The Liz Moore Market Watch Blog

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln declared “that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free.” Lincoln sincerely believed this to be “to be an act of justice” and “warranted by the Constitution,” invoking “the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.” But his order was not delivered in Texas until June 19, 1865 – some two and a half years later – when Union troops arrived to take control of the state. 

                                                                                              (image source: patch.com)

Now generally referred to as “Juneteenth” for the day General Granger read the order publicly, it is celebrated every June 19 to commemorate the emancipation.  Two days ago, in Executive Order 66, Gov. Ralph Northam encouraged “all Virginians to think about the significance of this day. It was significant in 1865 because it marked the end of human bondage for African Americans in the United States. But our recognition of Juneteenth now signifies that we understand its importance to all Americans. Juneteenth is not African American history. It is American history. It is as woven into the fabric of our great country as is the celebration of independence on July 4th . And it should be so celebrated.”

You can read the history here, the full transcript of the Emancipation Proclamation here, and Gov. Northam’s order here.

So, happy Juneteenth everyone, especially to our African American agents, clients, and colleagues!

Your pets are beloved members of your family and you want to make sure they receive the very best medical care. But how do you choose the right vet for your pet? We've outlined some important considerations below when selecting a veterinary practice for your fur baby.

Communication is Key
Ask your friends, family, and neighbors who they recommend. People with first-hand experience are great sources of information and someone who has had a great experience is eager to sing the praises of their veterinarian.

Responsive
Call potential veterinary practices: Do they answer the phone, or if not, do they return your call promptly? Is someone available to answer your questions? Can you easily get an appointment? Are you able to call and check on your pet frequently if they are having a procedure? You want to choose an office that communicates well with their clients.

Philosophies
Ask the veterinarian about their philosophies on pet health care. A few topics to discuss are euthanasia, cancer care, chronic disease planning, and spaying and neutering. Do they mesh with your own? Having a care giver with like­minded philosophies will help when faced with difficult decisions. Observe how they react and respond to your specific questions. Does this seem like someone with whom you'll be able to communicate and trust?

Take a Tour
A good office or hospital is proud of their facility and should be willing to give prospective clients a tour of their facility. Check the cleanliness of exam rooms, check out their medical equipment, do they have access to x-ray, ultrasound, dentistry, labs, and the like? Also, be sure to inquire about health care specific to your pet and any special care they might require. 

Interaction
Introduce your pet to your potential veterinarian and their staff long before your first appointment. Observe how everyone interacts with you and your pet. Are they welcoming, calm, and attentive to you both? Observe how your pet responds to them as well. Choosing a warm and caring practice can soothe a stressful situation for your pet.

Location and Hours
This isn't as important as good, solid care, but convenience is a factor to consider. Choose a vet you can access in a reasonable amount of time, and with hours chat work with your schedule. Choosing a wonderful practice that you can never get to won't do anyone any good.

Busier Can Mean Better
Don't be put off by a busy waiting area. A crowded, fast paced waiting area can be signs of a great, well-liked, hardworking practice.

Money Matters
Vet bills can add up quickly. Be sure to ask about costs of routine care like office visits and vaccines and ask about emergency services like x-ray.

May 4, 2019
7:30pm
Altria Theater

The Richmond Symphony will present the Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert featuring screenings of the complete film with Oscar®-winning composer John Williams’ musical score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by acclaimed conductor Keitaro Harada.

Since the release of the first Star Wars movie nearly 40 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic musical scores composed by Williams.

Click here for tickets.

Pure Silk
May 20 - 26, 2019, 7am - 5pm

The top LPGA players will gather for the 38th professional golf tournament, hosted on the resort's famed River Course, a 6,379 yard, Par 71, Pete Dye designed layout. During this prestigious week-long event, women golfers from around the world will compete for a $1.3 million purse in a 72 hole stroke play tournament.

Click here for tickets.

