Author: Ethan Rothstein

Arlington Agenda (Feb. 24-March 2)

By Ethan Rothstein

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

Ghost Division logoLive Music: Ghost Division
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:30 p.m.

Hardcore punk band Ghost Division takes the stage for a show at IOTA Club & Cafe. Tickets are $8 at the door.

Wednesday

Informal Coffee Hour
Ballston Launchpad (4200 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Free coffee and discussion hosted by the Ballston/Virginia Square Village, an element of a County-wide initiative to assist Arlington residents in staying in their homes as they grow older.

Friday

Stay Arlington Sherlock flyerLive Theater: The Secret Life of Sherlock Holmes
Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Road)
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.

This show, $12 for adults and $10 for children, students and seniors, encourages the audience to “Join Detective Sherlock Holmes and his right-hand man Dr. Watson as they set out to solve their very first case in the 21st century! There they meet Marilyn Monroe, George Washington, Tarzan, Count Dracula, and other remarkable characters–or so they claim.”

Scarlet Letter flyerLive Theater: The Scarlet Letter
Artisphere Dome Theatre (1101 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00 p.m.

For $15, patrons can watch an audio play — which will be broadcast on WAMU 88-5 — interpretation of the American literature classic by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Finesse MitchellLive Comedy: SNL Alum Finesse Mitchell
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 10:00 p.m.

Saturday Night Live alum Finesse Mitchell, most famous for the Starkeisha sketches performs Friday and Saturday at the Drafthouse. Tickets are $20.

Saturday

Nation BeatLive Music: Nation Beat
Artisphere Ballroom (1101 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:00 p.m.

American/Brazilian collective brings their mashup of Brazilian drumming, funk, country-blues, Appalachian music and New Orleans rhymes to Rosslyn. Tickets are $15.

County to Study Sale of Air Rights Over I-66

By Ethan Rothstein

Air Rights mockupThe Arlington County Board could approve a study into the sale of air rights over I-66 to private developers this weekend.

The state Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships (OTP3) announced in July that it was reaching out to developers to gauge interest in leasing VDOT’s air space over I-66, east of N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn, and over the East Falls Church Metro station.

According to county staff, private developers have expressed enough interest that the county wants to further study the plan. An initial study will be rolled into an amended contract with a planning and preservation firm that is already working on the Realize Rosslyn sector plan update. Depending on the outcome of the initial study, the county could fund more study in the future before a decision is reached to lease the air rights.

The previous contract with the firm had been for $493,544, and the County Board is likely to approve an additional $290,706 for not only assisting county staff with the air rights study, but also for an increased role in Realize Rosslyn.

Realize Rosslyn, a planned update to the Rosslyn Sector Plan, has been in the planning stages since 2011. A Board-appointed panel has been charged with sorting through the community concerns and developing the framework for the future direction of Rosslyn development. The panel was initially supposed to meet six times annually, but it has increased its scope of work and has met closer to 22 times annually.

A framework of the sector plan is expected to go before the Board this April, and county staff hope a full new Rosslyn Sector Plan will be complete by November.

Image via OTP3

Six Neighborhood Improvement Projects Could Secure Funding

By Ethan Rothstein

arlington-va-logoThe Arlington County Board could approve another round of neighborhood improvement projects at its meeting this Saturday.

Six projects are slated to receive $3.5 million in funding in the fourth and final round of appropriations from 2012’s $11 million Neighborhood Conservation Bond.

The projects are:

  • Street improvements to the 5700 block of 2nd Street S. and the 100 block of S. Kensington Street in Glencarlyn. Cost: $724,042. Expected completion date: June 2016.
  • A trail connector from the 4800 block of 7th Street S. to the W&OD trail in Barcroft. Cost: $135,317. Expected completion date: October 2015.
  • Pedestrian safety improvements to 19th Road N. between Woodstock Street and Upton Street in Waverly Hills. Cost: $753,845. Expected completion date: May 2016.
  • Street improvements to S. Lang Street between Arlington Ridge Road and 28th Street in Arlington Ridge. Cost: $713,003. Expected completion date: October 2015.
  • Streetlights and trail improvements on N. Ohio Street between 22nd Street and Washington Blvd in Highland Park Overlee Knolls. Cost: $380,369. Expected completion date: July 2015.
  • Park improvements to Woodlawn Park in Waycroft-Woodlawn. Cost: 795,000. Expected completion date: None given.

