Author: Chris Teale

Detour Coffee Co. Open in Virginia Square

By Chris Teale
1/7

A new coffee shop opened last month in Virginia Square.

Detour Coffee Co. is located at 946 N. Jackson Street, in the same building as the Darna Restaurant and Lounge, next to a Jiffy Lube.

On its website, Detour said it is owned by the same group that owns Darna. According to posts from its Facebook account, it opened late last month.

“Detour Coffee Co. combines tradition and innovation to create a delicious product that leaves customers satisfied every time,” it reads. “Located just blocks from the Clarendon Metro Station, our local coffee shop prides itself on maintaining the highest quality of product and service — all of our drinks are hand-crafted and pastries are made in-house from scratch.”

Detour serves various types of coffee including drip, espresso, chai and iced. It also has hot chocolate, and hot and iced tea, as well as sandwiches, pastries, empanadas and other food items. It is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

It is located about two blocks from local independent coffee shop stalwart Northside Social.

Photos 1-5 via Facebook, photo No. 6 via Google Maps.

Donaldson Run Sewage Leak Stopped Overnight, Repairs Continue Today

By Chris Teale

Workers from the county’s Department of Environmental Services stopped a sewage leak into the Donaldson Run stream overnight.

According to a tweet from DES, crews installed a bypass overnight into a sewage pipe, which broke due to its age, damage from tree roots and the recent cold temperatures.

Repairs to the pipe, which is in a remote location next to Zachary Taylor Park (2900 Military Road), are ongoing.

A DES spokesman said that the remote location made the leak hard to find, but that staff had been aware since last weekend.

“[S]taff did log the leak report over the weekend and the search began soon thereafter,” the spokesman said. “It just took a while for crews to find the leak because of the remote location — which you can see on the tweet photo.”

The spokesman reiterated that the “discharge that entered Donaldson Run will be diminished by natural flushing of the stream over time.”

Meeting Wednesday to Provide Update on Crystal City-DCA Pedestrian Link

By Chris Teale

The findings of a study on the feasibility of a pedestrian link between Crystal City and Reagan National Airport are set to be unveiled at a public meeting Wednesday.

The Crystal City Business Improvement District and civil engineering firm VHB will host a public meeting from 1-2:30 p.m. and again from 6:30-8 p.m. on November 15, on the 11th floor of 2011 Crystal Drive.

There, they will present the findings of a feasibility study on the project commissioned earlier this year, as well as several renderings of possible pedestrian links.

Those unable to attend can watch the presentation on Facebook Live, while the presentation slides will be uploaded to the project website after the meeting.

Crystal City BID CEO Angela Fox has said previously that a “new pedestrian connection will bring the airport even closer, from a 15-minute walk to a four-minute walk.”

Courtesy photo

Sewage Leaks into Donaldson Run Stream After Pipe Breaks

By Chris Teale

A broken sewer pipe caused a sewage leak into the Donaldson Run stream, affecting the water in two parks in Arlington County.

A spokesman for the county’s Department of Environmental Services said a resident reported discharge of sewage into the stream in Zachary Taylor Park (2900 Military Road) this morning.

On further inspection, the spokesman said, DES crews found that a sewage pipe had broken due to its age, damage from tree roots and the recent cold temperatures. Crews plan to repair it tomorrow (Tuesday), the spokesman added.

Those in the area should avoid contact with the water in the stream in Zachary Taylor Park downstream from N. Upshur Street, and also in the nearby Potomac Overlook Regional Park (2845 Marcey Road).

“The discharge that entered Donaldson Run will be diminished by natural flushing of the stream over time,” the spokesman said.

Both parks will remain open to the public.

Image via Google Maps

Arlington Agenda: November 13-19

By Chris Teale

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.

Tuesday

Wine Tasting Fundraiser to Support Homeownership *
Bistro 360 (1800 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

A wine tasting fundraiser to support local nonprofit Arlington Home Ownership Made Easier, Inc.’s  homeownership program. With the purchase of a $50 ticket, attendees will also be included in the raffle to win prizes.

SoFar Sounds Crystal City
Crystal City (Location TBD)
Time: 7 p.m.

Crystal City’s small, personal concert to bring the magic back to live music. The event features artists in intimate spaces, performing stripped-back sets to carefully curated audiences in the heart of the neighborhood.

Wednesday

Home Buyer Seminar *
Washington First Mortgage – Ballston Branch (4501 Fairfax Drive)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

A session giving a complete home buying overview and valuable home buying strategies that will provide customers with savings when they purchase. The speakers will also be sharing tips in how to be successful in a competitive market.

