The Valley Drive Preschool Mardi Gras Silent Auction is on Saturday, March 5th from 7:00p.m. - 10:00p.m. Below are the descriptions of the fabulous silent auction items. Please contact Liz Reynolds at liz_m_reynolds@yahoo.com if you are not able to come and would like to place a bid. Or, you can bid in-person! Tickets are $35/person or $50/couple at the door. The auction will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 1608 Russell Road, Alexandria, Virginia. Hope to see you there!
Descriptions of our Silent Auction Items:
Declutter Service
A certificate for 2 hours with Call 2 Sisters, to do decluttering or downsizing. Want more room in your home? Moving to a smaller home? At some point, you will want to sort, reduce, and "recycle" [i.e., find a good home for] possessions you no longer need or want to keep. Call 2 Sisters can provide the helping hands and thoughtful encouragement to reduce, recycle, and repurpose...so you are left with the things that bring you joy and meaning.
www.call2sisters.com
Value: $250
Zoo Trip and Book
Lions and tiger and bears, oh my! This certificate entitles you to an afternoon away from your little “monkey”. Your child will enjoy a trip to the zoo with Alex Hardies, Green Frog, along with lunch and his favorite book about animals...”Animalia” by Graeme Base. It’s a fabulous A-Z book of illustrations and poems like “D is Diabolical Dragons daintily devouring delicious delicacies.”
Value: Priceless
Mommy and Me in the Kitchen
A "Mommy and Me in the Kitchen" basket filled with enough goodies to make Martha Stewart envious: two handmade aprons (one adult sized, one child sized), a set of handmade tea towels, a mommy and me cookbook, and some measuring spoons and cups.
Value: $100
Homemade Indian Curry Meal
A taste of Bombay. Enjoy a freshly prepared Indian Curry Meal for Four to Six. English Restaurant Style & English Prepared!
Menu includes: Poppadoms & chutneys, tandoori chicken (or vegetarian alternative) as appetizers, followed by 2 meat or vegetarian curries (your choice of meats (beef, chicken, lamb...or vegetables), dhal, naan bread, and rice, with Indian ice cream (kulfi) for dessert. Meal can either be cooked “fresh” and then delivered for dinner that evening (best option) or cooked and chilled for re-heating later. Range of dates available over the next few months. No expiration date.
Value: $100
Tickets to Synetic Main Stage, DC’s Premier Physical Theater
Synetic Main Stage is DC’s best theater “fusing dynamic art forms such as text, drama, movement, acrobatics, dance and music, by producing world-class physical theater for all ages”. Enjoy a night at the theater you’ll never forget with 2 tickets to Synetic Main Stage production of Don Quixote.
www.synetictheater.com
Expires: 7/3/2011
Value: $100
The Energy Club Membership
It’s never too late to start your new year’s resolution. Enjoy a one month membership and two free personal training sessions at The Energy Club, voted “Best gym to workout in Arlington.”
www.theenergyclub.com
Expires: 4/30/11
Value: $150
Ooey, Gooey, Melt-In-Your-Mouth, Kiss-Your-Diet-Goodbye, Decadent Homemade Cookies
Three batches of homemade cookies. Chocolate chip cookies in March, springtime sugar cookies in April, and mint chocolate chip cookies (half of them baked, half of them frozen and oven-ready, for warm gooey cookies whenever you want them!) in May. 3 dozen in each batch.
Value: $50
Creative Movement Birthday Parties
45 minutes (up to 12 children unless otherwise given permission)
The party comes to you! All you need to do is sit back and relax while your child and his or her friends have a blast participating in Sara's creative movement party! Sara has been teaching creative movement for over 15 years, and currently runs the creative movement program at Washington Street Preschool and St. Clements Preschool. Additionally, she was one of the original creators of Move N' Groove Kids DVD. Sara will bring music, props and enthusiasm - all you need to do is provide the kids!
Value: $150
Small Group Pilates Sessions
50 minutes (up to 4 people)
Get a group of friends together and Sara will come to you! What could be easier? Pilates is a unique method of exercising that strengthens, tones, and balances the body. Pilates uses specific core principals to improve alignment, flexibility,
and enhance muscle tone. Never had a Pilates class? This is a great opportunity to learn the basic principals. If you are already experienced in Pilates, this can be a great way to go deeper into the method. Sara is also qualified to
teach prenatal and post-partum Pilates, however, if teaching a group, all would need to be postpartum or prenatal.
