Author: Kalina Newman

Arlington Man Causes a Stir As Max Scherzer Doppelganger

By Kalina Newman
1/4

An Arlington man looks so much like Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer that he had to be escorted by the police during the team’s World Series parade on Saturday.

Kevin Kramer, who’s lived in Arlington for the last 20 years, had his first fan interaction four years ago in an ALDI grocery store.

“They were shouting ‘Max, Max,’ and asked me to throw the first pitch for their charity baseball team,” Kramer said. “That’s when I realized, oh my god, this person really thinks I’m Max Scherzer.”

Over the next few years, people at Nationals Park would approach him for the occasional selfie or ask him why he wasn’t out on the dugout during games.

Then this year, the Nationals entered the National League Championship Series and “things started to get really crazy.”

Kramer, who’s never met Scherzer in person, attended Game 3 of the NCLS, where he says he was mobbed by fans. Once the team made it to the World Series, he took things one step further with a single blue contact lens to match Scherzer’s distinctively-hued eyes.

“This is all for fun,” said Kramer, who runs an Instagram account, @notmaxscherzer. “I don’t set out to look like him, I’m not an impersonator. I think because the Nats have become so popular, people really want to believe that I am him.”

A videographer accompanied Kramer to Saturday’s parade to capture the scene. As expected, dozens of fans quickly mobbed Kramer, wondering why he wasn’t up on a parade bus celebrating with the team. As a result, D.C. police had to escort them through the streets.

Someday soon, he said, he hopes to transform all of this into a documentary.

“There’s a fascinating psychology behind this,” Kramer said. “For example, a lot more women will ask me for an ID or ask personal questions only Scherzer could answer. Men, on the other hand, just want to take a photo and go.”

For now, he’s hoping to capitalize on the coincidence by booking appearances, including “ad campaigns, parties, or whatever.”

Photos via Timur Tugberk/Designing the District

Rosslyn Startup ‘Hungry’ Continues To Expand, With Plans for The West Coast

By Kalina Newman

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, 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.

Three years after it first launched, Arlington-based catering marketplace Hungry has all but outgrown its Rosslyn office.

That’s despite the startup moving to Rosslyn after outgrowing its former Clarendon office. This time around, the company plans to stay put, neighborhood-wise, when trading up to a larger space.

“Once that time comes, and it’s coming soon, we’re not going to leave Rosslyn,” said Hungry co-founder Eman Pahlevani. “The area’s been too good to us.”

Over the course of 2018 and 2019, Hungry has expanded into a number of new cities: Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City, with plans to also open in Los Angeles next year.

“We launched New York City about five weeks ago,” Pahlevani said. “It’s skyrocketed and the journey has treated us nicely. We have over 150 executive chefs working for us now.”

Hungry operates as an online catering platform, with a mission of making it easy to provide catered food to offices and meetings that people actually want to eat. Office managers are matched with area chefs, who in turn provide a full catering menu starting at $12 per person.

In addition, Hungry donates a meal for every two meals served.

“We’re expecting to reach 500,000 meals donated by the end of November, so that’s a really good feeling for us,” Pahlevani said.

Pahlevani said it’s rewarding to gain new customers, chefs and employees as the business grows and expands to new places.

“The business is taking on a national network effect, and it’s been really good to see,” Pahlevani told ARLnow. “A year ago we had 25 full-time workers, and now we’re up to 85.”

In April, the company raised $8 million during its Series A funding round, with prominent investors including groups led by musicians Usher and Jay-Z.

The startup plans to enter its B-round of funding by early next year as a result of growing interest from more investors. Among the A-listers that might be part of the Series B: Will Smith, Pharrell, and LeBron James.

“At first they just write checks,” Pahlevani said of the celebrity investors at a recent DCA Live event, but if the company is growing, “they start to get more involved” and bring on more friends as investors.

“They also help us launch in the markets they’re in, and they want to bring LA on board,” he added.

Arlington Agenda: November 4-10

By Kalina Newman

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, November 4

Start-Up With Financial Success
Arlington Economic Development (1100 N. Glebe Road)
Time: 10 a.m.-4:10 p.m. 

