Events | ARLnow.com

Clarendon Day to Return With an Extra Hour of Music, Food

Published September 15, 2015 at 11:50AM

Music and the smell of chili will fill the air around the Clarendon Metro station on Saturday, Sept. 26 for the 18th annual Clarendon Day.

There will be arts and crafts, food, beer, music and the annual chili cookoff, all on Clarendon and Wilson Blvds outside the Clarendon Metro station. The free festival will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., an hour longer than previous years.

There will about 25 bands playing across four stages, with the headliner Slam Allen Band playing blues and soul on the Main Stage at 4:30 p.m.

“Slam Allen is not only pretty good, he is taking the blues world by storm having sat at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report Blues List for 16 straight weeks with top single and album,” said Anders Thueson with Songs, Writers and Poets, one of the festival’s sponsors.

Slam Allen will play until 6 p.m., but the other four stages, including one dedicated to dance performances, will close at 5 p.m., said Matt Hussmann, executive director of the Clarendon Alliance.

For the third year in a row, Clarendon Day is also home to the annual chili cookoff, sanctioned by the International Chili Society and sponsored by Hard Times Cafe.

Members of the chili society will enter their best recipes for red chili, chili verde, salsa and homestyle chili in hopes of winning and moving on the the World Championship Chili Cookoff this October in Palm Springs, California. Proceeds from the cookoff will benefit Wounded Warriors, Hussman said.

Chefs will be giving samples of their chili, but there plenty of other food options from local restaurants, including Bowl’d, Circa at Clarendon, Fuego Cocina y Tequileria and Liberty Tavern, Hussman said. Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella will be selling food from his three Ballston restaurants — Kapnos Taverna, Pepita Cantina and Yona.

“We’re also bringing back several longtime specialty food vendors — evidently fried food is a hit at Clarendon Day,” said the event’s website.

In addition, there will be arts and crafts booths and a kids zone with rides, music, storytelling and face painting.

The Arlington County Police Department will close down Clarendon and Wilson Blvds from Washington Blvd and N. Highland Street starting at 5 a.m. for the festival. N. Highland will also be closed from 11th Street N. to the Views at Clarendon (1210 N. Highland Street).

Wilson Blvd will be closed from N. Highland to N. Lynn Streets from 5-9:15 a.m. for the annual Pacers-organized Clarendon Day 10K/5K/Kid’s Dash. The southbound lanes of Route 110 will also be closed from 8-10:30 a.m. for the race.

Columbia Pike to Kick Off Inaugural Fall Festival with Wine, Beer and Music

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 14, 2015 at 5:05PM

The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization will be holding its first fall festival on Columbia Pike this coming Saturday.

The event runs from 2-8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19 on S. Adams at Columbia Pike, near Taqueria Poblano.

“We want to have a lot of fun with the community,” said Takis Karantonis. “We started the summer with a festival and we wanted to close summer with one as well.”

For $25 a ticket, each attendee will get 12 wine tastings, eight craft beer tastings and tastings of food from Pike restaurants William Jeffrey’s Tavern, Red Rocks Arlington and The Celtic House Irish Pub and Restaurant.

Wine will be selected by Jason McKechnie of Twisted Vines Bottleshop and Bistro, and William Jeffrey’s Tavern’s Logan Skidmore will choose the craft beer.

“Kids and grownups will be happy with the quality of the food. It’s not dumbed down carnival food,” said Christine Hopkins, who helped plan the festival.

Beer selections will be unique to the festival — not be the craft brews that are offered every day at William Jeffrey’s, Karantonis said.

There will also be live music throughout the entire event, with local Pike band the Boxcartels playing from 4:15-5:15 p.m.

CPRO wants to start holding more fall events, Karantonis said, adding that fall on the Pike is typically a quieter than the summer.

#Columbia Pike

Arlington Agenda: Sept. 14 – 20

By Eleanor Greene

Published September 14, 2015 at 3:45PM | Updated September 14, 2015 at 5:29PM

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

LinkedIn Career Seminar*
Link Locale (3140 N. Washington Boulevard)
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Crafting a LinkedIn profile for the 2015-2016 job market can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Get started with personal branding for the job search, including LinkedIn and other social platforms. Email [email protected] to register.

