Tuesday, January 31, 2012

be aware of your surroundings

At approximately 7:58pm on Saturday, a resident returning to the historically important Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums became aware of some movement in the dark courtyard.  According to an exclusive interview with the Ode Street Tribune, the resident claims to have seen a "bunnywabbit."  That's not a species known to exist in this neighborhood or anywhere in the world. Under incisive questioning, the resident insisted, "I did, I did, I did see a bunnywabbit!"


A subsequent Tribune stakeout of the area resulted in a photograph of the animal.  Because scientific databases provide no information on the bunnywabbit, it should be considered dangerous. 

Always remain aware of your surroundings, especially when walking at night.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Westmoreland financial study approved

Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums recently commissioned a study of its financial position in relation to its long-term capital investment needs.  This Reserve Study indicates that Westmoreland's current reserves and projected condo fees are appropriate for its projected capital needs.  At today's Condo Board meeting, the Board formally adopted the study.  Interested owners can obtain a copy of the study from the condo manager's office.

Other items from the Condo Board meeting:
  • The Board approved a $7800 payment for the Reserve Study.
  • A well-informed resident told the meeting about a useful Arlington Prepares App.  The app provides contact information and instructions useful for a wide variety of emergencies.
  • Snow removal expenses thus far are only $1200-$1300, well below the $6000 budgeted for the year and far below the $20,000 spent in 2009-10.
  • Phil Bogert has returned to Westmoreland as the onsite property manager.  His hours are about 8:15 to 4:15 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and his telelephone number, 703 276-1833.
  • Phil Bogert has promised to organize some condo get-togethers / socials starting early this coming spring.  These will be opportunities to get to know more of the fine people who live in Westmoreland.
Condo Board members Jose Calvo,  Michelle Clifton, Jennifer Feinleib, Joe Ruland, and Emil Tabakov; residents Andrea, Douglas, Gretchen, and Joy; and Property Manager Dennis Freeman attended the meeting.  The next regularly scheduled condo board meeting is Feb. 28 at 7pm in the condo office.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Arlington's stories: Cathy Schnittker's story

If you need some personal inspiration, check out Tell Arlington's Story.  From there you can read and watch stories of amazing persons who don't just live in Rosslyn, but actually all across Arlington.  For example, rejoice in Cathy Schnittker's life of love in action:
Of the unsung heroes and heroines in our midst, many are uncelebrated because of their innate modesty and their commitment to their contributions, not to their glory. None fits this image more than the decidedly humble, yet deeply dedicated, Catherine P. Schnittker.
                In an era in which punishment without rehabilitation is the simplistic answer given toward criminal offenders, and so many of our young people are growing up without a sense of direction or a sense of hope, Cathy Schnittker has given up on neither. Instead, for the past two decades, she has guided youthful offenders, along with their adult counterparts, through thought-provoking and meaningful  behavioral changes and healthy integration into their communities.
                As the founder and coordinator of the community service program of Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington County, Inc. (OAR), since 1978 Mrs. Schnittker has annually supervised hundreds of individuals as they perform thousands of hours of court-ordered community service. In the past year alone, 645 workers provided over 19,000 hours of service to over 150 non-profit and public agencies in Arlington County and surrounding jurisdictions. This number included 407 juveniles and 238 adults.
Forget about that crazy driver who almost killed you.  Arlington has a lot of extraordinarily caring persons.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

light up Artisphere every night


In a brief interview with the Ode Street Tribune last week, Peter Fallon, who is very knowledgeable and active in community development, suggested that Artisphere be lit up every night. The Tribune heartily endorses getting lit.  Artisphere needs to raise its profile.  Having its sphere glowing every night would make Artisphere into an unmissable Rosslyn landmark. 