Value: $160
Philips Sonicare Elite e7300 Power Toothbrush
The new Sonicare Elite Series rechargable power toothbrush has new Superior Cleaning Technology that directs powerful cleaning action into hard-to-reach areas for 20% better plaque removal between teeth. Sonicare Elite improves gum health by reversing gingivitis and shrinking periodontal pockets. Whiter teeth and healthier gums in 28 days guaranteed!
Value: $200
Custom Pillowcase Dress and $75 Etsy Gift Certificate
One Custom Pillowcase Dress size 2T-6 Pillowcase dresses are very versatile. They can be worn alone or with a top and leggings/tights/pants. They will grow with your child, starting as a longer dress and then ending as a top. Your custom dress will created in the fabrics of your choice, with all seams finished to prevent fraying. $75 gift certificate to Bartley Dannan Designs on Etsy.com where you can purchase clothes and order custom pieces.
Value: $100
Rock Star Parking At Valley Drive!
Parking Spot for Pick-Up and Drop-Off
Parents of Green Frog, Kien Tordoff, who live at 8 West Masonic View Avenue have offered their driveway to park for the rest of the school year. March until June. Available for pick-up and drop-off.
Value: Priceless
Basket O’ Books
Instant home library. This selection of books will appeal to various ages from a few board books (How Does a Dinosaur....), to picture books, to a few popular chapter books (Flat Stanley, Amelia Bedelia, Magic Treehouse) that you could read to your child. There is also a set of sight-word books for early reading skills. The picture books include the Rhyme and Repetition Set, Caldecott Winner Set and A Laura Numeroff Set (including an audio CD of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie).
Value: $150
Konnichiha!
Three Japanese Lessons
One-on-one Lesson for Absolute Beginner/Elementary Level Japanese. Any topic of interest from words best for travel to grammar help. Who it's for: Anyone who has ever wanted to learn Japanese. People who have taken up Japanese either in a class setting or individually, but find it difficult and need some tutoring. People vacationing to Japan. Children who would like to learn how to read very basic Japanese, count and or sing a few songs.
Three 1 hour sessions, in the evenings.
Value: $105
Health Coach Consultation
60 Minute Consultation with Marybeth Walsh, Health Coach, Owner of My Whole Self
This 60 minute consultation includes a full discussion of your health history and health goals, a chance to get your questions answered and the opportunity to learn more about a personalized health program, completely catered towards your busy lifestyle and needs. Health Coaching is a unique, exciting innovation in health and nutrition. As a Health Coach, I have studied all the major dietary theories and will help you discover what approach works best for you. Rather than dwelling on calories, carbs, fats, proteins, restrictions and lists of good and bad foods, I work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun and free of denial and discipline. No one diet works for everyone. I will also help you to make gradual, lifelong changes that enable you to reach your current and future health goals.
Value: $105
Tutus & Tiny Dancers
$50 Gift Certificate for Tiny Dancers camp or class along with a $25 Gift Certificate to Robcyn's which carries whatever your little ballerina will need, i.e., ballet shoes, leotards, tutus, etc...
Value: $75
Salsa & Sundaes
Kid friendly dinner and dessert at two of Del Ray’s favorite eateries: Los Tios and The Dairy Godmother. Enjoy $35 Gift Certificate (and all the chips and salsa you can eat) at Los Tios. And for dessert, treat you and your kids to the flavor of the day with a $20 Gift Certificate to Dairy Godmother, plus 2 wands!
Value: $60
Pillowcase Princess
The "Gwennie" Pillowcase Dress by Lark. Pillowcase dresses are fun and versatile - they grow with your little girl from an adorable, go-anywhere dress to an easy-breezy tunic top when she gets bigger. This "Gwennie" style Lark pillowcase dress is a size 3-4. Wear with a long-sleeved shirt and leggings or jeans on cooler days. 100% cotton, machine wash (use a delicates bag to protect embellishments), tumble dry low or hang to dry. Lark offers spirited designs for little ones, handmade by local mom, Melanie W. Their designs can be found locally at Purple Goose.
Value: $48
Say Cheese!
Photography Package by Casey Gammon (mom of Laina Gammon, Yellow Duck). The package includes:
- 2 hours of time at individual’s choice of location (home, nearby park, etc)
- Post processing of photos
- Access to all digital edited photos on cd
- 2 8x10 Framed prints and 2 5x7 framed prints of their choosing.
