Crystal City | ARLnow.com

Artomatic Coming to Crystal City

Published January 18, 2012 at 1:15PM

The popular, periodic arts event will take over the Transwestern Presidential Tower at 2511 S. Clark Street from May 18 to June 24. More than 76,000 visitors attended the last Artomatic, in 2009. The event featured more than 2,500 artists and performers. While the 2009 Artomatic was held in D.C., Crystal City hosted the event in 2007.

Described as an “open-entry creative arts showcase of visual art, music, film, performance, poetry and fashion,” Artomatic promises to transform the Transwestern tower into a “vibrant arts communit[y] that celebrate[s] creativity.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 16, 2012 at 9:00AM

MLK Day in Arlington — Arlington County government offices, libraries, and schools will be closed today in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. See the full list of closures here. ARLnow.com will return for a full day of news coverage on Tuesday.

GGW Endorses Bondi — The influential local blog Greater Greater Washington has endorsed Melissa Bondi in the upcoming Democratic caucus for Arlington County Board. GGW said Bondi’s “experience, openness to citizen input and dedication to smart urban development” outweighs her recent “tax controversies.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Events

Wine and Walking Combine at Weekend Event

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 10, 2012 at 3:35PM

Walkers can sample more than 30 different wines while walking a 1K indoor course through the Crystal City Shops (2200 Crystal Drive). Participants can use their 20 tasting tickets on wine or snacks. Walkers also receive a t-shirt upon crossing the finish line.

Tickets are sold for different “heat” times that start every half hour from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Many of the heats are already sold out, and organizers expect all heats to be filled by the time the weekend arrives.

Around Town

Hee Been Asian Bistro Buffet Now Open

By ARLnow.com

Published January 5, 2012 at 2:05PM | Updated January 5, 2012 at 2:21PM

Hee Been’s nearly 80-foot-long dinner buffet features some 85 different items representing three different types of cuisine: Korean, Japanese and Thai. The buffet offerings include soups and salads, a wide selection of freshly-prepared sushi and sashimi, hot and cold noodle dishes, grilled-to-order steaks, various types of seafood and Korean specialties, plus fresh fruit and desserts (tip: try the cold cinnamon tea).

The family-owned restaurant has been off to a relatively slow start since its Christmas Day soft opening, thanks in part to its inconspicuous location. Hee Been is located at the back of the off-street cluster of eateries and shops on the ground floor of the relatively new Eclipse condominium building in the far southeast corner of Arlington County. Though in close proximity to busy Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1), the restaurant’s existence is hardly noticeable to anybody who doesn’t live in the Eclipse.

Around Town

Seattle’s Best, California Tortilla Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published December 27, 2011 at 11:07AM

Interior construction is underway at a new Seattle’s Best Coffee location at 2450 Crystal Drive. The owners were originally hoping to open the store, which is now hiring, in mid-November. No word yet on when the store is now expected to open.

Also coming soon to Crystal City: a new California Tortilla location. The local Mexican restaurant chain is planning on opening a location on the southern portion of Crystal Drive, according to a source familiar with the plans.

Events

Crystal City to Host Winter Cycling ‘Derby’

By ARLnow.com

Published December 21, 2011 at 9:35AM

The derby will allow “competitive, casual and chic cyclists” alike to ride around an obstacle course in a massive parking garage under the Bureau of National Affairs building (1801 S. Bell Street) in Crystal City. The event will have an “edgy, glitzy” diamond theme, and participants will be encouraged to wear denim, rhinestones and derby caps.

To help organize the event, the Crystal City Business Improvement District is partnering with Dandies & Quaintrelles, the group that organizes the Tweed Ride and Seersucker Social, two annual vintage-inspired cycling events in D.C.

News

Big Changes Coming to Crystal Drive

By ARLnow.com

Published December 7, 2011 at 2:30PM

The first phase of the project will add a southbound lane to the portion of Crystal Drive between 12th Street and 15th Street, just north of the Crystal City water park. It will also convert a one-way section of S. Clark Street between 12th and 15th Streets to a two-way road. Construction on this phase of the project is expected to begin in the spring of 2012 and wrap up in winter 2012.

A second phase is expected to begin construction in fall 2012. That phase will add a southbound lane to the one-way portion of Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 27th Street. Changes will also be make to 27th Street, which runs between the Courtyard by Marriott and the Hyatt Regency hotels.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 6, 2011 at 7:55AM

Looming Defense Cuts Worry Some in Crystal City — Some Crystal City business owners are worried about the ripple effects that could be caused by billions in looming Defense Department cuts. Others, however, are more optimistic about the prospect of military-related offices moving out and a more diverse employment base moving in. [Public Radio International]

Zimmerman Endorses Bondi — Democratic County Board candidate Melissa Bondi has scored another relatively high-profile endorsement. County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman has joined fellow Board member Walter Tejada in endorsing Bondi’s campaign. [Bondi for County Board]

News

Spotted in Arlington: Ovie’s New Girlfriend

By ARLnow.com

Published December 1, 2011 at 4:20PM

Russian tennis star Maria Kirilenko has been photographed working out with the George Washington University tennis team, presumably at the indoor Sport & Health Club courts in Crystal City. She has also been spotted at Capitals practices, presumably at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston, according to the Gazette.

Ovechkin, who lives in a $1.6 million home in Arlington’s Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood, recently confirmed the relationship by Tweeting out a photo of the happy couple (left). Before that Tweet, however, the Gazette could only speculate as to why Kirilenko seemed to be spending so much time in our fair county.

News

New Wine Shop Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published November 28, 2011 at 3:55PM

The “Crystal City Wine Shop” — as the store is called in the application — will be located on the ground floor of the Lenox Club apartment building at 401 S. 12th Street.

A phone number listed for the Crystal City Wine Shop on Facebook is the same as that of the Washington Wine Academy, which operates a wine and beer education center at 1201 S. Eads Street, across the street from the future wine store.

Around Town

Good Stuff Eatery to Open in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published November 22, 2011 at 2:50PM

A photo posted on Facebook over the weekend shows big, colorful signs covering the doors and windows of the future burger-and-milkshake joint’s prime, 3,300 square foot space on Crystal Drive’s restaurant row.

This will be Good Stuff’s second location. Its original location on Capitol Hill opened in 2008.

News

Power Outage in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published November 21, 2011 at 4:51PM

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) More than 2,500 Dominion customers are without power in the Crystal City area this afternoon.

Numerous traffic lights are reported to be dark in the area. Police are beginning to direct traffic at certain intersections.