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 [email protected].
Happy Holidays Vienna!
Every year I love driving around and looking for the best holiday lights to tell you about. Now we have a lot of very, very pretty white light displays and tastefully decorated homes around town… however, this isn’t what this list is about. The map I make every year is for my Clark Griswold loving neighbors who go the extra mile during the holiday season.
So please enjoy the 2023 map I’ve created for you of the best holiday light displays around Vienna.
Did I miss one?
Please email me and I’ll be happy to add it to the map so everyone can enjoy!
If you’re looking for something extra magical to add to your Christmas Eve plans, there are several streets in Vienna that line the road with luminarias like seen from Kingsley Road SE in the first image of the gallery below.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
Yesterday was amazing! I was at a loss for words yesterday when I saw the amount of people who showed up and how much food was donated to Food for Others.
I told my boys last night to let this be a lesson to everyone that one person, with one idea, can impact others and your community in massive ways.
We packed 6 large SUVs with completed Power Packs, and then when we ran out of the meals, we filled the cars with all of the other food that was brought. I can’t explain to you how much food was brought and how grateful Gina, Lauren and I are for the community coming out in this way and this size.
We’ll be donating the food today (Dec.11) where they’ll weigh everything and we’ll have a final total to share.
In case you don’t know, Power Packs are bags of food that kids get in their backpacks at school on Friday so they have food to eat over the weekend. Food insecurity happens everywhere and there are several schools in Vienna and surrounding areas that benefit from this program. If you’d like to donate directly to them, please do so here.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
Did you know that the county has many resources available for residents to use — for free? I wanted to highlight some of them for you so you’re aware of these resources:
Planner of the Day
A Fairfax County planning division employee is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer calls and questions. Questions like “Can I build a garage? Can I put on an addition?”; questions about a permit application, or historic resources. The county has a person for those answers. Check out this website to find the correct phone number or email address.
- This can be especially helpful when looking at houses to buy and making sure you can do what you want. *Don’t forget if you’re in the Town of Vienna, there’s an additional layer to work through.
Animal Adoptions
Fairfax County has multiple shelters if you’re looking to adopt a dog, cat or small animal. You can learn more about these shelters here.
Car Seat Safety Checks
I hated installing/moving car seats. If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I love the car wash and with all of the crumbs that toddlers make, I was removing the car seat regularly. If you’re unsure if you’ve installed the car seat correctly, Fairfax County Police have safety checks to ease your worry!
Neighborhood Information
If you’re looking to get into the weeds with information on neighborhoods, the county also has some great resources for data. You can check out their mapping features and community profiles.
Mental Health Assessments
This time of year is hard, for so many people and for so many different reasons. The county has a walk-in clinic at 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Parkway, Fairfax that’s open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. to help with mental health services.
Town of Vienna Resources
The town of 2 thermal cameras that attach to your phone to take thermal photos of your walls, doors and windows to see how well insulated it is.
Leaf Collection
The Town of Vienna includes leaf collection by way of vacuum if you rake or blow your leaves to the curb. There’s a map of the streets they do so you can try to time their visit.
Tree Arborist
The Town used to offer an arborist to residents to check on the health of your trees. However that staffing position is currently vacant, but we hope they fill that spot soon!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
It’s hard to believe we’re just a month away from entering 2024.
This time of year goes by in the blink of an eye between all the times happening. If you’re trying to decide where to spend your time and energy, here’s a breakdown of happenings around town for the remainder of the year so you can pick and choose what you want to prioritize!
Tonight (Nov. 27): Church Street Stroll
The fun starts at 6 p.m. Bundle up because it’s cold today! Santa will arrive on his firetruck to light the town tree, there’s live music, he generally sits on the porch at the Freeman Store if you want photos or a meet-n-greet. There are crafts at Vienna Presbyterian Church and hot chocolate. The town will also set up firepits on each block of Church Street with free marshmallows for roasting. There’s a list of business specials from participating stores along Church Street. Find the full list here, but favorites include free warm and sweat treats along the way, plus a free social media-sized digital photo from Melody Yazdani Studios (this is a HUGE opportunity), also free pet photos with Santa at Vienna Pet Spaw.
Saturday, December 2
- Cookies with Santa at the Vienna Community Center: This event is already sold out, but there is a waitlist you can hop on. For future information, you can sign up on Webtrac next year under Special Events. Tickets are $5/person.
Letters to Santa: Drop box at the Vienna Community Center Lobby (or you can mail it to the Vienna Parks and Recreation). Letters must be received by TOMORROW November 28 to guarantee a letter back from Santa.