Value: $250
Green Thumbs Up!
Enjoy two ceramic Bonsai tree planters from Eclectic Nature along with a $25 Gift Certificate to Garden Contessa.
Value: $60
Sweet Painting by Children’s Book Author/Illustrator, Courtney Pippin-Mathur
After a year of full-time babyhood, Courtney, a former Valley Drive Parent, combined watercolor and children’s illustration. Since then, she’s painted, painted and then painted some more, taught art classes to elementary school students and sold some paintings. Recently, she was contracted by Flashlight Press write and illustrate her first picture book. Check out her website/portfolio: http://www.pippinmathur.com/portfolio/
Value: $200
Drown Your Sorrows In Chili With Two Hard Times Cafe Gift Certificates
Two $25 Gift Certificates to Hard Times Cafe. Dig in, be happy.
Value: $50
Date Night!
Live the dream. Enjoy a night out with a $25 Gift Certificate to Monroe's (on the corner of Monroe and Commonwealth Avenues in Del Ray) along with 3 hours of babysitting by the Tordoff family. For babysitting, any night you
want is fine, simply check availability with the Tordoff family one week in advance of your big night-out.
Value: Priceless
No More Bad Hair Days
Shampoo and Conditioner from Van's Hair Stylist
107 North Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
$65 certificate to PR at Partners, an award-winning hair salon with locations all over Northern VIrginia and DC.
Value: $85
Graphic Design Services
Logo, business card, flyer, holiday card, birthday invitation...you name it and Graphic Designer, Erin Nitsche, and current Valley Drive parent, will design it for you. Package includes initial consultation, three rounds of design iterations, comps, and all digital files.
Value: $200
What Would Carrie Bradshaw Do...
With a $50 Gift Certificate to Shoe Hive in Old Town, Alexandria? Elegant Designer Shoes and Bags, with Exceptional Service.
From Kate Spade shoes, Bettye Muller wedges and Aquatalia boots to bags by Sequoia as well as Robeez for the little ones, the Shoe Hive brings you elegant designer shoes and accessories. A unique selection with impeccable service.
Value: $50
MOM’s Gift Bag and Six O’Clock Scramble
MOM's gift bag.. my organic market. Selection of organic treats: honey, chocolate, crackers, tea in a reusable shopping bag
Let the Six O’Clock Scramble® weekly subscription service take the hassle out of meal and grocery planning. As a subscriber to The Scramble®, you will receive in your email inbox recipes for five delicious, nutritious meals each week - complete with balanced side dishes and a grocery list. And each meal can be prepared in 30 minutes or less! Simplify your life with this three
month subscription to the Six O’Clock Scramble.
Value: $70
Let’s Meat on the Avenue Gift Certificate and Six O’Clock Scramble
$30 Gift Certificate to Let's Meat on the Avenue. Let the Six O’Clock Scramble® weekly subscription service take the hassle
out of meal and grocery planning. As a subscriber to The Scramble®, you will receive in your email inbox recipes for five delicious, nutritious meals each week - complete with balanced side dishes and a grocery list. And each meal
can be prepared in 30 minutes or less! Simplify your life with this three month subscription to the Six O’Clock Scramble.
Value: $50
Get Your Buzz On
Gift Certificate to Buzz Bakery off Slaters Lane in North Old Town. They make cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes. Enough said.
Expires: 11/2011
Value: $50
How to get kids to eat fruit
Gift Certificate to Tropical Smoothie Cafe off Slaters Lane in North Old Town. Choose from literally thousands of different fruit and yogurt combinations (not literally).
Value: $20
Blue glass is forever.
Beautiful, multistrand blue necklace sparkles like the ocean. Handmade by our very own Peggy Ashbrook with blue glass, pearls and seed beads, all finished with a silver clasp.
Value: $25
Eureka! Kids Science Books
Two kids science books, both "Science is Simple:Over 250 Activities for Preschoolers", by our very own Peggy Ashbrook.
Value: $20 each - 2 highest bids win!
Chocolate Chips Ahoy!
A river and ice cream adventure!
Have your child join Green Frog Wesley Crawford and his family as they set sail from Old Town Alexandria with the water taxi and cross the Potomac River to Maryland's National Harbor. While afloat we'll enjoy views from the river, including watching wildlife and river traffic. At National Harbor we'll play at the sandy waterfront and enjoy snacks and ice cream before returning to Old Town by water taxi. Total adventure: 3 hours.
