Pat Fenn

One of the things that many buyers consider when they are buying a home in a new neighborhood is where am I going to shop? If Lake Ridge in Prince William County one of the neighborhoods on your list the answer to that question is easy. Shopping centers are scattered throughout the community and there is the huge Potomac Mills Mall just a few miles away.

When you first enter the Lake Ridge area driving west on Old Bridge Road you will encounter Tacketts Mill Shopping Center. The Safeway grocery store is the anchor tenant in Tacketts Mill. One of the most popular spots is the drive through Dunkin Donuts where commuters can fuel up before grabbing the bus at the nearby commuter lot. You can also build your own dinners for the week at Dream Dinners or cheat and grab a sub at Quizno's.

Lake Ridge Commons is a few more miles west and has a Giant grocery store and the all important Starbucks. If you haven't found what you need at either of the first two shopping centers then stop at Festival Shopping Center and Bloom grocery store. While at the Festival Shopping Center you can also chow down on a Philly Cheese Steak at Jerry's Pizza and Subs and then work it off at Gold's Gym.

The last shopping center in Lake Ridge is the Glen at the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Prince William Parkway. Here shoppers will find a Super Giant, Panera Bread and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Having a selection of shopping opportunities that Lake Ridge offers within its boundaries is unusual. Add to these shopping centers, you can go less than 10 miles in a number of directions and hit other shopping centers including a Harris Teeter grocery store and Wegmans too.

If you are looking for a neighborhood with plenty of conveniences then Lake Ridge in Prince William County should be at the top of your list.

It doesn't matter how many times you move each time seems to bring a new set of challenges. Often the move just across town is the hardest as you think maybe I'll just throw the little things in my car and not worry about wrapping them up. It never fails that is the time you have to hit your brakes and everything goes flying.

One of the most important things you can do when you are getting ready for a move is to create a move checklist. If you are undertaking a "Do it yourself" move start scouring your local Craig's List for free moving supplies. You might be surprised to find everything you need, except perhaps the tape available for you to pick up close by.

Start clearing out your closets and bookshelves of any items that you no longer wear or books you no longer read. Remember that every box you pack is either one you have to move yourself or if you are hiring professional movers adds to the weight of your shipment and adds up in dollars.

Make sure that you have a special place in your home set aside for important papers. You don't want those to go in your moving truck, especially on a long distance move. Insurance papers, medical records, bank and credit card information and medications all needs to go with you. If you have a pet don't forget their papers as well.

Create a special box for your first night in your new home. A clean set of sheets, the always important toilet paper, paper towels and any other necessities you might need and don't want to spend hours looking for in the chaos of a move.

These are just a few simple steps to get your started.


If you find yourself facing a move either locally or across the country give Cindy Jones and CJ Realty Group a call at 703-346-2213. Let our personal and professional experience with relocation help make your next move a smooth transition..

If you live in the Woodbridge VA area head to the Stonebridge Shopping Center and across for Wegmans you will find a nice treat, Zoes Kitchen.

After studying the menu, which includes sandwiches, soups, salads and hot entrees, I settled on the chicken rollups with two sides. It was delivered to my table and I was not disappointed. The no-mayo potato salad is a nice change from the usual overly moist potato salad you usually get as a side at other restaurants.

Besides serving food in the restaurant Zoes Kitchen also caters. f you are tired of the same old sandwich trays from the big box store then you should call 703-580-4408 to talk about what you need.

Within walking distance of the Potomac Club neighborhood, only a few blocks from INOVA Potomac Hospital and with easy access off of Neabsco Mills Rd I'm going to bet that Zoes Kitchen will keep their brightly colored tables full.

Check it out.

Zoes Kitchen
14901 Potomac Town Place
Woodbridge, VA 22191
11am-9pm Sunday - Thursday
11am-9:30pm Friday & Saturday

If you haven't been stationed in Northern Virginia before one of the first things that you want to become familiar with are all the different commuting options available. Depending on the neighborhood you may have the option for an express bus, a metro ride, VRE or slug line. Many who "slug" in the morning take a bus home in the evening, so you are not stuck with just one choice of how to come and go.

Once you have an idea of your commuting options then we can take a closer look at some of the Fairfax County neighborhoods that have always been popular with military personnel. This tour takes you down Old Keene Mill Road one of the main throughfares in Springfield.

One of those neighborhoods is the tree lined neighborhood of Cardinal Forest located in West Springfield. With well maintained homes spread out on large lots, the ability to walk to Accotink Park and express Metro bus (18G) service to the Pentagon this area has been a prime location since it was built in the late 1960's.

Just around the corner is the townhouse community of Charlestown. Built to reflect Colonial Williamsburg the all brick homes are well maintained by the homeowners and the association. The HOA is responsible for all of the exterior maintenance of the homes, including a three year paint cycle for trim, brick courtyard walls, roofs, front yard mowing and trash removal.

Just as with Cardinal Forest you can walk to all of the same recreation, shopping and commuting options. The largest model town houses the Concord and Hermatage have 2500 square feet of living space on three levels.

The final stop on this tour down Keene Mill Road is the neighborhood of Orange Hunt Estates. Orange Hunt also is on a direct bus line to the Pentagon and is only minutes away from one of the major slug lines and connector bus points in the area. Just like Cardinal Forest the homes in Orange Hunt Estates sit on large tree lined lots and have been maintained well over the years by the owners.

All of these neighborhoods are part of the West Springfield HS Pyramid.

So if you are looking for affordable neighborhoods in Fairfax County with loads of commuting options to the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir or other military bases in the area, consider these terrific neighborhoods.

Driving into the small town of Clifton VA you expect to find ladies in long skirts shielding their faces with parasols and you might during historic Clifton Day but the rest of the time you find a great place to live, eat and shop. With only 200 residents within the town boundaries it is smaller than most planned communities in Fairfax County.

As with most of Northern Virginia, Clifton was the scene of numerous battles during the civil war and due to the railroad was a strategic location for the Union Army to set up camp. After the civil war the town survived, where others did not, with the ingenuity of the citizens who took advantage of the railway location and opened hotels, salons and restaurants. Over the years the town "grew" and eventually in 1925 Clifton became the first town in Fairfax County to have electricity.





Today the Town of Clifton has its own Mayor and town council and boasts one of the best collections of historic homes in the area. Even though Clifton "proper" is only one quarter mile in size the main street has numerous sites to see. The Homestead built in 1771, the Harris House built in 1850, the Mayhugh Tavern built in 1870, and the Clifton Baptist Church built in 1876 are all still in use today.

A few times a year Clifton is over-run by tourists for the Spring Garden Tour (April), the Clifton Wine Festival (September), Clifton Day (October), and Holiday Candlelight Tour (December). The rest of the year anyone who knows the area or discovers it by accident, finds a peaceful town with a General Store, antique shops and one of the best local restaurants around, the Heart and Hand.

If you are looking to get off the beaten path in Fairfax County then take the winding drive down Clifton Road and see what you will discover in the Town of Clifton.