Author: Heather Mongilio

Air Force Cycling Classic Coming This Weekend

By Heather Mongilio

Air Force Cycling Classic Crystal Cup(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) Hundreds of cyclists will descend on Clarendon and Crystal City for the Air Force Association Cycling Classic this weekend.

The two-day event boasts multiple races, with a men’s and women’s professional cycling race in each neighborhood. There will also be multiple amateur races, kids races and a challenge ride.

On Saturday, the highlight of the event is the Clarendon Cup, a professional/amateur course that takes cyclists through the heart of Clarendon. The course is known as one of the most difficult in the United States, according to the association.

The event starts at 8 a.m. with amateur races from 8-9:50 a.m. The women’s professional teams will race at 10 a.m., and the men’s professional teams will take the course at noon. In between the two professional races is the kid’s race at 11:35 a.m.

Arlington cycling enthusiasts can block out their morning or decide to come for a couple of the races, said Emily Helpern, a PR rep. She recommends viewers watch near the start/finish line, where the main stage is located, at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard N. Herndon Street.

On Sunday, the event moves to Crystal City and starts at 7 a.m. with a non-competitive challenge ride. After the ride concludes, the men’s pro teams will start the Crystal City Cup races at 10:20 a.m, followed by a kid’s race at 12:25 p.m., the women’s pro race at 12:35 p.m. and amateur races at 1:45 p.m.

Helpern also recommends spectators watch from the start/finish line on Crystal Drive between 20th and 23rd Streets S.

Those willing to brave some of Arlington’s hottest days should plan on using the Metro to get down to the course and get off at the Clarendon or Crystal City stations, both of which are on the Blue Line. There will be some public parking on Saturday and parking is free at the Crystal City’s underground public garages.

Residents may want to avoid driving in Clarendon and Crystal City as a result of the races. Many of the roads, including Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard, will be closed.

The following roads will be closed from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday for the Clarendon Cup:

  • Wilson Boulevard, from Fillmore Street to Washington Boulevard
  • Clarendon Boulevard, from Washington Boulevard to N. Fillmore Street
  • Washington Boulevard, from Wilson Boulevard to N. Highland Street
  • N. Highland Street from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard
  • N. Garfield/N. Fillmore Streets from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Boulevard

The following roads will be closed from 4:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday for the Crystal City Cup:

  • Crystal Drive, from 15th Street S. through 23rd Street S.
  • Wilson Boulevard, from N. Kent Street to the ramp to Route 110
  • S. Clark Street, from 20th Street S. to 23rd Street S.
  • 20th Street S., from Crystal Drive to S. Clark Street
  • 18th Street S., from Crystal Drive to Bell Street
  • 23rd Street S., from Crystal Drive to S. Clark Street
  • Crystal Drive (west side), from 23rd Street S. to the Century Center Parking Garage

The ramps from Memorial Avenue, to Route 110 and Route 27 on the GW Parkway will be closed Sunday, June 14, from 5 a.m. to noon.

Cristol, Dorsey to Focus on Housing Affordability in Upcoming Election

By Heather Mongilio

Katie Cristol and Christian DorseyHousing affordability will be the buzz word of the Arlington County Board elections.

Both Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey, who received the Arlington County Democratic Committee nominations last night after a tight primary race, ran a campaign with it as one of their platforms.

ACDC Chair Kip Malinosky sees their nominations as a sign that housing affordability is becoming the trending topic in the county.

“It [Cristol and Dorsey’s nomination] really means voters were looking for a new generation of leadership,” Malinosky said, adding that school overcrowding and responsive government figure to be two other key pillars of the general election campaign.

Both candidates, who hail from South Arlington, also told ARLnow.com they would make housing affordability one of their top campaign priorities.

“It’s become a middle class issue, preserving the middle class,” Cristol said.

Arlington is one of the richest counties in the county, making housing out of reach for some who want to settle in the county. While housing affordability is often associated with subsidized housing and low-economic families, Cristol argues in her platform that it also applies to young families and millennials looking to place roots.

The vote reflected Arlington resident’s wish for more affordable housing, Dorsey said.

Cristol 2015 primary election watch party (with Dorsey)“I’m excited because I think Arlingtonians really, by their votes, I think more people are going to focus on making affordable housing a real priority,” Dorsey said. “Not just for one segment of people but really for all people because they recognize that it’s something that can benefit the whole community.”

But affordability is only one of the issues that Dorsey and Cristol plan to tackle while campaigning, they said.

