Friday, May 30, 2014

Office Space starts Rosslyn Outdoor Film Fest this Friday

Free films at Rosslyn's Gateway Park begin this Friday at dusk with the cult classic Office SpaceOffice Space reportedly was based on a journalist's experience working at the Ode Street Tribune in the mid-1990s.  That's not surprising in light of the events in the newsroom at the end of 2012.

Here's the lineup of movies with the outstanding theme "working for the weekend":
  • May 30 Office Space
  • June 6 The Devil Wears Prada
  • June 13 Horrible Bosses
  • June 20 Thank You For Smoking
  • June 27 Two Weeks Notice
  • July 11 The Internship
  • July 18 How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
  • July 25 Up in the Air
  • August 1 9 to 5
  • August 8 Empire Records
  • August 15 Miss Congeniality
  • August 22 Anchorman
This year the Rosslyn Outdoor Film Fest has added a red stapler scavenger hunt with excellent prizes. 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

massive crane in Rosslyn

This past weekend, a huge crane was working in Rosslyn across from Miracles magnificent window display.  The ground floor of this building will soon contain a Capriotti Sandwich Shop.  Rosslyn's allure is evident in the size of cranes that come in Rosslyn.

buttercups massacred in Rosslyn

Unknown assailants wielding mechanized knives have mowed down the buttercups growing in the Rosslyn wildlands.  A few buttercups have survived beneath the carnage.  Sometimes it's best to be short.
Kids, be sure to tell your parents about this tragedy, especially if they ask you to mow the lawn.  Grass and wild flowers should be allowed to grow the way nature intended them to.

Friday, May 23, 2014

get tickets NOW for torch-singer Irene Diaz at Rosslyn's Artisphere

Postsecret + Morley: An Evening of Artistic Confession will be at Rosslyn's Artisphere on May 30.  If you want to go, too bad.  The performance is already SOLD OUT. 

Artisphere is becoming a hot performance venue.  And it's going to be even hotter when the new star torch-singer Irene Diaz performs on June 13.  Diaz is attracting rave reviews for her "sultry love ballads with jazz sensibility."  Check out the video of Diaz below.  Then get your tickets NOW, before they all sell out.
You might also consider contributing to Artisphere's special matching gift campaign running through June 30.  If Artisphere can raise $5,000 dollars in contribution, a donor has offered to match that contribution.  Show some love for Artisphere.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

wild buttercups blooming in Rosslyn

In the wildlands of Rosslyn just north of the exit from Memorial Drive to Rt. 110, buttercups are blooming. A leading Rosslyn freelance reporter, now on maternity leave, first identified this expanse of flowers back in 2012.  Rosslyn's buttercups are every bit as beautiful as the buttercups growing in the vast wilderness of Oregon's Columbia Gorge.

Rosslyn is not only a world-class urban place, it's also a world-class wild place.

Monday, May 19, 2014

funky front doors at Rosslyn's Le Méridien

Rosslyn keeps getting more stylish and more chic.  Amuse, the restaurant at Rosslyn's Le Méridien, has been re-imagined.  If you haven't been there recently, check out this trendy spot.

Friday, May 16, 2014

rain beneficial for new trees in Rosslyn's Hillside Park

Many new baby trees have been planted in Rosslyn's Hillside Park.  The trees appear to be Juniperus Virginiana.  They should benefit from a good watering this Friday.

Volunteer forest rangers have done an outstanding job removing invasive English Ivy from Hillside Park.  That park was once covered with English Ivy.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

outbound Marshall Drive closed to cars

Outbound on Marshall Dr. to Rt. 110 is closed for re-doing a section in concrete.  The road should be open for inhuman-powered vehicle traffic by this Saturday. Since there are few good reasons for leaving Rosslyn, the outbound traffic lane is relatively unimportant.

The road work is for installing a power line. Further digging and repaving will occur in the future up the road toward Meade St., but that work will not stop traffic.

In early 2012, Marshall Dr. was dug up to install a power line. In Rosslyn, work is done right, no matter how many times the road has to be dug up and resurfaced.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Rosslyn in 1963

The lobby of Rosslyn's news 1812 N. Moore St. tower features a large photograph of Rosslyn in 1963.  You can see the Riverplace apartment complex just above the middle on the right edge of the photo. Rosslyn in 1963 seems to have been about half car parking lots.  Rosslyn is now much more scenic.  Rosslyn is also now much more bike-friendly.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

school board Democratic primary this week

This week is voting in the Democratic primary for a seat on the Arlington County School Board.  The candidates are Greg Greeley, Barbara Kanninen, and Nancy van Doren.  Here are candidate statements and links to their online sites. Voting will be this Thursday, May 15, 7pm to 9pm at Drew Model School and this Saturday, May 17, 11am to 7pm at Washington-Lee High School.

As the magnificent new Ft. Myer Heights children's playground has made clear, a lot of children live in Rosslyn.  Rosslyn is special.  So are children in Rosslyn.  Hence a large share of Rosslyn's children are likely to need special education.  Democratic voters should consider the candidates' positions on special education before voting in this election.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Rosslyn is Arlington's world-class downtown

Tonight's annual meeting of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) at the chic Le Meridien's Amuse Terrace made clear that Rosslyn now ranks among the top urban areas in the world.  The issue is no longer whether Rosslyn is more like Manhattan or more like San Francisco.  Rosslyn has grown up into a distinctive, alluring place.

