Thursday, November 29, 2012

Rosslyn horn of plenty

A horn of plenty at the corner of N. Lynn St. and Lee Highway in Rosslyn is easily visible to persons heading from Rosslyn to Georgetown.  It reminds sad souls leaving Rosslyn of what they're leaving behind: fertility, good fortune, and abundance.  The Rosslyn Business Improvment District set up this poignant civic symbol in honor of Thanksgiving.  If you're leaving Rosslyn, turn back!  If you're not in Rosslyn, come into Rosslyn! You'll be thankful you did.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

open-mouthed cobra streetlights


Rosslyn, which is gaining a reputation for the sensuous and exotic, now has on the Meade St. bridge three cobra streetlights with their mouths wide open.  A leading local news source previously reported that these lights were going on too soon.  Repair of these streetlights seems to have been coupled with placing them in an avant-garde, provocative position.  As usual, expect other fashionable urban-pastoral locations to try to follow Rosslyn's lead.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Rosslyn's Kip Laramie wins human rights award

Kip Laramie, owner of Rosslyn's beloved and sorely missed Santa Fe Café, has won a 2012 James B. Hunter Human Rights Award for his work on behalf of the homeless.  In addition to serving as chair of Rosslyn's Homeless Services Committee, Laramie has throughout Santa Fe Café's 24 years of operation regularly contributed food, fund-raisers, and volunteer work for the homeless.  Laramie's effort on behalf of the homeless has been personal and selfless: he recognized the need, and he worked to meet it.  Laramie's award is a well-deserved award to a person who didn't seek awards.

Monday, November 26, 2012

more tree trimming at Westmoreland


Hurricane Sandy took down a large branch at the historically important Westmoreland Terrace Condos.   At today's Westmoreland Terrace Condo Board meeting, the Board approved an approximately $15,000 contract with Lancaster Landscaping to do tree trimming on the Westmoreland property.  Any dead branch over one inch in diameter will be cut down.  Living branches will be trimmed away from buildings.

Another items from the Condo Board meeting:
  • The snow removal contact with Lancaster was renewed.
  • Water usage at Westmoreland appears to be higher than normal.  This problem will be investigated further.
  • Bids for water pipe testing came in at $7,000 and $8,800.  This testing will be deferred to see if pinhole leaks are becoming a recurring problem.
  • Pioneer Roofing is taking a hard line on compensation for damaged heat pumps on the roof of 1336.  Further steps in the matter are under consideration.
  • The board approved one unit installing a bathroom vent. That involves a contractor making a small opening in the exterior of the building.  Board approval is required for any unit modifications that affect the appearance or external structure of buildings.
  • Possibilities for residents installing DirectTV are being investigated.
Attending this month's condo board meeting were residents Lauren, Douglas, and Sanae; condo board members José Calvo, Joe Ruland, and Gretchen Sprehe; and Zalco property manager Lenard Goldbaum. The regularly scheduled Condo Board meeting for December is likely to be canceled.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

thankful?

Several well-informed readers of the Ode Street Tribune (avoid redundancy - ed.) have questioned the relevance of the "Rosslyn thankful" photo posted on the Tribune this past Wednesday.  That photo details part of an artwork in the Beyond the Parking Lot exhibit that closed at Rosslyn's Artisphere this past November 4.  Rosslyn's reason to be thankful should be as obvious as its natural beauty and wildlife.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

recycle musical instruments into jewelry

At this past Wednesday's MarchingFourth Band performance at Artisphere, band member Taylor Aglipay was selling jewelry made from worn-out musical instruments.  Possibilities for recycling are limited only by your imagination!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

find Christmas spirit at Arlington Temple

Rosslyn's renowned Arlington Temple United Methodist Church is holding a Christmas potluck and  intimate chamber concert, followed by Christmas caroling, on Sunday, Dec. 2 starting at 6pm at the Temple.  The concert features Alturas Duo (charango and guitar) along with very special guest flute virtuoso Nicole Esposito.  As the above video indicates, the music is sure to lift your spirit.  Potluck means bring finger-food or salad to share with others.  Following the event will be Christmas caroling in Rosslyn's historic residential areas.  Last year this free and fun event attracted 150 persons.  Everyone is welcomed.  

Arlington Temple is also starting a special sermon series on Sundays at 10:30am beginning on Dec. 2.  The topics:
  • Dec. 2 -- Mary in Nazareth: A Surprising Messenger from God
  • Dec. 9 -- Joseph of Bethlehem
  • Dec. 16 -- Mary's Visit to Elizabeth
  • Dec. 23 -- From Nazareth to Bethlehem
Be not afraid. Look and see!

guerrilla brigade infiltrated

An Ode Street Tribune Covert Operations Team has successfully infiltrated the guerrilla brigade plotting to yarn bomb downtown Rosslyn.  The group is knitting to create colorful tree clothes:
The artwork will feature “mosaics” of geometric units (circles, webs, hexagons, triangles, diamonds, paisleys, squares and rectangles) in a bright palette inspired by Art Deco ceramics — orange, red, blue, yellow turquoise and hot pink — overlaid with knitted and crocheted replicas of Virginia native flora and fauna (magnolias, dogwood, echinacea, trumpet vine, butterflies, beetles, spiders, moths, snakes, skinks, mudpuppies, etc). [information uncovered through the Arlington Library]
The Rosslyn BID has funded the project, which will help visitors find their way from the Rosslyn Metro to Artisphere.  Here are examples of the knitted pieces.  This guerrilla brigade is meeting every Wednesday at 6-9pm at Artisphere through Feb. 27 (no meetings on Dec. 12 and Dec. 26).  Some of the future Wednesday meetings will include speakers on craftivism and other knitting-related topics.  Persons who cannot travel to Artisphere can knit in their own homes pieces to contribute to the project.

