Saturday, February 13
Find your canine Valentine at Nature’s Nibbles (2601 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria) when the store hosts an open house for Greyhound Welfare. Greyhound foster dogs will be on hand, and volunteers will answer questions. 11 to 1.

From noon to 2, the Washington Animal Rescue League will have cats and kittens up for adoption at at Living Ruff (8517 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring).

Love is in the air at Chateaux-Animaux (524 Eighth St., SE), where the Doggy Lama kicks off a new series of presentations on “the language of love” between you and your dog. Topics include communication, behavior problem solving, and animal needs. The free seminar starts at 4 and goes until 6.

>> See the full best of Fairfax guide here. 

Fairfax home prices have dropped a lot in the last year, says Ann Goss, a real-estate agent with Century 21. But she adds that the foreclosures and short sales that helped depress the market are starting to dry up.

Detached houses in Fairfax City and the surrounding areas cost $450,000 to $900,000 or more, Goss says. A roomy three-level home with a two-car garage typically sells from the upper $500,000s to the mid-$600,000s.

High-rise condo buildings are unusual in Fairfax City; garden-style condo communities are more common. Among single-family homes, three-level Colonials are sought after.

Condos and Townhouses

Centerpointe

This community of 90 modern townhouses opened in 2006, and there are still 14 units for sale. Homes have rooftop terraces, two to five bedrooms, up to four bathrooms, and two-car garages. Prices range from $460,000 to $650,000.

4156 Rush St., Fairfax; 571-432-0110; eya.com/centerpointe.

Monday, February 1
Families expecting their first human baby can rest a little easier about their canine one with a two-hour Baby-Ready Pets workshop at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (2650 S. Arlington Mill Dr.). Staff will offer tips on how to prepare your pet for the arrival of your baby. Students will receive information pamphlets to take home as well as a CD of baby sounds to play to help Fido adjust to his new housemate. The class is for humans only. Free. 6:30 to 8:30

Wednesday, February 3
The Big Bad Woof (17 Carroll St., NW) hosts Julie Rand, a representative from Nature’s Variety pet food, in a special event that highlights the company’s products and offers free samples. 3 to 8.

Friday, February 5
New dog owners get a crash course in all things canine at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s (71 Oglethorpe St., NW) New Dog Guardian Orientation Class. The free session, led by a certified trainer, goes over training techniques for house-training, chewing, separation, socialization, and enrichment. The class goes from 6:15 to 7:45 and is for people only. E-mail training@warl.org to RSVP.

Wednesday, January 27
The Ritz-Carlton in downtown DC is going to the dogs this week with the Washington Humane Society’s ninth annual Sugar & Champagne affair. Four-legged guests are encouraged to join their human friends at the swanky event that’ll feature a silent auction, Champagnes, and sweets. There’ll be desserts from such area chefs as Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve; R.J. Cooper of Vidalia; Robert Wiedmaier of Marcel’s, Brasserie Beck, and Brabo; Todd Gray of Equinox; and Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley. The evening will honor Humane Society officers and its Humane Education program. Standard tickets are $90, and VIP-reception tickets are $150. Get them here. The VIP reception starts at 6, and the party starts at 7.

Thursday, January 28
Say “homeward” when you order your burrito at the Germantown California Tortilla (19847-O Century Blvd.) and 25 percent of the sales will benefit Homeward Trails Animal Rescue.

Photograph courtesy of City Vista.

>> See the full best of Penn Quarter guide here. 

The 1997 opening of the Verizon Center marked a fresh start for Penn Quarter. “Back then, there was literally one place to eat,” says Aidan Duffy, a real-estate agent with Long & Foster. “Then the Starbucks starting popping up.” Next came a flood of condo and apartment buildings, restaurants, and shops. Today Penn Quarter is one of DC’s liveliest neighborhoods.

Because most of Penn Quarter’s condos and apartments were built within the last decade, many are contemporary—granite countertops, lots of windows. Robin Waugh of Weichert Realtors says properties sell quickly, but new listings come on the market often. Penn Quarter is pretty well built out. To find new buildings with units for sale and lease, we looked to nearby areas such as Mount Vernon Square.

Most Convenient

At the K at CityVista (1045 Fifth St., NW; 202-640-1302), condo owners have a dry cleaner, Busboys and Poets restaurant, Starbucks, and Safeway downstairs. The 12-story, 292-unit building has a rooftop pool and a one-acre private park. Floor plans range from one-bedrooms to two-bedrooms with dens. Prices for remaining units—the building is about 80 percent sold—start around $400,000 for a one-bedroom with den and go up to about $600,000 for a two-bedroom.

Friday, January 22
Adding another mouth to feed is always an adjustment. Especially when that mouth is also chewing up the table legs. New-puppy parents can score some relief and support at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s New Dog Guardian Orientation Class. The free session, led by a certified instructor, covers socialization, house, chew, and home-alone training. The course is for people only and runs from 6 to 7 at the league (71 Oglethorpe St., NW). E-mail training@warl.org to RSVP.

Saturday, January 23
Animal education continues at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (2650 S. Arlington Mill Dr., Arlington) with a seminar by dog trainer and KissAble Canine owner Lisa Colon Tudor. The workshop, KissAble Puppy Intensive: A Crash Course in Puppy Rearing Essentials, includes topics such as house-training, prevention of unwanted behaviors, puppy games, and socialization. The event starts at 10 and costs $45. E-mail info@kissablecanine.com to register.

Tuesday, January 12
Winter break is over, and its time for the kids—and the dogs—to head back to school. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s (2650 South Arlington Mill Dr., Arlington; 703-931-9241) classes start Tuesday and run for five weeks. The first-level course covers basic skills such as sit, stay, and down; clicker-training techniques; how dogs learn; problem behavior; behavior management; and canine body language. In Adult Manners II, the focus is on improving a dog’s existing skills, including lessons in commands with increased distraction, loose-leash walking, polite greetings, and distance commands. The first class will be held every Tuesday at 6:45, and Manners II starts at 8. Courses are $125 for AWLA adopters and $175 for non-adopters. Classes are limited to six dogs per class.

Saturday, January 16
NBC4’s annual Health and Fitness Expo will feature adoptable dogs from the Washington Humane Society. The event runs Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5 at the Washington Convention Center.