In his address to the meeting, Arlington County Board member John Vihstadt described Rosslyn as "Arlington's world-class downtown."  Vihstadt fondly reminisced about having cream cheese on celery with raisins on top at Tom Sarris's Orleans House.  Vihstadt is excited about working on connecting Rosslyn with the Potomac.  That involves complicated negotiations about rights to build over the highways ("air rights").

BID President Mary-Claire Burick spoke about Rosslyn's vision for the future.  The BID helps to make Rosslyn a great place with friendly street ambassadors, urban landscaping, and engaging activities.  The first Yappy Happy Hour was a huge success.  It attracted 60 dogs along with their human friends.  The Yappy Happy Hour now occurs every Friday, 6pm - 8pm, at Rosslyn's Amuse Terrace through the end of October.  Another event in the works is Yoga Hikes.  It will involve walks to scenic green spaces in Rosslyn for group yoga exercises.

ASB Real Estate Investments President Robert Bellinger spoke about the re-urbanization of America.  ASB Real Estate recently paid $220 million to acquire Rosslyn's new Sadona Slate apartment complex.  ASB invests in leading urban markets across the U.S.  Rosslyn is now recognized as one of those markets.  Bellinger spoke about the importance of retail, particularly food, in making a great urban place.  Expect to see some fancy restaurants opening in Rosslyn in the near future.

Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette spoke about what helps to make neighborhoods great.  Fisette pointed to three keys:
  1. good urban planning
  2. broad-based community participation
  3. public and private strategic investments
Fisette described Rosslyn as "one of my favorite spots."  Rosslyn is the favorite spot of well-informed persons.

At the conclusion of the meeting, BID Board Chair Peter Greenwald invited attendees to walk up to the Fermata reception at Artisphere.  That reception featured many persons relaxing in the alternate dimensions of leading sound art.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Fermata at Artisphere best place for creative relaxation

Fermata, at Artisphere through August 10, is a pioneering, avant-garde exhibit of sound art.  All the hip, weird, and creative people in the Greater Rosslyn Metropolitan Area will be at a free reception for Fermata this Thursday, 7-9pm.  But suppose you're just a normal, boring person.  Does this exhibit have anything to offer you?

Fermata features amazingly comfortable beanbags.  The beanbags are Yogibo yogis.  When you lounge in these beanbags, you'll feel completely relaxed.  Everyone should give them a try!

When you're relaxing in these beanbags, you might just hear something interesting.  The Tribune's journalist heard what sounded like a cosmic battle between Rosslyn and an evil empire seeking to take away all bikes and make everyone drive cars.  Laser guns and bullets played across the wall of speakers.  In the end the sounds of battle faded, and Rosslyn remained the largest pitstop for Bike to Work Day, upcoming this May 16.  After that came a guy talking about putting on an art exhibit in a church.  It was just a normal, workplace conversational such as regularly occurs between editors and journalist discussing arrangements for coverage of a story.  But it sounded rhythmic and symphonic with the "ch" in "church" bouncing across the speaker wall.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

new fence honors Rosslyn's Art Institute

With creativity and craftiness, art students at Rosslyn's Art Institute have been cutting across Ft. Myer Dr. to get between the Rosslyn Metro station and the Art Institute.  A new fence has now been erected to impede direct crossing.  The students are now likely to walk further north to cross Ft. Myer Dr. at the end of the fence.  That should make it easier for motorists to see the pedestrians cutting across the street.

Notice how the yellow warning ribbon was artifully patterned with a triangular cross-stitch during the construction.  That undoubtedly was a salute to the creativity of the students at Rosslyn's Art Institute.

The Realize Rosslyn Plan Framework calls for eliminating the Ft. Myer Tunnel and making Ft. Myer Dr. into a two-way street.  That's not likely to happen for a number of years.  But when it does happen, the street will be much more friendly to pedestrians.

changes to Rt. 50 / Courthouse Rd. interchange

Traffic westbound on Rt. 50 can no longer exit on Courthouse Rd. to loop back into Rosslyn.  That section of Courthouse Rd. is currently dug up and won't be repaved until the end of May.  If you're coming to Rosslyn from DC, take the Meade St. exit to Rosslyn, or if you miss that, the N. Queen St. exit.
From Courthouse Rd., the new ramps to east and west bound Rt. 50 are currently functional.  If you're in the Courthouse area and you want to get to downtown Rosslyn, you can take Courthouse Rd. to Rt. 50 east, and then the first Rosslyn exit on your right.  But it would probably be faster to jump on a Capital Bikeshare bike and enjoy the ride down the hill to the center of Rosslyn.  Of course you're wearing a bike helmet, because bike helmets have becoming fashionable hats for a wide range of events from business meetings to BBQs.
The 10th St. ramp to eastbound Rt. 50 into Rosslyn isn't yet open.  The ramp from 10th St. to Rt. 50 heading westbound away from Rosslyn is open.  That's poor planning by the Virginia Department of Transportation.  The eastbound ramp to Rt. 50 into Rosslyn is obviously more important and should have opened first.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Westmoreland trees set down pink carpet for passers-by

Trees at Rosslyn's historically important Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums have set down a pink carpet of flower petals for persons passing by on the sidewalk.  Everybody in Rosslyn is special.  Everybody gets the pink-carpet treatment.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Rosslyn McDonald's has been demolished

Rosslyn's downtown McDonald's with its golden arches has been demolished.  The site, just across from the Rosslyn metro station, will be part of the new Central Place development.  If you're missing the McDonald's, try walking just a few blocks up Wilson Blvd to Ben's Chili Bowl.  While you're walking to Ben's, be sure to take a look at Miracles' window display.