Author: ARLnow.com

Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

Brewery and Coffee Roastery Hopes to Come to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A Manassas-based brewery is hoping to open a location in Clarendon.

Heritage Brewing Co. has started a Kickstarter campaign with the hopes of raising $30,000 in startup costs to open a brewpub and coffee roastery on Fillmore Street, between Wilson and Clarendon Blvds.

So far, the company — which launched in 2013 with the help of another Kickstarter campaign — has raised just over $2,200.

Says the Kickstarter page:

We’ve found a vacant restaurant space in Clarendon, Arlington with the vision of making it into a fully functioning nano-brewery, coffee roastery, and small plate restaurant.

The Market Common location will be open 7 days a week with snacks in the morning and small plate meals throughout the afternoon and evening, paired with our barrel series and flagship craft beers.

In partnership with our sister company Veritas Coffee we will run a full fledged coffee bar every morning and afternoon featuring our patented cold press coffee as well as pour over and packaged varieties.

Our award-winning barrel series beers have long needed a space to call their own. In the new location, we envision giving them a chance to shine. We’ll offer barrel releases monthly, and limited edition beers aged on-site in both a variety of barrels and a seven bbl foder for unique flavor additions.

We imagine the space built out to fit our proud industrial American aesthetic. Plenty of wood barrels actively aging our beers for your enjoyment, and accents of their likeness spread throughout to adorn the space.

Your help and donations will go to outfitting the bar, purchasing glassware, barware, merchandise, fridges, menus, and paying for initial salaries of new hires. This is no small undertaking and the support we asked for during our initial start up was instrumental in the making of our success.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

School Buses on Arlington Mill Drive and 29th Street South

Wardian Wins Vegas Marathon Dressed Like Elvis — Not only did Arlington’s own marathoning superhero Michael Wardian, 42, win the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon over the weekend, but he did it while dressed like Elvis Presley. Wardian even set a world record for the fastest marathon while dressed like the King, at 2:38:04. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, Competitor]

Fox Rescued from Construction Pit — The Animal Welfare League of Arlington rescued a fox from a large pit at a construction site on Monday. The fox was cold and muddy but uninjured; it was released back to “a quiet patch of trees nearby.” [Facebook]

APS Accused of Poor Communication — Arlington Public Schools is “a great school district,” says Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews, but it has communicated “poorly” regarding the potential for middle schools to move to block scheduling. [Washington Post]

Reminder: Preventing Sewer Backups — Ahead of the holiday season, Arlington County is reminding residents to avoid sending fats, oils and grease down the drain. The “FOG” from cooking and cleaning can clog home sewer lines and lead to catastrophic sewage backups. [Arlington County]

I-395 Issues on Monday — I-395 in the District was briefly blocked by anti-Trump protesters yesterday afternoon, leading to some backups. Later, a multi-vehicle crash near the Route 1 exit in Arlington blocked multiple lanes during the evening rush hour. [Washington Post, Twitter]

Last Day for Airbnb Feedback — Today is the last day to offer online feedback regarding Arlington County’s proposed Airbnb regulations. [Twitter]

Arlington Agenda (Nov. 14-20)

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Agenda is a listing of interesting events for the week ahead in Arlington County. If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out the event submission form.

Also, be sure to check out our event calendar.

Wednesday

ToastmastersLogo-ColorCACI Ballston Toastmasters Club Open House*
CACI International Inc. (1100 N. Glebe Rd.)
Time: 5:30-7:15 p.m.

The CACI Ballston Toastmasters Club is holding a fall open house for anyone who would like to find out what it’s like to participate in Toastmasters and network with other professionals in the area. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.

Thursday

Hyatt 2014 Gingerbread House Winner (via FacebookHyatt Crystal City)Gingerbread House Challenge at Hyatt Regency Crystal City
Hyatt Regency Crystal City (2799 Jefferson Davis Highway)
Time: 4-6 p.m.

Teams from area businesses will compete to build and decorate the best gingerbread house. Decorating materials will be provided and the proceeds will benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The winner will be announced on December 8.

Brian Posehn at the DrafthouseBrian Posehn Live at the Arlington Drafthouse
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: doors open at 6:45 p.m.

Comedian, actor and writer Brian Posehn, most recently seen on The Sarah Silverman Program, is coming to the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse. He is performing Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $25.

Saturday

Star-chords-banner“Star Chords: A Quest for Intergalactic Harmony”
Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd.)
Time: 3-5 p.m.

