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A half-a-million crystal andcolored lights set Meadow-lark Gardens aglow in thesecond Winter Walk ofLights. Tickets are timed.

Tysons PlanDebatedNews, Page 3

Warrior Canine ConnectionCelebrates First GraduationNews, Page 4

Tysons PlanDebatedNews, Page 3

Warrior Canine ConnectionCelebrates First GraduationNews, Page 4

2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 11-17, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Andrea Worker

The Connection

Would you send your teenag-ers to school or put them-behind the wheel after al-lowing them to down two or

three alcoholic beverages? Hopefully not.But the effect of sleep deprivation on theaverage adolescent has been shown to beimpairment equal to – if not more than -just that amount of alcohol. And more andmore parents, teachers, school authorities,doctors, and many others increasingly agreethat the sleep-deprived state is the planeon which the majority of our kids exist to-day. One way to help them catch a few morehours of sleep per week is to delay theschool start time.

You would think that a small change inthe start times of Fairfax County highschools – from 7:20 a.m. to 8 a.m. or a bitafter - would be a relatively simple thing toenact. Like Captain Picard aboard theStarship Enterprise, why can’t the PowersThat Be simply command “Make it so,” andthat would be the end of it? “There’s a hugeripple effect to be considered,” explainedPatricia Reed, Fairfax County Public Schools(FCPS) Board Member, Providence District,to a small gathering last Monday night atFrost Middle School in Fairfax, organizedby a partnership of PTAs and the foundersof Start Later for Excellence in EducationProposal (SLEEP). Reed is a supporter ofthe delayed start times and sympathizedwith the frustration being expressed by theassembled parents and other stakeholders.

There was lots of head nodding and mur-murs of agreement when Mantua residentShannon Murphy asked questions like,“How much of the decision to move forwardis based on transportation issues and ex-pense? On budget shortfalls?” and “Why canother counties like Arlington and Loudounstart later, but Fairfax is taking years to getto the same place?”

Reed and her fellow Board Member,Megan McLaughlin (Braddock District) ad-dressed the audience for almost an hour,while awaiting the arrival of the evening’skey guest speaker, renowned sleep author-ity Dr. Judith Owens, Director of Sleep Medi-cine and Children’s National Medical Cen-ter in DC, and the head of the consultingcollaborative contracted by FCPS to studythe proposed new start times and provideworkable solutions for their enactment. Bothcould not have spoken more passionately onthe topic. “As Dr. Owens will elaborate upon,”stated McLaughlin, “our sleep deprived kidsare a quiet health crisis in Fairfax County.”

McLaughlin and Reed gave a succinct, andoften brutally honest, history of the move-ment toward delayed start times in thecounty. “Even though the vast majority sup-ports later start times, when we presentedthe final proposal for implementation in2009, almost everyone protested, eventhose most in favor of the idea,” admittedMcLaughlin, “and the change was ulti-mately voted down. Some people took thatto mean that later start times weren’twanted, but that wasn’t the case. The solu-tions that were presented at the time wereflawed, didn’t take into account all of theobstacles or solicit enough input from theparents, teachers, administrators, transpor-tations providers, and all of the others whowould be affected by the change.”

“So what will give this attempt a greaterchance of success than the 2009 effort?”

asked a number of the attendees, almost inunison.

ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE is thechange in the makeup of the Board since thattime, as well as the arrival of new Superin-tendent of Schools, Dr. Karen Garza. “I amreally hopeful that we will get this done,”said McLaughlin, “and Dr. Garza has shownreal support for this change.” The gatheringshared her enthusiasm, but expressed dis-may when warned that a county-wide roll-out probably wouldn’t happen in time forthe start of the 2014-2015 school season,although McLaughlin expressed confidencethat some sort of limited implementationcould possibly be ready by then. “In the end,it may not be a one-size fits all solution forevery district and every school, given thedifferences in the communities throughoutour county,” said Board Member Reed.

“We are taking into account transporta-tion issues, athletic programs, daycare con-cerns, students who work after school, even

the amount of homework our students aregiven,” said Reed. Dr. Owens, her team andher collaborators hope to present their“Blueprint for Change” to the Superinten-dent and the Board sometime in January of2014. Reed and McLaughlin did not pro-vide specifics, but spoke to some of the bar-riers that are being addressed. “No doubtyou have all been hearing about our bud-get shortfall, so cost is always a consider-ation. But there are ways and means to findthe money,” stated McLaughlin. “We aretalking a serious threat to our children’shealth and welfare. We need to get moreserious about finding the means.”

Shannon Murphy and several others com-plained of bus stops where there are no stu-dents to collect, and others where it takesseveral weeks at the start of each school yearfor a bus to consistently collect. “They sayFairfax County runs the second largest fleetof buses after Greyhound,” notedMcLaughlin, “so I know there are some prob-lems we need to work on.” Several audiencemembers responded that the county shouldconsider contracting transportation to Grey-hound, or even to FedEx as companiesknown for their ability to provide efficientrouting and logistics on a large scale.

Teacher morale, the perception of toomuch administrative work versus teachingtime, and other transportation disconnects– like Woodson students getting out ofschool at 2:05 p.m. but having to wait until3 p.m. for sports practice to begin weresome of the other topics that Reed andMcLaughlin gamely tackled from the audi-ence before Dr. Owens took the floor.

Dr. Owens, the author of over 100 researchand review articles, chapters and books onthe topic of pediatric sleep, highlighted thework of her consulting team, then provided

Reasons to Start Later❖ Districts with start times like ours have

significantly higher teen car crash rates.❖ 1 in 4 Fairfax teens suffers from symptoms of

depression.❖ 2 in 3 Fairfax teens are severely sleep deprived

(lose 2 or more hours of sleep every schoolnight).

❖ More than 1,000 Fairfax students dropped out ofhigh school in 2011-12.

❖ Transportation experts have modeled no-cost andlow-cost approaches that retain safe, daylightbus stops for elementary students.

❖ Teens with later school start times do get moresleep. This advantage adds up to almost onemonth of sleep gained by the end of the schoolyear.

Adequate sleep improves learning, memory,mood, and performance in school, sports, andother activities

Information from the Start Later For Excel-lence in Education Proposal (SLEEP)(www.sleepinfairfax.org for references andresearch)

For Whom The [School] Bell TollsSchool district workstoward later start timesfor high schools.

From left: Fairfax County Public Schools Board Members Patricia Reed(Providence District) and Megan McLaughlin (Braddock District) at-tended the meeting at Frost Middle School to update the community onFCPS’s goal to bring later start times to the region’s high schools. Bothare ardent supporters of the plan.

From left: Dr. Judith Owens, MD, MPH, D’ABSM is the Director of SleepMedicine for Children’s National Medical Center and heads the consult-ant group contracted by Fairfax County Public Schools to study the laterstart times and to present cost-effective scenarios for implementing thechange. She is joined by Monica Cameron, Frost PTA President, LisaRoss, Woodson Pyramid Coordinator, and Phyllis Payne, co-founder ofStart Later for Excellence in Education Proposal (SLEEP).

See SLEEP, Page 5

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Connection

Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 11-17, 2013 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Jean T. Jianos

The Connection

With a little help fromher friends, GreatFalls resident Gin-

ger Mahon, founder of TheWish List Project, has taken TheWish List high-tech. A Wish List“Angel,” donor Lissa Perez, as-sisted Mahon with buildingonline sign up capability for The2013 Wish ListProject on thewebsite “SignUpGenius.” Perez isa Great Falls resi-dent and partnerat Deloitte & Tou-che, LLP.

Now Wish ListAngels are sentemail invitationsand the link tosign up for any ofthe holiday giftitems requestedby families inarea shelters andteens in FairfaxCounty fostercare. In her emailannouncing thenew online capa-bility, Mahonsays,

“This year (our14th year makinga difference!) willbring a new andexciting way forALL to see theWish List re-quests, chooseand donate. Youwill receive all the information:easy to share with family,friends and office mates withjust a ‘click’ using SignUp Ge-nius link . . . YOU are going tomake this an amazing year forchildren and families in needthis holiday!”

Once again, The Wish ListProject is part of Paisano’s“Share the Pie” campaign.Paisano’s “Pizza, Pasta, Subs,Strombolis, Wings & More,”with locations in Reston, Viennaand Herndon, will donate 10percent of any order on Sunday,

Dec. 15 that mentions “TheWish List.” 100 percent of do-nations will go directly to TheWish List.

Another Wish List Angel anddonor of the past 14 years,Patrick Devlin of Great Falls, hasalready delivered bins that areready and waiting for the do-nated gifts that will be dropped-off no later than Saturday, Dec.14.

The visual impact of theonline list re-emphasizes theenormous need that The WishList has fulfilled for the past 14years, benefiting over 325 giftrecipients last year. The list ofgifts already pledged is impres-sive, but there are items re-quested by families and fosterteens still to be selected and do-nated. You really don’t have tobe a genius, just generous. Con-tact Mahon [email protected] for theemail invitation andsignupgenius.com link.

Being a Wish List “Angel” easierthan ever before in 14 yearhistory of The Wish List Project.

The 2013 Wish List Project sign upon signupgenius.com is a user-friendly way to donate holiday giftitems requested by families in areashelters and teens in Fairfax Countyfoster care.

Online Launch for2013 Wish List Project

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By Russ Ugone

The Connection

As part of the Tysons PlanAmendment Process, a fol-low-up meeting on Dec. 4

was held by the Fairfax CountyPlanning Staff with the public atFreedom Hill Elementary School.The purpose of the meeting wasto discuss proposed changes toPhase 1 of the Tysons Plan. Imple-mentation of the Tysons Develop-ment Plan began in 2010, after a5 year planning process. Areassuch as Ballston and Rosslyn wereused as models when the plan wasbeing developed. Construction atTysons is expected to be completedin the year 2050 when Tysons willbe home to 100,000 residents and200,000 jobs.

