Around Town

From olive oil to ‘House of Gucci,’ this mother-daughter duo is giving Arlington an Italian flair

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

Julia Franchi Scarselli announced her return home from high school one day calling out to her mom, or mamma, in a thick Italian accent.

She had just transferred from a class of 50 kids in a small British private school in Milan to the much larger Washington-Lee High School, now Washington-Liberty.

“I remember driving up to the school thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is an airport? Like, where did I land? I don’t know anybody,” Scarselli tells ARLnow.

Scarselli grew up in Milan with her father and Sara Gay Forden, who had spent two decades covering the fashion industry and luxury goods. This became fodder for her 2001 book “House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed” and the basis for the eponymous 2021 movie starring Jared Leto, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga.

Forden moved to Arlington to cover antitrust for Bloomberg in D.C., bringing Scarselli with her. The two clung to stateside vestiges of Italy when they were homesick, frequenting the Italian Store for wine and cheese and an Italian church in D.C. just to hear the language.

Scarselli struggled with her Italian and American halves, says Forden, but was quick to pick up cultural differences. Forden recalls that when her daughter burst home, saying mamma, she made the following observation:

“Americans, when they get an idea in their head, they just go for it in a straight line, bound and determined. Nothing will dissuade them until they reach their goal. Italians really know how to live.”

“Julia,” Forden replied, “if you figure out how to bring those two things into balance, you will figure out how to live.”

This balancing act has animated Scarselli’s career path and life since. It lead her to start an organic extra virgin olive oil company, Libellula, which bridges her American and Italian roots and maintains her Arlington ties.

Libellula olive oil bottle (courtesy photo)

Going to the roots

Libellula sells organic extra virgin olive oil produced by six Italian family farms, which use sustainable methods to preserve ancient olive groves threatened by climate change.

Customers can purchase gifts and subscriptions, adopt groves and take retreats where they can participate in the harvest, taste fresh-pressed olive oils and learn how to pair them.

Scarselli has been working on Libellula since she was a student at Smith College, though the brand officially launched a year and a half ago. Its U.S. warehouse, in Maine, has been a boon for the local economy, leading the Maine International Trade Center to recently name the company the Foreign Direct Investor of the Year.

Today, Scarselli oversees bringing oil to fine-food retail partners around the U.S. when not at her day job with the World Economic Forum in Geneva. Her father, who lives in a medieval town outside Rome, works with the farmers. She travels between Italy and the U.S. for work, taking time to visit her mom in Arlington.

“It’s like bringing together the best of both worlds: the Italian love for food and community and appreciation for culture and nature.. and the American desire to to seek those out,” she said. “I think there is no one like an American that can like pragmatically get stuff done, right?”

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Schools

Yard work builds bonds and bots for Arlington robotics team

By Jo DeVoe
1/7

An Arlington Tech robotics team has an unusual strategy for building camaraderie and raising money ahead of competition season: yard work.

Every fall, members of the Koibots weed, rake and landscape around 40 yards in Arlington. Money funds the cost to pay for robot parts and travel and lodging when competitions start in March.

“We’re kids, we all we have the ability to go out and break our backs for four hours on a weekend, shoveling, raking leaves and whatnot,” says rising senior Madeline Florio. “It is a service that people do need and we are able to provide it. Our customers are pretty loyal.”

The team’s coach, engineering teacher Steve Nystrom, says yard work hones their ability to communicate and work together, which comes in handy during the building phase.

“So when you start making the robot, you need to know, who can I depend on? Who can I count on? Who has the skill sets?” he said. “Ironically, you can build a lot of that and know a lot of those answers by going out on yard jobs.”

This kind of fundraising makes the Koibots an anomaly, says rising junior Anna Litwiller. Most teams get large sums of money from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and sometimes the Dept. of Defense.

The yard work might provide the team a competitive advantage, especially considering how well they’ve performed in their short existence.

Despite being in existence for just five years and having constructed only three robots, the team has twice made the cut-offs for districts — where the top 50% of teams in D.C., Virginia and Maryland compete in the spring.

This year, the Koibots came in 36th out 0f 60 and won an award for its design and branding, which leans heavily into its quirky culture influenced by marine life.