ADMISSION:
Foursome Single Day Clubhouse Package: $300
Foursome Single Day Grounds Package: $80
Friday Pavilion: $Advance $110 / Gate $120
Friday VIP: $Advance $160 / Gate $175
Junior Tickets (Guests 17 and under): $Complimentary Single Day Grounds
Saturday Pavilion: $Advance $130 / Gate $140
Saturday VIP: $Advance $180 / Gate $195
Single Day Clubhouse: $Advance $80 / Gate $85
Single Day Clubhouse (Military): $60
Single Day Grounds: $Advance $25 / Gate $30
Single Day Grounds (Military): $20
Sunday Pavilion: $Advance $130 / Gate $140
Sunday VIP: $Advance $180 / Gate $195
Thursday Pavilion: $Advance $110 / Gate $120
Thursday VIP: $Advance $160 / Gate $175
Weekly Clubhouse (Military): $160
Weekly Clubhouse Badge: $Advance $200 / Gate $215
Weekly Grounds (Military): $70
Weekly Grounds Badge: $Advance $80 / Gate $100

"Jamestown Day", Saturday May 11th, features Historic Jamestowne's ongoing archaeological discoveries of the 1607 fort and one of Jamestown Settlement's ships sailing in the James River. A variety of family friendly programs on Powhatan and English weaponry, military and maritime demonstrations, and traditional music and entertainment will take place at both sites.

The event is jointly sponsored by Historic Jamestowne, site of the original 1607 settlement, and Jamestown Settlement, a living-history museum of 17th-century Virginia.

Separate admission to Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement. Four-site value ticket available to Historic Jamestowne, Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Battlefield and Yorktown Victory Center. Free parking at both sites. 

Full schedule of events at http://www.historyisfun.org/jamestown-settlement/jamestown-

The Williamsburg Taco Festival is happening on May 5th from 1-5pm at Billsburg Brewery - 2054 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg.

Tickets are $6.50 and will go on sale closer to the event. 100% of ticket sales will go straight to the Alzheimer's Association. Each Taco will cost $5 and $1 from every Taco sale will go to the Alzheimer's Association.

Billsburg Brewery is combining two of the best things ever, Craft Beer and Taco's for one very special afternoon to raise money for Alzheimer's Association - Southeastern Virginia Chapter #TheLongestDay campaign. DJ Music provided by Time Passages Mobile DJ Service. Live music from Hangar 09 makes the day complete. Tacos from Stuft - Restaurant . Food Truck . Hot Sauce, FoodaTude..Food with Attitude, Matchsticks BBQ Co., Two Drummers Smokehouse / Two Drummers Offbeat Eats. More Local Food Trucks to be announced! 

The Annual Blues, Brews, & BBQ event is happening on Saturday, May 4th from 12-6pm at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown.  

Sample dozens of local craft beers, dig into some amazing BBQ, and listen as some of the best Blues musicians in Hampton Roads take the stage at Riverwalk Landing.

All process benefit the Yorktown Foundation for Public Education.

The Summer Celebration Wine Festival is taking place at Lee Hall Mansion on June 8th 2019.

Enjoy seasonal weather on the grounds of Lee Hall Mansion with Virginia wineries, craft vendors, food trucks and live music. One of the most popular springtime festivals on the Peninsula.

Summer Celebration Wine Festival...just another reason why we love where we live!

Great beer, good food and live music! The seventh annual Mariners’ Craft Beer Festival is happening on May 5th from 12-5pm at 100 Museum Drive in Newport News.

This event features craft beers in the unique setting of The Mariners’ Museum’s outdoor courtyards. Enjoy a selection of more than 50 craft beers from over 20 local, regional and national breweries. 

When looking for high quality and unique home furnishings for a great price, consider visiting a consignment shop.

There is a common misconception that consignment is a glorified thrift store, but with high-end, discerning consignment shops becoming more popular, nothing could be further from the truth. The consignment stores featured in this article are known for the high-quality offerings at great prices. Many customers often brag about the great deals they’ve scored; being able to spot a great deal at a bargain price is a badge of honor for many.

