primary bedroom has a large walk-in closet and spa bathroom.

Go up one more level to the roof top deck — a great space to enjoy the outdoors. All this within a 13 minute walk to Metropolitan Park!

Listed by:
Michelle Lynch — Urban Living Real Estate, LLC
[email protected]
(571) 366-3324

The turkeys are flying! Deadline nears for RSVP Catering’s all-in-one feast

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

If you don’t make the call to RSVP Catering by Monday, Nov. 20, Thanksgiving’s dinner is on you. And you don’t want that.

We warned you last week that RSVP Catering’s 2023 Thanksgiving home delivered meal deal was filling up, and now we remind you again: If you want RSVP Catering, the region’s premier catering service, you must place your order by Monday, November 20, at 5 p.m.

After that, you can relax! RSVP is offering to simplify Thanksgiving dinner by delivering it to your door in an elegant package complete with a choice of turkey, four side dishes, plus all the trimmings: turkey gravy, cranberry-orange relish, homemade mini brioche rolls, and sweet potato biscuits.

This year, RSVP Catering is offering herb roasted turkey or honey-citrus glazed turkey as the showcase centerpiece of all-in-one packages for $195 and $390, depending on how many guests you expect to impress and, perhaps, overwhelm (in a good way!).

Turkeys come with a choice of four sides, including creamy mashed potatoes, sage and turkey sausage cornbread stuffing, sauteed green beans, pomegranate roasted root vegetables, and fall harvest salad. Many of the options are gluten free.

Optional dessert offerings, which feed six to eight guests, bring to the table Dutch apple pie, bourbon pecan pie, pumpkin chiffon pie, and pear and pistachio tart.

Your Turkey Day feast is as easy as your next phone call. And it’s up to you to decide if you confess to your guests that you prepared this awesome meal yourself.

But get moving! See the RSVP Catering Thanksgiving 2023 menu.

The full RSPV Catering menu is available for home delivery ala carte. Email RSPV Catering at [email protected], or call 703-573-8700.

Biz Talk: Arlington Talent Program accepting applications

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This article was written by Arlington Economic Development.

The Arlington Talent Program (ATP) is now accepting applications for its second year of providing paid, on-the-job learning opportunities to Arlington and Alexandria residents interested in launching a career in software development.

The innovative program is a partnership between Arlington Economic Development (AED) and Arlington-based software consultancy Exelaration. It is a new way to address the ongoing challenges of finding tech workers to fill open jobs in the region.

From Learners to Coders

The Arlington Talent Program’s initial year yielded remarkable results, including a 100% program completion rate and 100% received the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) credential. Most participants have transitioned to full-time tech employment with their new knowledge of high-demand program languages (e.g., HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, Angular). The average pay and work rate for participants have increased by 26% and 38%, respectively, and will continue to rise as they gain experience and advancement. These achievements represent not just statistics but tangible transformations in the participants’ lives.

“The Arlington Talent Pilot Program offered me a great opportunity to enter the field with no formal and relevant background in IT, in addition to stellar mentorship on real-world projects to gain both experience and theoretical knowledge,” said participant Liam Cespedes, who was part of the first cohort and is continuing work on client projects.

AED and Exelaration designed this program to allow Arlington and Alexandria residents to enter the tech workforce without a college degree or prior tech experience requirements. The competitive pilot program accepted applications from dozens of individuals for each cohort, many of whom showed promise in the tech field but lacked those traditional resume credentials to find work.

AED and Exelaration are proud to have collaborated with partners at Capital Youth Empowerment Program, Bridges to Independence, Alexandria-Arlington Regional Workforce Council, and Virginia Values Veterans to advertise this program and ensure this unique opportunity reached underrepresented and underserved communities.

Applications for the next cohort are open through Nov. 26. Accepted participants will work full-time with Exelaration for 12 weeks beginning on Jan. 23, 2024. For more information or to apply, visit exelaration.com/arlingtontalent.

Opportunities for Businesses

Companies needing IT modernization and custom software solutions also benefit from the Arlington Talent Pilot Program. Companies receive quality work products led by experienced software developers and can save significantly with the blended billable rate by including learners on projects.

Arlington-based Agile technology firm Excella recently partnered with the program to expand one of its federal modernization projects. The Exelaration team works closely with the larger Excella team to upgrade enterprise software within a Ruby on Rails environment. In addition to the modernized software, Excella has the option of hiring learners who are now skilled engineers fully trained in their environment. “Competing for talent is hard, and this program gives us a proven way to add trained professionals to our teams, who help us meet our clients’ mission,” says Excella’s National Security Director, Allison Harvey.

