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Photo Tour of Swank New Crystal City Hotels

By ARLnow.com

They’re two hotels with separate identities and philosophies, but they share a building, an owner and a sleek, modern aesthetic.

The new 300-room Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel and 325-suite Residence Inn Arlington Capital View will open to the public on Wednesday, but public relations staffers have been busy showing off the properties over the past week. Located on the south end of Crystal City, the hotels offer rooms with expansive views of Reagan National Airport and the Potomac River.

We’ll talk about what each hotel offers guests in a minute, but first let’s discuss the stuff that locals can take advantage of.

The Renaissance is home to an airy, 96-seat restaurant and bar called SOCCi (pronounced so-chee). The eatery, which is accessible from Crystal Drive, features modern Italian cuisine, a “pet-friendly outdoor seating area” and a chef’s tasting room.

The Renaissance is also home to one of the few Espressamente Illy coffee bars in the United States. The cafe has an outdoor patio and offers espresso beverages, sandwiches and lite fare. Your coffee can be enjoyed in the cafe or in the adjacent lobby area, which has WiFi and plenty of places to plug in laptops. The cafe will compete with a Starbucks that does brisk business just a block away on Crystal Drive.

For guests, the upscale Renaissance will offer rooms with high-speed internet, high-def TVs, iPod docking stations and “spa-like bathrooms.” The extended-stay Residence Inn will offer rooms wiht free WiFi, kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances and complementary grocery delivery.

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Crystal City 5K Fridays Return in April

By ARLnow.com

Pay no mind to the white stuff on the ground. The start of spring is a mere four weeks away (March 20).

One annual springtime tradition that’s quickly approaching is Crystal City’s 5K Fridays.

Every Friday in April, starting on April 1, Crystal Drive and Old Jefferson Davis Highway will be shut down between 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. to allow hundreds of runners to take a jog through the heart of Crystal City.

Registration for individual races is $20, while registration for the entire series of five races is $75.

The first three races will include a tie-in with Crystal City’s upcoming FLASH photography exhibit. Runners will get free admission and a free drink at an after-party held in the exhibit space, provided they remember to hang on to their racing bib.

Scenes From the Clean-Up

By ARLnow.com

Drive across the county today and you see the same scene repeated over again.

Tree limbs down the the score. Fallen utility lines coned off and marked with orange flags. Neighbors out with shovels and snow blowers. Kids, off from school, toting around plastic sleds. Stretches where power and traffic lights were out (including a busy section of Lee Highway between Kirkwood and Veitch). Police and firefighters responding to call after call after call.

In the aftermath of what caused so much frustration last night were more glimpses of the good that snow brings out in many of us. On side streets, many of those neighbors with shovels and snow blowers were out helping to clear the still un-plowed roads. Others could be seen clearing public sections of sidewalk so others didn’t have to walk in the street.

From reader Ann B.:

I have to give a shout out to two great neighbors today.

I’ve lived near the corner of N. Adams and Lee HWY for over 6 years now. This morning, two neighborhood guys actually shoveled the snow from the southeast corner to the bus shelter on Lee. This is one of the few times this has ever happened in 6 years.

I had a young one with me and it made all the difference. It’s nice to see neighbors giving a hand!

(Reminder: Per the county’s snow removal ordinance, property owners must clear their sidewalks by early tomorrow morning.)

Although it was difficult to find a navigable place to park in many parts of the county, here are some of the photos we managed to snap around North Arlington this afternoon.

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Snowy Scenes Along Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

The scene along Columbia Pike tonight was much like the scene elsewhere in Arlington.

Cars were getting stuck on the snowy, hilly section of the Pike near Washington Boulevard. Traffic was backed up before the hill as a result. On Washington Boulevard, traffic was at a standstill.

Residents were streaming up the sidewalks of the Pike from the Pentagon City area. Some were stopping to help push stranded cars up the street. Others were talking on their phones, trying to provide directions to loved ones who were stuck in traffic.

Snow-covered tree branches hung low over sidewalks, threatening to snap at any moment.

Through it all, though, people remained friendly and willing to help their fellow man. In a rainstorm, you might be tempted to push someone out of the way to get where you’re going faster. During snow storms, it seems, a better side of humanity shines through.

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Construction Underway at Pete’s New Haven Apizza

By ARLnow.com

Interior construction has gotten underway at the future 4,000 square foot home of Pete’s New Haven Apizza in Clarendon.

The restaurant, on the ground floor of the Clarendon Center development, will be the first Virginia location for the District-based pizza eatery. The company released a few photos of the construction over the weekend.

We believe the new Pete’s will open at some point this spring.

Although Pete’s will be competing with a long list of Clarendon and Courthouse area pizza joints, one potential competitor is now out of the picture. American Flatbread closed its Clarendon store on Dec. 24.

The Snow Begins

By ARLnow.com

Enjoy it while it lasts. The snow is expected to end around 7:00 tonight.

Two inches of accumulation is expected.

Update at 11:45 a.m. — Be careful out there. We’ve counted at least 10 accidents on Arlington roads and highways since the snow started falling, including one involving a Metrobus (no injuries reported).

Update at 11:50 a.m. — North Veitch Street has been shut down at Lee Highway due to slippery conditions on the hill, which led to a minor accident.

Update at 12:15 p.m. — Seventh Road South has been shut down at South Dinwiddie Street.

Details About Crystal City Wine Walk Revealed

By ARLnow.com

Last month we told you about a new event in Crystal City that will combine light exercise with moderate drinking. Now we get more details and a new date:

Lace up your sneakers and cleanse your palette; it’s time to start training for the Crystal City 1K Wine Walk. Presented by the Crystal City Business Improvement District in partnership with the Washington Wine Academy, the 1K Wine Walk promises “racers” the opportunity to taste and learn about between 30-40 wines as they make their way through the shops and interior walkways of Crystal City.

On Saturday, February 26th, tasters will have the option of four different hourly heats to choose from (2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM and 5 PM) before walking and sipping through a series of hydration stations staffed by Washington Wine Academy experts. In addition to great wines, tasters will also have the opportunity to take in photographs on display from finalists and youth category winners from FotoWeek DC before ending up at the “finish festival” in the former food court turned tasting lounge.

Candidates Attend Kiwanis Oyster Roast

By ARLnow.com

The candidates for public office in Arlington from congress on down all made the rounds at the Kiwanis Oyster Roast and Barbeque Feast on Saturday night.

Notable at the event was the “entourage gap.” Republican congressional candidate Patrick Murray brought a bus, a van, a dozen supporters and a guy dressed in an elephant costume. Incumbent Jim Moran brought, as far as we could tell, his chief of staff and a couple of family members.

More photos after the jump.

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Transformers 3 Films at Air Force Memorial

By ARLnow.com

Despite an Autobot mishap in the District earlier in the day, Transformers 3 production crews came to the Air Force Memorial last night (sans actors) to film a few scenes for the upcoming sequel.

A crowd of spectators armed with lawn chairs and cameras kept watch from across Columbia Pike. Reader Stephen McCay was there and sent us these photos. See more photos here.

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