Tuesday

Arlington Thrive’s Bingo Happy Hour*
Arlington Rooftop Bar and Grill (2424 Wilson Boulevard)
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Join Arlington Thrive’s Young Professionals group for a happy hour with food and drink specials. Entry and the first bingo card are free. Network with other workers and learn about an organization working to end homelessness. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Friday

Wine in the Water Park and ArtJamz
Crystal City Water Park (1750 Crystal Drive)
Time: 6-9 p.m.

Enjoy wine and live music in the Crystal City Water Park to kick off a relaxing weekend. Experts from Washington Wine Academy will help you pick out a wine just for your tastes. ArtJamz is also offering a free painting session from 6 p.m. while supplies last.

Standup Compedy: Deon Cole
Arlington Cinema and Draft House (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: Shows starting at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

You’ve seen him on Conan, now you can see him in Arlington. The hilarious star of Black-ish will be doing standup at Arlington Draft House on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are $25.

Saturday

Backyard Beer Fest*
Gateway Park (1300 Lee Hwy)
Time: 12 – 10 p.m.

For the first time ever, Arlington will be hosting hours of unlimited beer tasting overlooking D.C. Taste craft beers, try out local food trucks and play favorite lawn games. Tickets are $35 for 3 hours of tasting and $45 for 4 hours of tasting.

Players and Pets Fashion Show @ Mad Rose Tavern*
Mad Rose Tavern (3100 Clarendon Boulevard)
Time: 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

The first event was cancelled due to thunder, so Players and Pets is back! Joining Wilson Ramos (and surprise guests) are members of the local news community. The local celebrities will be walking dogs that are up for adoption as well as some of their own pets.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

North Arlington Church to Discuss Race and Religion

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 11, 2015 at 4:20PM

The Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (5010 Little Falls Road) will discuss the intertwining of race and religion this month through sermons and evening session called “Starting the Conversation.”

The sermons and conversations were sparked by the deaths of Freddie Gray and Eric Garner while in police custody, which made national headlines and sparked a national dialogue on race, Rev. Kathy Dwyer said.

“I think we have just really been struck by the shocking events that have put the spotlight on racial injustice,” Dwyer said.

Starting on Sunday, Sept. 13, Dwyer will talk about racial justice through a series of three sermons about the story of Esther. The sermons will be a “broader brush stroke” about race and prejudice, she said.

“This series is based on the book of Esther, a dramatic story in the Hebrew Bible that is about an imbalance of power, privilege, prejudice, and taking risks to effect change,” Dwyer said. “In her sermons, Rev. Dwyer will reflect on Esther’s story and its connection with our lives, especially as it connects with the concerns about racial justice in America today.”

The church will also hold a series of three evening conversations about race and religion starting on Sunday, Sept. 20, which will be led by Dwyer and church leaders Susan Henderson, Laura Martin and Dale Dwyer. Each conversation will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Saegmuller Room at the Rock Spring church.

The conversations are open to youth, teenagers and adults, she said, and are part of a larger, “year-long focus on racial justice” that will extend into 2016.

Through the sessions, the church and its congregation will “explore the fundamental issues of racism, connecting the discussion to our church’s and denomination’s histories, to our our individual beliefs and actions, to the role of race in society and to the themes of race in religion,” according to the Starting the Conversation event page.

The discussion on Sept. 20 is called “Whose Story?” and will address what sparked the Church to talk about race. Participants will also talk about how race connects to the church and themselves in terms of their “denominational histories, identities and commitments.”

On Sept. 27, the church leaders will look at language and behaviors in terms of racism. The group will also look at the difficulties in talking about racism as part of the “Racism 101 and Beyond” conversation.

The last planned discussion, “The Bible and Racism” on Oct. 4, will examine the role of race in the Bible. Church members will also talk about how racial and cultural themes in the Bible are different than today’s experience with race.

