Over the past year, Artisphere exhibitions such as Hamtdaa: Together and Dance: Films have highlighted Arlington residents doing art of world-wide significance. Artisphere has hosted the Arlington side of an international artist exchange with Aachen, Germany. Artisphere has displayed a community quilt, highly accessible art, and wonderful objects for curious exploration. While Rosslyn already has a vital position in the greater Washington DC area, new development in downtown Rosslyn will make Rosslyn an even greater destination in the future. Artisphere should be an important and distinctive part of Rosslyn's future as the gateway to Arlington.
Unfortunately, Artisphere continues to suffer from lack of recognition and lack of appreciation. At a recent Arlington County Board meeting, County Manager Barbara Donnellan put forward a new business plan for Artisphere. This business plan includes $2.67 million in County funding for Artisphere in Fiscal Year 2012, and projected funding of $1.58 million in Fiscal Year 2013. At the same time, Artisphere is immediately scaling back some aspects of its operations. Starting Dec. 12, Artisphere will be closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays. Here, the cafe and bar in Artisphere, is closing as of Nov. 30.
Artisphere's struggles are due in part to the Ode Street Tribune's failings. The Tribune has managed to attract only the most sophisticated, cultured, and discerning residents of the greater Rosslyn area. Others have not been adequately informed about Artisphere's attractions. The Tribune, whose revenue has remained rock steady since its founding, resolutely refuses to change to attract the uninformed masses. Artisphere will have to rely on its own new initiatives to reach a broader audience.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Westmoreland decides to fix potholes
Less than 200 yards away from the still-gaping Ft. Myer St potholes is a pothole in the Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums parking lot. At last night's condo board meeting, the board decisively decided to repair the Westmoreland pothole. The pothole apparently arose from bad quality repair of cracks in the parking lot during the last parking lot resurfacing. Unsatisfied with the quality of that work, Westmoreland has withheld final payment for it.
Other items from last night's board meeting:
Other items from last night's board meeting:
- The board discussed a draft of the reserve study. The final study will be available for residents to review shortly. The main conclusion of the study is that Westmoreland's reserves are sound in relation to the physical condition of the complex.
- The next parking lot resurfacing will require milling the existing surface. Milling will create extra expense and inconvenience.
- The board approved a $2,900 expenditure for the 2012 condo association financial audit.
- The board will investigate the cost of pruning trees that overhang roofs, thus contributing to pest squirrel problems.
- Residents failing to bag and dispose of pet wastes is a concern. The board is considering purchased of five Doody Calls pet waste disposal stations. The community could avoid the cost and sight of such stations if residents would be more conscientious in doing their duty.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Rosslyn leads abstract constructivist movement
Rosslyn is pioneering an exciting new artistic movement known as Rosslyn Abstract Constructivist Art or Raca. Art critics see Raca's roots in a concretization of De Stijl, also known as neoplasticism. De Stijl is an important art movement founded in the Netherlands in 1917. Among its leading figures were Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian. Raca trangresses De Stijl's rigid color scheme and transforms its use of shape and line into a dynamic context. Raca's great artistic leap forward is apparent in the comparison between Monday's B-Moore-1812, shown above, and Doesburg's Composition VII (the three graces), shown below.
In Rosslyn, art is everywhere.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
a bike is a terrible thing to waste
The local, non-profit organization Wheels to Africa will be collecting bikes on Saturday, December 10th from 10am-3pm at Swanson Middle School, Washington-Lee High School, and Yorktown High School. All collected bikes will be donated to Africans in need of bikes.
A bike can provide critical transportation to reach food, water, work, school, and medical care. If you have a bike that you don't need, don't let it go to waste. Donate it to Wheels to Africa so someone who needs it can ride it.
Suppose you have six bikes, and you need them all. You don't need a vacuum cleaner, a dishwasher, a television, a sofa, and most furniture other than the most basic. Unfortunately, Africans and everyone else don't really need that stuff either. But a lot of people will buy it anyway. So you can sell such stuff and donate the proceeds to help Africans get bikes.
