Author: Vernon Miles

Arlington Agenda: October 1-7

By Vernon Miles

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.

Tuesday, Oct. 2

Secure the Vote: Safeguarding Our Elections – A Panel Discussion
Spaces (1101 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

The League of Women Voters of Arlington is hosting a discussion led by four top experts in election security. The panel discussion is open to the public at no charge. Free tickets can be obtained online.

Thursday, Oct. 4

2nd Annual Celebration of the Arts in Arlington
Mercedes Benz in Arlington (585 North Glebe Road)
Time: 7-10 p.m.

The Celebration of the Arts in Arlington is a fundraiser for the Embracing Arlington Arts capital campaign. Tickets are $50 and purchasable online. Attendees wearing artwork costumes could win a $250 car detail voucher or a $75 restaurant coupon.

Social Walk + Happy Hour on Lee Highway
Thirsty Bernie (2163 N Glebe Rd)
Time: 5:30-8 p.m.

This month, Walk Arlington and Lee Highway Alliance are hosting a stroll along Lee Highway. The event is free for people of all ages and abilities and registration for the event is required.

Friday, Oct. 5

Arlington Urban Agriculture Summit
St. Andrews Church (4000 Lorcom Lane)
Time: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The symposium will focus on how agriculture contributes to our urban quality of life, featuring discussions on urban farming innovations; how to grow a successful food garden; and big picture policy and economic issues.  Registration available online.

Saturday, Oct. 6

Family Fall Festival*
Saint Ann School (980 North Frederick Street)
Time: 10 a.m.-4p.m.

The Annual Family Fall Festival will have rides, games, bounces, face-painting and a cakewalk contest for the kids. For adults, there’s a wine walk, beer garden and live music, plus plenty of food. Admission and parking are free.

The Daily Domestic Vintage Pop-Up Shop
825 S. Barton St.
Time: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Vintage pop-up shop featuring refurbished and hand-painted antique and vintage furniture, upcycled items and vintage-inspired housewares. 10% of sales will benefit Space of Her Own (SOHO).

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Shutdown for Repairs Rescheduled for Metro’s Blue, Yellow Lines

By Vernon Miles

A four-day construction project for Metro’s Yellow and Blue lines has been rescheduled to reduce the impact on commuters.

Work on replacing a series of switches and installing new concrete pads outside of Reagan National Airport will close the Reagan National Airport and Crystal City stations. The project was originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 2 to Monday, Nov. 5 but has been moved to the following weekend, Metro announced today (Friday).

The stations will be closed from Friday, Nov. 9 to Monday, Nov. 12, which is Veterans Day. The change will reduce the commuting days impacted by the work from two to one.

During the closure, shuttle buses will replace trains between the Braddock Road and Pentagon City stations. Metro warned that customers on the Blue and Yellow lines will likely experience additional crowding due to less frequent service during the repairs.

Later in November, repairs to the Yellow Line Bridge will shut down the Yellow Line completely for ten days. Between Nov. 26 and Dec. 9, the Yellow Line will not be functioning and customers wishing to travel between Virginia and D.C. will need to use the Blue Line.

File photo

Carlin Springs Road Bridge Halfway Built, More Road Closures Set for This Weekend

By Vernon Miles

The Carlin Springs Road Bridge construction has passed the halfway point, and some more road closures are on the way as work wraps up.

The southern half of the replacement bridge is now in use with one lane of traffic open in each direction. Pedestrians are directed to use the walkway on the southern side of the bridge.

Work has begun on rehabilitating the north side of the bridge. Starting tomorrow (Saturday), the contractor is scheduled to install steel beams to allow construction on the remainder of the new bridge deck. During this time, N. George Mason Drive will be closed where it passes under the bridge.

The current traffic pattern will remain in place until the rest of the bridge deck is completed. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2019.

Meanwhile, the new sanitary sewer main at the N. Carlin Springs Road and N. Abington Street intersection has been completed. Street pavement and other restoration work is expected to be completed by late fall 2018.

The original Carlin Springs Road Bridge was demolished in December 2017 after it was found to be substantially deteriorated. The new bridge will feature wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and four vehicle travel lanes.

Photo via Arlington Department of Environmental Services

New Pedal-Powered Pub Hits the Potomac Next Week

By Vernon Miles
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The Potomac Paddle Pub is a pedal-powered vessel, but come next week, its occupants will be three sheets to the wind.

The pub is the latest in a trend of mobile drinking platforms, like The Pedal Saloon in Clarendon, but this adventure in drinking takes the journey to the water.

A 15-customer crew will power the vessel from Georgetown’s waterfront to Columbia Island Marina in Arlington, taking turns working at 10 pedaling stations. In total, the ride is expected to be about 90 minutes long.

The pub owners told ARLnow the boat is currently only ferrying family and friends to work out the kinks, but cruises will be open for customers starting on Monday (Oct. 4).

Unlike the land-based drinking platforms in Arlington bound by state intoxication laws, occupants of the Potomac Paddle Pub will be able to drink while operating the vehicle. The passengers are required to bring and consume their own beers or wine — no liquor is allowed onboard, and no alcohol will be sold at the bar on the deck.