The upcoming program adds more software engineering capacity to take on new company partners. “We especially love to work with Arlington companies, but we’re happy to work with organizations across the country looking to modernize their technology,” says Exelaration CEO Steve Cooper, who adds that the program is looking for additional client companies who could benefit from the work of these budding engineers.

Companies can connect with the program in other ways, too. Arlington Community Federal Credit Union hosted a lunch for the fall team inside their technology shop. This gave the emerging engineers a “day-in-the-life” view of what it’s like to have a tech job. Over kabobs and tacos, Credit Union CIO David Martinez and his team answered questions about the rewards and challenges of IT careers.

Companies looking to partner with the program can learn more here.

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 Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of November 13, there are 123 detached homes, 37 townhouses and 180 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 19 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

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 Arlington Realty, Inc.

Listing of the Day: 4305 4th Court N.

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Address: 4305 4th Court N.
Neighborhood: Ballston
Type: 3 BR, 3 (+1 half) BA townhouse — 1,600 sq. ft.
Listed: $999,000

Noteworthy: Walk to everything, terrace with views, 2 car tandem garage

Located in a lushly landscaped courtyard near the heart of Ballston, this pristine three bedroom, three and a half bath home awaits the buyer who values space and location.

Desirable details include top floor terrace with skyline views; tandem two car garage and additional guest parking; large living area with a sunny spot for a desk; kitchen island, ample cabinets, stainless appliances; each bedroom has a private bathroom and generous closet space; fresh paint, wood floors on main level and halls; and flexible space.

Walk to Ballston for Metro, restaurants, gyms, groceries, parks, tennis courts, library, graduate programs at multiple universities, and nightlife. Blocks to Lubber Run Rec Center with extensive facilities, programs, and Saturday farmer’s market. Easy commute to Washington, military, business, government centers, and airports.

Don’t miss this opportunity to live near everything in a tucked away spot.

Listed by:
Betsy Twigg
[email protected]
(703) 967-4391

Anti-theft AirTags, wild weather, and more

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/3

Recently, the District launched a pilot designed to recover stolen cars.

By providing owners with an AirTag, the hope is that vehicles can be quickly located. Adding an AirTag to your vehicle (which can be hidden in the lining of your trunk or other less obvious placement) is just an additional method to know where your property is, though anyone with any iPhone can be notified that an AirTag is in the vehicle. Other measures to protect your car may include having your VIN etched into the catalytic converter or other valuable target parts. 

Wheel locks protect your tires and rims, and generally also need to be accessible for your maintenance appointments. 

Record winter weather is predicted, and this could be another season where drivers inadvertently spend more time in their car due to adverse commuting conditions. As temperatures drop, ensure fluids like coolant are at recommended levels and that your battery is in good health. Keeping up with basic or manufacturer-recommended maintenance on your car ensures you’re prepared for whatever the forecast has in store. 

Roda, formerly known as CarCare To Go, knows that taking care of your car can and should be simpler.

We pick-up, we service, we return. Yes, that means you can get basic maintenance — from oil changes and alignments, to major repairs like replacing a catalytic converter or transmission, with free valet pick-up and return to and from our certified shop. See how it works.

Our Winter Special offer — a $225 detail, wiper replacement, fluid top-off, comprehensive safety inspection PLUS 10% off services added to same visit.

Ask Eli: Missing Middle is not achieving its goals

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Eli Residential channel. Enjoy!

Question: Are you seeing that Missing Middle is achieving its goals for housing supply creation in Arlington?

Answer: What is the goal of Arlington’s Missing Middle aka Expanded Housing Options (EHO) housing policy?

At first, it seemed the County was hoping to provide housing options for “middle income” home buyers. That shifted once it became obvious that any new housing product would be far too expensive for anything resembling middle income. The target became a blend of creating housing that filled a gap in property type(s) missing from the Arlington housing market and adding housing supply.

It also seems that the County hopes that most Missing Middle housing units will be delivered for sale rather than as rental units, because most of the conversation I’ve heard/read from them focuses on ownership opportunity related to Missing Middle, but there is nothing they are doing (likely nothing they can do) to make that a reality, aside from hoping the market delivers ownership opportunities instead of new rentals.

If you’d like a catch-up/review on my previous articles about Missing Middle, you can read my initial thoughts here, followed by more recent thoughts and observations here, which includes some doubt that many of the approved applications will actually get built.

What is Missing from Arlington’s Housing Market?

If you ask me what’s missing from Arlington’s housing market and in high demand, I’d say that it’s townhouse/duplex housing with 3-4 bedrooms with roughly 2,500-3,500 finished square feet and two off-street parking spaces, that suits a family with 1-2 kids. The data, summarized below, also supports this being an undersupplied category of housing. Arlington does not lack multi-family housing (condo or rental apartments), relative to other housing types.

