Author: Katie Pyzyk

Pentagon Row Concerts Begin Thursday

By Katie Pyzyk

Pentagon Row (1101 S. Joyce Street) is getting ready to rock out. Tomorrow, June 7, kicks off the beginning of its summer concert series.

Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00 p.m., patrons in the plaza can take in the sounds from one of the bands performing at “Rock at the Row.”

Bands are scheduled for every Thursday evening through August 30. Although the series touts “rock,” there are also bands catering to those who prefer other sounds, like reggae, funk and zydeco.

Tomorrow, the Bon Jovi tribute band “Slippery When Wet” will play. Next week it’s Beach Bumz, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band. The full schedule is below.

  • June 7 — Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi Tribute
  • June 14 — Beach Bumz, Jimmy Buffett Tribute
  • June 21 — Just Like Prom Night, 80’s Tribute
  • June 28 — MONSOON & STORM, Reggae
  • July 5 — The Crawdaddies, Roots Rock, Zydeco
  • July 12 — Old Man Brown, Southern Soul
  • July 19 — Higher Hands, Funk
  • July 26 — Donegal Xpress, Celtic Rock
  • August 2 — Bobby Lynch Band, Pop Variety
  • August 9 — Crowded Streets, Dave Matthews Tribute
  • August 16 — Unity, Reggae
  • August 23 — Matt Hutchison, Rock
  • August 30 — Gonzo’s Nose, Pop Rock

Then and Now: Hot Shoppes

By Katie Pyzyk

 

The photo on the left shows the Hot Shoppes location at 1325 Lee Highway in Rosslyn, during the 1930s. It was part of the chain started locally by J. Willard Marriott in 1927.

Marriott and his wife, Alice, moved to the D.C. area from Utah. He launched a restaurant based on his affinity for American Southwest foods such as spicy BBQ, chili and tamales. The name came from his desire for a restaurant that would provide hot food to warm the D.C. residents during the wet chill of an Eastern winter.

The couple built their Hot Shoppes brand on the slogans “food for the entire family” and “square meals at a fair price.” Over time, the menu expanded to include all types of fare besides Southwest dishes, but the attention to service remained. Eventually, that commitment to service and hospitality led to success in other areas, most notably the family’s well known hotel brand.

(Marriott’s first hotel, which opened in 1957, was the Twin Bridges Motor Hotel, located near the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington.)

By 1960, there were 70 Hot Shoppes in D.C. and seven states. Jazz musician Duke Ellington and his band recorded seven versions of the Hot Shoppes theme song, which aired in radio ads from 1967-1968.

The last one closed in 1999. However, fans will be pleased to know at least one of the restaurants will be resurrected, as noted in the Washingtonian’s December 2011 interview Marriott’s son, Bill.

The photo on the right shows how the area looks now. It is where the area formerly known as “Rosslyn Circle” used to be, but is now Arlington Gateway Park.

Below is a commercial for Hot Shoppes from 1970.

Historic photo courtesy Arlington Public Library’s Virginia Room

Ah Love Oil & Vinegar to Hold Anniversary Celebration

By Katie Pyzyk

To celebrate its one year anniversary in Shirlington, Ah Love Oil & Vinegar (4017B Campbell Avenue) is having a celebration this coming Saturday, June 9.

Owner Cary Kelly said the store’s short time in existence has gone well, and customer response has been overwhelming.

“The last year has been, in a word, unbelievable,” Kelly said.

She said there were skeptics who didn’t think the store would work out, both because of the slow economy and because the store was selling such unique, specific products. Kelly credits a couple of factors with the store’s success.

First, the location. Residents and workers in Shirlington have been welcoming and continue to patronize the store, she says. Secondly, Kelly thinks the product quality has won over doubters.

“I think what changes people from being skeptical to hopefully delighted is that they get to taste everything,” Kelly said. “You really taste a difference. Then people are like, ‘Okay I get it now.'”

Kelly got the idea for the store when she visited a similar business in North Carolina. Cooking, particularly Mediterranean foods, is her favorite hobby, so the idea of an oil and vinegar business seemed to make sense.

While unique at the time, the flavored oil trend is quickly spreading. Kelly said that when Ah Love opened a year ago, it was the only store of its kind in the area. Now, she can list five in the metro region.

During Saturday’s event, the shop will officially launch a new olive oil-based skin care line. Kelly said she has sensitive skin and couldn’t find olive oil skin products she liked, so she decided to have some made. The Ah Love All Over line will be made with California extra virgin olive oil.

“I think olive oil is one of nature’s greatest miracles,” said Kelly. “There’s nothing it doesn’t do for us as far as health, both inside and outside.”