A bike can provide critical transportation to reach food, water, work, school, and medical care. If you have a bike that you don't need, don't let it go to waste. Donate it to Wheels to Africa so someone who needs it can ride it.
Suppose you have six bikes, and you need them all. You don't need a vacuum cleaner, a dishwasher, a television, a sofa, and most furniture other than the most basic. Unfortunately, Africans and everyone else don't really need that stuff either. But a lot of people will buy it anyway. So you can sell such stuff and donate the proceeds to help Africans get bikes.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Ode Street Tribune as public-spirited as White House
The White House website, which is the official website of United States’ President Barack Obama and his Administration, is made available to all under a Creative Commons-Attribution license. That's the same license under which the Ode Street Tribune is made available to all.
A case study on the White House's use of the Creative Commons license observes:
A case study on the White House's use of the Creative Commons license observes:
Creative Commons licensing enables the Obama-Biden Administration to work collaboratively with the American people, and demonstrates a genuine focus on democratic participation in the running of the country. The ability to take information from the site with only an obligation to attribute it to the author means that visitors to the site can be fully informed and in turn can fully inform others.The Ode Street Tribune fully endorses that democratic mission with its own words and actions. Think of the Tribune as the White House for the greater Rosslyn neighborhood.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Lynn St. skywalk will be torn down
Arlnow reports that the Lynn St. skywalk will be torn down. That makes sense. The plan is to transform Lynn St. into a grand, two-way street, lined with luminous bodies, connecting Rosslyn's Key Bridge to the revered Iwo Jima Marine Memorial. You will want to walk along Lynn St., not cross above it.
At last week's RAFOM meeting, Arlington planner Kelly Cornell responded to a question about the skywalk plans. She noted that the skywalks bringing north Rosslyn residents to the metro entrance will be preserved.
At last week's RAFOM meeting, Arlington planner Kelly Cornell responded to a question about the skywalk plans. She noted that the skywalks bringing north Rosslyn residents to the metro entrance will be preserved.
Monday, November 21, 2011
stay alert to stop crime
At last week's RAFOM meeting, officers from our neighborhood (District 2, beat 24) police team reported that crime in the neighborhood is down over the past year compared to the previous year. Moreover, several months ago the police arrested two suspects associated with a string of local burglaries. Those arrests should help to lessen further local crime.
Taking reasonable precautions and staying alert helps to stop crime. When walking at night, it's safer to walk with company. So invite someone else to go with you to wherever you're walking. Walking with music blaring from earphones or walking while texting and staring into a smartphone decreases your awareness of your surroundings and makes you more prone to be a victim of crime. It's much better to look around and enjoy the colors of fall and the spectacular Rosslyn skyscape.
An alert resident of Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums recently noticed pry marks on the back door of 1311 N. Ode Street. Arlington County police are aware of this situation. Apartment building residents should be mindful of any fresh or suspicious damage to the doors or any suspicious persons seen in the building common hallways. If you have some concern about possible criminal activity, our neighbor Arlington County police team encourages you to contact them. They can judge much better than you whether some particular activity is significant.
Taking reasonable precautions and staying alert helps to stop crime. When walking at night, it's safer to walk with company. So invite someone else to go with you to wherever you're walking. Walking with music blaring from earphones or walking while texting and staring into a smartphone decreases your awareness of your surroundings and makes you more prone to be a victim of crime. It's much better to look around and enjoy the colors of fall and the spectacular Rosslyn skyscape.
An alert resident of Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums recently noticed pry marks on the back door of 1311 N. Ode Street. Arlington County police are aware of this situation. Apartment building residents should be mindful of any fresh or suspicious damage to the doors or any suspicious persons seen in the building common hallways. If you have some concern about possible criminal activity, our neighbor Arlington County police team encourages you to contact them. They can judge much better than you whether some particular activity is significant.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
identifying planes overhead
Airplane noise is a major civic concern in Rosslyn. WolframAlpha can help deal with noisy planes overhead. Here's a description of the free online service. Try it by clicking here.
