July 1 marks the effective date for a number of new laws in Virginia.
The law receiving the greatest amount of attention is the new law banning texting and email while driving. This is now illegal, however it is a secondary offense, meaning you must first break another law before being pulled over for texting. The first violation is a $20 fine. Anyone who has ever been behind, or even worse beside, someone who is clearly texting knows that this law probably does not go far enough (swerving all over the road while trying to find the right letter is a pretty dangerous practice). It is a start, however, in the right direction.
There are a number of laws that will affect teenage drivers. One of these will allow the suspension of a teenager's license after he/she has 10 or more consecutive unexcused absences from school. This is an interesting one. If a teenager chose to skip school for 10 days in a row, I suspect that the threat of taking their license is probably the least of their problems--aren't they likely to just drop out at this point?
Teenagers who are taking a classroom drivers education course will also be required to have their parents attend a 90 minute information session about the rules that are unique to teenager drivers and the dangers of drinking and driving. This is already a requirement in Fairfax County. I have sat through it 2 times now and it is a very good program (I expect it will be the same thing). Both times it scared me to death, but I am not sure how much of an impact it had on my teenagers who were just counting the minutes until the judge handed over their permanent license and glancing around to see if any of their friends were present in the courtroom.
For the teen who has had their license suspended, the law has been modified for restricted licenses to allow them to drive to colleges, universities and community colleges. Previously, they could only get an exception for work.
School Suspensions and Expulsions received some attention. A new law will prevent students from being suspended only for truancy or tardiness. There is also a new cyber bullying law and stricter fees for students who lose or damage materials belonging to the school/county/city.
Finally, this last law is not new, however, it is widely unknown to the public (at least the folks I have asked). The law is the Slow Down/Move Over Law and it requires that a driver who is approaching a police officer or emergency vehicle on the side of the road, move over (if it is safe) and provide a full open lane between the driver and the emergency vehicle. I think this is a good idea. I am shocked, however, at how few people are aware of this law and that it carries a fine of $2,500, a maximum of 1 year in jail and is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Wow. And most people in Virginia have never heard of it. Consider yourself warned--I hope it is not too late!
With July upon us, it is time to start figuring out your plans to celebrate Independence Day. One of my favorite places to watch fireworks on the 4th is from a boat on the Potomac River. The Potomac provides an exceptional place from which to view the Fireworks from the National Mall in Washington D.C. The local PBS radio station plays classical music to accompany the display and you can hear it coming from all of the boats anchored on the river. If you haven't had the opportunity to do that, it really is a great experience.
If you are looking for something a little bit simpler to arrange, there are many local communities that are sponsoring Fireworks. Below you will find a partial list of Fireworks displays in the Northern Virginia Area (click on the location name for further information about the event).
1. Lake Fairfax Park , Reston: 1400 Lake Fairfax Dr., Reston, VA. Fireworks begin around 9:15.
2. Herndon Community Center: 814 Ferndale Avenue, Herndon,VA. Fireworks begin around 9:30
3. Fairfax High School, 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax City: , Fireworks begin at dark.
4. Langley High School,McLean,VA: 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLen,VA. Fireworks begin at dark. Sponsored by the McLean Community Center.
5. George Mason High School, Falls Church,VA: 7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church,VA. Live Music begins at 7:00 pm, Fireworks at 9:30
6. Ida Lee Park, Leesburg,VA: Route 15, Gates open at 6:00, Fireworks at 9:30.
7. The Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William Street , Manassas,VA, 20110. Enjoy the 'beach party with live music, boardwalk games, carnival food and fireworks.
Additional locations that will be having fireworks displays in Loudoun County include:
* Franklin Park Fireworks Display—9:30 p.m. (Rain Date: July 5)
* Ashburn Village Fireworks Display—9:30 p.m. (Rain Date: July 5)
* Middleburg Community Center Fireworks Display—Dark (Rain Date: July 5)
* Hillsboro Community Center Fireworks Display—Dark (Rain Date: July 6)
Have a wonderful and safe July 4th holiday!
School has ended, sports are winding down, the rain (may have) temporarily stopped. It is time to get outside and enjoy yourself!
This weekend is the Alexandria Waterfront Festival taking place at Oronoco Bay Park at Oronoco and North Union streets in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. It will run on Saturday from 10 am to 11 pm and on Sunday (remember it is Father's Day!) from 11 am to 5 pm.
There will be a tall ship for the kids to explore, a beer and wine garden, live music, fireworks a dog zone and an Arts Market.
The festival benefits The American Red Cross and is accessible by Metro.
So grab the family and head down to Alexandria!
I still remember the skeptical looks my children gave me the first time I announced we were going out for Indian food. Always adventurous eaters, somehow my husband and I had overlooked introducing our children to this wonderful cuisine earlier in their lives. We have now made up for lost time!
I have a friend who immigrated here from India and figured she would be my best source to find a close-by, high quality Indian restaurant. She told me of a couple, but said her favorite was Angeethi, located on Elden Street in Herndon, Virginia.
Fast forward a couple of years and I would say this restaurant is the number one most requested in our family.
