Around Town

Josephines Italian Kitchen, a new casual Italian restaurant, is coming to Columbia Pike (2501 9th Rd S).

The restaurant comes from Tony Wagner, owner of the nearby Twisted Vines Bottleshop & Bistro and BrickHausWagner said the idea came from discussions with neighbors and customers, and repeatedly hearing customers reference a need for a casual Italian option in the area.


Traffic

Starting Sunday (Aug. 26), I-66 will be hit with overnight lane closures. Over the next two months, lane closures will occur between 9:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. on the eastbound lanes.

The first lane closures will close the outside lane to allow crews to strengthen and repave the shoulder. Once this work is completed, the lanes will shift to allow crews to work on widening the median. 


Events

The fifth annual Kennan Garvey Memorial Ride is planned for this Saturday (Aug. 25). The bicycle ride along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail will raise money to help Phoenix Bikes afford a new van to help transport students and day to day operations.

Rides range from 15 miles to the full length of the trail. Every 15 miles, volunteers greet riders with water, snacks, maintenance and high fives.


Around Town

Gorilla Taco is officially open in Pentagon Row.

The pop-up taco restaurant will be open Wednesdays through Sundays until December. The restaurant is located at 1201 S. Joyce Street alongside its sister restaurant, Basic Burger, which moved to Pentagon Row from Courthouse in June


Events

An ’80s themed bootcamp will take place in Rosslyn tomorrow to honor Ralf Hofmann, a man remembered as a passionate advocate for Arlington’s homeless and recent immigrants.

Hofmann, a former General Manager at the Hyatt Centric Arlington who was very active in several local charities, passed away on July 30 after a battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. All proceeds of the bootcamp will go towards a GoFundMe set up to support his wife, Heather, and their two sons.


News

Construction has wrapped up on improvements to Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) at the Manchester Street and Park Drive intersections.

According to Eric Balliet, transportation spokesperson for Arlington County, the road and lane closures around the project have come to an end and landscaping work on the surrounding area is expected to begin this fall.


Events

When disaster strikes, roads are often one of the first necessities hit. Gridlock or damage to streets can make them impassible for cars.

And on Sept. 29, the county will host “Disaster Relief Trials” to simulate just such an emergency in Arlington. Participants will need to climb onto their bikes and travel across the county carrying food, water, medical supplies and messages to those in need. To do so, they will need to navigate without a GPS and traverse simulated dangerous terrain.


Events

On Sept. 15, stretches of Arlington’s on-street parking will be transformed into pop-up parks for the annual PARK(ing) Day event, and applications are now available to turn your bare asphalt into a roadside oasis. 

There are many restrictions on which spots are eligible and what kinds of decorations can be included on-site. The parking spaces must be legal parking spots that aren’t reserved for other uses, like rush hour, handicap, or loading zone spots. Parking spaces also can’t be located at the end of the street block.


Around Town

There are 17,000 Arlingtonians living without access to affordable, nutritious food, but the planners behind the “Master Food Volunteer” program are hoping you can help change that.

The Master Food Volunteer (MFV) program is run through the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The program offers 30 hours in training on nutrition, meal planning, cooking techniques, food safety and working with a diverse audience. In turn, the volunteers are expected to perform 30 hours of community service using their training to help underserved populations become more familiar with affordable healthy eating practices.


Around Town

(Updated at 5:55 p.m.) A Spanish restaurant and an “experiential” art venue with a bar are among the new Ballston Quarter mall tenants announced today.

The occupants will join a first group of restaurants and retail announced for Ballston Quarter earlier this year. The redeveloped shopping center is planning to hold is grand re-opening this fall.


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