Matthew Ladd, Senior Planner,Planning Division, Fairfax County,said that “this was the first of threemeetings on recommendationsfrom the public to the 2010 TysonsDevelopment Plan.” He added that“the recommendations would begrouped into three phases, LandUse, Transportation and Parks, andPublic Facilities.” Fairfax Countyplanners will hold separate meet-ings with the public to discuss theresults of examining each phase’srecommendations in order to seekcomments on proposed changes.Final decisions on amendment tothe Plan will be made by the Boardof Supervisors in 2015.

AT THIS MEETING, three rec-ommendations and outcomes per-taining to Land Use were covered.The first recommendation per-tained to increasing the densitylevel over what was planned foroffice space development. Basedon comments received from thepublic sector, the Board of Super-visors asked for a study. As a re-sult, the Board approved new lan-guage that was added to theTysons Plan which wouldstrengthen the monitoring on in-frastructure and funding progressduring the construction phase.This progress reporting processwould allow for future changesthat would be needed to comple-ment the Tysons plan; for example,a funding plan that tracks with

growth. David Roberts, a Viennaresident, said that “the TysonsDevelopment was happening in anartificial manner,” explaining that“cities normally grow because ofneed, but here at Tysons, busi-nesses got together and decided tobuild the city first.” Rob Whitfield,a Reston resident, added that “theoccupied office space at Tysons isat the same level it was 13 yearsago.” He also expressed concernthat all available county resourcesare going to the Tysons area, es-pecially when there are needs forparking at the other Silver LineMetro stations. The second recom-mendation pertained to addingdensity at the Circulator Routestops. Ladd said that “while thegoal is to have as much growth aspossible at the metro stations, thisrecommendation was not adoptedat this time.” The plan calls for ahigh-quality bus service to connectthe Tysons Metro Stations. Cur-rently, 95 percent of the traffic atTysons is vehicle traffic and thePlan seeks to increase public trans-portation. Laura Abbot, a Viennaresident, commented that therewill be a need for public transpor-tation since there will be no park-ing at the Tysons stations. She wasalso concerned with the cost ofsuch a Circulator Route, and said

that “the prior Circulator bus hadvery low ridership and was fundedby taxpayers.” Some of the resi-dents in attendance said thattransportation and funding werekey issues and that it comes downto who will pay for these services,taxpayers or developers.

The third recommendation wasto separate calculations for Afford-able Workforce Housing by distin-guishing between calculations forcondominiums (for sale units) ver-sus rental units.

THE TYSONS PLAN calls for re-serving 20 percent of the resi-dences for “affordable andworkforce housing.” This languageto separate calculations was notadded to the plan.

At the conclusion of the meet-ing, Whitfield reiterated an over-all recommendation for a fiscalplan that showed total costs andsources of such funds. The audi-ence was in agreement, and theCounty planners stated that theywould take this recommendationback to the Board of Supervisors.Dates for the remaining two meet-ings were not available at thistime. To learn more about the planfor Tysons and the proposedamendments, visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/tysons.

Tysons Plan DebatedFollow-updialogue withCounty staffon Phase I,Land Use.

Suzianne Zottl, Revitalization Program Manager, andMatthew Ladd, Senior Planner, Planning Division, FairfaxCounty.

Vienna residents David Roberts and Laura Abbot.

Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

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News

See Graduation, Page 8

By Susan Belford

The graduation cer-emony was like everyother commencement. It included a

graduation speaker, honoredguests, the National Anthem, aninvocation and a crowd of specta-tors cheering as the grads tooktheir places on stage. They wereproud to have just completed theirschooling and ready to enter thenext phase of their lives, meetmore challenges and discover newhorizons.These honored graduatesare five assistance dogs namedNavi, Ron, Cadence, Birdie andGabe. After 2 and a half years,these service dogs have masteredthe required skills and intuition tobecome the best friend and part-ners of Wounded Warriors. Thecanine graduates also representthe success of the Wounded War-rior teams who trained them fortheir fellow Wounded Warriorsand the puppy parent volunteerswho cared for them in theirhomes.

The Warrior Canine Connection(WCC) is part of the National In-trepid Center of Excellence(NICoE) at Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to thediagnosis, clinical care and re-search of Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI) as well as to the psychologi-cal conditions that affect ServiceMembers and their families.Therapists at NICoE have discov-

ered that teaching service mem-bers and veterans with combatstress to train service dogs for theirfellow Wounded Warriors hasshown promise as being therapeu-tic for the Warrior-trainers.

At the graduation, Rick Yountexplained how WCC began: “It

started about 18 years ago, whentwo friends were concerned aboutanother friend and decided to givea very thoughtful, caring gift of agolden retriever puppy. I was therecipient of that puppy at thetime.” He was working with fos-ter children and families and of-

ten took the puppy, Gabe, to workwith him. Soon he realized thatthis “very special dog” was help-ing his clients deal with the traumain their lives. He was struck withan “a –ha” moment that wouldchange his life — and the lives ofWounded Warriors.

In 2008, he created a servicedog-training program to addresssymptoms of Post Traumatic StressDisorder (PTSD) and TBI in vet-erans and service members whoare in treatment. WCC was estab-lished in 2011 for the purpose ofexpanding this concept to addi-tional facilities caring forWounded Warriors and “helping tobring the healing power of the bestdogs to our heroes.” Yount servesas executive director of WCC, a501(c) 3 non-profit organization.

During the ceremony, Yount re-flected on the original act of kind-ness of his friends giving him thegolden retriever puppy and thesubsequent acts of benevolence ofsupporters who have advanced themission of WCC. He said that somany people have gotten involved,with the right people coming to-gether at the right time. He spe-cifically recognized the contribu-tions of Vienna resident PattyKennedy, who has supported hisefforts over the past four years todemonstrate the efficacy of servicedog training as a therapeutic in-tervention for the invisible woundsof war. A former aide to retiredU.S. Sen. John Warner, Kennedyhas also worked with Yount to con-vey to DOD and VA medical offi-cials and policy-makers the ben-efits of the Warrior Canine Con-nection program to the nation’sWounded Warriors and their fami-lies. She was honored for her dedi-

cation and perseverance in thedevelopment of WCC and for serv-ing by Yount’s side at NICoE.

“I am very grateful to be in-volved in a program that has suchpositive impacts on injured com-bat Veterans and their spouses andchildren,” Kennedy said. “I havewitnessed firsthand the extraordi-nary capacity of WCC’s dogs toknow just what the Warriors needas they struggle to overcome theirpsychological and physicalwounds. I have no doubt that withRick’s tireless determination, andthe commitment of WCC’s staff,volunteers and supporters, thatWCC dogs will play an importantrole in the healing of WoundedWarriors in treatment facilitiesthroughout the country and willbe in the forefront of research as-sociated with Animal-AssistedTherapy.”

The service dogs are bred byMolly Morelli, WCC’s dog programdirector and wife of Rick Yount,at their WCC’s Brookville Trainingfacility. The puppies are taught toopen doors, fetch needed items,even to help the wounded vet takeoff socks and shoes. They turnlights on and off, open the refrig-erator and accompany them every-where, providing a sense of safetyand security. Because of their un-conditional love and dedication,they offer the Wounded Warrior acalm presence which helps themwhen they feel troubled or can’tsleep. They also aid them in be-coming more social — the dogserves as a social lubricant andhelps the Wounded Warrior feelmore comfortable in public places.In return, the Wounded Warriormust accept the duties of taking

Graduates, their trainers and new owners gather during the ceremony.Rick Yount awards Patty Kennedy who accepts flowers for all she hasdone to support Warrior Canine Connection.

Army Sgt. Justin Lansford, Carol Balmes and Gabe at thegraduation ceremony of five assistance dogs in theWarrior Canine Connection program.

Warrior Canine Connection Celebrates First GraduationVienna’sPatty Kennedyhonored.

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From Page 4

News

an overview on the science ofsleep and adolescents. As FCPSBoard Member McLaughlin prom-ised, for many Owens’ presentationwas, indeed, eye-opening.

A MEDICAL DOCTOR as well asa researcher, Owens presentedphysiological evidence that at pu-berty, the adolescent brain expe-riences numerous changes, includ-ing a shift in the body’s “masterclock” that controls circadianrhythm, influencing sleep-wakecycles among other bodily func-tions. “At adolescence, kids are justprogrammed to sleep a little later,stay up a little later,” said Owens.“Forcing them to ignore this biol-ogy disrupts the sleep cycle, some-times dangerously. The deepestREM sleep takes place during thelast third of sleep, just when weare waking them up to get readyfor the bus. As the week goes on,the child gets more and more sleepdeprived, then tries to ‘catch-up’with a long sleep on the week-ends.” Studies show that there isno real benefit to the “catch-upplan.” “Instead,” said Owens, “it’slike these kids eventually enter a

semi-permanent jet lag state. Notexactly peak conditions for learn-ing, thinking creatively, engagingin sports, or just about any aspectof daily life. Worse, studies areshowing sleep deprivation in ourkids is having negative effects ontheir health and welfare a longway down the road as well.”

SLEEP Promotes Later Start Times

Martha Purnell and her daughter Hannah. The Purnellsrecently moved to the area from Wisconsin, whereschool’s started later. Hannah attends Marshall HighSchool.

Shannon Murphy came from nearbyMantua. A firm supporter of later starttimes, Murphy keeps up with the FCSPhappenings.

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Owens provideddata linking pro-longed abnormalsleep patterns withdiabetes, obesity,depression, bipolarand other disor-ders.

Owens discussedexamples of otherdistricts around thecountry that havemade the change tolater start times.She provided statis-tics from theseschool districtsshowing increasedattendance, de-creased tardiness,reports of less de-pression in the stu-dent population,better test scores,

and “Here’s a biggie,” she said.“The data shows the areas whereschool starts later for highschoolers report fewer car crashesinvolving these young drivers.When you think about it, it makessense. The kids behind the wheelare more awake and more awareof risks.”

To date, she has spoken at morethan ten PTA-organized events andcontinues to solicit input from thepublic.

