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Annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop at the National Postal Museum

Homemade love is in the air at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum’s Annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop!

Perfect for visitors of all ages, this open-house event will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10.

The museum provides a bountiful spread of patterned papers, postage and rubber stamps, gems and other 3-D embellishments, special cut-out scissors, washi tape, stickers, markers of every color (with a surplus of hearts, red and pink!) and more.

Following their own creative instincts, kids can choose whichever supplies they would like to design one-of-a-kind Valentine greetings.

Once finished, cards can then be placed in envelopes, addressed and adorned. In keeping with educating children about the postal service and how mail works, kids can pop their own cards in an official USPS mailbox in the adjacent post office. Of course, visitors are also welcome to explore the whole museum and everything else it has to offer.

The workshop takes place in the museum’s lower-level Atrium, which, for those new to the National Postal Museum, is full of various postal transports from over the years, including a real train car, semi-truck (yes, kids can climb in and pretend to drive!), a horse-drawn carriage and airplanes hanging from the ceiling.

The layout of the card-making stations and supply tables fosters sharing, friendliness and a sense of community. And the museum’s pleasant staff and volunteers are always available to answer questions, provide examples of beautiful completed cards, or help in any other way.

In the modern era, a handmade card can be hard to come by! This event is the perfect environment in which kids can express their love for friends and family with a heartfelt note of affection and appreciation.

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DC Open House List for this Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Another week of 200+ open houses across the District and the weekend is expected to see temperatures of 40+ degrees, which will feel like summer after this arctic cold week. Get out there this weekend and find your next home!

To see the entire DC Open House List, click here.

  • 1408 Kearny Street NE — $649,000 — Brookland
    Open Sun. 1-3 p.m. — Lee Goldstein
    3 BR/2BA detached home on a quiet residential street (but close enough to Metro & 12th Street Corridor) with a fully fenced backyard and deck.
  • 640 Buchanan Street NW #107 — $299,000 — Petworth
    Open Sun. 1-3 p.m. — Trish DiRuggiero
    “Sparkling Petworth one bedroom that you’ll love as soon as you walk in!”
  • 620 C Street SE — $975,000 – Capitol Hill
    Open Sat. & Sun. 1-4 p.m. — Franklyn Palau
    Opportunity to own a unique property zoned for both residential and commercial if you’re looking to open your own store and live above it.
  • 6703 4th Street NW — $800,000 — Takoma
    Open Sat. & Sun. 2-4 p.m. — Metro DC Houses
    2-level detached bungalow with 4 bedrooms, 3 of which are on the main level.
  • 1716 Montello Avenue NE — $649,999 — Trinidad
    Open Sat. & Sun. 1-4 p.m. — Michael Bates
    Recently renovated row home with 3 BR/3.5 BA with an open floor plan features a master bedroom suite with a vaulted ceiling and exposed brick.

Is Your Goal to Buy a Home in 2019?

Is your goal to buy a home in 2019?

Let us simplify the home buying process for you! Stop by, grab some refreshments and learn from our team of industry experts. The workshop is centrally located at GreenLine Real Estate’s NEW office at 2216 14th Street, NW — Between W Street & Florida Avenue.

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Jan. 30

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home.

Featured Property of the Week: 6703 4th Street NW

  • This modernized 4 BR/2 BA, 2 level detached “meticulously updated bungalow” in Takoma features a chef’s kitchen with all Thermador stainless steel appliances, Carrera marble, hardwood floors throughout and 3 main-level bedrooms (“with 2 stunning baths”) with a 4th bedroom on the lower level. The home also has a workshop/storage area and a “professionally landscaped and fenced yard with an entertainment space/potting shed.” 

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is a $3.97M 3 BR penthouse condo at The Westlight and it’s just as fancy as you’d expect with over 2,600 square feet and its own service entrance.
  • Renovated 1 BR Petworth condo is a wide-open corner unit filled with natural light.
  • Brookland detached home has 3 BR/2 BA, welcoming front porch, a traditional floor plan, a large fenced backyard with a deck and the home even has its own Tiki Bar on the lower level!
  • Your Bankruptcy Property of the Week could make you a landlord with this “cash cow alert! 2 units with 16 bedrooms, 10 full baths, 2 half baths, 2 kitchens and 2 parking spaces.”