The Tribune has learned that an elaborate knitted vine has been contributed by two women from the Aurora Hills Senior Center.  These women are so skilled that they never use designs or patterns.  They can just look at something and then knit it.  They are a top priority for surveillance and should be carefully watched.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

fossil dig coming to Ft. Myer Heights Park

At tonight's Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights (RAFOM) Civic Association meeting, Arlington County landscape architect Aaron Wohler described the play equipment to be installed in the forthcoming Ft. Myer Heights Park playground. The total budget for the project is $559,000.  That's sufficient for a fun playground.  The playground will include a sand pit with a water pump and simulated fossils buried in the sand.  Play equipment will be forest-themed, with slides and climbs built around simulated tree trunks.  In addition, five to six new, real trees will be planted in the park.

County Board approval for the playground project is expected in December.  Construction should commence in January or February. The contract will require completion in 150 days.  Drawing on the experience with the Hillside Park renovation, a knowledgeable resident suggested including within the construction contract steep penalties for delays and requiring maintenance of new trees for a year after planting.

The RAFOM meeting also included presentations on services for the aging.  Peter Olivere spoke about an aging-in-place organization called "villages".  According the Arlington Villages Project, a village is:
A group of people who want to continue living in their own homes as they get older with all the resources, friends and multigenerational community connections to enable them to enjoy active, healthy and safe lives.
The video below describes a pioneering village established in Beacon Hill in Boston.  For residents living in condos, a small step in this general direction might be to show up for your condo board meetings.


Maimoona Bah-Duckenfield of Arlington County's Office on Aging & Disability discussed Arlington County services supporting independent living for the aging.  Arlington County's many services for the aging include Arlington Libraries' Homebound Service that mails books to person unable to visit the library (call 703 228-5960 to find out more) and a daily phone check-in service (Safety for Our Seniors; call 703 228-4460 for details).

Other items from the RAFOM meeting:
  • Arlington County is soliciting resident input for updating its noise control ordinance.  Make your voice heard, at a civilized decibel level.
  • A public meeting on the Rosslyn Sector Plan will take place on Dec. 3 at 7pm at Artisphere.
  • The RAFOM holiday party for low-income residents will take place on Dec. 7, 7-9pm at Wilson School.  Contract RAFOM to volunteer to help with this enjoyable and worthy event.
  • Site plan review is under way for a new building to be constructed between Pierce and Queen St., behind the Inn of Rosslyn.  More details here.
The next RAFOM meeting will be in Februrary, 2013.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

the howl is gone

Santa Fe Café, "where friends meet for a howling good time," recently closed.  The Santa Fe Café sign is now gone.  As owner Kip Laramie explains in the video below, he needed to get special permission to have a sign that stuck out from the building.  He got permission with the help of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District.  Rosslyn is a good place to have a small business.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

finalized election results

Many have been eagerly awaiting finalized results from the recent elections.  The electoral committee has reported:
The electoral committee has ruled that the election between Teddy and Hippo for Man of the Year will continue to be open to voting until Hippo pulls into the lead.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Wilson School voting wait only 25 minutes

The voting line at Rosslyn's Wilson School (home to Rosslyn's world-famous Mongolian School) was only 25 minutes between 6pm and 6:30pm.  This morning at 7am and later, the wait was about an hour and a half.

Voters registered next door at Rosslyn's Firehouse 10 (home to Rosslyn's legendary Beasts of the Boulevards) had a wait of about an hour this evening between 6pm and 6:30pm.  Perhaps they did better this morning.

You have until 7pm to show up at the polls.  Get out and vote!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Ft. Myer Heights playground update

Arlington County received bids on Oct. 23 for constructing a playground in Ft. Myer Heights Park.  According to Arlington County landscape architect Aaron Wohler, County staff are reviewing the bids and will make a proposal to the County Board in December.  Construction of the playground could start shortly after County Board approval.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Santa Fe Café recipes REVEALED!

Rosslyn's acclaimed Santa Fe Café is now sadly closed.  But there's some good news. As the above video documents, owner Kip Laramie has pledged to reveal Santa Fe Café's secret recipes.  You can already find a recipe for Grilled Shrimp with Pasta and Hatch Green Chile Pesto on the Santa Fe Café's (now defunct) website.  To get other recipes, including recipes for Santa Fe Café's famed salsa and renowned margaritas, be sure to connect to Santa Fe Café's facebook page.  Recipes will be posted there once Laramie recovers his spice secrets from his spice mixer and scales the recipes down for home use.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

monitoring traffic congestion

A traffic monitor has been installed on the Virginia-Rosslyn-Washington multi-user expressway just before Memorial Bridge in Rosslyn.  This monitor counts pedestrian and bicyclists. A bicycle commuter with whom the Ode Street Tribune scored an exclusive interview said that he has never encounter gridlock or traffic congestion on the expressway.  Good traffic planning, and the right vehicle choice, eliminates traffic problems.