Individual seats are only available during weekday trips, and a minimum of two must be purchased per transaction. Tickets are $45 for adults during a weekday, or $25 for a child under twelve. Renting the whole board during a weekday is $500, or $625 to rent a boat on the weekend.

Tickets can be purchased at the Potomac Paddle Pub website.

Bethesda Bagels in Rosslyn Moves Closer to Opening

By Vernon Miles
1/3

(Updated 3 p.m.) Bethesda Bagels seems to be moving closer to opening its new Rosslyn location.

A sign on the exterior of the storefront at Central Place (1800 N. Lynn Street) indicates that the location is now hiring. The company is looking for a variety of new staff members, including bagel rollers and dough makers, who will mix dough from scratch and hand roll bagels during the day, according to the sign.

The posting also lists a bagel baker position for a night shift.

Owners of Bethesda Bagels previously told ARLnow they were aiming for an August opening. Danny Fleishman, president of Bethesda Bagels, said he currently looking at sometime between Oct. 10-18 for an opening, though that may be subject to change.

The regional chain currently operates stores in both Bethesda and D.C., in Dupont Circle.

Arlington Agenda: Sept. 24-30

By Vernon Miles

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.

Thursday, Sept. 27

Spirit of Community Luncheon*
Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel (2800 S. Potomac Avenue)
Time: 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Each year, the Arlington Community Foundation recognizes an individual and/or organization who epitomizes the true spirit of our Arlington community. This year Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez is being honored with the 2018 William T. Newman, Jr. Spirit of Community Award while Arlington Free Clinic is being presented with the 2018 Community Impact Award.

Saturday, Sept. 29

Piketoberfest! Columbia Pike’s Oktoberfest at BrickHaus*
BrickHaus (2900 Columbia Pike)
Time: –

Beer, brats, pretzels — what else does one need to celebrate Oktoberfest? Introducing Piketoberfest, Columbia Pike’s Oktoberfest celebration. Food and drink specials will be offered all day long.

Oktoberfest and Fun Run at Cathedral of St. Thomas More*
Cathedral of St. Thomas More (3901 Cathedral Lane)
Time: 4:30-9 p.m.

The course will be four quarter mile laps around the perimeter of the STM property and can be a family relay or individual participant. The $20 entry fee per family ($10 indiv) benefits the St. Lucy Project of the Catholic Charities, Diocese of Arlington. VCO Orthodontics is sponsoring t-shirts for all participants and a water station.

Free Community Paper Shredding Event
Arlington Church of the Brethren (300 N. Montague Street)
Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

A church in Arlington’s Boulevard Manor neighborhood is holding a free community drive-in paper shredding event. This event was rescheduled from an earlier date. The church is requesting non-perishable food or monetary donations to benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

BBQ, Boots & Bingo
Columbus Club of Arlington (5115 Little Falls Road)
Time: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The family-friendly event will include picnic fare, moon bounces, face painting, crafts, bingo, music and more. Tickets (adult $20; child $10; or family $50) are available online at www.arlingtonthrive.org/donate. The ticket price includes admission, food, beverages, activities and a chance to win prizes.

Crystal City Oktoberfest
The Lot (220 20th Street S.)
Time: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Billed as Northern Virginia’s largest Oktoberfest, the inaugural Crystal City Oktoberfest is set to offer 50+ breweries with 100+ craft beers to sample. There will also be a selection of eats from the area’s top food trucks.

Sunday, Sept. 30

Valley Fest 2018
New District Brewing Company (2709 S. Oakland Street)
Time: Noon-5 p.m.

Valley Fest is a collaboration and celebration of the Four Mile Run Valley arts groups and local businesses. Local artists will showcase their work and food trucks will offer plenty to eat, while a kid’s zone will keep the rest of the family busy. The festival is free to attend. Beer packages will be offered for sale.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) event

Lululemon is Back in Original Clarendon Location

By Vernon Miles

After a brief move across the street this summer, Lululemon is back home at 2847 Clarendon Blvd.

The athletic apparel retailer temporarily relocated to “The Loop”  at 2700 Clarendon Blvd earlier this summer while the main location underwent renovations.

The store moved back in and showed off its reconfigured interior last week with a grand reopening party.

Lululemon is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. The location’s “Rooftop Sweat Series” continues above the renovated store tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6 p.m.

Found Footage Show ‘After Dark’ Coming to Arlington Drafthouse

By Vernon Miles

The Found Footage Festival is coming to Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) with a new “After Dark” show.

The festival is a touring showcase of VHS footage, from the strange to the hilarious. Many are found in garage sales, thrift stores and dumpsters across North America, then curated by The Onion and The Colbert Report veterans Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher.

The After Dark show compiles 25 years of footage collections into a show that includes live commentary and where-are-they-now updates.

The show at the Drafthouse is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $14.