People consign their home furnishing for various reasons, children move in or out, people upgrade or downsize, people move or buy a new home. Life changes all the time and consignment stores are the place to go when your furnishings are too high-end and well-kept for an estate or garage sale. Consigning seeks to strike the balance of a good return for the seller on high-quality pieces and a good deal for the buyer.

Quality consignment shops except only well-cared for furnishings that are attractive, stylish, and will most likely sell. They then arrange the furniture in attractive vignettes and seek to find the valuable pieces new homes. By accepting only the best furnishings and filling their shops with likeminded pieces of similar quality and value, these shops are able to command more value for the furnishings and provide a better return for the seller.

So how does it work? Consignment shops will inspect your potential consignment furnishings in a few different ways, you can show pictures of your pieces, you can bring your smaller items in for review, or you can set an appointment for the shop owner to come to your home to consider larger pieces and collections of furniture. Some shops ask for pictures of your home including your kitchen and bathrooms to gauge your lifestyle and cleanliness, and ensure the piece was in a clean environment before accepting it into their shop. Some shops
even offer pick-up and delivery services for a small fee.

Once a piece is accepted into the shop for sale, the seller and shop owner usually work together to price the item. The initial price is usually reduced somewhere around 15% after the first 30 days if it hasn’t sold. After another 30 days, or 60 days from entry into the shop, the piece is reduced another 15% for a total of 30% off the original price. Most shops only agree to keep pieces on their floor for 90 days. After that if your piece hasn't sold you can pick it up or donate it. The shop owners are so discerning that most pieces sell within 30 days of entering their shop.

If your piece does sell, you split the profit with the shop owner. The general industry standard is 50% for each party, but some shops are more generous and give the seller 60% and keep 40% for themselves.

Most shops sell in store only, but a few post pictures and prices of their pieces online and sell items to buyers all over the country.

In these high-end shops you’ll find upscale designer home décor, furniture, handmade rugs, and more. Many work with interior designers and sell their staging pieces that are virtually brand new. Shop owners say it’s all about getting great inventory and turning it over, that rapid sale breeds more inventory as people get excited their items are selling and bring in more merchandise to sell. This constantly changing inventory attracts more
purchasing clients, many visiting weekly to see what’s new.

Shop owners say rustic farmhouse styled pieces are flying out their doors, as stores like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and Pottery Barn are currently in vogue. Classic pieces like leather sofas and chairs are always in demand and are usually sold in less than a week. Today’s style of mixing and matching sets,
wood tones, and fabrics make consignment shops a great place to update your home's look while staying within budget.

Consignment shops offer good quality home furnishings at a value that benefit both the buyer and seller, as well as the small business owner.

Here are a few of our favorite local consignment shops:

In Williamsburg:

The Vintage Rabbit
240 McLaws Circle
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 903-4083

The Velvet Shoestring
311 2nd St.
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 220-9494

On the Peninsula:
Design & Consign LLC
9961 Warwick Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
(757) 223-7707

Phoebus Auction Gallery
18 E Mellen St.
Hampton, VA 23663
(757) 722-9210

Rooms, Blooms & More
10239 Warwick Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
(757) 599-9299

In Richmond:
Impulse
419 North Ridge Road
Henrico, VA 23229
(804) 288-7300

Revival
9750 Gayton Rd.
Richmond, VA 23238
(804) 750-2200

Izzie’s Consigning with Grace
14300 Midlothian Tpke
Midlothian, Virginia 23113
(804) 378-5005

Great consignment shops...just another reason why we love where we live!

Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort town all within a short drive making it the perfect day trip beach destination.  Just an hour or two away, you will find gorgeous beaches, a bustling boardwalk, a variety of excellent restaurants, and fun activities sure to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts and kids. Virginia Beach is a year-round destination with beach fun and water play in the summer and many attractions to explore in the less crowded, cooler months.  Let’s head east and explore! 

Virginia Beach first and foremost offers miles of wide, gorgeous sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. People near and far flock to Virginia Beach to sun bathe on the shore, splash in the waves, and enjoy the boardwalk.

