Inbound Lanes of Key Bridge Closed
Update at 6:25 p.m. — All lanes have reopened.
The northbound (inbound) lanes of the Key Bridge are closed due to a “police situation.”
Initial reports suggest a person may have jumped off the bridge, possibly on the D.C. side. Traffic cameras show Arlington police redirecting traffic heading toward the bridge on N. Lynn Street onto northbound Lee Highway and the George Washington Parkway.
Traffic appears to be flowing from the District into Arlington across the Key Bridge.
Very heavy traffic has been reported in Rosslyn and across the bridge in Georgetown.
Santa’s Mailbox Spotted in North Arlington
As mentioned in our Morning Poll, your shopping days before Christmas are dwindling.
Maybe you need some help scrambling to pick up those last minute presents. If so, never fear, because Santa has apparently set up a mailbox on a utility pole in North Arlington, near George Mason Drive and 26th St. N.
We’re not sure how often elves are collecting the letters, but we’re told neighborhood children have been frequenting the mailbox.
Local Artist to Hold CD Release Party
If you’re still looking for something to do as the night cools down, maybe taking in some live music would warm your spirits. Urban folk musician Justin Trawick, who lives in Arlington, is holding a CD release show.
He’s performing at Artisphere’s Dome Theater along with pop-rock act Andy Zipf and opening act Amanda Lee. Trawick is promoting his new album “You and I,” which will be on sale at the event.
The concert begins at 7:30 and tickets are $12.
Metrobus Route Changes Begin Sunday
Starting Sunday, some of the local Metrobus routes will permanently change. It’s part of Metro’s plan to improve service reliability, work with current traffic conditions and relieve crowding.
Metro made the changes based on recommendations from the results of a Service Evaluation Study. The following will affect Arlington:
- New weekday and weekend running times on the 23A and 23C routes (McLean-Crystal City Line) to reflect increased passenger demand and traffic congestion.
- New weekday travel times on the 25A and 25E routes (Ballston-Bradlee-Pentagon Line). On the 25A, new afternoon peak running times will address increased traffic congestion along the line. On the 25E, westbound trips will depart the Pentagon between 8:43 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., and eastbound trips will depart Ballston Station between 9:40 a.m. and 2:38 p.m. These trips will bypass Shirlington and serve the Parkfairfax area including Gunston Rd., Valley Dr., Martha Custis Dr., and Preston Rd.
New timetables are available aboard all buses and online. To get a more in-depth view of all the Metrobus changes that start on Sunday, click here.
Optimistic Artisphere Supporters Ask for More Time
It’s no secret the one-year-old Artisphere in Rosslyn has vocal critics, who harp on the fact that the cultural venue has been bleeding taxpayer dollars while attracting a lower-than-expected audience. But supporters say the Artisphere still has promise, and needs more time to prove itself while a new business plan is implemented.
Artisphere Executive Director Jose Ortiz admits that errors have been made, but hopes that even Artisphere’s most ardent critics can place their focus on the future.
“We have all acknowledged we didn’t meet the unrealistic goals set in the original plan,” Ortiz said. “Not all of these ideas and thoughts were great and now we’re fine tuning that.”
One of the main goals supporters deem unrealistic was the thought that Artisphere would quickly make back the money invested in it, and then turn a profit. They say it’s now clear to everyone that’s not the way a business works. Ortiz believes the project simply needs more time.
“Creating an urban art center of this magnitude is really an enormous task,” Ortiz said. “It’s unrealistic to think you’re going to open the doors and have success from the first day.
“Everything takes time,” agreed Rosslyn BID Executive Director Cecilia Cassidy. “These things don’t become overnight successes.”
While addressing low attendance and revenue, Cassidy emphasizes that Artisphere was designed to be one piece in a larger puzzle of developments intended to give Rosslyn a boost. It was slated to open nearly simultaneously with several other large developments within walking distance, such as JBG’s CentralPlace project. However, a lagging economy delayed the nearby developments, and Artisphere had to bear the load of drawing people to the area on its own.
“Artisphere is here a bit ahead of those major developments that are going to bring thousands of people to Rosslyn,” Cassidy said. “Timing is everything. Who would have known the economy would be struggling as much as it is at this point in time?”
Ortiz said another problem is that Artisphere was sold differently to different people. He said it was being billed as an art place for everyone without specifying what that meant.
Your Wine Guy: Gifts for the Wine Lover
Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Doug Rosen, owner of long-time Arlington wine store Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).
When searching for the perfect gift for the wine lover, we should really start at the most obvious: a truly special bottle of wine. If your recipient likes wines of a particular variety, like California cabernet, you might look for a special bottle from a hard-to-find producer. Or ask your wine merchant to help you select a wine from a different place or made from a different grape that has a similar flavor profile to your recipient’s favorite.