“We absolutely have to get our commercial sector energized again,” Dorsey said.

In the general election, Dorsey will also be looking to promote filling empty office space, discuss school overcrowding and tackle transportation problems on Columbia Pike. Like Dorsey, Cristol will be campaigning with hopes of fixing transportation problems on Columbia Pike, which is her home. She will also look at livability in Arlington, such as issues with childcare, along wiht issues facing young people, which she said was part of her campaign strategy.

“You know a majority of Arlington County is under the age of 35 and we knew that we weren’t going to win by claiming to be the candidate of the under 35 majority,” she said. “We had to make the case that this growing population of Arlingtonians have a stake here and have something in common with our more established neighbors. And I think that’s what we saw people respond to.”

Local Democratic strategist Ben Tribbett said the primary result — and the recent election of independent County Board member John Vihstadt, driven by crossover Democratic votes — reflects a desire for a change among the Democratic electorate.

“The Arlington voters have clearly differentiated what they’ve been looking for in County Board candidates over the past two years,” Tribbett said. “They’ve been sending a message and I think the message is loud and clear that they want to have a different Board than what they had. I don’t think they wanted radical change… they just wanted to see something different than what was going on, some people who were a little more responsive.”

“Someone like Katie is a great example of that,” Tribbett continued. “She was energetic during the campaign, she went around everywhere. I don’t know how you can send a better message of ‘I’m going to be responsive as your elected official’ than what she did. It’s not by saying it, it’s the action that shows it.”

Tribbett says that precinct-level results from Tuesday night’s primary show that runners up Peter Fallon and Andrew Schneider largely split the vote in North Arlington — “they tended to vote for one and not the other” — whereas Cristol and Dorsey both made a strong showing in much of South Arlington while also picking up votes in North Arlington.

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Boundary Channel Drive Revamp to Include New Bike Trail

By Heather Mongilio

Interchange between Interstate 395 and Boundary Channel Drive

Changes to the Boundary Channel Drive interchange with Interstate 395 and a new bike trail near Long Bridge Park are on the way.

Arlington residents will have a chance to offer feedback on new designs for the Boundary Channel Drive interchange project on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Aurora Hills Community Center (735 18th Street S.).

The project is primarily intended to improve safety at the interchange, which is located on I-395 between Crystal City and the Pentagon, said David Kirschner, an Arlington County project manager.

“In this area, Interstate 395 is the most congested roadway in our region,” Kirschner said in an email. “The goals of this project are to improve the operations of the interchange at Boundary Channel Drive and improve safety for all road users.”

The project is also seeking to expand pedestrian and cycling access to and from Washington, D.C., Crystal City, the Pentagon and Long Bridge Park through a new bike trail.

Bike Trail from Humpback Bridge to Long Bridge ParkThe trail is planned to connect Humpback Bridge to Long Bridge Park but has not been designed yet, Kirschner said. The proposed trail will go from the existing Mount Vernon Trail that connects to the underpass under Humpback Bridge and would extend to Boundary Channel Drive through the interchange that already exists.

“We’re definitely always trying to be more friendly to cyclists and pedestrians,” he said.

The new connection will make it easier to get to and from D.C. and the Pentagon, Kirschner said, adding that pedestrians currently have to do a lot of backtracking — via Crystal City or the LBJ Memorial Grove — to get into D.C.

As the project is still in its planning stages, the new trail has not yet been designed and which department will oversee the maintenance has not been determined. The trail’s planned path falls under multiple jurisdictions, as the National Park Service oversees the Mount Vernon Trail and Long Bridge Park is run by Arlington County.

“The need to keep the trail clean and safe will be an ongoing concern as we move forward in the design and construction of the Boundary Channel Drive interchange,” Kirschner said in an email.

In addition to the proposed bike trail, the project will look at a complete revamp of the interchange between I-395 and Boundary Channel Drive.

“Based on our analysis so far, the current four-lane roadway is overbuilt for current traffic. The traffic analysis we are performing will determine what lanes and ramps are needed for the final interchange in the future analysis year of 2036,” Kirschner said in the email.

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County Board to Vote on Two Playgrounds

By Heather Mongilio

Conceptual design of Long Bridge Park playgroundArlington County may get a new playground after the next County Board meeting.

The board will vote to approve construction contracts for two playground projects — one at Long Bridge Park and one at Tyrol Hills Park — on Saturday.

The Long Bridge Park playground will be located at the south end of the park by 6th Street. If approved, it is expected to cost just under $1.1 million to construct. All told, with design and project management costs factored in, it comes with a $1,324,300 price tag.