The projects were chosen based on a priority scale and approved for recommendation by the NCAC in December.

The projects given the highest priority were those in neighborhoods that have recently updated or completed new conservation plans and in neighborhoods that have waited for projects the longest. The county staff report has the full list of criteria.

‘DC Sliders’ Food Truck Debuts in Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein
1/5

A new food truck, DC Sliders, has come to serve lunch to customers in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

The truck’s first day in Arlington was Feb. 6. It serves an array of mini-burgers, including the “Elvis” slider, featuring the King’s favorite sandwich ingredients: peanut butter, banana and bacon. Currently, it has regular stops in Courthouse and Rosslyn, as well as Reston and Tysons Corner, but it has also stopped in Ballston in the last two weeks.

Other menu items during its stop in Rosslyn yesterday (Wednesday) included the “Del Toro” — which comes topped with tomato salsa, refried beans, guacamole, corn, greens and tortilla chips — and the “Slider Mac,” a burger topped with ketchup and macaroni and cheese. Customers can choose two types of sliders and combine with an order of garlic fries for $11.

The line for sliders at 11:45 a.m. was the longest on the block, even with four other food trucks parked close by.

The truck was launched in Loudoun County last August, according to co-owner Carmen Morse, who owns the truck with her husband, Chris. Carmen Morse told ARLnow.com that they are waiting for permits to park in D.C. and, if business continues to go well this summer, they are aiming to launch another truck and, a bit down the road, open a brick-and-mortar store.

County ‘Poised to Move Ahead’ With Crystal City BRT

By Ethan Rothstein

Future Metro 9X and 9S BRT linesThe Arlington County Board is set to approve a $10.2 million construction contract to build a network of dedicated bus lanes in Crystal City and Potomac Yard.

The construction is part of the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway Project, a project that, when completed, will see a bus rapid transit system connect from Crystal City and Pentagon City down to the Braddock Road Metrorail Station in Alexandria.

The project’s construction is expected to start this spring and last for 10 months. Alexandria’s portion of the Transitway is already under construction, according to county staff. In Arlington, the bus will operate in dedicated lanes near Potomac Yard, with stops on Crystal Drive, S. Bell Street, Clark Street, 15th Street, 20th Street and 26th Street.

During morning and evening rush hours, the buses — which will be a new 9X Metrobus route — will use a dedicated lane south on S. Bell and Clark Streets and north on Crystal Drive, replacing an existing traffic lane. The lane will be open to normal traffic during other times.

A little more than $1 million of the project’s funds will come from county funds and bonds, while the rest will come from state and federal transit grants, according to the county’s staff report. The project is designed to support the redevelopment of Potomac Yard and provide another transit option for commuters and residents of the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor.

Last year, Metro announced that the Transitway would be WMATA’s first BRT service. The dedicated lanes are expected to expedite travel times and keep buses running on a more reliable schedule.

Crystal City Wine/Beer 1K Returns

By Ethan Rothstein

Crystal City Wine/Beer 1K flyer (courtesy Crystal City BID)The Crystal City 1K Wine/Beer Walk is back for another season on March 1.

This year, participants can pay $40 and sample up to 22 options of either beer or wine, sponsored by the Washington Wine Academy, which owns the Crystal City Wine Shop.

In previous years, the wine and beer walks were separate, but now participants can drink beer and walk with friends who choose wine, according to the Crystal City Business Improvement District, which is hosting the event.

Walkers will start in separate heats between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. The different wine and beer stands will close at 6:30 p.m. The entire race takes place indoors at the Shops at Crystal City, with the starting point at The Landing (1750 Crystal Drive).

Below is the list of beers and wines available, but the Wine Academy has promised some surprise selections.

