Events

To Do Tonight

By ARLnow.com

There are several very good options for people who want to get out of their house or apartment and do something tonight:

  • The new Siena Park luxury apartment building (2301 Columbia Pike) its celebrating its grand opening with an “Art of Living Well” event from 7:00 to 9:00, featuring food and FREE beer and wine tastings from a number of local restaurants, including: Twisted Vines, Rocklands Barbeque, Caribbean Breeze Restaurant, Extra Virgin, Rock Bottom,Tthe Melting Pot and others. There will also be live music, an appearance by artist J.D. Miller, and — of course — tours of the apartments.
  • Put on your best “O” face and go to the Bi-Annual TPS Report Managers Meeting at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike). The “meeting” is actually an Office Space movie festival with trivia, impersonation and costume contests. The festivities start at 7:00 with theme music. The movie starts at 8:30.
  • Finally, for the civic-minded, Arlington County will hold an informal public forum on the snow removal ordinance at 7:00 p.m. The forum will take place at 3033 Wilson Blvd, rooms 7E-7F. Staffers will explain the proposed ordinance and answer questions.

As always, see our events calendar for lots more to do this weekend.

What Will the Library of the Future Look Like? You Decide.

By ARLnow.com

This will be a rare instance of librarians encouraging people to speak up.

On June 5, Arlington County will hold a focus group to hear the citizen ideas for the future of the library system. And they’re giving away an iPod to boot.

The county is specifically seeking ideas for ways to improve its libraries. Officials will be asking questions like “why do you use the Library?” and “what should the ‘library of the future’ look like?”

The focus group will take place at the Fairlington Community Center (3308 South Stafford Street) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 5. Refreshments will be served and an iPod will be raffled off.

Flickr photo by Arlington Public Library.

Bike Events Abound This Week

By ARLnow.com

Local bicyclists are gearing up for two of the biggest bike-related events of the year. Friday is Bike to Work Day and Sunday is the annual Bike DC community ride.

Arlington will host three gathering points, or “pit stops,” for Bike to Work Day, which is an opportunity for regular bike commuters and curious car devotees to get together and ride into D.C. en masse. The pit stops include Rosslyn Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway), the Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive) and Conte’s Bike Shop in Ballston (3924 Wilson Boulevard).

Participants are asked to register here.

There will be raffles, prizes, food and drink at each pit stop, from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. And just in case getting free stuff and riding into downtown in a ridiculously large two-wheeled convoy doesn’t sound fun on its own merits, County Board Chairman Jay Fisette has recorded a YouTube public service announcement to promote the event.

Also be sure to look for newly-minted Arlington bike celebrities Ross and Todd, who will be among the Bike to Work Day crowd in Rosslyn.

On Sunday, riders will have another opportunity to get together and pedal around town. The Bike DC community ride will take cyclists on a 19-mile route through Northwest Washington, across the Key Bridge, up and down the George Washington Parkway, and past various landmarks in Arlington.

The ride will end in Crystal City, where a number of restaurants and at least one delicious taco stand will have some enticing Bike DC specials.

The ride begins at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW in the District between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.

The finish line will be located at Crystal Drive and 22nd Street. Finish line festivities will take go on through 12:30 p.m.

For those who want a longer ride, Old Town Alexandria will also be sponsoring giveaways for Bike DC riders at the Snack Shak in the Torpedo Factory (5 Cameron Street) — 4.5 miles past Crystal City on the Mt. Vernon Trail — until 1:00 p.m.

Flickr photo by M.V. Jantzen.

To Do This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

It’s a good time to be an Arlingtonian. This weekend is jam-packed with fun outdoor community events. The weather should be gorgeous — the only problem will be finding time to do everything.

Saturday

Trashy Pick Up Artists — Dubbed the “Pick Up Artists,” four recent college grads from Maryland are on cross-country journey to pick up trash and educate people about sustainability. On Saturday, Davey Rogner and Kelly Klein, 24, and Kim Alexander and Jeff Chen, 23 will kick off their 240 mile trek across Virginia in Arlington. Volunteers interested in helping them out should meet at the Clarendon Whole Foods (2700 Wilson Boulevard) at 10:00 a.m. According to the organizers, this event has been cancelled due to the permits from VDOT not coming in.

Neighborhood Day — Enjoy any number of activities being held throughout Arlington, from yard sales to block parties to barbecues to walks and runs. See the complete list here. The evening will conclude with a special military pageant and concert by performers from Ft. Myer. Called the “Twilight Tattoo,” the performance will take place between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. at Bluemont Park (601 North Manchester Street).

Hub Spin Group Ride — Want to go on a “completely chill” bike ride around Crystal City? The new Revolution Cycles City Hub store is hosting a group ride for all skill levels from 6:30 to 8:00 Saturday night. Bring your own bike or rent one of theirs for free. While the ride will be nice, the after party at Bailey’s Sports Grille ($8 charge covers drinks and munchies) may be even better.

Sunday

Taste of Arlington — One of the area’s most anticipated outdoor events. From noon to 5:00 p.m., more than 15,000 people are expected to cram into a one-block stretch of Wilson Boulevard next to Ballston Common Mall to try samples from more than 40 Arlington restaurants. See our preview here.

IBIS Chamber Music Society Concert — The last free IBIS concert of the season, featuring selections from Vivaldi, Handel and Mendelssohn. IBIS is an ensemble of professional musicians who normally perform with orchestras like the National Symphony and the Boston Pops. Their concerts are family-friendly and informal.

Arlington Foodies Prepare: Taste of Arlington Sunday

By Ashley Houghton

Ok, foodies, get your forks ready this Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. Area food lovers wait in anticipation all year for the day they can graze from one local restaurant to the next, tasting the latest dishes from their favorite chefs at the annual Taste of Arlington in Ballston.