Saturday, December 9
- Breakfast with Santa at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department: Breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon, with tickets being sold at the door (pre-sale tickets were available but they’re sold out now). The tip with this is that 8 a.m. is usually the least busiest time — so all of you with early risers, go take advantage! Breakfast includes pancakes, bacon, sausage, orange juice and coffee.
Santa Claus Runs with the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department
An annual tradition you should definitely take note of! Follow along as Santa visits each part of Vienna beginning on Friday December 15th. You can follow his route on Twitter at @VVFDSanta and this year the map is so much easier to decode! If you hear a loud siren and blaring music, that must mean Santa is close.
Sunday, December 10 at 11 a.m. at the Vienna Moose Lodge
Power Pack Event to benefit Food for Others. Great opportunity to get kids involved in giving back. You can bring food and help donate the weekend bags of food. Find more info here.
Thursday, December 14 at 5 p.m. at Mosaic District
Community Menorah Lighting with the JCC of Northern Virginia, between Shake Shack and West Elm. There will be candle lighting, sing along, dreidel games, and other entertainment.
James Madison High School Band Tiny Tots Concert
An interactive annual event that features music, characters and costumes, which is really fun for little kids. Many go in holiday PJS. Get tickets online. Thursday, November 30 at 10 a.m., 7 p.m., or Friday, December 1 at 10 a.m.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
My family is coming into town for Thanksgiving and the only thing worse than being judged by your own family is being judged by your in-laws. Am I right?
This morning I went to throw in a load of laundry and thought, I haven’t cleaned the detergent dish in a while, and sure enough, it was gross (also, being judged by the internet is fine with me). So please heed this as your reminder to check out those commonly used and often neglected spaces!
Washer (detergent area and pump filter)
Refrigerator filter — you can easily just vacuum this, but easier if you take it off.
- Sink drains (pull out hair)
- Humidifier filters (often get moldy because people forget to change them)
- Under your stove
- Toilet seat lid screws (boy moms especially can understand this one)
Two products I recommend:
Don’t let your in-laws judge you!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
Around this time of year, I always look for opportunities to give my kids opportunities to give back to our community.
We do Red Bag all year round, but the holidays bring a whole new set of opportunities. Most places require kids be at least 12 years old, so instead of wishing there were more ways to get them involved, I created one.
Food for Others is a local organization that provides food to our neighbors in need. They have a specific program called Power Packs, which provides weekend meal packs for students experiencing food insecurity. The program currently serves 45 schools and roughly 3,594 students each week. Vienna schools included in this program are Fairhill Elementary School, Freedom Hill Elementary School, Louise Archer Elementary School, Shrevewood Elementary School, and Thoreau Middle School.
What is a power pack?
- 2 Breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners and 2 snacks
How can you get involved?
- Join us on Sunday, December 10 at 11 a.m. at the Vienna Moose Lodge to bring food to donate and/or stay and help pack the bags
- We can sign off if kids need volunteer hours for middle or high schoolers
- Could be a great food drive if a team, cub scouts, girl scouts, etc. want to collect food donations
- There is an Amazon Wish List if you’d like to donate but can’t attend
- If you’re local and want to donate food, I am also more than happy to come by and pick it up. Please just message me!
What we need:
Breakfast: Oatmeal Packets, Individual Cereal Boxes, Granola Bars (NO PEANUT BUTTER), Nutri Grain Bars
Lunch/Dinner: Chili Cups, Mac and Cheese Cups, Tuna/Chicken Salad Kits, Chef Boyardee Meals
Snacks: Fruit Cups In Juice (No syrup and NO TINFOIL Lids), Cheese & Crackers, Granola Bars, Fruit Snacks, Dried Fruit
Drinks: 100% Fruit Juice, Capri Sun Juice Boxes, Shelf Stable Milk
Note: Do NOT include peanut butter, candy, pop-tarts, Vienna Sausages, glass containers, high sugar items, apple sauce cups with tinfoil lids or bottled water.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
I saw this viral video on Instagram about a family who swaps candy for a toy for a kid which apparently people had strong feelings about. In our house, there’s of course a “Dad Tax” on 100 grand bars that the kids bring home, but there’s always a bunch of stuff that either I hate for them or they don’t like. One of my kids doesn’t even like most of the candy unless it’s going to stick to his teeth and guarantee a cavity (thank goodness for good dental insurance). If you’re like us, and Halloween candy can last a year in your pantry, why not do something good with it instead?
Here are some places to donate candy this year:
Treats for Troops: Drop off any candy from now until November 8th at Caboose Commons (2918 Eskridge Rd, Fairfax – the Mosaic one!) and they’ll work with the Kiwanis Club to ship it to the troops!*
Ghaffari Orthodontics: Drop off candy this week and they’ll be donating it to local churches. 100 Church St NE (Corner of Church and Center St).