This workshop, led by five experts across different economic fields, will cover the basics of financial management for small businesses, from choosing the right accounting software to paying quarterly tax estimates.

Art Night! 
Lost Dog – South Arlington (2920 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Art Night is a casual monthly meet up for area creatives, in the background of the Lost Dog Cafe. Paper and pencils will be provided, and artists are encouraged to bring any other supplies. RSVP for an event reminder.

Tuesday, November 5

Arlington Kick-Off for Safe Streets
Buzz Bakeshop (818 N. Quincy Street) 
Time: 6:30-8 p.m. 

Arlington Families for Safe Streets is a new group working to promote pedestrian safety through public outreach programs, policy advocacy, and more. Its monthly meetings will be held to discuss and plan upcoming programs.

National Nachos Day 
Punch Bowl Social (4238 Wilson Blvd) 
Time: 11 a.m.-11:59 p.m. 

On National Nachos Day, Punch Bowl Social is encouraging customers to try its cauliflower nachos, made with corn tortilla chips, queso, jalapeños, pickled red onions, and a jalapeño lime crema.

Wednesday, November 6

Ellen Crosby – The Angels’ Share
One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street)
Time: 6:30-8 p.m. 

Ellen Crosby will be speaking at One More Page Books to promote her latest novel, The Angels’ Share, a mystery that takes place in Virginia wine country. There will be wine, cake, and a discussion with the author.

Thursday, November 7

Legislative Forum on Aging Issues
Farlington Community Center (3308 S. Stafford Street)
Time: 9:45-11:30 a.m.

The Arlington and Alexandria Commissions on Aging will host a forum of Virginia Senators and delegates for a discussion on legislation that affects older adults, those with disabilities, and caregivers.

MONA Holiday Sip-n-Shop
Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road)
Time: 7-9:30 p.m.

Mothers of North Arlington are hosting their annual sip-n-shop, featuring dozens of local vendors selling a variety of wares, including beauty products, apparel, home goods, and more. Drink tickets are being sold for $7 in advance or $10 at the door.

Friday, November 8

Play: Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, A Lesbian Love Story
Gunston Theatre Two (2700 S. Lang Street)
Time: 8-9:40 p.m.

Dominion Stage Theatre presents “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove,” the story of seven lesbian friends over the course of the summer, who take in a straight woman after she leaves her husband to become an alternative kind of family.

Saturday, November 9

Scouting for Food – Food Drive
AFAC (2708 S. Nelson Street)
Time: 8-11 a.m.

AFAC is partnering with the Chain Bridge District of the National Capital Area Council of Boy Scouts for the 25th annual “Scouting for Food” food drive, which has collected more than one million pounds of food for AFAC since 1995.

Parker Looks Up 
Nook Ballston Quarter (4238 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 10-11 a.m. 

Parker Curry, the little girl who went viral earlier this year for her photo looking up at Michelle Obama’s portrait, now has a children’s book. In order to celebrate the release of her book, she will be at the Nook for reading, a dance party, and a book signing.

BREAKING: APS Proposes Major Elementary School Swap to Deal With Capacity Issues

By Kalina Newman

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools may shuffle nearly a quarter of its elementary school students around to combat the county’s persistent overcrowding problems.

During a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, school officials proposed moving the majority of McKinley Elementary School students to the new Reed Elementary School, among other switches.

The Arlington School Board is expected to take action on one of two final proposals during its meeting on February 6, 2020. If approved, it would take effect for the 2021-22 school year, per APS spokesman Frank Bellavia.

“Some of our schools can’t manage the student’s lunch time, we have students who eat lunch as early as 10 a.m. and as late as 2 p.m.,” said Lisa Stengle, executive director for the APS Department of Planning and Evaluation.

“We like to keep kids together. The more we can keep groups of kids together, the better,” she said.

The first proposal idea APS shared with parents would mean:

  • The majority of current McKinley students would move to Reed.
  • The Arlington Traditional School (ATS) program would move to the McKinley building.
  • Key Immersion School would move to the Arlington Traditional School building.
  • The Key building would become a neighborhood school.