Value: Priceless
Wooden Toy Truck (Batteries Not Included)
Expand his toy truck fleet with this high quality, hand-carved wooden toy truck from A Show of Hands, Locally Made Craft and Artwork located in Del Ray. Powered by imagination.
Value: $18
Stories (Not Read By You)
Planning your next children’s party? Head over to Hooray for Books for an exclusive storytime. Up to 12 children (with parental supervision) can enjoy a private story time (1/2 hour) led by a staff member of this fabulous children’s bookstore. Located at 1555 King Street, Hooray for Books is one of the few independent bookstores still in Alexandria.
Expires 3/5/2012
Value: $75
Put Down That Twinkie And Bid On A Personal Training Session
75 minute personal training session including time to discuss health history with Carol Shuford, CPT. Carol has been certified with NASM(National Academy of Sports Medicine) for 9 years. She also has CPR/AED and TRX SUSPENSION TRAINING certifications. She's an avid runner and triathlete, recently completing two Ironman triathlons. She currently trains clients with a wide range of ages and abilities from the brand new exerciser to the athlete. She strives to give clients the tools they need to be safe, smart, and effective in their fitness routines.
Value: $100
Breakfast with the Teachers
Let your Valley Drive student enjoy an exclusive breakfast with their
wonderful teachers! Win a sweet memory for your child! Breakfasts will be held on the following dates: Tuesday and Wednesday May 3rd and 4th, Tuesday and Wednesday May 10th and 11th, starting at 8:30. (And you get an extra half hour for yourself ;) This year, the teachers are raffling off their item. Tickets are $5
each. You can enter chances for each date as many times as you want.
Four winners will be drawn for each date. If your child's name is
drawn twice on a single date, a new name is drawn instead. You can win
up to four times (one for each day!) Tickets will be sold at the registration table at the Mardi Gras party.
Wrap up your baby!
Carry your little one in one of these sweet Maya Slings. Both fashionable and functional, the sling simplifies your life— you are
free to use your hands. A perfect shower gift. Adjustable for Dads, too!
Value: $60
Yoga with Rosie (former VDPS parent)
Come try yoga with Rosie Wiedemer. Rosie has been leading yoga for over 5 years. Her class is a mixture of Vinyasa and a more traditional yoga. All levels are welcome. Choose between attending 3 of Rosie's classes in her home on Wednesdays or Fridays from 9:30-10:30, or to have one private 1 hour class.
Value: $45
On your marks, get set, GO!
You need new sneakers every 6 months or 500 miles! Get on over to Pacers, located at 1301 King Street, and update that pair of kicks from college with this gift certificate. While you are there, register for a 5K!
Value: $30
Parenting Playgroups
Is your little Valley Drive student driving you crazy? Let Dr. Rene Hackney of Parenting Playgroups give you the tools to
better manage difficult situations so you can enjoy your time with your little angel! This gift certificate is valid for one couple for either a $125/5 hour or $200/8 hour Positive Discipline Workshop.
Value: $up to 200
Handmade Wooden Growth Chart
As if you need reminded that they’re growing-up too fast, this pine growth chart handmade by Peter Riebe will be customized in the name of your child. It is marked up to approximately six feet, and will come stained but unvarnished so you can easily mark it with permanent marker or notch it like the days of old! Please allow eight weeks for construction and finishing.
Value: $100
Custom, Handmade Baby Blanket
If anyone feels compelled to have more kids, you’ll need a new blanket to keep the little bundle warm. This handmade blanket will be 30" by 36", depending on the pattern and yarn selected. The winner can select from cotton, bamboo, or (recycled) man-made fibers, and can choose up to three colors per blanket. Please allow for 3 months to completion.
Value: $100
Photo Session
Capture a child's milestone, or get your family portrait for holiday cards! Our own Nancy Ho Foster offers a 2 hour family photo session on location within Alexandria for up to 5 individuals, plus two 5x7" portrait prints. Over 25 edited images will be available in an online gallery to view and share with family and friends. Expires 8/31/2011
Value: $200
Spring Cleanse!
