To Do This Weekend
It’s expected to a be a beautiful, warm weekend, with temperatures reaching as high as 90 degrees. In other words, it’s the perfect weekend to head to a park, enjoy an outdoor movie, or go on a bike ride. See our events calendar for even more fun things to do.
Tonight
Author talk with Novella Carpenter — The author of “Farm City” talks about her experience creating a fully operational farm on a vacant lot next to her Oakland, Calif. apartment. From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Arlington Central Library (1015 North Quincy Street).
Friday
Crystal City 5K Friday — Run in Crystal City’s last 5K Friday of the season. The race kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at 2121 Crystal Drive, and will be followed by an post-race party in a nearby apartment complex.
“I Love the ’90s” Rosslyn Outdoor Film Fest — Rosslyn will kick of its ’90s-themed film festival with the 1995 favorite “Clueless.” Takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Rosslyn Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway).
Fashion, Food and Music for the Cure — Join former Washington Redskin LaVar Arrington and his wife Trish for a fashion show at Caribbean Breeze restaurant (4100 North Fairfax Drive) benefiting the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Against Breast Cancer. There will be a musical performance by Jason Cerda followed by a runway show. Doors open to the public at 9:00 p.m.
Saturday
Tour des Bibliotheque — Join Arlington Public Library staff members for a bicycle tour of six of the county’s seven libraries. The tour will start at Central Library (1015 North Quincy Street). Meet on the Quincy Street side near the front doors at 9:30 a.m.
Shirlington Kentucky Derby Party — Help support Operation Homefront while sipping mint juleps and rooting on your favorite thoroughbred. The event, at The Bungalow (2766 South Arlington Mill Drive) will feature a Derby hat contest, Derby food and a classic derby drink showcase. Post time for the race is 6:24 p.m., but the party kicks off at 4:00.
Sunday
Potomac Overlook Park Heritage Festival — A springtime tradition with fun for all ages. The event features music, entertainment, food, community exhibits, games, a maypole dance, and more. It takes place between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. at Potomac Overlook Regional Park (2845 North Marcey Road).
Mamma Mia Flash Mob – A “flash mob” style dance performance from the musical Mamma Mia is scheduled to take place at 3:00 p.m. at Ballston Common Mall (4238 North Wilson Blvd). The public is welcome to participate if they know the moves. Whether it’s truly a flash mob if it’s announced ahead of time is up for debate, but nonetheless organizers promise “a mob of synchronicity, choreography and fun.”
A Hero’s Tribute
A lone F-15C Eagle fighter jet flew over Arlington at noon today to honor eight airmen killed during World War II.
The crew’s B-24 Liberator bomber was shot down over the Republic of Palau on Sept. 1, 1944. For 60 years, the wreckage — and the crew’s remains — were lost to the sea.
Then, in 2004, the BentProp Project, a California-based group dedicated to finding military wreck sites in the western Pacific, located the lost bomber.
The remains of the eight service members recovered from the crash site were buried together today in Arlington National Cemetery’s section 60.
One of the crew members was navigator Second Lt. Frank J. Arhar, who was just two days shy of his 22nd birthday when the plane went down.
“To at least know that they found him and he’ll be buried and we can have peace… it means a lot to us,” Arhar’s younger sister, Theresa, told the Johnstown, Pa. Tribune Democrat.
Lindy Hopping at the Clarendon Ballroom
More than 60 swing dancers packed onto the Clarendon Ballroom dance floor Tuesday night as the Fabulettes — a trio of singers with polka dots and hair that would make Snooki jealous — sang hits from the ’50s and ’60s. Most of the dancers were members of the GottaSwing beginner and intermediate dance classes led by Tom Koerner and Debra Sternberg.
Each Tuesday, Tom and Debra teach a beginner’s class at 7:00 p.m. followed by an intermediate class at 8:00 p.m. and a dance open to the public at 9:00 p.m. Admission for dancers who are not attending a class is $10.
Note that the moves in this video of Tom and Debra are not necessarily covered in the beginner classes.
New classes start May 11. Tuition for the eight-week session is $125.
A live band performs every week — next week expect the Jeff Carmella Band to blast some rhythm and blues.
Both singles and couples are welcome, says Tom.
“We’ve had over 147 couples get engaged after meeting at one of our lessons or dances. Even if you’ve already got a significant other, nothing says ‘I love you’ better than committing to a relationship on the dance floor. You can always divorce your wife, but not your dance partner!”
McDonnell Pushes For HOT Lanes Despite Arlington Suit
Virginia’s governor wants to revive the effort to put toll lanes on Interstate 395.
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell said his administration has been working to breathe life into the plan to add High Occupancy Toll lanes to the highway after it was delayed last year, following a lawsuit from Arlington County officials, according to the Washington Examiner.
The suit, which last week won a federal judge’s approval to move forward, claims that during the waning days of the Bush administration state transportation officials were improperly granted a “categorical exclusion” allowing the toll lanes to be built without conducting required environmental impact studies.
County officials say the lanes will benefit mostly white residents from Stafford and Spotsylvania counties to the detriment of Arlington residents — including a high concentration of minorities — who live along the I-395 corridor.
In addition to resulting in more pollution from auto emissions, the county argues the lanes could bring more traffic to Arlington’s neighborhood streets.
Last year, then County Board Chair Barbara Favola warned traffic would inevitably back-up where the HOT lanes would end, at Eads Street, forcing drivers to exit early.
State transportation officials have long countered that argument, saying the project would bring with it the reconstruction of local intersections and would ease traffic.