“In our core values, we proclaim that we are an inclusive community, and a justice-seeking community. When we sing our centennial hymn, we pledge to loose the bonds of injustice,” Dwyer and church officials said in an email to congregants Thursday night. “We look forward to the start of this exciting program of learning, sharing, and taking action in support of our core values.”

ARLnow to Hold Events for Local Businesses Next Week

By ARLnow.com

Published September 11, 2015 at 11:35AM

Register for the 4 p.m. session here, or the 5:30 p.m. session here.

It’s no secret that digital marketing is the future. It allows businesses to reach customers for a fraction of the cost of traditional media — and in ways never imagined before.

Unfortunately the digital landscape is changing quickly and often it’s hard to keep up. The marketing mix in today’s mobile world is substantially different than it was just a year or two ago.

This is especially challenging for local business owners, who would rather focus on delighting customers rather than the latest geotargeting tech. Plus, local businesses often face a barrage of telemarketing calls from out of town, fly by night peddlers of various online services, making it hard to know who to trust.

To help sort out the options — and provide some real-world best practices that will bring your business more customers and more revenue — ARLnow.com is bringing small business digital marketing expert Stanley Gauss to town next Thursday.

Gauss and ARLnow.com owner Scott Brodbeck will be holding two free, small group discussions about the latest digital marketing options specifically for local businesses: social media, mobile, geotargeting, email blasts and everything in between. The events are free for owners and managers of Arlington-based local businesses.

Two sessions are available on Thursday, Sept. 17: from 4 to 5:15 p.m. and from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Registration is free but an RSVP is required.

If you’re unable to attend in person, you may also use the links above to register to phone in via conference call. Or, to inquire about a one-on-one discussion at your office earlier in the day, contact ARLnow’s Meghan McMahon at [email protected] or 703-348-0583.

Top Chef Contestant to Celebrate Ballston Restaurant Openings With Party

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 10, 2015 at 4:45PM

Restaurant entrepreneur and Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella is throwing a “block party” to celebrate the opening of his three Ballston restaurants.

The event will be held at the patio at The View apartment building (4000 Wilson Blvd) on Sept. 12 from 1-4 p.m.

For $65, guests will enjoy food from Isabella’s three Arlington-based restaurants — Pepita, Kapnos Taverna and Yona, which opens in the fall — while listening to live jazz.

“The event is going to be a big party. It is a great way to experience food from all three of Mike Isabella’s Ballston restaurants, including forthcoming Yona, with live entertainment from the jazz duo The Potash Twins and DJ Toast,” said Madeline Harrington, a public relations rep for the restaurants.

Guests will be able to sample food from each restaurant at the event. There will be crispy cauliflower and barbecue goat tacos and Mexican corn on the cob from Pepita. From Kapnos Taverna, guests will be able to try spit roasted pork, falafel and classic Greek spreads. Yona, Isabella’s newest restaurant, will provide pork and kimchi dumplings, Japanese curry potato croquettes and Korean fried chicken.

“[There will be] great food, great drinks and lively music,” Harrington said. “A great way to say goodbye to the summer.”

Isabella’s first Arlington venture, Kapnos Taverna, opened last January. Pepita opened in the same building at the end of July, and new restaurant Yona is expected to open in late fall, she said.

Yona will be a Japanese noodles and small plates restaurant with new and traditional takes on ramen and other Asian dishes, she said.

“Mike loves the neighborhood. Both Kapnos Taverna and Pepita have been a huge success, and each concept is set up so that it doesn’t compete with the others other,” Harrington said. “Yona will be something fresh and new for Ballston, so it made sense [for him to open another restaurant].”

Barcroft Elementary to Promote Art and Peace Through Chalk

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 10, 2015 at 10:00AM | Updated September 10, 2015 at 10:41AM

Barcroft Elementary School’s sidewalks and blacktops will be covered in chalk drawings on Saturday as part of annual event promoting art and peace.

Barcroft will hold its annual Chalk4Peace event on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. There will be music and chalk will be provided.

