Monday, April 30, 2012

Gretchen Sprehe elected to Westmoreland Condo Board

At the 2012 annual meeting of the Westmoreland Terrace Condo Association this Monday night, Gretchen Sprehe was elected to a three-year term as a new member of the Condo Board.  Gretchen has an advanced degree in Environmental Sciences and management experience.  She has been actively attending condo board meetings for over a year and thus has experience with Westmoreland condo management business.  Moreover, she runs the online social news service District Geek. That provides convincing evidence that she knows how to have fun.  Welcome Gretchen as a Westmoreland Condo Board member!

Current members Jennifer Feinleib, and Joe Ruland were re-elected to additional three-year terms.  They deserve thanks from all residents for their continuing service.

Additional notes from the meeting:
  • The condo free increase for this year is 8%, as announced in the mailing to owners. The Board hopes to keep future increase to the general inflation rate of relevant prices.
  • Phil Bogert has returned as the onsite property manager.
  • Verizon Fios service installation appears to be on indefinite hold.  Other buildings in the neighbor do have Fios.
  • Pioneer Roofing's roof repair reportedly damaged one or more air-conditioning units.  Replacing the roofs requires raising these units.  Doing this without disconnecting the units puts stress on the pipes.  Additional roofing repairs are planned for Westmoreland.  Residents should be alert to the possibility of damage to the heat pumps.  Check the operation of your heat pump if you live in a building undergoing roof repair.  If additional problems occur or remain unresolved, Westmoreland should consider replacing Pioneer Roofing with a different roof repair contractor.
The next regularly scheduled condo board meeting is Monday, May 28, at 7pm in the onsite condo manager's office.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

digging on Marshall Dr.

Along Rosslyn's gorgeous Marshall Dr., construction crews are digging a deep trench for a power line.  If you are driving an inhuman-powered vehicle, you may experience a small delay here during the day.  Cyclists and pedestrians can either go on the sidewalk or detour through Rosslyn's Arlington Ridge Park. 

The deep trenching here suggests that, in a few months, traffic on the major Virginia-Rosslyn-Washington bike thoroughfare will be disrupted with digging.  Traffic on Rt. 110 is also likely to be affected. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Westmoreland Condos assessment up 8%

The Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums budget for fiscal year June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013 has an 8% increase in condo fees.  That's similar to last year's 7.5% increase.

The detailed budget shows some apparent cost overruns in the capital improvement program.  The facade repair, budgeted at $135,000, cost $168,067.  Professional fees for the roof and facade program, budgeted at $13,523, cost $42,063.  Given that the roof replacement cost $77,248, professional fees amounted to 17% of the amount spent on the actual roof and facade replacement / repairs.  Can anyone provide any neighborhood comparables?

Westmoreland continues to spend about $7000 a year on a doorbell system.  Here's an idea for an aspiring entrepreneur: replace legacy telephone-entry systems with a WiFi system that communicates with small, cheap wireless beeping devices given to each unit occupant.  You could charge half as much as the cost of the existing telephone-entry system and still make a huge profit.

The Westmoreland Terrace Condos annual meeting is this Monday, April 30, at 7pm in the onsite management office.  Three positions on the Condo Association Board of Directors will be elected. You can make nominations, including of yourself, at the meeting. Participate in the government of your own home!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

listen to your heart at Artisphere this Saturday night

The passion of tango and the loneliness of blues will blend Saturday night as María Volonté's Blue Tango Tour arrives at Artisphere.  This music, which explores "the deep spiritual bond that joins tango and the blues, as two genres steeped in sin, born in brothels, repressed yet always resurgent," resonates with the rich history of Rosslyn.  In an excellent review article in the The Morning Call, a newspaper for Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, Volonté explains:
"What we want is for people to leave behind the noise, so that they can listen to what their hearts are telling them," she says. "This is not music that allows you to cover your ears and forget who you are. In its most melancholic or joyful aspects, this music is encouraging people all the time to dare to be who they truly are."
That's inspiration good for everyone.


Travel into your heart with Volonté this Saturday at 8pm.  Tickets are $15 in advance, and $18 at the door.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

beat reporter does double-check

Last night at approximately 8:37pm in the laundry room in the basement of the historically important Westmoreland Terrace Condos, the Ode Street Tribune's exhausted beat reporter was carrying out his laundry duties. He put his payment card into the machine and pressed start. The laundry machine didn't start, but $1.40 was deducted from his payment card.

Ode Street Tribune reporters are trained to double-check the facts.  So the reporter pulled out his payment card, stuck it back in, and pressed start again.  The laundry machine didn't start, but $1.40 was deducted from his payment card.