If you like adventure, Virginia Beach has exciting waves that attract boogey boarders and surfers daily, especially around the south end of the beach.  The locals usually surf around 1^st Street at the oceanfront if you want an authentic surfing experience.  Still a grommet on the waves?  No problem, several outfits offer surfing lessons and board rentals including VB Surf Sessions, Seth Broudy School of Surf, and Pungo Board House.  You can find more information on lessons and rentals on their websites at www.vbsurfsessions.com, www.sethbroudyschoolofsurf.com and www.pungoboardhouse.com.

Those wanting to enjoy the water at a slower pace might enjoy stand up paddle boarding, or SUP as seasoned paddlers call it.  Companies offer lessons, rentals, guided eco tours, and even SUP yoga on the calmer waters around Virginia Beach including First Landing State Park, Rudee Inlet, and Back Bay.  SUP is great exercise and offers beautiful nature views that often include pods of dolphin, osprey, bald eagles, great blue herons, and more.  A few tour companies to check out are Beach Eco Tours, Rudee Inlet Stand Up Paddle, and Tula Adventure Sports Stand up Paddleboard & Kayaking.  You can learn more on their websites at www.beachecotours.com, www.paddleboardvb.com, and www.tulasports.com.

For those looking to just sit back and enjoy the view, a boat tour might be more your speed.  Many tours are offered including fishing, dolphin watching, and there is even a Craft Brews Cruise offered by the Virginia Aquarium!  Capt. Jack’s Pirate Ship Adventures are very popular with tourists of all ages.  Aboard Capt. Jack’s Black Pearl, a bright red ship flying iconic Jolly Rogers, passengers sing and dance along with the crew, enjoying the show as much as the view.  More information on boat tours is available at www.rudeetours.com, www.virginiaaquarium.com, and www.virginiabeachpirateship.com. 

When exploring Virginia Beach’s land-based attractions, the VB Wave, a trolley-inspired bus, makes getting around fun, easy, and affordable.  The VB Wave transports passengers around the oceanfront, Rudee Inlet, and First Landing State Park.  Just hop aboard at one of the many stops and sit back and enjoy the ride!  Fares are due in cash and cost $2.00 per adult and children 17 and under are free with a paying adult!  Day passes are available for $4.50 each.

All of the fun in the sun is sure to make you hungry and Virginia Beach has many delicious and unique dining options.  A couple of our favorites include Citrus, breakfast here is a must!  Located at 2265 W Great Neck Road and made famous by appearing on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, locals and tourists alike stand in line for citrus orange glazed pancakes and innovative benedicts.  And what’s a trip to the beach without enjoying a raw bar?  Local favorite, Big Sam’s Grill and Raw Bar located at 300 Winston Salem Ave. in Rudee Inlet serves up fresh, locally caught seafood dishes and raw bar items in a comfortable setting with views of the marina. 

Thirsty for an adult beverage? Quench your thirst with an Orange Crush, the unofficial drink of Virginia Beach, made famous by Waterman’s Surfside Grille, a great oceanfront restaurant at the south end of the beach.  The recipe is a blend of the juice of one whole fresh orange with flavored vodka, orange liqueur and a splash of Sprite served over crushed ice.

If you decide to turn your day trip into an overnight, there are numerous hotels and motels for every budget.  One of our favorites is the Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront located at 3315 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach.  This hotel is at the northern, quieter end of the beach and features an indoor/outdoor pool and their onsite restaurant, Lagerheads. 

There is so much to see and do in Virginia Beach, enough to fill up many, many day trips.  It’s a good thing this jewel is just a short drive away! Other day trip options include a visit to the Virginia Aquarium and their Adventure Park, seeing a concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, visiting the Military Aviation Museum, touring an oyster farm, visiting the Cape Henry Lighthouse, playing at Top Golf, and so much more.  Plan your trip today!

Virginia Beach...just another reason why we love where we live!