Children will be able to draw on the blacktop and sidewalks around the school. The art will stay there until it is washed away by rain, said Principal Colette Bounet.

“They [kids] get to hang out with their friends,” Bounet said. “They get to draw on the ground, which they usually don’t get to do.”

Chalk4Peace is a global initatiative started by artist John Aaron 10 years ago to help connect communities and promote peace and art.

“The peace aspect [for the Barcroft event] is more just getting out with your community,” Bounet said.

About 50 to 60 kids show up each year to the event, Bounet said, adding that at any one time there are usually 25 to 30 kids drawing.

Chalk4Peace first came first came to Barcroft nine years ago, said art teacher Marel Sitron, who helped launch the event. The original Chalk4Peace event was founded in Arlington in 2003.

“I just think it’s a wonderful event because art is an universal language,” Sitron said.

Both Bounet and Sitron draw during the event, they said. In previous years, Sitron chalked the Mona Lisa in chalk as well as other large pictures, she said.

Children who participate in Chalk4Peace also bring a box of cereal to donate. Last year, the school filled five to six large tubs of cereal boxes, Bounet said.

“We’ve just found it’s very appealing for kids to give to other kids,” she said.

Arlington Agenda: Sept 9 – 15

By Eleanor Greene

Published September 9, 2015 at 6:00PM

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

Second Annual Hot Sauce Contest*
Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company (3471 Washington Blvd.)
Time: 5:30-8 p.m.

Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company, home of the hot-sauce Wall of Fire, invites you to submit your best sauce. Tickets are $20 and proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Arlington Passages Film Premiere and Benefit
Arlington Cinema and Draught House (2903 Columbia Pike)
Time: 7-10 p.m.

Check out this series of new films about what it’s like to bike in Arlington and who’s riding around town. The films are produced by production company Modacity and tickets to the event are $7.50.

Saturday

DC Dog Fest Walk n Roll
Pentagon Row (1201 South Joyce Street)
Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

This community dog walk supports Canine Companions for Independence. Register yourself or a team of friends — your fundraising efforts will help people with disabilities and earn you a great prize.

Rosslyn Jazz Fest
Gateway Park (1300 Lee Hwy)
Time: 1 – 7 p.m.

This community jazz event is taking over all three acres of Gateway Park. Enjoy six hours of world-class music, plus food and drinks. Plus, activities especially for kids. Admission is free.

Arlington Police, Fire and Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5k
DoubleTree Hotel (300 Army Navy Drive)
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.

The race to commemorate those fallen on 9/11 will benefit charities that focus on the healing of military personnel and civilians affected by the attacks. Race entry is $50 and is available on race day.

Sunday

LLT 5k and Kids’ 1 Mile Dash
Bluemont Park Trail (601 N. Manchester Street)
Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Latinas Leading Tomorrow (LLT) is a volunteer organization to empower middle and high school Latina students to become successful leaders. Proceeds from this run will support LLT’s programming throughout the year.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

Author Judy Blume to Speak at October Library Event

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 8, 2015 at 1:45PM | Updated September 8, 2015 at 2:25PM

Best-selling children’s and young adult novel author Judy Blume is coming to Arlington next month to talk about her latest book.

Blume will speak in the Washington-Lee High School auditorium (1301 N. Stratford Street) on Oct. 22 from 7-9 p.m. The event is free; copies of Blume’s latest book, “In the Unlikely Event” will be available for purchase.

Blume is the author of books like “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” and “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret,” which have sold millions of copies and tell life lessons for young readers.

While Blume is noted for her children and young adult novels, she also has written books for adults, like “Summer Sisters.”

“She’s one of those few people who have several different audiences,” said Peter Golkin, spokesman for Arlington Public Library, which is organizing the event.

Library Director Diane Kresh will lead a question-and-answer conversation with Blume about writing, having an effect of her many readers at “pivotal moments in their lives” and the challenges that come from writing for multiple audiences, according to the library website.

Fans can submit questions through the comments section on the event page, and some of them may make it on to Kresh’s list. Kresh will ultimately decide what she will ask the author, Golkin said.

