Pole Dancing Competition Coming to Arlington
A statewide pole dancing competition is coming to the Crystal City Hilton (2399 Jefferson Davis Hwy) later this month.
The Virginia leg of the Southern Regional Pole Dance Fitness Competitions will take place at the hotel from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28. More than 20 women will compete for the title of Ms. Virginia.
Emphasizing fitness and form over eroticism, the competition is drawing both professional competitors and amateur competitors from pole dance fitness studios across Virginia. The finalists were chosen via YouTube video submissions.
Three women will judge the competition: pole dance instructor Jane Allen, former exotic dancer Trixie Lovett, and Torwa “Fiya Starta” Jo.
The general public is welcome to view the competition, but tickets start at $25.
Screen grab of Ms. Virginia competitor via YouTube
Clarendon Spa, Tanning Salon Relocates
Update at 10/4/12 — Phantacee Salon and Spa did not permanently close. It relocated to 2814 Washington Blvd in Lyon Park.
There has been some turnover among spas and salons in Clarendon.
The Phantacee Hair Salon and Spa at 3033 Wilson Boulevard recently closed up shop. Signs in the window indicate that a Casal’s dé Spa and Salon location will be opening in its stead.
Casal’s, which currently has two locations in northeastern Ohio, describes itself as a full-service, non-tipping salon.
“We operate with a team of hair, color, nail, massage therapy and esthetic experts committed to the health and beauty of our clients,” the Casal’s website says. “From day one, Casal’s has been a departmentalized salon and spa, staffed with the best professionals in their fields.”
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Tans location at 3000 N. Washington Boulevard has also closed. Customer accounts were moved over to the newer Palm Beach Tan location at 2900 Wilson Boulevard. Hollywood Tans customers were notified of the change via email last Friday.
Crime Report: Cash Briefcase Edition
A would-be crime victim said “no deal” to a criminal who tried to steal his briefcase full of cash.
The attempted robbery took place in a Crystal City parking garage. According to this week’s Arlington County crime report, the victim was able to hang on to his briefcase even after the suspect struck him in the back of the head.
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 04/02/12, 2400 block of S. Crystal Drive. At 5 am on April 2, a victim was walking from his car to his place of work, when he was struck in the back of the head by an unknown object by a subject. The suspect attempted to steal the victim’s briefcase, which was carrying approximately $1,000 cash, but was unable to get the victim to release his grip. The suspect fled the scene on foot and the victim alerted a building security guard. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’9” tall and 250 lbs. At the time of the attempted robbery, the suspect was wearing all black, with a black ski mask covering his face.
The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.
Photos: Punk Rock Exhibit at Arlington Central Library
Arlington Central Library is hosting an exhibit of posters and memorabilia from the D.C. area punk rock scene of the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
The exhibit was curated from the personal collection of a library employee who “in true punk fashion… wants to keep a low profile,” according to library spokesman Peter Golkin. The employee, who works in the library materials department, was a “very active participant in the scene at the time.”
“[He] put out some records on his label, designed some of the posters and is friends with some of the more well-known names like the guys in Fugazi,” Golkin said.
In a blog post, Golkin noted that Arlington played a key role in the region’s vibrant punk rock scene.
“Arlington County was a well-known base of operations for many of the musicians and music labels that created a straightforward Mid-Atlantic sound best known through now-legendary bands like Slickee Boys, Minor Threat, Government Issue and later Fugazi,” he wrote.
The exhibit, which is still in the process of being built, is located near the center of the second floor of Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street).
Central Library will also be hosting a pair of punk-related events this month. At 7:00 p.m. on April 18, the library will be screening a documentary about Fugazi, called “Instrument — Ten Years with the Band Fugazi.” On April 26 at 7:00 p.m., author Jennifer Egan will be speaking about her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” which recounts the 1970s San Francisco punk scene.
Crystal City 5K Fridays to Start This Week
An annual springtime athletic tradition is coming back to Crystal City this week.
Crystal City’s 5K Fridays will start this coming Friday, April 6 — the first of four Friday races that will run through April 27. The race, organized by Pacers Events, will take runners on a looped course up and down Crystal Drive, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Registration is $20 per race or $60 for all four races. Runners can register online or in person, before the race.
Arlington County Police will be blocking off lanes of several Crystal City-area roads between 6:15 and 7:45 p.m. on race days. Among them:
- Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 12th Street (one northbound lane of Crystal Drive will remain open between 15th and 12th Street)
- Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 26th Street and Potomac Avenue/27th Street
- Northbound lanes of Potomac Avenue between 27th Street and 33rd Street
- One southbound lane of Potomac Avenue between 27th and 33rd Street
- Two westbound lanes (one lane to remain open) of 12th Street between Crystal Drive and Old Jefferson Davis Highway/Clark Street
- One northbound lane of Old Jefferson Davis Highway will be closed for approximately 100 feet (one lane to remain open)
Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser
Coming to Clarendon: Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop
(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) The owner of a coffee and wine shop that won a loyal following at the Delaware beaches is moving his store concept inland to Clarendon.
Oby Lee Coffee Roastery had several locations along the Delaware shore before owner Oby Lee (real name) decided to close up shop. In 2010, the store’s marquee Rehoboth Beach — winner of several “best coffee” awards in the local press — was put up for auction.
Now Lee is planning to open a brand new Oby Lee location at 3000 Washington Boulevard in Clarendon, with a special emphasis on wine. The shop will serve wine from its Italian estate vineyard, as well as charcuterie, tapas dishes, and espresso and coffee roasted on-site. Oby Lee will have customer seating indoors and on an outdoor patio.
Oby Lee is located in a space that was formerly a Quiznos restaurant and the short-lived Ganges Grill and Ice Cream. The space has been expanded to allow more indoor seating, we’re told. Also working in Oby Lee’s favor: new traffic signals and crosswalks that will allow more foot traffic to flow across the busy Washington Boulevard from Garfield Street and the main drag of Clarendon.
Lee is hoping to open his new ‘Oby’ location at some point this summer.
Morning Notes
Arlington Ranked Second Healthiest County in Va. — Arlington has been named the second-healthiest county in Virginia, second only to Fairfax County. The rankings were released yesterday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Arlington County works hard to promote a healthy way of living, and to provide residents with options that make it easier to stay healthy and fit,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said, citing biking, walking and recreational activities as examples of healthy options encouraged by the county. [Arlington County]
Donnellan: Theater Builds Communities — A robust arts program is vital to quality of life in Arlington, according to County Manager Barbara Donnellan. A theater buff in high school, Donnellan says theater helps build a sense of community, which is one of the key roles of local government. [Theatre Washington]
ACT College Closes in Arlington — ACT College, a D.C. area health training school, has suddenly shut down its Arlington, Alexandria and Manassas campuses. The school’s Arlington campus was located at 1100 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn. [WJLA]
Ballston Company Recruits Nerds — In its effort to recruit top software engineers, Ballston-based Applied Predictive Technologies (APT) is billing itself as a paradise for nerds. The company, which analyzes sales data for big retailers and restaurants, has been sponsoring hackathons, computer competitions and even StarCraft tournaments for students at top universities. The nerd recruitment seems to be working: the average SAT score of APT employees is 1560. [Washington Post]
Photo courtesy Andrew Clegg