We had so much fun with this year's Love Where You Live Photo Contest.  We had 265 photo submitted from 55 different photographers.  Thank you to all who participated and helped us tell of the many reasons why we love where we live!

This December, you can experience a holiday event every day of the month in Colonial Williamsburg!

Colonial Williamsburg is a community returned to its 18th-century appearance and an experiment in civic engagement.  From hands-on activities to guided tours of original 18th-century buildings to our unmatched folk-art collection, there’s something for everyone at Colonial Williamsburg.

Click here to visit the holiday event calendar.

Colonial Williamsburg...just another reason why we love where we live! 

Busch Gardens® Williamsburg commemorates a decade of decking the halls with its most festive Christmas Town™ celebration to date in 2018. The annual celebration begins a week early, Nov. 17, and runs 35 days through Jan. 5. To salute Christmas Town's 10 magical years, the family-friendly holiday event offers more than 10 million lights, an all-new Christmas Town Express holiday-themed train ride experience, festive food and drink, unique holiday shopping and heart-warming shows to make the spirit of the season come alive.

Dance and sing along to classic holiday favorites at Christmas Town's family-friendly shows. Immerse yourself in the story of the first Christmas at Gloria!, then discover the magic of Christmas Eve performed on ice with ‘Twas That Night. 

For more information on operating days and times, visit www.christmastown.com/va. 

Busch Gardens Christmas Town...just another reason why we love where we live!

Celebration in Lights, Virginia’s first drive-through holiday light event, opens for its 26^th season on Thanksgiving night (November 22, 2018). Newport News Park will be transformed by over a million individual lights, creating animated holiday and fanciful scenes.  For its 26^th year, the event will add special effects snow that will fall on the cars as they drive into the Winter Wonderland area on special nights (nights will be posted on https://www.nnva.gov/2414/Celebration-in-Lights).  

The event will also add a new Gingerbread House display and new scenes on its two giant 25’ x 16’ screens of color-changing LED lights.  The Forest of Lights display area will have upgraded color-changing LED bulbs to create more complex colors and patterns on the trees.  

Hours and admission are: open nightly 5:30 - 10:00 p.m., $12.00 per car and $60.00 per bus; cash, credit cards Visa/MC, and checks made payable to the City of Newport News are accepted; advance/gift tickets may be purchased at the Newport News Visitor Center. Newport News Park is located at the intersection of Ft. Eustis Blvd. and Jefferson Ave. in Newport News, VA. Directions: Eastbound I-64 use Exit 247 (Lee Hall), Westbound I-64 use Exit 250 B (Ft. Eustis). For more information, call 757-926-1400 or visit www.nnparks.com.

Celebration in Lights...just another reason why we love where we live! 

Help us make Christmas full of fun and games! We are collecting new and unwrapped board games for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation! When you are out doing that holiday shopping, pick up a game and bring it by one of our offices. 

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.

Toys for Tots' stated goal is to "deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, and patriotic citizens."

The days are getting shorter and the weather crisper. If you’re looking for a fun way to appreciate the beauty of this season but don't want to travel very far, then look no further than Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville is a short drive from Richmond, only about an hour from anywhere in the capital city in fact, but feels like another world with wide expanses of farm land, rolling foothills and towering Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. This rural setting is the perfect place to appreciate nature's beauty and observe the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of the changing autumn leaves. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, the typical fall foliage peak color period for this region is October 25th through November 10th.

And what better way to enjoy gorgeous views than with a relaxing beverage in your hand! Charlottesville is home to many wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

Wineries
Charlottesville has a long history of grape growing and wine production dating back to Thomas Jefferson and earlier, often called the “birthplace of American wine.” The gentle rolling hills with fertile granite-based clay soil and mild temperatures combine to yield grapes with a rich and multilayered old world flavor. Today wines
from this region are considered among the best produced anywhere in the Eastern United States.

The best place to start planning your trip is monticellowinetrail.com. Here you can find printable maps, links to every winery, a calendar of events, and a handy interactive map to plan your trip and get directions from winery to winery.

