This year’s DC Design House, a newly constructed, five-level home in Wesley Heights, designed by GTM Architects, opens to the public this weekend. It’s currently on the market for $14.9 million. Tours of the house are available Tuesday through Sunday until May 12. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite sights here, though there are many more. More information about tickets (20 percent of proceeds go to Children’s National Medical Center) and tour availability can be found at the DC Design House website.

In advance of National Puppy Day on March 23, we’re showing off 25 of Washington’s adorable adoptable dogs. These pups are from the Washington Humane Society, the Washington Animal Rescue League, Friends of Homeless Animals, and the Montgomery County Humane Society. Bonus: The Washington Humane Society is offering a St. Cat-Trick’s Day deal on March 16 and 17, which gets you 50 percent off the adoption fee for all animals.

UPDATE 04/08/2013: Our pets survey is now closed. Thanks for your help!

The Washingtonian will publish its guide to pet care in the July issue, and we need your help! The guide will include listings of the area’s best veterinarians, emergency clinics, groomers, petsitters, kennels, trainers, and more.

Please take a few minutes to tell us which area pet-care providers you trust. You can fill out our quick, easy survey here.

DC

Hay-Adams Leading Celebrations Romance Package
Spend the night being neighbors with the Obamas with a romantic stay for two at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Guests are greeted with chilled Champagne, a bouquet of red roses, and chocolate-dipped strawberries, and in the morning can enjoy a full American breakfast for two. You can also spend the evening canoodling in the hotel’s lush red lounge, Off the Record. Packages start at $529.

Date Night at the Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill
Snuggle up with your loved one this Valentine’s Day with the Hyatt’s Date Night package, which offers all guests free drinks and an appetizer for two at Article One Lounge and two movie tickets of your choosing to Regal Cinemas Gallery Place. Sleep in the next morning; checkout isn’t until 2 PM, which gives you plenty of time to stock up on the full breakfast buffet for two at Article One American Grill. Prices start at $264 and the package is available until December 31, 2013.

Bubbles and Breakfast at Savoy Suites Hotel
Pamper your special sweetie this year by reserving a skybox suite at Savoy Suites in Georgetown—each one comes furnished with a personal in-room deep-soaking Jacuzzi. Crack open the complimentary bottle of chilled Champagne, dine on breakfast for two at Twist, and burn off all the extra calories with free access to nearby Washington Sports Club, Georgetown. Checkout is at 2, ensuring time to do a bit of everything. Prices start at $229.

The Art of Romance Package at Palomar Washington DC
Upon arrival, couples receive chocolate-covered strawberries, Champagne, and a room with an oversize luxury-Fuji soaking tub for two. Breakfast is served in bed the next morning, or you can head over to the hotel’s restaurant, Urbana, with a complimentary $50 credit. Use code PROM when making reservations, and make sure to book five days in advance. Rates start at $335 on Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate, Champagne and Jazz: A Special Valentine’s evening With Ski Johnson to Benefit Boys Town at the Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC
For the ultimate night of decadence, escort your date to the Ritz-Carlton DC where five-time Grammy nominee Ski Johnson will be performing. For $125 per person, you’ll also receive Veuve Clicquot Champagne, chocolates, and desserts prepared by executive pastry chef Nelson Paz. All profits from the event will also be directly donated to Boys Town Washington DC. All attending will also receive a special discounted hotel stay of $209.

Romance Getaway Package at Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase Pavilion
Woo the right way with the Romance Getaway package from Embassy Suites. Before checking out your two-room suite, start the evening with free appetizers and drinks during the manager’s reception. Head back to the room for dessert, as all guests receive wine and chocolate-covered strawberries. And make sure to pack some popcorn, as you’ll also receive a complimentary in-room movie of your choosing. The next morning you’ll receive a 2 PM checkout and a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast at Cafe Cino. Available Thursday through Sunday only; a minimum two-night stay is required. Weekend rates start at $169 a night.

Date Night Package at St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites
Is your lady obsessed with The Bachelor? Bring her to St. Gregory for Valentine’s Day, as each guest is greeted with a single rose. You’ll also receive a bottle of Champagne, an automatic upgrade to a junior suite (at no extra charge), and a 15 percent discount “passport” to the hotel’s restaurant. Available Thursday through Sunday only; rates start at $187. The package is available until March 31, 2013.