“I am ready to keep showing up totalk about these issues and get feed-back and suggestions. Changing thestart times of high school is key tosolving this growing health crisis, butwe still need to educate students and

parents on the importance of gettingenough sleep.”

More information on the proposaland on the science and statistics ofsleep in adolescence can be foundat the Fairfax County Public Schools’website, www.fcps.edu, Dr. Owens’website www.smartschoolstart.org,and at the SLEEP websitewww.sleepinfairfax.org.

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community. Send [email protected] is Friday.

Historic Antioch ChristianChurch, 1860 Beulah Road in Vienna,invites the community to come and GoSing-Along Coffee House. Great musi-cians will share music. Join us for aselection of delicious coffees and sweets,fun singing, and for an opportunity tosee inside our beautiful chapel. Photoswill be taken for your family Christmascard. Free. Children can ring the historicchurch bell. Saturday, Dec. 14, 1 - 3p.m., 1860 Beulah Road, Vienna. All arewelcome. For more information go towww.antiochdoc.org

GriefShare, a weekly support groupfor adults grieving the death of a lovedone, meets Sundays 6-7:30 p.m. atVienna Presbyterian Church, 124 PartSt., Vienna with a video/discussion for-mat through Dec. 8. $20 for [email protected].

The Jewish Social ServicesAgency (JSSA) offers a wide variety ofsupport groups for those with emo-tional, social, and physical challenges.www.jssa.org/growth-learning.

HAVEN of Northern Virginia of-fers a variety of free bereavementsupport groups, meeting on a weeklybasis. 703-941-7000 orwww.havenofnova.org.

St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church,1830 Kirby Road in McLean, holds athird Sunday service every month at10:15 a.m. which allows children to playactive roles in the music and as greetersand ushers.

Traditional services are every Sundayat 8:15 and 10:15 a.m.

Faith Notes

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VIENNA

450 ORCHARD STREET, NWVIENNA, VA 22180

[email protected]

www.fbcv.org

SUNDAY WORSHIP, 7:45 AM & 11:00 AMCHURCH SCHOOL 9:30AM-10:30AMMIDWEEK SERVICES, WED. 7:00 PM

Visit These Houses of WorshipTo Highlight Your Faith Community, call Karen at 703-917-6468

Assembly of GodVienna Assembly of God

... 703-938-7736Cristo Es Mi Refugio

...703-675-0144Baha’i

Baha’i Faith forNorthern Virginia... 703-821-3345

BaptistGlobal Mission Church

... 703-757-0877Peace Baptist Church

... 703-560-8462Bethel Primitive Baptist Church

... 703-757-8134Cartersville Baptist Church

... 703-255-7075Fellowship Baptist Church

... 703-385-8516First Baptist Church

... 703-938-8525The Light Mission Church ...

703-757-0877Vienna Baptist Church

... 703-281-4400New Union Baptist Church...

703-281-2556Church of the Brethern

Oakton Church of the Brethern... 703-281-4411

CatholicOur Lady of Good Counsel ...

703-938-2828St. Athanasius Catholic Church

... 703-759-4555St. Mark’s Catholic Church

... 703-281-9100Charismatic

New Song Church... 703-698-9777Church of Christ

Berea Church of Christ... 703-893-7040

Disciples of ChristAntioch Christian Church

... 703-938-6753Episcopal

Church of the Holy Comforter... 703-938-6521

Church of the Holy Cross... 703-698-6991

St. Francis Episcopal... 703-759-2082

Jehovah’s WitnessJehovah’s Witnesses

... 703-759-1579Lutheran

Emmanuel Lutheran Church... 703-938-2119

Christ The King Lutheran Church... 703-759-6068

St. Athanasius Lutheran Church... 703-455-4003

MethodistAndrew Chapel United Methodist

... 703-759-3509Church of the Good Shepherd

... 703-281-3987The Vine Methodist Church

... 703-573-5336Ephiphany United Methodist

... 703-938-3494Great Falls United Methodist

... 703-759-3705Oakton United Methodist

... 703-938-1233Vale United Methodist

... 703-620-2594

Smith Chapel United Methodist... 571-434-9680

Wesley United Methodist... 703-938-8700

Non-DenominationalCelebration Center for Spiritual Living

... 703-560-2030Presbyterian

Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church...703-560-6336

Korean Central Presbyterian... 703-698-5577

Vienna Presbyterian... 703-938-9050

QuakerLangley Hills Friends

... 703-442-8394Seventh-Day Adventist

Northern VirginiaChristian Fellowship

... 703-242-9001Vienna Seventh Day Adventists

... 703-938-8383Unitarian Universalist

Congregation of Fairfax... 703-281-4230

United Church of ChristEmmaus UnitedChurch of Christ…703-938-1555

UnityUnity of Fairfax... 703-281-1767

bb

7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Sunday school: preschool - grade 2Music: grades 3 - 7

10:25 a.m. Sunday School Grades 3 to 12Music 4 years to 2nd grade

11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II5:00 p.m. Come Just as You Are Contemporary Service

Nursery care provided at 9:00 a.m. service

The Rev. James Papile, RectorThe Rev. Laura Cochran

703-437-6530www.stannes-reston.org

1700 Wainwright Dr., Reston

ST. ANNE’SEPISCOPALCHURCH • Reston

Welcoming, Diverse, Progressive


Opinion

Holiday party season is well un-der way, along with winterweather advisories. It’s up to in-dividuals to make good decisions

about celebrations that involve alcohol andhow to handle transportation.

Plan to abstain. Plan to celebrate athome or someplace where you will becomfortable for some period of time.Plan to bring a designated driver. Plan to takepublic transportation. And if all of that fails,the Washington Regional Alcohol Project hasa safety net for you.

WRAP, a local nonprofit organization, willoffer free cab rides to would-be drunk driversthroughout Northern Virginia during the win-ter holidays.

More than 10,000 died in drunk driving re-lated accidents in 2010. Tens of thousands

more were injured. Holidays lead to an increasein impaired driving, the Christmas and NewYear season in particular.

The annual Holiday SoberRide program willoperate nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. start-ing Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, and continuing un-til Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 as a way to keeplocal roads safe from impaired drivers duringthis traditionally high-risk, holiday period.

During these times, area residentscelebrating with alcohol can call thetoll-free SoberRide phone number 1-800-200-TAXI for a no-cost (up to $30

fare), safe way home.Callers will be responsible for fare amounts

over $30. Last December 1,927 people tookadvantage of this program. On New Year’s Evealone, 387 people call on SoberRide for a safetrip home.

SoberRide is offered in throughout theNorthern Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Inthese areas, local taxicab companies will beproviding this no-cost service to local residents

age 21 and older who might otherwise haveattempted to drive home after drinking.

Since 1993, WRAP’s SoberRide program hasprovided 58,576 free cab rides home to would-be drunk drivers in the Greater Washingtonarea.

We know that many young people over 21are living at home with parents, or will be vis-iting for the holidays. Parents, be brave. Havea conversation with your children whether theyare under or over 21. Be sure those over 21have a plan, and are equipped with theSoberRide number.

SoberRide is not available for underagedrinkers, but parents still should talk to theirchildren about their plans, and tell them outloud that you expect them not to drive im-paired and not to get into a car with an im-paired driver. Tell them to call, and you’ll comeget them if necessary.

It’s a good time for a conversation about therisks of drinking to excess beyond drinking anddriving as well.

Happy Holidays, SafelySoberRide safety net,1-800-200-TAXI.

Editorial

To the Editor:Thank you to the ladies and police of Vienna who

gave support and encouragement to a handicappedold lady whose walker tipped and she ended upwaiting an hour in the street for an ambulance. Thiswas kindness and comfort way beyond the call ofduty. Thank you for examples of humanity at itsfinest.

Gratefully,Clare Schwartz

Oakton

Humanity at Its Finest

By Martina Leinz

A few months ago, I met thefather of one of the first-graders murdered at

Sandy Hook Elementary School. Iexpressed how sorry I was for hisloss and how grateful I was thathe had found the strength to fightfor sensible gun laws in an attemptto spare other families the pain hehas suffered. What I did not share,because it did not seem appropri-ate, was just how deeply I wasgrieving too. None of those chil-dren were mine, but they all feltlike mine. They were America’schildren.

I don’t believe I am alone inthese feelings. The carnage atSandy Hook Elementary Schoolone year ago (Dec. 14, 2012) wasdevastating not just to the fami-lies and community of Newtown,Conn., but to the entire nation.Twenty first-graders and six edu-cators were murdered by a de-ranged individual in possession ofdangerous weapons that he nevershould have had. It affected us all.

We will never fully recover fromthis tragedy as individuals or as anation but there is much that Con-gress can do to prevent other trag-edies like this from occurring. Acritically important step is to en-act sensible legislation to requirebackground checks on all gunsales.

Many people incorrectly assumethat we already conduct universal

background checks on gun pur-chasers but the Brady law, enacted20 years ago, only covers about 60percent of gun sales. It does notcover online purchases, salesthrough classified ads or transac-tions by private sellers at gunshows. This leaves the door wideopen for criminals, terrorists, do-mestic abusers and those adjudi-cated mentally ill to purchase gunswithout having to pass a back-ground check.

Imagine if the FDA onlyscreened 60 percent of pharma-ceutical drugs and allowed theother 40 percent to hit storeshelves with no testing, no screen-ing, and no questions asked. Itdoes not sound very safe, does it?Well, that is exactly the scenariowe face with gun purchases in thiscountry.

Our children deserve better than60 percent when it comes to back-ground checks. This is because likeFDA testing, when done com-pletely, background checks work.Since President Clinton signed theBrady bill into law, backgroundchecks have blocked more than 2million purchases, keeping gunsaway from convicted felons andother dangerous people.

It is now time for Congress tofinish the job and expand Bradybackground checks to cover allgun sales. A bipartisan bill, H.R.1565, the Public Safety and Sec-ond Amendment Rights ProtectionAct of 2013, has been introduced

in the House that would do justthat. It has already been co-spon-sored by 186 Representatives in-cluding Congressmen Connolly,Moran, and Scott of Virginia.None of the Republican Represen-tatives from Virginia have yet co-sponsored this important legisla-tion. Hopefully they will soon.

