This biweekly column is sponsored by The Mather in Tysons, Virginia, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community for those 62 and better.
Thanksgiving may be a month away, but every day is a good day to focus on feeling thankful. That’s because concentrating on feelings of gratitude helps you feel happier and more positive in the short and long term.
Local shoppers looking to put the finishing touches on their Barbie Halloween costumes are in luck.
The Barbie truck is rolling back into Tysons Corner Center later this month, this time featuring a “Dreamhouse Living” theme to celebrate 60 years since the doll moved into her first residence, according to Mattel lore.
Rabid Animal Incidents Alarm Health Department — “After identifying a rabid raccoon and skunk within a mile of each other over the last 25 days, the Fairfax County Health Department is asking residents in the Centreville/Bull Run area to steer clear of wild animals and to report any animal attacks right away…To date, 22 animals have been diagnosed with rabies in the Fairfax Health District in 2023.” [FCHD]
Reston Man Charged With Sex Crimes Against Teen — “A 21-year-old Reston man is facing charges after a sex crimes investigation involving victims under the age of 18. The charges stem from ‘criminal incidents that occurred in 2020,’ Arlington County police said. ACPD says they’re now seeking other potential victims of the suspect.” [ARLnow]
There’s a new shop in Merrifield focusing on an eclectic, “curated collection” of handcrafted goods.
Vivid Chill hosted a grand opening this past weekend in the Mosaic District, moving into Suite 150 at 2910 District Avenue from a spot in Great Falls.
Fairfax County’s planning commissioners weren’t quite as giddy as kids in a candy store when presented with Mars Inc.’s plan to expand its McLean headquarters last week, but the general level of enthusiasm wasn’t too far off.
The only note of disappointment sounded during the public hearing last Wednesday (Oct. 11) came when Sully District Commissioner Evelyn Spain joked that she had hoped to get some early Halloween treats.
Deadline Extended for Input on Pedestrian/Bicycle Projects — Initially set to close yesterday (Monday), the deadline for community members to take Fairfax County’s Active Transportation Project Funding Survey has now been moved to midnight on Thursday (Oct. 19). The survey will narrow down a list of proposed pedestrian and bicycle projects up for $100 million allocated by the county board. [FCDOT]
Groveton Neighborhood Named a Historic Site — “Randall Estates looks like so many Fairfax County subdivisions built in the early 1960s…But its development — undertaken by a Black public-school teacher to provide homes for African American professionals who had few opportunities for home ownership during Jim Crow in Virginia — was recently recognized by the Fairfax County Registry of Historic Sites.” [On the MoVe]
The continuation of higher mortgage rates put a damper on Northern Virginia home sales in September, which were down 18.2% compared to a year earlier, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.
That decline was worse that August’s year-over-year decline of just 12.4% and reversed a trend of an improving market that had been seen since the spring.
Fairfax County will sell bonds to finance the Tysons Community Center planned as part of the Dominion Square West housing project.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority was authorized by the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday (Oct. 10) to sell up to $43 million in facilities bonds to fund the community center, which has an estimated cost of $41 million.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA and D.C. with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.
Let’s start with the obvious disclosure — I’m not a financial planner or a CPA, just a real estate agent with some well known tips to save money on your mortgage.
(Updated at 5:40 p.m.) The Mosaic District has reeled in a different kind of seafood restaurant.
Kreole, a new concept that blends flavors from Creole and Asian cuisines, will open in the Merrifield neighborhood tomorrow (Tuesday) next Monday (Oct. 23) at 2985 District Avenue, Unit 115. The news was first reported by Eater DC.
