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

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

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.”

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.

Construction Vehicle Brings Down Power Lines Near Virginia Square

By Jackie Friedman
1/2

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) A construction vehicle is currently draped with downed power lines near Virginia Square.

The incident occurred shortly before noon at 3700 6th Road N. as the truck was being hauled through the Ashton Heights neighborhood.

Firefighters and police were called to the scene and currently have the sidewalk and the road closed for safety, as the lines were believed to be live electrical lines.

No injures were reported, but at least one neighboring home was reportedly damaged.

Heat Advisory Issued for Arlington

By Jackie Friedman

The sun during the heat advisory on Thursday, July 14, 2016Arlington County and the surrounding D.C. area is under a heat advisory today.

High temperatures and high humidity will make for a sweaty and potentially dangerous afternoon.

Those who must spend time outdoors today are advised to drink plenty of water, seek breaks in the shade and avoid strenuous activity if possible.

In response to the heatwave, A-SPAN has opened overflow space and set up additional beds at Arlington’s Homeless Services Center in Courthouse.

A-SPAN also offers daytime drop-ins to help those on the streets beat the heat. The drop-in program is offered from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the shelter, located at 2020-A 14th Street N.

From the National Weather Service:

HEAT ADVISORY FROM 12PM EDT MON UNTIL 8PM EDT MON

* HEAT INDEX VALUES… UP TO 108 DUE TO TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 95 TO 100… AND DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 70S.

* IMPACTS… RISK OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS FOR THOSE WITHOUT AIR- CONDITIONING OR THOSE OUTDOORS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK… THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY – CALL 911.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE… RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HIGH TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE.

In addition to the sweltering temperatures and humidity, storms are possible today. Via Twitter:

‘Junior Park Ranger Ride’ Planned Along GW Memorial Parkway

By Jackie Friedman

Bikes on a tree, photo via Facebook : Kidical Mass ArlingtonThe Arlington chapter of a group centered around casual bike rides for families plans to lead a trek along George Washington Memorial Parkway this weekend.

A “Junior Park Ranger Ride” is set to kick off this Sunday at 9:30 a.m., according to Kidical Mass Arlington, the event’s organizers.

During the 60-90 minute trip, riders will hit several stops along George Washington Memorial Parkway, including the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the Netherlands Carillon and Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove. The ride will end up at Theodore Roosevelt Island, according to Kidical Mass.

The event will also include activities from BikeArlington and the U.S. National Park Service. All young riders will earn Junior Park Ranger credentials for the GW Parkway once the ride is complete, according to event organizers.

Photo via Facebook / Kidical Mass

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