Linguine with Shrimp and Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces fresh linguine
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled
  • 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving

Directions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and al dente, 1 to 3 minutes (or according to package directions). Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan.

Using a small paring knife, remove the vein along the back of each shrimp and rinse under running water. Add the garlic to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the water with the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp and garlic. Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream begins to thicken. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the linguine in a large bowl and toss to coat. Garnish with more Parmesan and parsley.

Source: foodnetwork.com

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with These Creative Ideas

For many couples, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to show love and affection for one another with gifts and other romantic gestures. However, if the standard Valentine’s Day staples like chocolates and flowers are starting to feel uninspired, it may be time to get creative.

Here are a few outside-the-box ideas for showing your special someone how much you care about them this year:

  • Recreate your first date. No matter how long you’ve been together, you probably still remember your first date. Celebrate your initial spark by trying to replicate that special date as closely as possible.
  • Create a shared playlist. Music is closely tied to emotions, particularly feelings of romantic love. To tap into these emotions, sit down with your significant other and brainstorm a playlist of songs that remind you of your relationship.
  • Build a vision board. A vision board, on which you post images, quotes, and other symbols of things you’d like to have or accomplish, can be a great way to help you feel inspired and keep you motivated to achieve your goals. Taking the time to build one as a couple can enable you to gain insight into each other’s dreams, while creating a visual reminder of what you both want from your life together.
  • Challenge yourselves with a new experience. Whether you decide to learn a new language, tackle a challenging hike, or take a cooking class together, navigating a new experience as a couple can be a fun and rewarding way to bond.
  • Create a date jar. Regardless of what you have planned for Valentine’s Day, brainstorming future dates can help keep the romance going. Jot down some fun ideas for dates you’d like to experience with your partner and deposit them in a jar that you can tap into the next time date night rolls around.

Source: rd.com

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Outdoor Aventure & RV Expo at Fredericksburg Exp Center

Imagine this…it’s 2023 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and you’re at the Outdoor Adventure & RV Expo, driving away with a brand new RV that fits your whole family with an epic adventure ahead of you. The Fredericksburg Expo Center is hosting the Outdoor Adventure & RV Expo March 3rd – 5th, 2023. Show hours are Friday, March 3rd, 1 pm – 7 pm, Saturday, March 4th, 10 am – 6 pm, and Sunday, March 5th, 11 am – 3 pm. Don’t miss out on this perfect opportunity to view the different makes and models of RVs and the latest camping gear. Have a question? Take a moment to speak with the pros. To buy tickets to this event, click here.

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

FXBG Kid Fest 2023!

We all know the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference center is on its A-game when it comes to organizing events. It doesn’t stop at the FXBG Kids Fest event this February 11th-12th, 2023. Doors will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and 10am – 3 pm on Sunday. As presented on their website, this event is about celebrating the kids.  For the kiddos, it will be like a second birthday of the year. Pack them up and bring them over to the FXBG Kids Fest, where they get to unload all their extra energy and make you the #1 person in their world, even if it’s for one day.  Kid’s tickets are $5 each, while general admission for adults is $8. There are additional fees for select activities once inside the venue. For more information about this event and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

FXBG Taco and Beer Festival Returns May 2023 in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Everyone loves Taco Tuesday, but what about Taco and Beer Saturday? The FXBG Taco & Beer Festival will be taking place at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 13th, from 11 am to 4 pm. For a small fee of $40.00 per person, you will receive unlimited crafted beer samples and two taco vouchers to use at some of the best restaurants and food trucks in the NOVA area. Live music will be setting the mood, and people will be competitive on the lawn games, checking out other vendors, or hanging out at the Margarita Bar. The event supports the Frederikson Outreach Coalition helping to fund child education and assist in youth sports.  For more information about this event or to purchase tickets, click here!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Family Date Night at the Lake of the Woods Clubhouse!

Date night doesn’t have to be just for couples.  How about a date night for the whole family? The Lake of the Woods Pools and Community Activities Committee is hosting Family Date Night at the Clubhouse Saturday, February 18th, 2023 from 6 pm – 9 pm. Reservations are required for this event, so click here to reserve your spot now! The cost per adult is $15.95, children under 10 is $10.95, and children under 3 eat free. The menu consists of a starter salad and garlic bread sticks; followed by entree options of penne or bow tie pasta with your choice of marinara sauce and meatballs, or alfredo sauce with chicken, porcini mushroom ravioli in a sherry cream sauce with a side of seasonal vegetable medley, and cookies and brownies for dessert. So come hungry and ready to grace each other’s presence with a bountiful of laughter.  

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Snowball Fight Melee at FredNats Stadium

Calling all kids! Are you bummed because you haven’t seen or felt the snow yet this year? Well, you still can! Stop by the FredNat Stadium and be part of the snowball games on February 18, 2023, at 3 pm. The cost to join is $3 per person or $5 for two. You must pre-register at fxbgparks.com. Children 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.  So sign up and enjoy a  round of snowball games. From snowball fights, snowball chin races, and snowball cup tower knockdowns, there will be plenty of fun for all. 