According to officials, 40% of McKinley students live in the Reed School walk zone, meaning more students who are currently riding the bus would have the option to walk to school. In addition, it would provide 100 additional seats for new ATS students.

The second proposal calls for the same McKinley, Reed, and ATS switches, plus:

  • Campbell Elementary School moving to the ATS building
  • Key, along with its immersion program, would move to the Carlin Springs Elementary School building
  • The majority of students at Carlin Springs would move to the Campbell Elementary School building
  • Campbell building becomes a neighborhood school
  • The Key building becomes a neighborhood school

Both plans are expected to affect some 20-30% of Arlington elementary school students.

“[Moving schools allows] APS to use all schools to maximum capacity, keep together as many students in each school community as possible, and keep as many students as possible walking to their neighborhood schools,” officials said in a press release.

The proposals are a larger part of the APS Elementary School Planning Project, which calls for the planning of capacity solutions as Arlington’s elementary student population is expected to exceed 30,000 by 2023 — with significant growth in the Rosslyn, Ballston, and Columbia Pike areas.

The fiscal impact of either proposal remains to be determined, according to APS Transportation Planning Director Kristen Haldeman.

Alternatively, per the planning website, if APS chooses to only redraw elementary school zoning districts without moving schools, it would affect up to 41 percent of Arlington’s elementary school population and incur additional transportation costs.

In addition, Spengle noted the county will need to build up to three new elementary schools by 2029 in order to accommodate growth, including in and around Pentagon City.

The school system will spend the next several months collecting community feedback before the School Board makes a final decision, with public meetings on:

  • November 5: An online information session on APS Engage in English and Spanish
  • November 5-24: An online community questionnaire at APS Engage
  • November 15 and 22: “Friday Facebook Live” sessions with new FAQs answered.

Several community forums are also scheduled for December, plus a School Board public hearing on January 30 at 7 p.m. in the Syphax Education Center.

The discussions come after APS redrew the boundaries of eight elementary schools last year in order to accommodate the opening of Alice West Fleet Elementary School.

Arlington Kabob Owners Taking Over Former Afghan Kabob House in Courthouse

By Kalina Newman

After over a decade in business, a beloved kabob restaurant in Courthouse will be changing hands this week.

Mere hours after Afghan Kabob House shutters its doors for good tomorrow (Thursday), Courthouse Kabob will open in its place the next morning.

The new owners also manage Arlington Kabob on Lee Highway (5046 Lee Highway). Co-owner Susan Clementi said the Courthouse transaction happened quickly and seamlessly.

“We know this is a fast changeover, but we are excited to bring an extension of Afghan kabobs to the Courthouse area,” Clementi said.

Located at 2045 Wilson Blvd, Courthouse Kabob will feature a similar menu of grilled meats and lunch specials. Unlike Afghan Kabob House, however, it will not feature hookah tables and will close earlier in the night, at 11 p.m.

“Our primary focus is to provide quick and healthy lunch and dinner options such as kabobs, assortment of fresh prepared salads, fresh baked to order naan, and authentic Afghan vegetable side dishes,” Clementi said.

Courthouse Kabob’s official hours will be 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Former Afghan Kabob owner Akbar Mandany recently told ARLnow his decision to close stemmed from food trucks and third-party delivery apps taking away from his business.

Arlington’s First Running Studio Opening This Weekend in Clarendon

By Kalina Newman
1/3

Arlington’s first indoor running studio is opening this weekend in Clarendon.

Formula Running Center (3101 Wilson Blvd) features coached treadmill and strength workouts for runners at all levels, in addition to runner recovery resources and private training.

The 5,000 square-foot studio, in the former American Tap Room space, plans to open its doors this Saturday and Sunday for free classes and tours of the studio, with pre-registration required.

“We wanted to make sure we weren’t just another fitness studio, and that we were going above and beyond for our athletes,” said co-owner Chris Hoffman.

Hoffman, an avid runner, founded the studio with fellow athlete Nicole DonVito with the goal of providing a one-stop training shop for area runners.

“Not only can they get these great, coached running sessions, but we’re making sure they recover properly to prevent injury,” Hoffman said. “And that’s whether they’re getting ready to run their first mile, or training for a marathon.”