Wine:

Ponga Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Wildewood Pinot Gris – Willamette Valley, Oregon
Chateau Valmer Vouvray – Loire Valley, France
Chamisal Chardonnay (California)
Whitehall Viognier – White Hall, Virginia
Selbach Oster Kabinett Riesling – Mosel, Germany
Degiorgis Moscato D’Asti – Piedmont, Italy
Atmosphere Rosé – Provence, France
Bellene Bourgogne (Pinot Noir) – Burgandy, France
Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah Columbia Valley, Washington
Ventisquero Reserva Cermenere – Central Valley, Chile
Santa Julia Sustainable Malbec (Argentina)
Jefferson Vineyards Cabernet Franc – Charlottesville, Virginia
Bodegas Paso O Paso Tempranillo – Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Mountain View Cabernet Sauvignon – Central Coast, California
Heinz Eiffel Dornfelder (Germany)

Beer:

Dogfish Head Namaste
Great Divide Colette
Lagunitas Lil’ Sumpin’ Sumpin’
Evolution Sprung
Victory Lager
Hardywood Cream Ale
21st Amendment Brew Free or Die
SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale
Stone Ruination IPA
Stoudt’s Double IPA
Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout
Wolaver’s Alta Gracia Coffee Porter
Scotch de Silly
Fort Collins Chocolate Stout
Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear Cider

Photo courtesy Crystal City BID. Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Chestnut Hills Park Playground to be Replaced

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

Chestnut Hills Park’s pre-school playground, near Yorktown High School, is expected to be torn down and replaced.

The existing playground (2807 N. Harrison Street) is “one of the most popular playgrounds in the county” according to Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation staff. It is also more than 26 years old and “beyond reasonable repair.”

The Arlington County Board will likely award a construction contract of $521,064 at its meeting this Saturday, Feb. 22. About $489,000 of the contract is for construction and design, while the remaining $31,000 is for contingency purposes.

The new playground, designed for children from ages 2-5, will have a climbing arch, crawl tunnels, “talk tubes,” sound columns, “abacus-like arches with moveable foam blocks” and a sand play area with a water feature. A swing set will remain. There will also be a new track that encircles the park, complete with traffic signs.

Images courtesy Arlington Parks and Recreation

Talk Radio Host Running For Moran’s Seat

By Ethan Rothstein

Mark LevineLiberal talk show host Mark Levine will join this year’s crowded Democratic primary race for retiring Rep. Jim Moran’s 8th Congressional District seat.

Levine, 47, hosts “The Inside Scoop,” a syndicated talk-radio program, and has previously worked as a legislative counsel to former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). He also has worked as a corporate trial attorney, teacher and “Nazi hunter” for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Levine’s entrance into the race makes the field for the June Democratic primary an 11-horse race, along with Dels. Alfonso Lopez, Patrick Hope, Charniele Herring and Mark Sickles, state Sen. Adam Ebbin, Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille, former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and Lavern Chatman, Bruce Shuttleworth and Derek Hyra. Republican Micah Edmond is also vying for the seat.

“All the people I’m running against are good Democrats, but they’re going to walk in there, cast a vote along party lines, we’ll lose [234-201] and it’ll be business as usual, back to dysfunction,” Levine told ARLnow.com. “Politics could use a lot more forceful advocacy. What I’ve done on the radio is I’ve shown how we can use discussion, rhetoric and talk to change the entire debate and not just lock our heads and vote.”

Levine filed for the race today, he said, hoping to use the seat to promote his platform of universal healthcare, expanding Social Security and Medicare, and protecting women’s rights and voting rights, among others.

“I don’t believe there’s a single federal issue of any importance that I haven’t dealt with,” he said. He’s gone on TV hundreds of times — including frequently on Fox News shows like “The O’Reilly Factor” — to defend his positions, carrying a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his pocket.

Levine said his time as a “Nazi hunter” came during the summer of 1990 when he was in law school, working for the Office of Special Investigations tracking down Nazi war criminals who had lied on official documents to gain entry into the country and earn citizenship. He said he personally built cases that allowed the DOJ to deport two Nazis.

Levine lives in Alexandria, where he moved in 2001 after he was hired by the Congressional Black Caucus to build the congressional challenge to the 2000 presidential election.

“I’m a true believer,” he said. “I believe in America, I believe in the constitution. I really firmly believe in this stuff. If that’s what people want, they can elect me.”

Photo courtesy Mark Levine

Arlington Agenda (Feb. 18-23)

By Ethan Rothstein

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

NGN loves ARL flyerNextGenNow Happy Hour
Lyon Hall (3100 Washington Blvd)
Time: 5:30-8:00 p.m.

NextGenNow, and Arlington group of young philanthropists, hosts “NGN loves ARL” happy hour, with a raffle for Capitals tickets. Proceeds go to Doorways for Women and Families.