Kelly said the business has been more successful than she could have anticipated, and the anniversary party is to thank customers for their support.

“My husband and I feel so grateful how we’ve been supported by this community,” Kelly said. “That’s the real reason for this party.”

The event on Saturday runs from noon to 9:30 p.m. All day, there will be tastings of food made with the oils and vinegars, and a cooking demonstration at 4:00 p.m. From noon until 4:00 p.m., there will also be a jewelry display. Customers will receive 15 percent off the store’s products, and there will be giveaways throughout the day.

Special Olympics Torch Run to Wind through Arlington

By Katie Pyzyk

An Olympic torch will be making its way through Arlington on Thursday. Not the one that’s going to be lighting up London in a few months, but the Virginia Special Olympics torch.

More than 2,000 law enforcement officers take part in the eight day Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run, when the torch is carried on a 1,900 mile trek across the state. Forty-seven Arlington County Police Department personnel will participate.

Opening ceremonies begin at the Marine Corps Memorial in Rosslyn at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, June 7, and the torch run begins at 9:30 a.m. During the run, officers will head over the Memorial Bridge, past Gravelly Point, past Reagan National Airport and will hand off the torch at the Alexandria line. Full route details can be found online. Spectators are welcome to cheer on the athletes along the route.

Following the run, which originates in seven different parts of the state, the torch will end up at the Special Olympics Virginia Summer Games Opening Ceremony in Richmond. At that point, a Special Olympics athlete will receive the torch and light the new Olympic Cauldron.

A police chief in Kansas spearheaded the first torch run in 1981 to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics. Virginia’s first torch run took place in 1986.

“Now in its 27th year, the Virginia Law Enforcement Torch Run, has raised more than $14 million for Special Olympics Virginia, including a record-breaking $924,000 this year alone,” according to an ACPD press release.

All 50 states as well as 40 countries hold similar torch run events.

County Working on Automated Water Meter Installation

By Katie Pyzyk

You may not have even realized it, but your water meter will get a makeover soon, if it hasn’t already. The county is about half finished with its efforts to install new automated meter reading (AMR) systems on residential buildings.

The new meters allow employees to easily gather water use information without physically having to access meter boxes. They are equipped with a radio transmitter than sends each meter reading to an employee who slowly drives through the neighborhoods.

“The meters tend to lose accuracy as they age, so one of the benefits is the increased accuracy of the reading,” said county engineer Mary Strawn.

AMR will reduce errors now that employees will not have to manually enter meter numbers. It’s also viewed as a safety measure, considering workers won’t have to scramble in some places with hard to reach meters.

Residents can expect to see fewer “estimated reads” on their bills, due to the efficiency of the new meters. Previously, if county workers were unable to find a meter due to factors like snow accumulation, they would estimate a customer’s monthly water use.

The county began installing AMR equipment on commercial and multi-family residences in 2007. Now, the project has moved on to the 30,000 single family residences. Workers are about halfway through that task, and hope to finish by early 2013.

Notifications are being sent out to residents before work on their meters begins. Installation only takes about five minutes, so most people probably won’t even notice that work has been done.

Sometimes, after the meter has been upgraded, residents may temporarily notice a burst of air or rust colored water. This is not harmful, and briefly running the cold water should clear this up.

Real Estate Tax Deadline Approaching

By Katie Pyzyk

The first installment of Arlington real estate taxes is due in 10 days, on Friday, June 15.

Payments not received or postmarked by that date will be considered late. Penalties will be the same amount as the tax if less than $10 is owed, $10 if between $10 and $100 is owed and 10% of the tax amount if more than $100 is owed.

Real estate taxes are split into two installments, and the deadline for the second installment is Friday, October 5.

Payments can be made by mail, in person or online. Anyone who hasn’t yet received a bill should contact the Treasurer’s Office right away, at 703-228-4000 or [email protected].

TRAFFIC ALERT: Washington Blvd Closed for Gas Leak

By Katie Pyzyk

 

Update at 12:20 p.m. — Firefighters have cleared and drivers can now get through on Washington Blvd. Washington Gas remains at the scene.

Earlier: Drivers should avoid the area of Washington Blvd near N. Highland Street, where a gas leak is causing traffic trouble.

Washington Blvd is shut in the eastbound/southbound direction at N. Highland Street, and in the westbound/northbound direction at N. Garfield Street, while firefighters investigate a reported leak in a four-inch gas line at a construction site. Washington Gas is also on the scene.

Police are helping to direct traffic at the scene while workers fix the problem. It’s recommended that pedestrians also avoid the area until the leak is fixed.

