Two Clarendon restaurants will host the Arlington County Police Department’s “Conversation with a Cop” event next Thursday evening (August 31).
The conversation begins at Don Tito (3165 Wilson Blvd) from 6-7 p.m., then continues at Whitlow’s on Wilson (2854 Wilson Blvd) from 7-8 p.m.
Police said the event is “an opportunity for those who frequent the Clarendon area to get to know the officers regularly assigned to the weekend Clarendon Detail, learn about our partnership with the Clarendon businesses and share your ideas on how we can work together to make Clarendon a safe place to enjoy nightlife and entertainment.”
The area’s drinking culture has been under scrutiny by residents in recent years.
In June 2014 a naked man led police on a chase through Clarendon during that year’s All American Bar Crawl just before the Fourth of July. A month later the Arlington County Board passed new regulations that required crawl organizers to pay for a stepped-up police presence at the events. Both attendance and arrests dropped at subsequent bar crawls.
This year’s All American Bar Crawl was the first in the county this year, after organizers skipped the usual St. Patrick’s Day crawl.
With fall just around the corner, the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) has added some big names to its live comedy lineup.
On Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, Aasif Mandvi will perform a “New Material Night,” with each show ending in a question-and-answer session. Mandvi was a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and also wrote, produced and starred in “The Brink” on HBO.
And on December 1 and 2, Rhys Darby of the BBC and HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords” comedy will perform his own standup show. Darby, who has also produced mockumentaries and appeared on TV shows like “Modern Family,” “How I Met Your Mother” and the Late Show with David Letterman, as well as movies.
Those are in addition to a lineup that already includes the likes of comedy legend Jon Lovitz and former MTV stars Pauly Shore and Steve-O.
The Drafthouse has made a series of changes, including new seating, a new summer focus on first-run films, and opening a new Mexican restaurant in the former “green room” bar space.
The race is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree hotel (300 Army Navy Drive) in Pentagon City. The race route follows Army Navy Drive, S. Joyce Street, Washington Blvd, looping around the Pentagon on Route 110 before returning to the finish line at the DoubleTree.
The following closures will be in effect, from the Arlington County Police Department:
From 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.:
Army Navy Drive closed between 12th Street S. to S. Eads Street
From 5:45 p.m. until approximately 6:30 p.m.:
Westbound Army Navy Drive from S. Eads Street to S. Joyce Street (All streets crossing Army Navy Drive, including access to southbound I-395, will be closed for approximately 20 minutes)
S. Joyce Street from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike
Columbia Pike from the Pentagon South parking lot to S. Joyce Street
I-395 Northbound HOV exit to S. Eads Street
From 5:45 p.m. until approximately 8:00 p.m.:
Westbound Washington Blvd closed from Memorial Bridge to I-395
Southbound Route 110 closed from Rosslyn to 15th Street S.
Marshall Drive closed at Route 110
S. Eads Street closed from Army Navy Drive to 11th Street S.
The 5K was founded by three Arlington police officers: retired Capt. Matt Smith, Detective Dan Borriello and Sgt. Sean Bryson. All of the officers worked as first responders at the Pentagon after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
After the attacks, the group was inspired by other police 5Ks that they had participated in and decided to start their own race.
Bluemont Park will be the starting-point for a race next month to raise money for military bomb experts and their families.
The 2017 Bluemont Arlington 5K and 10K race on Sunday, September 17 will raise funds for the EOD Warrior Foundation. EOD stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal, the disarming and disposal of bombs, which is carried out by technicians in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.
Proceeds from the event help support the EOD Warrior Foundation in providing “financial assistance and support to active-duty and veteran wounded, injured or ill EOD warriors, families of our wounded and fallen EOD warriors.”
The race begins at Bluemont Park (329 N. Manchester Street), with both the 5K and 10K routes following the W&OD Trail on out-and-back routes. The 10K begins at 8:45 a.m., with the 5K following at 9 a.m. A virtual run option is also available for anyone who wishes to participate but can’t make the race date.
All participants receive a finisher’s medal and event technical shirts for those who register before September 6. Race day registration is also available for those who arrive 45 minutes before the start. Registration costs $25 for the 5K and $40 for the 10K.
With a rare solar eclipse set for Monday afternoon, Arlington is preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
The moon is set to pass in front of the sun at around 1:17 p.m. Monday. Its peak is projected to be at 2:42 p.m., when 80 percent of the sun will be hidden, while the eclipse is expected to end at 4:01 p.m.
On Monday morning, ambassadors from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District will be at the Rosslyn Metro station handing out 200 pairs of free eclipse glasses while stocks last.
From 8:15 a.m. onwards, anyone wanting to pick up a pair needs to show that they “like” the Rosslyn BID’s page on Facebook from their smartphone.
