Author: Jackie Friedman

Arlington Agenda: August 15-21

By Jackie Friedman

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

Monday

Free Home Buyer Seminar*
Optime Realty (1600 Wilson Blvd, Suite 101)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

The free event will have specialists, including lenders and buyer agents, to give an overview of the buying process. Learn valuable home buying strategies that will save 3 percent or more when purchasing a home. All attendees will receive two guarantees.

1776 announces expansion into Crystal City (photo via @1776)Open Class: Introduction to Sales Funnels
1776 Crystal City (2231 Crystal Drive, 10th Floor)
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Startup incubator 1776 is set to host an introductory class on sales funnels for founders, marketers and anyone working on sales for their startup. The event will include experts and practitioners who have spent years selling.

Tuesday

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An Evening with Kelly Sargeant*
Crowne Plaza National Airport (1480 Crystal Drive)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Local Toastmasters Clubs will be hosting a free event where world-renowned public speaker, Kelly Sargeant, will speak to both Toastmasters and non-Toastmasters audience members about empowerment and achievement.

Wednesday

Image via Twitter/Arlington County FairArlington County Fair
Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 Second Street S.)
Time: 5 p.m.

The 40th Arlington County Fair kicks off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Arlington County Board members and light refreshments. The fair continues through Sunday evening. Indoor exhibitions begin Friday afternoon.

Spider Kelly's by ChristakiBar Olympics
Spider Kelly’s (3181 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 6-9 p.m.

Go for the gold and support Operation Renewed Hope Foundation during the Mix 107.3 Bar Olympics. During the competition, attendees will face off in a variety of bar games. Suggested donation is $10 per individual or $20 per team of two.

Friday

Trump Dump, photo via Arlington Cinema and DrafthouseLive Comedy: Trump Dump
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:30 and 10 p.m.

Actor and comedian Anthony Atamanuik, known for his performance as Donald Trump in “Trump vs. Bernie,” will reprise his role as The Donald during a new show that imagines what Trump would say if elected president. In addition to Friday’s shows, Arlington Cinema Drafthouse will put on two performances Saturday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are available online for $20.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Jackie Friedman

Flower

The weekend has returned and so has the heat and humidity.

Throughout the weekend, temperatures will be in the mid-90s and humidity levels will be in the sticky 60 percent range. There will also be a chance of thunderstorms on both days.

Whether you want to stay indoors in the air conditioning or brave the outdoors, see our event calendar for a listing of things to do. (Admittedly, things are a bit slower around here in mid-August.) Or, if home shopping is your thing, check out some of the open houses happening Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Feel free to discuss the heat or any other topic of local interest in the comments.

Live Concerts at the Netherlands Carillon to End Soon

By Jackie Friedman

Tulips in bloom at the Netherland Carillon (Flickr pool photo by Joseph Gruber)Fans of the Netherlands Carillon only have four more chances this year to see it in action with a carillonneur behind its keyboard.

The next free concert with the 50-bell musical instrument at 1400 N. Meade Street is scheduled for Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m., according to the National Park Service. Kipp Cortez, a Concord University music professor, is slated to perform.

The other remaining live performances are:

Visitors to the carillon can bring food to eat during the concerts. But picnickers should take their trash home with them.

Seating also is limited. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs.

The concert series, which began in May, includes patriotic, jazz and pop music.

“People should come [to our summer concerts] for the view of the Washington, D.C., skyline and the chance to hear a variety of music played by the world’s leading carillonneurs,” Nassor, the Netherlands Carillon’s director, said in an interview with the Rosslyn Business Improvement District.

Flickr pool photo by Joseph Gruber

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By Jackie Friedman
Exterior (Front) -

It’s going to be another hot one this weekend so why not stay inside and look at some homes? There will be lots of open houses in both North and South Arlington this Saturday and Sunday.

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

Community -

22 S. Old Glebe Road
1 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Stephen Lefave
Listed: $199,900
Open: Sunday from 2-4 p.m.

