Monday, December 20, 2010

staff holiday until Jan. 3

The Ode Street Tribune's Managing Editor has instructed the Desk Editors to give all beat reporters a vacation, at regular pay, until Jan. 3, 2011.   All managers and editors will continue working.  They may even produce a post or two during this period.

Update: The editors produced no articles over this period.  That's typical editor productivity.  Fortunately, the Tribune's reporters are now back at work amidst the usual editorial beatings.

Meade St. Bridge Planning & Design Forum Jan. 10


Arlington County bicycle/pedestrian planning and engineering staff will be hosting a public forum to discuss improvements to the Meade St. bridge on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 at the Arlington Temple United Methodist Church in downtown Rosslyn.  An informal mix, meet, and chat (open house) will begin at 6:30pm.  The planning staff will give a presentation at 7pm.  The open house will continue from 7:30pm.  For more information, contact Arlington County's David Goodman at 703 228-3709.

The Meade St. bridge, which passes over Rt. 50 to connect downtown Rosslyn to the Iwo Jima Memorial and the entrance to Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall, has been an area of neighborhood concern for many years.  Important improvements have recently been made to the pedestrian crosswalks on the downtown side of the bridge.  Come out to the Meade St. Bridge public forum and help make the bridge even better.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Ode Street Tribune garners three Putzers


At its annual year-end award ceremony, the American Academy of Local News Arts and Sciences has awarded three of its prestigious Putzer Prizes to the Ode Street Tribune.  The Putzer for Local Investigative Reporting went to the Tribune for its investigation of the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon.  The Tribune thanks the Marine Corps Marathon for organizing this marathon in Rosslyn.  Our work would not have been possible without this great event.  The Putzer for Explanatory Historical Reporting went to the Tribune for its report on black heritage about Rosslyn.  Tribune staff have been deeply inspired by the life of Mamie Bell Mackley Brown.  The Tribune's record-breaking third Putzer was for Reporting that Serves Women.  The Tribune won this award for its reports on pole renovations and crane photos.  The Tribune cherishes its many and devoted women readers.  But it hopes to serve not just women, but every person in the neighborhood.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

let the people decide

[video removed]

Democracy depends on an active citizenry. Vote!



Update: Poll results as of Jan. 6, 2011, give Dwight (the younger) a towering lead with 43% of the votes cast. David (the elder) is significantly lower at 22% of the votes cast. Perhaps with the benefit of considerable life experience, 13% of the voters declared that size doesn't matter.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

major roads passable despite snow

About two inches of snow today made roads treacherous.  For human-powered traffic, the increased danger of accidents was partially offset by the increased softness of the ground.  All types of traffic are encouraged to use extra care in these conditions.

Fashion Fights Poverty at Artisphere

Adding to Rosslyn's reputation as a fashion capital, Fashion Fights Poverty has established its headquarters at Artisphere in Rosslyn.  Fashion Fights Poverty is an ethical and eco oriented fashion promoter.  Just a few days after Artisphere's opening on 10-10-10, the organization put on its annual benefit at Artisphere, with the theme RAW Haute Couture.   This past Wednesday night, Fashion Fights Poverty held a fashion swap to benefit Goodwill of Greater Washington.   Look for more exciting Fashion Fights Poverty events in Rosslyn in the coming months.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

new Rosslyn news site

Patch has started a new Rosslyn local news site.  The site features local "news and events, business listings, discussions, announcements, photos and videos."  The site also covers the Greater Rosslyn provinces of Courthouse and Clarendon.   Local news sources help to foster a vibrant, participatory local community.  Check out this new site!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

RAFOM holiday party draws 150 low-income neighbors

This past Friday at Wilson School in Rosslyn, RAFOM, the Radner Ft. Myers Heights neighborhood civic association, held a holiday party that attracted 150 low-income neighbors.   Low-income for this event did not mean does not drive a BMW.  It meant kids from families that might struggle to be able to afford to give kids Christmas gifts.  Arlington County police, disguised in festive holiday costumes, entertained the kids and distributed toys from the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation.   Domino's Pizza (Rosslyn store), Goody's, Il Radicchio, Liberty Tavern, Mr. Days, Mexicali Blues, Santa Fe Cafe and Toscana Grill (Courthouse Plaza) supplied food for the banquet. A platoon of neighborhood volunteers, ably led by Second Lieutenant Patricia Darneille, organized the event.