This is not a partisan issue, noris it a Second Amendment issue.There is nothing inconsistent withrespecting the right for law-abid-ing citizens to own guns while try-ing to keep them out of the handsof dangerous individuals. Morethan 90 percent of Americans sup-port extending background checksincluding over 80 percent of re-sponsible gun owners and NRAmembers. It is time for Congressto listen to the public and enact

sensible solutions meant to reducethe number of gun deaths. In acountry where gun violence killsmore than thirty-one thousandpeople a year, sixty percent is notgetting the job done.

To commemorate the lives takenin Newtown and the more than 32people killed by guns each day inthe United States, Congress shouldact now and require that back-ground checks be conducted on allcommercial gun sales. Keepingguns away from dangerous indi-viduals is an important step tocurbing the epidemic of gun vio-lence devastating our country.

Martina Leinz is President, Million MomMarch, Northern Virginia Chapter, thegrassroots wing of the Brady Campaign toPrevent Gun Violence.

One Year Since Newtown –It’s Time for Congress to Act

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Vienna’s Karin’s Florist has been named theBest Florist in America by the hit daytimeshow “Steve Harvey” as part of its first an-

nual Neighborhood Awards. Airing on Friday, Nov.29, the “Steve Harvey” Neighborhood Awards rec-ognize the unsung individuals and businesses whoexemplify excellence in their communities. Catego-ries this year include: Best Daycare Provider, BestPrincipal, Best Bus Driver, Best Police Officer, BestDeli, Best Bakery, Best Pizzeria, Best Florist, BestSteakhouse and Best Coffee Shop. Viewer votes de-termined both the nominees and the final winners.“Steve Harvey” is a nationally syndicated daytimeshow - check local listings for time and channel.

Family owned and operated since 1956, Karin’sFlorist has award winning floral designs, gourmetgift baskets and specialty gifts for any occasion.Karin’s Florist can deliver your order anywhere,whether it is right down the street or across the globe.Karin’s stands by their motto, “Flowers Worth Re-membering” and is dedicated to providing a highlevel of outstanding customer service, quality andvalue to each and every customer.

Karin’s Florist is actively involved in the commu-nity and participates in many organizations. Theyare members of Fairfax County Chamber of Com-merce, Vienna Business Association, Tysons Cham-ber of Commerce and Leadership Fairfax. MarisAngolia, President, serves on the Wolf Trap Founda-tion for the Performing Arts Associates Board and

the 2015 World Police and Fire Games Board of Di-rectors as well as the Inova Gala Executive Commit-tee. Visit www.karinsflorist.com for more informa-tion.

Karin’s Florist of ViennaNamed Best in America

Maris Angolia, President of Karin’sFlorist, receives the Best Florist inAmerica award.

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Celebrating GraduationFrom Page 4

Vice Admiral Matthew Nathan, Rick Yount and PattyKennedy at the graduation ceremony.

care of their dog and understandthat patience, love and caring goalong with owning an animal.

Vice Admiral Matthew L.Nathan, Surgeon General of theNavy and Chief of the Navy’s Bu-reau of Medicine and Surgery wasthe keynote speaker at the gradu-ation. He stated that he is“humbled by the people who serveand step forward wherever theyare needed.” In describing theWounded Warriors, he said, “Butthen, all of a sudden, this heroicperson is not the same — they arean amputee, has brain trauma,gunshot wounds or is sufferingfrom the invisible wounds of thewar. I’ve watched them fight theirway back. These servicemen andwomen just want their lives re-turned — and a dog who loves sounconditionally can help them getit back. I am honored to be a partof this ceremony. It shows whatcan happen when you light onecandle and pass it on to light theentire room. Thank you to theteams who have trained these dogs— and for the lives you willchange.”

The dogs were awarded to theservicemen and women and theirfamilies while the crowd watched.

WCC’s program now includes 40dogs — and some will be ready tograduate in the Class of 2014.

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James Madison HighSchool senior, OliviaStaton, 16, will ap-

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On the broadcast taped atWingate, N.C., on Nov. 23,Staton performs ”Chant deLinos” by Andre Jolivet.

Staton, 16, a senior atJames Madison High School,is in her second year in theNational Symphony YouthOrchestra Fellowship Pro-gram where she studies withNSO principal flutist AaronGoldman. She has been prin-cipal flute of the AmericanYouth Philharmonic Orches-tra for the past three years,and has won numerous awards for her performancesincluding first place in the Richmond Flute Compe-tition, second place in the U.S. Navy Band Concerto

Competition, and thirdplace in the Duquesne Con-certo Competition. Olivia isa member of the NationalHonor Society, Tri M MusicHonor Society and FrenchHonor Society. She has at-tended the Boston Univer-sity Tanglewood Institute forthe past two summers.

What began as a radio ex-periment in 2000 quicklybecame one of the fastestgrowing and most popularweekly classical music pro-grams on public radio.Broadcast on over 200 sta-tions nationwide to an au-dience of 700,000 loyal lis-teners, From the Top hasbeen described by the Bos-ton Globe as “an entertain-ing, accessible and inspira-tional mix of outstandingmusical performances, in-formal interviews, skits andgames; the show is a cel-

ebration of extraordinary musicians who happen tobe teenagers leading fairly normal lives.”

Learn more at www.fromthetop .org.

Madison High Senior Olivia Statonto Appear on NPR’s From the Top

Olivia Staton, 16, will appear on anational broadcast of From the Topon NPR.

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10 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 11-17, 2013 Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ December 11-17, 2013 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned cookor a budding culinary enthusiast, buyingpresents for a foodie can be a daunting

task. What’s the best pan? The coolest gadget? Thelatest trend in desserts? Local gourmets come to therescue with culinary goodies to entice even the mostdiscerning of food aficionados.

Nancy Pollard, owner of La Cuisine in Old TownAlexandria, suggests the Thermapen cooking ther-mometer. “This is clearly the best probe thermometeron the market,” said Pollard. “It has gotten a lot ofkudos from chefs and test kitchens.”

Also on Pollard’s list are mortars and pestles madefrom Carrara marble. “We buy these in Carrara, Italy,said Pollard. “They are made of pure white Carraramarble so it is so much easier to see what you aredoing. The one that that is particularly useful is 22centimeters because it is big enough to make mayon-naise, pesto and other sauces.”

Chopping vegetables can even be made more in-teresting with a custom made cutting board, saysLenora Lawson chef faculty at The International Cu-linary School at The Art Institute of Washington inArlington. “You can get a cutting board in the shapeof your home shape or even a cutting board that hasVan Gogh’s art on it.”

When it comes to kitchen tools, “I’d suggest a non-stick baking mat … a lovely wooden French rollingpin, a beautiful olive wood cheese board — with acheese for sampling, of course — or a fun, colorful,Swiss-made Kuhn paring knife,” said Nichole Ferrigno,a certified holistic health coach and chef at L’Academiede Cuisine in Bethesda. “It comes in lots of brightcolors and with a safety sheath, making it a greataddition to a picnic basket.”

Culinary instructor Andie Nelson of Creative KidsKitchen, LLC in Arlington, says her top recommenda-tion is a Vitamix blender. “[This is] the blender thatseems to have become a religion among foodies,” shesaid. “This big-ticket item would definitely make anyfoodie or health-conscious person very, very happy. Iteven makes soup.”

ANOTHER GIFT SUGGESTION on Nelson’s list is

aimed at helping save a few trees while adding anelegant touch to the kitchen. “I think that having greatlinens in the kitchen is highly under-rated,” she said.“Many cooks buy lots and lots of paper towels, but Ican tell you that having a great set of dish towels —French dish towels are the best — can be a worth-while and beautiful investment for the kitchen.”

Help keep clothing stains at bay with an apron byMarcy Butler Designs. “This is a local designer,” saidPollard. “The aprons are made from Italian linen, butthey were made in the United States.”

If your foodie prefers cookbooks, sweet treatsabound in “Fat Witch Brownies: Brownies, Blondies,and Bars” from New York’s Legendary Fat Witch Bak-ery by Patricia Helding. “This book has great recipesfor brownies,” said Pollard. “We usually suggest thatpeople give this book along with a set of Italian seven-inch disposable square pans. Her recipes will maketwo perfect square pans of brownies and you can putone in the freezer.”

For young cooks, Pollard suggests “Best Lunch BoxEver: Ideas and Recipes for School Lunches Kids WillLove” by Katie Sullivan Morford. “This is a great bookfor teenagers or anyone over the age of 7,” said Pol-lard. “It encourages them to make their own lunchesfor school.”

Pollard also suggests “The Washington Post Cook-book,” curated and edited by Bonnie Benwick, thedeputy food editor of the Washington Post. Pollardherself created three of the recipes, including two forThanksgiving. She says one of her favorite recipes isthe Man Catcher Brownies, which she created.

Another interesting read, says Pollard, is “TheBillionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s MostExpensive Bottle of Wine” by Benjamin Wallace. Thebook tells a true story of a 1787 Château Lafite Bor-deaux — supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson —that sold for $156,000 at auction.

Ferrigno suggests going a step beyond cookbooksand sending your foodie back to school. “There is suchan array of options available,” she said. “One couldsign up for a knife skills class, a topic specific classlike ‘puff pastry,’ or something more fun and experi-ence oriented, like a couples cooking class, or ‘girls’night out.’ This is such a fun gift.”

CONSUMABLE GIFTS are also on Ferrigno’s list:“A bottle of good Champagne or Scotch, beautiful pinkor grey sea salts, a spice collection … or a box ofhomemade baked goodies” are always hits, she said.

For beer lovers, Lawson suggests a beer brewingkit. “It is something different,” she said. “Rather thanbuying beer, they can make their own and appreciatethe beer-making process.”

Local gourmets share theirfavorite products for thefood lovers on your list.