I looked at the last five years of Arlington sales data and analyzed the breakdown of property types sold by bedroom count, total finished square footage, and property type:

  • 45% of homes were multi-family condo and just 19% were townhouse/duplex (most of the 19% were built well over 50 years ago)
  • Over 50% of homes had 1-2 bedrooms
  • 55% of homes had 1,500 or less finished square feet
  • Only 10% of homes had 2,500-3,500 finished square feet, a range that I think is highly desirable for many buyers/families in Arlington

(more…)

Join Wild Birds Unlimited for their 32nd Anniversary Party starting November 16!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/8

Wild Birds Unlimited is having a party to celebrate our 32nd Anniversary starting on Thursday, November 16 through Saturday, November 18 from 10 a.m-6 p.m. and on Sunday, November 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bringing People and Nature Together! This had been our passion for 11,680 days! What does that mean? What Nature? What People? Together where?

The answers are simple. Nature that is all around us, right outside our back doors. People who enjoy the majesty and beauty of all wild birds in our backyards. Together, from our business, Wild Birds Unlimited in Arlington, to the homes where they live.

Wild Birds Unlimited has been in business for 11,680 days. Through all that time, our dedicated customers have supported us and our mission, “Bringing People and Nature Together”. To celebrate, we are holding our 32nd Anniversary Party.

In addition to 11,680 days open, we’ve had:

  • 10,324,000 pounds of bird food sold
  • 40,000 transactions
  • 300 jobs created
  • 34,744 miles driven by staff to deliver seed
  • 2,080,742 steps to our basement and back
  • And 2 bajillion birds fed!

We have enjoyed our 32 years being part of this community offering interesting and educational information about the hobby of backyard bird feeding and bringing nature to their yards. Giving back to the community by having this party is one small way in which we, at Wild Birds Unlimited, are saying, thank you!

During the party, we’ll have huge sales, giveaways including samples and free calendars, and coffee and treats to enjoy while you browse! We have a huge variety of products in the store right now, including the best bird seed on the planet and the perfect gifts for your loved ones this year. Our expert staff will help you find exactly what you need, and our high-quality products will help you enjoy the outdoors 365 days a year. We hope to see a lot of people visit and enjoy this fun atmosphere, rain or shine! It’s a terrific way for people to get out and experience nature before the rush of the holidays.

What better gift to give to people than the joy of nature?

We could never have survived 11,680 days without the fantastic support of all our customers in the Northern Virginia community. Through all the challenges of running a retail store you have always been there for us, and we thank you profusely!

Visit our website and shop online at www.wbu.com/arlington and be sure to check out our Facebook Page! To learn how you can open your own Wild Birds Unlimited, visit www.wbufranchise.com.

For more information, contact Wild Birds Unlimited at 703-241-3988. Wild Birds Unlimited, located in Arlington, Virginia is part of the original and largest franchise system of backyard bird feeding and nature specialty stores with more than 350 locations throughout the United States and Canada. Wild Birds Unlimited specializes in bringing people and nature together with bird feeding and nature products, expert advice, and educational events.

The Nose That Knows: Elite Sunday Supertasting

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This column is written by the team at Arrowine & Cheese (4508 Cherry Hill Road). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup or in-store shopping. Have a question? Email thenose@arrowine.com.

Why rake leaves when you could attend a Sunday Supertasting of Spanish and French wines at Arrowine?

Join us this Sunday, November 12 from 1-4 p.m. at Arrowine (4508 Cherry Hill Road in Arlington).

Take advantage of a special Supertasting on Sunday! At this Arrowine Sunday Supertasting event, you can taste top wines from Spain selected and presented by our friend Aurelio Cabestrero, who founded Grapes of Spain and was named a Wine Advocate Wine Personality of the Year! As if that wasn’t enough, there will also be a table with Laurent Givry, founder of Elite Wines Imports, pouring exciting French wine selections! It will be a tasting to remember — don’t miss it!

Additional Details:

When: This Sunday, November 12th, 1-4 p.m. at Arrowine & Cheese in Arlington
Cost: There is no charge for this exciting tasting event!
Discounts: Tasting discounts are “on”! Every wine you taste will be ON SALE during the event, at least 10% off the regular price. We’ll have wine available for purchase, and if you want more than we have available, discounts will apply to tasting wines you order during the event, too!
Reservations: This event will be popular. So that we can provide the best possible service, we ask that you RESPOND and let us know if you plan to attend. Please include the following information:

  • Name
  • E-mail or phone contact information
  • Number of people in your group
  • When you expect to arrive: (a) 1-2 p.m., (b) 2-3 p.m., or (c) 3-4 p.m.

This will allow us to plan appropriately and steer late reservations to less crowded times. We look forward to seeing you!

Drinking Wine (Photo by Nino Maghradze on Unsplash)
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