Ignite the Spark at W Hotel
Sparks will fly when you bring your date to the W for a night of romance. In addition to the complimentary bottle of bubbly, you’ll also receive two free drinks at the Living Room Bar. Rates start at $279, and the package is available February 1 through 24. Thursday through Sunday. Use Code VALLAP when booking.

Rediscover the Romance at L’Enfant Plaza Hotel
Your stay begins with dinner for two, including a bottle of wine, at the American Grill. You’ll also receive a luxurious nightly turndown service, free morning newspaper delivery, and a 2 PM late checkout. Upgrade to the executive king room and enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet for two. Rates start at $229; executive king rates start at $289.

Magnifique Romance at the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square
Create memories that will last forever this Valentine’s Day. Guests receive a bottle of Champagne on ice delivered to the room, a romantic gift of chocolates or flowers, breakfast served in bed, and a luxuriously late checkout at 4 PM. For an additional $85 a person (on Valentine’s Day, or $65 on the 15th and 16th), dine on a specially crafted three-course dinner, Trois Jours D’Amour. Rates start at $240.

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Last week, N Street Village directors, board members, and friends gathered to unveil an inspired collaboration with the DIY Network: a brand new kitchen to serve their residents. Construction wrapped up last Friday.

According to N Street’s executive director, Schroeder Stribling, the kitchen hadn’t been updated since the 1970s. The renovation, funded by DIY Network’s parent company, Scripps Networks Interactive, includes new appliances, storage areas, and a more efficient layout.

Alison Victoria, host of DIY’s Kitchen Crashers, attended the unveiling.

“This meant more to me than just a ‘crash,’” says Victoria, who has renovated dozens of kitchens for DIY and HGTV. “These women don’t have a home. I wanted this space to give them a hug when they come in.”

Locally based SCK Contractors handled the construction, which was completed in less than a week. Victoria praised them for, among other things, replacing the old floor in under three hours. Following the unveiling, Victoria conducted a workshop for the women of N Street Village called Creating an Empowering Space. She shared ways they could enhance their productivity, perspective, and overall quality of life by making small changes and improvements in their living spaces.

“Having a new kitchen that’s a little more like home is going to give them greater peace and greater comfort,” says Stribling. “We’re so grateful to be the beneficiaries of a ‘kitchen crashing.’”

To learn about volunteer opportunities at the shelter, visit the N Street Village website. 

Hickok Cole Architects released these renderings today of the new NPR headquarters, which is under construction in NoMa and is scheduled to be finished by the end of March. Unlike the old NPR headquarters in Penn Quarter, this new building will be much more open to the public—a concept that is reflected in the glassy, open design. There will be tours of the 90,000-square-foot newsroom as well as an exhibit tracing the history of NPR. A big coup for NoMa, the building will breathe even more life into a neighborhood that’s undergoing tremendous change. And it looks pretty good, too.

On Monday, Washington Fine Properties listed a home on University Terrace in DC’s Kent neighborhood for $19.5 million—making it the most expensive home on the market now in the District. What does nearly $20 million buy you these days? Five bedrooms and seven baths spread out over 10,000 square feet, plus a guest house, a pool, and gardens on more than six acres. “There’s hardly any other property in the city that has that much land,” says Tom Anderson, president of Washington Fine Properties.

According to DC tax records, the home is owned by “James C. Biddle Trustee.” Biddle, who died in 2005, was president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as an adviser to First Ladies Jackie Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson on historic furniture.

The house—which came in eighth on our list of 50 Most Expensive Homes last year and is currently assessed for $13.7 million—has recently been home to Biddle’s ex-wife, Louisa, and her late husband, former ambassador Robert Duemling, who died in July. It sits on University Terrace, a woodsy, winding road near Battery Kemble Park in upper Northwest Washington.

If you were to buy the home, you’d be neighbors with former Washington Post executive editor Len Downie Jr., who lives a few houses down in a four-bedroom that’s assessed for about $750,000. Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences, also comes home to University Terrace; his five-bedroom is assessed for $3.3 million. A Kent cocktail party might also include TV journalist Tucker Carlson and the power couple of NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and former Chairman of the Fed Alan Greenspan.

According to the listing, there is a “possibility of subdivision,” which may explain the hefty price tag. But is $19.5 million realistic in this economy? “We know the air is always thinner at the top, but there are big buyers out there,” says listing agent Heidi Hatfield. “I’m happy to report the phone is ringing.”