It’s helpful to chart out your course in advance as cell, internet, and GPS service can be spotty in the valley
and the mountainside.

Usually a few wineries are grouped together making it easy to travel between a few in one day. Most wineries have tasting rooms and staff to guide you through structured tastings so you may learn about and sample their wines.

Tasting fees typically range from five to ten dollars. Group tastings should be scheduled in advance for
larger parties. Many offer guided tours of their production facilities, cellars, and barrel rooms as well for an additional fee.

While some wineries have light fare like cheese and crackers for sale, if you plan to tour during meal time, picnics are encouraged and welcome at all of the wineries. A few offer a lunch menu like Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards and Trump Winery, and some host food trucks on the weekends.

Breweries
Grapes aren't the only vines flourishing in this region. Hop vines thrive here as well, in fact Virginia was once known as the hop capital of the world! This area is home to five small-batch breweries making handcrafted ales and lagers.

These award-winning brew houses welcome visitors for tours and tastings. Some of the breweries offer food menus and festive outdoor spaces for the family to enjoy.

To plan your brewery tour, visit brewridgetrail.com, named in homage to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Here you’ll find a trail map and suggested itinerary, calendar of events, and links to all of the breweries.

Cideries
It’s no secret Virginia is known for its apples and Charlottesville has a few cideries serving up several varieties of apple cider and hard apple cider, the most famous being Bold Rock Hard Cider. Bold Rock’s Nellysford Cider Barn, located just south of the city is a large, beautifully rustic timber framed barn overlooking the Rockfish River. The facility boasts an expansive taproom and restaurant and plenty of outdoor seating.

Distilleries
Recently the craft distillery movement has taken off around the country with small batch distilleries popping
up everywhere, and Charlottesville is no exception. You can find tasting rooms offering whisky, vodka, rum, gin and a variety of cordials in the Charlottesville area.

To plan your tasting visit Virginia.org and search for distilleries. A few possible destinations include Ragged
Branch, Silverback, Vitae, Virginia Distillery Company, and Woodsmill Distilleries.

For such a short drive away, there are so many adventures to be had! In addition to sampling wine, beer, and spirits, there’s hiking, camping, exploring The University of Virginia’s campus, apple picking, catching a show at John Paul Jones arena, watching a sporting event at The University, exploring the booming foodie scene, visiting the Downtown Mall, and so much more.

There are so many things to do, you could take a day trip every weekend and experience something new!

Charlottesville, Virginia...just another reason why we love where we live!

Head out to Port Warwick on October 13 & 14th for the 14th Annual Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival.

Art at this year’s festival will include hand-carved furniture, paintings in oil, acrylics and watercolor, ceramics, mixed media, large and small sculptures, glass and jewelry.    

The festival is a draw for art enthusiasts and decorators at any budget as many artists offer a wide range of price points to choose from.   

Enjoy great food, drink, and live acoustic music throughout the weekend.

Returning to this year’s festival is the “Young Collectors Tent,” where children can buy art at huge discounts, spending as little as $5 on art valued for as much as $300. A portion of the proceeds from this tent will help fund an emerging artist scholarship fund.  

As always, the festival will go on, rain or shine and there will be free parking.

Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival...just another reason why we love where we live!

Celebrate fall, nature’s grand finale, with OktoberFest at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on October 27th —  a day filled with live music, games and prizes, all included in Garden admission.

Local food will be available for purchase as well as beer from Center of the Universe Brewing. Festivities will be held in the gardens adjacent to historic Bloemendaal House, rain or shine.

Presented by Meriwether Godsey, the Garden’s caterer. This is a family-friendly event.

Food service will begin at 11 a.m. We’ll have a kids’ menu too!

Bring canned goods to donate in support of the food bank at FeedMore, where over 3,200 meals are served daily to Richmond’s senior citizens and children in need. We’ll thank you with a special gift.

Music and activities are included with Garden admission; food and drink are purchased separately. 

Ginter Botanical Garden...just another reason why we love where we live!