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

The LOWdown on Real Estate at the Lake 2022 by Pat Licata

The continued inventory shortage experienced by most regions of the country was clearly evident in Lake of the Woods again in 2022. This inventory shortage, along with rocketing interest rates and inflation concerns in the second half of the year, definitely changed the course of the 2022 real estate market. Closed sales decreased approximately 24% from 358 to 272. New construction accounted for 31 of the 272 sales. The median sold price increased 11.39% year over year from $336,500 to $375,950 in 2022.

Now let’s look at the past five years:

In 2019, 301 homes sold, which was a 28.63% increase over 2018. The median sales price rose to $270,000. In 2020, we realized a 4% gain in home sales over 2019, with a total of 313 selling. 2021 showed a gain in sales at 358, and the median sold price increased almost 16% to $337,500, up from $291,250 in 2020. And then came the mixed bag 2022 market: closed sales fell by more than 24%, while the median sold price rose by 11.39%.

Average days on the market (DOM), which is the number of days it takes from the time a property is listed until it goes under contract, had steadily decreased from 76 in 2018 to 16 in 2021…yet in 2022, it rose to 23, more evidence of a changing market.

It’s also telling to note that a significant number of lots have sold in the past five years. From January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2022, a total of 172 lots sold: 45 in 2018; 41 in 2019; 49 in 2020; 24 in 2021; and only 13 in 2022. There simply are very few lots left in LOW.

Of the MLS sales reported in 2018-2022, new construction numbers have varied. 2018 saw 11 new construction homes sales; 2019 realized 31; 2020 sales jumped to 41; 2021 ended at 37; and 2022 saw new construction sales dip to only 13. 

Again, there aren’t many lots left in LOW, which, of course, will impact new construction sales in the future. 

Another notable statistic is the dramatic rise in average sold price to original list price ratio. It had steadily risen from 96.4% in 2018 to 100.9% in 2021, with 2022 showing a slight decrease at 100.3%.

According to Freddie Mac and the Mortgage Bankers Association at this time last year, mortgage rates were expected to rise and end 2022 in the 3.75-4% range for a 30-year fixed. As we experienced, they were wrong! Interest rates rose at a higher trajectory than ever before in the history of mortgage rates being documented. The current forecast is for rates to stabilize and then start a slow decline. It is anticipated that stabilization in interest rates and more confidence should bring buyers back into the market who “paused” due to all of the uncertainty.

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

2023 Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond, Virginia

Calling all wine lovers! The Virginia Governor’s Cup is happening Thursday, February 23, 2023, at Richmond’s Main Street Station, and you are encouraged to join! Tickets are now available for purchase. Click here to take advantage of this exclusive taste-testing opportunity of the best wines and ciders that all of Virginia offers. 

This event keeps on giving.  Not only will you have the opportunity to taste the stellar wines of Virginia, but you will be delighted to know that some local chefs will also be there to share their Haute cuisines. While sampling all of VA the V Foundation will be hosting a silent auction with all proceeds going toward cancer research. 

One of the toughest and most strict competitions in the US, hosted by the Virginia Wineries Association, Virginia Vineyards Association, and the Virginia Wine Board; this Virginia Governor’s Cup isn’t taken lightly. Each wine will be scored on a 100-point scale by appearance, aroma, and flavor. The process starts in the preliminary round over a course of 10 days. Seven judges will have the opportunity to taste each wine knowing only the category of the wine or the grape used. The judges will drop the lowest score and average the total for the overall score. Then in the final round taking about 3 days, 12 judges will sample all the winners from the preliminary round. The 12 highest-ranked wines will be named the “Governor’s Cup Case.” The wine with the highest score will be deemed the Govern’s Cup winner. 

What do the scores mean by numbers?  

100-95  Classic:  Among the best in the WHOLE WORLD
94-90    Outstanding: Superior Character and Style
89-85    Very Good: A wine with special quality
84-80    Good: A well-made wine of good quality
79-75    Average: Drinkable wine may have minor flaws
74>       Not Recommended (NR) or No Score (NS)

Gold Metal goes to  90-100
Silver Metal goes to 85-89
Bronze Metal goes to  80-84

Don’t miss out on this premier event! Secure your tickets now, here!

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.

Mardi Gras Dinner Dance at Lake of the Woods Clubhouse!

It’s that time of year again.  Mardi Gras, a French word meaning “Fat Tuesday” is reflecting on the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before Lenten sacrifices and fasting.  The exciting carnival-like tradition varies from city to city and the Lake of the Woods celebration will kick off on Saturday, March 4th, 2023 from 6 pm – 11 pm.  Sponsored by the LOW Lioness Lions Club, festivities will take place at the Lake of the Woods clubhouse. Tickets go on sale starting February 11, 2023, for $65 per person and can be purchased at lowlioness.org. All proceeds will support the Lioness Lions Foundation, Inc. which services our community. Live music by Reunion Band is sure to kick the party off right at 8pm.  Cocktails are to start being served at 6 pm, with dinner at 7, followed by a silent auction. To spice up the evening’s event, be sure to partake in the 50/50 raffle or “Best of Raffles.” So, mark your calendars. This event will be one you won’t forget. 

Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contacting Pat Licata.

To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.