A Variety of New Year’s Fun in Metro DC

If you still haven’t decided how to spend your New Year’s Eve in Bethesda or the Metro DC area, there’s still hope. Washington and the surrounding neighborhoods have so many great events to ring in the New Year.

Here are four of the many ways you can enjoy yourself this year, courtesy of the Bethesda Patch.

FAMILY FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE

Lebanese Taverna, 7141 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD, $18

Bring the Kids for the Family Friendly New Year's Eve celebration. Seating begins at 4:30 and Oh Susannah will entertain the kids. Price is $18.00 per child and includes party favors, dinner from kids menu, entertainment and "Ball Drop". Adult dinner is a la carte. Reservations are suggested as seating is limited. Call 301-951-8681 and reference Family Friendly event.

NEW YEAR’S EVE LABYRINTH WALK

Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, MD, FREE

Please join us for our annual candle lit New Year’s Eve labyrinth walk from 6:00 to 9:00 PM featuring live piano and harp music by Meg Baker. This indoor labyrinth walk is the spiritual highlight of the year!

NEW YEAR'S EVE SWING DANCE AT GLEN ECHO PARK

Glen Echo Park, 7300 Macarthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD, $25

Swing in the New Year at Glen Echo Park. Enjoy a night of swing dancing to the music of the Tom Cunningham Orchestra. Purchase tickets online or at the Spanish Ballroom.

NEW YEAR'S EVE AT BROOKSIDE GARDENS

Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Silver Spring, MD, FREE

Enjoy New Year's Eve at Brookside Gardens until 10 p.m. The Garden of Lights will be open, and there will be crafts and music in the visitor’s center

No matter what you choose, you’ll have a memorable time. To all my family, friends and clients, I wish you a very happy, healthy and successful New Year!

Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

A National Park Right Next to Bethesda

If you’re looking for something to do with the kids during the Bethesda school break, try the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park located in Washington, DC—and the surrounding suburbs!

The C&O Canal is a 184.4 mile stretch of water that moved goods to various communities between Washington, DC and Cumberland, MD from 1850 to 1924. It took 22 years to build (1828 to 1850), and during peak years of operation you would find up to 800 boats moving along this waterway, carrying 850 thousand tons of coal.

Boats moved along the canal by means of mules pulling the boats along a 100-foot tow rope. Top speed was 4 MPH, so it took seven 18-hour days to move the length of the canal. (Mules can only go so fast.) Each boat made about 25 trips per year and often carried the family that owned it.

There’s a great deal of history associated with the canal including western expansion, transportation, and the Civil War as well as the growth of industry and commerce. With over 1300 historical structures along the length of the water, there’s a lot you can learn. Some of these sites include lock houses, aqueducts, dams and pump houses. There are 74 locks along the canal which were based on a design by Leonardo Da Vinci.

If you’re not in the mood for history, the park has over 19,000 acres where you can stroll beside the water, ride a horse or bike, or just sit and enjoy the local wildlife. Or take a boat tour to combine relaxation with history.

To learn more about this great National Park right in our Bethesda backyard, check out their website.

This is just one of the great local attractions that area residents enjoy. Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

Hanukkah Celebrations in Metro DC

This time of year not only brings the festivities of Christmas but also the wonderful celebration of Hanukkah. From About.com, here is a list of Hanukkah festivities that will happen now through December 25 in the Greater Washington, DC area.

Clicking on any of the links will take you to a website with more information.

National Menorah Lighting

December 20, 2011, 4 p.m. The Ellipse, 1600 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC (202) 332-5600. Celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah with speeches, music, activities for kids and the lighting of the National Menorah by Rabbi Levi Shemtov. This event is free, but tickets are required.

JCC Gallery Art Show & Sale
December 4-25, 2011. Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, Maryland (301) 881-0100. Shop for decorative home items, jewelry, stained and fused glass, paintings, menorahs/chanukiot, quilting, textiles and fiber, challah covers, mezuzot, seder plates and more.

JCC Chanukah Celebration

December 18, 2011, 6-7:30 p.m., Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, Maryland 301-348-3880. Celebrate Chanukah with lots of latkes (potato pancakes) and loads of fun, all leading up to a premiere screening of Chanukah: The Missing Menorah, a new series from the creators of Sesame Street.

Hanukkah Celebration at Bethesda Row
December 22, 2011. Bethesda and Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD. The family-friendly event features live music, entertainment, hot latkes and chocolate gelt. Sponsored by Chabad of Bethesda-Chevy Chase.

Matzo Ball
December 24, 2011. 9 p.m. Eden, 1716 I St NW Washington, DC. $30. Singles Hanukkah party organized by the Society of Young Jewish Professionals.

Hanukkah Festival in Alexandria

December 25, 2011 6 p.m. Crown Plaza Hotel, 901 N Fairfax Street Alexandria, VA. Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington sponsors a Menorah Lighting, dreidels, lakes and donuts. (703)370-2774.