Thursday

How to Talk to Kids About Death
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (4444 Arlington Blvd)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

Join the Arlington/Alexandria chapter of the Holistic Moms Network for the latest in a series on how to talk to children about difficult topics. Brooke Johnson will lead a conversation about the best ways to approach death with children.

Friday

Mister Days 40th Anniversary Party
Mister Days (3100 Clarendon Blvd)
Time: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Celebrate 40 years since sports bar Mister Days opened in Dupont Circle, before moving to Arlington in the 1990s. The night will include “blast from the past” drink specials, giveaways, contests and a DJ playing music from the bar’s four decades.

Joel McHale Live
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:30 and 10 p.m.

A stand-up comedy performance by Joel McHale, a comedian and actor most well-known for his appearance on “Community.” Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday; and 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday

Native American Heritage Month
Aurora Hills Branch Library (735 18th Street S.)
Time: 2-3 p.m.

A colorful, educational and entertaining pow wow-style event featuring Native American dance, drum and song, presented by Mark Tayac (of Tayac Territory in Port Tobacco, Md.), and members of the Piscataway Indian Nation.

Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation 5k and Family Fun Day *
Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road)
Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The race and Family Fun Day will include a certified 5K course and a Family Fun Day festival including a kids’ fun run, music, moon bounces, rock climbing wall, obstacle course, food trucks, a beer garden, corn hole and more.

Sunday

Wine Dinner *
Osteria Da Nino (2900 S. Quincy Street)
Time: 6-10:30 p.m.

A wine dinner featuring drinks from the Sardegna region of Italy. Wines to be paired with the five-course food menu include La Cala, Terre Bianche Torbato, Terrerara Carignano Riserva, Cannonau Di Sardegna and Marchese Di Villamarina.

The Capitol Steps *
Yorktown High School (5200 Yorktown Blvd)
Time: 7-9 p.m.

The Yorktown High School Theatre Arts Program sponsors a performance by the political comedy troupe, a local institution for over 30 years known for their tasteful lampooning guaranteed to leave all of the political spectrum laughing.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Health and Nutrition Company for New and Expectant Mothers Looks to Grow

By Chris Teale

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

Two-and-a-half years after its founding, the owner of a company that works with expecting and new mothers on health and wellbeing is looking to expand.

Ballston-Virginia Square resident Chris Bhutta founded WellMom in 2014. It offers personal training and yoga sessions in clients’ homes, as well as training for small groups in a gym. Buhtta said it is key to build women’s core and back muscles, as those are the ones that can be the most damaged by giving birth.

“Core strength is really important, particularly for women,” she said. “Their core is completely destroyed during pregnancy through labor and delivery. Your stomach is expanding, so your abdominal muscles are really weakened, your pelvic floor is really weakened from the weight of the uterus and also if you have a vaginal delivery there’s more trauma to your pelvic floor.” 

In addition to the fitness classes, Bhutta offers nutrition guidance and coaching to help women eat properly during pregnancy. As well as in-person coaching, Bhutta began offering distance coaching in nutrition, giving out easy-to-prepare recipes and shopping lists of ingredients to keep things simple.

“A lot of these women, they know exactly what they need to be doing, but it’s just hard with all the competing demands on their time to implement and to follow through,” she said. “For them, they wanted someone to make this as easy for them as possible.”

That distance coaching in nutrition is part of Bhutta’s plan to expand her services gradually, including having more of an online presence and maybe even moving towards having a brick-and-mortar store in the long-term.

“I want it to be not huge right now,” she said. “I have two small children, aged 5 and 2, so I still want to be a little bit less than full-time right now. I’m about 20 hours a week right now, maybe going up a little closer to 30 hours a week and growing the nutrition piece in particular and maybe a couple more classes and a couple more clients.”

Bhutta said WellMom has already come a long way from its early days, when she offered free yoga classes in parks and training classes for the various mothers’ groups in North Arlington, then added customers through word of mouth and referrals from existing clients.

She said that after taking care of herself well during both pregnancies, and having qualified as a personal trainer after deciding against going into academia and teaching, she wanted to share the wisdom she picked up.

“I had a really positive pregnancy experience, labor and delivery and a good recovery,” Bhutta said. “I believe my lifestyle played a role in that, it’s obviously not the only thing, but it’s an important piece. So that experience made me want to share that with other women.”

Photos via Facebook

Fast-Casual Sushi Restaurant Snap-A-Roll Apparently Coming to Virginia Square

By Chris Teale
1/3

A fast-casual sushi restaurant appears to be moving into Virginia Square, but details are sparse.

An application filed with Virginia ABC indicates that Snap-A-Roll will be arriving at 3811 Fairfax Drive, in the same building as a Tropical Smoothie Cafe and the now-closed Water & Wall restaurant.

