Fin: Iconic Old Town Theater to shut doors
Transcription
Fin: Iconic Old Town Theater to shut doors
Vol. 8, No. 1 January 5, 2012 www.alextimes.com Fin: Iconic Old Town Theater to shut doors Owner cites economy, poor Hollywood movies, employee theft By Derrick Perkins The marquee is coming down and the curtains at Old Town Theater are drawing to a permanent close after this weekend, ending Roger Fons’s nineyear stint as the film house’s owner. Fons said a year of poor ticket sales played a pivotal role in his decision to sell the King Street property to Robert J. Kaufman, president of PMA Properties, in October. Sales had dropped by about 50 percent from 2010, he said. Though Fons can’t say for sure what precipitated the theater’s financial downfall, he believes the turbulent economy and a lackluster string of Hollywood films combined to seal the theater’s fate. “I thought the movies were all pretty bad,” he said. “There wasn’t very SEE Theater | 6 Photo/David Sachs Though the Old Town Theater’s future is unknown, the fate of the iconic marquee is not. New owner Robert Kaufman has applied to restore the building’s original facade. Group vies for public support as waterfront vote nears Meanwhile, debate gets political as city council candidates weigh in By Derrick Perkins File Photo Waterfront For All — a group of residents, business owners and other stakeholders — supports City Hall’s plan and aims to dispel misinformation to the public. Society fair combines fresh market with restaurant - 7 As the city’s contentious vision for the Potomac shoreline heads into the home stretch, a resident group is drumming up support for City Hall’s plan and dispelling what it calls misinformation. Waterfront For All, a group founded to back City Hall’s proposal shortly after opponents formed Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Facing fear with art - 14 Waterfront Plan, is holding public informational sessions leading up to city council’s January 21 meeting, the earliest the blueprint can be approved. Supporters want to give residents another chance to examine the city’s plan, said organizer Shayna Englin. Beyond that, group members hope to stamp out what they consider misinformation about the plan, particularly the assumption waterfront property owners cannot or SEE Waterfront | 5 2 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Happy New Year from Prudential PenFed Realty AlexAndRIA $775,000 ARlInGTon $699,900 • 5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths • 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths • in-law Suite • Garage and Carport • Custom Kitchen • new HVaC and roof • 2 Fireplaces • new Windows and Carpet HiLLtoP ViEWS WHat a BEauty! Welcome the new year with a new home perched on top of Arlington with views of Alexandria and the Potomac River! Totally renovated with hardwood floors, an outstanding kitchen, and two well-appointed bathrooms in almost 2000 finished square feet. Go Green! Leave the car home and metro or walk to work! Plenty of parking with a one-car garage and two space carport. One Block to Fort Scott Park! Fabulous home in a fabulous location on a tree lined cul de sac just 10 minutes from The District and five minutes from Old Town! Featuring over 3300 square feet of finished living space on three levels, this freshly painted and updated house is ready for you to call it home! The lower level features a complete suite with a full kitchen and private entrance for independent living. Jill Hanig 703-855-1383 Jill.Hanig.PFRAgent.com dolly riegert Woodruff 703-626-8370 www.29thRoad.com ARlInGTon $675,000 AlexAndRIA $575,000 AlexAndRIA $397,500 • 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths • 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths • 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths • tons of Windows • Expanded Gourmet Kitchen • Gorgeous Woodwork • Garage Parking • Garage • Gourmet Kitchen • Gorgeous Floors • almost 1/3 acre • 3-Sided Gas Fireplace SIze, STyle And locATIon! BESt VaLuE on tHE ridGE StratFord LandinG Perfectly located in the highly desirable “Arlington Ridge” area, you will love your commute to the Pentagon, Crystal City, or Alexandria almost as much as you will love putting your personal touches on this spacious home featuring over 2600 finished square feet and a terrific outdoor living room! The interior features skylights, hardwood floors, maple cabinetry, and lots of light. Well maintained, well cared for, and ready for new owners! Updated home in desirable Mount Vernon area seeks new owners! This place is all decked out and ready for you to call it your own! The kitchen has been expanded and has tons of cabinetry, a center island, and a nice pantry. There are two master bedroom suites, one with a luxury bathroom and one with a separate sitting room. Plus you have two more bedrooms, a separate dining room, a family room, and a garage with a workshop! Sue Elbertson, aBr, aSP 703-927-8357 www.iVirginiaHomeSearch.com Jill Hanig 703-855-1383 Jill.Hanig.PFRAgent.com Built just 6 short years ago, this townhome looks and feels like brand new. The fabulous living room is separated from the dining room by a 3-sided gas fireplace. The dining area is directly off of the gourmet kitchen that features 42” cabinets, a lovely dark granite, a center island with breakfast bar and energy efficient appliances. And, for the ease and fun of grilling, step right out of your kitchen onto a large deck overlooking mature trees. Located within a mile of several Ft. Belvoir gates and only minutes to metro, Old Town, Mount Vernon and loads of shopping and dining. Terri Brevig, GRI, ABR 703-898-0508 www.TerriKnowsHomes.com Interested in a Real Estate career? Let Prudential get you started with FREE Training and FREE Tuition! Call Maxine at 703-837-9805. 703-836-1464 • Maxine McLeod Miller, Managing Broker • 300 N. Washington St. • Suite 100 • Alexandria, 22314 Independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 3 THE WEEKLY BRIEFING Tim Lovain announces run for city council Former Alexandria City Council member Tim Lovain has joined the ever-crowding race for a council seat at City Hall. Lovain, a Democrat, served one three-year term on council before losing the 2009 election to Republicans Frank Fannon and Alicia Hughes and fellow Democrat Kerry Donley. “I was deeply honored to serve one prior term as an Alexandria council member,” Lovain said in a statement. “I am proud of the contributions I made to our community’s accomplishments during those years, and I look forward to the opportunity to be of further assistance to our great city.” A father of three daughters in the public school system, Lovain’s reputation on council was that of a transportation and environmental guru. H i s 2012 platform echoes the tenets of his previous term. “I have become a very strong believer in the principles of ‘smart growth’ and ‘transit-oriented development,’ principles that have proven to improve the quality of life in communities while reducing car traffic,” Lovain said. “Because of my expertise in federal transportation policy, I can help bring federal resources to bear in this effort.” Lovain specializes in federal transportation policy for a living and is an active member of the Northern Virginia Street Car Coalition. As a councilman he headed the city’s budget and fiscal affairs committee, which analyzes City Hall’s budget line by line. “Council’s most important duty is approval of the annual budget, and I am committed Tim Lovain to being a thoughtful financial steward of [tax dollars],” Lovain said. Lovain will join Democrats Charles Sumpter Jr. and Justin Wilson in the June primary. So far only one Democratic councilman, Rob Krupicka, has indicated he will not run again. - David Sachs Radle to challenge Moran for Congressional seat Will Radle Jr. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) faces a primary challenge after Fairfax County resident Will Radle Jr. announced his aspiration to unseat the 11-term incumbent last week. Radle, a personal financial advisor, lost a bid to chair the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in November. He did not expect to win but ran “on principle” after Democrats failed to stand up to cuts in education funding, he said. The 39-year-old said his bid for Moran’s House seat comes after several years of taking issue with the congress- man’s ineffectiveness securing more take-home pay for federal employees, who comprise a significant portion of the district, which includes Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax. And he just doesn’t agree with how the 11-term congressman does things. “I’m represented right now by a person who basically tries to shut other people down,” Radle said. “I think that’s going to be very different if I get the opportunity to serve.” - David Sachs ACPS finance audit delayed The results of an independent audit into Alexandria City Public School’s financials won’t be finalized until later this month. Officials expected to publicize the results of the review — conducted by Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associations — in mid-December. Superinten- dent Morton Sherman called for the study after discovering employees knowingly violated internal policies, including keeping administrators and school board members in the dark about budget transfers. At least one staff member has resigned and another placed on administrative leave following the revelations. While it appears no taxpayer funds were misappropriated for personal gain, Sherman said ACPS would tighten its checks and controls following the audit’s results. - Derrick Perkins welcome to an american in paris A traditional French boutique with unique, one-of-a-kind pieces for an independent, style-conscious woman. An American in Paris is located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, and specializes in cocktail and evening gowns for women of all ages. Currently Stocking Black Halo, Diesel, Nicole Miller, Tibi, Yoana Baraschi, Bianca Nero, Delphine Murat, Eva Franco, Kara Janx, David Meister, Christopher Deane, Walter, Sophia, Eugene, Amy Matto, Jill Stuart, Melanie Dizon, Mirit Weinstock, Tocca, 525 America, and many, many more! Hours Mon-Sat. 11-8 and Sunday 11-6 1225 King Street • 703.519.8234 AnAmericanInParisOldTown.com 4 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES CRIME Bank robber remains at large Alexandria police say an unidentified man strode into Virginia Commerce Bank at 5140 Duke St. on December 28 and held up a teller for an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect, described as a black man about 5-foot-7 with a medium build, entered the bank at 2:27 p.m., according to authorities. Implying he had a weapon, the suspect demanded money from a bank teller. After taking the cash, the suspect — wearing a red stocking cap with black