With this handy service, you can precisely time crucial conversations while enjoying drinks on your balcony. Before the crucial enunciation of "Will you ...?", whip out your smart phone, quickly navigate to the above WolframAlpha query link, and check how many miles off the nearest plane is. Proceed with conversation appropriately.
Identifying planes overhead won't make them any less noisy. But at least with WolframAlpha, you'll know exactly what flight you're cursing, and when to say crucial words that need to be audible.
Note: post updated based on very helpful comment.
With this handy service, you can precisely time crucial conversations while enjoying drinks on your balcony. Before the crucial enunciation of "Will you ...?", whip out your smart phone, quickly navigate to the above WolframAlpha query link, and check how many miles off the nearest plane is. Proceed with conversation appropriately.
Identifying planes overhead won't make them any less noisy. But at least with WolframAlpha, you'll know exactly what flight you're cursing, and when to say crucial words that need to be audible.
Note: post updated based on very helpful comment.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
major changes recommended for downtown Rosslyn
The Rosslyn Multi-Modal Transportation Study is recommending major changes to improve streets and transportation in downtown Rosslyn. Kelly Cornell, the project manager for the study, described the study's draft recommendations at this Wednesday night's Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Assocation (RAFOM) meeting. Among the draft recommendations:
Think about how to make Rosslyn's streets, trails, and transportation options even better. Ideas and suggests can still be incorporated into the draft Rosslyn Multi-Modal Transportation Study.
Eileen Corbet, Director, Arlington's Residential Program Center, and Kathy Sibert, Executive Director, A-SPAN, spoke to the RAFOM meeting about homelessness in Arlington. In Northern Virginia, 47% of renters are paying more than 30% of their income for rent and utilities. Hence becoming homeless after a sharp reduction in income is a possibility for many persons. Surveys of homeless in Arlington have found graduates of local high schools, persons who have been living on the streets for years, and quite elderly persons.
Single adults comprise about 65% of Arlington's homeless population and number about 300 persons. Among single adult homeless persons, 83% are male. Single adult males are a particularly neglected homeless population. They lack the sympathy and resources that "women and children" get, and they also suffer from a common perception that males who are weak and without money are disposable.
The Residential Program Center is a 44-bed facility on Columbia Pike. It provides non-medical detoxification, substance abuse recovery, and homeless services for single adults. The Residential Program Center is seeking volunteers as well as donations of toiletry items, new clothing, and individually wrapped food items.
A-SPAN is helping to drive Arlington's 100 Homes Campaign as part of the 10-Year Plan to end homelessness in Arlington. In addition, A-SPAN provides ongoing emergency winter shelters and drop-in services for showers, laundry, phones, computers,and counseling. A-SPAN provides about 90 meals at night near Gateway Park in Rosslyn. A-SPAN also is looking for volunteers and donations.
Other items from the RAFOM meeting:
- convert Lynn St. and Ft. Myer Dr. from one-way streets to two-way streets
- study removing Ft. Myer Dr. underpass
- relocate some bus stops from Moore St. to Lynn St. and Ft. Myer Dr.
- widen sidewalks and reduce street widths
- establish a "festival street" for public activities in downtown Rosslyn
- establish a new trail connection between Iwo Jima and Roosevelt Bridge
Think about how to make Rosslyn's streets, trails, and transportation options even better. Ideas and suggests can still be incorporated into the draft Rosslyn Multi-Modal Transportation Study.
Eileen Corbet, Director, Arlington's Residential Program Center, and Kathy Sibert, Executive Director, A-SPAN, spoke to the RAFOM meeting about homelessness in Arlington. In Northern Virginia, 47% of renters are paying more than 30% of their income for rent and utilities. Hence becoming homeless after a sharp reduction in income is a possibility for many persons. Surveys of homeless in Arlington have found graduates of local high schools, persons who have been living on the streets for years, and quite elderly persons.
Single adults comprise about 65% of Arlington's homeless population and number about 300 persons. Among single adult homeless persons, 83% are male. Single adult males are a particularly neglected homeless population. They lack the sympathy and resources that "women and children" get, and they also suffer from a common perception that males who are weak and without money are disposable.
