Crystal City

Construction Progress at Long Bridge Park

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:00 p.m.) When we last visited the site of the future Long Bridge Park in March, it was still a vast expanse of dirt and construction equipment. Now, the park, on Old Jefferson Davis Highway near Crystal City, is a vast expanse of dirt, construction equipment and artificial turf.

The Sun Gazette reports today that the park is “definitely” on track to open at some point this fall, according to County Manager Barbara Donnellan.

When it does open, the $50 million $31 million first phase of the park will feature lighted multipurpose athletic fields, concession stands, picnic areas, a rain garden, a lush esplanade and a public plaza. Just don’t expect much tranquility — every few minutes the roar of planes landing at Reagan National Airport, and occasionally the whistle of trains passing by the eastern end of the park, interrupts any momentary sense of being away from the bustle of the surrounding area.

A second phase, expected to begin construction in 2013, will feature a large new aquatics, health and fitness facility (see renderings here and here). Expected sooner: a much-needed repaving, and possible renaming, of Old Jefferson Davis Highway.

Photos from Sunday’s Vintage Crystal Festival

By ARLnow.com

The annual wine and food festival known as Vintage Crystal: A Taste of Wine and Jazz was held Sunday afternoon in Crystal City.

The event featured tastings of more than 30 types of Spanish and South American wines, as well as free food samples from local eateries like Jaleo, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Kora. There was also live performances of Latin jazz, rumba, salsa, and samba music — complete with dancing.

Here are a few of our photos from the event.

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Another Coffee Shop Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Crystal Drive might as well be called Coffee Drive. Another coffee shop is planning to open on the southern end of the office-heavy thoroughfare later this fall.

We’re told that a coffee shop recently approved for construction at 2450 Crystal Drive, near Buffalo Wild Wings, will be a Seattle’s Best Coffee franchise. The owners are hoping to open around mid-November.

The coffee shop will be located on a block that sits between two Starbucks — one at 2600 Crystal Drive and the other at 2231 Crystal Drive. Seattle’s Best, it should be noted, is a subsidiary of Starbucks.

Other coffee shops along Crystal Drive in Crystal City include Caribou Coffee, at 2100 Crystal Drive, and Dunkin Donuts, in the Crystal City underground near 18th Street.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

September Sunset — As warm temperatures gave way to fall-like temperatures yesterday, mother nature compensated by providing the D.C. area with an exceptionally beautiful sunset.

Gunfire on the GW Parkway — An SUV was struck by a bullet while driving on the GW Parkway near the Chain Bridge early Thursday morning. [NBC Washington]

Chain Bridge Closure — The Chain Bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians this weekend, from 8:00 p.m. on Friday to 5:00 a.m. on Monday. The closure is one of a series of weekend closures planned through the end of the year. [DDOT]

Pike Outdoor Movie on Saturday — It was supposed to have taken place on Aug. 27, but thanks to Hurricane Irene the outdoor screening of The Blind Side at Penrose Square (Columbia Pike and S. Barton Street) is now being held on Saturday night. The free family-friendly flick will get underway around 8:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring friends, a blanket or lawn chair, and (unofficially) a jacket — since the temperature could get down to the low-to-mid 50s on Saturday night. [Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization]

Vintage Crystal Wine and Jazz Fest on Sunday — Crystal City will be holding its annual Vintage Crystal wine and jazz festival from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Latin-themed event will feature tastings of 30 wines and food from more than 20 local restaurants. Latin jazz group Trio Caliente and Latin dancers will perform. Tickets are $10 for food only or $20 for wine and food. [Crystal City BID]

Disclosure: Crystal City BID and CPRO are both ARLnow.com advertisers.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

BRAC Not Too Bad, After All — Today is the deadline for the transfer of military offices affected by the Base Realignment and Closure Act. By today, 17,000 jobs were supposed to have moved out of Arlington County (mostly Crystal City) and into secure military installations like Ft. Belvoir. But in the end, the feared deadline is coming and going “with little fanfare.” The Associated Press reports that 10,000 of the 17,000 BRACed jobs are still here and expected to remain through as late as 2014, thanks to extensions granted by the Department of Defense. [Washington Post]

Pumpkins Arrive in Clarendon — The first pumpkins of the season showed up yesterday at the Clarendon Farmers Market. [Clarendon Culture]

Artisphere Called ‘Sad,’ Lonely — The designated art critic for the Clarendon-Courthouse-Rosslyn Patch says he was disappointed by Artisphere on his first visit. “I noticed an immediate loneliness to the place, a sad emptiness,” he wrote. The critic went on to recommend “more traditional” art galleries, in addition to Artisphere’s more modern, avant-garde exhibits. [Patch]

Flickr pool photo by Runneralan2004

Wild Chickens Living Near Crystal City?

By ARLnow.com

On a fishing expedition to the Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, located between Crystal City and the GW Parkway, local fly fishing guide Rob Snowhite made a surprising discovery: a group of wild chickens that has apparently taken residence in the sanctuary.