Award-winning Potomac Harmony Chorus is celebrating its 40th Anniversary by performing an original show featuring characters from classic space movies and TV shows joining forces to bring music back to the galaxy.

Clarendon Grill signLauralea & Tripp Fabulous
Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland St.)
Time: 9 p.m.

Party rock band Lauralea & Tripp Fabulous will be at Clarendon Grill on Saturday, November 19. This five-person band consists of LauraLea Taraskus, Nate Hall, Steve Miceli, Mike Joy and John Zadeh.

* Denotes featured (sponsored) content

Photos: Arlington Students Spread Messages of Love in Wake of Election

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 6 p.m.) Local high school students have been spreading messages of love to counter an otherwise gloomy post-election atmosphere in deep-blue, multicultural Arlington County.

During his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump made statements that many felt were hurtful and threatening to immigrants, Muslims, people of color and, perhaps to a lesser extent, LGBT individuals — communities that are well-represented in Arlington. In response, students have their own message.

“Love and respect all life,” “stronger together,” “united not divided,” “forever forward,” and “love trumps hate,” are a few of the messages Washington-Lee High School students have written in chalk on the Stafford Street bridge near the school. There are also quotes from Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela.

Elsewhere in Arlington, a message to students at H-B Woodlawn (below) has gone viral on social media.

The message of reassurance, to women and minority communities, has spread on social media and received nearly a quarter million likes after pop star Lady Gaga posted it on her Instagram account.

At Wakefield High School, chalk messages outside the school entrance today included affirmations like “smile,” “you matter” and “be the change.”

Post-it notes on the school’s doors (below) also offered positive, personal messages for students, who were encouraged to take one on their way into school.

Arlington was not totally immune to a national wave of hateful messages, however. In the wake of the election there were some isolated reports of racist (confirmed by police; link is NSFW), anti-gay (not confirmed by police; link is NSFW) and anti-Trump graffiti around Arlington.

The following graffiti incidents have been reported since last Tuesday’s election, according to an Arlington County Police spokeswoman.

GRAFFITI, 2016-11090173, 2700 block of S. Nelson Street. On November 9 at approximately 2:16 PM, police were dispatched to the report of graffiti in the area. Officers located a delivery truck vandalized with black spray paint but the words were not clearly written and officers could not determine what the graffiti stated. There are no suspect(s) descriptions.

GRAFFITI, 2016-11110113, 6600 block of Little Falls Road. On November 11 at approximately 11:34 AM, police were dispatched to the report of graffiti in the area. Officers located the words “Truck Frump,” “Bet,” “LMOA” and an obscenity spray painted on the football field. There are no suspect(s) descriptions.

GRAFFITI, 2016-11120136, W&OD Trail – Rt. 66 at N. Ohio Street. On November 12 at approximately 11:33 AM, police were dispatched to Bluemont Park for the report of graffiti in the area. Officers located numerous graffiti markings including the words “Trump,” “U.S. Border,” “Caution huge,” and a derogatory term spray painted on the pavement and wall. There are no suspect(s) description.

Guarapo Lounge Has Closed in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Courthouse after-work staple Guarapo Lounge has closed permanently after nearly 16 years in business.

The restaurant, at 2039 Wilson Blvd, shared a post on its Facebook page Saturday announcing that Nov. 12 would be its last day in business.

Today (Monday), the business was shuttered and large curtains were drawn behind the windows, blocking any view of the interior. There were no signs explaining the closure.

Guarapo was noted for its “Peruvian-flavored tapas menu,” as well as its cocktails and hookahs. It hosted DJs and live bands, specializing in Latin and international dance music.

The full post from Facebook is below.

Adiós Guarapo.

It is with a heavy heart that after almost 16 years of great food, delicious mojito’s, wonderful people, fun times, hard work, ups and downs, Guarapo is closing. Since I heard this sad news it has been very difficult, emotional and I’m so sad to say goodbye.

GR gave us all a place to feel at home. It was the site of first dates, marriage proposals, graduation celebrations, wedding rehearsal dinners, epic parties, and many other extraordinary moments. GR was the friend you knew would be there when you needed them. GR was comforting. GR was a welcoming, smiling face. GR was home.
To some GR is greater than the sum of its parts. To make a list of the regular customers would be a 1000 page book. Thank you to all of our customers. We loved taking care of you, and thank you for taking care of us too. The spirit of GR is something we all can keep alive by maintaining the connections of the people we met and grew to love there.