The Residential Program Center is a 44-bed facility on Columbia Pike. It provides non-medical detoxification, substance abuse recovery, and homeless services for single adults. The Residential Program Center is seeking volunteers as well as donations of toiletry items, new clothing, and individually wrapped food items.
A-SPAN is helping to drive Arlington's 100 Homes Campaign as part of the 10-Year Plan to end homelessness in Arlington. In addition, A-SPAN provides ongoing emergency winter shelters and drop-in services for showers, laundry, phones, computers,and counseling. A-SPAN provides about 90 meals at night near Gateway Park in Rosslyn. A-SPAN also is looking for volunteers and donations.
Other items from the RAFOM meeting:
- RAFOM's holiday fiesta for low-income children in the neighbor will occur on Friday, Dec. 9
- Volunteers are needed on Saturday morning, Dec. 10, to help put wreaths on all the gravestones in Arlington Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America Project
- the Harvest for Hope party and silent auction to benefit the Residential Program Center will be this Sunday night, Nov. 19.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
potholes multiplying
The bumpy bottom of N. Ft. Myer Dr. is getting rougher. It now has five significant potholes. The deepest one is 2.5 inches deep and goes down to an underlying layer of payment. Upcoming rain and freezing temperature will make these potholes worse if they aren't repaired.
A leading local news source reported two of these potholes on August 31, 2011. Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, which usually responds rapidly, may be having operational difficulties.
A leading local news source reported two of these potholes on August 31, 2011. Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, which usually responds rapidly, may be having operational difficulties.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
bull riding in Rosslyn
Rosslyn is not only a center of fashion, media, and military industries, it's also the go-to hangout for urban cowboys. Your average cowboy, whether in the back country or in an urban village, would swallow her chewing tobacco before she set foot in an art gallery. Not so for Artisphere. Artisphere has a rocking program of contradancing, swing dancing, and salsa dancing. Now Artisphere also offers bull riding.
The bull rides are part of Steve Jones' Dinner Bell series. You can choose to ride T-Bone Steak or Cooked Chicken. If you're looking for some rough and tough action, Cooked Chicken is your best choice. But don't get on this bull if you have back problems or neck problems. You could get seriously hurt. Yee haw!
Note: this post includes a video. If you don't see the video in your email reader, go to the post on the Ode Street Tribune.
The bull rides are part of Steve Jones' Dinner Bell series. You can choose to ride T-Bone Steak or Cooked Chicken. If you're looking for some rough and tough action, Cooked Chicken is your best choice. But don't get on this bull if you have back problems or neck problems. You could get seriously hurt. Yee haw!
Note: this post includes a video. If you don't see the video in your email reader, go to the post on the Ode Street Tribune.
Monday, November 14, 2011
street signs down
The street sign at the corner of Queen St. and Arlington Blvd (south side of the bridge) has been knocked down. This may have been a drunk driver missing the right turn by a large margin. On the other side of Rt. 50, at the corner of 14th St. and N. Fairfax Dr., a driver failed to yield to a yield sign.
Running over street signs is much better than running over pedestrians or cyclists. But be careful, because some drivers may not make good choices.
Running over street signs is much better than running over pedestrians or cyclists. But be careful, because some drivers may not make good choices.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
get free seed
Virginia Cooperative Extension will be handing out free seed and gardening wisdom at the Arlington Central Library this coming Thursday from 6:45 to 9pm. No food is more green and organic than food from your own garden. Let the People's Garden be an inspiration for you!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Long Bridge Park northern entrance possibilities
A railroad line crosses over the Mt. Vernon Trail and the George Washington Parkway to enter Long Bridge Park from the north. Pedestrian and cyclist access to Long Bridge Park would be improved with a trail overpass paralleling this rail overpass. Pedestrians and cyclists using the Mt. Vernon Trail are currently making their own trail to connect to Boundary Channel Dr. next to large Pentagon parking lots. This well-worn improv trail highlights the need for better Mt. Vernon Trail connectivity in this area.