The reporter has just lost more than double his weekly salary with the Tribune.

A large sign on the wall says call 1-800-Mac-Gray is you have any problems with the laundry machine. The reporter called the number, the operator said that she would dispatch a technician to fix the machine and that she would send a refund check for $2.80.  That's good service.

If you have a problem with Mac Gray laundry machines, don't hesitate to call the Mac Gray number.  They won't put you through a wringer.

Monday, April 23, 2012

controversy erupts over tent caterpillars

Controversy has erupted over the Ode Street Tribune's report that tent caterpillars are camping in a tree near the park.  Some readers believe that, contrary to the Ode Street Tribune's report, these caterpillars represent a serious risk to the tree.  The Tribune values highly its unimpeachable reputation for journalistic correctness.  We will not let criticism of our reporting go unanswered.

Consistent with its journalistic standards, the Tribune's reporter looked at the tree with his own eyes. He had clear sight of many healthy, green leaves.  The above photo documents just some of the tree's many healthy, green leaves

Tribune reporters are trained not to be satisfied with what they see merely with their own eyes. They also interview experts to provide authoritative quotes that give gravitas to news stories.  In the course of investigating this story, the Tribune's reporter contacted an Arlington Regional Master Naturalists.  The Master Naturalist wrote:
They don't do too much damage, because by the time they are done and gone, the tree has a chance to produce new leaves to replace any that they ate.  Rarely, if a tree has tremendous infestations (many nests) year after year it will be weakened and succumb.  
To leave no leaf unturned on this story, the Tribune's reporter also contacted a member of the Arlington County Urban Forestry Committee.  This tree expert wrote:
Even if they eat a lot of a tree's leaves a healthy tree will flush out a second time.  Less healthy trees would be stressed considerably by losing their foliage and subsequently more vulnerable to drought, other insects, and diseases.  A tree in a very weakened state could die from such a loss of foliage.
This tree clearly is healthy.  While the tent caterpillars have eaten leaves on the branch where their tent is located, many, many more leaves remain.  The tree is unlikely to have to flush out leaves a second time.

The Tribune stands by its story.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Squadra Coppi shines at All American Road Race

Local bike racing team Squadra Coppi had a fine showing at today's All American Road Race.  This was the second presentation of Squadra Coppi's 2012 line of team kit.  Notably accenting this year's couture is new title sponsor Vapiano featured in stylish red lettering on the front and back of the jersey. Vapiano has pioneered the concept of fresh casual food -- made-to-order hand tossed pizzas, fresh, house-made pasta and hand tossed gourmet salads.  While the Coppis modeled the jerseys through the usual competitive formalities, they also looked outstanding in casual poses throughout the event.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

tent caterpillars camping near park

Tent caterpillars have built a home in a tree near Ft. Myer Heights Park in Rosslyn. Tent caterpillars construct intricately designed silk homes.  They are naturally attracted to fashion centers such as Rosslyn.

Tent caterpillars are sociable and community-spirited.  The work cooperatively to gather food:
Studies have shown that eastern tent caterpillars recruit their tent mates to go on food finds. Caterpillars move from the tent in search of food, laying down an exploratory pheromone trail as they pass over the branches of the host tree. These chemical exploratory trails allow caterpillars to find their way back to the tent. If a caterpillar finds food and feeds to repletion, it returns to the tent, laying down a recruitment trail that serves to recruit hungry tent mates to its food find.
These caterpillars present no serious risk to the tree.  They should be welcomed as exemplary Rosslyn residents.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Rosslyn metro station turning more orange

The Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association (RAFOM) meeting this evening focused on transit developments.  Jack Requa, Assistant General Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) spoke about Metro's investments in rebuilding and improving its system.  Rosslyn is a key hub in the Metro system.  The Rosslyn station is currently operating at its peak capacity of 26 trains per hour.  Beginning June 18, in preparation for operation of the Silver Line from Dulles, more Orange Line trains will be running into Rosslyn, and fewer Blue Line trains.  To compensate, bus service (9E and 10E) will extend from Braddock Rd through Crystal City and the Pentagon to Rosslyn.

Requa discussed additional work to move Metro forward.  That includes extensive track repair, replacing some escalators (but apparently not Rosslyn's famed escalator), new metro cars, new metro audio systems, and a variety of other improvements.  He showed the video Metro: Building a Better System for You.

