Busy Weekend for Bargain Hunters
It’s going to be an especially busy Saturday for bargain-hunters. Here’s a chronology of where to get good deals and score some free stuff.
7:00 a.m. — The weekly Arlington Civitan flea market starts the morning bright and early. About 150 vendors will be selling their wares until 1:30 p.m. in the parking garage between I-66 and Washington-Lee High School.
8:00 a.m. — The Arlington Farmer’s Market will take place, as it does every Saturday, in the parking lot across from the county courthouse from 8:00 to noon. Affordable fresh food and free samples abound.
9:00 a.m. — Hunt for hidden gems at the Aurora Hills Senior Center Trash ‘n’ Treasure Sale. One person’s old, unwanted piece of junk may be another’s cherished antique. The Aurora Hills Branch Library will also take part, selling books and music CDs as part of their ongoing Friends Sale.
10:00 a.m. — Boutique pet store Wylie Wagg is holding a grand opening celebration for its new Clarendon store. Located in the former a.k.a. spot storefront at 2509 Franklin Road, next to the Java Shack, Wagg will be offering a 10 percent store-wide discount and a chance to win a $200 shopping spree. There will also be free doggie “smoothies” while supplies last, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. — Clarendon’s new frozen yogurt mecca, Red Mango, will also be celebrating its grand opening on Saturday. The store (at 2831 Clarendon Boulevard) will be giving away free froyo from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will also be free t-shirts for the first 100 customers.
2:00 p.m. — Join the Washington Shakespeare Company for a “pay-what-you-can” showing of “Every Young Woman’s Desire.” You decide how much you want to pay to see the show, a psychological thriller that examines the brutality of unchecked power. Presented at the Clark Street Playhouse (601 S. Clark Street).
See our events calendar for more details and for more things to do this weekend.
Flickr pool photo by Pseudo-Melancholy.
Accident on 14th Street Bridge Causes Big Backups
An accident in the center of the northbound span of the 14th Street Bridge is causing big traffic tie-ups for motorists heading into the District.
Emergency vehicles blocked all but the right-most lane on the bridge for 45 minutes this afternoon. Traffic backed up on I-395 past the Pentagon. There were also backups on Route 1 and Route 110 leading up to the ramps to I-395.
At least one injury was reported as a result of the accident. An ambulance just left the scene.
Help Afghan Villagers Without Leaving Northern Virginia
Give to the World, an Arlington-based organization that helps the U.S. military conduct humanitarian relief efforts, is seeking volunteers to help box up supplies destined for Afghanistan.
Volunteers will meet at an area thrift shop to pack up clothes, shoes, blankets, stuffed animals and other donated items. The goods will then be sent to villagers in Afghanistan.
Adults and teens are welcome to volunteer for the effort, which will take place between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on June 13, June 27 and July 25.
Those interested in helping out should go to the organization’s web site or call Shannon Stapleton at 703-532-4734.
New Wakefield High School Principal Named
Dr. Christian Willmore has been appointed as Wakefield High School’s new principal.
Willmore is a recent graduate of University of Virginia’s Doctor of Education program. He began his career with Arlington Public Schools in 1995 and has served as assistant principal at Wakefield since 2002.
Willmore is fluent in Spanish and has taught abroad.
“Chris has been a fixture in the Wakefield community for eight years, and during the interview process, Wakefield students noted that Chris knows them, cares for them and wants them to succeed in the classroom,” superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy said in a statement.
The school system’s press release, which includes three additional leadership announcements, after the jump.
Local Bike Stores Rolling Along
Arlington County has been investing heavily in marketing efforts that try to persuade people to ditch their cars and bike to work. But a car-free diet doesn’t just benefit the environment and ease traffic congestion — it also, in theory, steers money that would have otherwise been spent at service stations and car dealerships to bicycle stores.
There’s no way of knowing whether there is a correlation with the county’s pro-bike efforts, but according to a published report, local bike stores are doing quite well in a down economy.
Revolution Cycles, which now has two Arlington locations, is on pace to see a $1 million jump in sales this year, according to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. Revolution’s flagship Clarendon store alone has seen sales increase by 60 percent in April and by more than 30 percent for the year.
A Revolution Cycles spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
At Spokes Etc., which has an Alexandria store near Fairlington, sales were up 6 percent last year and are up again this year, according to the publication.
In other local bike news, BRAIN is reporting that Conte’s, with its big, iconic store on Wilson Boulevard, is under new ownership and will soon be changing its name to ‘Freshbikes.’
Morning Notes
It’s National Donut Day — Head out to your local Dunkin’ Donuts today to get a free donut — with a drink purchase — in celebration of National Donut Day. Or, if you care to venture outside of Arlington, Krispy Kreme is giving out free donuts with no purchase necessary. Don’t know where your local donut store is? TBD’s Mandy Jenkins created this handy Google map just for you.
Arlington Restaurateur Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement — Roberto Donna, who owned the now-defunct Bebo Trattoria restaurant in Crystal City, pled guilty yesterday to felony embezzlement, Washington City Paper’s Tim Carman reports. Donna must repay Arlington County the more than $150,000 he owes in unpaid meal taxes. Donna isn’t the only one who owes the county big bucks. According to the City Paper, Arlington Catering Company, owners of the recently-shuttered Restaurant Vero, owes $78,297 in delinquent meal taxes.
Lyon Hall’s Outdoor Patio Open for Business — You can now have a prime outdoor seat to go with your Silly Saison and Hungarian lamb sausage mussels. Lyon Hall has rolled out the folding white umbrellas and steel tables and is now helping to bring some street life to Washington Boulevard. Perfect DC Bites has more.
Zimmerman Fires Back At HOT Lanes Letter — “Nonsense” is how County Board Vice Chairman Chris Zimmerman described some of the arguments made by local business leaders — including Arlington Chamber of Commerce President Richard Doud — in a letter asking the county to drop its lawsuit against High Occupancy Toll lanes on I-395. More from the Sun Gazette.