Gifts for the Foodie in Your Life

Nancy Pollard,of La Cuisine inAlexandria,suggests givingthe food loverin your life amortar andpestle madefrom whiteCarrara marble.

A black, Italian linen apron,like this one by MarcyButler Designs, will helpyour food lover’s clothesstay clean during mealpreparation.

Holiday Gift Guide

Photos courtesy

of La Cuisine

By Donna Manz

The Connection

The weather outsidemay not be frightful,but it sure has thatwintry feel to it. For-

tunately, there are seasonableactivities and events that warmup December days and brightenDecember nights.

The Vienna-Oakton Connec-tion takes a look at readers’ fa-vorites, year after year, plus adebut First Night celebrationlikely to become a readers’ fa-vorite year after year.

❖ Winter Walk of LightsMeadowlark Gardens, ongoingthrough Jan. 6

As if Meadowlark BotanicalGardens is not spectacularenough in the fall with its crim-son and gold foliage, you’ve gotto see the park aglow with a halfa million diamond and coloredLED lights in displays and on thelandscape. From a gingerbreadhouse to animated vignettes,there is enough sparkle tobrighten the chilly nights. Thisis the second year the park hasproduced its winter wonder-land.

Meadowlark’s Winter Walk ofLights is open from 5:30 to 10p.m. seven days a week fromNov. 15 to Jan. 6. Timed ticketsrequired; shows and entertain-ment are included in admissionprice.

Monday-Thursday (excludingholidays): Age 13+: $12; ages3-12: $7; under 3: Free.

Weekend & Holiday Rates(Friday to Sunday): Nov. 28, 29,Dec. 24, 25, 31, Jan. 1, Age

13+: $13,; age 3-12: $8; under 3:free

At the door: a limited number oftickets are on sale at the door eachnight and admission is not guar-anteed. No discounts apply. Age13+: $14; age 3-12: $9; under 3:free

Meadowlark Gardens is offBeulah Road, at 9750 MeadowlarkGardens Ct., Vienna, near theDulles Toll Road overpass. It is aNorthern Virginia Regional ParkAuthority property.

❖ Lunch With Santa, Saturday,Dec.14

It’s no wonder Santa is so plump;he’s eating breakfast and lunch allover Vienna in December. You canjoin him for lunch at the ViennaCommunity Center, shortly afterhe’s feasted on all-he-can-eat pan-cakes at breakfast at the fire de-partment. The cost of $5 per per-son includes Santa, lunch, and en-tertainment. Lunch with Santaruns from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.Limited tickets are available, so,stop by the community center fortickets well in advance.

Holiday pancake breakfast at theVienna Volunteer Fire Department,Saturday, Dec. 14, 8 a.m. to noonin the Flame Room of the ViennaVolunteer Fire Department station.

The Vienna Volunteer Fire De-partment [VVFD] Auxiliary hostsits annual All-You-Can-Eat HolidayPancake Breakfast at the VVFD,400 Center Street S. The price in-cludes all the pancakes you can eat,sausage, bacon, juice, and coffee.

Santa Claus arrives at 10:30 a.m.to greet the children. There will betours of the fire equipment, as well.

The Auxiliary invites the publicto “have some pancakes, visit with

Santa and spend time with mem-bers of the VVFD and Vienna com-munity.”

Price of the holiday pancakebreakfast is $8 for adults, $7 forseniors, $6 for children under 12years old, and free for childrenunder 4.

❖ Radio City Christmas Spec-tacular excursion is scheduled forSaturday, Dec. 14, for the 4:30 p.m.matinee, sponsored by the Town ofVienna. This trip sells out quickly,the Department of Parks and Rec-reation says. The trip costs $138for residents and $172.50 for out-of-town participants. Price includestransportation to NYC and ticketsin the 200 section of the 3rd mez-zanine in Radio City Music Hall.The tour is appropriate for ages 5and up.

The Rockettes, who have beenkicking up their heels for genera-tions of kids, perform their famedroutine of “The Parade of theWooden Soldiers.” A charter busdeparts the Vienna CommunityCenter at 6:30 a.m. and returnsaround 1 a.m. Fee includes trans-portation and one ticket to theshow. There will be movies shownon the bus and a stop going andreturning. Free time before andafter the show is built into theschedule. Buy tickets at the ViennaCommunity Center, 120 CherryStreet.

Call 703-255-6360 for details orvisit www.viennava.gov.

❖ Santa visits the Freeman Store,Saturday, Dec. 14, and Sunday,Dec. 15, 1 to 3 p.m.

There’s not much of a waitingline at the Freeman House whenSanta takes a seat in the parlor. Thesetting is not an artificial NorthPole, either. It’s a pleasant alterna-tive to the mall’s Santa.

❖ VVFD Santa Runs, mid-Decem-ber to Dec. 24

Around mid-December, Santa

Claus climbs onboard the an-tique fire truck belonging to theVienna Volunteer Fire Depart-ment, and, along with elvesdressed as emergency respond-ers, visits neighborhoodsthroughout Vienna. Very loudseasonal music emanates fromthe cruising vehicle and Santa’sdriver honks the horn as it an-nounces its impending arrivalup and down town streets.Where children converge, Santastops and his elves distributecandy canes.

Occasionally, senior citizensopen their doors, waving toSanta. Santa is probably de-lighted that folks of all ages arehappy to see him.

❖ The Vienna Choral Society,a holiday concert “for a cause,”Saturday, Dec. 21.

This holiday season, the cho-ral society partners with theWomen’s Center Of Vienna insupport of mental health aware-ness in the choral society’s per-formance of “Light and Dark,” a4:30 p.m. presentation recog-nizing the winter solstice.

For tickets and details, go towww.viennachoralsociety.org.

❖ First Night Vienna Celebra-tion, Dec. 31; 7 p.m. to midnight

The Vienna Business Associa-tion, in partnership with theTown of Vienna, kicks off thefirst-ever “First Night” celebra-tion in Vienna. A family-friendlyNew Year’s Eve celebration, FirstNight features food, musicians,vocalists, and activities for kids.The ball drops, figuratively-speaking, for kids at 9 p.m.Grown-ups can toast the newyear alcohol-free at midnight.

First Night Vienna is free tothe public. Church Street, be-tween Mill and Center streets,closes down for the evening’sfestivities.

Season highlights sparkling winterwonderland to Santa visits.

Holiday Fun for Everyone

A toy soldier accompanies Frosty the Snowman duringthe James Madison High School Band Tiny Tots holidayconcert.

Lunch with Santa at the Vienna Community Center is anannual sell-out. Santa visits there on Saturday, Dec. 14.

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FRIDAY/DEC. 13Free Concert & Living Nativity.

6:30-8:30 p.m. 1545 Chain BridgeRoad, McLean.

SATURDAY/DEC. 14Welcoming Santa Claus. 1-3 p.m.

Freeman Store, 131 Church Street,NE, Vienna. Capture that perfectholiday photo with Santa.www.historicviennainc.org.

“The Shoemaker & the ChristmasElves.” 2 p.m. The Alden Theater,1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean. Aholiday musical, Theatre IV’s showputs a yuletide spin on the classicBrothers Grimm fairy tale. http://bit.ly/17JW4IX.

Santa Coming to Colvin Run Mill.3-6 p.m. Colvin Run Mill, 10017Colvin Run Road, Great Falls. VisitSanta, stay warm with a bonfire androasted marshmallows, and make afamily craft. $5 per person.

SATURDAY/DEC. 14, 21Gingerbread House Decorating

Class. 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. at the RitzCarlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean.Learn to make your own gingerbreadhouse. $70 per child, ages 2-12.Reservations required. 703-917-5498.

SATURDAY/DEC. 14 - SUNDAY/DEC. 15Great Falls Studios Holiday Show

and Sale. Wolf Trap Center forEducation, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna.

This annual show includes paintings,pottery, traditional and digitalphotographs, jewelry, drawings, artquilts, and hand pulled lithographicprints, plus artful gifts and cards.

SATURDAY/DEC. 14, 21The Nutcracker Tea. 10 a.m. or 1

p.m. at the Ritz Carlton, 1700 TysonsBlvd., McLean. Watch the balletproduction of “The Nutcracker” whileenjoying afternoon tea and treats.

$75 per person. Reservationsrequired. 703-917-5498.

SUNDAY/DEC. 15Welcoming Santa Claus. 1-3 p.m.

Freeman Store, 131 Church Street,NE, Vienna. Capture that perfectholiday photo with Santa.www.historicviennainc.org.

SUNDAY/DEC. 15, 22Gingerbread House Decorating

Class. 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. at the RitzCarlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean.Learn to make your own gingerbreadhouse. $70 per child, ages 2-12.Reservations required. 703-917-5498.

SUNDAY/DEC. 15, 22The Princess Tea. 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.

at the Ritz Carlton, 1700 TysonsBlvd., McLean. Watch a theatricalproduction feature Disney princesseswhile enjoying afternoon tea andtreats. $75 per person. Childrenunder 2 are free. Reservationsrequired. 703-917-5498.

TUESDAY/DEC. 17Langley High School Holiday

Concert. 7:30 p.m. 6520Georgetown Pike, McLean. Theconcert will feature all six ChoralDepartment choirs includingWomen’s Treble, Women’s SelectTreble, Concert Choir, Women’sChamber Choir, Voicemale and theaward-winning Langley Madrigalssinging a variety of winter andholiday favorites. Admission is freeand the community is welcome toattend.

Gingerbread House Workshop.4:30-6:30 p.m. GF School of Art,1144 Walker Road, Suite D, GreatFalls. Pre-made houses will beadorned with frosting, candy, andother fun decorations. $50 fee(includes $10 supply fee).

Glass Ornament Workshop. 4:30-

6:30 p.m. GF School of Art, 1144Walker Road, Suite D, Great Falls.$50 fee (includes all supplies).

SATURDAY/DEC. 21, 22, 28, & 29Annual Train Display at Colvin

Run Mill. Colvin Run Mill Barn,10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls.Watch G-gauge trains wend their waythrough a miniature western town inthe Colvin Run Barn.

