ART HUGS in Rosslyn Thursday evening

On Thursday evening from 7-9pm, the Dotted Line Project will be rallying support for art. Show up at 1735 Clarendon Blvd., take a selfie in the photo booth, and show your support for local art.

Rosslyn is becoming a center for art and creative work. Rosslyn's Artisphere has become highly successful with a string of sold-out shows. Tulips are blooming in Rosslyn's famous gardens. Even trees in Rosslyn are exploring new directions of growth. Isn't it time for you to explore some new directions?

potential for new bocce court in Rosslyn

With Rosslyn a premiere spot for bocce league play, some concern has arisen that the Gateway Park bocce field lacks the sideboards of permanent bocce courts. Rosslyn certainly deserves to have some permanent, world-class bocce courts. Unfortunately, real estate in Rosslyn is becoming as valuable at that in Manhattan or San Francisco. However, the unused space between Turnberry Tower and the Holiday Inn in Rosslyn potentially could become a bocce court. That's a development plan worth developing.

Kip Malcolm elected to Westmoreland Condo Board

At tonight's annual meeting of the historically important Westmoreland Terrace Condominiums, Kip Malcolm was elected by unanimous acclamation to a three-year term on the condo board. Kip has attended condo board meetings, regularly walks his dog around the property, keeps an eye out for public safety in the area, and is active on the condo community facebook group. All Westmoreland residents should be grateful for Kip's willingness to take up volunteer service on the condo board.

Board member Gretchen Sprehe has stepped down after a three-year term of service. Board members Jennifer Feinleib and Joe Rutland, whose terms also expired, apparently have been strong-armed into serving for another term.

As indicated last month, condo fees will rise 2% starting in June. Major capital expenditure this year will be for facade work on 1320 and one other building to be determined. No roofs will be replaced this year.

Twelve residents attended the annual meeting, along with condo board members Jose Calvo, Gretchen Sprehe, and Emil Tabakov and property manager Lenard Goldbaum.Condo board meetings are scheduled for the last Monday each month at 7pm in the condo office. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be May 25. That's Memorial Day. So the meeting probably will be canceled.

Sunday's video

excellent farmstead cheese at local farmers' market

With spring weather, the farmers' market at Courthouse Square / Rosslyn Town Circle is bustling. The farmers' market has gotten a new manager, Community Foodworks. The new manager is committed to increasing access to good, healthy, local food. The market runs every Saturday morning from 8am to noon.

The cheese at the farmers' market is good, healthy, local food. The guy running the stand, who's from Remington, tends the cows that produce the milk that makes the cheese. An Ode Street Tribune investigation found that the mozzarella cheese from this local producer is quite tasty.

The farmers' market formerly held in downtown Rosslyn has been suspended due to construction in the area.

Rosslyn tulip gardens now in full bloom

To get to the famous Rosslyn tulip gardens, exit the Rosslyn metro station into downtown Rosslyn. Then walk south. You'll pass by the Rosslyn's pioneering Dark Star Park art installation. Continue across Rt. 50 and pass by Rosslyn's sacred Marine Corps War Memorial (Iowa Jima). Then head toward Rosslyn's famous Netherlands Carillon. Rosslyn's magnificent tulip gardens are right in front of the Carillon.

Wilson School site planning meeting this evening

An important Rosslyn planning meeting for the Wilson School site will be this evening from 7-10pm at Wilson School. Material for the session includes two concept designs.

The grass roots organization Friends of Rosslyn Highland Park (FORHP) has objections to the current concept designs. Here's FORHP's view:

FORHP is disappointed by the new staff plans. Here are our findings:

There are two new options. In both, the proposed dead space plaza has been dropped, but both options:
- Reduce current park space by more than one quarter (from 30,500 to 21,800 square feet)
- Provide little to no park visibility from Wilson Blvd.
- Entail significant retail, grocery and housing development along Wilson Blvd. on former county property, including former park space.

For more discussion, see the FORHP website.

help find lost dog Rennie

Rennie, a Cairn Terrier Mix, was lost this past Friday. Rennie loves other dogs but is scared of people. If you see this dog, don't chase her but try to use another dog or a toy to coax her over to you. She is microchipped and has sutures from being spayed. If you find Rennie, call Sarah. You can get her number from the poster posted at the bus stop at the corner of Arlington Blvd and N. Ft. Myer Dr., or contact the Ode Street Tribune.

Rennie was last seen near the Columbia Pike Apartments near the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Washington Blvd. Rennie is probably now in Rosslyn. Dogs, like everyone else, head to Rosslyn as soon as they get the opportunity.

Sunday's video

bocce league now rolling in Rosslyn's Gateway Park

Thursday nights at Rosslyn's Gateway Park are now the scene of exciting bocce league play. The league is organized by Capital Bocce and United Social Sports. After the matches, many of the players retire to the nearby Continental Pool Lounge for drinks and food. If you're looking to get some of these athletes' autographs, that's a good place to try to meet them.

key County Board meeting this Saturday morning

The Arlington County Board is having a public meeting this Saturday morning. With the county budget in difficult shape, the Board will have to make some tough decisions. Among those decisions:

1. How to build upon the success of Rosslyn's Artisphere. Support is growing to make Artisphere into a magnet school for teaching and exhibiting art and technology. Supporters of Artisphere should continue to engage in creative thinking.
2. Development plans for Rosslyn's Highlands Park. Friends of Rosslyn Highlands Park are asking supporters to show up at the meeting no later than 8:15am. There's no need to prepare comments, but supporters are asked to wear green.
3. What to do with Rosslyn's Wilson School. The Board will consider the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) recommendation to give the 1910 Wilson School building historical designation. That would insure that Wilson School isn't demolished in development of the site. Persons concerned about this item should show up for the meeting by 9am.

