farmers market

Morning Poll: Dogs at Farmers Markets

By ARLnow.com

The Sun Gazette reports this morning that the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization is asking residents to consider leaving Fido at home when they go to the Pike farmers market on Sundays.

Responding to a complaint to the county health department, market officials are asking residents to voluntarily leave their dogs at home or, at the very least, “keep them out of vendor booths and away from tables that have food on them.”

The Saturday farmers market in Courthouse, meanwhile, is more explicit about its policy about dogs.

“We love your pets, but please leave them at home,” the market says on its web site. “With the exception of service animals, Public Health regulations preclude the presence of live animals in the Courthouse Farmer’s Market.”

Should dogs be allowed at farmers markets in Arlington?

Rosslyn Events Canceled Due to Heat

By ARLnow.com

With temperatures expected to reach into the mid-to-upper 90s over the next two days, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District has decided to nix three of its signature outdoor events.

Today’s Rosslyn lunchtime concert, slated to feature New Orleans-inspired rock quartet The Grandsons, has been canceled “due to excessive heat.” Thursday’s lunchtime concert has also been canceled, as has the Thursday lunchtime farmers market.

Despite the forecast of triple-digit temperatures on Friday, the BID has so far not pulled the plug on its outdoor film festival, which is scheduled to feature 90s comedy Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. The films start at dusk on Fridays.

Farmers Markets Canceled Due to Heat

By ARLnow.com

Due to today’s heat advisory, two local farmers markets have been nixed.

The sweltering temperatures have prompted organizers of both the Ballston Farmers Market — held every Thursday in Welburn Square — and the Rosslyn Farmers Market — held Thursdays at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and N. Oak Street — to cancel.

Temperatures are expected to come close to the 100 degree mark today.

Flickr pool photo by MichaelTRuhl

Empanada Cart Launching in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

A new food cart is planning to launch in Arlington this weekend.

Capital Empanadas will serve “freshly-made Andean-style empanadas” to denizens of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and, in a few weeks, Crystal City as well.

The cart’s owner, Richard Villegas, is a native of Colombia and a ten-year Arlington resident. Villegas says he is “thrilled” to introduce this “unique treat” to the area.

“Our Andean-style handmade empanadas have typical flavors from our beloved Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru,” the Capital Empanadas web site says. “We put our heart and soul into our empanadas and you’ll feel the love once you meet us and enjoy them.”

The cart is scheduled to make its first appearance at the Courthouse Farmer’s Market, starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. Empanada fans will be able to follow the cart on Twitter and Facebook.

The Capital Empanadas menu includes:

  • Meat (carne) empanada
  • Chicken empanada
  • Cheese empanada
  • Veggie empanada
  • Plantain chips
  • Dulce de Leche
  • Water and soft drinks (including Colombiana, Inca Kola and Coke products)

Photo courtesy Capital Empanadas

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Krupicka Uses Marine in Mailer — State Senate candidate Rob Krupicka has gotten the attention of a conservative web site for printing an endorsement from a Marine sergeant, along with a photo of him in uniform, on a campaign mailer. If the Marine is on active duty, such an endorsement would violate military guidelines. The Sun Gazette’s Scott McCaffrey also points out that Krupicka’s mailer also makes reference to supporting “soldiers and their families” — which would refer to members of the Army but not the Marine Corps. Krupicka, an Alexandria city councilman, is facing off against Arlington School Board Chair Libby Garvey and Del. Adam Ebbin in the Democratic primary. [Sun Gazette]

Medical Care By Lottery — Every month, the Arlington Free Clinic holds a lottery to see who will receive medical care. With demand for care exceeding supply, this month only 25 people were selected out of a pool of 140. [WAMU]

Ballston Farmers Market Starts This Week — The Ballston Farmers Market will hold its season grand opening this Thursday. The market is free and held every Thursday (until October) from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Wellburn Square, between N. Stuart and N. 9th Streets.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Zach Galifianakis Spotted in Clarendon — In town for the White House Correspondents Dinner, actor Zach Galifianakis was spotted walking the streets of Clarendon on Saturday. According to the caption, he did some shopping and had lunch at Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street). [ContactMusic.com]

