fundraiser

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Kaine Announces U.S. Senate Candidacy — Former Virginia governor Tim Kaine has quit his job as chairman of the Democratic National Committee to run for the U.S. Senate in Virginia. Kaine is running for the seat of the retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D). Announced Republican candidates for the seat include former governor George Allen and state Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke. [Washington Post]

Sorority to Hold Chili Cook-Off and Bingo Fundraiser — The Northern Virgina alumnae chapter of the Delta Gamma sorority will hold a chili cook-off and bingo fundraiser at the Lyon Village Community House (1920 N. Highland Street) on Saturday night. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. and benefits the blind and visually-impaired. Tickets are available online for $25 apiece. [Clarendon Nights]

Murky Coffee Tax Cheat Moves West — Former Murky Coffee owner Nick Cho has packed up and moved to California. Cho, who owes Arlington County $56,000 in back taxes from his Clarendon cafe, is trying to relaunch his coffee career in the Silicon Valley area. In addition to his Arlington debts, Cho owes D.C. about $190,000 in back sales taxes. [Washington Post]

Thank You! — A big thank you to everyone who voted for ARLnow.com in TBD’s #DCjournotweeps poll. ARLnow.com editor Scott Brodbeck narrowly edged out WTOP’s Neal Augenstein for the title of “best journalist using Twitter to cover local news.” [TBD]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pothole Problem May Persist — County Manager Barbara Donnellan says the county is waiting for the beginning of spring to fix most of the potholes on local roads. Donnellan, speaking at Saturday’s county board meeting, said “it’s better” to fix the roads after the winter. Board member Walter Tejada acknowledged one resident’s complaints about potholes on his street, adding that Wilson Boulevard and Columbia Pike also have some particularly rough patches. [Sun Gazette]

Remy to be Guest Bartender at Fundraiser — Arlington rapper Remy will be the guest bartender tomorrow at a fundraiser for the Arlington Free Clinic. The fundraiser is being held at Velocity Five (2300 Clarendon Blvd) from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Remy’s sister, Lena, will help select the evening’s door prize winners. [Gregs List DC]

Myerton Apartments Becoming Condos — In 2007, developer JBG decided to scrap plans to market a new renovation project in Penrose as condominiums. Instead, with the economy on the ropes, it leased out the property as the Myerton Apartments. Now, the project’s 74 apartments are once again slated to be sold as condos. Two bedrooms will be priced just below $300,000. [Urban Turf]

President’s Day Schedule Set — Most county offices will be closed on Monday in observance of President’s Day. [Arlington County]

Pentagon Row to Hold Ice Skating Gala

By ARLnow.com

Pentagon Row is planning a special skating event to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The event will feature a music performance by local band Fools & Horses, photo booth, stilt walker, magician, juggler, ice princess and refreshments.

Pentagon Row stores will be offering specials and conducting giveaways during the event.

The gala will be held on Saturday, Jan. 29 between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. The event itself is free, but ice skating is subject to the normal skating rates. Anyone who spends $50 or more at Pentagon Row during the event will be able to get a free loop scarf by showing their receipts at a booth near the Bally Total Fitness.

Tonight: “Night at the Planetarium 3”

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium will be hosting its third “Night at the Planetarium” fundraising event tonight.

The suggested $10 and $20 donations from attendees to will go toward upgrading the aging planetarium and saving it from possible closure.

Tonight’s event will feature three separate shows targeted at both older and younger audiences. Here’s a description from organizers:

4:30 pm – Children’s program – Legends of the Night Sky or The Zula Patrol

6:00 pm – Family program – Black Holes, The Other Side of Infinity

7:30 pm – Older Audiences – Oasis in Space

These digital shows will give viewers an example of the new programming available for the updated planetarium. All three programs will include an abbreviated “The Sky Tonight” by Planetarium Director Jonathan Harmon, as well as a Q&A about Saving the Planetarium by Friends of the Planetarium President Dr. Alice Monet.