Running workouts are coached on state-of-the art Woodway treadmills, with scoreboard screens throughout the studio displaying progress. Runners are encouraged to wear heart-rate monitors, which will be available for rent in the studio.

Recovery services include guided foam rolling, yoga, and stretching classes, muscle compression wraps, an infrared sauna, a cold water “ice pod,” and a cryotherapy machine, which uses localized freezing temperatures to soothe muscles.

Membership starts at $104 per month for four “credits,” with first time discounts and credit packs available. Each class and most recovery services will cost one credit, and the cryotherapy machine will be two credits.

The studio applied for a construction permit in February, per county records. It will join the ranks of nearby boutique fitness studios SoulCycle and Barry’s Bootcamp, among others, and is also just steps from the Clarendon Metro station and running store Pacers.

Photos: Elaborate Halloween Decorations Across Arlington

By Kalina Newman
1/25

(Updated at 9:20 a.m.) With October 31 a day away, houses across Arlington are pulling out all of the stops for dressing up their homes for Halloween.

Popular decorations seem to be cobwebs and the classic carved pumpkin, while others opt for blown-up witches, pumpkins, skeletons, ghouls, and more. As usual, the famous N. Jackson Street in Ashton Heights seems to have some of the most extravagant Halloween displays, but other residential stretches like 38th Street N. in the Old Glebe neighborhood also have a bounty of clever creations.

If you spot any other houses decked out for Halloween, post a photo or two in the comments section.

There is no official trick-or-treating time in Arlington, but tradition says costumed children will start arriving around sunset, until around 8 p.m. or so.

Staff photos by Jay Westcott. Others contributed. Flickr pool photos by John Sonderman and Kevin Wolf.

Community Group Pushing for a Dog Park in Pentagon City

By Kalina Newman
1/3

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) A community group is pushing the county to develop a new dog park in Pentagon City.

Pentagon City Dogs recently submitted a proposal to Arlington County officials calling for a new, 25,000 square foot dog park within Virginia Highlands Park, an 18-acre collection of athletic fields, tennis courts, and some wooded areas at 1600 S. Hayes Street, across from the mall.

Currently, there are no established, public dog parks in the 22202 zip code and dogs are not permitted off-leash in Virginia Highlands Park. Supporters say a little-used portion of the park between a softball field and 15th Street S. could be an ideal location.

“The location provides easy access from high-rise and single family homes without any disruption of the quality of life of the neighbors,” the group wrote in their proposal. “In fact, the closest single-family homes are the equivalent to nearly two blocks at the end of the proposed dog park.”

The Instrata Pentagon City apartment building, however, is across the street from the proposed location.

The group also argues the location would be ideal for a dog park because of its established amenities including water, trash services, parking, and accessible entrances.

At least 20 volunteers from Pentagon City Dogs have signed up to maintain the space. The group has gathered over a hundred signatures from local residents in support, plus an endorsement from the Aurora Highlands Civic Association.

“The 22202 communities have been expressing a need for dog parks for decades, and the population of both residents and pets continues to increase,” the association wrote in its endorsement.

The proposal suggests that an initial version of the dog park could be established at minimal cost with heavy-duty temporary fencing.

“Arlington Parks & Recreation is aware of the interest to explore the opportunity for a temporary dog park in Virginia Highlands Park,” parks department spokeswoman Susan Kalish tells ARLnow. “Our recently adopted Public Spaces Master Plan includes new options for dog parks as we too see a growing interest in off-leash areas for our four-legged friends.”

Pentagon City Dogs says its members are willing to back up the park plan with money to help fund it. The group is in the early stages of fundraising efforts for the park, including seeking business donations, sponsors, and individual donors.

“While there is a possibility of County funding, we think our best chance of success will be if we can bring funding along with our proposal to the County,” said Lowell Nelson, spokesman for Pentagon City Dogs.

To accommodate the expected crowds, the group says it may be necessary to take away from of one of the current softball fields.