The library is also planning to have audience questions at the end, he said.

Blume will sign copies of her new book, “In the Unlikely Event,” which tells the story of a series of plane crashes in a small New Jersey town. The library does not know if she will sign other books at this time, according to its website.

Photo courtesy of Arlington Public Library

Arlington Agenda: Aug. 31- Sept. 6

By Eleanor Greene

Published August 31, 2015 at 5:00PM | Updated September 1, 2015 at 10:45AM

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.

Wednesday

APAH Affordable Housing Month Open House
Columbia Grove Apartments (1010 Frederick Street S.)
Time: 8-8:45 a.m.

Want to learn more about affordable housing in Arlington? The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) welcomes community members to learn answers to important questions, including how affordable housing is financed.

Thursday

Pride on the Rocks*
Redrocks Arlington (2501 9th Road S.)
Time: 6-10 p.m.

As part of NoVa Pride, Redrocks Arlington is hosting an event with food and drink specials, and trivia that starts at 7:30 p.m. Redrocks will donate 10 percent of all profits that evening to NoVa Pride.

Saturday

Slam Allen
Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (4444 Arlington Blvd.)
Time: 8-9:30 p.m.

Slam Allen has been a singer and performer of soul and blues music for over two decades and has performed around the world, including the famed Chitlin’ Circuit. Tickets are $20 and $10 for students and seniors.

Sunday

Do the Light Switch @ Westover Farmers Market
Westover Farmers Market (Washington Boulevard & McKinley Road N.)
Time: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

The Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy (AIRE) will have a booth set up at the farmers market to trade in incandescent bulbs for a free LED bulb. Limited to one per household.

*Denotes featured (sponsored) content

#Arlington Agenda

September is Affordable Housing and Hunger Action Month

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 31, 2015 at 10:15AM

Arlington County and a local nonprofit are raising awareness of housing and hunger in September.

September is Affordable Housing Month in Arlington. Throughout the month, Arlington County will be holding events that celebrate “the County’s long-term commitment to preserving and creating housing opportunities that benefit the whole community.”

There will be bus and bike tours of affordable housing complexes, a speech from national affordable housing advocate Chris Estes and a public forum about the benefits and challenges of offering affordable housing in the county.

During the month, there will also be public hearings on the Affordable Housing Master Plan on Sept. 8 and 19. The plan addresses the decline of affordable housing in the county and includes the creation of 15,800 additional affordable housing units by 2040.

“For decades, we have invested in our affordable housing programs to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. “These efforts support our residents at all ages and stages of life, improve our neighborhoods and strengthen our economy. This September, we will come together to celebrate our successes and discuss our challenges.”

Affordable Housing Month kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with a speech from Estes, the president and CEO of non-profit National Housing Conference. The opening reception is from 4-6 p.m. in the County Board room (2100 Clarendon Blvd, room 307).

The following events are also part of Affordable Housing Month:

Sept. 12, 9:15-11:30 a.m. — Affordable Housing Bus Tour
Sept. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. — Public Forum on Mixed Income Housing
Sept. 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. — Resident Services and Affordable Housing
Sept. 26, 9:30-11 a.m. — Affordable Housing Bike Tour
Sept. 30, 5-8:30 p.m. — Leckey Forum on Affordable Housing

The Arlington Food Assistance Center will also spend September educating residents about hunger and food demand in the county as part of its Hunger Action Month.

The organization will hold discussions about hunger, a golf tournament, a film screening and multiple food drives to raise awareness of Arlington residents who struggle with feeding their families.

There will also be a month-long exhibit about AFAC and hunger in the lobby of the Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street), with an accompanying presentation on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

“Over 2,200 families are coming to AFAC each week to access fresh and healthy supplemental groceries, freeing up tightly stretched funds for child and health care, rent, and other financial demands. The growing need shows no signs of abating and Hunger Action Month creates an opportunity to share AFAC’s story and expand its reach to every Arlington resident suffering from food insecurity,” the organization said in a press release.