<cal1>JAN. 10-11
<cal2>The Institute of Performing Arts for Youth, a dance company in residence at Creative Dance Center II in Ashburn and Creative Dance Center I in Chantilly, will be sponsoring its annual children's production of "Nutcracker in a Shell — All Jazz'd Up!" This production is a shortened version of the Nutcracker, and includes ballet, lyrical dance, tap and jazz. It will be performed by children from the Ashburn and Chantilly studios. The performances originally scheduled for Dec. 6 and 7 have been changed to Saturday, Jan. 10 at 1:30 and 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 11 at 3:30 p.m. All tickets previously sold for December 2003 postponed performances will be honored for January 2004. Tickets are adults $8, children (3-10) $6, seniors (+55) $ 6, with children 2 and under free. Call Margaret Otto at 703-724-4900 or Ginny Frye at 703-378-1800.
<cal1>SATURDAY/JAN. 10
<cal2>The Centreville Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will host a Family History Fair on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 9 a.m. to noon at 14150 Upperridge Road, Centreville. This event is free and open to the public. Keynote speaker Dale Van Atta, author and investigative reporter, will speak at 9:15 a.m. on interviewing our relatives. Classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on “Preserving Pictures and Heirlooms” and on the FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com Web sites. Registration for the classes will begin at 9 a.m. Several informational booths will be staffed during the fair to answer questions about family history and genealogical research. Contact Julie Gideon at 703-367-8727.
<cal1>MONDAY/JAN. 12
<cal2>Centreville Toastmasters is the place to improve your communication and leadership skills. The club meets from 7-8:15 p.m. on Mondays at the Centreville Regional Library. Guests are welcome. Prepared speeches, oral evaluations and impromptu speeches (table topics) will be on the agenda. Upcoming meetings: Mondays, Jan. 12, and Jan. 26. Call Lynn Griesmer 703-263-2468.
<cal1>TUESDAY/JAN. 13
<cal2>New Mothers Luncheons are held every Tuesday for mothers and newborn babies to 8 months old. The group meets for lunch, speakers, discussions and fun — a different program every week. Bring a friend or come alone — it's a great way to meet other new moms and babies in the area. Meets Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Il Lupo Italian Restaurant, 4069 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax. Lunch is $20; four-lunch series is $75. Reservations required. Call Rochelle Goldberg at 703-961-9179 or email: eventbuilders@hotmail.com.
* Tuesday, Jan. 13 — Attachment — What it is and why it is important for your baby with Lisa Friedman, Ph.D.
* Tuesday, Jan. 20 — Kindermusik with Pam Phillips, Kindermusik of Fairfax;
* Tuesday, Jan. 27 — Sign Language for Infants with Stephanie Steffer of Time to Sign.
Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is offering an optional, informational orientation session for those interested in learning how to help abused and neglected children in the Fairfax County court system. On the evenings of Tuesday, Jan. 13 and Thursday, Feb. 5, from 7-8:30 p.m., prospective volunteers are invited to meet current CASA volunteers and staff to learn about the Fairfax CASA program. Fairfax CASA is now accepting applications and interviewing potential volunteers for the Spring training session, which begins March 2. Orientation will take place at the Fairfax CASA office located at 4103 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030. Call 703-273-3526 or e-mail staff@casafairfax.org or visit the Web site at www.casafairfax.org.
<cal1>WEDNESDAY/JAN. 14
<cal2>The next Mothers First Monthly Lecture Series, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Potty Training," will be held Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Centreville Regional Library, 14200 Saint Germain Drive, Centreville. Donna Pence, a nurse with more than 20 years experience in pediatrics, will explain how to tell when you child is ready for toilet training, how to encourage a child to use the toilet, and how to avoid common potty training pitfalls. Call 703-827-5922 or visit www.mothersfirst.org. Free.
<cal2>How We Select a President will be the subject of the Jan. 14 meeting of the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax area. Will 2004 be a repeat of the year 2000? What changes have been made, and need to be made to assure accuracy and prevent conflict?