Steve Yaffe, ART Bus Manager, provided additional information about transportation developments.  Because of construction on N. Moore St. outside the Rosslyn metro station, ART Bus 61A/61B will have its N. Moore St. stop relocated to immediately before Wilson Blvd.  In addition, the bus schedule will be re-arranged to shift the driver break from Rosslyn to Courthouse. This means the bus will move through Rosslyn rather than beginning and ending its circuit there.  The date for the start of this change is still uncertain.  This change is expected to last for about six months.

Yaffe noted that AARP has produced a video, Active Living for All Ages, that features Arlington as an example of transit-oriented development.   The opening of this video not surprisingly features Rosslyn's stunning skyscape.  Yaffe also noted that a Super NoVa transportation planning project has begun:
this planning effort encompasses all of the localities comprising Northern Virginia and the localities extending from Northern Virginia to Caroline County on the south, Culpeper County on the west and Frederick County to the northwest. It also includes an effort in coordination with Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Such planning should help to facilitate access to Rosslyn.

Other items from the meeting:
  • a 12-story apartment complex is being planned for 16th St. between Pierce and Queen streets.  It will on net increase the number of affordable housing units.
  • a meeting to discuss the CaBi bikestation proposed for Meade St. Park will be held next week, probably on Thursday at 5:30pm.  RAFOM will provide further information about the meeting to encourage neighborhood residents to attend and share their views.
  •  Any neighborhood property owners can apply to have a free tree professionally planted.  Last year eight local properties took advantage of this opportunity.  The application deadline is June 13.  Interested persons should contact Steve Campbell at stevecampbell "at" verizon.net
  • Closed meetings of the Rosslyn Sector Plan Process Panel are underway.  At some point in this process Rosslyn residents will be informed of what is being planned for them.
The next RAFOM meeting will be RAFOM's annual meeting on June 12.  It will take place in the Top of the Town in Prospect House.  The featured speaker is Senator Jim Webb.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

access to Rosslyn impeded from West

Traffic is flowing smoothly into Rosslyn from the North, South, and East, but traffic flow into Rosslyn from the West is currently impeded.  The connecting bridge that carried traffic from the West into Rosslyn via 10th St. to Rt. 50 has been torn down.  This new impediment is a serious concern for everyone living west of Rosslyn.  That includes a large share of the United States, plus many others traveling across the Pacific Ocean.

Fortunately, a new connecting bridge will be constructed.  According to Virginia Department of Transportation plans for the Route 50/10th Street and Route 50/Courthouse Road construction, the new bridge with be finished in the Spring of 2013.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Rosslyn's Arlington Temple helps with difficult conversations

Rosslyn's Arlington Temple United Methodist Church is offering a Sunday series on difficult conversations and the power of words.  The talks, which begin this Sunday, are:
  1. Mordecai and Esther:  Words of Confrontation and Courage (Apr. 22)
  2. Hannah and Eli:  Honest Conversation about Pain and Longing (Apr. 29)
  3. Deborah and Barak:  Hard Conversation about Consequences (May 6)
  4. Ruth and Naomi:  Conversations of Compassion and Friendship (May 13)
None of these talks directly addresses how to deal with oppressive managers, supervisors, and editors ^& journos.  Sometimes words just aren't enough. How about a talk next year offering Jael's tips for driving tent stakes?

Saturday, April 14, 2012

D.O.L.L. brings thought-provoking art to Artisphere

Does doll stimulate for you thoughts and feelings?  How about DIWO OPNSRC LMFAO LHOOQ?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, you definitely should see D.O.L.L: DIWO OPNSRC LMFAO LHOOQ, now showing in Artisphere's Terrace Gallery. 

D.O.L.L. can be appreciated as cute and fun art.  You can make a pixel-by-pixel distorted portrait of you and your friends, if you're patient enough to wait for the digital processing.  There's a network of bulbs.  When you walk under them you start hearing voices, "Are you here?" But when you walk toward one voice, you start hearing another voice somewhere else.  It's like checking Facebook when you're walking down the street.  You can also peer into these magical portals that are only slightly thicker than a flat-screen TV, but they look really deep, like a bottomless black hole.  Don't fall in!
Despite its accessibility, don't be fooled: D.O.L.L. is deeply serious art.  Blake Fall-Conroy's Minimum Wage Machine delivers the real New York State minimum wage, in pennies, for the time you spend turning its handle.   Which would you rather do: work as a journalist for a prestigious local news organization, or earn a minimum wage?  This art painfully raises that churning question. 
Suppose that it's love rather than money that motivates you.  Patrick Resing's Hugg #1 is a robot that senses when a person is nearby.  The robot then directs itself to the person and hugs the person's leg with plastic grabbers.  Then the robot speaks sweet nothings to the person it has hugged.  If you feel unloved on the job or at home, Hugg #1 is the product you need.