If you like to eat real food but want to feel lighter, be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and date Czech supermodels, then this spring detox is for you!* It’s amazing what you can achieve in just 7 days by boosting the body’s natural detoxification mechanisms. By participating in the March 21-31 detox program at SoulFull Wellness, you’ll get the support you need to reach your goals through an online forum, over 30 delicious detox recipes, sample menus and
grocery lists, detox guidelines, yoga poses, daily stress reduction techniques, and two virtual 30-Minute sessions.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
Value: $79
Cash To Save Your Clunker!
Yates Automotive is a second generation, family-owned business which has continually served customers in the city of Alexandria for more than 46 years. The auto center is located at 317 East Braddock Road, around the corner from Valley Drive. Here, Yates is offering a Free Oil Change and 34-Point Service, Tire Rotation, Brake Inspection,
Adjust Tire Pressure, Top off Fluids and Load Battery Test
Value: $75
“Citius, Altius, Fortius!”
We still don’t know where the 2020 Olympics will be held, but it’s never too early to book your kids’ ticket. CrossFit OldTown Kids is training the future generation of elite athletes and can help your children to move better while increasing their strength and speed. To get started, here are two four session packages for CrossFit Old Town Kids/Teens classes, for kids ages 5-11 years. Expiration 6/30/2011
Value: $60—two highest bids win
Handyman Calling
Need a head start on that kitchen renovation, plans drawn up for your back porch, or are you just in need of a new coat of paint? Let Jon Nordling (a Class A licensed building contractor) do 2 hours worth of handyman work for you. He’s responsive, considerate and committed to high quality work.
Value: $250
“I’ve Got A Golden Ticket!”
An item that would make Willie Wonka himself jealous: the Sugar Cube in Old Town has donated a children's candy making class. The certificate is valid for one children's class, for up to 8 kids between the ages of 4 and 7. The class must be held Saturdays or Sundays from 10am to 11:30 am. Your little Veruca Salt can choose from the “Chocolate Dippers” class, where kids learn to melt chocolate and dip a variety of treats like cookies and pretzels, or the “Chocolate Lollies” class, where they will have fun layering milk and colorful white chocolate to create whimsical molded chocolate pops. Enjoy some chocolates before you start the class. Just don’t fall in the chocolate river. Expires on 3/1/2012.
Value: $300
Pearly-Whites
Brighten your smile!! Whiten those teeth! Local dentist Bryan Wood, DDS will create customized teeth bleaching trays for the lucky recipient of this package. The winner will also walk away from the gala with a fun and useful assortment of dental goodies for the whole family.
Value: $525
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
The Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue is an interactive museum that traces five centuries of news gathering, with hands-on and behind-the-scenes views of how and why news is made. Here is a chance to win four tickets to this great museum. Adult tickets list for $21.95 each and are valid for two days admission.
Value: $90
Artsy-Fartsy
This is a one-year Dual/Family Membership to The Phillips Collection in DuPont Circle, which is America's first museum of modern art and features a renowned permanent collection of nearly 3,000 works by American and European impressionist, modern, and contemporary artists. Some benefits of the membership include unlimited free admission to the permanent collection and all special exhibitions for two adults and their children, two one-day member passes to share with friends,
discounts in the shop and café, and much more.
Value: $100
Artsy-Fartsy, Part Deux
Want some free time without the kids? Interested in letting your kids have fun getting messy, without having to clean up the mess? If so, tell your child to grab a friend or sibling and prepare to get creative! Join Tracey Somers at her house (or backyard, weather permitting) for a 2.5-hour painting playdate. The art portion of the play date will last about 45 minutes, the remaining time is for clean up, free play, and a snack. This is a drop-off opportunity, so no parent/adult needs to be present. All art materials and snacks will be provided. The art project is most appropriate for children ages 18
months through 5 years. Depending on the day and time chosen, one or both of Tracey’s children (4.5 years and 2.5 years) will be participating. Redeemable AFTER March 2011.
Value: $100
Not Another Bad Hair Day!
Aquilano Artistry Salon in Old Town, Alexandria offers a fabulous hair cut to this lucky winner. Atmosphere without Attitude.
Value: $100
“Doughnuts. Is There Anything They Can’t Do?”
Krispy Kreme Tour and a Playdate with the Maierhofer kids! Pick a Saturday and take two hours off from your kid(s). We will pick up your child or children (up to two) and take them to Krispy Kreme with our children for a tour of the facility to see how doughnuts are made. Following the tour, we'll each enjoy a hot, fresh doughnut (or two). The doughnuts will be worked off with some running in the park and a playdate in the Maierhofer basement!