Indecent Exposure Suspect on the Loose, May be Repeat Offender

By Katie Pyzyk

Two indecent exposure incidents were reported in Arlington over the weekend, and one of the subjects may be a repeat offender.

One incident happened around 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, on the 2700 block of S. Lang Street in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood, where spectators had gathered to watch a soccer game. One of the attendees was an intoxicated male, who allegedly made inappropriate comments to a female victim in the presence of her daughter. The woman says the man proceeded to urinate with his back to her, then turned around to expose himself to her and her daughter.

The woman called police and they were able to locate 45-year-old Saul Aparicio, of no fixed address, in the vicinity. He was arrested and charged with indecent exposure and being drunk in public. It appears he targeted the woman and her daughter, and didn’t expose himself to others at the soccer game.

The second incident happened last month, around 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, but was reported to police several days later. A man sitting on a restaurant patio in the 3200 block of Wilson Blvd in Clarendon allegedly exposed himself to a woman sitting at a nearby table. The woman says the man had been staring at her and tried to get her attention several times. The man, who was reportedly wearing very short shorts, then exposed himself to her underneath the table. When the woman alerted her friends and they turned around, the suspect left the scene.

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-sixties, with shoulder length white hair. At the time, he was wearing black shorts, a green polo shirt and sandals. It’s believed this may be the same suspect who was caught masturbating while watching children on a nearby restaurant patio last month.

“He does meet the description of a previous suspect,” said Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “It’s not 100 percent certain it’s the same individual, but the descriptions are very similar.”

Sternbeck says the woman did the right thing by contacting police, but the delay of several days has made it difficult to track down the suspect.

“If you are a victim or witness something of this nature, please contact police immediately,” Sternbeck said. “The chances of us locating this individual days later significantly decreases.”

Anyone who encounters this man, or any other person, performing an indecent act in public should call police, but not try to confront the person. It’s unknown if he may try to inflict harm.

Lunchtime Concerts Start Today in Rosslyn

By Katie Pyzyk

Starting today, Rosslyn is beefing up its summer entertainment lineup with free lunchtime concerts.

The concerts all begin this week and will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and and Thursdays from 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Tuesday concerts, held at Freedom Park (17th Street over Lynn Street and Wilson Blvd), will run through July 31. Wednesday concerts are held at CentralSpace (Wilson Blvd and N. Moore Street), and will continue through August 29. There will be no concert on Wednesday, July 4. Thursday concerts take place at the Farmers Market (Wilson Blvd and N. Moore Street), and will have a longer season, running through October 25.

This week, Vaughn Nark & Panorama will play today, Harry Wilson will play tomorrow and Rick Franklin & Friends will play on Thursday. The full schedules of performers for the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday lunchtime concerts can be found online.

With decent weather predicted for this week, it may be the perfect time to take in the music. Last year, extreme heat forced cancellations for some of the concerts.

Cooling Assistance Program Available During the Summer

By Katie Pyzyk

As the warm weather ramps up, Virginia’s Cooling Assistance Program is starting to accept applications from local residents.

The program, which is administered by Arlington County, helps residents in need with the cost of cooling their homes for the summer. Funding can assist with acquiring or repairing cooling equipment, and with paying utility bills.

To be eligible for assistance, a household must have a person with a disability, a person aged 60 or older, or a child under the age of six. Eligibility is also based on income and the number of people residing in a household.

Every year, the state determines what the maximum payment will be to each family participating in the program. Some years it’s around $100 for the summer, and last year it was $600. The applicant is responsible for any costs in excess of the limit. The state has not yet announced this year’s maximum payment.

Applications are currently being accepted, but can’t be processed until June 15. The last date applications and utility bills will be accepted is August 15. For more information contact Kay West at 703-228-1490 or Ive Ruiz at 703-228-1488.

Library’s New Online Collection Features Old Postcards

By Katie Pyzyk

 

The Arlington Public Library has launched a new online collection featuring vintage postcards from one-time Arlington landmarks and historic moments.

The library’s Virginia Room put together the collection of 55 postcards from its holdings and from donated materials. The postcards feature historic images from around Arlington, including Orville Wright’s plane flying over Ft. Myer, a ticket counter at Washington National Airport and Gunston Junior High School.

Some of the postcards, like the one above featuring the Red Barn Restaurant in 1970, appear to be promotional mailings highlighting businesses and their specials. This one boasts two complete chicken dinners for just $1.29.

Others, like the 1917 Ft. Myer postcard below, have personal messages written on the back. This one reads: “Glad ‘sis’ came over with you. Know she enjoyed the trip.” Note there’s not even a modern address, but simply the recipient’s name and town.

 

Historic postcards courtesy of Arlington Public Library’s Virginia Room

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