SUNDAY/DEC. 22A Festival of Lessons & Carols. 9

a.m. & 11:15 a.m. St. John’sEpiscopal Church, 6715 GeorgetownPike, McLean. Lessons will be read byparishioners, seasonal anthemspresented by the choirs, and carolssung by the congregation.

TUESDAY/DEC. 24St. John’s Episcopal Church

Christmas Worship Services.3:30 p.m. 6715 Georgetown Pike,McLean. 703-356-4902.This service isespecially designed for families withyoung children.

WEDNESDAY/DEC. 25Christmas Day Brunch at Entyse

Bistro. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the RitzCarlton, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean.Celebrate the holiday with brunch.Enjoy live musical entertainment andspecial activities, including facepainting and a balloon artist for thechildren. $120 per adult; $40 forchildren under 12. Reservationsrequired. 703-917-5498.

TUESDAY/DEC. 31New Year’s Eve at Entyse Bistro.

5:30-10:30 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton,1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean. Ring inthe New Year with a four-coursetasting menu, champagne toast andlive music. $135 per person.Reservations required. 703-917-5498.

Holiday Calendar

An image of a Mute Swan printed on canvas will be on exhibit at the annual GreatFalls Studios Holiday Art Show and Sale.

Holiday Art Show and Sale Moves to Wolf TrapThis year the annual Great Falls Studios Holi-

day Art Show and Sale will be held at the Centerfor Education at Wolf Trap on Dec. 14 & 15, from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Because of this newlarger venue more than 30 members are able to

participate in this event. The Center is located at1645 Trap Road in Vienna.

Great Falls photographer Walt Lawrence will befeaturing his waterscape and bird images that hehas taken from a boat on the Potomac.

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OF GREATER WASHINGTONFAIRFAX COUNTY REGION

Support

Join in our annual givingcampaign:For more information,E-mail [email protected]: 703-820-5206Visit http://www.bgcgw.org/givegreatfutures/and select “Fairfax County”

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of GreaterWashington is to help boys and girls of all backgrounds,especially those who need us most, build confidence,develop character and acquire the skills needed tobecome productive, civic-minded, responsible adults.

BGCGW’s Fairfax County region includes the CulmoreCharacter Club and Murraygate Village Club, serving 582members a year. On average, 120 youths come throughthe doors every day during the school year.

Meet Henry Lopez, 2013 NationalBoys & Girls Clubs Virginia Youthof the Year, who grew up with theBGCGW Culmore Character Clubfor 14 years. Henry now attendsGeorge Mason University on anHonor Scholarship studyingcomputer engineering.

Send announcements [email protected]. Deadline isFriday for the following week’s paper. Photos/art-work encouraged. For additional listings, visithttp://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2013/sep/26/fairfax-county-calendar/.

SATURDAY/DEC. 14Vienna Volunteer Fire Department

Auxiliary Pancake Breakfast. 8 a.m.-12p.m. Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, 400Center Street South, Vienna. Adults: $8; Seniors65+ $7; Children under 12 $6; Children 4 andunder are free.

Drawing Workshop with Michela Mansuino.2:30-5:30 p.m. GF School of Art, 1144 WalkerRoad, Suite D, Great Falls. Drawing from largestill life set ups of boxes, cups, teapots, buckets,and other manmade objects in progressivelyoriented exercises. These exercises areparticularly important in the understanding ofform and proportion, and how these are affectedby perspective. $50 per session [$5 supply feepaid directly to instructor on 1st day of class]Recommended for ages 9 – 18.

SUNDAY/DEC. 15Breakfast Buffet. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Vienna

American Legion, 330 Center St., N., Vienna.Adults $8, children $3. 703-938-1379.

Country Western Dance. 4:30-5 p.m. WestCoast Line Dance lesson; 5-5:45 p.m. beginnerCountry Western Two-Step lesson; 5:45-6:30p.m. intermediate Country Western Line Dancelesson. 6:30 – 10 p.m. dance with Ed Cottrell asDJ playing a Country Western music mix. ColvinRun Dance Hall, 10201 Colvin Run Road, GreatFalls. $15 for the entire event.

No experience or partner needed.www.colvinrun.org.

The Claude Moore Colonial FarmAnnounces: Colonial Wassail. 1-4 p.m. TheClaude Moore Colonial Farm, 6310 GeorgetownPike, McLean. Gather in the Farm’s orchard to

wassail or toast the trees with singing, dancingand chants to ensure a “howling crop.” Enjoyhot spiced cider, sugar cakes, a roaring bonfireand 18th century games. Regular admission: $3adults, $2 children and senior citizens.

SATURDAY/DEC. 21Ballroom Dance. 8-9 p.m.; Viennese Waltz

lesson, 9-11:30 p.m. dance. Colvin Run DanceHall, 10201 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls. DJmusic from Craig Bukowski playing favoritedance tunes from the 1930s to today. Attire isballroom casual, no partner or experience isneeded. $15 for the evening. 703-759-2685 orwww.colvinrun.org.

SATURDAY/ JAN. 4Ballroom Dance. 8-9 p.m. Waltz lesson, 9-11:30

p.m. dance. Colvin Run Dance Hall, 10201Colvin Run Road, Great Falls. Live music fromMike Surratt & the ECB playing favorite dancetunes from the 1930s to today. Attire is ballroomcasual, no partner or experience is needed.$20for the evening. 703-759-2685 orwww.colvinrun.org.

<cal1>Saturday/ Jan. 18Ballroom Dance. 8-9 p.m. Quick-Step lesson, 9-

11:30 p.m. dance. Colvin Run Dance Hall,10201 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls. DJ musicfrom Craig Bukowski playing favorite dancetunes from the 1930s to today. Attire is ballroomcasual, no partner or experience is needed. $15for the evening. 703-759-2685 orwww.colvinrun.org.

FRIDAY/JAN. 24 & 25, 2014THIS. 8 p.m. Vienna Community Center, 120

Cherry Street, SE, Vienna. THIS is a bright, tart,and melancholy comedy that captures theuncertain steps of a circle of friends entering thechoppy waters of middle age. http://www.viennatheatrecompany.org/

Entertainment


Sports

Senior Co-Captain Casey Howard performs her floorroutine while the Marshall team looks on.

Lady Statesmen Gymnasts WinThird Place in Season Opener

The George C. Marshall Lady Statesmen Gymnastics team kickedoff their 2013-14 season with a third place finish in a six-teamcontest at Washington & Lee High School in Arlington. TheMarshall team had their strongest-ever season opener, scoring128.7 points to finish ahead of JEB Stuart, Wakefield, and Hayfieldand behind runner-up McLean and winner W&L. Marshall juniorMorgan Stahl won the Floor Exercise event with a score of 9.45.The Statesmen’s total score included contributions from severalpromising freshmen: Kiran Sullivan, Lindsey Price, and AlessandraIannetti. Head Coach Charlotte Perpall and the Lady Statesmenlook forward to a great season; their next meet is Saturday, Dec.14 at Fairfax High School.

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Five Harriers to Com-pete at XC Nationals

Marshall senior Mackenzie Haight is oneof five local harriers who will compete atthe Foot Locker Cross Country Champion-ships national finals on Dec. 14 in San Di-ego.

Haight earned the trip to nationals by fin-ishing in the top 10 in the south regionalrace on Nov. 30 in Charlotte. Haight placedfifth with a time of 14:51.

Nationals will take place at Morley Fieldin Balboa Park.

Edison’s Louis Colson will also competeat nationals after placing fourth at regionalswith a time of 14:50.

In the girls’ race, West Springfield’sCaroline Alcorta and Lake Braddock’sHannah Christen and Katy Kunc will alsocompete at nationals.

Oakton Boys’, Girls’Basketball TeamsStart 3-0

The Oakton boys’ and girls’ basketballteams each won their first three games ofthe season, including a season-opening winsagainst Vienna rival Madison.

The boys’ team beat Madison 46-29 onDec. 3. The Warhawks defeated McLean 41-38 on Dec. 6 and Lee 43-32 on Dec. 7.

The girls’ team defeated Madison 66-53on Dec. 3. Two nights later, Oakton beatStafford 59-32. On Dec. 7, the Cougars beatLoudoun County 75-59.

Led by head coach Fried Priester, Oaktonwon the AAA state championship in 2012with a 31-0 record. Last season, the Cou-gars fell one win shy of reaching the statetournament, losing to South Lakes 48-46in the regional semifinals. Centrevillesnapped Oakton’s run of eight consecutive

Marshall senior Mackenzie Haight willcompete at Foot Locker nationals on Dec.14 in San Diego.

West Springfield senior Caroline Alcorta,seen during the VHSL state meet on Nov.15, finished first at Foot Locker CrossCountry South Regionals on Nov. 30,earning a trip to nationals.

district championships.Oakton’s game against Lee on Monday

was cancelled due to inclement weather.The Cougars were scheduled to faceYorktown on Dec. 10 and Wakefield on Dec.11. Oakton will travel to face Lake Braddockon Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The Oakton boys’ team was scheduled toface Yorktown on Tuesday, after TheConnection’s deadline. The Cougars willhost Osbourn Park on Dec. 14.

Madison Girls’Basketball StrugglingEarly

The Madison girls’ basketball teamdropped its first three games of the seasonwhile facing some of the region’s top teams.

Madison lost to Oakton, Centreville andWest Springfield to open the year at 0-3.Oakton, the 2012 AAA state champ and aregion semifinalist last season, beat Madi-son 66-53 on Dec. 3. Centreville, a regionsemifinalist last season, beat the Warhawks59-55 on Dec. 6. West Springfield, a peren-nial contender to reach the state tourna-ment, beat Madison 63-50 on Dec. 7.

Madison was scheduled to face defend-ing region champion Edison on Tuesday,after The Connection’s deadline. TheWarhawks will host Stone Bridge on Dec.13.