Thursday

Broken Icon flyerLecture: How to Run a Kickstarter Campaign
Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street)
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Writer/photographer Damian Wampler talks about the logistics and challenges of running a crowdfunding campaign. The event is free and will be held in the central auditorium.

Friday

Colin JostLive Comedy: SNL Head Writer Colin Jost
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:30 p.m.

SNL head writer and new Weekend Update co-host Colin Jost performs standup comedy at the Drafthouse. Tickets are $24 online or at the door.

Derek EvryLive Music: Derek Evry and his Band of Misanthropes
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8:30 p.m.

Arlington-based alt-rock band Derek Evry and his Band of Misanthropes takes the stage at IOTA. Cover is $12.

Saturday

Yorktown CrewYorktown Crew Row for Humanity
Ballston Common Mall (4238 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

In support of Habitat for Humanity, 100 Yorktown High School students row on indoor rowing machines in teams for eight hours. The event one of hundreds held nationally.

Sunday

IBIS QuintetFree Concert: IBIS Chamber Music*
Lyon Village Community House (1920 N. Highland Street)
Time: 4:00-6:00 p.m.

The IBIS Chamber Music quintet performs a medley of pieces by immigrant composers for their show “I Hear America Singing.” The concert is free, but donations will be welcome.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event.

Schools, Gov’t Offices to Close for Washington’s Birthday

By Ethan Rothstein

George WashingtonCounty and federal offices and Arlington Public Schools will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of George Washington’s birthday.

Schools will close despite being shut down yesterday and today from the 10 inches of snow that fell from Wednesday night into Thursday. APS had already released a make-up schedule for elementary schools with early release after the snow day on Jan. 3 meant the schools would need additional instructional hours. No word yet on if or how that schedule will change.

County courts will close as well as the offices. ART bus and Metro services will run on holiday schedules and parking meters will not be enforced. Trash and recycling pickup will maintain its normal schedule.

ARLnow.com will not publish on the holiday, with the exception of possible breaking news.

Your Beermonger: Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day

By Ethan Rothstein

Your Beermonger logo

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Yes, we’re all digging out from the snow, but it’s still Valentine’s Day and that means romantic dinners, chocolates — the works. While beer may not necessarily be the first beverage choice for dinner, there are plenty out there that would play well with desserts of all kinds. As luck would have it, a couple are arriving in our area just in time for the occasion.

The first of these is the much-hyped and long-awaited Chocolate Ale from Boulevard Brewing Company. Chocolate Ale debuted in 2011, a collaboration between Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels and Christopher Elbow, a pastry chef in Boulevard’s hometown of Kansas City. Chocolate Ale uses cocoa nibs from a rare Dominican variety with an emphasis on subtlety rather than an overly rich, cloying flavor. If you were lucky enough to snag some of Boulevard’s Coffee Ale last year, you get the idea.

The 2012 batch of Chocolate Ale had some issues, leading to a recall and to Boulevard giving it the year off in 2013 while it resolves issues in the brewing process. Thankfully those issues have been solved, and for 2014 it’s back with its biggest production run to date.

The lightness of Chocolate Ale will throw some expecting a richer flavor from a chocolate beer, but its lightness of being makes it an appropriate beer with a variety of desserts. You could just as easily enjoy Boulevard Chocolate Ale with fine chocolates and confections as you could with a fruit tart, or cheesecake. With just the tiniest hint of hops to it, I could even see Chocolate Ale with a cheese plate; think Manchego drizzled with honey.

For the chocoholics out there, an unexpected treat is hitting this week in the form of Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate. This cocoa-infused Imperial Stout clocks in at just under 10 percent ABV and has built enough of a following that its release day at the Winston-Salem brewery draws out enthusiasts who camp out overnight for a shot at it.

That kind of following and intense demand means not a lot of it made it up here, but you may come across some over the next couple of days — if you’re really lucky, maybe it’ll even be available on tap at the restaurant you go have dinner at. Sexual Chocolate is not the subtle, “touch of chocolate” ale that Boulevard’s is: it pours jet black, with lush aromas of cocoa and roasted coffee.

On the palate Sexual Chocolate is rich but not too heavy thanks to a healthy hop addition giving it some backbone. Redolent with flavors of dark chocolate, molasses, and dark fruit, Sexual Chocolate is a great way to cap off a Valentine’s Day meal.

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