trim, black-hooded sweatshirt, dark pants and boots — fled on foot. He was last seen heading west on Duke Street, police said. Authorities did not release the amount of money stolen in the heist. There were no reported injuries during the robbery. Police urge anyone with information regarding the heist to call Detective Chris Whelan at 703-746-6884 or the department’s criminal investigations unit at 703-7466711. Witnesses can remain anonymous. Holiday thievery Burglars made off with four laptops after breaking into a locked 1700 block King St. office building during the holiday break, city police say. Authorities don’t know how the thieves got inside the building but believe the incident occurred between 3 p.m. December 23 and the morning of December 27. A company employee reported the missing valuables at 11:56 that morning, said department spokeswoman Ashley Hildebrandt. Nothing else was taken in the heist, she said. There were no known witnesses to the incident or surveillance footage, though the thefts remain under investigation. Authorities do not have descriptions of the suspects. Stolen car recovered on Janneys Lane City police are looking for the individual responsible for stealing a resident’s car and then abandoning it on the 500 block of Janneys Lane in late December. The vehicle, a 1995 Honda Accord, went missing overnight December 26 and was not recovered until 6:41 the next morning. Police say the Accord was found before the resident reported it stolen. Authorities did not specify where the car was stolen but described the unidentified location as an unsecured parking lot. How the thief entered the vehicle and got the engine running remains a mystery, said Ashley Hildebrandt, department spokeswoman. She did not say if the car was damaged during the ordeal. Police do not have descriptions of the suspects involved. Suspect makes off with loose change A thief left a vehicle parked on the 1400 block of Roundhouse Lane with minor damage after breaking in and stealing loose change late last month. City police don’t know how the thief got inside — the vehicle was locked — but said the suspect made off with coins stored in the console. Though the time of the incident also is unknown, the owner reported the break-in at 1:19 p.m. December 27. There were no witnesses, said Ashley Hildebrandt, department spokeswoman. Police did not release the sum of the coins stolen. Nothing else was missing from the vehicle, according to Hildebrandt. Authorities recommend residents keep their vehicles locked at all times and, if possible, park in well-lit, welltraveled locations. They also urge residents to refrain from leaving valuables in their vehicles. - Derrick Perkins POLICE BEAT The following is a selection of incidents reported by the Alexandria Police Department. For a full crime blotter, log on to www.crimereports.com. January 3 ASSAULT 1500 block Princess St. 7:43 a.m. No further information. BREAKING AND ENTERING 4800 block Eisenhower Ave. 2:20 a.m. No further information. LARCENY 400 block E. Monroe Ave. 8:36 a.m. No further information. January 2 ASSAULT 4500 block W. Braddock Road 8:18 p.m. No further information. BREAKING AND ENTERING 1300 block Mount Vernon Ave. 10:47 a.m. No further information. LARCENY 200 block Swamp Fox Road 8:21 p.m. No further information. January 1 ASSAULT 700 block King St. 1:30 a.m. Assault occurred between two or more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other. 300 block S. Van Dorn St. 12:21 a.m. Assault occurred between two or more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other. 3000 block Duke St. 8:30 a.m. No further information. Fax: 703.548.1831 Email: david@damianilaw.com Rosecrest Avenue 12:22 a.m. No further information. ASSAULT 300 block S. Alfred St. 11:47 a.m. Assault occurred between two or more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other. ROBBERY Assault occurred between two or more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other. LARCENY BREAKING AND ENTERING 200 block Century Place 8:56 a.m. No further information. 4200 block Raleigh Ave. 5:47 p.m. No further information. 700 block Queen St. 3:16 p.m. No further information. LARCENY December 28 1100 block King St. 8:35 p.m. No further information. 500 block S. Van Dorn St. 1:59 a.m. No further information. 3100 block Jefferson Davis Highway 12:38 p.m. Employee theft. LARCENY December 29 1200 block Trinity Drive 12:09 p.m. No further information. ASSAULT attorneys and counselors at law 703.548.1800 ROBBERY December 31 Damiani & Damiani, pc 604 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 December 30 LARCENY 5900 block Duke St. 9:47 p.m. ASSAULT 300 block S. Reynolds St. 11:30 p.m. Assault occurred between two or more people who had a prior relationship or were known to each other. ROBBERY 5100 block Duke St. 4:17 p.m. No further information. Since 1997, Damiani & Damiani, P.C. has concentrated on providing its clients with excellent legal representation. The attorneys strive to be accessible and exceed their clients’ expectations. Our offices are conveniently located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. We are dedicated to helping clients with their legal matters regarding: • Personal Injury Cases • Commercial Transactions • All Aspects of Automobile and Moving Vehicle Accidents • Civil Litigation • Traffic/DUI Cases www.damianilawyers.com ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 5 Waterfront FROM | 1 will not redevelop their land until a blueprint is finalized. “I actually think the biggest [misconception] … is that we can move forward and not do anything,” she said. “That there’s lots of time for delay and we have all the time in the world, and if we do nothing, everything will stay the same. At the end of the day, there is zoning, there is by-right development and at this point they can move forward [with redevelopment].” Three waterfront sites slated for redevelopment, possibly as hotels, in City Hall’s plan, have proven a sticking point for residents: the Robinson Terminals and the Cummings/Turner properties. CAAWP unveiled a competing plan emphasizing public parks and cultural venues in October, and resident Joe Demshar rolled out a plan calling for mixed-use retail and residential or office buildings at the three controversial sites in late December. Officials held off approving City Hall’s plan once already. The city council opted to create a waterfront plan work group with the charge of narrowing the gulf of disagreement between plan opponents and supporters rather than vote on the proposal in June. The work group released its recommendations, largely skirting the question of whether boutique hotels belong on the waterfront, in December. And as a final vote approaches, the debate about the river’s edge has taken a political turn. Opposition group members have long warned they would remember the outcome at the ballot box, but city council candidates aren’t waiting to wade into the discourse. Republican candidate Scott Gordon panned the city and CAAWP’s proposals in a statement released Tuesday. Neither offers a viable proposal for the city’s Potomac shoreline, he said. Sean Houlihan, expected to soon announce his candidacy for city council as a Democrat, described CAAWP members as “negotiating in bad faith” in a letter to the editor to the Times. He called for the city council to vote on the proposal rather than delay again. Englin hopes her group’s events will get residents up to speed with the process. Waterfront For All held its first informational meeting in Del Ray on Wednesday. It will hold a second in the city’s West End on Sunday and a third in Old Town on January 15. The group also is lobbying residents to show up in support of the plan during the January 21 city council meeting. “There have already been more than a 100 events for folks to learn about the plan, and at this point we’re at decision time,” Englin said. “These are three more opportunities for folks to come together and learn about the plan.” Three Cheers For Free Checking & No-Fee Debit Cards Web Development Group strategy / design / development www.webdevelopmentgroup.com info@webdevelopmentgroup.com Switch Your Checking Account to CommonWealth One and Stop Paying Unnecessary Fees The credit union motto is “not for profit, not for charity, but for service.” Members receive lower fees for services, lower rates on loans and higher return on their savings. Our Services Include: • Free Checking Accounts • Free Visa® Check Card (Debit) • Free Online Banking • Free Mobile & Text Banking with Text Alerts • Free E-Statements • Free Remote Deposit for Checks • 40,000+ Surcharge-free ATMs • Nationwide Shared Branching Access (over 4,415 locations) Join the movement! Become a member today. To learn more, visit www.cofcu.org. (877) 762-7771 www.cofcu.org Federally Insured by NCUA www.facebook.com/COFCU 6 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Alexandria Times’ Cause of the Month The Alexandria Times will donate a portion of every paid display ad in January to our Cause of the Month. Please join us in contributing to this worthy cause. January’s cause: ACT for Alexandria is a community foundation that seeks to raise the level and effectiveness of community engagement and giving for the benefit of all Alexandria. Donations can be accepted online at: www.actforalexandria.org Thank you to the following Alexandria Times advertisers for supporting First Night Alexandria in the month of December. Alexandria Country Day School Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association Alexandria Fire Department Animal Resorts Baja Fresh Bishop Boutique Old Town Boutique District Brahm Opticians Bugsy’s Pizza The Business Bank BW Antiques Caffi Contracting Carlyle Club Chadwick’s Charles Town Races & Slots Chart House / Landry’s Seafood Chevy Christine Garner Weichert Realtors Circe Salon & Spa Clyde’s Restaurant Group Columbia Pictures CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union Conklyn’s Florist Conrad’s Furniture Cosmetic Hearing Solutions Decorium Diann Hicks - Pet of the Week Diann Hicks - Weichert Realtors Dishes of India Disney Productions Donna Cramer McEnearney Associates, Inc. Downtown Baptist Church Fibre Space Focus Features Foster’s Grille Fox Searchlight Pictures Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Gold Works Gossypia Hana Tokyo Healthway Natural Foods Hermitage Holiday Inn Hunan Café Indigo Landing Indus Janet Caterson Price McEnearney Associates, Inc. King Street Cats King’s Jewelry Lamplighter Lee Design & Interiors LeRefuge Little Theatre McCormick & Schmick’s McEnearney Associates, Inc. Mt Vernon Estate & Gardens National Art & Framing Old Town Transit & Dash Paramount Phyllis Patterson Coldwell Banker The Potomack Company Prudential / PenFed Realty Rebuilding Together Alexandria Rubini Jewelers Salvation Army