There are no words that clearly express the love and gratitude I feel for all the staff passed and present that worked so hard to keep the vision alive. Restaurant work is not easy. It takes commitment, thick skin, and a really good sense of humor. It is so rare to find such a dedicated, hardworking, and friendly staff anywhere. We became a family. We took care of each other. I’m so grateful for the love and tremendous efforts by our amazing staff looking forward to lifelong friendship.

Guarapo’s last day will be tonight, November 12th.

Please come see us one last time and say goodbye. Thank you for wonderful years Guarapo, I will miss you tremendously.

Goodbye

Quinn’s in Rosslyn Set to Open Next Month

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Quinn’s on the Corner, a new bar at 1776 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, is hoping to open next month, its owner tells ARLnow.com.

Billed as a neighborhood bar with an emphasis on sports and Belgian and Irish food and drink, Quinn’s is expected to open in “early December,” said Reese Gardner.

Much of the bar’s interior has taken shape and could be seen through an open door this afternoon.

Another bar under development by Gardner, Dudley’s Sport and Ale, is continuing to face regulatory hurdles. There’s still no word as to when Dudley’s might finally open in the former Bungalow Sports Grill space in Shirlington.

“I won’t know until exterior permit comments come back,” Gardner told us.

Gardner is the proprietor behind Copperwood Tavern in Shirlington.

Renovations Underway at Ballston Sweetgreen

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The Sweetgreen at 4075 Wilson Blvd in Ballston is closed for renovations.

New equipment was being brought into the restaurant Friday night when ARLnow.com stopped by. A sign on the door of the trendy salad shop directed customers to nearby locations in Clarendon and elsewhere.

“We’re refreshing our Ballston location so we can’t do our thing for a few weeks,” the sign said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunset over Ballston on Friday, Nov. 11

Lubber Run Community Center Redevelopment — With voter approval of a “community infrastructure” bond that funds it, work is set to proceed on the redevelopment of the Lubber Run Community Center. Design work on the new four-story, $47 million facility will wrap up next year. Construction is expected to take place in 2018. [InsideNova]

Arlington to Keep One of the Last Kenneth Cole Stores — Kenneth Cole is closing 63 stores in the U.S. to concentrate on online and international operations. One of the fashion house’s two U.S. locations to remain open indefinitely: the store in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. [Bloomberg]

TransitScreen Expands to Coworking Spaces — TransitScreen, which was founded in Arlington in 2013, is expanding its presence from apartment buildings to coworking offices. The creator of screens that show the schedules of various transit options — including buses, trains and Uber vehicles — has announced that it has struck a deal with another Arlington-founded company: MakeOffices. [Bisnow]

AED to Host ‘Arlington Premiere’ — Arlington Economic Development is continuing its outreach to startup businesses. Next month AED will be hosting an event called “Arlington Premiere,” which is billed as “an exclusive reception welcoming new businesses to Arlington County.” The event will take place in Crystal City and will include networking opportunities for business owners. [Arlington Economic Development]

Cat Stuck in Tree — The Arlington County Fire Department was called last night for a cat that was stuck in a tree. Yes, that does actually happen. [Twitter]

Arlington County: We’re Ready for Winter

By ARLnow.com

January 2016 blizzard (Flickr pool photo by John Williams)

It’s likely to be a colder-than-usual winter with slightly above average snowfall. That seems to be the general consensus of the D.C. area’s television meteorologists.

Another huge blizzard, like the kind that walloped the region earlier this year, may not be in the cards, forecasters say, but the strongest consensus was around colder temperatures.

Regardless of exactly how much snow and ice accumulates, Arlington County says it’s prepared for this year’s winter.

Arlington has made a number of changes in the wake of the blizzard, and this year has stockpiled stockpiled 9,200 tons of road salt.

From a county press release:

After last year’s record-breaking winter, Arlington County is ready to take on the upcoming winter season. Although we can’t predict the weather, our crews have been preparing all year to make sure we can quickly make our roads, sidewalks, bus stops and trails safe and passable after a winter event.

Before, during and after a storm

Once the forecast calls for winter weather — snow, ice or freezing rain — Arlington crews follow our snow removal process and phases. They pre-treat main roads before a storm. During the storm, our priority is to keep main arteries passable for emergency vehicles and public transportation. After the storm, cleanup operations begin, which includes treating ice on the roadways.