Monday, December 13, 2010

arty mashers at Artisphere


Party Crashers: Comic Book Culture Invades the Art World opening this past Saturday night at Artisphere.  A lively crowd enjoyed each other and the variety of art hanging on the walls.  The being in Nekisha Durrett's digital print, The Kudzu Forest, forlornly looked out on the scene.  Liberate the ghosts of art!


Artisphere unquestionably is at the vanguard of the art liberation movement.  Party Crashers included space and materials for visitors to make their own comic collages.  Using those resources, Sara Hammond and Alexander Smith put together a collage that displays well comic book culture.  Similarly, in Artisphere's WIP Gallery, the exhibit Folding/Unfolding: Collider invites visitors to build crystal forms out of 2D templates.



Party Crashers will be at the Artisphere through Feb. 13, 2011.  See creative, be creative!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

hawk kills squirrel in park

At approximately 3:53 pm EDT on Dec. 10, a hawk swooped down on a squirrel feeding peacefully in Fort Myer Heights Park.  The hawk grabbed the squirrel and flew with it to the ivy-covered embankments across the street.  When an intrepid Ode Street Tribune reporter moved closer to the scene of the assault, the hawk flew up into a tree and stared down belligerently.  By this time the squirrel was well dead.

On Saturday morning, we received a report of a hawk eating a squirrel on Constitution Avenue on Friday about noon.  Whether the perpetrator of this act was the same bird that killed the Ft. Myer Heights Park squirrel is unclear.

Our squirrel readership is hereby warned to raise its threat alert.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

start a garden today


Rosslyn's mysterious and intriguing undergound Safeway is now selling living organic herbs.  These are an actual herb plant growing in genuine earth in a small pot.  The idea is that you trim away leaves and stems as needed, while you continue to water and grow the herb.  Remember that guy who wanted everyone to start a garden?  His ideas just didn't seem practical to me. But now everyone  -- even a person living in a one-bedroom apartment on the third floor of an apartment building -- can start a garden in the middle of winter!

Shenandoah Growers produces these herbs.  The herbs are grown in greenhouses near Harrisonburg (about nine hours by bike southwest of Arlington) and shipped live to Rosslyn. Shenandoah Growers started as a small, Virginia-based business twenty-one years ago.  It's now become a leading supplier of fresh herbs.  Shenandoah Growers has impressive business principles.  But that's not all. You can get a Shenandoah Growers' living organic herb at the Rosslyn Safeway for $2.99 ($2.50 with your Safeway Bonus Card!).   Thank you, Shenandoah Growers!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

clean environment sign messed up

Rosslyn's magnificent and unique Freedom Park includes a set of painted-tile murals entitled "Spectrum of Freedom."  These murals were created by 270 young persons throughout Arlington.  One of the murals is entitled "Freedom to Live in a Clean Environment."  But the sign labeling the mural has fallen off and is littered on the ground below.  This is a bad example for young persons.

Quarterdeck has a new lease!

Today the Quarterdeck neighborhood restaurant signed a fifteen-year lease agreement with its landlord.  Quarterdeck owner Lou Gatti noted that he and the landlord, who are friends, had difficulties similar to common family disagreements.  Mr Gatti wrote in an email:
I want to thank all of you for the kind emails and the memories of the Quarterdeck you shared. Like you, I have always loved the Quarterdeck from my first visit, which was over 3 decades ago. The most moving story was from someone who lamented she would not be able to bring her children to the QD, as her parents had done with her.

Patrick Morrogh, a nine year veteran of the QD [Quarterdeck] and a manager, will take over the day to day operations. I think the younger folks need to implement fresh ideas. At 62, I will still be in charge of something, but I don’t know what.
As a Quarterdeck patron lamented while pondering its impending closing, there aren't many places left like the Quarterdeck.  Fortunately, at least the Quarterdeck will be here for at least another fifteen years.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

art, couture, comics, music

Arlington Arts Center residential artists are having open studios and art sales this Saturday, Dec. 11, from 6pm to 9pm.  Ponder Jill Romanoke's exquisite paper creations, peer into Van Nguyen's intriguing paintings, and enviously eye Paula Bryan's magnificent felted wool couture.  Ms. Bryan's head-turning tunic-jacket pictured above is made from hand-dyed, felted wool.  It is hanging in the main hall on the second floor of the Arlington Arts Center.

You can also see at the Arlington Arts Center the special exhibition Party Crashers: Comic Book Culture Invades the Art World.  Here's an insightful review from Ode Street's top-ranked local news source.

After visiting the Arlington Arts Center, come down to Artisphere for the opening of the Party Crashers companion exhibit.  The opening runs from 8pm to 11pm in the Terrace Gallery.  The exhibit features fine artists influenced by comic art.  Everyone likes a fine artist.  Some very fine artists were out in Crystal City earlier this year.