Arlington Young Republicans Growing — The Arlington Young Republicans have added nearly 100 members over the course of a year, making it the largest Young Republican organization in Virginia. [Sun Gazette]

Goose Lays Eggs in Shirlington — A mother goose is apparently nesting her eggs in a planter outside the IO Piazza apartment building. So far, no friendly deer have been spotted. [Shirlington Blogspot]

Crystal City Freshfarm Market Starts Today — The first Freshfarm market of the season in Crystal City will be held on Crystal Drive between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. today. [Freshfarm Markets]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Above: A look back at last year’s presentation of a steel beam from the World Trade Center at Arlington County Fire Station 5. Firefighters from Fire Station 5, in Pentagon City, were among the first to respond to the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

School Budget Approved — The Arlington County School Board has approved a new $475 million budget for FY 2012. The budget funds pay raises for teachers and staff, expands professional learning activities for teachers and eliminates ‘early release Wednesdays’ at four elementary schools. It also includes $1 million to study options for addressing the school system’s looming capacity crisis. [Arlington Public Schools]

Columbia Pike Farmers Market Returns — Sunday marked the start of the summer season for the Columbia Pike Farmers Market. [Pike Wire] (Disclosure: The organizer of the farmers market is an ARLnow.com advertiser)

Arlington Home to Fast-Growing Companies — Arlington is home to six of the 50 fastest-growing privately-held companies in Virginia. [Sun Gazette]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Tejada, Moran Get ‘Snippy’ Over Immigration — At a work session Monday afternoon, County Board member Walter Tejada and Rep. Jim Moran got in a verbal ‘tussle’ when Tejada suggested that Democrats have not done much recently to advance the cause of immigration rights on a federal level. [Sun Gazette]

Westover Farmers Market Delayed — Organizers had hoped to launch a farmers market in Westover this spring, but it looks like red tape will delay their goal by a year. Farmers market boosters have secured verbal approval to use school property for the market, but the county zoning office says it will not grant a use permit until the county ordinance related to farmers markets is changed. [Falls Church News-Press]

W-L Launches New Student Newspaper Web Site — Washington-Lee High School’s Crossed Sabres student newspaper has a new web site. [W-L Crossed Sabres]

Westover Farmers Market Meeting Tonight

By ARLnow.com

An open community meeting will be held tonight to discuss the possible formation of a farmers market in Westover.

Organizers say the farmers market would be held outside the Westover Library on either Saturday or Sunday mornings. They would like to launch the market in the spring.

Anyone interested in shopping at or helping to operate the market is asked to attend tonight’s meeting, which will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Westover Library (1644 McKinley Road).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Black Friday Is a Bust at Ballston Common Mall — While other suburban shopping malls were inundated with shoppers on Friday, traditionally one of the biggest days of the year for retailers in terms of foot traffic, Ballston Common Mall was about as crowded as it normally is on a Friday afternoon (not very). “The best thing here is Rock Bottom,” one shopper explained to Ballston Patch.

Farmers Market For Westover? — A community meeting will be held at the Westover library next month to discuss the possible formation of a farmers market this spring. More from the Sun Gazette.

Arlington Has Region’s Lowest Unemployment — Once again Arlington is leading the D.C. area jobs-wise. Arlington’s unemployment rate currently stands at a remarkably low 3.9 percent. Alexandria and Loudoun County share the title for second-lowest unemployment in the region, with 4.5 percent. More from WTOP.

Another Froyo Place Coming to Arlington — The R-B corridor will have an abundance of frozen yogurt options next year. A D.C.-based, self-serve yogurt shop called FroZenYo is planning to open stores in Rosslyn and Ballston in 2011. It’s also planning on opening a store in Crystal City. More from TBD.

Flickr pool photo by Team Rank

Last Crystal City Freshfarm Market of the Season Today

By ARLnow.com

Despite the fact that the weather is still fairly warm, today’s Crystal City Freshfarm Market will be the last of the season.

Held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Crystal Drive, the market features about 20 local farmers and producers who bring together seasonal fruits and vegetables, farm-raised eggs, all-natural meats, cheeses, artisan soaps, and more.

Also at the market today: the Sweetflow Mobile frozen yogurt truck.

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