The Connection pop-up library in Crystal City (2100 Crystal Drive in the Crystal City Shops) gave out hundreds of free glasses with which to watch the eclipse, supplied by PBS. The free glasses proved to be popular and the supply quickly ran out.
Clarendon restaurant Don Tito will host its rooftop eclipse viewing party from noon onwards on Monday, with the event now sold out. The watering hole at 3165 Wilson Blvd will offer what it described as “eclipse-inspired refreshments” and taco specials for the occasion.
And for anyone hoping to watch the eclipse, the county’s Public Health Division has some advice to avoid spectators’ eyes being permanently burned by part of the sun’s light:
At no point in the Washington, DC area will anyone be able to safely view the eclipse without using special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse sunglasses or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses — even very dark ones- – are NOT safe for looking at the sun.
Looking at the sun without eclipse glasses or solar viewers can permanently burn the retina of the eye. The retina is the inside back layer of your eye which converts light into pictures that your brain uses to interpret what is going on around you.
An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed Sun is pinhole projection. NASA offers a guide for making your own pinhole projector.
As always, children should always be supervised when using solar filters and pinhole projectors.
A solar eclipse is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles. By following these simple rules, you can safely enjoy this incredible event now and have great memories for years to come.
For further recommendations on how to safely enjoy the solar eclipse, go to:
Clarendon restaurant Don Tito will host a viewing lunch and happy hour on Monday, August 21 for the solar eclipse.
The watering hole at 3165 Wilson Blvd will begin the festivities at noon, with the eclipse viewing expected to begin at approximately 1:21 p.m. The eclipse is anticipated to be at its maximum around 2:47 p.m., and the viewing and the eclipse itself will wrap us around 4 p.m.
To mark the occasion, the first total eclipse visible in the continental U.S. in decades, Don Tito will offer what it described as “eclipse-inspired refreshments” and taco specials.
Those interested in attending must RSVP online. Anyone that does RSVP will receive a pair of protective ISO-12312-2 glasses for viewing the eclipse.
This year’s eclipse is expected to be seen by more than 500 million people. The total solar eclipse will cross from Salem, Ore. to Charleston, S.C., with the rest of the country able to see a partial eclipse.
“This is truly a historic event and a wonderful opportunity to view one of nature’s stunning displays,” the Don Tito event’s organizers wrote.
So far, no other viewing events in Arlington have been widely announced, but The Connection pop-up library in Crystal City (2100 Crystal Drive in the Crystal City Shops) gave out hundreds of free glasses with which to watch the eclipse, supplied by PBS. The free glasses proved to be popular and the supply quickly ran out.
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.
An exclusive home buying class with tips on how to succeed buying real estate in a seller’s market. Learn about the home purchasing process, including how to negotiate a lower price, the loans available and more. Admission is free.
Join Italian restaurant Osteria Da Nino for Summer Restaurant Week 2017, from August 14-20. Menu options include a three-course lunch and brunch for $22, or a three-course dinner for $35. Reservations are required.
Tuesday
Free Sing
Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street)
Time: 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
Come and sing karaoke from a catalog of 27,000 songs, or enjoy listening to people from the local neighborhood sing. Those who take their karaoke more seriously can also register for a Championship League Karaoke fall season.
Wednesday
Cask Beer and Live Music
New District Brewing Company (2709 S. Oakland Street)
Time: 4:30-10 p.m.
An evening of unique cask beer and live music at New District Brewing Company. Beers will be $5 a pour until it is all gone, while Jeff Wharen will provide live music from 6-9 p.m. The type of cask beer will be kept a secret until the day of the event.
Artist Stevie New will lead a session for all skill levels to paint. The $50 admission fee covers an easel, canvas, black apron, paint brushes, acrylic paint, paint palettes and instruction. Light snacks, draft beers and wine will also be served.
Friday
Ben Bailey Live
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: Friday 10 p.m., Sunday 7 and 10 p.m.
The host of NBC game show “Who’s Still Standing?” brings his stand-up comedy show to Arlington for a two nights. Bailey has more than 10 years of experience as a comedian, and has appeared regularly at comedy festivals and on television.
Saturday
Water Play Party
Shirlington Branch Library (4200 Campbell Ave)
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Join the Northern Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children for an outdoor water play party to celebrate playing in water in the summer heat. This free event is for toddlers and pre-schoolers, with parental supervision required.
Those near Joint Base Fort Myer-Henderson Hall next weekend can expect to hear live cannon fire during the U.S. Army Band’s annual 1812 Overture summer concert.
The free concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 19 at Summerall Field (247 Sheridan Ave) on the base. If it rains, it will be moved to across the street to Conmy Hall (239 Sheridan Ave).
The U.S. Army Concert Band, the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the U.S. Army Chorus and the U.S. Army Voices ensembles will all perform. The program will include selections of classical, popular, and patriotic music.