Snowhite wrote on his blog this morning that shortly after parking in the Roaches Run parking lot (across from Gravelly Point, the lot is frequented by limo drivers waiting for airport arrivals) an animal control officer arrived on scene and started trying to round up the wily birds, who seemed determined to not be evicted from their South Arlington home. To assist the effort, Snowhite and his fishing buddy got out their nets and joined the chase. After 20 minutes of fruitless effort, the trio gave up — an outcome that was cheered by some bystanders who told the men to leave the chickens alone.

The two fishermen continued on with their fly fishing mission at the sanctuary, marveling at the prospect of wild chickens living near an urban pond but lamenting the unsuccessful chicken chase.

“There won’t be any fresh roast chicken at Ri Ra tonight,” Snowhite quipped.

Photo courtesy Rob Snowhite

Crystal City Apartment Building Sold

By ARLnow.com

The Crystal Plaza Apartments in Crystal City (2111 Jefferson Davis Highway) are under new ownership.

Archstone sold the building to real estate investor Ralph Dweck at the end of last month. No word yet on why Archstone, a major Crystal City land holder, decided to sell the apartment complex.

We’re also awaiting word from Dweck about his plans for the complex. So far, however, no changes have been announced.

Residents were notified about the sale last week.

Video: Coal-Fired Pizza in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Tagolio Pizzeria (549 S. 23rd Street), located along restaurant row on 23rd Street in Crystal City, is one of the few pizzerias to serve an authentic coal-fired pizza in the D.C. area.

A crew from the county’s cable TV channel caught up with the restaurant’s French-born owner to find out the secret to Tagolio’s critically-acclaimed pies (and its freshly-made gnocci). Short answer: the dough, the fresh ingredients and the coal-fired oven.

Morning Poll: Post-Labor Day Events

By ARLnow.com

Now that the first day of September has arrived, it’s time to start looking forward to some of the later summer and fall events that Arlington has to offer.

The first major event after Labor Day is the Rosslyn Jazz Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10. Jazz luminaries Dee Dee Bridgewater, Henry Butler and Grace Kelly will perform at the annual event, which is held in Rossslyn’s Gateway Park.

The annual Vintage Crystal wine and jazz festival is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18. The event, held in a Crystal City parking lot, features wine tastings and food samples, as well as jazz and dance performances, all with a “Latin twist.”

Clarendon Day, another local favorite, will happen on Saturday, Sept. 24 this year. Food vendors, live music, a 10K/5K race and family activities round out the day’s excitement.

The Capital City Brewing Shirlington Oktoberfest is back this year for more Teutonic debauchery in Shirlington Village. Sample enough Märzen-style beers and you’ll forget all about the boisterous crowds and long lines. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8.

Finally, for the political wonks, Election Day will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8 this year. Will Barbara Favola successfully fend off a challenge from Republican Caren Merrick? Will Democrats hang on to the Virginia state Senate? Local political types will be watching closely.

Which event are you most looking forward to?


 

Next Year’s ‘Crystal Screen’ Theme: RomComs

By ARLnow.com

The final screening of this year’s Crystal City outdoor summer film festival took place last night, but not before the theme for next year’s festival was revealed.

The festival, which is coming up on its sixth year, will host an entire summer of romantic comedies in 2012. Dubbed ‘Crystal Screen: Date Night Crystal City,’ the movie series will again start in June and wrap up at the end of August.

Films set to be shown under the stars next year include: Sex and the City, The Wedding Singer, Sweet Home Alabama, Hitch, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Sleepless in Seattle, The Proposal, Bridget Jones’s Diary, You’ve Got Mail, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Love Actually, Pretty Woman and When Harry Met Sally.

“The audience has selected a great line up of movies, and I know that everyone is looking forward to a romantic night under the stars in Crystal City,” Crystal City BID President Angela Fox said in a statement. The past two ‘Crystal Screen’ themes were ‘By the Numbers’ — movies with numbers in the title — and ‘Star Trek’ — an entire summer of Star Trek films.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County to Label Building Energy Use — In October, Arlington will start installing signs on county-owned building that will reveal the building’s energy use and carbon footprint. “We’d like people to think of energy use in buildings like they think of gasoline use in cars,” Joan Kelsch, Arlington’s green building program manager, told reporter Michael Lee Pope. [WAMU]

Planetarium Donors and Dedications — Among the whimsical new seat dedications in the soon-to-be-renovated David M. Brown Planetarium: “Pick any star — make a wish!” “Gaze upward & dream!” and “4 Who Is Yet To Come.” [savetheplanetarium.org]

Fairfax Supervisor Candidate’s 2010 Arlington Assault — An independent candidate for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was charged with assault in Arlington after a heated argument over a Crystal City parking space on March 25, 2010. “It was an altercation between two adults,” explained Will Radle, who has been endorsed by the Independent Green party. [Kingstowne Patch]

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