But is part of the solution to the attendance woes at Artisphere are few prominently-placed signs telling people where it is?
Doug Galbi of the Ode Street Tribune thinks so. In a blog post entitled “Artisphere needs more signs,” Galbi says that many Rosslyn visitors may be unaware that the multi-million dollar cultural center even exists.
The Arlington County Civic Federation will discuss the county and school budgets at its monthly meeting tonight.
At the meeting, the federation’s revenues and expenditures committee will reveal its suggested modifications to the county manager’s budget.
In a presentation to the county board yesterday, county staff revealed that Artisphere admission and ticket income is projected at $174,202 for the financial year ending on June 30, 75 percent below the $789,912 in revenue that planners expected.
The shortfall was first reported in the Sun Gazette Editor’s Notebook blog.
Here, Artisphere’s newly-christened restaurant/cafe/bar, held an open house for local hotel concierges, nearby office workers and local neighbors today.
A jazz band performed as guests sampled mini versions of some of the sandwiches Here will be serving when it opens to the public on Tuesday. Here’s how Here is being described in promotional literature:
Borrowing the last four letters of Artisphere, HERE is the new name of the cultural center’s cafe. HERE will feature a “seasonal menu of comfort food with Latin flavors made from locally-sourced and fresh ingredients.”
In addition to being a restaurant, HERE will be a full bar, a nightclub and a catering service. It’s owned by Barroso, Inc., the same group that runs Guajillo on Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn and Casa Oaxaca in Northwest D.C.
Photos from the bad old days adorn the walls of Artisphere’s Work-in-Progress Gallery for an exhibit called “Rosslyn: A Work in Progress.” The exhibit, which runs through March 13, “chronicles Rosslyn’s origins as a lawless, rowdy community in the 1800’s to the thriving urban village it is today, through historical items and images, and renderings of developments coming soon.”
At an opening reception last week, we caught up with local historian Kathryn Holt Springston, who told us some stories of Rosslyn’s bawdy past.
Zimmerman Responds to HOT Lanes Criticism — County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman is responding to attacks by Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity and the Washington Post’s editorial board regarding Arlington’s lawsuit against HOT lanes on I-395. Zimmerman accuses Herrity and the Post of “distort[ing] both the reasons for the county’s litigation in the high-occupancy-toll (HOT) lanes case and its effects.” [Washington Post]
Bishop O’Connell Fight Continues — A group of residents is appealing the Arlington County zoning office’s decision to allow Bishop O’Connell High School to build a new athletic field. Separately, the county board will hear testimony next month about whether the school should be allowed to install stadium lighting around the new field. [TBD]
Water Woes Continue in Ft. Myer Heights — Some Ft. Myer Heights residents were without water last night as crews worked to repair a persistent water main leak. Workers installed some temporary piping as they worked deep below the surface to repair the leak. [Ode Street Tribune]
Libraries Will Offer Self-Checkout — As part of a host of changes set to take place next week, Arlington Public Libraries will now be offering self-checkout at its Aurora Hills, Cherrydale, Columbia Pike and Glencarlyn branches. [Library Blog]
Artisphere to Be Named in Contest — Artisphere is holding a contest to name its new restaurant. Anybody with a creative idea will be able to submit it through an online form next week. The winner will receive a private dinner for eight and VIP entrance to an Artisphere event. [TBD]
Columbia Pike Electronics Store May Be Forced to Move — The long-time owner of a small electronics store is trying to decide what to do if he gets the boot from his landlord. Venus Stereos & TV occupies a prime storefront at the corner of the Pike and Walter Reed Drive, next to Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse. Should the store move, many residents are hoping that a cafe takes its place. [Pike Wire]
It was revealed last month that Barroso, Inc., which owns Guajillo on Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn and Casa Oaxaca in Northwest D.C., was chosen to run the restaurant, bar and catering operations in Artisphere, which opened in October. The board’s approval of the sublease will make the arrangement official.
In addition to some of Guajillo’s signature Latin dishes, the restaurant will serve “sandwiches, salads, pizzas, small plates, desserts, and assorted other lunch and dinner offerings,” according to county staff.
Uncompensated Care Costs Local Hospitals $102 Million — While discussing health care on a local TV interview show earlier this week, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) cited a figure that seemed unbelievable. Moran said that in our congressional district alone, hospitals spend more than $100 million per year paying for those who don’t have insurance or can’t pay the bills. That figure appears to be accurate, says TBD’s Facts Machine.
Lawmakers Outline Priorities — Arlington’s state lawmakers discussed their priorities for the 2011 legislative session earlier this week. Proposals include eliminating the sales tax on food and replacing it with a higher income tax for the wealthy, increasing the state’s low cigarette tax and setting more stringent requirements on petition drives. More from the Sun Gazette.
Artisphere Gets Latin Flavor — Arlington’s Guajillo restaurant and the District’s Casa Oaxaca restaurant have been chosen to jointly run a full-service restaurant and bar in Artisphere, the county’s new cultural center. The county board is expected to formally approve a lease at its Jan. 22 meeting. More from TBD.
Le Village Marche Merging with Verbena — Two Shirlington Village stores are becoming one. Le Village Marche, a French housewares store, is moving into the larger retail space of Verbena, a stationary store under the same ownership. The mew store, which will inherit the Le Village Marche name, will continue to offer many of the same products and services as Verbena. More from Shirlington Village Blog.