Legal Review: Virginia Lawmakers Considering Two Marijuana Bills

By PoP Sponsor (a)

By Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Woolley of Price Benowitz LLP

Currently in the Virginia General Assembly, lawmakers are deciding on two marijuana bills.

If either one is passed, it would mean that fewer people would face jail time and a permanent criminal record for acts that are no longer considered illegal in many other parts of the country.

“House Bill 2371 is the more promising of the two,” says Patrick Woolley of Price Benowitz, LLP, “but any law that would allow more people to retain their freedom is a good one. As it is, too many Virginians are in jail for something that is now considered such a trivial matter.”

HB 2371 would make marijuana legal for anyone over the age of 21 that wishes to purchase and use it. The bill would also include regulations for those that want to grow marijuana in addition to establishing a framework for manufacturing, testing and selling the drug at a retail level.

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DC Open House List for this Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

There’s over 200 open houses this weekend, which can only mean one thing: the 2019 market is on with full force, with everything from studios to McMansions — something to please everyone.

To see the entire DC Open House List, click here.

  • 1470 Chapin Street NW — $989,000 — Columbia Heights
    Open Sat. 2-4 p.m. & Sun. 1-3 p.m. — Sean Forschler
    2-level penthouse unit has 2 BR/2.5 BA, “soaring 20′ cathedral ceilings, skylights and a lovely mix of modern & classic finishes.”
  • 240 M Street SW #E406 — $319,999 — Southwest Waterfront
    Open Sun. 1-4 p.m. — Thomas Mathis
    Fairly standard (which isn’t a bad thing) 1 BR/1 BA unit with a more traditional floor plan.
  • 4345 Douglas Street NE — $499,900 — Kenilworth
    Open Sat. 1-3 p.m. — Jessica Thompson
    A 6 BR/3.5 BA detached home with a massive backyard at this price is nearly unbelievable, but perhaps their hoping for a bidding war.
  • 2115 S Street NW #3A  — $699,999 — Dupont Circle
    Open Sun. 1-4 p.m. — Jami Rankin
    2 BR/1.5 BA condo with a view of the Washington Monument from the private
    balcony off of the living room.
  • 223 18th Street SE #2 — $464,999 — Barney Circle/Hill East
    Open Sun. 12-4 p.m. — Amanda Briggs
    End unit townhouse-to-condo conversion is listed as a 2 BR, but is most definitely a 1 BR +Den and the “building shares a large fenced yard, garden space and fire pit.”

Commuter Connections: How to Find a Ridematch to Share the Commute

Hard to believe, but the Washington, D.C., region is only the sixth worst for traffic, according to transportation analytics compiled by INRIX and reported by USA Today.

Apparently, we spend 63 hours a year in traffic–which seems like a pretty low estimate for many of us.

Each one of the minutes in those 63 hours spent alone in our cars costs us money and aggravation, which turns into stress. Worse, commuters who drive alone contribute to the traffic congestion and expands their carbon footprint.

But van and carpooling saves time, money (an average of $22 a day), and stress; it takes cars off the road; and it reduces personal carbon outputs.

Those interested in joining a carpool and sharing their ride to and from work should do what more than 20,000 others in the region have done and sign up for a free membership with Commuter Connections.

Once they do, they can join the Ridesharing Program and find like-minded commuters who are headed their way.

The Ridesharing Program makes available information and resources to find compatible carpoolers in their area. Members may also sign up for the free CarpoolNow app that connects commuters seeking real-time, on-demand rides to carpool drivers already on the road. And, drivers who offer to pick up a carpool passenger on their way to and/or from work may earn a $10 cash incentive per trip.

The app displays routes and confirms pickup times and locations.

Like all the other Commuter Connections services, the Ridesharing ridematching program and the CarpoolNow app are available at no cost.

New members can sign up for the program here.