If all this fine art gets you feeling refined, stay at Artisphere past 11pm for Peelander-Z playing "Japan pop action comic punk rock music."  This Saturday night, the party is yours!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Rosslyn's green sky-road park


One feature that makes Rosslyn unique among major urban regions across the world is Rosslyn's green sky-road park.  Arlington County's 1964 General Land-Use Plan (GLUP) revision added a ring road around downtown Rosslyn.  However, the construction produced a western half that was slightly out of alignment with the eastern elevated half.  Hence the ring road was never connected, and a large portion of the eastern section became Rosslyn's aptly named Freedom Park.   As an informative Greater Greater Washington post on Arlington planning changes, 1960s to the 1970s, concludes, "the battle was won.  Arlington would not be a place of highways and interchanges."

Sunday, December 5, 2010

better than Colorado

While Rosslyn is like a Manhattan on the Potomac, it also offers better natural scenery than Colorado.  To immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, take a walk along the Potomac Heritage trail, which starts in Rosslyn.  Or take a walk on the trail that circles Rosslyn's Roosevelt Island. Or take a bike ride along the canal tow path that parallels Rosslyn's Potomac River.  Of course it's a bit cold outside, but the natural scenery around Rosslyn is sure to warm any heart.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

huge painting exhibit upcoming at Carnegie Institute and Arlington Central Library


Local young "Old Master" painter Teresa Oaxaca studied classical painting in the Tenebrist style for five years in Florence.  Now, at age twenty-two, she works as a full-time artist.  About a month ago, she noted in her blog that she had been "holding back about five large nearly finished pieces."  The wait to see these works is nearly over.

At 7:30pm on Monday, Dec. 6, in the Rotunda of Carnegie Institute, the public will receive its first opportunity to see them.  The occasion is a concert and reception benefiting the Esperanza Education Fund.  It is a community-financed college-scholarship program for immigrant students of any ethnicity or national origin.  The concert features the world-renowned musician Grigory Goryachev.  He will play classical and flamenco guitar.  A champagne reception will follow the concert.  Tickets start at $100 per person and must be purchased in advance. 

Hanging in the Carnegie Institute's Rotunda for this event will be Ms. Oaxaca's paintings.  One of the paintings is "Mancini Fiddler," never before shown to the public as the real, original work.   Ms. Oaxaca at first coyly hid an image of it, but then relented.  The dimensions of this painting are 72 inches by 50 inches.  That's huge.  Four other huge works will also be shown, including the award-winning "Girl in Blue."  Although Ms. Oaxaca's commissioned work, Judy & Blitz, apparently won't be shown, it makes clear her Promethean abilities. That dual portrait is fully life-sized.

Ms. Oaxaca is also graciously making her work more affordably and conveniently accessible to the public through an upcoming exhibit at Arlington Central Library.  Her work will be on display at Arlington Central Library from Dec. 7 through Dec. 31. 

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Above painting of Judy & Blitz courtesy of Teresa Oaxaca.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Society Circus at Fort Myer


At the Shorpy Historic Photo Archive, members have identified the above photo as a Society Circus show at Rosslyn's Fort Myer about 1922.  General Pershing attended a similar performance on March 31, 1922.  It included "monkey drills, trick riding and horse jumping, chariot race, cossack drill, artillery drill, tandems and ladies' ride."[1] .  The flag pictured is the company guidon for Troop E, 3rd US Cavalry (the Old Guard see Kirk's comment -ed.).

A Society Circus was held at Conmy Hall (Fort Myer's ceremonial hall) every Friday and Saturday during winter months from 1919 to 1941.  A historic walking tour of Fort Myer this past October explored Conmy Hall and discussed the Society Circus.  According to the walk brochure, "Members of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment would find themselves in various historical uniforms such as those of the Roman Legions, Genghis Kahn's Mongols [whose descendants now run a school in Rosslyn -ed.], Custer's 7th Cavalry and Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders."[2]

Learn more at walking tours of historic Fort Myer upcoming this spring.

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Notes:


[1] The quote is from "Society Will Entertain at Fort Myer Circus," Washington Post, Mar. 31, 1922.  That article refers to a circus performance on that day (a Friday).  The photo is dated Apr. 4, 1923.   That date, however, was a Wednesday.  Circus performances occurred on Fridays and Saturdays.

[2] The Society Circus was a type of event rather than a specific group.  Here's a Society Circus photo from a performance in Long Branch, NJ in 1909.