Lighting up Artisphere would also highlight Rosslyn's artistic leadership in the greater Washington area.  The Hirshhorn Museum plans to light up its building with a specially commissioned work every evening for two months starting March 22, 2012.  Per square foot and per dollar spent, Artisphere is far more artistically interesting than the Hirshhorn.  Let Artisphere's light shine!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Amy Hughes Braden paints tweens at Artisphere

"I covered my shyness with being mean to people I felt I could bully.  I feel bad now ... sorry Rodney."  "Smoked + Camped in forest clearing, got spooked by police heli."  "I was waaaaay too promiscuous & nobody stopped me."  "Angry and lonely ... still am"


Amy Hughes Braden has set up studio in Artisphere's Works-in-Progress.  She's working on portraits of tweens.  You can participate in this art by talking with her and sharing experience on the Works-in-Progress Gallery's huge blackboard. Braden's paintings will be in an upcoming 2013 Artisphere show.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Garvey pedals to victory in Democratic primary

Libby Garvey rode to a big win in the Arlington County Democratic Committee's caucus that concluded this past Saturday.  With her victory, Garvey became the Democratic candidate in the special election, upcoming on March 27, for a seat on the Arlington County Board. 

While Arlington school crowding and the proposed Columbia Pike streetcar were major issues in the election, an informed observer attributed Garvey's impressive victory to her experience.  "When setting multi-modal transportation policy," he explained, "there's no substitute for on-bike experience. Garvey's on-bike experience gave her the decisive edge in this important election."

Vote tally from the Arlington County Democratic Committee:
  1. Libby Garvey:    1,915 votes
  2. Melissa Bondi:     966 votes
  3. Terron Sims:        922 votes
  4. Kim Klingler:        333 votes
  5. Peter Fallon:        178 votes

Saturday, January 21, 2012

bike and dog parking at Trader Joe's


The Trader Joe's near Rosslyn has plenty of bike parking nearby.  Along the sidewalk on the block in front of the store are seven steel loops for bike parking.  In addition, a bike rack is available just past the entrance booth for the underground inhuman-powered vehicle parking (entrance on Garfield St.). 

If you have a well-behaved dog, the steel parking loops in front of the store are also handy for dog parking.  This past Thursday night, a black Labrador parked there was giving passers-by a clinic in calm patience.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

big turnout for Arlington Democratic caucus

Many civic-minded residents turned out the Arlington Democratic caucus this evening at at Washington and Lee High School.  While there was a large line of voters, voting was well-organized and total time from in-the-door to out was about a half hour at 7:15pm.  Voting continues until 9pm tonight.  If you can't vote tonight, you have another chance to vote from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School


Many Arlington politicians, including all the candidates in this election, were greeting and talking with residents at the voting location.  This caucus voting is a chance to meet informally in person the movers and shakers in Arlington politics.  Don't miss it!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

pending legislation threatens your local news


In a misguided, grossly over-reaching attempt to fight content piracy, pending legislation in Congress threatens the viability of vital local news sources like the Ode Street Tribune and all other activity on the web.  Put simply, this legislation will expose everyone on the web to a much greater risk of legal thuggery.

Legal thuggery is not just a hypothetical concern here at the Tribune.  Back in July, 2010, after a post describing a film shoot at the Iwo Jima, the Ode Street Tribune received a legal document threatening legal action against the Tribune for a particular phrase that the Tribune used (and has continued to use) in that post.  The law firm's client claimed to own that phrase.  Claiming to own words such that they can't be used in a news report is completely ridiculous.  Pending legislature in Congress will aid and abet legal thuggery like that, but worse.

Act now to stand up for your right to communicate on the web.  Click here to contact Congress to preserve your local news and your First Amendment rights.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Garvey leads Board candidates in cycling