Shuman’s Bakery Silver Parrot Jewelry St. Elmo’s Coffee House St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School Stonewall Kitchen Sue Goodhart McEnearney Associates, Inc. Symmetry Financial Group Taverna Cretekou Ten Thousand Villages The Weinstein Group Warner Brothers Westwood College Woodland, Inc. Yves Bistro Zoe Boutique Image/pma properties The building that currently houses the Old Town Theater may no longer display the iconic “Old Town” sign and marquee, as depicted above in this rendering. Theater FROM | 1 many good movies last year. You’ve got to have a product that’s worth something.” But “it’s probably a number of things,” Fons added, indicating the addition of the King Street Trolley and last year’s temporary parking fee hike likely played a roll in deterring sales. The trolley, a popular and free way for tourists and commuters to travel up and down Alexandria’s main drag, tends to ferry passengers from the King Street Metro station to the waterfront and skip everything in between, he said, including the 800 block cinema. And after nine years of running the theater, Fons is “burnt out.” He never intended to open a movie theater, but unable to rent the space, he resumed the nearly century-old building’s original purpose. In retrospect, he admits it was a mistake. Financial difficulties, constant maintenance and rampant employee theft plagued his tenure as owner. “I’m disillusioned quite a bit,” he said. “It’s like being Atlas and somebody removed the world. I’m whipped.” Kaufman likely will rent out the theater as retail space, Fons said. Kaufman did not return calls, but the 8,500-square-foot film house is listed for a five-year lease on PMA’s website. The property holding company is asking for a rent of $42.50 per square foot. Barbara Ross, the city’s deputy planning director, confirmed staff was working with Kaufman to determine the property’s future. There are no definite plans yet, though the parcel is zoned for retail use. “The loss of the theater on a main street is a common occurrence in towns across the country, but it is still a very sad thing,” Ross said. Kaufman submitted an application to restore the building’s original facade — essentially removing the box office and the overhang — before the Board of Architectural Review. Al Cox, the city’s chief preservationist, doesn’t see any reason the board won’t approve the changes at its mid-January meeting. In the interim, Fons plans to auction off as much of his goods as possible the weekend of January 14. Theater seats, television sets, even film projection equipment will be available to the highest bidder. Nine years after buying the theater, Fons is washing his hands of the endeavor. “It’s just a business, that’s all,” he said. “Everybody said, ‘But you get to watch the movies for free.’ But hell, you don’t have the time for it.” ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 7 Society Fair expands Armstrong’s culinary kingdom Concept combines fresh market with restaurant By Derrick perkins Local chef and restaurateur Cathal Armstrong hopes foodies far and wide will eat up his new restaurant and market, a marriage of American fare and European style, at 277 S. Washington St. Society Fair, slated to begin serving customers before January’s end, will feature a wine bar and demo kitchen blended with a bakery, butcher’s shop and grocery store. There’s nothing quite like it on the East Coast, Armstrong said Tuesday. “We were talking about how to describe it the other day and the word ‘interactive’ came up,” he said, leaning against the combination checkout counter and coffee bar as employees put the fin- ishing touches on the store. “[Interactive] reminds me of video games, but there isn’t another word for it.” Like a particular glass of wine? Bring a few bottles home. Wonder what brand olive oil Armstrong prefers at his string of Alexandria restaurants? It’s available for purchase at Society Fair. “We want to be able to showcase the foods we love and share them,” said Robbie Shinn, Armstrong’s man in charge of retail development. “These are the things we love, anything from potato chips to home ware.” From the seed of an idea to fruition, the process took about five years. Two of his employees wanted to strike out on their own, and Armstrong — owner of Restaurant Eve, Eamonn’s and Virtue, among other local culinary SEE Society fair | 9 photo/Derrick Perkins Society Fair, slated to open later this month, is local restaurateur Cathal Armstrong’s latest project. sold Phil Cefaratti, MBA 703-371-7601 www.philcef.com philcef@verizon.net Quality. Not Quantity. for sale for sale 3013 king street alexandria 22302 801 n. howard st., #301 alexandria 22304 just listed 714 wythe street alexandria 22314 under contract Please LIKE my Facebook community page: alexandria, va real estate. licensed in va, md, and d.c. nvar top producer—2009, 2010, 2011 weichert, realtors old town office 121 n. pitt street alexandria, va 22314 AlexandriaTimes1.1.2012.indd 1 415 gibbon street alexandria 22314 6402 cavalier drive alexandria 22307 12/30/11 8:44:28 AM 8 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Embezzlement ‘unlikely,’ internal audit reveals Former city employee stole from Buffalo, but probably not Alexandria By David Sachs A former city employee guilty of embezzlement in Buffalo, N.Y., had few opportunities to steal local tax dollars, and likely did not, according to an internal audit released by Alexandria City Hall last week. The report states Timothy Wanamaker did not have au- thority to collect money for transactions in the general services department of which he served as deputy director. He could not authorize payments from the department, either. Wanamaker resigned last month. “The audit did not discover any internal financial problems or issues,” city spokesman Tony Castrilli said in an email. Wanamaker, who came to Alexandria after a short stint as a California city manager, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of stealing government funds from the city of Buffalo between 2004 and 2008 while serving in a variety of top posts. He tendered his resignation about 48 hours after revealing his theft of roughly $30,000 in municipal and federal funds, much of it spent on travel, entertainment, car rentals and hotel rooms. Unlike in Buffalo, Wanamaker’s post in Alexandria included no travel and Wa- namaker only billed for 7.5 hours of compensatory time. Only $40.70 was reimbursed to the general services department during his 15-month tenure, none of which was given to him, according to the audit. A series of checks and balances within City Hall prevented embezzlement, the report stated, like the finance department’s oversight and approval of transactions. Subsequently, the only form of payment Wanamaker received was his biweekly paychecks, officials said. “The lack of current evidence with regard to the misappropriation of city assets does not eliminate the possibility that Mr. Wanamaker might have misappropriated city assets in as of yet, [an] undisclosed manner,” the internal report states. “However … we believe that such misappropriation is improbable.” Wanamaker was the third city employee connected to embezzling in 2011. VeloCity to roll into Del Ray Nonprofit forced to move after Old Town location sold By Derrick perkins Fears that Alexandria’s nonprofit, do-it-yourself bicycle repair shop, VeloCity, would roll out of town have proven unfounded. The waterfront institution will take up new digs in Del Ray later this year. Christian Myers, one of the two men who founded the donations-driven organization located in a Union Street warehouse, publicly worried the group would have to move its gear and educational programs across the river to Washington after the property was sold in 2011. But after working with the Del Ray Business Association and neighborhood residents, VeloCity supporters secured a new building on the 2100 block of Mount Vernon Ave., the organization said in a statement on its website. “We are excited to join this vibrant and active community, which will enable us to continue our programs with Alexandria,” the group said. VeloCity has yet to release the date of its reopening in Del Ray. 2460 Eisenhower Ave. Alexandria, Va 22314 (703) 960-3400 • holidayinn.com Holiday Inn Alexandria SW at Hoffman Town Center File photo Christian Myers, one of the two men behind VeloCity, had contemplated moving the group to Washington after their rented warehouse was sold to new owners in 2011. ALEXANDRIA TIMES Society Fair FROM | 7 institutions — set about making it happen. He gives his wife and business partner, Meshelle, full credit for the concept but admits his Irish heritage played a role. His parents still go to one shop for fish, another for beef and a third for lamb. The Armstrong’s decided to to take a typical European town center, flush with local shops, and combine it into one stop. And several nights a week patrons can reserve a seat at the demo kitchen to watch one of Armstrong’s chefs prepare and serve a meal. Shinn compared it to dinner and a show or getting a front-row seat to a Food Network taping. “It’s almost like dinner theater,” he said. “The chef will talk about where January 5, 2012 | 9 [the ingredients and meal] comes from or why he chose this dish … It’s kind of a fun, interactive way to do it.” Armstrong is banking on the country’s rapidly growing interest in culinary arts and Alexandria’s homegrown food fetish to spur Society Fair to success. Every product on the store’s shelves will boast the additional distinction as an Armstrong-approved product. And if an amateur chef doesn’t quite know how best to use a particular cut of meat or specialty item, Armstrong’s employees will be on hand with suggestions. “People are really interested in cooking and in food,” he said. “Some of the stuff we sell here, if you searched around the Internet for a few hours you can find it, or you can come here and find it at arms reach.” photo/Derrick Perkins The goods found on Society Fair’s shelves are the brands chef Cathal Armstrong used in his expanding restaurant empire. Save the Date The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce presents: n’s a The Chairm n o i t c u A d n a February 11, 2012 The Westin Alexandria Featuring: Auction with a Twist Your local newspaper the original social networking site 110 South Pitt St., Alexandria, VA 703.739.0001 • www.alextimes.com The Most Giving People in Alexandria VIP Champagne Reception 5:30pm — 6:30pm Cocktails 6:30pm — 7:30pm Presentation of Chairman’s Chamber Charity Award Dinner Dancing and Live Auction 7:30pm to Midnight Designed By Yellow Dot Designs ACVA RW 2x20 5, Banner Jan 2012_Layout 1 12/16/11 2:14 PM Page 1 10 | January 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Powered By VisitAlexandriaVA.com BR 56 RESTAURANTS WITH $35 MENUS! ACVA RW 2x20 Banner Jan 2012_Layout 1 12/16/11 2:14 PM Page 1 Join us for Restaurant Week and explore our new menu! Powered By VisitAlexandriaVA.com Modern American cuisine 56 RESTAURANTS WITH $35 MENUS! comes to life with our seasonal, BROWSE MENUS. MAKE RESERVATIONS. GET DIRECTIONS. locally-sourced menu items. Enjoy a meal in our quaint, downstairs dining room, or relax with a beer in the upstairs bar. 703.549.0533 • 715 King St., Old Town • thelighthorserestaurant.com Join us for Restaurant Week! 1510-A Belle View Blvd. • Alexandria 703.660.6085 • dishesofindia.com Belle View Shopping Center Two course dinner for two for $35.00 220 N. Lee St. Reservations accepted 703-535-3340 www.theoverwood.com RestauRant Week specials: JanuaRy 13-22 $20 Lunch for Two: Salad paired with two 6 ounce beers Small pizza with two 6 ounce beers $35 Dinner for Two: Salad paired with two 6 ounce beers Large pizza paired with two 12 ounce beers 124 King St • 703.837.1245 No Reservations Required 60 RESTAURANTS WITH $35 MENUS! VisitAlexandriaVA.com Browse Menus. Make Reservations. Get Directions. Powered By © 2012. Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association. All rights reserved. ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 11 Let’s Eat | A special advertising feature of the Alexandria Times French cuisine and music at Yves Bistro Start the new year off right with a visit to Yves Bistro, a French cafe with wonderful atmosphere and delicious food. The restaurant, located at 235 Swamp Fox Road and across the street from the AMC Hoffman Movie Theater, prepares scrumptious French cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Diners say the breakfast is first rate, with selections like quiche, omelets, croque monsier (ham and cheese on toast), croque madam (turkey and cheese on toast) and steak and eggs. The lunch and dinner menu offers just as many tempting selections. Customers swear by the sirloin steak frites, steak tartare frites, moules nicoise frites (mussels in tomato garlic sauce), moules au calvados frites, roasted duck, pork tenderloin and seafood linguini. And do not forget about the appetizers, which also receive rave reviews. Yves Bistro serves up brie amandine, hot clams casino with garlic butter and bacon and escargot provencales. There also are hamburgers and cheeseburgers available for diners looking for American cuisine. But it’s not just the food setting Yves Bistro apart from other Alexandria eateries. The restaurant’s atmosphere provides an out-of-town experience locally, especially when singer Simone Marchard performs live from 7 to 11 p.m. ev- ery other Friday. Music lovers flock to the eatery to hear her perform songs from Edith Piaf, known as “the voice of the sparrow,” and other well-known French singers. There’s no doubt Marchard, who takes the stage again January 13, enhances the already breathtaking dining experience with her mellifluous voice. Yves Bistro also has affordable deals. The well-priced entrees are even cheaper from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. everyday, when the dinner special is “buy one entree, get the second entree of equal or lesser value on the house.” But that’s not all. Wine lovers will want to visit after 6:30 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays, when couples may order two entrees and a bottle of wine for $32. Really, there is no better way to start the new year than a visit to Yves Bistro. The amazing atmosphere, great menu selections and affordable deals make the French bistro a must for 2012. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday For more information, call 703-329-1010 or go to www.yvesbistrova.com. Hunan Cafe From the founder of Au PieddedeCochon Cochon Au Pied 235 Alexandria, VA VA 22314 22314 235 Swamp Swamp Fox Fox Road Road Alexandria, 235 Swamp Fox Road Alexandria, VA 22314 Across from from Eisenhower Eisenhower Metro Across Metro Station Station Across from Eisenhower Metro Station 703-329-1010 • Open 7 Days a Week 703-329-1010 • Open 7 Days aVAWeek Alexandria, 235 SwampFox FoxRoad Road Alexandria, VA 22314 22314 235 Swamp Across from Eisenhower Metro Station Across from Eisenhower Metro Station 703-329-1010 DaysaaWeek Week 703-329-1010 •• Open Open 77 Days $14. $14. 95 $ 95 $14. 15. 95 $ 95 32.00 50 $29. 95 $14. Sunday, Monday Tuesday Special Two Entrées and a&Bottle of Wine for (Dining-in Only) 2 entrees and a bottle of wine for Maine Lobster Dinner (in-dining only - Sun, & Tues 6:30 pm) Everyday fromMon 6:30 PM after to closing (After 6:30pm) Maine Lobster Dinner Mainefrom Lobster Everyday 6:30 PMDinner to closing Maine Lobster Dinner From the founder of closing Everyday from 6:30 PM to Au Pied de Cochon From the founder of Yves and Oyuna, your hosts, bring you theyour founder of bring you Yves andFrom Oyuna, hosts, the ideal neighborhood bistro. the ideal neighborhood bistro. Au Pied de Cochon Au Pied de Cochon Chinese Restaurant • Eat In & Carry Out Enjoy fine food and fabulous views from our veranda, bar or dining room. Minutes from Old Town and National Airport. Ample free parking. One Marina Drive, Alexandria, VA 22314 indigolanding.com • 703.548.0001 2010 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 22314 703.535.3155 or 703.535.3156 www.HunanCafeVA.com $5 off any purchase over $25 Serving Country French Cuisine since 1983 Le Refuge W here you can experience the tastes and ambiance of a paris cafe Without leaving the city limits . 127 N. Washington St. 703.548.4661 WWW.lerefugealexandria.com 12 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Sports T.C. Williams rebounds with thrashing of Lee Lancers Titans improve record to 4-2 By Derrick Perkins On the road after two consecutive home losses, the T.C. Williams Titans dominated a winless Robert E. Lee team Tuesday night, clinching their first win of 2012. “It’s a new year,” said senior point guard Daquan Kerman following the 71-32 rout of the Lancers. “Forget about 2011.” After a tight initial eight minutes, the 4-2 Titans broke out in the second quarter. Fast breaks, a smothering defense and an impassioned return to the fundamentals — making rebounds, smooth transitions and heads-up play — translated into a game that quickly spiraled out of Lee’s hands. It was a far cry from the struggling Titans who fell 51-50 to West Potomac on December 13 and 48-38 to W.T. Woodson a week later. But there wasn’t any gimmick behind the turnabout, Photo/Derrick Perkins T.C. Williams guard Dealo Robertson looks for an open teammate during the Titans 71-32 thumping of Lee. just hard work, said freshman standout Malik Smith. “We’ve been working hard over the break. We had to come out strong in 2012 and be strong,” the 5-foot-6 point guard said. “We’ve got to keep working hard, keep practicing and keep listening to the coach.” Photo/Derrick Perkins Coach Julian King gives the Titans a pep talk during Tuesday’s road game against the Lee Lancers. Coach Julian King confirmed he had the team running drills most days during the school district’s holiday break — they had Christmas off — and the practice paid off. They still started slow against Lee, a hallmark of T.C.’s recent squads, and made mistakes, but they displayed a marked improvement in the second half, the coach said. “It’s going to take time with this team,” he said. “There’s going to be some ups and downs.” Just weeks ago, following their second loss of the nascent season, King’s players looked lost. Few with any experience in the program could recall such a troubled start; losing was something other teams did on Earl Lloyd Court. With a 13-day stretch to dwell on the two defeats, they’ve found their answer: hard work. “We’ve got to work hard and we’ve got to have pride,” Kerman said. A year ago, the team harnessed the still painful memoSEE T.C. Williams | 13 Roundball roundup Cardinals soar over Falcons After placing third in the Capitol Classic in Richmond during the holiday break, Bishop Ireton returned to regular season play with a win against Good Counsel. The Tuesday night victory came fast on the heels of the annual tournament, in which the Cardinals trumped the Falcons in overtime. Their second meeting of the season proved less dramatic. Good Counsel jumped out to an early 18-14 lead, but Ireton’s squad turned on the afterburners in the second quarter. They steadily outscored the Falcons en route to a 72-61 victory. Sophomore forward Ty Quarles led the Cardinals in scoring, netting 15 points on a pair of 3s, a 2-point field goal and seven free throws. Teammates Taylor McHugh, Patrick Moseh and Mark Noe contributed to the win, each enjoying 10-point performances. The Cardinals return to the court Friday night with a 7:30 home matchup against St. Mary’s Ryken. Saints face tough matchup with Maroon With regionally ranked Episcopal next on their schedule, the St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes Saints will have a tough time shaking off their 1-2 George Long Holiday Hoops tournament performance. After a comfortable 56-36 win against Lee on December 27 to start the annual competition, the Saints fell against Wakefield and John Paul the Great in successive matchups in the following days. After narrowly losing to Wakefield, 62-58, the Saints looked to rebound against John Paul the Great. The two teams hung tough with one another, entering the half tied at 28. Following the break, the Saints steadily built a lead in the next eight minutes of play. But John Paul the Great came back in the fourth to send the game into overtime with the score stuck at 58. The Dumfries school then outscored their Alexandria rivals 11-5 to secure a 69-63 win and third place in the tournament. The 1-5 Saints will look to rebound as underdogs against 6-1 Episcopal, ranked No. 6 in the region by the Washington Post. The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Episcopal. - Derrick Perkins ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 13 sports shorts Football Track & Field Saints trio earns statewide honors Titan shot-putters leave their mark Three members of the 2011 St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes football team earned statewide honors, the private school announced late last month. Despite their 1-8 record, the Saints saw three players named to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association all-state teams. Junior running back Darius T.C. Williams shot-putters Jonathan Anderson and Jose Urratia enjoyed personal bests en route to qualifying for regionals at the F.I.T. Invitational on December 27. Anderson took second place in the tournament after throwing his shot put ball 50 feet and 2 inches. That’s 2 feet more than his previous performance and just oneand-a-quarter-inch short of qualifying for the state tournament. Urratio, who earned a third-place finish at the invitational, tossed his ball 46 feet and 2 inches, while teammate