The space occupied by Water & Wall is still vacant, while another first-floor retail space is listed as being for lease.

In a brief interview this morning with ARLnow.com, the person whose phone number is listed with the ABC application declined to go into details about the new restaurant, or give his name.

“We’re still in the process of getting set up, so I have no specific information to give you,” he said.

The eatery shares a name with the Williamsburg, Va.-based Snap-A-Roll. On its Facebook page, it describes itself as “a revolutionary way to enjoy fresh, healthy and affordable sushi, hibachi and Asian cuisine.”

The restaurant became embroiled in controversy last month after it closed, with disagreement over whether it was for good or for a few weeks to carry out renovations.

In announcing its closure, the company’s Facebook page published a since-deleted post criticizing management and saying that employees did not know when it would reopen.

But the man who answered the phone declined to say much on whether this Virginia Square outpost is connected to that existing restaurant.

“There are some connections, but I do not have any specific information on that,” he said.

Photo No. 3 via Google Maps

Reminder: Leaf Collection Starts This Week

By Chris Teale

Get the rakes at the ready: Arlington County’s leaf collection program begins today.

Leaf collection starts today (November 13) for some neighborhoods, with the first pass through scheduled to run through December 5.

The trucks will operate Monday through Saturday, except for Thanksgiving, on a set neighborhood schedule.

To prepare for the vacuum collection, residents are asked to rake leaves to the curb but away from storm drains, and to remove stones, litter and other debris from the piles.

Residents are reminded to only report their street has been missed if leaves haven’t been collected after it’s been labeled completed, by calling 703-228-6570.

And for those looking beyond the holiday season, Arlington’s Christmas tree collection program is set for the first two weeks in January, from January 2-12.

“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regular trash collection day and to remove all decorations, nails, stands and plastic bags,” a blurb on the program reads. “The trees are later ground into wood mulch for garden use.”

Anyone who does not have a curbside recycling service can bring their Christmas trees to the Solid Waste Bureau during the collection season.

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Chris Teale

It’s the end of another week, a shorter one for some due to the observation of the Veterans’ Day holiday today.

Tuesday’s election weighed on plenty of people’s minds this week, as you can see from this week’s most-read stories:

  1. UPDATED: Democrats Celebrate Clean Sweep of Local, Statewide Elections
  2. Heavy Turnout, Short Lines Reported At Arlington Polling Stations
  3. Large Power Outage Reported in Ballston Area
  4. Woman Charged With Peeing on Cop’s Foot
  5. Democratic Gains in Va. House Give Arlington Officials Hope

And these received the most comments:

  1. Democratic Gains in Va. House Give Arlington Officials Hope
  2. UPDATED: Democrats Celebrate Clean Sweep of Local, Statewide Elections
  3. Morning Notes (November 7)
  4. Meanwhile in D.C. (November 9)
  5. Charles McCullough: Why You Should Vote For Me

Feel free to discuss anything of local interest in the comments below. Have a good Veterans Day, and a good weekend!

Arlington Under Freeze Watch Friday Night, Saturday Morning

By Chris Teale

Arlington County and the D.C. region will be under a freeze watch from Friday evening until Saturday morning as cold temperatures descend on the area.

An Arctic blast of cold air arriving tonight (Thursday) will bring temperatures in the 20s on Friday night and Saturday morning.

The National Weather Service said sensitive plants may be damaged or killed, and NWS recommends protecting from the cold.

From the National Weather Service:

FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING… * TEMPERATURES… LOWS AROUND 20 INLAND AREAS, MID 20S FOR THE URBAN CENTERS AND ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER * IMPACTS… FROST AND FREEZE CONDITIONS WILL DAMAGE OR KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION ON FRIDAY NIGHT. TAKE STEPS NOW TO PROTECT TENDER PLANTS FROM THE COLD. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FREEZE WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE. THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

County Government Closed Friday for Veterans Day

By Chris Teale

Arlington County government will close on Friday, November 10 to observe the Veterans Day holiday.

County courts, libraries, community centers, public schools and other government offices and facilities will be closed on Friday also.

Libraries and community centers will be open on Saturday, November 11 on a normal Saturday schedule, while trash and recycling services will continue to operate on a normal schedule on both days.

Parking meters in the county will not be enforced on Friday, but will be on Saturday.

And anyone looking to catch an ART bus over the long weekend will encounter limited service. The 41, 42, 43, 45, 51, 55, 77 and 87 routes will operate on Saturday schedules on both days, while all other ART routes will not operate. The STAR call center will be closed on both days.

Flickr pool photo via thekidfromcumlin

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