The Fairfax Station Unit meets the second Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome. Call the membership chair at 703-335-9723 or the hostess at 703-830-8198 for directions. For a meeting at a more convenient day or time, call the League office at 703-658-9150. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, community-based political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Any person of voting age is encouraged to join. The League's Web site is www.lwv.fairfax.org.
<cal1>JAN. 17 AND JAN. 18
<cal2>Traditional Lion Dancing will be performed on Saturday, Jan. 17 and Sunday, Jan. 18 at The Golden China Restaurant in Chantilly. The lion dancing will be performed by the Jowga Shaolin Institute. Seatings for shows will begin at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Cost is $14.95 for adults, $8.95 for children, which includes the show and an all-you-can-eat buffet of special Chinese New Year dishes and Mongolian Barbecue. Seating is limited; call for reservations: 703-631-8889, or visit www.egoldenchina.com. Golden China is located at 13934 Metrotech Drive in the Sully Place Shopping Center in Chantilly.
<cal1>SATURDAY/JAN. 17
<cal2>The Center for the Arts' Pied Piper Theatre opens the New Year with "The Hobbit." This musical version of J.R.R. Tolkien's popular book follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins as he travels with the 13 mighty dwarves to slay the evil dragon Smaug. They encounter elves and dangerous trolls, and then escape into goblin country where Bilbo finds the famous ring of invisibility.
Dates are Saturdays, Jan. 17 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, Jan. 18 and 25 at 3:30 p.m. at Woodbridge High School, 3001 Old Bridge Road, Woodbridge. Tickets are $7 in advance or $8 at the door. Group tickets are also available. Call the Center for the Arts at 703-330-ARTS.
<cal1>SUNDAY/JAN. 18
<cal2>A talk on Race Unity will be held as part of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. at the Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly.
<cal1>THURSDAY, JAN. 22
<cal2>Mother’s First – Chantilly/Centreville. This support group for women making the transition from careers to at-home motherhood will meet on Thursday, Jan. 22. Activities include lectures, field trips, moms night out, etc. Meetings are held at 10:15 a.m. at the Centreville Regional Library, 14200 Saint Germain Dr., Centreville. Call 703-827-5922.
<cal1>FEB. 21 AND FEB. 28
<cal2>Opportunities, Alternatives & Resources (OAR) of Fairfax County is a non-profit agency that provides positive influences on the lives of offenders in the Fairfax County jail, as well as assistance to their families. OAR is currently seeking volunteers to conduct one-to-one mentoring sessions with inmates and teach classes in the jail. Volunteers can also work with families of offenders during visiting hours in the Adult Detention Center. Emphasis is on helping an offender make a successful transition into our communities. Special skills are not required. The next training will be on Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. Call 703-246-3033.
<cal1>FEB. 26-FEB. 29
<cal2>Carson Kressley, the fashion savant from the hit TV show, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” will appear at the Capital Home & Garden Show on Saturday, Feb. 28. He will discuss fashion tips and behind-the-scenes tidbits from his breakout TV show followed by an autograph session.
The Capital Home & Garden Show features 14 Dream Gardens created by top landscape companies, more than 600 remodeling, gardening and decorating exhibits in two big exhibit halls providing inspiration and a million ideas, a Gardening Stage featuring local and HGTV experts, a Cooking Stage featuring cooking tips and outdoor entertaining ideas, a Feature Stage with celebrity appearances, and the latest Hot Picks for the Spring season with HGTV's Karl Lohnes.
Show times are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 29. The Dulles Expo Center (www.DullesExpo.com) is located at 4368 Chantilly Place, in Chantilly.
Show admission is $9 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for kids 5 & under. Tickets can be purchased at the Dulles Expo Center box office during show hours.
Visit www.capitalhomeshow.com or call 1-(800) 274-6948 (producer - ext. 211, exhibitor sales - ext. 204) or (703) 533-4848 (show hotline)