Shirlington

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Free Coffee for Earth Day — To celebrate Earth Day, Starbucks is offering a free coffee or tea to anybody who brings a reusable mug or tumbler. Caribou Coffee, which has locations in Shirlington and Crystal City, is also offering free coffee for those who bring reusable drinkware. [Starbucks, Shirlington Village Blogspot]

Ballston Recognized for Environmental Efforts — Ballston has been named one of the top 10 “green” neighborhoods in the Washington area by real estate listing service MRIS. [Prince of Petworth]

Lawsuit May Be Filed to Stop Mark Center Moves — Rep. Jim Moran is urging Virginia officials to sue the federal government after the Department of Defense’s inspector general found big potential traffic problems with the new Mark Center in Alexandria. According to the inspector general’s report, the Army misled local officials about traffic issues at the site. A lawsuit could keep hundreds or even thousands of jobs in Arlington while improvements are made to the Mark Center’s transportation infrastructure. [Washington Examiner]

Post Tackles Twilight Convention — In an amusing but sadly photo-less write-up of last weekend’s Twilight fan convention at the Sheraton National Hotel on Columbia Pike, a Washington Post reporter discovers that most die-hard Twilight convention-goers are 25 to 50 year-old women. There are, however, a few male fans, who may or may not have been more interested in the female fans than in the movie itself. [Washington Post]

Shirlington Village Trades Escalator for Stairs — Eschewing the normal progression of technology, Shirlington Village has completed a project that removed an escalator and replaced it with a set of stairs. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74104660@N00/5639010401/in/pool-arlnow#/photos/74104660@N00/5639010401/in/pool-1412700@N22/

Shirlington’s Curious Grape to Become Cheesetique?

By ARLnow.com

Alexandria’s Cheesetique will be taking over operations at the Shirlington location of fellow cheese-and-wine shop The Curious Grape (4056 Campbell Avenue) in Shirlington later this year, according to Cheesetique owner Jill Erber.

“I can confirm that we plan on opening in the current Curious Grape [location] this autumn,” Erber said in an email yesterday afternoon. “The details are being hammered out, so I don’t have more specifics for now.”

Cheesetique, located in the Del Rey section of Alexandria, is a specialty cheese shop with an integrated wine and cheese bar. In addition to cheese, the bar also serves small plates, simple entrees and charcuterie.

A message left for The Curious Grape management on Monday has not been returned.

Update at 4:40 p.m. — Apparently there’s some confusion stemming from the fact that we said Cheesetique was taking over “operations” at Curious Grape’s Shirlington location. Erber wants it known that Cheesetique is not taking over Curious Grape as a company, only the physical store location.

Update at 3:55 p.m. — We’ve finally heard back from Curious Grape’s management. They issued the following press release this afternoon.

The report that a cheese shop is taking over the operations of Arlington’s A List #1 wine store, The Curious Grape, is false.   No other entity is taking over The Curious Grape or its operations.  While we do not think that ARLnow report was intended to be misleading, the report is totally untrue.  We are unsure how anyone could have come to the conclusions as reported in ARLnow, but there has been no discussion, plans or agreement between the Curious Grape and Cheestique, or anyone else, to take over The Curious Grape’s operations.

The Curious Grape would invite Cheestique to retract any impression that it will take over The Curious Grape’s operations.  Further, the use of the Curious Grape logo in the ARLnow report was in no way authorized by The Curious Grape, and that misimpression should be corrected as well.  While we wish Cheestique well, the misleading publicity is unfortunate.

The simple fact is that The Curious Grape will not be continuing in its present location in Shirlington, and will make an announcement at the appropriate time of its future plans.   Please do not announce the demise of Arlington’s WUSA A List number one wine retailer.  We are very alive, well and will continue!  Please stand by for future announcements about The Curious Grape.

Journalist Proposes to Girlfriend at Shirlington Library

By ARLnow.com

When noted Irish-Australian journalist and author Paul McGeough wanted to propose to his girlfriend, he decided to do so in the place where they first met — the Shirlington library.

McGeough met now-fiance Nadia Itraish at the library 18 months ago, during the author talk for his book Kill Khalid: Mossad’s Failed Hit and the Rise of Hamas. Following a “very animated discussion” about the book, Itraish — a Palestinian-American peace activist, George Washington University alum and Freddie Mac manager — came up to McGeough to continue the conversation. The pair “hit it off” and started dating, according to library employee Ann-Marie Dittmann.

On Saturday afternoon, with the discreet help of library staff, McGeough brought Itraish to a library conference room — like the one in which they met — and asked her to marry him. She said yes, and the couple went across the street to Busboys and Poets to celebrate.