Langley Girls’Basketball Openswith Win

The Langley girls’ basketball team openedthe 2013-14 season with a 61-24 win overHerndon on Dec. 6.

The Saxons will host rival McLean at 5:45p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13.

Langley Boys’Basketball Loses Two

The Langley boys’ basketball team lost toStuart (60-56, Dec. 6) and Falls Church (70-61, Dec. 7) during the Stuart Tipoff Tour-nament. The Saxons will return to actionat home against Potomac School at 6:30p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Herndon Boys’Basketball Wins Two

The Herndon boys’ basketball teamopened the season with victories againstWoodson (73-65, Dec. 3) and Patriot (79-49, Dec. 6).

The Hornets were scheduled to faceWashington-Lee on Tuesday, after TheConnection’s deadline. Herndon will com-pete in the Gonzaga holiday tournamentDec. 13-15.

South Lakes Girls’Basketball Posts 3Lopsided Wins

The South Lakes girls’ basketball teamstarted the season victories against StoneBridge, Western (Baltimore) and PotomacFalls, winning each game by at least 18points.

The Seahawks opened with a 57-18 winagainst Stone Bridge on Dec. 3. Abby Rendlefinished with 15 points, nine rebounds, fivesteals and three blocks.

South Lakes beat Western 58-40 on Dec.6. Rendle had 15 points, 10 rebounds, nineblocks, five assists and two steals. CaitlinJensen finished with 11 points.

The Seahawks beat Potomac Falls 63-25on Dec. 7.

South Lakes was scheduled to faceWoodson on Tuesday, after TheConnection’s deadline. The Seahawks willtravel to face Marshall on Friday, Dec. 13.

Herndon SwimmingFalls to Westfield

The Herndon girls’ and boys’ swim anddive teams each lost to Westfield on Dec. 6,the Hornets posted multiple region-quali-fying times and one state-qualifying time.

Freshman Emily Meilus posted a state-qualifying time of 5:07.84 in the 500 free.She also set a new school record. The 500free was the oldest record on the recordboard, set by Nancy Reed in 1977 (5:10.11).

First-place finishers for the Herndon girlswere: Meilus (200 free (RQ), 500 free(SQ)), Elizabeth McNulty (200 IM, 100breast) and Kara Joyce (dive).

The 200 medley relay (Meilus, McNulty,Ryan Murphy and Jenna Krynicki) and 400free relay (Murphy, Krynicki, KarlyGinieczki, Meilus) also took first with re-gion-qualifying times.

First-place winners for the Herndon boyswere: Christian Ginieczki (100 fly, 100back), Dylan Cudahy (200 free, 500 free)and Justin Bradley (dive).

South Lakes Lookingfor Girls’ Lax Coaches

South Lakes High School is looking forgirls’ lacrosse coaches — varsity head coachand assistants. Interested applicants shouldcontact Linda Jones, director of studentactivities at: [email protected] or call 703-715-4518.

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Since you asked, or rather indulged methe past few weeks by wading through mytwo “Scanticipation” columns anticipatinga result, I am happy to finally share thatresult with you: “Stable and better.” Theseare the exact words e-mailed to me by myoncologist in response to my post-Thanksgiving inquiry about my CT Scancompleted on the 27th. Then, as youmost recent Kenny-column readers mayrecall, I had my regularly scheduled post-scan appointment this past Friday,December 6th to discuss those results,and of course have my oncologist exam-ine and question me about any facts, feel-ings or failings, concerning the previousthree months since my last appointment(and four months since my last scan) as aterminal cancer patient. He’s not exactlyHubert H. Humphrey, but nevertheless,he was “pleased as punch.” And if there’sone dominant recollection I’ll take homewith me from my appointment, it was myoncologist’s ear-to-ear smile when sharinghis assessment of all things concerningKenny-with-cancer.

In fact, and in reality-check truth, ifyou’ve been characterized as “terminal”by your doctor, whether “diseased” bycancer or some other deadly condition,and you’re still undergoing treatment,there’s no better feeling – or hope, quitefrankly, than seeing your doctor happyand encouraging when sharing/discussingyour most recent diagnostic scan/labwork, urine specimen, etc. And consider-ing that Team Lourie has seen my oncolo-gist with less than positive news on previ-ous occasions, hardly do I ever take it forgranted when he’s as upbeat and enthusi-astic as he was during Friday’sappointment.

Unfortunately, the process is ongoingand subject to change; after all, stage IV,non-small cell lung cancer is incurable/inoperable. But I am finding out that atleast for me/for awhile, it is/can be treat-able, albeit non-surgically. Moreover, aslong as my body continues to tolerate theevery-three-week chemotherapy infu-sions, I am good to go, or as described bymy oncologist: on maintenance. Meaning,we can continue to do this for awhile.And though “awhile” is never defined ordiscussed, really, given the predictable/unpredictable nature of cancer – and itsinteractions with the diagnosee, I can livewith the indeterminate sentence that I’vebeen fortunate to receive. It certainlybeats the alternative.

Originally, I was “prognosed” to live“13 months to two years” by my oncolo-gist. As of November 27th, I have livedfour years and 9 months, so I am accus-tomed to being life-expectancy chal-lenged. And since I’ve surpassed myoncologist’s initial prognosis by years, Idon’t see any reason to stop now, espe-cially considering the results from mymost recent scan and associated lab work.As my brother Richard has said: “If theoncologist is happy then I’m happy.” Well,as of Friday, December 6th, I am veryhappy.

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

A “Scancer”Update

Schools

Send school notes [email protected] by Friday.

Penn State Altoona swimming freshman AshleyNero of Oakton was selected as the Women’s Swim-mer of the Week. Against Bethany, Nero helped theteam nab a trio of first places. In the 200 YardMedley Relay, she joined her teammates to post atime of 2:06.12 for first. Individually, Nero won the50 Yard Freestyle (26.07) and the 100 Yard Breast-stroke (1:13.69). At the Bradford Relays, Nero wasa part of the squad that won the Mixed 200 YardFreestyle Relay with a time of 1:40.41.

Aline Dolinh, 15, is a sophomore at OaktonHigh School in Vienna and has been appointed asthe National Student Poet by the President’s Com-mittee on the Arts and the Humanities. Dolinh willparticipate in readings and workshops at libraries,museums and schools in Virginia as well as createcommunity service projects to expand their reachwhile increasing engagement in the literary arts.

Kate E. DeWeese, daughter of Randi andSteve DeWeese of Vienna, graduate of ThomasJefferson High School, and first-year student in theBachelor of Arts Program, has been inducted intoAlpha Lambda Delta honor society at BucknellUniversity.

On May 11, Michael D’Onofrio and JillFeroldi of Oakton and Charles Schoenthalerof Vienna graduated from the College of Charles-ton.

Patrick Murphy of Vienna was placed on thepresident’s list in recognition of academic excel-lence during the spring 2013 semester at New RiverCommunity College.

Vincent Anthony Williams Reese, a gradu-ate of George C. Marshall high school, recentlycompleted a coaching internship with coachMichael Clark of Bridgewater. He graduated witha Bachelor of Science in business from BridgewaterCollege in 2010 and was the quarterback on theBridgewater Eagles football team. He is workingwith the US Dept. of Interior at Wolftrap FarmParks this summer and will be attending graduateschool in the fall.

U.S. Navy Ensign Christopher MichaelCeconi, son of Bill and Joyce Ceconi of Vienna,graduated from the United States Naval Academyin Annapolis, Md. on May 24 and was commis-sioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. Ensign Ceconicompleted his Bachelor of Science Degree with amajor in political science. Following graduation,Ceconi has been assigned to Naval Air StationPensacola, in Pensacola, Fla. where he will con-tinue training in naval aviation.

Vanessa Parks of James Madison High Schoolis one of 19 high school students from across theregion who have accepted honors scholarshipsawarded by Northern Virginia Community College(NOVA). Scholarship winners are enrolled inNOVA’s Honors Program, and the scholarship cov-ers the cost of the student earning one degree atthe college.

Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.2,attend classes full-time, become a leader in a stu-dent organization and represent the college’sHonors Program as an ambassador to their highschools.

Ashley Nero


By John Byrd

Assess a circa-1952 ranchon a shady street inMcLean with an eye towards maximizing

value. Among the shortcomings:rooms that are too small and dark;a kitchen that hasn’t been remod-eled in 25 years. A tiny breakfastroom. A rear grade too steep foran addition. A front elevation withno visible front door.

And in the plus column: aneigborhood that’s gone decisivelyupscale; a solidly constructedstarter house in a “come-back”style. Just enough undevelopedside lot to add useful square foot-age. An enviably location at theend of a cul de sac.

Bring to this proposition theteam of Sarah Wolf, interior de-signer, and Josh Britton, architec-tural draftsman — both at FosterRemodeling Solutions — andwhat’s revealed are the skills setsthat are transforming so manynon-descript mid-century dwell-ings into the spacious eclectically-designed residences expected ofnorthern Virginia’s close-inneighbodhoods.

“We’re seeing more homeownerspreserving and elaborating post-War suburban styles,” said SarahWolf. “The ranch and othersmaller-scale dwellings are espe-cially fascinating. They’ve longbeen classified as the protoytpe forthe modern production house, yetwe’re now seeing how inventivedesign ideas can be applied toachieve architecturally-relevantmakeover goals.”

What has turned into a two-phase design process — that willeventually include a second levelmaster suite — began with a singlemeeting. Wolf had been sum-moned by homeowners — whohad occupied the house for 20years — “to brainstorm” options

for enlarging the kitchen and fam-ily room, and re-defining the bare-bones front elevation.

“The previous owners had relo-cated the original front door to theside sometime in the 1990s,” Wolfsaid. “So one of the early questionswas whether it made sense to re-vise the front elevation in conjunc-tion with a proposed kitchen en-largement.”

As the meeting progressed, sev-eral key points emerged.

Yes, the owners wanted a sub-stantial enlargement to the kitchenand family room, but the existinginterior was also too narrow andtoo dark. Moreover, since thehome’s leafy half-acre lot backsinto a grove of mature trees bor-dered by a lovely creek, shouldn’tthe interior makeover be designedto profile the surrounding land-scape?