Nystrom said he chose the name “Koibots” because Arlington Tech’s Frisbee team is called “The Kois.” After naming their second robot “Sharkbait,” the aquatic theme stuck.

“We try to do as much as we can send her around the fish, and the IKEA shark, and all sorts of aquatic things,” says rising junior Shangwen Cheng. “We highly encourage our team members to get a shark because they’re wonderful but it really brings together our team in a way that you really can’t from the engineering alone.”

“Obviously, we’re here to encourage a love of STEM and building things and learning all things technical, but it’s also a lot of fun and you get to throw sharks around at people,” she continued.

(more…)

Sponsored

Listing of the Day: 2607 Washington Blvd

By ARLnow.com

Address: 2607 Washington Blvd
Neighborhood: Lyon Park
Type: 3 BR, 2 (+1 half) BA single-family detached – 1920 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,274,900

Noteworthy: Beautifully updated brick colonial in the heart of Arlington!

This charming 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home perfectly blends classic character with thoughtful modern updates. The handsome brick exterior and flagstone retaining wall create exceptional curb appeal, enhanced by professional landscaping and private off-street parking for three cars. Inside, wood floors flow throughout both levels, complemented by fresh modern paint and abundant natural light.

The renovated kitchen showcases granite countertops, painted paneled cabinetry with brushed nickel hardware, a marble tile backsplash, pendant lighting, spacious pantry, and stainless steel appliances including a Bosch dishwasher, LG refrigerator, and five-burner gas stove. The adjoining family room features a cozy wood-burning fireplace with brick hearth and wood mantel, plus a sliding glass door leading to a large deck overlooking a fully fenced backyard with lush landscaping and a storage shed.

Upstairs, the expansive primary suite offers a deep walk-in closet, additional custom-organized closet, and a luxurious private bath with double sinks, granite counters, new lighting, and upgraded hardware. Two additional bedrooms with ceiling fans share an updated hall bath featuring a granite vanity, ceramic tile floor, and tub with tile surround.

Additional highlights include a newer Carrier gas furnace, State water heater, LG front-load washer and dryer, central vacuum system, and double-pane windows. Ideally located just blocks to Clarendon Metro and minutes to downtown D.C., the Pentagon, National Landing, and local parks and trails—this home delivers a rare combination of comfort, convenience, and timeless charm.

https://homevisit.view.property/public/vtour/display/2355883#!/public/vtour/display/2355883#!/public/vtour/display/2355883#!/public/vtour/display/2355883#!/public/vtour/display/2355883#!/

Listed by:
Rob Ferguson – RE/MAX Allegiance
[email protected]
(703) 926-6139

Around Town

Condo association: consider edibles rather than smoking weed

By Jo DeVoe
Multifamily units in Fairlington Villages (via Google Maps)

A condo association in Shirlington rolled out tips both smoking and non-smoking homes can implement to prevent the spread of stray smoke.

One suggestion, targeted to marijuana users, is blunt: consider switching to edibles.

Confronted with mounting complaints from residents about smoke from neighbors infiltrating their homes, management for Fairlington Villages reminded smoking residents to be mindful of their neighbors.

The issue is most acute within multifamily buildings in the community, which consists of townhomes and apartments in 2-4 story buildings around S. Abingdon Street in the Shirlington neighborhood. General Manager Gregory Roby told ARLnow his office gets complaints from tenants roughly once a month about tobacco and marijuana smoke drifting from one unit to another.

“This problem was on the decrease, corresponding to the decreasing number of people smoking tobacco products, but has started to turn around with the legalization and ready availability of marijuana,” he said.

On its website and on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, management suggested different tips for smokers and non-smokers to smoke-proof their homes.

In the thread, Fairlington Villages thanked residents in advance for any steps they take to mitigate the negative effects of smoking. While cigarette smokers have to find ways to keep the smoke in, or purify what does escape, the message notes marijuana users can talk to a doctor about switching to edibles.

People need a doctor’s note to get medical marijuana from a dispensary. Arlington’s first medical dispensary opened earlier this year — about a year and a half after Virginia legalized marijuana possession. State efforts to build up an industry around the plant have stalled.