Related post: Long Bridge Park needs better northern entrance
Related post: Long Bridge Park needs better northern entrance
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Ode Street Tribune lowers prices for readers
With the world economy facing serious difficulties, the Ode Street Tribune is boldly attempting to stimulate news readers and help the struggling news industry with a new, highly permissive license to use Ode Street Tribune content. All Ode Street Tribune content until further notice is available to everyone without any restrictions from the Ode Street Tribune. You can share, remix, and use commercially this Ode Street Tribune content, including text, images, and video, without any further permission from the Tribune. This public-spirited initiative effectively lowers the price for Tribune readers to make good use of all the interesting and useful news stories that they find on the Ode Street Tribune.
Additional points:
Additional points:
- If you are interested in pondering legal details of this new license, see the CC BY 3.0 license.
- The Tribune would be grateful for attribution in accordance with the terms of CC BY 3.0 license. Attribution, however, can sometimes be distracting, and figuring out required terms of attribution in different cases can cost time and effort. To eliminate this cost and effort, the Tribune hereby waives the attribution requirement. The Tribune, however, remains grateful for attribution by users of its content.
- In some cases, the Ode Street Tribune includes content that others have created. Typically the Ode Street Tribune explicitly identifies and attributes that content. The Ode Street Tribune's license does not apply to that content. You are responsible for identifying that content and using it accordance with whatever license you have to use it.
- The Ode Street Tribune provides no warranty or indemnification of any sort to anyone. You are responsible for your actions.
- The Ode Street Tribune hopes that persons will use its content in non-evil, productive, publicly valuable ways. If results sadly turn out otherwise, the Ode Street Tribune may return to a more restrictive license.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Artisphere hosts international artist exchange
Last week Artisphere hosted artists from Aachen, Germany, in the second leg of an Aachen-Arlington artist exchange called Project 2011: Face to Face. The German artists stayed in the homes of their Arlington counterparts and worked with them on art at Artisphere. This part April, the roles had been the reverse with the Arlington artists in Aachen. Nan Morrison, an Arlington artist who participated in the exchange, stated:
My Face to Face experience has been extremely educational, fun, and personally rewarding in many ways. The ten-day unique artistic journey and opportunity to work with a group of wonderful and talented artists from Germany is an experience I will always treasure. Their commitment to the project, professionalism, generosity and excitement to be in America and Arlington, Virginia [and especially Rosslyn] has been infectious and inspirational.A large crowd gathered this past Thursday night to meet the artists and view results of their collaboration. Their works are on display at Artisphere through December 11.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Kimani Nielsen victorious in Ed Sander cyclocross
Kimani Nielsen of local bike racing team Squadra Coppi won the men's 3-4 race in this past Sunday's Ed Sander Memorial Cyclocross race. Nielsen's Squadra Coppi teammate Brad Evans finished fifth to give Squadra Coppi impressive representation in the front of the 72-man field.
The race played out on a dry, windy, relatively technical course in Adamstown, Maryland. Nielsen rode a smart race early on, avoiding crashes and staying towards the front of the field but on other riders' wheels. With three laps to go, Eric Krause from Antietam Velo Club attacked. Nielsen kept on his wheel and the two broke away from the field. Teammate Evans stayed off the front of the chase group to help out his teammate Nielsen, then dramatically punched through a steep muddy drop to bridge up to work with his teammate. However, unattached rider Jimmy Picard launched a strong move out of the chase group, pulling back Evans and making contact with leaders Krause and Nielsen. With three-quarters of a lap to go, Nielsen launched a dramatic attack. It wasn't enough, however, to drop Krause and Picard. Going into the home stretch, Nielsen was leading out Krause and Picard. That's not the position a rider wants to be in to win a race. But Nielsen got down into his drops and powered out an impressive win. Josh Doorly of Haymarket Cycles managed to pass Brad Evans through the barriers, and Evans, who took a bad line through a couple of final turns, couldn't recover his position. Nonetheless, Evans finished a highly respectable fifth.