Highlights of “After Dark” include:

  • The intro video for a hunky tag team wrestling duo from Memphis called The Fabulous One
  • A fitness program featuring Angela Lansbury in a bubble bath
  • The foul-mouthed outtakes of Winnebago pitch man Jack Rebney
  • A young Arnold Schwarzenegger seductively feeding a woman a carrot in a 1984 travel video for Rio de Janeiro

Photo via Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

Cybersecurity Company Opens Ballston Office to Harness Military Talent

By Vernon Miles

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.

(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) Cybersecurity is an ongoing and growing concern in the corporate sector, but IT security company Praetorian seeks to help test corporate security networks and make the internet a safer place to do business.

Praetorian started in Austin, Texas in 2010, but recently opened their office inside Techspace in Ballston this summer. Matthew Eble, Practice Director at Praetorian’s Arlington branch, said the move to Arlington was prompted by the local talent base — namely, the large number of active duty military and veterans in and around Arlington.

“We find that people who are most successful in what we do are disproportionately former military,” said Eble. “We wanted to focus on where the expertise is.”

In addition to Arlington, Eble said there are plans to expand elsewhere on the East Coast as the company grows, though the Ballston office is likely to remain the biggest of the satellite locations.

“There’s a massive supply and demand mismatch in cybersecurity,” said Eble “There is a lot of need for cyber security expertise.”

Praetorian sets itself apart by focusing on the attacker perspective, Eble said — instead of providing a general defensive structure, Praetorian probes system networks to find vulnerabilities.

“There are people that defend a network, that’s risk management, but there’s a lot of need for understanding what the attackers [look for],” said Eble. “We help clients solve those security problems.”

Eble said companies start with a network penetration test to find the holes in a security system that attackers could exploit. These vulnerabilities can range from hardware to software-related issues.

Beyond network testing, Praetorian works with clients to develop a roadmap for greater security coverage to help organizations prevent, detect, and respond to security threats.

There are six employees at the Arlington location but around 50 overall in the company. That includes 30 engineers, who work directly with clients, according to Eble.

Lane Conversion and Speed Decrease May Be Coming to Crystal Drive

By Vernon Miles

If approved at tomorrow’s (Saturday) County Board meeting, a portion of one of Crystal City’s thoroughfares will receive a substantial upgrade and a speed limit downgrade.

Crystal Drive is currently a one-way street between 26th and 27th streets, but as part of an ongoing conversion project it will be turned into a two-lane roadway. The project will also add a right turn lane at the northbound intersection of Crystal Drive and 26th Street S., a left turn lane at the westbound intersection of Crystal Drive and 27th Street S., and bike lanes and sidewalk improvements.

The two-lane expansion in other sections of Crystal Drive occurred in 2013. The two-lane conversion between 26th and 27th Streets S. will be the third and final phase of the street’s conversion to an almost entirely two-way road.

At tomorrow’s meeting, the County Board will vote on a contract for the $1.2 million project.

At the same meeting, the Board will also vote on whether to authorize a public hearing on lowering the speed limit along Crystal Drive from 30 to 25 mph.

The county’s Transportation Master Plan recommends 25 mph as the standard speed limit on arterial streets in Arlington’s downtown districts where there are high volumes of pedestrians and high density land development. A study of the local traffic was conducted at the request of the Crystal City Business Improvement District and determined that Crystal Drive qualified for a speed limit reduction.

If approved, the speed limit reduction will be considered at the Board’s Oct. 20 meeting.

Photo and map via Arlington County

Ballston-Based Coffee Bar Eyes Expansion Throughout D.C. Region

By Vernon Miles

Startup Monday header

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. 

(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) Republik Coffee Bar was founded out of frustration.

Elan Irving, director of operations for Republik Coffee Bar, said when the founders of the coffee bar were looking a premium coffee options in the area, they were underwhelmed.

“We were looking for a place to enjoy premium coffee served in an inviting environment staffed by friendly baristas with a pleasant ambiance,” said Irving. “Surprisingly, there are very few places that embody all of these qualities, so we decided to provide such space for like minded coffee lovers.”

Irving said the largest challenge that faced the burgeoning company initially was finding a price balance.

“One of the challenges is to keep prices low without sacrificing on the quality of the product as well as keeping a staff of highly qualified baristas,” said Irving. “We were always in pursuit of better coffee, better brewing methods, and very competitive prices. We don’t believe in charging $5 for a six-ounce cappuccino.”

Since launching, Republik Coffee Bar has started an aggressive expansion campaign. Less than one year since its Ballston location opened, Republik has started a second franchise coffee bar in McLean. In six months, Republik plans to open two more locations inside D.C. and eventually another in Fairfax.

“If you are afraid of taking calculated risks, you shouldn’t be in business of investing in new businesses,” said Irving. “This is also true in our business. We are very confident in our concept and very happy to see the response we received in Ballston. This has encouraged us to expand into other locations.”

For now, Republik Coffee Bar is local, but the chain has much larger ambitions if the continued regional launches go well.

“Our short term goals are establish our brand into a very respectable local brand in the D.C. metro area,” Irving said. “If we are successful in achieving this, we will continue to expand regionally and then one day, nationally.”

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