“SUDDENLY, WE ALL SAW theaesthetic opportunity,” Wolf said.“There would be larger windowson all sides. But also a new front-facing family room — with an 11-foot cathedral ceiling dominatedby an extensive window wall.”

The window wall would, in turn,help to contexturalize a more sym-metrical front elevation — onedefined by a processionalentranceway with double frenchglass doors and sidelights.

The first chellenge, however,was contending with the peculiari-ties of the lot itself.

“The entire plan depended onadding about 350 square feet onthe south side of the house whilestaying within [Fairfax] Countysetback requirements,” saidproject draftsman Josh Britton.“Since the set- back limit runs di-agonally on that side of the house,I designed a two-component foot-print which steps back from thefront elevation.”

Necessity being the mother of

invention, the solution makesadroit use of tight tolerances.Space formerly allocated to the oldkitchen/family room combinationis absorbed into a gourmet kitchenconfiguration which gains 130square feet to the west for a totalof more than 450 square foot. Thenew family room — taperingdown to 220 square feet — sup-plants a former front deck.

Taken as a whole, the floor planis functionally a “great room.”Clever variances in room width,ceiling height and sightlines dif-ferentiate clearly-identified “use”spaces while reinforcing their in-herent sense of privacy.

“The slightly narrower widthconfers a degree of intimacy on thefamily room,” Wolf said. “On theother hand, the cathedral ceilingand window wall heighten thedrama — enticing the eye to move

up and out.”Wolfe’s interior design scheme,

likewise, balances detailing withina well-integrated whole.

Provincial-stained red oak floor-ing lends cohesion to the entiresuite which now flows into therevised living and dining rooms.

Large windows facing south andwest bring the richly wooded back-yard close-in, forming a setting foran eat-in ktichen that is bothhighly functional and eye-catch-ing. The kitchen’s centerpiece is afood preparation island and din-ing counter that seats six. The cus-tom built-in is positioned to sup-port both cooking and clean-uptasks while protecting the cook’swork triangle. Drawers designedto the chef’s requirements calledfor easy access to a pull-out mixerstand, a roll-out vertical spice rack,and slots specially fitted for every-

day china. The island’s “ice stone”surface complements a mosaicbacksplash comprised of marble,glass, chrome and shell. Glass pen-dant lamps and lights contributefurther to a pallete of lighter toneswhich are countered by cherrycabinets and more textured ele-ments. In the family room, the 54-inch stainless steel hearth with gasburner embedded in river rock isboth a heat source and a decora-tively ornamental focal point.

Flanked by open cubbies featur-ing glass display shelves, cherrywood cabinetry, and a wine rackabutting a refrigerator, the built-ins define a functionally separatefamily entertainment zone thatincludes wide-screen plasma TVmounted above the fireplace.

A more congenial spot for holi-day entertaining is hard to imag-ine.

While the new floorplan is functionally a “great room,” variances inceiling height and room width define “use” zones that also gain a de-gree of privacy.

The 17.5-foot by 13-foot window wall that dominates the new side-facinggable is one component in a renovated front elevation which now fea-tures a well-defined entranceway comprised of glass-facing French doorsand sidelights.

Opening Up Open floorplan plus cathedral ceilingequals McLean ranch stylishly re-invented.

A south-facing bump-out accommodates acook-top ventilator flanked by transomwindows. The concentrated small spacesolution enlarges the cook’s work triangleand creates an additional source of natu-ral light.

Among chef-required built-ins, pull-outdrawers pegged to hold various sizedishes.

Home LifeStyleHome LifeStyle

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Photos by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

Address .................................. BR FB HB ... Postal City ... Sold Price .... Type ....... Lot AC PostalCode .......... Subdivision ............ Date Sold

1 11608 Hunting Crest LN .......... 4 .. 4 .. 1 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,629,807 .... Detached .... 0.00 ...... 22182 ........... HUNTING CREST .......... 10/09/13

2 10313 FOREST MAPLE RD ...... 5 .. 4 .. 1 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,488,000 .... Detached .... 2.49 ...... 22182 ........... VICTORIA FARMS .......... 10/08/13

3 11990 MARKET ST #812 ........ 3 .. 3 .. 0 ...... RESTON ..... $1,350,000 .... Hi-Rise 9+ Floors ...... 20190 .. MIDTOWN AT RESTON TOWN . 10/22/13

4 10252 DEERCREST MEADOW PL6 . 5 .. 2 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,325,000 .... Detached .... 1.73 ...... 22182 ....... DEERCREST MEADOW ...... 10/21/13

5 12025 NEW DOMINION PKWY#401 3 .. 2 .. 0 ...... RESTON ..... $1,315,000 .... Mid-Rise 5-8 Floors .... 20190 .......... MIDTOWN NORTH ......... 10/04/13

6 503 DELANO DR SE ................ 6 .. 6 .. 1 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,307,500 .... Detached .... 0.39 ...... 22180 ........ EAST VIENNA WOODS ....... 10/23/13

7 1908 BALLYCOR DR ................ 5 .. 4 .. 1 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,303,000 .... Detached .... 0.83 ...... 22182 ....... SADDLEBROOK FARMS ...... 10/25/13

8 8704 PARK ST ........................ 5 .. 5 .. 0 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,300,000 .... Detached .... 0.57 ...... 22180 ......... MC HENRY HEIGHTS ........ 10/02/13

9 3120 ELMENDORF DR ............ 4 .. 5 .. 0 ...... OAKTON ..... $1,052,000 .... Detached .... 0.14 ...... 22124 ......... OAK MARR COURTS ........ 10/24/13

10 2655 COCKERILL FARM LN ..... 5 .. 4 .. 1 ...... OAK HILL ...... $925,000 .... Detached .... 0.33 ...... 20171 .......... COCKERILL PLACE .......... 10/31/13

Copyright 2013 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of November 15, 2013.

October, 2013Top Sales in

Vienna, Oakton,Reston andOak Hill

Local REAL ESTATE

2 10313 Forest Maple Road,Vienna — $1,488,000

1 11608 Hunting Crest Lane,Vienna — $1,629,807

6 503 Delano Drive SE, Vienna — $1,307,500

7 1908 Ballycor Drive, Vienna — $1,303,000


Home LifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

’Tis the season fordecking the halls.Whether your styleis traditional and

colorful, muted and demure ormetallic and glittery, three localdesigners offer distinct holidaydecorating ideas to spark your cre-ativity.

Victoria Sanchez, who openedVictoria at Home, a home furnish-ings boutique and interior designstudio on King Street in Old TownAlexandria earlier this month, saidthe décor begins with an aroma.

“Holiday scented candles imme-diately say ‘holiday,’” said Sanchez.“Fresh greens tucked behind art-work and intertwined intotablescapes add a wonderful scent.”

She recommends filling bowlswith colorful holiday ornamentsand displaying holiday cards toadd a touch of nostalgia. “What Ilove most about the holidays is[that] each ornament and everytradition evokes memories of fam-ily, friends and childhood,” saidSanchez.

Designer Sharon Kleinman ofTransitions by Sharon Kleinman inPotomac, said Christmas is no timefor minimalism. “The Christmasseason is the perfect time to go allout decorating the main areas ofyour home,” she said. “I love thesmell of fresh pine, so fill yourhome with it. Starting at the frontentrance, hang a pine wreath onthe door.”

Kleinman recommends purchas-ing fresh wreaths. “Many localnurseries like American Plant andBenke’s make some really beauti-ful ones,” she said. “Local floristsare also a good source.”

There are a multitude of uses forfresh winter foliage. “Place pineboughs, candles of varying heightsand decorative accessories such aspainted wooden toys [like] trains,toy soldiers, blocks or colored ballsamong the pine branches,” addedKleinman.

Another idea, says Kleinman, isto wrap small boxes in colorfulpaper, top them with brightly col-ored bows and place them on themantel. “Decorative stockingshung on the mantel are traditionaland a must in my book,” she said.“Stair rails can be wrapped in pineboughs, ribbon and/or tinsel.”

To add splashes of festive Christ-mas red to a home, Kleinman rec-ommends “Placing pots of poinset-

tias throughout the house. Person-alize your Christmas tree withhomemade ornaments, sentimen-tal items, colored bows and lots oftinsel.”

When it comes to holidaytablescapes, Kelley Proxmire andEmily Wallace of Kelley InteriorDesign suggest adding a touch ofshimmer. “Try breaking out of a setcolor scheme of red, white andgreen,” said Wallace. “Try popu-lar metallic finishes that could beused in fabric for pillows, gold ac-cessories for the table [like] tinyvases [or] salt and pepper shak-ers and napkin rings with ‘bling’metallic finishes.”

Mix decorative objects with fo-liage to create a warm and invit-ing table. “Incorporate ‘organic’items of the season, like greensfrom pine trees, magnolias, pinecones, and some fruit,” saidProxmire.

Unconventional items can beused as vessels for a wintery, holi-day centerpiece. Wallace andProxmire found a “tortoise shell-like urn … for next to nothing at aconsignment store” and used it tohold a centerpiece. “You could buya new vase or container, but it cer-tainly could also be a vintage findand not necessarily brand new,”said Proxmire.

“Use lots of little LED lights invotive holders, either clear votivesor ones with a metallic tone fin-ish,” said Wallace. “This is a casewhere more is better.”

Local designers offer suggestionsfor decorating your home.

Holiday Décor: Make it Sparkle

This holiday sideboard, designed by Emily Wallace ofKelley Interior Design, breaks from traditional red andgreen décor by making use of a metallic color palette.

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“What I love most about the holidaysis [that] each ornament and everytradition evokes memories of family,friends and childhood”.

— Victoria Sanchez, Victoria at Home


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Page 10 Page 17 Holiday Fun for Everyoneconnection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/...Dec 11, 2013 · A half-a-million crystal and colored lights set Meadow-lark Gardens aglow