D.O.L.L: DIWO OPNSRC LMFAO LHOOQ is showing in Artisphere's Terrace Gallery through Sunday, May 20, 2012.  Experimental Media films and free techno-art construction classes are being offered in conjunction with the exhibit.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

English Ivy threatens park tree

Only a few feet from where two trees were tragically executed last year in Rosslyn's Ft. Myer Heights Park, English Ivy is threatening to choke a tree.  Fortunately, Arlington Regional Master Naturalists provide thorough instructions for defending a tree from English ivy

Plans for the Ft. Myer Heights children's playground appear to indicate that this tree will be removed and replaced as part of the imminent children's playground construction.  The Ode Street Tribune is attempting to verify this plan.

There can be no question about the Ode Street Tribune's support for local trees.  Rest assured that if this tree is not slated to be removed, the Tribune will call upon all necessary forces to defend it.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Monday, April 9, 2012

Rosslyn receives special invitation to Green Rush 2012

With its rare wooden guardrail posts and its movement to large, single-stream recycling bins, Rosslyn's reputation is rising for being green.  Rosslyn residents have thus not surprisingly received a special invitation to participate in Green Rush 2012:
The Green Rush is a fun, DC wide, eco-scavenger hunt on Saturday, April 21st.  Teams of 2-5 will explore DC, complete challenges, and answer clues to earn as many points as possible. The highest-earning team wins the grand prize of $1,000.
Live Green and Clean Currents, two local green organizations, are sponsoring this fine event.  In 2010, five hundred persons participated in Green Rush.  Participants seemed to have a lot of fun despite the event apparently not involving bicycles.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

rare wooden posts in Rosslyn


Most metal highway guardrails have metal posts. Metal guardrail posts are common along Rt. 50.  But some rare wooden posts support the guardrail along Rt. 50 in Rosslyn just west of the Westmoreland Pedestrian Overpass.  Wooden guardrail posts look more natural and organic.  They probably are more environmentally sustainable.  Rosslyn's rare wooden posts are some consolation for all the metal added to Hillside Park in its recent renovation.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Sesow's Tesla electrifies Artisphere opening

The art exhibit Elevator to the Moon: Retro-Future Visions of Space has brought twentieth-century visions of the future to Artisphere's Mezz Gallery.  Among the many excellent works in the exhibit, Matt Sesow's Tesla stands out.  Its aristocratic pose recalls the class structure of the ancient regime.  Its styling and coloring point to the future of mad science.

The exhibit opening attracted a crowd.  Despite the prominent news coverage of the Frida Kahlo exhibit, Mary M. found out about the Kahlo exhibit just in time to see it on its last day.  She then heard about the Elevator to the Moon opening, and was happy to attend. She said that she lives in Vienna and works in DC, so she can stop off the metro in Rosslyn and enjoy whatever shows are going on at Artisphere.  She bought Tesla at the opening and is looking forward to seeing it every day in her home.  If you want to see Tesla and you aren't friends with Mary, this Artisphere exhibit is your last chance.

Elevator to the Moon is showing in conjunction with the Countdown to Yuri's Night blowout blast-off party that will happen at Artisphere on Saturday night, April 14.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

free bike goes fast


At approximately 8am this morning, a bike was on offer, free to the taker, out on the corner of 12th St. and Ft. Myer Dr.   Highlighting Rosslyn's connection to San Francisco, the bike is a California "limited edition" brand.  It has heavy-tread tires (unlikely to suffer a flat), a rear fender (very nice for commuting to work on rainy days), a chain guard (helps to keep dress pants clean), and a front brake held together by a rubber band (not recommended).  The bike is much smaller than the Ode Street Tribune's mobile reporting vehicle, but apparently fully functional.  The Ode Street Tribune firmly believes that equipment should not be judged by its size.

By 8pm this evening, the bike was gone.  Rosslyn residents are legendary for their generosity, and they contribute countless hours of volunteer work to make the community better.   But if you want to take advantage of Rosslyn residents' generosity, you have to move quickly.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Monday, April 2, 2012

celebrating vegetables: succulent yam

Eaten raw, a yam tastes a bit like a carrot.  Most leading paleo-caveman chefs prepare yam cooked.  Chop it up and cook it in a cast-iron (or stone) skillet for about 40 minutes.  Then the yam becomes soft and moist.  Yam goes well with broccoli and sardines.  Eating yams may reduce the risk of rain.
This post is part of the Ode Street Tribune's celebrating vegetables series.