The proposed playground will offer an area for children ages two to five and one for ages five to 12. The play area for preschool children will include a shade structure, according to the County Board’s report.

The new playground will also have:

  • a cooling “fog” system
  • sculpted play forms
  • tunnels and bridges
  • fencing where the park meets the street
  • benches

According to the planned layout of the park, kids can expect new play structures like a play tube, a play cocoon, tube slide and a double slide.

The playground was included in the already-approved master plan for the park, and the playground’s conceptual design fits in with the current aesthetic of the park, the report said. The county also gathered input from children on what should be included at the new playground.

“The sessions were lively and produced interesting feedback,” according to the report.

Tyrol Hills Park playground conceptual design

The County Board will also vote to approve a playground project at Tyrol Hills Park expected to cost $878,635. The project will replace current playground structures with new equipment.

The new improvements will include new equipment, new porus pavement, a new picnic shelter and accessible playground surfacing.

The Tyron Hills Park playground will also have a play area for children ages two to five and one for children ages five to 12.

GW Parkway Repairs to Cause Lane Closures

By Heather Mongilio

Map of GW Parkway that will have repairs.The National Park Service will begin a repair project on the GW Parkway between Reagan National Airport and Interstate 395 on June 15, causing traffic delays in both directions.

Ramps to the 14th Bridge and on and off GW Parkway are also affected by the construction.

Single-lane closures will occur in both directions between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Two-lane closures are expected between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. The lane closures are expected to cause delays.

NPS will work to minimize disruptions to travelers using Reagan National Airport.

Construction is anticipated to be finished by mid-December 2015, barring any inclement weather delays.

“Every effort will be made to minimize traffic delays and accomplish the work in a timely manner. The NPS regrets any inconvenience and appreciates all motorists’ understanding and patience,” NPS said.

Photo via Google Maps

The Olive Oil Boom Opens in Courthouse

By Heather Mongilio
1/8

The Olive Oil Boom, a new store specializing in oils and vinegars, recently opened in Courthouse.

Located at 2016 Wilson Blvd, the store offers a variety of balsamic vinegars, olive oils and red wine vinegars, which customers can taste before purchasing. It aims to help Arlington residents lead healthy lifestyles by switching butter with olive oil, said owner Judith Westfall.

Various varieties of specialty olive oils from around the world, including oils infused with spices or fused with citrus flavors, line the walls while the balsamic vinegars and traditional olive oils sit on two center tables. Customers can also peruse through Westfall’s homemade recipe books for different savory or sweet recipes that use olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The store provides free copies of the recipes for shoppers to take home.

The idea is to create a community store, where Arlington residents can gather and share different recipes while chatting with each other, Westfall said.

“It’s become really popular. We have a lot of fun talking to people and suggesting things,” Westfall said.

Customers have already shared their ideas with her, she said. One customer recommended that she use the aged pure Vermont maple balsamic on bacon and bake it in the oven, a recipe Westfall plans to try.

The store has been open for approximately three weeks, Westfall said, and she is already seeing customers return. One of her goals with the store is to help educate about the healthy uses of olive oil, which fits with the health-conscious population of Arlington, she said.

So far popular flavors include the Tuscan herb olive oil and traditional balsamic vinegar, but Westfall has also noticed that Arlington residents like the spice-infused olive oils, include the chipotle and fused Baklouti green chili flavors. She plans to also add cayenne pepper-infused and harissa-infused flavors “because it’s all about what the community really likes,” Westfall said.

Westfall and her husband, Lynn, also experiment with different flavors in order to create new ones, she said. “So we have fun coming up with new combinations, new pairings.”

For those new to using olive oil, Westfall recommends starting with the basic extra virgin olive oil flavors, rather than the more exotic infusions. Westfall suggests customers replace butter or canola oil with butter-flavored olive oil.

“Any time you can substitute olive oil for canola oil or butter or anything of that matter you are adding antioxidants to your diet,” she said. “And it tastes so much better. Once you’ve tasted a good olive oil and used it, I don’t think you want to go back to your other oils.”

In addition to its core products, The Olive Oil Boom — the name reflects Westfall’s former career in the petroleum industry in Texas — also offers wine, cheeses, breads and various gourmet items.

It may seem pretty specialized, but The Olive Oil Boom isn’t the only retailer in Arlington with a primary focus on olive oils and vinegars. Ah Love Oil & Vinegar, in Shirlington Village, is celebrating its fourth anniversary this weekend.

