Morning Notes
New Bikeshare Stations in Shirlington – Two new Capital Bikeshare stations have been installed in the Shirlington area. The stations are located at Four Mile Run Drive and S. Shirlington Road, and at S. Arlington Mill Drive and Four Mile Run Drive. [Facebook]
Notable Trees Recognized – The Arlington County Board recognized 19 “notable trees” around the county on Tuesday. The honor is “an initiative of the Arlington Beautification Committee that recognizes residents who maintain and preserve outstanding trees.” There are now 265 trees registered in Arlington as part of the Notable Tree program, which began in 1987. “I am proud to live in a community that places such value on its trees,” said County Board Chair Walter Tejada. [Arlington County]
Lee Arts Center Lauded – The Lee Arts Center, at 5722 Lee Highway, is “one of Arlington County’s best kept secrets,” according to local arts writer James George. The county-run facility hosts a gallery and studios for ceramics and printmaking. [Examiner.com]
Fatshorty’s Now Open for Lunch – Fatshorty’s, the new beer and sausage restaurant in Clarendon, is now open for lunch, according to owner Aaron Gordon. The restaurant will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Monday, and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Flickr pool photo by m01229
Underground McDonald’s Closes in Crystal City
The underground McDonald’s in Crystal City has closed and will eventually be replaced with art studios.
The restaurant, at 2155 Crystal Square Arcade, was not visible from the outside; it was entirely inside the underground Crystal City Shops, and thus got most of its business from lunch-goers who work in the area. The closure comes as Crystal City faces higher office vacancies and fewer workers as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). As of January, almost 20 percent of Crystal City’s 12.5 million square feet of office space was vacant.
The McDonald’s space is expected to be used as art studio space as part of the Crystal City Business Improvement District’s new “Art Underground” initiative. The project, set to launch on March 16, is intended to transform “five blocks of Crystal City’s interior retail space into a vibrant arts and cultural destination with galleries, studios, interactive exhibits and activities, performance and classroom spaces, and a host of special events.”
The space will be run by the Arlington Artists Alliance and will be open to local artists who are looking for a space “to create, practice and showcase their talents.”
“We’re extremely excited to transform the underground in a way that we think is active and fresh, and really activates the retail space and gives people a reason to come to Crystal City,” said BID president Angela Fox.
Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser
Artist to Paint at DCA Baggage Claim for Black History Month
On Wednesday, Reagan National Airport will host an artist who will create a new work of art as students and travelers watch.
In honor of Black History Month, Baltimore-based artist/historian Morgan Monceaux will work on a new original painting for his Negro Baseball League series. Art students from Howard University will be on hand to watch and talk with the artist.
“While working on his new art series, Monceaux will explain his creative process in choosing subjects, developing materials, art media and finalizing the portrait for display,” according to a press release. “He also will answer questions from the audience.”
The art event is taking place on Wednesday (Feb. 6), at DCA’s baggage claim area, near door #4. Travelers will be able to witness the art creation as they retrieve their luggage.
The event is being sponsored by the Airports Authority Arts Program, which underwrites art and performances at Reagan National and Dulles International airpots.
Paintings from Monceaux’s “Hail to the Chiefs” series is currently on display at Reagan National. The series, which is on display through Feb. 28, features portraits of U.S. presidents and their wives.
Photo via Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Festival to Celebrate African American History and Culture
Arlington is celebrating Black History Month with dancing, food and art at the 21st Annual Feel the Heritage Festival next month. The event will take place at the Langston-Brown Community Center (2121 N. Culpeper Street) from noon-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9.
Avon Dews will provide live music and the Soul in Motion Players will offer an African dance and drumming performance. Kids can enjoy face painting, balloon art and making art projects while adults check out the vendors.
Anyone interested in taking in the history of the High View Park neighborhood can join in a cultural walk starting at 2:30 p.m. The group will stop at significant locations along the route, where walkers will be encouraged to share memories about the neighborhood, its residents and its traditions.
There will be a raffle during the event and the winner will receive two round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in Africa that Ethiopian Airlines flies. The $5 tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the event.