If you have not had a chance to try it, I would highly recommend it. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, the food is wonderful and the staff is attentive. The clientele is a mix of couples out on dates and extended families meeting for dinner. The restaurant can accommodate fairly large parties.
My husband and I also hosted a dinner party that, unfortunately, fell on a weekend when my daughter had a soccer tournament. Rather than miss her games, we had the dinner catered by Angeethi. It was a big success!
I was recently told by my son that they have opened a restaurant in Leesburg,VA and I just saw on their website that they have one in Bethesda, MD, too.
So if you are looking for something a little different to do for dinner, head over to downtown Herndon and give Angeethi a try--I don't think you will be disappointed!
BTW, they deliver, too!
This is the weekend of the Herndon Festival in Herndon, Virginia. Despite some weather challenges on Thursday and Friday, beautiful weather is expected for the rest of the weekend. Get out and enjoy the music, entertainment, rides, food and more!
For more information about the festival, go to my post: Herndon Festival.
I hope that you get a chance to stop by!
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An experienced Associate Broker working in Reston, VA the Northern VA area. I work with with buyers and sellers, specializing in Staging and preparing homes for Sale and helping buyers 'buy green.'
I come from a corporate background; I spent a number of years working in consulting and project management. What does this mean to you? It means that you will receive my undivided attention and that details, large and small, will not fall through the cracks. It means that I value you your business and look forward to having you as a repeat client. My focus is on becoming your permanent REALTOR. You don't regularly change accountants or dentists--you shouldn't have to find a new Realtor for each real estate transaction!
I also believe that continuing education is a critical component of good service. I am an Associate Broker, an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), a Graduate of the Realtors Institute (GRI), an EcoBroker (specializing in buying and selling GREEN homes) an e-pro (technical training to meet the needs of my clients) and an Accredited Staging Professional--Realtor (to assist you in preparing your home to sell quickly and for the most money).
I work throughout Northern Virginia, from Arlington to Leesburg, marketing homes and assisting buyers with their purchases. Let me help you find both a house that suits your needs and a community that you will love. Not only do I live in the area (specifically in North Reston), but I grew up here, too!
If you are looking for a Green home, take advantage of my EcoBroker training to learn how to identify those features that will help you to save money. As a seller, my assistance and advice in helping you to prepare your home for sale is second to none. I am an Accredited Staging Professional Realtor, but I also have keen eye for what is important to buyers. My husband is a builder and works with me to provide contracting resources for my clients to get their homes ready for marketing economically and quickly.
1. "Holly Weatherwax is an outstanding REALTOR®. She was very supportive during the sale of my home and my transition to a new state. She is extremely creative, determined, and responsible in all facets of the home sale process. She even made me feel calm at times which says a lot considering selling a home is one of life's most stressful activities. I wouldn't hesitate to ask Holly to be our REALTOR® again in the future. You get the "best" when you have Holly working for you."
Delight, Middleton, WI
2. "My husband and first met Holly by looking at a single-family home she had listed. We inquired about the home, met with Holly and were very impressed by her. Soon we realized, we not only wanted to buy this home, but also have Holly sell ours! We chose not to bring in another REALTOR® putting Holly in the unique situation where she had to wear multiple hats in representing her existing clients and now us. She handled it flawlessly and in a very professional manner. She made herself available to us at all hours, made checklists with timelines to get everything accomplished for closing and most of all, made us feel at ease. Every detail was taken care of we had complete trust in her from our initial meeting, which carried through to the end of our buying and selling experience. I think this is what makes Holly exceptional."
Catherine D'Reaux,
3. "We were so pleased with the way in which Holly Weatherwax completely handled every detail involved in the sale of our Reston home. The way is which she packaged our home to get it ready for the sale, marketed our home, handled open houses, offers for sale and even the closing was professional thorough, attentive and caring. Holly handled every aspect of this sale so completely that we were never overwhelmed or stressed. She made the sale of our home easier and more enjoyable than we could have imagined."
Stacey and Ray T., McLean, VA
4. "I wish to provide a reference for Holly Weatherwax, whom I retained as our REALTOR®. To begin, a written reference cannot express strongly enough the satisfaction my wife and felt through our house purchasing process. It was a privilege to have Holly represent us with exceptional service and integrity.
I have purchased many different homes in the last 20 years in 4 different states. Having used a different realtor with each home purchase, I have had a chance to see many different styles and approaches. While some of the realtors were good...I never felt a strong commitment to use any REALTOR again, until now. Without a doubt, I would use Holly Weatherwax again to sell and or buy another house in the Northern Virginia area."
Clifford Samodurov, Principal, Innovative Benefits Solutions
5. "Holly was a great resource for me in buying my home in Reston last year. She was patient, prepared and thoughful, carefully considering my situation and family needs before showing me a house, responding to my inquiries or suggesting alternatives. Holly was great to work with, wonderfully experienced and possesive of a great blend of real world practicality and shrewd business sense. Whether she was helping you negotiate a transaction or discussing a homes potential (or, importantly, lack thereof), Holly was there for me as a great resource and I am most grateful."
Don Caron, Reston, Va
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