The above photo, courtesy of top-ranked cyclocross photojournalist Jay Wescott, shows Nielsen and Evans in action. Check out more of Wescott's photos of the Ed Sander Cyclocross. Here are complete results for all the day's races.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Long Bridge Park needs better northern entrance
Long Bridge Park is a magnificent new park in the southern Rosslyn area. The park includes three lighted, synthetic turf athletic fields, a beautiful esplanade, and a lovely kinetic artwork called Wave Arbor. Moreover, this already great park is going to become even better in the future. On the northern end of the park will be a new aquatics, health, and fitness center. It will include:
To get to Long Bridge Park, get on the trail heading south from the Iwo Jima, cross the bridge over 110, and head towards the Mt. Vernon Trail. Once you cross Washington Blvd, take the trail on the right that takes you on the east side of Washington Blvd. That trail/sidewalk will take you to Boundary Channel Dr. Then ride on Boundary Channel Dr. along the Pentagon parking lots to the obscure and dumpy-looking northern entrance to Long Bridge Park.
A longer but more scenic route is to take the Mt. Vernon Trail south to the Crystal City exit near the airport, cross under the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and then turn right on Crystal Dr. and head north. That will take you into the southern entrance to Long Bridge Park.
At times of high traffic and when many cars are entering and exiting the Pentagon parking lots, riding to Long Bridge Park via the northern entrance is likely to be treacherous. I suggest getting to the park via the southern entrance. This has the advantage of giving you about a ten-minute longer bike ride. If you need a bike, they are readily available in Rosslyn via Capital Bikeshare.
A new trail will be built along 110 heading south from the Iwo Jima. If this new trail could connect to the northern entrance to Long Bridge Park, it would provide a faster route to the park and avoid treacherous crossing of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
an Olympic-sized swimming pool designed for recreational, fitness, and competitive aquatics—including a 10-meter diving platform. Also planned are an indoor fitness area and an indoor multi-activity center suitable for indoor field sports or community gatherings, an expanded esplanade for outdoor activities, and a fourth full-sized rectangular field.This park is a great place to go to enjoy nature and to get some exercise.
To get to Long Bridge Park, get on the trail heading south from the Iwo Jima, cross the bridge over 110, and head towards the Mt. Vernon Trail. Once you cross Washington Blvd, take the trail on the right that takes you on the east side of Washington Blvd. That trail/sidewalk will take you to Boundary Channel Dr. Then ride on Boundary Channel Dr. along the Pentagon parking lots to the obscure and dumpy-looking northern entrance to Long Bridge Park.
A longer but more scenic route is to take the Mt. Vernon Trail south to the Crystal City exit near the airport, cross under the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and then turn right on Crystal Dr. and head north. That will take you into the southern entrance to Long Bridge Park.
At times of high traffic and when many cars are entering and exiting the Pentagon parking lots, riding to Long Bridge Park via the northern entrance is likely to be treacherous. I suggest getting to the park via the southern entrance. This has the advantage of giving you about a ten-minute longer bike ride. If you need a bike, they are readily available in Rosslyn via Capital Bikeshare.
A new trail will be built along 110 heading south from the Iwo Jima. If this new trail could connect to the northern entrance to Long Bridge Park, it would provide a faster route to the park and avoid treacherous crossing of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Rosslyn premiere wedding location
The space in front of the Netherlands Carillon, with its spectacular view of three Washington monuments, is a premiere location for weddings. Couples marrying in Rosslyn could have a reception in a nearby hotel. A sophisticated and fun alternative would be to rent Artisphere for a wedding reception. The art exhibits and the central spiral stairway would make for a memorable event.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Artisphere mural shows complex identity
At Artisphere's 1 Party, Arijit Das led a collaborative mural creation. The resulting mural is now on display in Artisphere's Town Hall. If you study this artwork careful, you might notice Euler's formula evaluated at pi (Euler's identity). Euler's formula is a key identity in complex analysis. The complexity of identity is a common theme in contemporary art. This mural incorporates that theme in an sophisticated and innovative way. Such work is helping to propel Artisphere to the forefront of the contemporary art scene.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Rosslyn defends Virginia
This morning, menacing clouds overflew DC's gates and threatened Virginia. But Rosslyn's majestic skyscape held the clouds back and everyone enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day.
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