Value: Priceless
Invest for Success
With a selection of investment newsletters, two books-- a Guide to Couples Cash and Guide to Paying for School-- plus an investment wardrobe that even Gordon Gekko would envy (a hat, t-shirt, and mug from the Motley Fool), get ready to take on Wall Street. And remember, Greed Is Good.
Value: $35
La, la, la!!!
Peggy McNulty believes that the total body is the instrument of the voice. Take a 30-minute private voice lesson in her McLean, Virginia, studio. Her instruction is tailored to meet each student’s needs and interests. Peggy was recently featured in the February 6, 2011, Washington Post Magazine column, "First Person Singular."
Value: $35
Three Delicious Home-cooked Meals Delivered to Your Door!
Nothing is more relaxing than knowing a home cooked meal is being served for dinner and you don’t have to cook it! One home-cooked meal (with the option of being dairy and soy free) will be delivered to your home each month for three consecutive months. You can choose to have a family-friendly or grown-up only meal delivered. This is an opportunity too mouthwatering to miss!
Value: $125
Chocolate… yum..
Keep up with your kids’ sugar highs by indulging yourself at with this $25 gift certificate to Artfully Chocolate- Kingsbury
Confections, ACKC. The Del Ray location opens at 11, so you can sneak over right before pick-up for a little pick-me-up for yourself. Or bring the petites for some sweet treats. You’ll be ahead of your kids all day!
Value: $25
Hang Out with VDPS Parents at Sophia’s Café
Sophia’s Café is a super cute café with a courtyard right by the Braddock Street Metro. It will be a great place to meet up after drop-off. So make sure to bid on this $25 certificate to Sophia’s Café.
Value: $25
Parkway Playdate
Two explorers will accompany Naomi to Roosevelt Island for some picnicking, playing, running, and if we're lucky, duck feeding! Afterward, we'll bring it back to Buzz Cafe, for some yummy Busy Bee cupcakes! Thursday, March 17, noon-2:30p or Tuesday, March 22, noon to 2:30p, though these dates are flexible!
Value: Priceless
Smile and Say Cheese!
Strike a pose! Amy Smucker, a former Valley Drive parent, offers a family photo session, which includes the sitting fee, one 8X10 and one 5X7.
Value: $310
Del Ray Cakery
Rebecca Underly, a former Valley Drive parent, offers four dozen mini-cake pops or 2 dozen big-cake pops. Made locally right in the heart of Del Ray, these sweet treats are handmade and only natural ingredients are used. Sample some tonight!! Expires September 5, 2011.
Value: $75
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
Pick up dinner at Rocklands BBQ with $25 gift card! Head home and crack open the Port City Brewery gift pack, which includes a 64 ounce refillable growler of beer, packaged with 4 pint glasses in a gift box. It can be filled with the brew of the winner's choice. Cheers!
Value: $65
Smile for the Camera!
Need a family photo for holiday cards? Or a picture for your desk at work? Our own award-winning Ali Anderson offers a 2-hour family, child or baby photo session, which includes the sitting fee, and two 5X7 prints.
Value: $250
Jeanne Griffin Interiors, LLC
Does your house need a facelift? Slap a coat of paint on your walls. Have Jeanne Griffin, a professional interior designer, spend an hour in your home, performing a paint color consultation. You’ll have a new look in no time!
Value: $100—2 highest bids win
Mind your Pints and Quarts!
An institution in Historic Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia, Union Street Public House opened in a renovated Colonial warehouse in 1986, and has served locals and visitors with the finest in fresh seafood and prime steaks and chops ever since. After a walk on the waterfront, use this $50 gift card on fresh oysters and champagne… or beer and burgers. Union Street never disappoints.
Value: $50
Buon Appetito!
Go to Italy without leaving Del Ray! Open for dinners and weekend brunch, La Strada features authentic regional Italian cuisine. Once the weather warms up, enjoy dining al fresco on the patio. Use this $50 gift certificate on to sample Chef Stephen Scott's menu which uses locally sourced and seasonal sustainable ingredients.
Value: $50
Bloomin’ Onions and More!
Voted #1 Best Steak in the 2009 and 2010 Zagat surveys of National Full Service Restaurant Chains, Outback Steakhouse is a favorite. Use this $50 gift certificate at either of their two area locations.