 

Exterior (Front) -12o1 S. Barton Street
2 Bed/1 Bath Condo
Agent: Benjamin Grouby
Listed: $399,000
Open: Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

 

Exterior (Front) - BOUTIQUE 14-UNIT BUILDING

1107 S. Walter Reed Drive
2 Bed/2 Bath Condo
Agent: Eric Tomlinson
Listed: $499,900
Open: Saturday from 12-4 p.m.

 

Exterior (Front) -1324 Kenmore Circle
4 Bed/3.5 Bath Single Family Detached
Agent: Michael Webb
Listed: $999,900
Open: Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

 

Bungalow Craftsman - Bungalow style craftsman built in 20092900 22nd Street North
5 Bed/4.5 Bath Single Family Detached
Agent: Christopher Upham
Listed: $1,324,997
Open: Saturday from 2-4 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.

Crash Closes Route 50 Ramp

By Jackie Friedman
1/4

Arlington County police and medics were called to a two-vehicle collision on the ramp from Arlington Blvd (Route 50) to Washington Blvd.

The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Thursday and closed the ramp for at least half an hour. Three people were evaluated for possible injuries but there were no reports of anyone being seriously hurt.

Two witnesses told ARLnow.com that the driver of a Ford sedan plowed into the side of an SUV while trying to turn onto the ramp.

PHOTOS: Arlington Cops Throw Ice Cream Party for Locals

By Jackie Friedman
1/7

Arlington County Police Department officers gave out free ice cream and helped save some locals from a tent that tried to fly away in Clarendon this afternoon.

The “Cones with a Cop” event at Goody’s (3125 Wilson Boulevard) gave officers and Arlington residents the opportunity to get to know each other over frozen treats.

During the gathering, locals had the chance to sit in the driver’s seat of a police car and see the cops in action.

Officers saved some people from being buried underneath an outdoor tent that was about to fly away due to the wind.

No injuries were reported, just smiles.

Ramen Eatery Opens on Columbia Pike

By Jackie Friedman
1/6

(Updated at noon) Columbia Pike has a new restaurant serving an authentic and lovingly crafted version of a college dorm staple: ramen.

Boru Ramen opened in the former Maruko Sushi space at 2915 Columbia Pike on Thursday, July 21.

Customers can choose from five Japanese noodle soup dishes, such as the spicy miso ramen or buta kakuni (braised pork belly) bowls, according to the eatery’s menu. Unlike the ramen you cook on the stovetop for four minutes, the broth at Boru Ramen is simmered for more than eight hours.

“For something we love so much, we could never follow the easy path,” the menu says.

The restaurant also serves rice bowls, edamame, Japanese fried dumplings called gyoza and a sticky rice dessert known as mochi ice cream.

Although Boru Ramen has a bar, no booze is for sale. Diners can have non-alcoholic drinks, including Japanese soda called Ramune and iced green tea made with matcha, instead. The restaurant applied for a wine and beer license on Monday.

Boru Ramen is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fmr. Marine Creates Custom Furniture at His N. Arlington Home

By Jackie Friedman
1/5

Arlington resident Jeff Spugnardi’s interest in woodworking began with skateboard ramps he built in grammar school. Decades later, after retiring from a career in the Marine Corps, he turned his hobby into a business in his Leeway Overlee home.

Since 2008, the 46-year-old craftsman has sold wood chairs, tables and other furniture he’s designed and built in his personal workshop.

“So many people can’t believe that someone builds something in Arlington because it seems like everybody is a professional and going to D.C., and here I am building things,” Spugnardi said. “I take ugly slabs and turn it into this stuff.”

Spugnardi only uses walnut, maple and cherry wood to make his furniture, including chairs that range in price from $1,300 to $5,000. All the wood is from a Northern Virginia supplier.

Spugnardi said he focuses on making comfortable furniture with character. He often adds special touches, like glow-in-the dark features, to his works. For his chairs, which take 80 hours to build, he puts in flexible back braces that are designed to conform to sitters’ backs. A 6-foot-11 man once commented on how comfy the chairs were and how he couldn’t find similar furniture for his size, Spugnardi said.

“Everything is custom-sized, so I have a bunch of templates based on your height and your arms,” he said. “Everything is proportionate to the legs and where your knees are. We custom fit everything.”

Spugnardi said most of his customers are locals. His work has appeared at art shows in Reston and D.C. and regularly catches the eye of people in his neighborhood.

“I’ll often do a lot of sculpting and grinding in the driveway,” Spugnardi said. “I used to be in the Marines so I will wear my flight suit. People will come by [and ask], ‘What are you doing or what type of wood is this?’ And so I’ll get some people who will [ask if I can] build them a table or if I can see their dining room.”

