Wednesday, June 25, 2008

4'th of July party

The third annual unofficial neighborhood 4'th of July party will start about 3 pm on the north grassy side of 1215 N. Ft. Myer Dr. Apartments. Yup, you guessed it, the party will be on the 4'th of July. Bring your own beer (if you're of legal drinking age), and one of the following: side dish, dessert, or snack (chips, etc.). There will be two large tents for shade, bean bag toss, and ping pong tables. Party will conclude at sunset with the group heading over to the Iwo Jima to watch the fireworks.

Jeff is organizing the party. He expects about 100 people of all ages. For more info, to thank him for his volunteer efforts, or if you want to donate 100 pounds of choice steak, contact him at jdwismer922 'at' gmail . com

Monday, June 23, 2008

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Westmoreland Condo meeting Monday night

The Westmoreland Terrace Condo Board meeting for June is Monday, June 23, at 7pm in the condo office, 1314 Ft. Myer Dr. (on upper end of the big parking lot). Everyone is welcomed to come and find out about what's going on around Westmoreland.

Meeting report: I showed up at 7pm. No one was there; office dark and locked. I waited until 7:15, and still no one showed up. Then, walking back to my apartment, I show a huge rainbow.

Update 2: Dennis Freeman said that the Board didn't have a quorum, so they canceled the meeting that afternoon at 3pm. But two Board members were going to attend, while by my reckoning only one non-Board member was going to attend. Definitely need more interest from residents. Next Board meeting is scheduled for July 28, 7pm.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

more public art: Helix



John Dreyfuss' sculpture Helix is outside the new building at 1800 Wilson Boulevard, just up from the Fire House in Rosslyn. Back around the corner of N. Pierce St., another new building has an atrium containing some interesting sculptures. Developing...

Ft. Myer Heights Park improved



The basketball (half-) court and entranceway were paved, new grills and new picnic tables were installed, and an impressive wooden patio with stairs leading up from the park. The nice little Ft. Myer Heights Park just got nicer.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

RAFOM annual meeting draws large, informed group



The RAFOM annual meeting at the Top of the Town this evening brought together many persons actively working to make the neighborhood a better place. Civic association leaders engaged in the review of various development projects occurring around Rosslyn spoke about the plans and issues of building density, affordable housing, and community benefits. Police and fire officials working to make the neighborhood safer were at the meeting, as were Arlington County Board officials, including Chairman Walter Tejada. Congressman Jim Moran gave a lively, unscripted presentation in which he spoke passionately about the need for fiscal responsibility and on the importance of welcoming immigrants to the U.S.

Additional news coverage: this evening I discovered that the rear tire on my bicycle had gone flat when I got on it to ride home from work. After changing the tire twice and then patching a tube, I got home and arrived at the meeting just as Mr. Tejada was ending his presentation. Thus I regret that I am unable to report on his presentation. Useful lesson: don't install a new tube on your bike until your check that it doesn't leak.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Hoya Hodgepodge Impresses at DC Dragon Boat Festival

Participants in the 2008 Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival overcame a flooded river and a hail storm to bring a colorful celebration of Chinese culture to the Potomac River. Runoff from torrential rains required rescheduling the festival from May 17-18. Tremendous thunder, rain, and hail interrupted the rescheduled festival this past Saturday. Chu Yuan's spirit was surely pleased that the event went forward despite these obstacles.

The festival included well-trained and highly skilled dragon boat paddlers. These teams were amazing to watch in action. They churned up the Potomac at a high cadence with all twenty paddlers together fiercely striking the water in perfect synchronization.

The festival also included novice teams. Hoya Hodgepodge, a novice team under the energetic leadership of captain Eileen Napoliello, impressed many paddlers in the course of its four races. Its nominal roster drew mainly on persons affiliated with various schools at Georgetown University. But, in response to desertions from its ranks, the Hoya gang dragooned into service researchers from the National Institute of Health, transported across 2500 years an astonished oarsman from an ancient Greek trireme, and even rounded up some Pirates of the Potomac. But perhaps the Hoya gang's most audacious move was to impress a very high-ranking official from the Taiwan Representative Office. That official, who was captured along with four of his colleagues, rowed quite strongly despite having to row against his own (former) teammates.

Captain Napoliello made a daring strategic move when the festival races shifted to the longer, 500m meter distance. In order to increase team harmony and synchronicity, she put into her boat's two leading seats a brother and sister duo. Anyone with siblings can recognize the audacity of this strategy. But this move helped the Hoya Hodgepodge win a Silver Medal in the 500m Team "D" Finals.

Video news coverage of the DC Dragon Boat Festival in included below. If the video keeps stopping and starting, try clicking on the stop button on the player and give it a minute to get ahead on the downloading. Alternatively, the Youtube version seems to play more continuously, but the video quality is lower.


Thanks to the Chinese Women's League, Washington DC Chapter, for sponsoring this event.