Perhaps you can find an older bottle that has been properly cared for and squirreled away. Fine wine merchants often hold some stocks of highly rated selections and offer them for sale at the peak of drinkability, giving a client an opportunity to experience what a well-aged, well cared for wine tastes like. The bottles’ bouquet, palate feel and complexity can only develop over time and no amount of decanting can yield the same results.
Port makes a great gift as there are so many delicious options and in most cases, the consumer can enjoy a well-aged wine immediately.
You can’t go wrong with an aged Tawny Port. It’s hard to beat a glass of Port on a cold evening in front of a fire. The most popular Tawny Ports are 10-year-old and 20-year-old, but you can also find 30 and 40-year-old examples. The number of years designated on the bottle represents the average age of the blend from several vats of various years. Tawny Ports are aged in large wood vats and as they age they slowly oxidize and mellow, losing color and sweetness while gaining nuttiness. Since they are aged in wood for extended periods of time, they don’t need decanting and can be enjoyed to the last drop. Another beauty of Tawny Port is once open they can be enjoyed for months — just keep them in the refrigerator.
Ports represent great value, given that the grower has held the wine in his cellar and aged it for you. Tawny’s are best served cool, which helps moderate the higher alcohol level. They are a gift that keeps on giving.
Vintage Ports are the King of Port Wines. They represent the best wines that a producer can make, encompassing only about two percent of the producer’s total production. They are produced on average only three times in a decade. Vintage Ports are made from the grapes of the finest parcels of land, from usually the oldest vines, the finest farms, and from a single harvest. To this day many houses still tread the grapes under foot in shallow concrete vats. Law dictates they must be bottled unfiltered after only two years in barrel. They are then offered for sale, letting the consumer age them in his cellar. They often need 30 to 40 years to reach their full potential. A good fine wine shop will stock Vintage Ports dating back to the seventies and offer mature wines for sale.
Vintage Ports are truly a grand experience, requiring some forethought as the bottle must stand upright for several days to let the sediment slowly drift to the bottom. Even with three days in an upright position, you will want to decant the wine using a funnel and screen (widely available), rinse out the original bottle to remove the remaining sediment, and then return the decanted wine to the original bottle. After that, you are ready to serve it. Unlike Tawny Ports, Vintage Ports are best consumed within a day or so after opening.
Enjoying vintage port may seem like a lot of work, but I promise you it’s well worth it. Match this grandest of wines with Colston Bassett Stilton, slices of pear, and nuts and you are in for one of the most revered wine and food pairings in the world.
Try it you’ll love it!
Email any comments or questions to drosen@arrowine.com. Follow Doug on Twitter (@ArrowineInc) or like the store on Facebook. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx.
Photos of Pike Bank Robbery Suspect Released
Police have released surveillance photos of the man they say robbed a bank on Columbia Pike yesterday afternoon.
Police say the man walked into the Bank of America branch on the 3400 block of Columbia Pike at about 3:20 p.m., implied he had a weapon and demanded money. He fled on foot after receiving cash.
“The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male in his early 20’s, 5’7” to 5’8” with a medium build,” Arlington County Police said in a press release. “At the time of the robbery he wore a black hooded jacket and dark pants.”
“Anyone who has information about this robbery or the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703 228-4242, or Detective John Donaggio at (703) 228-4167,” the press release continued. “Det. Donaggio can also be reached by email at jdonag@arlingtonva.us.”
Morning Poll: Last Weekend for Christmas Shopping
Forget the weekend after Thanksgiving, this weekend — the last weekend before Christmas — may be one of the busiest shopping times of the year. Last-minute gift buyers are expected to flock to stores on Saturday and Sunday, in advance of two consecutive holiday weekends.
Adding to the shopping crush: Hanukkah starts relatively late this year, on Dec. 20.
Will you be joining the masses at the malls and shopping centers this weekend?
Morning Notes
Life-Like Simulators at Arlington Nursing School — The Chamberlain College of Nursing in Arlington is using simulated humans to train its students. The life-sized, life-like simulators can sweat, breathe, talk, and even give birth — and can be treated by new students without risking life or lawsuit. [WUSA9]
Local Indie Book Store Recognized — One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) in the East Falls Church area has been named one of the “Best Indie Bookstores on Twitter” by Mediabistro. The store, which specializes in books, wine and chocolate, has 857 Twitter followers. [GalleyCat]
CEO Leaves Rosslyn Company — Pete Snyder, the CEO and founder of Rosslyn-based New Media Strategies, has announced he’s leaving the company to pursue other ventures. Snyder sold the company five years but stayed on as CEO. New Media Strategies has 130 employees in Arlington and across the U.S. [AdAge]
Flickr pool photo by Maryva2