Today’s Featured Event
The following is today’s featured event from our newly-redesigned event calendar. Submit your event to the calendar here.
Jewelry Trunk Show and Art Reception – Today (Dec. 6) from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. – The Northern Virginia Art Center (2100 Crystal Drive) is holding a a Jewelry Trunk show featuring the work of Julie Jernigan (Jules’s Jewels) and Christine Bartoletta (Society Hill), as well as an opening reception for two art shows: “Illuminations” and “Metroscapes: NOVA/DC.” King Street Blues will offer a tasting, wine will be served, and Arlington duo Suburban Hearts will be playing music. Free and open to the public.
Morning Notes
Officials Prepare for USS Arlington Commissioning — Arlington County Board Chairman Mary Hynes, county treasurer Frank O’Leary and other local leaders traveled to Norfolk on Wednesday to meet with Navy officials to plan for the commissioning of the USS Arlington, a new amphibious transport ship named after the county. The commissioning ceremony is currently planned for April 2013. [Sun Gazette]
José Andrés Food Truck Coming to Arlington — Famed local chef José Andrés (of Jaleo fame) is bringing his new food truck venture in Arlington. The “Pepe” food truck is expanding its service area from the District to Montgomery County and Arlington. The truck serves a rotating selection of flautas — a type of Spanish sandwich. [Huff Post DC]
Arlington Scores Above Average, Below Fairfax on SATs — Arlington Public Schools students in the class of 2012 scored an average of 1641 (out of 2400) on the SATs. That score is above the national average of 1498 and above the state average of 1517, but slightly below the Fairfax County average of 1654. [Patch]
Pentagon Exhibit Seeking Veteran Artists — An organization called the Veteran Artist Program is seeking art submissions from military veterans for a new veteran art exhibit at the Pentagon. Organizers told ARLnow.com that they’ve received numerous submissions from around the county, but not many from the Northern Virginia area. The entry deadline is Oct. 30. [Veteran Artist Program]
Clarendon Salon to Hold Grand Opening — Casal’s de Spa and Salon has been open at 3033 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon since June, but the business will be holding its official “grand opening” ceremony this weekend. The non-tipping salon will be offering food, libations, and music from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann
Exhibit at Busboys and Poets Pays Tribute to Breasts
Busboys and Poets in Shirlington (4251 S. Campbell Avenue) is hosting a new art exhibit dedicated to breasts.
The exhibit, called Telling Intimate True Stories (TITS), features plaster castings of women’s breasts, turned into works of art. The opening of the exhibit coincides with October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Some of the castings are from local breast cancer survivors.
Women who participated in the castings range in age from 18 to 73, and each participant wrote an essay that accompanies the casting. The essays talk about “individual body image or life experiences,” Busboys and Poets spokeswoman Melissa DePaulis told ARLnow.com.
“There are works by domestic violence survivors that tell of jarring horrors. Cancer survivors talk of their own painful journeys. There are stories of self image from preteen years,” DePaulis said. “All work is anonymous. It is our hope that audiences are impacted by the work — that they recognize their own stories in the castings and essays and they feel empathy for the range of women’s experiences.”
Telling Intimate True Stories was created by Taking Flight, an nonprofit group “that gives women creative opportunities to voice our experiences.” The organization hopes the exhibit “brings attention to breast health as it also gives women a platform to express our feelings related to our breasts and body images.”
The exhibit is expected to remain displayed at the restaurant for about six months. An artist reception for the exhibit will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The event is free and open to the public.
Hat tip to Scott McCaffrey
Morning Notes
Yom Kippur in Arlington — Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur is traditionally observed with 25 hours of fasting and prayer. Arlington’s only synagogue, Etz Hayim Congregation on Arlington Boulevard, has sold out of its Yom Kippur service tickets.