Donations are requested: $10/person or $20/family per show. Kids 9 and younger are free.
Doors open 20 minutes before showtime. Or send an email ([email protected]) to reserve your seats and arrive 15 minutes before showtime to get your tickets. T-shirts and bumper stickers will be available.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

A-SPAN Holds Holiday Gala — The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network held its 5th annual Help the Homeless Holiday Gala last night at Artisphere in Rosslyn. Party-goers were treated to food from Lebanese Taverna, Santa Fe Cafe and Sushi Rock, music from BMT and a performance by BalletNova. An auction held to benefit A-SPAN proved that deep down, there is something people care about more than politics in Washington. Tickets to a Capitals / Tampa Bay Lightning game fetched a higher price than a private lunch for four with Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va).

VSP Busy During Snowstorm — Virginia State Police responded to a total of 555 calls for service during yesterday’s snowstorm. Of those calls, 109 were for crashes and 135 were for disabled vehicles.

PenPlace Planning Hearing Postponed — Due to the snow, a scheduled planning meeting about the proposed PenPlace development in Pentagon City has been postponed. The current proposal is to build a five-building office and hotel complex located on a large swatch of undeveloped land between Eads and Fern Streets, adjacent to Army Navy Drive.  If approved, concessions from developers (including land owner Vornado) would help to fund the construction of nearby Long Bridge Park. More from TBD.

Lyon Park Community House Renovations May Get Tax Boost

By ARLnow.com

Plans to renovate the historic Lyon Park Community House, at least 15 years in the making, are coming close to fruition.

With architectural plans in place, neighborhood leaders are making a big fundraising push. They’re hoping that the upcoming tax season provides a bounty of tax-deductible stock donations and large corporate gifts.

As of October, the Lyon Park Citizens Association was about $430,000 away from their total fundraising goal of $550,000. In addition to large donations, the group is raising money by holding events like a recent gala dinner.

“We need the support of everyone in this tremendous community effort,” the association says on its web site.

No county money will be used for the renovation, since the house and the surrounding park are owned by the Citizen’s Association. However, the association expects to receive $17,500 from Ironwood Realty as a result of a condition set for the pending construction of the developer’s Garfield Park project.

The planned Community House renovations will add ADA-compliant bathrooms and a new kitchen to the 85-year-old structure. The building’s exterior will remain much the same, except for the addition of a sunroom facing the park.

Lary Mayer, the association’s vice president for development, says that if fundraising goals are met, the group hopes to break ground on the renovations next year.

Steal This Cocktail Recipe — It’s For a Good Cause

By ARLnow.com

To help mark its upcoming 20th anniversary, Rosslyn Renaissance held an invite-only cocktail contest at the Hotel Palomar last night.

The neighborhood booster group pitted mixologists from three Rosslyn hotel bars against one another. Their goal: to concoct a drink worthy of being dubbed Rosslyn’s “Skyline cocktail.”

Guests sampled their spirits — multiple times, in some cases, to be thorough — and then voted for their favorite by placing dollar bills in each mixologist’s jar. The winner was the home team: with nearly 300 votes cast (and donated to A-SPAN) Hotel Palomar’s tropical, fruity cocktail beat out cocktails from the Marriott and the Hyatt.

With due respect to the Hotel Palomar, the Hyatt’s Michael Bryan was robbed. His cocktail, “At Ease,” was the a work of boozy art. Good news: if you weren’t there, you can either go to the Rosslyn Hyatt and order the drink, or make it yourself using the recipe below. Cheers!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 oz. Pernod
  • 3/4 oz. Cognac (Bryan uses Courvoisier VS or Hennessey VS)
  • 1/4 oz. Benedictine
  • 3-4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • 1/4 oz. Simple Syrup

Pour Pernod into an old fashioned glass. Add ice and let sit until Pernod turns opaque (this technique is called ‘louching’). Swirl Pernod so that it coast the inside of the glass and then dispose of excess mixture.

In a mixing glass, add the rest of the ingredients. Add ice. Strain mixing glass into Pernod-coated old fashioned glass.

Add a few cubes of ice, zest the rim of the glass with an orange peel, then drop the orange peel on top of the drink.

Photos courtesy of Monique O’Grady/Rosslyn BID

(more…)

Arlington’s First Responders Say: Be Brave and Shave

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s police, firefighters and sheriff are encouraging residents to “be brave and shave” to raise money for childhood cancer research.