Donaldson Run, an impressive new North Arlington news source, has posted an important series on the cycling views of the candidates for the Democratic nominee for the Arlington County Board.  Here are the candidates' cycling statements (in temporal order of response):
Libby Garvey's statement includes a powerful affirmation of the personal joy and public value of cycling.  This statement makes clear Garvey's in-the-saddle lead in bike experience and bike organizations.  The other candidates also put forward impressive bike statements.  Melissa Bondi declared:
Working with appropriate state agencies, Federal agencies, and private organizations to improve access and reduce risks at key locations such as the Rosslyn “circle” west of Key Bridge and North and South Glebe Road, and to create new links where they’re needed – including to traverse I-395 in South Arlington and across the rail lines and roadways that inhibit access to the Mount Vernon Trail.
Peter Fallon, following up on his appealing, Rosslyn-centric tweet-your-candidate submission, also highlighted Rosslyn's needs:
One accident is too many, and there are far too many accidents happening in Rosslyn. We need to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the cyclists at the Lynn St. intersection and anywhere else we have a danger point.  
Well-tuned readers might perceive a sense of lament in Terron Sims' statement that he does not have a bike. As a fit and trim West Point graduate, Sims probably could be a major asset to a local bike racing team. Somebody should get him a bike.  Kim Klingler speaks out on the importance of wearing bike helmets.  The Tribune's journalist knows persons who would be dead if they hadn't been wearing a helmet. Some consider wearing a helmet to be unfashionable or an impediment to an attractive hairstyle.  Klingler courageously speaks good sense on this important issue. 

*  *  *  *  *
Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Melissa Bondi, candidate for Democratic nominee for Arlington County Board


12-year Clarendon leader who has stood up to developers and for neighborhoods, for Orange line housing/diversity, walking & transit options.

*  *  *  *  *
Part of the tweet-your-candidate series.   Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Kim Klingler, candidate for Democratic nominee for Arlington County Board


Bring private sect., EMT, community volunteer perspective. Independent voice. Schools priority. Dem. Manage growth. Keep diversity.Vote Kim.

*  *  *  *  *
Part of the tweet-your-candidate series.   Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Peter Fallon, candidate for Democratic nominee for Arlington County Board


Peter & Alexandra at Light-up Rosslyn 2011. Snowflakes on the Artisphere. Do this all year with seasonal themes to showcase Rossyln & dome!

*  *  *  *  *
Part of the tweet-your-candidate series.   Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Terron Sims, candidate for Democratic nominee for Arlington County Board


Personally knocking on over 5000 doors in 70 days gives me the best perspective with which to go forward and lead Arlington#SimsForArlington

*  *  *  *  *
Part of the tweet-your-candidate series.   Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Libby Garvey, candidate for Democratic nominee for Arlington County Board


We need leaders who set priorities and manage change to keep what matters most as Arlington grows and develops. I’ve proven I can do this on the school board for 15 years.

*  *  *  *  *
Part of the tweet-your-candidate series.   Voting for the Democratic nominee to run in the special election for the Arlington County Board will occur from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.

Note:  Counting all characters in the standard technical sense, Libby Garvey's text has 162 characters. That's greater than the 140 character limit.  However, the Tribune's text analysis team determined that Garvey's text has exactly 140 characters if blank spaces are excluded.  After a three-hour meeting debating the correct interpretation of the rules for the tweet-your-candidate series, the Ode Street Tribune's Editorial Board decided by a bare one-vote margin to post Garvey's full text.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

new obstacles on expressway

Construction of the new Radnor Heights power substation and power distribution line has created a bump in Rosslyn's Arlington-Washington Bike Expressway. Particularly with rain and freezing conditions, cyclists should take extra care in going over or around it.

In related news, wooden overpasses (bridges) that have remained on Memorial Bridge for months create slippery conditions when wet. These sidewalk bridges freeze sooner than the whole road bridge, which freezes sooner than other roads.

In cold weather, going down is particularly unpleasant.  Be careful!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

tweet your candidate

The Ode Street Tribune this Saturday will have a special series of posts from responding Democratic nominee candidates for the Arlington County Board.  Each candidate has the opportunity to have one post consisting of an image and not more than 140 characters.  If you're a politically active reader, you can tweet the post of your favorite candidate. If you're an extremely busy or a politically apathetic reader, you can make an informed choice among the candidates by looking at images and reading no more than 140 characters per candidate.  The Ode Street Tribune is here to serve everyone.

The Tribune has sent each candidate the following invitation:
Thanks for your service to Arlington, and your willingness to serve on the Arlington County Board.  To help inform voters, the Ode Street Tribune is giving each County Board candidate an opportunity to communicate with voters.