Commuter Connections, the regional network of transportation organizations coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, offers free services and programs that help employees and employers throughout the region find the most cost-effective, convenient, and safe commutes. Information on ridematching, public transit, HOV lane restrictions, park-and-ride lots, bicycling, and teleworking are among the services Commuter Connections has been promoting since its founding in 1974.

Real Estate Fresh Finds: Jan. 23

By PoP Sponsor (a)

Real Estate Fresh Finds is a weekly selection of newly-listed properties in the District, brought to you by Real Living At Home.

Featured Property of the Week: 326 Adams Street NE

  • This 3 BR/3.5 BA “thoughtfully restored row home offers convenient access to both public transportation and nearby shopping and restaurants.” Features of this home include luxury interior finishes, brand-new systems (electric, plumbing, mechanical & HVAC), 2 off-street parking spaces, a solar lit backyard and a fully-finished lower level with a guest suite and rear walkout access.

Other Notable Fresh Listings:

  • The Most Expensive Home of the Week is a 7 BR mansion for $16M that didn’t sell in the summer of 2018. I doubt relisting it at the same price in single-digit weather is going to help it sell any faster, but hey, it’s got a wine cellar and infinity pool!
  • On the edge of Petworth is this Colonial style 3 BR, 3-level AS-IS townhouse.
  • The Cheapest Home of the Week is a first-floor 1 BR in Brightwood for only $135k that “needs some TLC, but shows well.”
  • Your Bankruptcy Property of the Week definitely has a staircase, walls and backdoor, but aside from that, you’ll have to visit to see the full condition of this 2 BR.

Legal Review: Noah’s on Patrol Advocate for More Enforcement of Noah’s Law

By PoP Sponsor (a)

By Criminal Defense Attorney Oleg Fastovsky of Price Benowitz LLP

In December of 2015, Noah Leotta, a police officer, was killed by a driver under the influence while he was stopping another vehicle.

In response to the tragic accident, the Maryland legislature enacted the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2015, named ‘Noah’s Law.’ The new law expanded the requirement of interlock ignition devices on vehicles when a driver has been convicted of a DUI. Now, Noah’s family is advocating for more execution of the law, hoping to pressure judges into enforcing it more than they are now.

The advocacy group is calling themselves Noah’s on Patrol. It is a small group of people headed by Noah’s father, Rich Leotta. Noah’s on Patrol is starting their movement in Montgomery County, where Noah was working at the time of his death.

Rich Leotta says that in cases of probation before judgement (PBJ), those facing DUI charges are not being required to have an interlock device installed in their vehicle. Instead he states, these individuals are simply getting a slap on the wrist, and that is not what Noah’s Law was intended to be. He believes this needs to change.

To combat the problem he sees, Leotta has started sitting in courtrooms where DUI cases are being heard. His hope in doing this is that judges will know they are being watched by those expecting Noah’s Law to be enforced.

“There really is no problem with the way the judges are handling these PBJ cases,” says Oleg Fastovsky of Price Benowitz, LLP. “Noah’s Law states that those convicted of a DUI must have the device installed in their vehicles. However, a PBJ means there has been no conviction, a person has not been found guilty of the crime. So there is no contradiction of Noah’s Law in these cases.”

Often when many of these convicted individuals show up in court, they already have the device installed on their vehicle, as it is sometimes required following an arrest. The judge would be provided with that information before the hearing. This means that there would be no reason to mention the requirement as part of someone’s probationary sentence.

Featured Events This Weekend

By PoP Sponsor (a)

The weekend is here and so is this list of featured events for Saturday and Sunday, as submitted to our event calendar.

Fire & Ice Festival at The Wharf

Saturday, January 19 from 2-5 p.m.

The Wharf, 101 District Square

Join The Wharf for the second annual Fire & Ice Festival on District Pier.

Enjoy whisky sampling stations, fire twirlers, ice shuffleboard, ice luge and an ice sculptor while a DJ turns up the heat!

Be sure to stop by the WAFF Ice House between 12-8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18 and Saturday, Jan. 19 to support the Washington Area Fuel Fund to raise funds to keep our neighbors warm this winter. Sit in the House, get your “Bring the Heat” thermal photo and more!

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