Being green this holiday season doesn’t just mean finding the perfect tree for the living room or composting the fruitcake that’s still hanging around since last year. The cold weather means it’s time to batten down the hatches (literally and figuratively) to save big on heating costs. Last year Pepco customers in DC and Maryland that only had electric heating used just over 600 kilowatt hours more of electricity to stay warm in January than cool in July. We spoke with Ronnie Kweller, a spokesperson for the DC-based Alliance to Save Energy, about ways to stay warm while spending less when the weather outside is frightful.

Bundle Up
“The most important thing is just making sure your home is nicely sealed and air tight,” says Kweller. Older homes may be under-insulated, and all those tiny leaks can add up to the equivalent of a three-square-foot hole in your wall. Sealing and properly insulating your home can save you up to 20 percent on your energy bill, she explains. Seal the area around windows and doors with weather stripping and caulk, and close up electrical outlets on exterior walls with foam gaskets.

Audit Your Energy
District residents can get a free energy audit and there are several companies in the region that offer them for a fee. “They will give you a written report identifying areas where you’re wasting energy, what you need to do to fix them, and exactly how much it will cost,” says Kweller. Or you can perform your own audit by lighting a stick of incense and taking a tour of your windows and doors. If the smoke blows inward, you know you have a leak.

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In case you hadn’t noticed, thanks to the tinsel and reindeer tunes, the holiday season is officially upon us. That means it’s time to put a tree in the living room, cover it in ornaments, and soak in that homey feeling of sitting in front of a lit Christmas tree. Of course, getting the tree is the first step. Below is a list of places to cut your own Christmas tree—many of which also offer a hot beverage to boot.

MARYLAND

Homestead Farm
15604 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville; 301-977-3761 or e-mail homesteadfarmemail@gmail.com
Cutting updates: For $49, you can find the perfect Scotch pine, Norway spruce, or Douglas fir. All of them are four to six feet tall. The saws, netting, rope and assistance are provided to help you unleash your inner Paul Bunyan.
Just for fun: The farm’s 230 acres were purchased in 1763, when James Allnutt purchased 746 acres of land. These days, Ben Allnutt and his wife run the farm.
Hours: Open Friday through Sunday from 9 to 5.

Butler’s Orchard
22200 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown; 301-972-3299
Cutting updates: The orchard claims the cut-your-own Christmas trees this year are the best showing it’s had yet. You can also find pre-cut ones, in case sawing in the cold isn’t your cup of joe.
Just for fun: The market is filled with seasonal goodies of various aromas and aesthetics. From ceramic pieces to candleholders to beautiful wreaths, this is your one-stop decorative item depot.
Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 to 5:30.

Gaver Farm
5501 Detrick Rd., Airy; 301-865-3515 or e-mail gaverfarm@gmail.com
Cutting updates: Either hit the 50-acre farm to chop down your own beauty, or choose from one of the pre-cut trees for sale, all ranging from $35 to $65.
Just for fun: On the farm is an entire store dedicated to wreaths. From 10-inchers to 50-inch balsam, Fraser, and Noble fir wreaths, the perfect door ornament is sure to be found.
Hours: Open daily from 9 to 5.

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America’s favorite design pair, Robert and Cortney Novogratz, are known for mixing flea market finds with contemporary design. They’re also known for starring in HGTV’s Home by Novogratz, managing their firm Sixx Design, authoring Downtown Chic, and raising seven children between the ages of 3 and 15. October also brings the launch of their debut furniture line with CB2 and a new book, Home by Novogratz. We caught up with Robert and Cortney to chat about upcoming projects, Washington’s style, and how they manage to stay grounded.

What makes Home by Novogratz different from other design books?

We break down the costs and budget for each project and give people a realistic look at things, as well as sharing great design tips. Some design books are just pretty pictures, but our book is filled with insider tips, fun interviews with various experts, and, of course, some humor.

How would you describe Washington’s style?

Robert: I grew up in Alexandria, so I know the area quite well. It’s sophisticated, conservative, and really preppy, which we love. In fact, the new hotel we’re working on is going to be really preppy.

Cortney: We had the privilege of filming with Tipper Gore, and her art is featured in our books, as well. We feel she personifies the classy Washingtonian woman.

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