You can have one post for free on the Ode Street Tribune.  The form of the post will be the same for all candidates.  The title of the post will be "{candidate's name}, Democratic nominee candidate for Arlington County Board seat"  The contents of the post will be very simple: you provide a photo/picture/drawing (image) and no more than 140 characters of text.  The Ode Street Tribune would prefer a creative image relating to your vision for Arlington, but you can submit any image that you choose, including even just a headshot of yourself or an image like a roadside campaign sign or a website advertising banner.  The Tribune will not edit the image at all.  The text, which is optional and limited to no more than 140 characters, can compliment the image, explain the image, or whatever.  If you would like some word in that text to be linked to your website, include an explanatory note describing which word you would like linked to your website and the Tribune will add the link. Otherwise the text (limited to 140 characters) that you provide will not be edited at all.  Please don't submit any image that will generate controversy over copyright for the Tribune or yourself.  At the end of each post, the Tribune will append details on voting times and places.

I'm sure that you're very busy with meetings and events.  This opportunity is meant to be simple, fun, and useful for informing voters on the important upcoming choice of the Democratic nominee.  I hope that you will take advantage of it.
Look for candidates' responses on the Tribune this Saturday!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

celebrating Arlington County's environmental services

Arlington's outstanding Department of Environment Services (DES) does an enormous amount of work.  DES's Solid Waste Bureau currently sits atop the rankings for interacting with Arlington residents.  The Solid Waste Bureau currently interacts 4.2 million times per year with Arlington residents, compared to 2.1 and 2.0 million for the ART bus and Arlington libraries, respectively.  Recycling helps to lessen the amount of wastes.  But some wastes are just a natural human function, and their elimination tends to be taken for granted.  But have no doubt, without DES's careful maintenance of sewer infrastructure, life would stink in Arlington.


DES is about more than waste.  DES brings you fresh, clean water through 526 miles of water pipes.  Moreover, DES played a key role in capping the Deep Soil Rosslyn Water Spill and stopping another water main break that threatened service at a key local institution.

DES also maintains traffic signals, road signs, and road markings.  Just imagine, there are more than 100,000 traffic signs in Arlington!

Residents in the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood are still waiting for repair of some annoying potholes on N. Ft. Myer Dr.  But given the scope of work that DES faces, those potholes really are relatively unimportant.

Monday, January 9, 2012

immerse yourself with Beauty Pill at Artisphere

Whatever medicine you're taking, you've got to take in Beauty Pill at Artisphere's Immersive Ideal installation.  Among other gems, one song lyrically flows: "If you see something that you don't have, you already know how to live without it," and then fades to a chanting refrain "I'm so lucky."  That's far better medicine than any prescription anti-depressant.

Even more potently, you get to hear this beautiful music within a collage of images of its creation, and you participate in shaping the rhythm of the images.  You tap buttons on a control board, and the images surrounding you change content and tempo. This is psychiatric therapy at its best.


Make sure to schedule an appointment, at your convenience, to see the Immersive Ideal with Beauty Pill at Artisphere's Black Box Theatre through January 22.

Note: brief review video included in post.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Democratic nominee candidates for County Board

Voting among Democrats for the Democratic nominee for the vacant Arlington County Board seat will occur in less than three weeks.  This is an important choice.  Voting will occur on from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.  

To help voters to consider the nominee candidates, the Arlington County Democratic Committee this past Wednesday organized a candidates' forum.  The nominee candidates, with links to their websites, are:
At the forum, the candidates gave opening statements, each responded to the same six questions, and then they gave closing statements.  The questions were:
  1. What's the most important experience or asset that you would bring to the Arlington County Board?
  2. What would you do to promote affordable housing for families in Arlington?
  3. Does Arlington need a streetcar?
  4. What's your view on the relations of the County Board and the School Board?  What works, what could be improved?
  5. What would you allow developers to do with pipe-stem lots?
  6. What is the biggest challenge that the County faces, and how would you seek to meet that challenge on the Arlington County Board?
The videos below group the candidates' opening statements, questions, and closing statements.  The order of the candidates shown is as occurred at the forum.  Technical limitations prevented the Ode Street Tribune from providing a fully fair selection of video thumbnails (initial static images).  Please ignore the video thumbnails in your consideration of the candidates.  Each video includes presentations from all the candidates.