Michael Crockett threw for 45 feet and 9 inches. Crockett was oneand-a-quarter inches shy of qualifying for regionals. On the girls team, Ayzha Ward earned a spot in the state tournament after taking third place with a heave of 36 feet and 10 inches. The toss was 2 feet farther than her previous personal best. T.C. Williams Kerman, Smith and company they were playing to uphold the program’s legacy. Nobody wants to be remembered as the group that let the tradition down, he said. After two district losses, the message seems to have sunk in. Even after an impressive win, senior forward T.J. Huggins said the group had more work ahead of them. They’re not satisfied yet. “We’re just hungry. We’re more mad than happy. We let the dynasty down,” Huggins said. “[Losing] taught us a lesson. It really did. It pushes us and gets us motivated.” Hunger is what King wants to see in his players. They hadn’t shown the willingness to give it their full effort until the matchup with Lee. “I’ve told them it’s not so much about the wins and losses, it’s about the effort,” King said. “Hopefully, [the win] will boost their confidence and show them they did something right.” Manora and sophomore Jordan Waite, the heart of the Saints defense, were named to VISAA’s first team. Junior Khamaal Whitaker — the squad’s wide receiver, part-time rushing threat and defensive maverick — earned a spot on VISAA’s second team for his 2011 performance. Crew Early registration available for indoor rowing event Area rowers interested in competing in the 2012 MidAtlantic Erg Sprints, to be held at T.C. Williams next month, will receive a discount if they register before Wednesday. About 1,400 athletes with ties to more than 100 different schools and rowing organizations competed in 2011’s iteration, making it the thirdlargest indoor rowing event in the world. Organizers will set up more than 100 different events for junior, collegiate and master rowers for this year’s competition. Events also will be held for parent-and-child teams and coxswains as well as lightweight and adaptive rowers. Early registration fees range from $5 to $20, though event-day registration will cost $40. The all-day competition is scheduled for February 4, and the top finishers will qualify for the World Indoor Rowing Championship in Boston on February 19. FROM | 12 ries of the previous season’s ineligibility scandal to motivate them. They played to win and to restore the program’s reputation — a mantra King’s players repeated until they bowed out in the semifinal round of the state championship tournament. Even before this season’s first tipoff, King was telling - Derrick Perkins Classes begin January 11 14 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES SCENE AROUND TOWN Calendar of Events To have your event considered for our calendar listings, please email events@alextimes.com. You can also post your event directly to our online calendar by visiting www.alextimes.com. Now to January 16 ‘THE PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS OF STEVE JOBS’ In tribute to the tremendous influence of Steve Jobs, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office showcases “The Patents and Trademarks of Steve Jobs: Art and Technology that Changed the World.” The exhibit features more than 300 of the patents bearing the name of the iconic innovator along with many of the trademarks that have given Apple its instantly recognizable identity around the world. The exhibit is free. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Location: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office/National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum, 600 Dulany St. Information: www.uspto.gov Now to January 27 SOLO PREVIEW 2012 In lieu courtesy Photos From the visceral to the abstract, artists drew upon common horrors to capture a constant in the human condition — fear — for the Target Gallery’s latest thought provoking exhibition. The face of fear Target Gallery’s Fears and Phobias exhibit showcases art that terrifies By David Sachs Alexandria artist Suzanne Vigil thinks cockroaches are pretty. “When you get up very, very close to one, you see that a cockroach is absolutely beautiful. It’s got jeweled tones to it,” Vigil says. “When I show people a cockroach and cover up the head, they look at the body and realize it’s actually beautiful. When people are scared of them it’s because all people normally see is the head and the tail end of the cockroach — the ugly part.” Some may disagree with Vigil’s view on the attractiveness of cockroach anatomy, but most will agree the insect is an iconic symbol of fear, making it an ideal subject matter for Target Gallery’s Fears and Phobias exhibit opening January 12. The local artist used color pencils to create “Ick,” a shiny, realistic close-up of a roach that forces viewers to confront their fear — if they have any. of a solo exhibit in January, The Art League Gallery hosts a group preview exhibit featuring work by artists who have been selected for solo exhibits in the coming year. The show features work by Cecily Corcoran, Theresa Esterlund, Elissa Farrow-Savos, Juan Hernandez, Pattee Hipschen, Marcia Jestaedt, Georgia Nassikas, Suzanne Vigil and Andrew Zimmermann. The exhibit is free. Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Location: The Art League, 105 N. Union St. Information: 703-683-1780 or www.theartleague.org Now to February 12 ROCK YOUR PARK The City of “I want the viewer to have appreciation [for the roach],” she said. “I want them to disassociate themselves with all the negative things and just look at the color and try to get the whole sense of what cockroaches do, if it’s possible without going out of your mind.” Vigil initially wanted to draw a snake but her fear of the animal made her cringe and shudder as she Googled images online, so rather than recreate her SEE Fear | 17 Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities offers free community open play days and nights at Ben Brenman Park’s synthetic turf field. Families, friends and neighbors of all ages can visit the field to play soccer, lacrosse, touch football, rugby and toss a Frisbee. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday Location: Ben Brenman Park Field, 4800 Brenman Park Drive Information: Contact Mac Slover at 703-746-5402 or mac.slover@ alexandriava.gov January 6 - 7 PAT MCGEE BAND The rock band from Richmond comes to Alexandria to perform live for two nights at the Birchmere. Tickets are $29.50. Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. ALEXANDRIA TIMES Information: 703-549-7500 or www.birchmere.com January 6 INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY PLAYGROUP Children learn valu- able social skills and work on their developmental skills through play. Parents and caregivers will interact with their child in stimulating activities that reinforce physical, cognitive and social development. The playgroup is free. Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon Location: Cora Kelly Recreation Center, 25 W. Reed Ave. Information: Contact Deatrice Williams at 703-746-3430 or deatrice. williams@alexandriava.gov OPENING RECEPTION — ‘ARTIST WARRIORS: POST APOCALYPTIC ADVENTURE’ The Del Ray Artisans asked artists to imagine a post-apocalyptic world of any making and document what they saw. Come see what the future may hold. The wearing of apocalyptic fashion for the opening is encouraged. The show runs through January 29. Time: 7 to 10 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: 703-838-4827 or www.thedelrayartisans.org January 7 - 8 CRASH COURSE IN ACRYLIC PAINTING This workshop is ideal for beginners or those in need of some additional basic painting knowledge. Fundamental painting techniques are taught using a variety of brushes, palette knives, rollers and other tools. Color mixing, the use of acrylic mediums and the use of different painting surfaces are covered as the students explore the use of photographic references and subject matter ranging from still life to landscape. Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: The Art League, 105 N. Union St. Information: 703-683-2323 or www.theartleague.org January 7 OLD TOWN FARMERS MARKET The market includes local dairy, fish, fruits, vegetables and artists. There is free parking in the garage during market hours. Time: 5:30 a.m. Location: Market Square, 301 King St. Information: 703-746-3200 ADVENT ART CLOSING CELEBRATION The Christmas Attic and Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic invite the public to the closing celebration of the Advent Art exhibition. Canvases of advent art will be available via a silent auction, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Time: Noon to 2 p.m. Location: The Christmas Attic, 125 S. Union St. Information: www.christmasattic.com January 8 CIVIL WAR SUNDAY Explore the Civil War in Alexandria with January 5, 2012 | 15 Civil War Sundays, a showcase of an original May 26, 1861, edition New York Tribune detailing Col. Elmer Ellsworth’s death in Alexandria; a Peeps diorama illustrating Ellsworth’s death; a TimeTravelers Passport exhibit featuring the Civil War drummer boy; a diorama of a heating system constructed in Alexandria to warm Civil War hospital tents during the winter of 1861; a cocked-and-loaded Wickham musket discarded in a privy during the 1860s; and an exhibit on the Lee Street site during the Civil War. The event is free. Time: 1 to 5 p.m. Location: Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N. Union St. Information: 703-746-4399 ERIC JOHNSON The Grammy Award-winning artist from Texas is best known for his electric guitar skills. A couple of Eric Johnson’s biggest singles are “Camel’s Night Out” and “Cliffs of Dover.” Tickets are $35. Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: 703-549-7500 or www.birchmere.com January 9 PARTNERS IN ART GROUP Looking for a chance to get together with creative people to discuss art and exchange ideas? Join a meeting of the Del Ray Artisans’ cooperatively led Partners in Art group. Guests may find the group engaged in a creativity exercise, enjoying a short demonstration or in a lively art-related discussion. Free and open to the public. Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: Contact Millie Mateu at globaleducationsolutions@gmail. com or Katherine Rand at katherine@ katherinerand.com LET’S TALK BOOKS The book discussion group will discuss “The Ballad of Tom Dooley,” by Sharyn McCrumb. The discussion is free and open to everyone. Time: 7 to 8 p.m. Location: Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen St. Information: Contact Heather Martyn at 703-746-1703x4 January 10 COLLAGE CUT UPS Feel overwhelmed by the deluge of junk mail and magazines arriving in the mail? Take those scraps and have fun. Play with the Collage Cut Ups in a supportive environment promoting an exchange of ideas, creativity and networking with beginner and experienced collage artists. RSVP by 9 a.m. Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: Contact the outreach director at dra.outreach1@gmail.com SPOT AND AVOID FRAUD Come to this presentation with the Investor Education Foundation and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to learn how to protect yourself and others from financial and investment fraud. The event is free. Time: 7 to 8 p.m. Location: Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen St. Information: 703-746-1703 January 11 RED HOT AND BLUE FUNDRAISER Eat at Red Hot and Blue and 15 percent of the sale will go to United Community Ministries. The restaurant is generously hosting this event to support UCM and raise awareness of its programs. Time: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Location: Red Hot and Blue, 6482 Landsdowne Centre Information: 703-550-6465 or www.ucmagency.org January 12 MCHF LEATHERNECK HISTORY SERIES This special event features a guided tour through the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ galleries and will conclude with a seminar in Scuttlebutt Theater. Contact the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for reservations. Time: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Location: National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway Information: 703-649-2365 or www.usmcmuseum.org SECOND THURSDAY ART NIGHT: WINTRY MIX Cozy up at the Torpedo Factory and enjoy a wintry celebration complete with a sweet candy buffet and do-it-yourself snowflake station. Mix it up with exhibition receptions in Target Gallery for “Fears & Phobias”; Studio 9 and Site 2 and 3 galleries for “Connectivity: Threads of Community”; and The Art League Gallery for the 2012 Solo Preview and the All-Media Membership Show. The event is free. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Location: Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St. Information: 703-838-4565 or www.torpedofactory.org/thursday.htm FREE SUPERHERO MOVIE Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library will screen “Captain America: The First Avenger.” The screening is free. Time: 6:45 p.m. Location: Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. Information: 703-746-1702 or www.alexandria.lib.va.us LATIN AMERICAN BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP The dis- cussions are in English. For stories in Spanish and English, please contact the adult services/reference desk at 703-746-1702x3. Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Location: Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. Information: 703-746-1702 THE ART OF FASHION: HAUTE COUTURE THEN AND NOW Join fashion guru Susan Boyd, owner of Wear It Well Wardrobe and Image Consulting (www.wearitwellconsulting.com), for an evening of fashion at its most exclusive. Following a screening of “High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture,” Boyd will talk about why some fashion is considered art and offer shopping tips for high-fashion, high-quality clothes. Refreshments will be served. The event costs $15 for DRA members and $20 for nonmembers. Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: Contact Susan at 703973-4333 or wearitwell@gmail.com CIVIL WAR DANCE CLASS In preparation for the Civil War Ball on January 28, learn the waltz, polka and Virginia reel from an expert dance master. Reservations are recommended; tickets cost $12. Time: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Location: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Information: 703-746-4242 January 13 - 15 EDDIE FROM OHIO The North Virginia folk band comes to the Birchmere for a three-night stint. The group, Eddie from Ohio, has produced nine CDs independently and sold upward of 150,000 copies to date, according to the band’s website. Tickets are $35. Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: 703-549-7500 or www.birchmere.com January 14 GET YOUR WINTER FICTION FIX The Friends of the Beatley Cen- tral Library will hold a Get Your Winter Fiction Fix book sale. Hardcover books are $3, and paperbacks are $1. Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. Information: 703-746-1702 or www.alexandria.lib.va.us January 15 MY KISSING HANDS: UNIQUE KEEPSAKES Jennifer Stackpole will be at Hooray For Books to create her custom ceramic pieces which feature the impression of a child’s hand or foot. Each is carefully hand-finished to become a beautiful keepsake to treasure forever. Time: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Location: Hooray for Books, 1555 King St. Information: 703-548-4092 January 18 DUNCAN BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP The group will discuss “Sav- ing Fish From Drowning,” by Amy Tan. Time: 7 p.m. Location: James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave. Information: Contact Ruth Hailu at 703-746-1705x3 BE A BETTER CONSUMER Ferris Kaplan, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, will lead the presentation on how to become a better consumer. Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. Information: 703-746-1702 or www.alexandria.lib.va.us January 20 HISTORY-INSPIRED BEER AND CUISINE This culinary adventure will pair history-inspired beers from Yards Brewery of Philadelphia with a four-course meal fit for George Washington. Reservations are required; tickets cost $85. Time: 7 p.m. Location: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Information: 703-746-4242 or www.gadsbystavern.org January 23 PARTNERS IN ART GROUP Looking for a chance to get together with creative people to discuss art and exchange ideas? Join a meeting of the Del Ray Artisans’ cooperatively led Partners in Art group. Guests may find the group engaged in a creativity exercise, enjoying a short demonstration or in a lively art-related discussion. Free and open to the public. Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: Contact Millie Mateu at globaleducationsolutions@gmail. com or Katherine Rand at katherine@ katherinerand.com January 24 COLLAGE CUT UPS Feel overwhelmed by the deluge of junk mail and magazines arriving in the mail? Take those scraps and have fun. Play with the Collage Cut Ups in a supportive environment that promotes an exchange of ideas, creativity and networking with beginner and experienced collage artists. RSVP by 9 a.m. Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Location: Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Information: Contact the outreach director at dra.outreach1@gmail.com The Little Theatre of Alexandria presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Jan 14 - Feb 4 Experience the pressure, angst, and joys of childhood as you follow the quirky adolescent outcasts (and some even quirkier adults) as they engage in this classic and contentious form of schoolhouse competition. 600 Wolfe St, Alexandria • 703-683-0496 • www.thelittletheatre.com 16 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Impressive ‘Pariah’ revolves VIBRANTLY ALIVE! POTENTLY MOVING AND HEARTFELT! around lesbian teen “ ” PETER TRAVERS EXPERIENCE THE “ THRILL OF DISCOVERY.” A.O. SCOTT ! ” “ AMY BIANCOLLI WINNER FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARD NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW WINNER BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR DEE REES GOTHAM AWARDS PARIAH [puh-rahy-uh] noun 1. A person without status 2. A rejected member of society 3. An outcast Facebook.com/PariahThe Movie #PARIAHMOVIE on itunes.com/ focusfeatures PariahMovie.com EXCLUSIVE LANDMARK’S ENGAGEMENT E STREET CINEMA STARTS FRIDAY, Washington, DC 202-452-7672 JANUARY 6TH MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes Text PARIAH with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549) EASILY ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST PICTURES! “ WASHINGTON SUBURBAN PRESS THUR 1.5 2x5.25 SP all.par-3-61x5-25.0105.wsp A DEVILISHLY CLEVER, MIND-BENDING THRILLER!” PERHAPS THE GREAT SPY TALE OF OUR TIME! “ Deliciously, thrillingly, brilliantly complex.” A PLEASURABLY SLY AND INVOLVING PUZZLER. ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST PICTURES.” “ “ ENTHRALLINGLY CLEVER!” OVER ONE OF THE YEAR’S 50 BEST PICTURES ★★★★★!” “ CRITICS RAVE GARY OLDMAN TINKER TAIL0R S0LDIER SPY BENEDICT COLIN TOM JOHN TOBY SIMON MARK CUMBERBATCH FIRTH HARDY HURT JONES McBURNEY STRONG BASED ON THE JOHN le CARRÉ CLASSIC THAT REDEFINED THE SPY THRILLER A FILM BY TOMAS ALFREDSON #TTSS EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS NOW PLAYING Facebook.com/TinkerTailorMovie WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON,DC DC LANDMARK’S LANDMARK’S EESTREET STREETCINEMA CINEMA Washington, Washington,DC DC202-452-7672 202-452-7672 TinkerTailorSoldierSpy.com MARYLAND MARYLAND LANDMARK’S LANDMARK’S BETHESDA BETHESDAROW ROWCINEMA CINEMA Bethesda Bethesda301-652-7273 301-652-7273 EVERYWHERE FRIDAY, JANUARY 6TH Check local listings for theatre locations and showtimes MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes Text TTSS with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549) Alike is 17 and never been is the butch Laura (Pernell away from home. This story, kissed. She dreams of being Walker). They go to a nearby so tellingly written and acted, kissed by a girl. The bright lesbian club together, which is about the painful awkwardBrooklyn high school stu- Alike visits with sweet shy- ness of that process. What ness, making makes it worse is that there’s dent has accepted wardrobe adjust- repressed hostility between her lesbianism for ments between her parents, and Alike’s sexusome years, it aphome and desti- ality becomes the occasion pears, but hasn’t nation so she can for tension with deeper sourccome out to her pass in two roles. es. parents, her sister, Her mother The film is an impresor really anyone knows the story sive debut for Dee Rees. It’s except her gay AT THE on Laura and wants said to be somewhat autobiofriend, Laura. Yet everybody sort of MOVIES Alike to stop seeing graphical. It began as a 2007 knows. She lives in By Roger Ebert her. She encour- short subject, was brought to ages a friendship maturity at a Sundance laboa condition familiar to many families, where with Bina (Aasha Davis), the ratory, and one of its producsomething has long been daughter of one of her church ers is Spike Lee, whose pressensed but never acknowl- friends. Ironic: Laura has ence in Brooklyn must have edged. Home life is a process never made a pass at Alike, been an inspiration for Rees. of evasion. Words take on more than one shading. Alike (pronounced a-LIEkee) is played by Adepero Oduye, in a performance so natural and touching that she does what every director hopes for: She brings the character into being without the need of explanatory dialogue or obligatory