The climax of the evening will be live cannon fire provided by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) during a playing of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Advance tickets are not required, and bleacher seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Food is allowed but alcohol, glass containers and coolers are not. All bags will be searched.
Cars and pedestrians can enter the base through the Hatfield Gate (off Washington Blvd and 2nd Street S.). The Henry Gate (off Arlington Blvd) will be open for pedestrians only from 6-10:30 p.m., while cyclists can enter at either gate. Valid photo ID is required for attendees aged 18 or over.
After weeks of anticipation ahead of its August 26 block party, the Arlington County Police Department on Thursday, August 10 released its video of officers synchronized swimming to advertise the festivities.
The video begins with officers looking at hundreds of bottles of water, wondering if it will be enough to quench the thirst of attendees. Then the video cuts to show five officers removing some of their bulkier equipment before diving into the pool — it was filmed at the Dorchester Towers apartments along Columbia Pike — to perform a synchronized swimming routine.
The video is one of several created to promote the third annual Police, Fire and Sheriff Block Party. Another released on August 2 shows an officer and a child demonstrating the ninja obstacle course, one of several activities at the event.
The block party will take place on August 26 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Road). The event is free and will be geared towards families.
Activities scheduled throughout the day include: “Behind the Badge,” an interactive activity that will simulate police scenarios for residents; a training on police tactics to get a taste of what it’s like being an officer; VIN etching; demonstrations from police K-9s and motorcycle officers; a distracted driving course; a “helicopter and vehicle expo” and more.
Kids aged 7-10 can combine a walk among nature with yoga and relaxation at a class this Friday (August 11) at the Long Branch Nature Center.
The class, entitled Yoga in the Nature Center, begins at 10 a.m. at the center at Glencarlyn Park (625 S. Carlin Springs Road). It first begins with a short walk, then attendees return to practice poses that represent the plants and animals they find.
A short relaxation period follows the yoga session, with the entire event expected to wrap up around 10:45 a.m. Organizers said no prior yoga experience is needed and yoga mats are not required, although those that have one are encouraged to bring them.
Registration is available online or by phone at 703-228-4747. The session costs $5 each.
Summer is a popular time for yoga in Arlington for young and old. As well as the new “Yoga at the Fountain” sessions in Crystal City, a sunset yoga session is set for tonight (August 9) at the Ballston Bocce Park at the intersection of N. Glebe Road and N. Randolph Street from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
“Glow Yoga” is one of several themes for the Sunday night yoga classes
Participants at Sunday’s class as they stretched
Another free weekly yoga event has begun in Crystal City.
The new program, “Yoga at the Fountain,” will be held at the Crystal City Water Park (1751 Crystal Drive) each Sunday night from 7:30-8:45 p.m. through the end of September, according to Amanda Shipe, one of its organizers. The first event was held this past Sunday.
The event is sponsored by the Crystal City BID and the weekly classes are led by instructors from Mind Your Body Oasis, a holistic wellness center and yoga studio based in Crystal City.
The BID and Mind Your Body Oasis have been hosting a similar event, “Monday Morning Yoga,” at the water park from 7-8 a.m. for six years. Attendance has grown tremendously since the event first began, according to Shipe, the studio’s owner.
“We see a lot of familiar faces each Monday morning and then the people that come end up bringing their friends,” Shipe said, adding that local hotels also support the program and recommend the free yoga classes to their guests.
Hosting classes in the morning allows for participants to enjoy the outdoors before the summer heat and humidity become stifling. Having the new class on Sunday nights in August and September should also ensure comfortable conditions.
“I don’t know why it took us this long to think of [doing Sunday yoga classes],” said Shipe. Hosting the classes by the sound of running water, she said, makes them extra relaxing.
“The calming effects from the fountain are really influential in the overall effect that people have after the class because water has negative ions,” Shipe said. “Negative ions are very calming to people which is why people love to be around waterfalls and the ocean and rivers.”
Monday sessions are focused on Vinyasa Flow classes for all levels. Sunday night yoga classes, however, will each have different themes.
This past Sunday’s event was “Glow Yoga” where people brought glow sticks and wore reflective clothes. Around 30 people showed up, which, according to Shipe, is the highest attendance ever seen at one of these yoga events.
The themes for the next few Sundays vary. On August 13, the theme is “Family Yoga Night,” where parents can bring their children for a laid-back, unscripted class. The following class, on August 20, is “Downward Dog Yoga” where participants are encouraged to bring their dogs. The last Sunday of the month will be “Relaxing Night Flow” which will be more of a restorative class.
Angela Fox, the president and CEO of the Crystal City BID, said “Yoga at the Fountain” will continue to take place on Sunday nights next year, from May 1 through September 30.
Courtesy photos. Disclosure: The Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser.
Two Clarendon restaurants will host the Arlington County Police Department’s “Conversation with a Cop” event next Thursday evening (August 31).