The County has budgeted $1.387 million for FY16-17 snow operations. Our team includes 92 drivers and 46 trucks equipped with salt spreaders and plows. Additional contracting equipment is available depending upon the severity of the storm. We have stockpiled 9,200 tons of salt for roads.

What’s new this season?

  • Piloting augmented deployment: For snow fall greater than 6-8 inches, we have contracted with more snow plow contractors to deploy plows into high risk residential areas even before primary and secondary roads are cleared.
  • Refining our snow blower loaner program: We lend 25 snow blowers to civic associations and community groups. Based on feedback from residents, we have improved our snow blower loaner program by streamlining the application process, expanding outreach and extending training and support.
  • Improving our snow issues form: We have updated the snow issues form to improve the user experience, better display messages and provide context to users if we are unable to address their report immediately.
  • Expanding odd/even parking outreach: To help our snow plowing efforts, we will be encouraging residents to organize with their neighbors to park on one side of the road to allow snowplow operators to efficiently clear more of the street.
  • Enhancing our snow training program: This year, we added training to make sure our crews are prepared. We also added specialized training which includes support functions for snow operations (e.g., chain shop, brine making, and snow-melter training).

Hitting the trails

The County will continue to clear trails and protected bicycle lanes this snow season as part of our commitment to supporting a transportation system with a range of options. The goal is to ensure accessibility and safety for all types of travel throughout a winter event. Updates will be posted through regular County snow communication channels, as well as on the BikeArlington Forum.  

 How you can help

Residents, too, play a role in dealing with the fallout of winter weather. The County’s Snow Removal Ordinance requires all Arlington property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks adjacent to their property within a certain time frame. Here are some other ways residents can help with our snow removal efforts:

  • Coordinate with neighbors to park cars on one side of the street, where feasible, or avoid on-street parking so snowplow operators can efficiently clear more of the streets
  • Don’t park “head in” on cul-de-sacs so that plows have more room to maneuver
  • Clear your sidewalks and scoop snow towards your house, not the street, BUT
  • Wait for snow plows to come by before clearing snow from the front of driveways, to minimize the amount pushed back by plows
  • Stay home, telework or use mass transit to reduce the number of potentially stranded vehicles
  • Apply only the recommended amount of chemical de-icers on sidewalks to attain a safe and passable way
  • Stay connected through our Snow and Ice Central webpage and our DES social media platforms for updates on snow phases, transportation, trash and other important notifications. Follow us on Twitter @ArlingtonDES and on Facebook at Arlington County Environmental Services.

Residents should report snow-related problems through the “Report a Snow Issue” form found on the Snow and Ice Central webpage. 

Flickr pool photo by John Williams

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Today we pause to remember the sacrifices made by all of the nation’s military veterans.

Veterans Day in Arlington included President Obama’s final presidential wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, and a local Veterans Day ceremony in Clarendon.

Looking forward to the weekend, there’s plenty of activities happening around Arlington for those who want to be out and about. One particularly notable item in our event calendar: the grand opening of Twins Ace Hardware at 2001 Clarendon Blvd in Courthouse.

Feel free to share your thoughts on today’s Veterans Day holiday or discuss any other topic of local interest in the comments.

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Looking for a new home? Arlington has several options to consider this weekend.

Check out our real estate section for a full listing of open houses this weekend. Here are a few highlights:

4715 31st Street South4715 31st Street South
2 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Kamal Khan
Listed: $369,900
Open: Saturday 1-4 p.m.

 

2632 Kenmore Court South2632 Kenmore Court South
3 Bed/3.5 Bath Townhouse
Agent: Peggy Parker
Listed: $729,900
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

2001 15th Street North2001 15th Street North
3 Bed/2.5 Bath Condo
Agent: David Cabo
Listed: $849,000
Open: Sunday 12-3 p.m.

 

709 Kensington Street North709 Kensington Street North
5 Bed/3.5 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Ann Wilson
Listed: $1,249,000
Open: Sunday 1-3 p.m.

 

2805 Lexington Street North2805 Lexington Street North
6 Bed/5.5 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Michael Albrittain
Listed: $1,650,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

3722 Wakefield Street North3722 Wakefield Street North
5 Bed/5.5 Bath Single-Family Detached
Agent: Leonid Sagatov
Listed: $2,100,000
Open: Friday 6:30-8:30 p.m.

 

Real estate agents, if you don’t see your listings in our real estate section shoot us an email and we’ll let you know what your office needs to do to get listed.

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