On Sunday, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., dozens of people will get their locks sheared off at Westover Library (1644 North McKinley Road) for a good cause. The proceeds will benefit the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s National Medical Center.

The event is being held at the same time another sponsored by Montgomery County’s police and firefighters.

Arlington police held a bake sale two weeks go to raise money the event.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sushi Rock Decision Deferred — The county board deferred its decision on whether to grant Sushi Rock (1900 Clarendon Blvd) a live entertainment permit until November, to allow more time for community input. At yesterday’s board meeting, neighbors complained that the restaurant is already so loud that it keeps them up at night. Sushi Rock management told the board that they’re losing money while waiting for the permit, which would help develop more late night bar business. More from TBD.

ACE Holds “Hallowgreen” Gala Tonight — Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment is holding its cleverly-named Halloween gala tonight on the Pike. There will be a costume contest, a silent auction and a concert by the band Trees on Fire. Tickets are $50. The event is being held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Salsa Room (2619 Columbia Pike).

Virginia GOP Hammers Moran on Comments — Rep. Jim Moran’s ill-advised critique of his GOP challenger, Patrick Murray, continues to haunt Moran and embolden Republicans. Now the state Republican party has released a web ad entitled “Just a Government Check?” which pairs Moran’s remark regarding Murray’s limited government stance and his military service to photos of Arlington National Cemetery.

New Mobile Visitors Center to Debut at Marathon — Arlington’s new electric-powered Mobile Visitor Center will be making its debut at the Marine Corps Marathon Health and Fitness Expo in the District on Friday. The county says the visitor center is “a fully customized ‘green’ vehicle that will serve visitors in the County’s urban villages and at major tourism events. ” More from Arlington County.

ACPD Holding Bake Sale for Cancer Research

By ARLnow.com

It would be a crime to miss out on the sweet treats on sale today outside the Arlington County courthouse (1425 N. Courthouse Road).

The police department is holding a bake sale to raise money for its second annual Be Brave and Shave fundraiser. Money from the fundraiser will benefit cancer research at Children’s National Medical Center.

The bake sale is being held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today. Each item costs $1.

We hear the oatmeal creme pies and the pumpkin bread are especially tasty.

Toasting Affordable Housing on the Pike

By ARLnow.com

At a fundraiser last night at Clarendon Ballroom, the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing touted its major accomplishments from the past year. Among them: the completion of the Columbia Grove apartments, the purchase and planned renovation of the Buchanan Gardens apartments, and the just-announced deal to build 122 units of affordable housing behind the planned Arlington Mill Community Center.

What did those accomplishments have in common? They’re all along the Columbia Pike corridor.

APAH’s focus on the Pike reflects the county’s focus on preserving affordable housing and diversity along the Pike. With the area’s revitalization well-underway, the Pike’s 3,000 aging but affordable market rate apartments will inevitably be renovated, demolished or will simply get more expensive, forcing many lower-income families out.

“Affordable housing is one of our most important policy goals and one of the most difficult policy challenges,” said County Board Vice Chairman Chris Zimmerman. He called the Arlington Mill apartment deal “a good additional step” to achieving the county’s goal of increasing the Pike’s current stock of about 1,000 dedicated affordable housing units nearly five-fold in a span of 30 years.

One problem with that goal is the potential cost. The county simply doesn’t have the money to buy or build that many apartments. That, says APAH President Nina Janopaul, is why creative dealmaking is key to the Pike’s affordable housing future.

“The economics of this deal are great,” she said. “I think they have pioneered a new model of using existing vacant public land to turn it into affordable housing… by giving away that land initially, we have an opportunity to access other funding sources.”

But public land along the Pike is limited. Those 122 units at Arlington Mill will take up all the remaining county land on the site. Future affordable housing gains will likely be achieved in large part through density transfers — letting developers build taller buildings in exchange for footing the bill for a set number of affordable housing units.

If all works out, the county’s subsidy for the Arlington Mill apartments — aside from the land — could be zero. In fact, APAH’s proposal calls for making lease payments to the county. The $30 million in development costs are expected to be financed largely with low-income housing tax credits from the state.

Construction on the apartments is expected to begin in 2012 and wrap up by the end of 2013.

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