A strong Rosslyn showing at this Saturday morning's County Board meeting will underscore Rosslyn's importance as the riverfront gateway to Arlington County.

12th St. roadwork in Ft. Myer Heights EXPLAINED

A couple of days in the past week, 12th St. across from the Quarterdeck Restaurant in Ft. Myers Heights has been closed. Crews are digging into the road surface to switch water service from the 6 inch main to the 12 inch main. The 6 inch main, which is an old pipe, will then be shut off. That will help to avoid a main break like the one that occurred this winter and covered the road in ice.

The small outline trenches indicate areas of pavement that will be dug up. The outlines are cut with a pavement saw so that when the pavement is dug up, the hole has clean, linear edges. Without the pre-cutting, digging would pull up chunks and make an irregular-sized hole.

Maintaining our public infrastructure is an important and complex job. The Ode Street Tribune closely follows the health of local public infrastructure, and you should too.

Rosslyn cherry blossoms vistas now spectacular

Last week's raining weather left millions of visitors to the region disappointed with the hazy views of Rosslyn amid the cherry blossoms. But the sky has cleared and now the Rosslyn cherry blossom vistas are spectacular.

Rosslyn was once known for Cherry Smash soda, "our nation's beverage." Now when people think of Rosslyn, they think of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and Rosslyn's beautiful skyline clothed in cherry blossoms.

Sunday's video

Rosslyn Prep Academy now accepting applications

To help insure a bright future for your children, you need to get them into a prep school with a good name. There's no better name than Rosslyn. So why not try to get your children a spot in the Rosslyn Prep Academy? It's now accepting applications from students ages 2.5 to 5 years old.

Rosslyn Prep offers a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Program and a Mandarin Immersion Program. It also has an Infant and Toddler Nursery. Rosslyn Prep is located right near downtown Rosslyn.

Credentials are a key to success in the new economy. Rosslyn Prep may become a major entryway for future Rosslyn leaders.

Artisphere constructivist installation exploring riverfront urbanism

The RACA Rosslyn constructivist art installation in front of Artisphere continues to produce fascinating tableaux. In the latest installation, waves in the Potomac are assimilated to the functional materiality of a water-proofed surface. The bridge construct gestures to the controversy over whether Rosslyn is more like Manhattan or San Francisco -- bay bridge or river crossing? The installation shows a waterfront landscape with both a strong connection to the earth and to the urban built environment.

Within the dynamic framing of the art, an earlier installation was both more sparse and more nostalgic within the same theme of waterfront urbanism. You can see debris, but you are also reminded that sand itself, the substance of the beach, is debris of stone.

Rumors have been swirling about Rosslyn that Artisphere, which is now highly successful, is closing. That's too absurd to believe. How could that be? Art will remain at Artisphere. You can count on it.

mysterious trenching on Fairfax Dr.

A road crew cut the surface of Fairfax Dr. from N. Fort Myer Dr. to N. Pierce St., and then up Pierce to Clarendon Blvd. The crew is now filling the cut in. Nothing was placed in the road. That's weird.

On Sunday the Tribune submitted a question about this road work on Arlington's impressive road problem reporting app (see this entry). So far, no information has been provided. The Tribune's investigation is ongoing. All tips welcomed.

first blooms in Rosslyn's famous tulip gardens

Rosslyn's famous tulip gardens in front of Netherlands Carillon are now easily accessible by the Capital Bikeshare station in front of Rosslyn Vista Park. The gardens are about half way between the Rosslyn metro station and the Arlington Cemetery metro station. The Tribune suggests that tulip tourists choose the Rosslyn metro station so that they can marvel at Rosslyn's massive Central Place construction.

Sunday's video

Shawn Smith: Pixels, Predators and Prey from Stock Productions on Vimeo.

Westmoreland condo fees to rise about 2%

At this past Monday night's Westmoreland Condo board meeting, the board suggested a condo fee increase of about 2% for the fiscal year beginning June 1. A specific figure for the condo fee increase will be introduced and put to board vote at the condo annual meeting on April 27.

Other issues discussed at the meeting:

• repair of two broken windows in condo common rooms
• crime figures.  Westmoreland remains a very safe place to live. Moreover, crime in Arlington County in general is at its lowest rate since 1961.
• the board voted to undertake facade repairs on two buildings this year, probably commencing about July. One building is 1320. The other building will probably be an adjacent building. The facade repairs will cost about $120,000 each.
• the main parking lot will be milled and repaved. Total cost about $100,000.
• the board is looking into purchasing metal storage lockers for the laundry rooms.
• the share of renters at Westmoreland has been rising. Zalco currently shows a 49% renter share. Condo purchasers will not be eligible for FHA loan support if the share of renters rises above 50%. If FHA certification can be obtained before the renter share rises above 50% by the official tally, the certification will be good for two years.
• The seats of condo board members Jennifer Feinleib, Joe Ruland, and Gretchen Sprehe will be up for election at the upcoming annual meeting. They will not be seeking re-election. Persons interested in serving on the condo board should contact Zalco to be placed on the ballot. Being a board member is important voluntary service to the Westmoreland Condo Association.

Attending the meeting were Board members José Calvo, Joe Ruland, and Gretchen Sprehe; residents Kip, Mark, and Douglas; and Zalco Property Manager Lenard Goldbaum. The next regularly scheduled condo board meeting will be the annual meeting on April 27.