Tuesday, May 27, 2008

upcoming Arlington Artists Alliance show

The Arlington Artist Alliance has an upcoming show. Via Andrea Schellman, some details:
The Arlington Artists Alliance announces “Spring into Summer!” an art show June 13 and 14, 2008, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, VA. The show will feature over 30 Arlington artists who work in a wide range of media including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, glass, and ceramics. Meet the artists at the opening reception Friday evening, June 13, 6-9 pm. Additional hours on Saturday, June 14, 12 noon to 6 pm.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Rolling Thunder memorializes Memorial Day

Riders, supporters, and motorcycles gathered in the Pentagon parking lot yesterday for the 2008 Rolling Thunder ride. This, the twenty-first annual Rolling Thunder ride, brought together hundreds of thousands of motorcycles and many more supporters to remember veterans, especially those missing-in-action and prisoners of war.

Rolling Thunder began in 1987 with a few men who wanted to show concern for prisoners-of-war left behind in Vietnam. They came up with the idea of a motorcycle ride through Washington. One founder recalled another looking toward Memorial Bridge and saying, "It will be the sound of rolling thunder coming across that bridge." Rolling Thunder has been heard across Memorial Bridge on the Sunday before Memorial Day ever since.



Rolling Thunder is more than just motorcycles. It's part of America in action. If you missed Rolling Thunder this year, check it out next year, Memorial Day weekend.

karaoke rocks at Rhodeside Grill


Your dedicated and fearless local news correspondent wandered over to Rhodeside Grill a few weeks ago to investigate its karaoke night. Rhodeside Grill has karaoke every Wednesday night from 9pm to 1:30am. Action was slow early on, but by 11 pm aspiring superstars were lined up to sing. A large, diverse, and lively crowd was more than willing to jump in, singing and dancing. MC Richard McDougal kept the action moving and put together a good show. If you're feeling bored mid-week, karaoke night at Rhodeside Grill, at the corner of Rhodes Street and Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn, could help you make it to Friday.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Arlington promotes bicycling

Arlington is being recognized as a good place for bicycling. This past December, the League of American Bicyclist designated Arlington as a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community. In addition, the May, 2008 issue of Spokes magazine included a lengthy article about cycling in Arlington County. Spokes is distributed in bike shops across the mid-Atlantic states. The article noted that Arlington County Board Chair Walter Tejada and Board Member Chris Zimmerman are enthusiastic bicyclists. It also included comments from members of Arlington's leading cycling team, the Lanterne Rouge. Most importantly, the article outlined Arlington County's plans to make cycling in Arlington even better.

Arlington's Master Transportation Plan includes a significant bicycling element (here as a large pdf file). The plan sets out the goal of ensuring that Arlington is one of the best places to bicycle in the U.S. It also establishes as an objective to have "at least half of all residents ride bicycles for transportation purposes at least occasionally." The plan proposes both to improve Arlington's bicycle network and to enhance bicycle safety:
The primary focus of the Bicycle Element is the completion of a more fine-grained and comprehensive bicycle network of trails, bike lanes, and other on-street facilities. Bicycling would be a more viable travel option for many Arlingtonians with the completion of several key bikeway network connections. Enhancements in bicycle parking facilities at transit stations, shopping centers, offices, and in multifamily residential buildings will also improve the effectiveness of the network....
Policy proposals in the plan aimed at achieving greater safety and user comfort include enhanced traffic law enforcement, safety education efforts, and promotional events such as mass rides. Young bicyclists, in particular, would benefit from the proposed greater emphasis on “safe routes to school” educational and promotional efforts.

Plans include an extension of the Four Mile Run trail across Interstate 395 and a bicycle sharing program.

Bicycling is fun, healthful, ecologically sound, and practical. See what a bike can do for you!

food, art, and music for Thursday lunch in Rosslyn

The 2008 Rosslyn Farmers and Artists' Market is open on Thursdays from 11am to 3pm at the intersection of Wilson and North Oak Streets in Rosslyn. The market runs from May 15 through October 23.