Candidates' Opening Statements 



What's the most important experience or asset that you would bring to the Arlington County Board? 



What would you do to promote affordable housing for families in Arlington? 



Does Arlington need a streetcar? 



What's your view on the relations of the County Board and the School Board?  What works, what could be improved?



What would you allow developers to do with pipe-stem lots?



What is the biggest challenge that the County faces, and how would you seek to meet that challenge on the Arlington County Board? 



Candidates' Closing Statements 

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Trader Joe's open near Rosslyn


A Trader Joe's grocery store has opened at 1109 North Highland St., just a 20-minute walk from downtown Rosslyn.  The store is open from 8 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week. It offers free, underground parking for cars.  Whether bike parking is also available in the underground parking lot isn't clear and is currently under investigation.  You can contact the store by phone at 703-351-8015.

While the covert and alluring underground Safeway near the center of Rosslyn is likely to remain the go-to grocery store for pressing neighborhood needs, Trader Joe's offers exotica.  For example, Trader Joe's offers organic butternut squash soup (low sodium), freeze-dried raspberries (unsweetened & unsulfered), and steamed & peeled baby beets.  Use the baby beets, along with Greek yoghurt, avocado, sprouted lentils, mung, and adzuki beans, and homemade buckwheat hearth bread (if you're fortunate enough to have some) to prepare a folk delicacy known as odinar.  Fast to prepare, and delicious!


Trader Joe's new store sadly lacks a good assortment of manly vegetables.  The store apparently doesn't carry asparagus, carrots, celery, etc.  It carries Brussels sprouts stalks, which look like a post-apocalyptic mutant vegetable.  Stick with old-fashioned Brussel sprouts from Mexico.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Immersive Ideal at Artisphere

This past July in Artisphere's Black Box Theatre, Washington DC-based band Beauty Pill worked to create an album in front of the eyes and ears of anyone who entered Artisphere.  That's what the band called "an exercise in radical transparency."  They showed form being formed.  They made art without artifice.


The band members have left the Black Box Theatre.  Their remains are a new Beauty Pill album and photographs of its creation.  From January 7 to January 27, enter into the Black Box Theatre, look within transparency, and immerse yourself in those remains.

A free, public opening reception is this Saturday from 7-10pm.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

important Democratic Arlington Board choice soon

Within the next three weeks, an Arlington County Democratic Committee caucus will choose the Democratic nominee for an open Arlington County Board seat.  The Democratic Arlington County Board nominee will surely win the upcoming March 27 special election for that seat.

This Arlington Democratic caucus is an important election.  Outgoing Board Member Barbara Favola, who was elected in November to the Virginia Senate, has served on the Board for the past 14 years.  Current Board members Chris Zimmerman, Jay Fisette, Walter Tejada, and Mary Hynes have served for the past 15, 13, 8, and 4 years, respectively.  The Board member chosen at the Democratic caucus probably will serve on the Arlington County Board for more than the next decade.

The Arlington Democratic caucus will be held from 7 pm to 9 pm on Jan. 19 at Washington-Lee High School and from 11 am to 7 pm on Jan. 21 at Kenmore Middle School.  Persons who wish to vote in the Democratic caucus must sign the following pledge:
I certify that I am a resident of and registered to vote in Arlington County, Virginia; I am a Democrat; I believe in the principles of the Democratic Party; and I do not intend to support, endorse or assist any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee or endorsee in the ensuing election.
Participants in the caucus should take that pledge seriously and make a choice for the nominee carefully.

You can learn about the candidates for the Democratic Board nomination at a candidates forum that will be held this Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 pm at the NRECA Building in Ballston