Roby attributes the issue of smoke transferring among units to the age of Fairlington Villages, built more than 75 years ago. He said the walls have large gaps behind cabinets and appliances, as well as open spaces between units, through which smoke pass and even seep into common stairwells.

“Sealing these openings, as well as common-wall outlets, etc., can help decrease unit-to-unit transference,” he noted. “Creating negative pressure in the unit, either by opening a window (depending upon outside pressure) or turning on exhaust fans, helps draw fresh air into the stairwells and units, minimizing the possibility of unit-to-hallway transfer.”

Previously, the condo association has dealt with wilder forms of infiltration, once by a mangy fox and another time by hungry racoons.

Announcement

Preschool Now Enrolling

By St. Charles Early Childhood Education Center

Enrollment is now open for St. Charles Preschool’s 2021-2022 school year! St. Charles serves children ages 2-5, half-day or full-day, in the heart of Clarendon.

St. Charles offers a play-based curriculum in a welcoming, Christ-centered environment. Our programs focus on socio-emotional development and kindergarten readiness through hands-on and engaging activities. In full compliance with national and local safety guidelines and COVID-19 precautions, St. Charles serves as a safe space and friendly community for children in an uncertain world.

Go to Preschool Now Enrolling Read more
News

Construction could begin next year on affordable housing redevelopment in Crystal City

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

Construction could start on the redevelopment of Crystal House Apartments in Crystal City late next spring.

Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (A, which is spearheading the project along with D.C.-area developer EYA, expects to kick off construction in May or June of 2024, APAH spokeswoman Elise Panko tells ARLnow.

Arlington County selected the two companies build more affordable housing on the Crystal House apartment property after Amazon granted the county development rights to the vacant land, worth approximately $40 million. APAH and EYA have plans to construct 844 units on this empty plot, of which 655 will be designated as affordable.

Meanwhile, existing units will be kept affordable through a separate loan from Amazon. In an effort to mitigate the impact of its move to Arlington on the local housing market, the tech giant loaned the Washington Housing Conservancy money to purchase and stabilize rent at the complex, located at 1900 S. Eads Street, just one block from its second headquarters.

Several months after being selected to lead the project, APAH has requested the county’s permission to amend the previously approved development plans for the site, aiming to incorporate affordable housing, according to recently filed application materials.

APAH began by redesigning the project’s first phase, dubbed “Crystal House VI,” which is set to be located at the corner of 18th Street S. and S. Fern Street.

A rendering of Crystal House VI (via Arlington County)

When the project was approved in 2019, the “Crystal House VI” was envisioned as a five-story building housing 63 units. However, APAH now intends to pivot towards affordable senior rentals, which the developer says is necessary to secure additional financing.

The developer requested permission to increase the number of units to 80 and halve the number of parking spaces.

It also requested different façade materials that “maintain a high quality and appealing design while reducing construction costs,” according to land-use attorney Nicholas Cumings.

According to a letter from Cummings, the increase in units can be achieved without changing the building’s overall footprint. The units will be smaller than the originally planned market-rate condos.

“The proposed minor site plan amendment represents a significant milestone in realizing the county’s goals,” APAH Executive Vice President Carmen Romero wrote in a letter of support to the county. “Creating these homes requires the approval of this minor site plan amendment in order to make the design compatible with an affordable senior rental project.”

Once construction starts next year, Panko says APAH anticipates Crystal House VI to be done in the fall or winter of 2025.

“This phase will reconnect the streetscape to the surrounding community as well as provide carefully crafted amenities for our seniors that foster a sense of belonging and enhance the overall quality of life for residents,” Romero said in her letter.

When asked for a timeline of the other projects in the pipeline, Panko said “there are two buildings on the site that will remain occupied, so the development will be phased to accommodate existing operations.”

Announcement

Find Joy for the Holiday: Support the 58th Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser

By Arlington South Lions Club
Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser -- Lit Lot 2018

Light up your life. Two weeks to nab that glorious tree! Arlington South Lions Club 58th Year to sell Christmas trees and wreaths.

Give a tree a home to support local youth sports and Lions Mission of Vision for those in need. November 27 to December 12, Monday-Friday: 12-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Intersection of Columbia Pike and South Four Mile Run.

Go to Find Joy for the Holiday: Support the 58th Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser Read more
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