Coworking Space with Babysitting Center Launches in Clarendon

By Heather Mongilio

Startup Monday header

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders. 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.

The burgeoning coworking trend in Arlington commercial real estate has a new wrinkle: child care.

CoWork CoPlay launched last month, founded by the owner of Saffron Dance, adjacent to her belly-dancing studio at 3260 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon. The venture combines flexible coworking office space with an on-demand babysitting service, where parents can leave their children for up to four hours and hold business meetings, get work done or run errands.

CoWork interior shot (courtesy CoWork CoPlay)“While parents are not required to bring their kids while they are coworking and customers don’t have to be a parent to cowork, the close proximity of on premises childcare responds to one of the most common challenges facing families in today’s society — affordable childcare,” the company said.

CoWork CoPlay operates as a coworking space from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Childcare is also available during those times, except on Wednesday mornings. Childcare is available for two hour slots (8-10 a.m., 10 a.m. to noon, 1-3 p.m. and 3-5 p.m.) and parents can sign their children up for two time periods per day. On Wednesdays, childcare is available from 1-5 p.m.

“What parents really need are expansive options throughout the week to get work done and the flexibility to leave the premises while their children are safely playing and learning,” said founder Rachael Galoob-Ortega, who also goes by stage name “Saphira.”

CoWork CoPlay offers four pricing packages, which includes pricing for each space or using both. Parents can reserve the spaces online, but childcare reservations must be made 12 hours in advance.

CoWork interior shot (courtesy CoWork CoPlay)Up to 20 working parents at a time can work in the 1,000 square foot space that makes up the coworking area. It’s equipped with WiFi and patrons are given headphones with microphones to allow for Google chats and Skype meetings. There is also a telephone room for calls.

“It definitely doesn’t have a corporate feel,” Galoob-Ortega said. “It has a more organic feel because we designed it.”

Parents can leave their children in an adjacent room where P&E Babysitting, a local company, watches the kids. The room can accommodate 12 children, from 18 months to six years old. Parents can leave children for up to four hours while they take meetings outside of the building or run errands, provided the children are potty trained and at least two years old.

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Crystal City to Combine Wine Tasting and Art Creation Tonight

By Heather Mongilio

Wine in the Water Park posterCrystal City will be combining wine with art tonight for the kickoff of its 2015 Wine in the Water Park events.

The events, which are free to attend, feature live music and, for paying customers, sips of various wine varietals.

“Expert noses from [Washington Wine Academy] help guests select and enjoy the perfect wine for an after work beverage to kick-off the weekend right amidst the calming sounds of falling water mixed with live music,” according to the Crystal City website.

This year, the event is being combined with ArtJamz, which offers aspiring artists paint and canvas so they can create their own paintings in a social setting.

Wine in the Waterpark and ArtJamz will run from 6:00-10:00 p.m. tonight and will take place every Friday in June at the Crystal City water park (1750 Crystal Drive).

On Wednesdays in June, from 5:00-8:00 p.m., Crystal City will hold Blues, Brews and Barks, featuring beer and live music in a dog-friendly setting. The event will take place at the 2121 Crystal Drive courtyard.

Attendees are encouraged to pick up food from local eateries before going to the park. Beverages will be available in the beer garden. Attendees can get two drink tickets for $5 if bought in advance.

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

 

Lubber Run Summer Performances to Start Next Week

By Heather Mongilio

Performance at Lubber Run Amphitheater (photo courtesy Arlington County)Lubber Run Amphitheater will start its free annual summer performance series next week.

Kicking off the 34 nights of arts and entertainment next Friday (June 12) is Bowen McCauley Dance, a family-friendly dance performance, according to the Lubber Run Amphitheater website. The performance starts at 8 p.m.

Five additional performances were added this season, in August and September.

Attendees are encouraged to bring picnics and blankets to the show. Alcohol is prohibited in Lubber Run Park and smoking is discouraged.

In the event of inclement weather, attendees are advised to call 703-228-1850 for day-of information. There are no scheduled rain dates for cancelled performances.

Performances on Monday through Saturday are held at 8 p.m. and performances on Sunday are held at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. After the jump is a full list of performances.

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Penrose Residents Claim Trees Hurt by Dominion Trimming

By Heather Mongilio
1/6

Residents in Arlington’s Penrose neighborhood are claiming that recent trimming by Dominion Power contractors injured trees that line the streets.