Hands on Hanukkah at the JCC

December 25, 2011, 11 a.m-3 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031 (703) 323-0880. The event includes arts and crafts, games and activities, moon bounce, face painting, balloon artist and more.

No matter what traditions you celebrate, I wish you Happy Holidays and a prosperous, healthy and happy New Year!

Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

Great Holiday Gifts Outdoors in Downtown DC

If you’d like to buy your holiday gifts from local artisans and vendors without leaving Metro DC, head over to the annual Downtown DC Holiday Market. You’ll find abundant choices of unique gifts for all the people in your life, and you’ll get to spend some time outdoors while buying.

The Holiday Market is a seasonal outdoor shopping event held annually in DC's Penn Quarter neighborhood. Each week about 50 artisans and exhibitors rotate through the market, with about 180 total vendors participating. Items for sale include fine art, pottery, photography, jewelry, crafts, clothing and specialty foods.

Some of the local artisans who will participate include:

• De Nada Design - Handmade knits for men and women
• TORO MATA - Art of Peru
• 8th Street Soap Kitchen - Handcrafted soaps
• Smashing Jewels - Contemporary jewelry
• Janice's Table – European textiles
• Dangerously Delicious DC - Specialty food items
• J. Chocolatier - Chocolates, truffles, and toffee
• One Mango Tree – Fair-trade items
• Jonathan Blum - Portrait painter
• Carrie Saxl Jewelry – Jewelry

There is also musical entertainment for every taste by renowned local artists such as:

• Grammy-nominated Christylez Bacon (progressive hip hop)
• Dave Chappell (guitar)
• Flo Anito (jazz-pop)
• Gina DeSimone (swing)
• Glorious Sounds of the United House of Prayer (gospel brass)
• Janine Wilson & Max Evans (acoustic roots)
• Kid Goat (indie rock)
• Seth Kibel (jazz)
• The Sweater Set (folk)

Whether you’re in Bethesda, Chevy Chase or another local community, you’ll find something great at this year’s Market. The event runs from December 2 to 23, 2011 and is open from noon to 8:00 p.m. You’ll find it on the sidewalk of F Street, NW between 7^th and 9^th Streets, which is easily accessible from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station. See the Market's website for more information.

Beautiful and distinctive gifts right in your own back yard—another great advantage of living in the DC area. Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

Realtor.com survey: Holidays are 'good time to sell'

I have often been asked if a house for sale should be pulled off the market during the holiday season. My answer has always been consistent, "No! Houses still sell during the holiday season."

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, if sellers are going to be hosting a lot of family or if they really like to go overboard with the decorations, then maybe it's best to take it off the market for a few weeks. However, for the most part, a Christmas tree or holiday decorations tend to generate a warm and fuzzy feeling with a potential buyer that can play a big role in an emotionally charged decision.

While there may be less potential buyers looking, there is also less competition. Plus, the buyers that are out are probably very serious. Otherwise, they would be waiting in line to buy an iPhone4 at the Apple Store along with everyone else. My final point is that every day that it's not on the market is a day that the house could've sold. You can't sell a house if it's not on the market!

Apparently, my colleagues agree. Click below for more details...and Happy Holidays!

Realtor.com survey: Holidays are 'good time to sell'

Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

Cool Light Displays in the Metro DC Area



Photo Courtesy of National Zoo Website

 There are so many wonderful holiday activities in Bethesda and the surrounding area, including some great holiday light displays. Two of the nicer displays are ZooLights at The National Zoo in Washington, DC and Symphony of Lights at Symphony Woods in Columbia, MD.

ZooLights shows off many of the zoo’s most popular animals, built larger-than-life and constructed of LED lights. The LED lights are environmentally friendly and use about 90 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs. The event also offers hands-on activities, food, and other entertainment.

A new activity this year is an “Iceless” Skating Rink. Located at the Zoo’s picnic pavilion, this is among the best of the world’s eco-friendly synthetic ice skating surfaces. The “ice” is actually a special polymer that lets skate blades glide the same way they would on real ice. The price is pretty smooth, too--$5.00 for a 30-minute session.

ZooLights is open 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. nightly from December 16, 2011 to January 1, 2012 (except 12/24, 12/25 and 12/31). The event is free, but you will have to pay for parking: $9.00 for zoo members and $16.00 for non-members. See the National Zoo's website for more details.

For 18 years, Symphony of Lights has offered a wonderful holiday experience for those in Maryland and Virginia—and you don’t have to get out of your car!  In 20 to 30 minutes, you’ll drive past over 70 animated and stationary light creations that, like ZooLights, are larger-than-life.

The price for a car or van of up to 8 passengers is $20.00; vehicles seating 9 to 24 passengers pay $45.00; and larger busses that seat 25 or more will pay $125.00. You can find more information at their website.

There’s always something to do in the DC area, but the holidays offer some special ways to have a wonderful time. Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.