setup scenes. She is an A student, being raised by Arthur (Charles Parnell), an affectionate policeman, and Audrey (Kim Wayans), a churchgoing mother. It’s clear both parents know their daughter is gay, but that’s never acknowledged out loud and is consigned to that unspoken category of family realities that are either (1) behavior the girl will outgrow photo/Focus Features and correct, or (2) somehow the other parent’s fault. Adepero Oduye stars in writer/director Dee Rees’ “Pariah.” Situations like this are not uncommon in many families, and apply not only to homo- but Bina wants to cuddle and On a low budget, she takes sexuality but to any area in kiss, and Alike at last acts on advantage of the vibrant phowhich a teenager has entered her sexual feelings. But Bina tography of Bradford Young, a realm of her life that parents is the solution to no prob- who also shot the short subchoose to remain blind to. lems. ject. So what we’re seeing Alike shares a room with her “Pariah” is probably too here is the emergence of a sister Sharonda (Sahra Mel- loaded a word to be the title promising writer-director, lesse), who, like many sib- of this film. Alike lives in a an actor and a cinematogralings, knows the story, thinks world where homosexuality pher who are all exciting, and it’s no big deal, and goes is far from unknown, and her have cared to make a film that along with the official fam- problems will grow smaller seeks helpful truths. ily denial. Alike’s best friend in a few years as she moves ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 17 Fear FROM | 14 phobia, she drew a universal symbol of horror. And there are few things more basic to the human condition than fear — it’s relatable, which Assistant Gallery Director Allison Nance knew when she helped choose the exhibition’s theme. “It’s such a theme that anyone can relate to,” says Nance. “It can be open to anybody but can mean something different to everyone. It can be personal; it can be political.” Louisville artist John Talbott Allen chose the latter. His piece, “Shrapnel and Battery Acid,” consists of faux IEDs (improvised explosive devices) made from cheerfully colored construction paper. The creation juxtaposes terror felt by American soldiers exposed to the camouflaged bombs with the detached reality the majority of Americans experience when it comes to wars abroad. “These are objects of terror and fear,” Talbott said. “The whole presence of them drives anxiety and fear, but here in the U.S., it’s just something foreign. I’m trying to bring a discussion to people who don’t really have a connection to soldiers or the war. “I’m trying to bring something that should be important and should be a cause of anxiety, yet when people watch the war on TV, it’s almost a form of entertainment.” Talbott’s and Vigil’s approaches represent the polar extremes of literalism and metaphor. The exhibit’s juror, Lia Newman of Artspace in Raleigh, N.C., leaned toward metaphorical and abstract pieces when choosing the lineup. She shied away from the blatant interpretations of the theme, like Vigil’s cockroach. “I was most surprised by the number of artists who chose quite literal approaches in the visualization of particular fears and phobias,” Newman said in her juror’s statement. “When selecting works of art for the exhibi- tion I leaned toward those that were less obvious in their portrayal. I was most interested in works by artists who approached the theme in a more conceptual manner.” Fears and Phobias opens January 12 and runs through February 19 at Target Gallery inside the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St. Opening reception including a juror’s talk takes place January 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. Local Pros Directory Introduce your team of professionals to your Alexandria neighbors in the Local Pros Directory published by the Alexandria Times. The Local Pros Directory is a categorical listing designed to provide our readers with an easy-to-use guide of service professionals and organizations in and around Alexandria. The Local Pros Directory provides your company with an effective communication tool delivered monthly in a quality editorial environment to Alexandria’s highestincome residents for less than 2 cents per copy. A healthy career starts here. Now offering Medical Assisting Diplomas. SCHOOL OF HEALTHCARE / MEDICAL ASSISTING A medical assisting diploma will prepare you for a career in the growing field of healthcare: • Career-focused courses train you to support doctors and nurses. Residents who receive City trash service should place trees for Christmas • recycling pick-up at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 14 or Saturday, January 21. Tree Recycling • Remember to remove plastic bags, stands, and ornaments from The City of Alexandria reminds residents to recycle their holiday Christmas trees: January 14 and 21 trees, so that they can be properly recycled. • Any trees set out at the curb after January 21 will be collected as part of regular refuse collection services and will not be recycled. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recycling or call the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES), Solid Waste Division at 703.746.4410. • Real-world externships give you on-the-job skills. • Gain the satisfaction that comes from providing quality healthcare to patients. Call today for a career success kit with information on careers and salaries. 877-499-5158 • westwood.edu AnnAndAle cAmpus | 7619 little RiveR tuRnpike | suite 500 | AnnAndAle, vA 22003 ARlington BAllston cAmpus | 4420 FAiRFAX dRive | ARlington, vA 22203 Westwood College has been certified to operate in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). 18 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 19 Obituaries Love the hat! Where’d you get it? ALICE M. BALLARD, of Alexandria, January 2, 2012 Thanks! I made it. ROBERT C. BARANOWSKI (79), of Alexandria, December 30, 2011 ANN M. CAVALLARO, of Alexandria, December 20, 2011 GERTRUDE B. CHAPMAN (98), of Alexandria, December 24, 2011 Make your own. JOHN W. CONNOLLY, of Alexandria, December 20, 2011 JAMES F. FLINT, of Alexandria, December 29, 2011 102 N. Fayette St, Alexandria, VA 703.664.0344 www.fibrespace.com WHITMAL W. HILL (91), of Alexandria, December 21, 2011 DAVID C. LAVOIE (65), formerly of Alexandria, December 28, 2011 Bishop Boutique is a chic and intimate sanctuary for the fashion savvy, offering a unique selection of shoes, handbags, accessories and seasonal flair! ALLEN G. SCHIENBEIN (81), of Alexandria, December 23, 2011 WILLIAM D. SLAY, of Alexandria, December 31, 2011 NANCY C. WILLIAMS (78), of Alexandria, December 26, 2011 City Council and Planning Commission to Hold Joint Work Session on Waterfront Plan The Alexandria City Council and the Planning Commission will hold a joint work session on Tuesday, January 10, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., to review recommendations from the Waterfront Plan Work Group and discuss possible changes to the City’s draft Waterfront Small Area Plan. The work session will be held at City Hall, 301 King St., in the second-floor City Council Chambers. It will be broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and on the City’s website at alexandriava.gov/ Video. For more information about the City’s draft Waterfront Plan, visit alexandriava. gov/Waterfront. Monday - Saturday: 10am - 7pm Sunday: 11am - 5pm 815B King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 571.312.0042 The new AlexTimes.com More opinion. More entertainMent. More sports. More news. more AlexAndriA. What can the times do for you? 235 S w Alexa amp Fox R ndria , VA 2 d., 2314 “I adve only Alex rtise in t he an and dria Tim my b cont usin es e inue s to g ss row.” - Yves Co urbois 703.739.0001 20 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Our View Local politics in full swing It is often said there are two seasons in the Washington metro area: winter and summer. We agree there are two, but they are not winter and summer but holiday and political — with the political ever more encroaching on the holiday. As we flip the calendar to 2012, the political season is shifting into high gear nationally and locally. The national race for president heated up this week with the Iowa caucuses. But whereas the presidential field is shrinking, with Michele Bachmann joining Herman Cain on the sidelines following poor Iowa showings, new candidates continue to step forward for local races. This week, former City Councilman Tim Lovain joined his erstwhile comrade Justin Wilson and newcomer Charles Sumpter Jr. in vying for the six-seat Democratic slate chosen by a primary vote June 12. Those three join incumbent Democrats Del Pepper, Paul Smedberg and Kerry Donley in running for city council (incumbent Democrat Rob Krupicka will not seek re-election). On the Republican side, Scott Gordon has announced his candidacy to join Republican Frank Fannon and Alicia Hughes incumbent on council. The Democrats decided to hold a primary rather than their traditional caucus this year as part of sweeping changes they initiated in response to losing two council seats in 2009. We still think moving Alexandria’s local election from a separate springtime contest to one tied in with state and federal elections was a poor and politically motivated decision. Poor because local issues will get lost in the noise surrounding the presidential contest and politically motivated because the change was voted in by a lame-duck council that included Lovain and Wilson, who had just lost seats. The race for the 8th District congressional seat also promises to be interesting, as Republican Patrick Murray announced he will seek a rematch of his 2010 contest with incumbent Democrat Jim Moran. Moran, however, must get past a primary challenge from Will Radle Jr., a Fairfax financial advisor who ran unsuccessfully to chair the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in November. While Radle is self-admittedly a longshot to unseat Moran, it is high time a Democrat stepped forward to create competition for this seat, considered by most pundits to be safely Democratic. Congressman Moran has held this seat for 21 years, despite being involved in a series of embarrassing incidents during his career. Alexandria Democrats love to privately grumble about Moran, but in election after election no viable candidate has chosen to challenge him for the nomination. Good for Radle for giving it a shot. This holiday season has been superseded by the political. Let us hope the political season doesn’t then devolve into the silly season. Opinion “Where the press is free and every man is able to read, all is safe.” - Thomas Jefferson Your Views In redevelopment, as in life, hindsight is 20/20 To the editor: In 1967, newly married and new to Alexandria, I