Arlington Agenda: August 8-14

By Jackie Friedman

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.

Monday

Ted_LOGO

TED Talk Viewing and Discussion: Sports
Westover Branch Library (1644 N. McKinley Road)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Attend a viewing and discussion of a TED Talk about ports. TED Talk viewings include discussions of topics like science, math and evolution of sports, extreme sports and more.

Thursday

Gala-Flyer-FBWomen Giving Back Benefit Gala
Arlington Arts Center (3550 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

Attend a night of networking, fashion and entertainment. Funds will be raised for Woman Giving Back, a non-profit that provides homeless women and children with clothes to help them enter the workplace and fit in at school.

BigNecessityThe Big Necessity: Book Discussion
Aurora Hills Branch Library (735 S. 18th Street)
Time: 7-8 p.m.

Karen Pallansch, CEO of Alexandria Renew Enterprises, will lead a discussion about a basic human necessity and the constant requirement to dispose of wastewater effectively. Participants will gain insight into the future of sanitation.

Bobby LeeLive Comedy: Bobby Lee
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7:45 p.m.

Actor and comedian Bobby Lee, best known for his role on TV’s MADtv, brings his standup comedy act to the Pike. Lee has four scheduled performances on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are available online for $25.

Friday

Westover Park signLet’s Go Play in the Woods
Westover Park (1001 N. Kenmore Street)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Join the Department of Parks & Recreation for a night of nature. Learn about live animals from the Arlington Nature Centers, make your own butterfly garden starter kit, learn through play with a butterfly migration game, and create some insect crafts.

 Saturday

CSTS-2016-Logo-Color-Trans-SmallCan’t Stop the Serenity
Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 2:30-6 p.m.

Can’t Stop the Serenity is a global charity event where Sci-Fi fanatics and film fiends come together every year to support Equality Now in their work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of woman around the world.

Sunday

Summer-Concert-Banjo

Free Concert: King Street Bluegrass
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 6-8 p.m.

Bring friends and family and a picnic for a a free outdoor concert by King Street Bluegrass. Bluegrass Spin Magazine calls their sound “pure magic to the ears.” Frozen treats will be available for purchase from the Inside Scoop food truck.

yvonne_auneAikido of Arlington
Aikido of Arlington (1305 N. Jackson Street)
Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Aikido of Arlington is holding a traditional aiki-weapons class at Glencarlyn Park throughout the summer (weather permitting). Class runs until 11:30 a.m. and is then followed by a potluck cookout. Participants must wear street clothes.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

U.S. Green Building Council Honors Verde Pointe on Lee Highway

By Jackie Friedman
1/5

(Updated at 9:15 a.m. Friday) A residential and retail development on Lee Highway has received national recognition for its energy, water and waste sustainability.

The U.S. Green Building Council honored Verde Pointe (1947 N. Uhle Street) this afternoon for achieving “LEED Gold,” the second highest rating for environmentally friendly buildings. The organization has given more than 32,500 commercial projects around the world certified, silver, gold and platinum ratings, said council chief operating officer Mahesh Ramanujam.

At Verde Pointe, green features include high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, energy efficient equipment and occupancy sensors for lights, according to a news release.

“By incorporating sustainable building practices into projects like this, we will see a stream of environmental, economic and community benefits for decades to come,” Ramanujam said.

Peter Bergmann, president of Bergmann’s Inc., which helped develop the building with McCaffery Interests, said the site’s transformation from a dry cleaner to Verde Pointe “looks like night and day.”

“We couldn’t be more honored and happy with what happened and what we have here,” he said.

Nando’s Peri-Peri Opening ‘Soon’ in Ballston

By Jackie Friedman
1/4

No official opening date has been set yet, but construction and building permits are up outside the new Nando’s Peri-Peri restaurant in Ballston.

“We are getting close at Ballston,” said Jim Popkin, a representative for the company.

The restaurant is located at 4401 Wilson Blvd, the former home to Italian eatery Vapiano’s.

A Virginia ABC notice outside of the restaurant indicates that Nando’s is seeking to serve wine, beer and cocktails in a space with more than 150 seats.

The Portuguese-style chicken chain has an existing Arlington location in Pentagon City.

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