“There will be easily 50+ dogs (small & large) at peak times,” the proposal says. “The size would need to be at least 22,500 ft to avoid conflicts, which can be achieved by expanding into space currently occupied by one softball field. ”

There are eight established county-run dog parks in Arlington, open from sunrise until half an hour after sunset.  The nearest to Virginia Highlands Park is Towers Park, nearly two miles away at 801 S. Scott Street.

A similar initiative has begun for Eads Park, which is a mile away and similarly endorsed by the Aurora Highland Civic Association. In addition, a community group has been pressuring the county to build a temporary, gated space for dogs in Rosslyn’s Gateway Park.

Nearby, Amazon has proposed 1.1 acres of open public space — for “a dog park, recreation areas, farmers markets, and more” — at its forthcoming headquarters in Pentagon City.

Photo via Google Maps 

BASH Boxing Now Open In Ballston

By Kalina Newman

Bash Boxing’s second Arlington location is now open at Ballston Quarter, after some delay.

First word of the boxing-focused workout studio’s newest location at 700 N. Randolph Street was reported last August. The studio, which has room for up to 44 people, had its grand opening celebration over the weekend.

“We’re thrilled to open our second location. It’s been busy all weekend, and we’re just getting started,” said co-owner Scott Parker, who also manages several Arlington restaurants.

The studio splits its workouts between boxing on a water-filled training bag and high-intensity interval training, generally lasting 45 minutes.

Bash opened its first studio in Rosslyn last January at 1550 Wilson Blvd, replacing the former Cafe Asia.

Bash Ballston joins a slew of new businesses joining Ballston Quarter in the coming months, including a new poke restaurant and a pet care business.

New Mexican Restaurant Coming To Shirlington Next Year

By Kalina Newman

A new Mexican restaurant is coming to the Village at Shirlington in early 2020.

Taco + Piña will take over the former space of Lotus Vietnamese Grill & Noodles, which closed last November, at 4041 Campbell Avenue.

The restaurant is the first solo venture from Chef Graham Bartlett, who previously worked at D.C. restaurants El Centro, Masa 14, and Buena Vida in Silver Spring.

The menu at Taco + Piña draws inspiration from Bartlett’s childhood and the time he spent traveling to Mexico with his family. Featured dishes include an avocado tostada and a “chile relleno taco” topped with tempura flakes.

In addition, there will be an extensive beverage menu with tequilas, frozen margaritas, Mexican imported beers, and more.

“The Village at Shirlington has… a range of quality restaurants rooted in international cuisines to tempt every palate,” said Village of Shirlington owner Federal Realty Investment Trust, in a press release. “We’re pleased to be able to provide the neighborhood and greater community with this new and locally-owned establishment.”

Taco + Piña applied for its building permits in October, per county records.

Hat tip to Nick E.

Startup Monday: Virginia Tech Professor Develops Image Geolocation Program

By Kalina Newman

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, 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.

Kurt Luther, an assistant professor of history and computer science at Virginia Tech, is well acquainted with the capabilities of artificial intelligence technology, recently launching an AI program used to rediscover lost identities in Civil War photographs.

Now, based out of the Virginia Tech Research Center (900 N. Glebe Road), Luther has moved onto his next project: GroundTruth.

Lead by Luther and Virginia Tech PhD student Sukrit Venkatagiri, the National Science Foundation-funded project utilizes AI software to narrow down the geolocation of any photograph, taken anywhere in the world.

During a presentation at the Virginia Tech Research Center on “The Future of AI and What it Means for Humans,” Luther showcased how his group of 11 expert researchers, along with 567 crowdsource workers, used GroundTruth to narrow down a framed shot taken from a video of a terrorist organization to its location with 98% accuracy.

“We’re in our third phase now,” Luther said, “Where we’re asking investigators, like journalists, to use the software for their real work to see how well it works in the wild, if you will.”

On November 11, Kurt and Venkatagiri will present the software at the Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 2019 conference in Austin, Texas.

Once finalized, Luther hopes the software will not only be used by investigative journalists, but by professionals in law enforcement and national security.

“In those cases, the time pressures are similar, and the stakes are potentially even higher, so it’s extra important we get it right and through our studies with journalists, we’re learning,” he said.

View More Stories