Illegal Dog Mural Whitewashed — Wag More Dogs, the doggy daycare in Shirlington, has surrendered in its legal battle to keep a colorful dog-themed mural on its outside wall. Yesterday, workers removed the tarp covering the large mural — in place since 2010 — and painted over it. The painters — the same pair who painted an eyebrow-raising mural outside the Smokey Shope III store in Crystal City — are now planning to replace the mural with an “urban landscape” mural that, since it won’t feature dogs or anything connected to the business, shouldn’t constitute an illegal sign in the eyes of Arlington County. [Washington Post, WTOP]
Arlington Seeks Human Rights Award Nominations — Arlington County is seeking nominations for the 14th annual James B. Hunter Human Rights Awards. The nominations are due by Nov. 14. [Arlington County]
Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA
Daily Deli Becoming ‘Ballston Art and Framing’
The former Daily Deli at 1000 N. Randolph Street is becoming “Ballston Art and Framing.”
The store, which is hoping to open at some point this week, will sell artwork and offer framing services. A banner announcing the store is now covering the existing Daily Deli sign. Artwork and sports memorabilia can be seen in the window.
Ballston Art and Framing has the same ownership as K.H. Art and Framing at 4745 Lee Highway, according to building permits. A store rep tells us that the new store is the business’ fifth location; other locations include Falls Church, Lorton and Washington, D.C.
Morning Notes
Art from 9/11 Children Displayed at Pentagon — Art created by the children of those who lost their life on Sept. 11, 2001 is now on display at the Pentagon. It’s the first large-scale exhibit of the art, which was created by more than 500 children at a summer camp for the children of 9/11 victims. [WJLA]
Long-Form Article Examines Torrez Case — The Washington Examiner’s Harry Jaffe takes a close look at the case of former Marine Jorge Torrez, who is currently serving five consecutive life sentences for the abduction of two Arlington women and the abduction and brutal rape of another in February 2010. Torrez will face a death penalty trial next year for the murder of Navy petty officer Amanda Jean Snell. [Washingtonian]
Book Dating Returns to Shirlington Library — The Shirlington Branch Library (4200 Campbell Avenue) is calling all single bookworms for a “speed book dating” event. Participants are encouraged to bring a couple books they found interesting, and will then be given 3 minutes to discuss them with each potential date. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]
Affordable Housing Complex Reopens — The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing has reopened the 111-unit Buchanan Gardens apartment complex on Columbia Pike following major renovations. [Washington Post]
Arlington Foundation Raises Millions — The Arlington Community Foudnation has so far raised $4 million on its way to a goal of raising $15 million. The foundation “raises capital for grants and scholarships to address community needs now and in the future.” [Sun Gazette]
Flickr pool photo by Jeff Gamble
Morning Notes
Kaine to Visit Rosslyn Office – Former Virginia governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) will be making a campaign stop at an office building in Rosslyn today. Kaine will participate in a roundtable discussion on the clean energy economy at 3:15 p.m. The event is not open to the public.
School Bus Gets Lost on First Day of School — An Arlington County school bus carrying Glebe Elementary students arrived at school nearly an hour late on Tuesday after the driver made a wrong turn. The driver was new and had to meet up with another driver at Barrett Elementary in order to find his way back to Glebe. The kids on the bus were “a little scared,” according to a parent. [Washington Examiner]
Air-Traffic Controllers Rattled by Close Call — A close call involving three jets at Reagan National Airport on July 31 rattled air traffic controllers and produced a “chaotic scene” in the airport’s tower, according to a new National Transportation Safety Board report. The planes, however, were at different headings and altitudes and would not have crashed, officials say. [Associated Press]
‘Girls Night Out’ in Shirlington Tonight — Shirlington Village is hosting a “Girls Night Out” from 5:00 to 10:00 tonight. In addition to food and drink specials at restaurants, and savings at other merchants, tonight’s event includes an “ArtJamz” freestyle paint party at the Hilton Garden Inn. A $25 ticket gets you a 20″x24″ canvas and unlimited painting supplies. [Village at Shirlington]
Morning Notes
New Exhibit At N. Va. Art Center -- The new Northern Virginia Art Center in Crystal City will be hosting a new exhibit starting tomorrow, Sept. 1, until Sept. 30. The exhibit, entitled “Grand Visions: Small World,” features a jury-selected collection of visual artworks (including paintings, pottery and sculpture) from a variety of local artists. An opening gala will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14. [Northern Virginia Art Center]
Marymount Receives Cybersecurity Grant — Arlington-based Marymount University has been awarded a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund a four-year cybersecurity scholarship program. [Press Release]
Reminder: Labor Day Closures and Traffic – Most county offices, with the notable exception of the election office, will be closed for Memorial Day. Drivers should expect busy highways if they’re heading out of town.