Taste of Arlington is returning for another day of delicious taste-testing of our area’s best restaurants. Participating establishments include the new Northside Social and older favorites like Busboys and Poets (see a full list here).

Even the rare individual who could care less about food will be able to distract themselves with an extensive arts and crafts fair, local music, stilt-walkers and a selection of wine.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is providing a bike valet for those of us who attempt to burn the calories we’re about to consume by pedaling to the event.

Advance tickets to nosh are $20 for eight “tastes” and $25 the day of the event. The event will be difficult to miss by car, bike, or metro: Arlington is shutting down a block of Wilson Boulevard in front of the Ballston Mall to make room for tents and pedestrians.

We suggest getting your ticket soon. There are a limited number available and about 12,000 hungry locals typically attend.  Happy eating!

Photos from tasteofarlington.com


Eighth District Debate To Be Held In Pentagon City Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D), whose eighth congressional district includes Arlington, will take the stage tonight with the men hoping to unseat him in the fall.

Republican primary opponents Matthew Berry and Patrick Murray are expected to participate in tonight’s debate, as is Independent-Green party candidate Ron Fisher. ABC7 reporter Scott Thuman will moderate.

The debate is sponsored by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce in partnership with a number of other local chambers of commerce. Tickets are $35 for Chamber members, and $45 for everyone else.

It will take place at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

To Do Tonight: Spruce Up Your Salads

By ARLnow.com

Via Every Food Fits, we learn that Michael Kiss, resident chef at the Clarendon Whole Foods, will be teaching a class on whole grain salads tonight. What are whole grain salads? Well…

We all know that we need to incorporate more whole grains into our diets, although in practice it can be overwhelming and frustrating. Chef Kiss will showcase light and flavorful vegetarian salads, great for summer entertaining at patio dinners and picnics!

The class will start at 7:00 and run 30-50 minutes. It’s free and you don’t have to RSVP, but arriving early is recommended.

Whole Foods’ free cooking lessons are a weekly event. See some of the upcoming classes here.

Roads to Close Sunday for Pacers Running Festival

By ARLnow.com

A number of roads around Arlington will be closed between 6:00 and 11:00 Sunday morning for the Pacers Running Festival half marathon.

Among the closures:

  • The 1000 block of Wilson Boulevard
  • Southbound lane of Route 110
  • The Northbound exit from Route 110 to Wilson Boulevard
  • Rt. 27 (Washington Boulevard) in both directions from I-395 and Washington Boulevard to the Pentagon
  • Columbia Pike at Pentagon South Parking

Afternoon Notes: Guy Fieri Pays a Visit, Small House Fire

By ARLnow.com

Guy Fieri Brings Camera Crew to Arlington Diner — Celebrity chef and Food Network star Guy Fieri visited Arlington’s Metro 29 Diner (4711 Lee Highway) on Tuesday, according to the Reliable Source. He was filming an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

Housing Fair To Be Held This Weekend — Arlington County will be holding a housing fair on Saturday. Renters and buyers alike will be able to attend workshops, get valuable advice and meet with landlords, real estate and finance professionals, housing specialists and County staff.

Small House Fire on Arlington Boulevard — Firefighters responded to a small house fire at the intersection of Arlington Boulevard and South Fillmore Street today. The fire was contained to the back of the house, where construction may have been taking place. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze (see photos below).

To Do This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

It’s not going to be the warmest spring weekend, and there may be a passing storm tomorrow, but on balance this weekend is not looking too bad.

If you’re looking for something fun to do, here are a few ideas. As always, you can check out our event calendar for more.

Tonight

I Love the ’90s Film Fest — Rosslyn’s weekly outdoor film series will be showing “Wayne’s World” tonight at Gateway Park (1300 Lee Highway). Party time starts at 7:30 p.m. Excellent!

Saturday

15th Annual Walk for the Animals — This dog-centric event raised more than $91,100 last year for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. In addition to the three-mile walk, there will be demonstrations, entertainment, and sponsor booths. From 8:30 a.m. to noon at Bluemont Park (329 N. Manchester Street).

Semper Ride Motorcycle Show — If you’re in the armed forces, head to the Pentagon north parking lot for a motorcycle safety demonstration, group ride and freestyle stunt show. Featuring Red Bull freestyle motocross riders, Keith Code and the California Super Bike School, and an special celebrity guest. Registration begins at 0700, and the event will go until 1400.

P. Brennan’s Grand Opening — Columbia Pike residents have given a very warm welcome to the neighborhood’s new Irish pub. Now, P. Brennan’s (2910 Columbia Pike) is holding a grand opening celebration to officially mark their establishment as one of the Pike’s go-to watering holes. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. and will go to the wee hours.

Sunday

Benefit Concert for Haiti Children — Join the Opera Guild of Northern Virginia’s effort to send art and music supplies to school children in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. This benefit concert will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the NRECA building (4301 Wilson Blvd).

To Do Tonight: Dude Fest

By ARLnow.com

The Big Lebowski is one of those films that has achieved a cult-like following — it has an almost timeless comedic quality that makes it entertaining even after repeated viewings.

It’s no surprise, then, that 12 years after it was first released, Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) is expecting a big crowd for “Dude Fest: The Big Lebowski Movie and Music Night” tonight.

The evening will start at 7:30 with music inspired by the movie and music from the actual soundtrack. Then at 8:40 there will be trivia, bowling and awards for best costume (come dressed as your favorite character). Finally at 9:00, the big moment as the Big Lebowski is shown on the big screen.

Admission is $8.

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