McGeough’s marriage proposal was a first for the four-year-old Shirlington library, according to Dittmann.

The engagement came 10 months after McGeough, the chief foreign correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald, survived a deadly Israeli commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that he was reporting on. McGeough spent several days in Israeli custody before being released.

Itraish spent those days in fear that McGeough had been killed, according to an article in The Australian newspaper. The story ended happily when McGeough returned safely to the U.S. The couple now lives in McLean.

Photo via the University of Sydney

Speaker Boehner Visits Guapo’s in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

In the midst of a high-stakes budget fight on Capitol Hill, House Speaker John Boehner found time to dine at Guapo’s Restaurant in Shirlington Village last night.

Speaker Boehner was joined by 8-10 people, who our tipster says were likely friends and staff members. The margarita-sipping crew left in two black U.S. Capitol Police SUVs around 10:00 p.m.

The visit — confirmed by a restaurant staffer — came on the same day that Tea Party members rallied in front of the Capitol to pressure Boehner and congressional Republicans to continue pushing for budgetary spending cuts. In case they’re wondering, the typical entree at Guapo’s is between $10 and $20.

Boehner is apparently a big fan of the Mexican cuisine at Guapo’s. He has been spotted there at least two other times in the past few months.

Our wonk-ish tipster hypothesizes that last night’s visit may indicate Boehner is planning on passing another short-term continuing resolution before finalizing the budget. After all, our tipster says, Boehner would otherwise be rushing to iron out key points in order for the budget to be “agreed to, finalized and posted by this coming Tuesday under their new 72 hour rules.”

Auto Theft Suspect Eludes Police Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

While most people were asleep early this morning, police were trying to track down a grand theft auto suspect.

Just before 3:30 a.m., an officer radioed to dispatch that he was chasing a suspect on foot in the area of Shirlington Road and South Four Mile Run Drive. The suspect ran into an area of thick brush near Champion Billiards, where the officer apparently lost sight of him.

Police dogs and the U.S. Park Police Eagle helicopter were called in to look for the suspect. After about half an hour of combing the area, the search was called off.

Officers recovered a suspected stolen vehicle from the scene.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Bishop O’Connell Lights Decision May Be Delayed — County Manager Barbara Donnellan recommended the County Board put off any discussion of Bishop O’Connell High School’s request to add lights to its athletic fields until June, to give staff more time to analyze the controversial issue. [Sun Gazette]

Look Who’s Coming to Dinner in Shirlington — Sen. Jim Webb was spotted having dinner at T.H.A.I. Shirlington Friday night, according to a blog. [Shirlington Village Blogspot]

Energy Plan Approved By Task Force — A plan to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions in Arlington won the final approval of the task force that drafted it Friday morning. Arlington’s Community Energy Plan will likely be approved by the County Board in May. [Sun Gazette]

Shirlington Road Shut Down Due Pedestrian Accident

By ARLnow.com

(Update at 9:10 p.m.) Police shut down Shirlington Road between Arlington Mill Drive and Four Mile Run this evening to investigate a pedestrian accident.

Injuries were initially said to be serious, but we’re now told the victim is expected to be okay.

Arlington Police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal would not confirm whether or not the driver stayed on scene after the accident, nor whether an arrest was pending.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Businesses Compete for Green Games — More than 120 property owners and office tenants have signed up for Arlington County’s inaugural Green Games competition. The Games challenge local businesses to cut energy and water consumption over the course of a year for a shot at awards and recognition. [Arlington Green Games]

Lyon Hall Beer Dinner Reviewed — Lyon Hall in Clarendon held its first beer dinner last week. The French-inspired brasserie paired Belgian-style brews with artfully-prepared small plates for a group of lucky beer enthusiasts. Another beer dinner is planned for April 8. [We Love DC]

Spa Replaces Book Store in Shirlington — A spa is coming to the space formerly occupied by Books-A-Million in Shirlington Village. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Illegal Immigrant Bills Killed in State Senate — Most of the bills that immigrant advocates spoke out against at a rally last week have suffered a quiet death in a state Senate subcommittee. The bills would have prevented illegal immigrants from attending public universities in Virginia and would have required citizenship checks for anyone arrested by police. [Washington Examiner]

Cyclist Gets Doored on Clarendon Boulevard — It’s a non-uncommon tale of woe from the cycling world. A bicyclist was riding in the bike lane on Clarendon Blvd when a parked motorist suddenly opened his door. A collision ensues. Police and medics are called. The next day, however, the injured bicyclist wasn’t able to get the driver’s insurance information from police. While this raises police procedure questions, there is also the larger question: Is there a way for drivers and bicyclists to share the road without injuring or cursing at each other? [TBD, Patch]