They are especially concerned with a White Oak tree on the corner of 8th Street S. and S. Veitch Street, which dates back to before the Civil War, said Terri Armao, chair of the Penrose Neighborhood Association’s Environmental Committee.

“They brutally attacked it yesterday,” Armao said. “I can’t even tell you what they did to it.”

Limbs were cut from the middle where the power line ran though, leaving a gap and causing the tree to look like a giant “V.” Residents had previously asked Dominion not to touch the tree because of its old age.

“I mean it is ridiculous. For a tree they weren’t supposed to touch, they touch a V out of it,” Armao said.

Margaret Alvord, a Penrose resident, attempted to stop the contractors from cutting into the tree, after receiving a call from a neighbor. The tree had been pruned three weeks ago and was still recovering, Alvord said.

“So I jumped up and went up the street in my car,” Alvord said. “I parked my car and they had already begun… and I asked them to stop. I said, ‘this tree is a very old tree.'”

The workers told her to go talk to the supervisor, and when she talked to him, he told her it was the workers’ job to clear the trees from the lines.

“He basically said its our job to clear the lines. And they have to go 10 feet from lines,” Alvord said.

Dominion workers trim trees in order to keep them off of the power lines, said Chuck Penn, a media specialist with Dominion. The trimmings help to keep the power on during storms.

“Our mandate is to provide safe and reliable service to our customers,” he said.

The company respects the resident’s love for the trees and try to balance keeping the trees and providing service, Penn said.

“I cannot overemphasize enough the empathy we bring to our pruning,” he said. “People love their trees and we respect that.”

All Dominion foresters are certified arborists, Penn said. Trees are trimmed every three to four years to maintain the power lines.

“It’s a delicate balance we don’t take lightly,” Penn said. “We respect our customers and our trees.”

The White Oak is important to the neighborhood for its environmental impacts as well as its age, Armao said. For instance, the tree provides shade for the elderly resident that lives in the house next to it.

White Oaks are also known for their support of different species. A White Oak produces acorns, which can be used by 180 other species, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.

“They’re one of those keystone trees,” Armao said.

Dominion does not have a policy for trees that have historic value, Penn said. The company does use the foresters when determining when a tree is a “danger” tree and needs to be trimmed.

Neighbors looked through the tree branches for squirrel and bird nests. They found squirrel nests but did not find any traces of live animals in the tree limbs.

Trees were also trimmed on S. Veitch Street and between S. Wayne and S. Adams, Alvord said.

“Our concern is that they are overly trimming trees we’d really like to save,” she said.

Oakridge Elementary Gets Desks With Pedals to Help Fidgety Kids Learn

By Heather Mongilio
1/3

Oakridge Elementary is getting desks with bicycle pedals and swinging bars in an effort to incorporate movement and exercise into classroom learnings.

The new desks, as well as yoga ball chairs, are part of a pilot program to improve kids’ ability to learn while in school.

The idea behind the new equipment is based in science, said Heather Suave, a member of Oakridge’s 2Fit2Quit Committee and Wellness Council. Research has shown that when kids’ brains are active, which happens during exercise, they are able to retain more information.

“Kids in elementary school have the wiggles, and it’s a good energy release,” Suave said.

Oakridge Elementary was able to raise $9,000 through sponsorships and donations — from Pentagon Mixed Martial Arts, the Oakridge PTA and individual donations — to buy three of the two person pedal desks, four stand-up/swinging desks and eight yoga ball chairs.

The pilot program has only been in place for a month, Suave said, but it is already showing promise.

Jenn Crain, a third and fourth grade teacher, said the new equipment has helped with keeping her students focused and have not been a distraction in the classroom. She has had the pedal desk and standing desks in her class.

“Some of them prefer the pedal desk, some of them prefer the standing desk, some of them prefer none,” she said.

The kids have also had positive feedback toward the equipment, she said during a presentation.

Maxwell Thomas, an 8-year-old student, likes the pedal desk because they help him concentrate while he does his math schoolwork.

“I can get my body moving while I work,” Maxwell said.

Annabella Brooks, a fifth-grade student, likes the standing/swing-desk “because people have a way to fidget without making noise.”

The desk helps her concentrate and she finds it relaxing, Annabella said.

“It’s easier to think while moving,” she said.

This is the first pilot program in Virginia. The equipment is also used in 30 schools in Texas and in 32 other states, said Lowell Lease, a representative with KidsFit, the company that provides the equipment.

The company has received good feedback on the equipment from other schools as well, Lease said.

“The kids love it,” he said. “The teachers love it because the kids pay attention better.”

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