The Arts Al Fresco concert series in Rosslyn is also during lunch on Thursday in the same place. Performances are from 11:45am to 1:30pm. Dates, name of performers, and type of music are as follows:

May 22: Whop Frazier (Blues R & B)
May 29: Vaughn Nark & Panorama (Contemporary Jazz)
Jun 5: Debi Smith Duo (Seraphic Folk Vocals)
Jun 12: The Backroads Band (Honky Tonk Country)
Jun 19: Harry Wilson (Vibraphone)
Jun 26: Rhodes Tavern Troubadours (Rock Roots Pop Explosion)
Jul 03: Annie Sidley (Pop / R & B)
Jul 10: Dixie Power Trio (New Orleans Gumbo)
Jul 17: Robert Jospe & Inner Rhythm (World Jazz)
Jul 24: Andrew Acosta & The New Old-Time String Band (Folk, Bluegrass)
Jul 31: The Hula Monsters (Hawaiian Rockabilly Swing)
Aug 07: Catfish Hodge (Blues Legend)
Aug 14: Magpie (Folk/Swing/Ragtime)
Aug 21: The Lovejoy Group (Jazz & Latin Rhythms)
Aug 28: The Hall Brothers (Honky Tonk Country)
Sept 04: Bobby Thompson Trio (Blues-Rock)
Sept 11: Ruthie & The Wranglers (Roots Rock)
Sept 18: Washington Saxophone Quartet (Bach To Gershwin)
Sept 25: Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun (Hammer Of The Honky-Tonk Gods)

Monday, May 12, 2008

fantastic Arlington parade


The Arlington Neighborhood Day Parade this past Saturday was a brilliant festival of color, music, and motion. Large, talented, beautifully costumed, and energetic folk dance groups lit up the parade route from Court House to Clarendon. Me gustó especialmente Alma Boliviana y Tinkus Pachamama, y sobre todo Tobas Dinastia. Many other groups also participated, including Thomas Jefferson Middle School Theater, the Social Security Administration, and some organic vegetable group that gave me a small cucumber (quite tasty, thanks!).

The crowd was enthusiastic, but should have been larger for such a great event. If you missed it, you can at least enjoy the above video and Mark Blacknell's photos. Don't miss Arlington Neighborhood Day next year!!

Update: Tobas Dinastia will be performing at the Rockville Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

secret agent at Gateway Park



"From Russia with Love" (1963) played at the Gateway Park in Rosslyn this past Friday night. The outdoor setting added another layer of drama to the film. Fanciful viewers were powerfully impressed. See video coverage above.

The film was one of the showings in the ongoing James Bond 007 Film Festival. The festival features a Bond film every Friday night at dusk from May 2 to August 22 (excluding July 4). The movie schedule is here.

Monique O'Grady, Communications Director for Rosslyn Business Improvement District, sent me some additional information about the festival:

we give away up to 10 prizes each week from our sponsors. We have cool James Bond t-shirts courtesy of Continental Modern Pool Lounge and free tickets to Synetic Theater's upcoming season at the Rosslyn Spectrum.

Next week we screen Goldfinger. Continental will offer movie side delivery from a special James Bond menu. You can order using your cell phone and have your food delivered in about 10 minutes.


You can get more info on Rosslyn events at Rosslyn's very own event hotline. Call 703-2-Rosslyn

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Haedo wins among pros at Air Force Cycling Classic

The inaugural U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic took place today on 7.8 mile circuit around the Pentagon, Crystal City, and the Air Force Memorial. The event included an amateur ride, a U.S. Service Academy Team Time Trials, kids races, and a pro men's race.

The relatively long circuit gave spectators a much more limited view of the race than in a short-loop crit like the CSC Invitational. The finish of the pro race was in downtown Crystal City. But the Air Force Memorial was a good spot to catch some of the racing action. See video below.



Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita) won the pro men's race. Cycling News has a race summary. I missed the Service Academy Team Time Trials, and the cycling sites don't have any reporting on it. Well, I'll try to cover that omission next year.

Update: MB has a report, with photos, on the Service Academy Shootout. See also his great photos of the pro finish.

Another must-see is Brian's video of the pro race. Check out his spectacular, ground-level segment of the riders on the roundabout, with the Air Force Memorial in the background.

view of Rosslyn from the National Cathedral


This view of Rosslyn from the bell tower of the National Cathedral is for the historical records. JBG's Central Place is soon to come.