More: Native Foods Cafe Coming to Shirlington — This Craigslist ad seems to make it official. California-based vegan restaurant chain Native Foods Cafe will be opening their first East Coast location in Shirlington. Earlier, we reported that a restaurant that at least shared the same name was planning to open in the old Bear Rock Cafe space. [Shirlington Village Blog, Shirlington Village Blogspot]

Charlie Davies Signs with D.C. United — Soccer phenom Charlie Davies will be playing for D.C. United this season, on loan from the French club FC Sochaux. Davies is still trying to get up to full-speed after suffering serious injuries in crash on the GW Parkway in October 2009. The crash, which killed one female passenger, happened on the Arlington section of the GW Parkway, just past Memorial Bridge. [Washington Post, FanHouse]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

BREAKING NEWS — Judge Dismisses Dog Mural Lawsuit

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:40 p.m.) The lawsuit over the legality of a dog mural has been dismissed by a federal judge.

Kim Houghton, the owner of Wag More Dogs (2606 S. Oxford Street), sued Arlington County after zoning officials declared her store’s mural of dogs, bones and paw prints — which faces the Shirlington dog park — to be a form of commercial speech and in violation of the county’s sign ordinance. U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema dismissed the lawsuit today “with prejudice.”

Undeterred, Houghton vowed to keep fighting.

“We’re going to appeal,” she said when reached by phone at her store this afternoon. “I am disappointed, but it’s not over yet.”

In the suit, Houghton said her mural was a piece of art that was beautifying the park. She objected to the county’s suggestion that the mural could be preserved if she added the words “Welcome to Shirlington Park’s Community Canine Area.”

“I think that once against the county is just seeking to take my mural and make it into an informational sign for themselves,” she said this afternoon. “I’m hopeful that we’ll win on appeal… let the games begin, let’s see what happens.”

More from the county press release:

ARLINGTON, Va. – United States District Court Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, for Virginia’s Eastern District, today dismissed with prejudice the lawsuit brought by Wag More Dogs, an Arlington dog day care and pet grooming business, and its owner, challenging Arlington County’s sign ordinance.

“We are pleased that the judge agreed with Arlington that this issue was about advertising, and that she found the County’s sign ordinance to be fair and reasonable,” said Asst. County Attorney Carol McCoskrie.

Wag More Dogs owner Kim Houghton had filed suit against the County late last year, alleging that it had violated her First Amendment right of free speech in finding that a mural she had commissioned for an outside wall of her business violated Arlington’s sign ordinance.

Houghton had sought an injunction against the County, seeking to have the Court order the County to let Houghton remove a tarp the County had required she place over the mural.

The County argued that Houghton’s case had no merit because the County has the authority to regulate commercial signs and that Houghton had not proven that the sign ordinance discriminates based on content.

In issuing her ruling, Judge Brinkema said that the mural is a “classic form of branding and advertising,” and meets the definition of a sign. The judge found that the County’s sign ordinance is a valid, content-neutral restriction on the size of signs in the M-1 zoning district, even noting that by saying the ordinance was content-based, Wag More Dogs was “barking up the wrong tree.”

Judge Brinkema said that “even taking all of the facts alleged by plaintiff as true, plaintiff’s Complaint states no plausible First Amendment violation under governing precedent.” She dismissed the case “with prejudice,” meaning that the owner of Wag More Dogs will need to appeal the ruling if she wishes to further pursue its claim.

Miss Margaret Serves Up Soul Food in Green Valley

By ARLnow.com

It’s easy to miss the unpretentious storefront of Margaret’s Soul Food and Catering Services, located at 2534 S. Shirlington Road in Arlington’s Green Valley (Nauck) neighborhood. But the down-home cooking inside the barred windows of the one-story brick building is worth the 10 minute walk from Shirlington.

The county-run Arlington Virginia Network recently visited Margaret’s and found a treasure trove of soulful cooking, including jerk chicken, BBQ ribs, pulled pork, Italian sausage, collard greens and potato salad — all made according to proprietor Margaret Gardner’s family recipes.

In the video, Gardner’s demeanor appears to be even sweeter than the tea she serves.

“In this business, honey, if you don’t crack a smile you won’t make a dime,” she told host Katie Greenan.

In addition to serving take-out customers (menu), Margaret’s caters events and is a regular vendor at the Arlington County Fair.

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