Morning Notes
VDOT Needs Residents to Check Trees — VDOT says it doesn’t have the resources to check all the trees along roads it maintains, so it sometimes relies on residents to tell them when a tree needs to be inspected or removed. VDOT-maintained roads in Arlington include Glebe Road, Lee Highway, Old Dominion Drive and parts of Washington Blvd. [Sun Gazette]
Art at Arlington National Cemetery — A new art exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery entitled “The Greatest Generation, A Visual Tribute,” is getting some help from amateur artists. About 500 people have contributed their own visual tributes to those who served in World War II on a “wall of thanks.” [WUSA 9]
Arlington Ridge Starbucks Opens Tomorrow — A new Starbucks Coffee store is opening tomorrow at 2925 S. Glebe Road, in the Arlington Ridge shopping center. [Twitter]
Melody Tavern Hosts Redskins Event — Melody Tavern (3650 S. Glebe Road) is hosting an event tonight to coincide with the season’s first Redskins pre-season game, against the Buffalo Bills. From 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Melody Tavern will host a discussion with former Redskins Frank Grant (WR), Roy Jefferson (WR) and Darryl Grant (DT), according to a press release. There will also be a drawing for free Redskins tickets.
Flickr pool photo by Ddimick
Board Approves Grants for Artists, Cultural Groups
(Updated at 1:00 p.m.) The County Board has voted unanimously to follow the recommendation of the Arlington Commission for the Arts, approving $249,100 in grants for local artists and art organizations.
Of the 33 direct financial support application the Commission received, it recommended the Board approve 25 of them. All 25 recommended grant recipients are Arlington arts organizations or individual artists.
The Commission recommends three types of support for the arts — general operating grants, project grants and spotlight grants. General operating grants help organizations with the cost of overall administration and program offerings. Project grants assist organizations or individual artists with completing a specific project. Spotlight grants go to individual artists for their development and presentation of innovative new arts projects or programs.
The largest allocations of funds will go to Signature Theatre and Synetic Theatre, both slated to receive $45,000. Arlington Arts Center receives the next largest sum, at more than $20,000.
WSC Avant Bard is set to receive $18,077.71, but county staff noted that funds for the theater company are contingent on a management transition that’s currently underway.
“Avant Bard is in a transition period that has caused them to restructure their board and reconfigure their season,” staff wrote. “While staff and the Arts Commission firmly believe that WSC Avant Bard will be successful in this process, and are providing them with assistance through our non-profit resource center, our intention is to withhold their financial grant until progress is ensured and their first performance has been scheduled.”
The funds were appropriated in the County Board’s FY 2013 adopted operating budget for Arlington Economic Development. See the full list of monetary grants, after the jump.
Morning Notes
Obama Speaks of Peace in Arlington Speech– In his Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, President Obama spoke of a “milestone” reached in the past year with the end of the Iraq war. “After a decade under a dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon.” Mr. Obama also spoke of protecting veterans’ benefits. [Los Angeles Times, Associated Press]
Arlington Church Hosts Rolling Thunder Riders — The Arlington Assembly of God church, located just off Route 50 in the Arlington Forest neighborhood, hosted 300-400 Rolling Thunder riders over the weekend. The motorcyclists made camp outside the church or slept in the church itself. [Arlington Mercury]
Artisphere Gets First Artist-in-Residence — Local artist Beth Baldwin has been selected to be Artisphere’s (1101 Wilson Blvd) first artist-in-residence. Baldwin’s residency will stretch between now and November 11. Her 500 square foot studio will be located off of Artishpere’s main entrance lobby. “Baldwin will collaborate with Artisphere to create programming that involves her work and allows for visitors to learn more about her artistry, including ‘Plushie Design’ classes for all ages,” Artisphere said in a press release.