Tisseront Orthodontics: The 16th Annual Halloween Candy Buy Back — candy at $2 a pound with $1 going towards Children’s National in D.C. All candy collected is sent to the US Armed Forces overseas. Taking place Monday, Nov. 6 from 1-5 p.m.
Through the Heart: This amazing organization creates comfort kits to parents who experience pregnancy loss. You can drop off candy through November 15th at their location in Edgewater, MD or my colleague at 109 S Pitt St Alexandria. If you’d like to donate to this organization but can’t get to Alexandria, please reach out to me and I’ll come pick it up and drop it off for you.
Also don’t forget about the Little Free Pantry by the Emmaus United Church on Maple Ave, and the one on Moore Ave by Wesley United Methodist Church.
*As of November 4 they are at capacity. Additional Treats for Troops locations are still open.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
I’ve had the honor of writing this column for Tysons Reporter and now FFXnow since 2018. For years I’ve been writing about events, places you should know, tips for parents, some real estate related content, and small business highlights.
As we approach the end of year, I’d love to hear from you about what you’d like to see more (or less) of in this column. The content is for your enjoyment and benefit so I’d love to share more of what you want.
Here’s an easy poll if you want to weigh in, but if you have specific questions or suggestions please email me at [email protected] or comment on the post.
I’m always open to feedback!
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Don’t forget this Wednesday, October 25 is the Town of Vienna Halloween Parade. For my tips on attending, read this post from 2022.
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
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.
Lots of you have mortgage rates under 4%, which is amazing, but there are still ways to save even more money.
- Pay an extra $100 per payment. That might take YEARS off your 30 year loan and significantly reduce your overall interest cost on your loan. Pro tip: make sure you designate that it’s a payment towards your principal or they may just apply it towards interest which is not the goal here.
- If you have a loan with an interest rate under 5%, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to refinance for a lower rate. However, for those of you who bought in 2022 or beyond — keep an eye on rates or reach out to your loan officer about when you should plan to refinance. There are usually costs associated with refinances, so make sure the expenses don’t outweigh the savings (it’s a cost analysis for how long you plan to stay in the house and how many months you’ll need to pay in order to recoup your closing costs). I know of a lender offering credit towards a future refi if you buy now, which will save you money down the road.
- If you put down less than 20% when you bought, you likely have mortgage insurance you’re paying monthly. Prices have continued to increase so you’ll want to pay attention to market value. You can get a new appraisal done and if the current value of your home has gone up enough, where your loan balance hits 80% of the value, you can ask your lender to get rid of your MI payment, otherwise they wait until you’ve paid enough to hit 78% of your loan value. Nobody will look out for your money like you.
If you want a market analysis on your home (general ballpark) to see if you can get out of your mortgage insurance, reach out. I offer a free assessment of value on your home and have a program that will aggregate your neighborhood sales for you to watch.
Just email me if you’d like to receive it (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually).
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
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 [email protected].
I’ll admit — I don’t like scary movies, I don’t like scary haunted houses, but when I was a kid in my hometown of Slingerlands, New York the fire department always did an awesome Halloween event where kids could go to a haunted house and younger kids could bob for apples, do crafts, bounce house, donuts, and other activities for more candy.
It’s one of my fondest memories of my neighborhood. That’s why I LOVE the Vienna Halloween parade. But this year, I wanted to expand what I share with you.
You can read my annual list of Vienna Parade tips here. Full Disclosure: I haven’t verified the decorations from last year and whether they will be up again, but if you want to drop an address in the comments section, I’m sure everyone would appreciate it! This year Weichert is doing a Trunk or Treat in the back parking lot from 6-7 p.m. before the parade.
That said, did you know we have Ghost tours around the D.C. area? I knew this was a Boston thing, but turns out, we have several in the area too:
- Old Town Alexandria Ghost Tour: A walking tour operating since 1985! Led by a costumed guide with a lantern light, you get a ghost tour of Old Town.
- DC Ghosts: A walking tour featuring 8-12 stories from the D.C. history books.
Here’s another resource that features more haunted/ghost tours.
Meadowlark Botanical Garden is doing a Halloween Scavenger Hunt on October 21 through October 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dog O’Ween is taking place Saturday, November 4 at Shipgarten from 1-6 p.m.
Flagship Carwash is having a Car Wash of Doom event. Tickets are available online or in-person, now through October 28.
The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton has a “Haunt” trail this month, including Sensory Friendly times on October 15 (6:30-7:15 p.m.) for kids who want to experience it without the strong sounds and lights.
Also, word on the street is that the Vienna Halloween Horror house is coming back for 2023! Follow their Facebook page for information.
Regardless of how you spend the night, remember Vienna trick or treaters always go out on October 31st — school night or not!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