Value: $50
South of the Border!
Located in the heart of Del Ray and North Arlington, Taqueria Poblano brings the look and feel of Mexico home to Virginia. Use this $30 gift certificate on a variety of their freshly made tacos and thirst-quenching margaritas!
Value: $30
Gym, Spa, and Sun all in one!
Check out XSport Fitness, located at 4300 King Street, while the kids are at school! Skip the gym part and head straight to the full service spa and salon where you can savor a massage or hit a tanning bed or both. This basket includes gift certificates for massage and tanning as well as salon products.
Value: $140
Sew what???
Located in historic Mount Vernon, In Stitches is a full-service needlework shop, displaying the latest designs in both counted
cross-stitch and needlepoint. Use this $30 gift certificate to access their extensive fiber, fabric, and canvas collections to create beautiful works, from basic beginner projects to more intricate designs for the advanced stitcher.
Value: $30
Bottoms up!
Party in a basket!! Enjoy 18 beers (hopefully over the course of several nights, but whatever), and know what you’re drinking while you read the latest edition of The Beer Enthusiast Magazine. And don’t drink like a hillbilly—pour those suds into two beer glasses (one for each hand). Chase it with Buffalo blue cheese dip, chips, salsa, and
cookies.
Value: $75
Loosen up! Get a massage.
Rejuvenate the body, soothe the spirit and reenergize the mind! Enjoy a 60 minute massage by Rana L. Mitchell, CMT, at her studio in Arlington.
Value: $90
Parenting Relief Books!
Enjoy three books from popular parenting bloggers, including:
· It Sucked And Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong: An
irreverent memoir about the unexpected joys and glaring indignities of
pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood
· Free Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had
Without Going Nuts by Lenore Skenazy:
· Rockabye by Rebecca Woolf: the memoir of a spontaneous young
city-girl who becomes unexpectedly pregnant.
Value: $60
Original artwork by Don Ripper of Erickson and Ripper Gallery in Del Ray
Working out of his studio in Alexandria, near the intersection of N. Washington St. and Wythe, Don’s original Gallery was started 16 years ago. This professionally framed print, titled “Felicity” would be a welcome addition to any wall in any home.
Value: $150
Rest and Relaxation.
Enjoy a pedicure at the Anne Welsh Salon and Day Spa ($50 value) in Del Ray. While you are at it, drop off your kid(s) at the Kotuby house for a play date just two blocks away. You will return relaxed and ready for sandals and your children will be sleepy from all the craziness…I mean activity. Keep the dream alive with the Mary Kay footcare kit, also included in this package!
Value: Priceless
Bon Jour! Willkommen!
… Or however you choose to say it. Greet friends and family to your home with this beautiful handmade
wooden welcome sign and four seasonal charms. It will be personalized with your family’s surname.
Value: $40
Go, Car, Go!
Need something for your Toyota and want to feel happy about your purchase? This $250 gift certificate is good for any parts at Jack Taylor Toyota located in Alexandria. Go, Car, Go!
Value: $250
Baby in a Basket! Sort of.
Here’s the perfect excuse to have another baby. Everything you could ever need for a new baby packed and ready to go, including: a funky diaper bag, onesies, blankets, bibs, diapers, wipes, cream, body wash, and more! This would also make a great baby shower gift!
Value: $140
Bubbles. Tiny Bubbles.
Make finishing bathtime fun! Wrap your preschooler in these adorable handmade hooded towels: a ladybug and a giraffe. From tinybubbles.etsy.com.
Value: $50
One Small Step or One Giant Leap: Chauffeured and Guided Tour of Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy
Space. The final frontier. Discover it with Hunter Hollins, Mariette's dad and manager at the Space History Division at the National Air and Space Museum. He’ll lead a guided tour of the Udvar-Hazy Center for up to six people. Join Hunter for a morning or afternoon of walking through the exhibits, which contain over 3,000 artifacts of aeronautical history and an entire wing of space artifacts including the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Included in this package is round-trip transportation from your home (limited to Northern Virginia area), parking, a beautifully illustrated book on the Udvar-Hazy Center and its artifacts, and two Air and Space Museum tote bags.
Book - $22
Totes - $10
Parking - $14
Round-trip Transportation - $100 for a taxi
Four hours of a federal government employee’s expertise and time – unethical to say
Value: Priceless