was anxious to open a retail shop. My husband and I began touring spaces and wandered into a small, empty building on the 300 block of King St. The man sitting in the one chair in the center of the room turned out to be local real estate icon Welly Goddin. He told us the block, along with the 400 and 500 blocks, was to be destroyed to make way for “higher density, urban renewal development,” something city officials decided was necessary for Alexandria’s growth. I later found a space a few blocks away and have been there for 44 years. In these past decades, I have watched the city change, but I can say the redevelopment of those blocks did not make the area more attractive to visitors and shoppers. Instead, those buildings broke the flow and charm of our Main Street. I am not even certain demolishing the existing buildings enabled the city to grow — whatever that means. But there are lessons there, at least in my mind. Things don’t always pan out as planned. Developers bringing the promise of increased revenues aren’t necessarily acting in the best interest of the city and its residents. Who can conclusively say implementing the waterfront plan won’t devalue the historic homes that make Alexandria so charming? How does increased density — whether it is along the waterfront, at Mark Center or the strip mall slated for redevelopment in Arlandria — affect the quality of life of the city’s diverse residents? Do we want to look back in four decades and wonder what happened to our lovely city? - Amanda Lasker Gossypia ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 21 What’s the rush on the waterfront? To the editor: Maybe I missed it, but nowhere in the waterfront contretemps do I recall the urgency for this significant project. Really, why now? What’s the rush? The world will not come to an end if the mayor and his city council acolytes abate their rush to judgment. Who’s working for whom here? The city’s plan is indisputably divisive. It created an extraordinary community reaction. Absent any compelling explanation for a burning need to refashion a unique and historic section of Alexandria, this could be an instance when doing nothing is the right choice. Choosing this option will allow the advocates of competing waterfront plans time to explain how their proposals address important metrics. Foremost among these metrics must be quality of life, not for overnight visitors, but for permanent residents, particularly those directly affected by alterations to the waterfront. Other, more easily quantifiable metrics include cost, traffic and density. Of all these, however, density is the real snake in the grass. Just as a glass can hold only so much fluid, so too can Alexandria hold only so many people, structures and vehicles before the quality of life atrophies from traffic congestion. You don’t have to look far to see the consequences of densification. The Pentagon annex at Mark Center is but one. Our city officials approved it, but belatedly agreed with our congressional delegation that it was a mistake. It’s too massive a structure with too many people using too many cars to reach it. To prevent the waterfront from becoming Mark Center, the city should forestall its rush. There is no burning urgency to reshape the waterfront now, or in the near future. Tabling this vigorously contested initiative will defuse the city-caused fury among the residents City Hall was created to serve. After all, the elected and appointed public servants pushing their waterfront plan are not our lords and masters. It’s the other way ‘round. - Jim Roberts Alexandria Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater in Arlandria To the editor: The Arlandria redevelopment controversy highlighted the evaporating ability of poor — and typically non-white — people to stay in Alexandria. This is often presented as a loss to the emigrating residents, but is also a loss to us all. Arlandria’s residents are part of the fabric of our society. Apart from those with office jobs, many build homes, fix cars, tend gardens, man road crews, care for children, clean buildings, deliver goods, wait tables, dispose of trash and do all manner of work residents rely on daily. Most give an honest day’s work for low pay, and if some are less than exemplary in their conduct, they cause less damage than their well-heeled counterparts in the financial sector. We would do less well without them than without all of Alexandria’s lawyers. Arlandria’s homes are modest and its businesses equally so, but to call the community “blighted,” as a developer’s advocate said at the recent city council hearing, is more than an insult to residents; it exposes the sad and crass disdain of the com- fortable for those with little. Gated communities exist for those seeking the lobotomized peace of exclusivity. I would rather my community embrace its poor. I would rather my children and grandchildren grow up with the “sons of Pullman porters” as well as “sons of engineers.” I mayor grew up in segregated Alexandria. If his community had been redeveloped out of existence while he was a child, I expect he would have taken his considerable talents elsewhere. Whether this would have been his loss is for him alone to determine, but it certainly Like Harlem in the previous century, today’s Arlandria is a boisterous steppingstone to the American dream. want them to learn from their experiences how capriciously life doles out advantages without regard to individual merit. Like Harlem in the previous century, today’s Arlandria is a boisterous stepping-stone to the American dream. I am proud of my city for electing a black mayor when it was inconceivable we would inaugurate a black president. Our would have been ours. We will bear these unknown losses until we learn the poor always are with us, and we have important lessons to learn from, and with, them. -Victor M. Glasberg The author, a resident of Lynnhaven and Del Ray for 36 years, works as a civil rights lawyer in Old Town. Rep. Jim Moran has done more harm than good With Congress’s favorable spaces because politicians ratings in the single digits, failed to provide leadership. I encourage the Alexandria We have known the Base Times to retract Realignment and editorial page edClosure Act’s itor Denise Dunconsequences bar’s Quick Take since its May on December 22, 2005 announce2011, applauding ment, more than politicians for six years and micromanaging a seven months parking lot rather ago. No soluthan providing addressing MyView tions effective, sustraffic challenges A. Will Radle Jr. tainable solutions have been develto the challenges oped; no asphalt confronting our community has been poured. We hear of and nation. future construction that may Congress has been re- eventually help, but not now. duced to patrolling parking And Rep. Jim Moran’s (D-8) performance while shepherding this project during the past seven years has tarnished our community. House Democratic leaders, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have questioned his actions and statements. Influence and persuasion are a congressman’s instruments and Mr. Moran’s reputation costs our community. Consistently rated among the nation’s worst in traffic congestion, our district possesses the best arguments for federal investment in transportation infrastructure. Yet Mr. Moran fails to lead. Beyond Alexandria, our national debt has grown by more than $12 trillion during his tenure, yet he consistently asserts he would change nothing. It is time for us to move forward. On our current path, the interest payments on our national debt will exceed a trillion dollars annually by 2020. Your quality of life is at risk; lives may be lost. The safety net would be destroyed. In more than 20 years on Capitol Hill, the only comprehensive economic and fiscal plan Mr. Moran submitted to the Congressional Budget Office for analysis is one I crafted in 2010. Together we can, and must, ensure our nation endures and thrives. The plan I wrote increases household incomes, lowers the costs of American production, provides universal health care, eliminates our deficit and reduces debt. We will invest heavily in our nation’s future and strengthen our human capital through education and health care. The writer is a 2012 Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District. 22 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES No one waterfront plan will ever please all To the editor: I write this having read many articles and opinion pieces about the waterfront proposals. The Alexandria City Council, Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan and the waterfront plan work group have offered their ideas for the shoreline. When this issue comes to a close, I expect a great many people on the discussion’s various sides will be unhappy with the final decision. There is no way to please everyone in a plan this expansive. History and quaint neighborhoods serve as Alexandria’s main attractions. The key is maximiz- ing the potential of these assets while also protecting them. Not every aspect of the waterfront needs redeveloping. Mid-size hotels and retail development in North Old Town may make more sense than near Robinson Terminal South. Encouraging commerce in that Old Town neighborhood would provide additional, pedestrian friendly dining and shopping options for nearby employees and guests staying at existing hotels. Old Town has undergone significant renovation in recent years. I was sad to see so much open space disappear when the public housing developments — probably Old Town’s largest area of open space — were replaced with town home and condo communities featuring rooftop decks rather than greenery. I hope city council members are mindful of what we already have lost in previous redevelopment projects. The plans thus far debated have varying levels of merit. Choosing a final one encompassing the best of each plan will prove a difficult task. I hope our officials and residents will remain respectful as this issue comes to a vote. - Kim Moore Alexandria We should be embarrassed by our current waterfront, not protective To the editor: As a proud resident of an 18th-century home in Old Town on the 300 block of Prince Street, it is important to note that just because most of us aren’t as loud as the Boyd Walkers and Andrew Macdonalds of the world, that doesn’t mean we don’t strongly support the city government’s waterfront plan to revitalize an area residents should currently be embarrassed by — not fighting to protect. I have also been appalled the boat club has been at the center of all of this drama. Our city council has a responsibility to the residents of Alexandria, not to an elite group of club owners, most of whom don’t even live in the city. We have a beautiful city and Old Town is the heart of it. The city’s plan does nothing to change the charm or historic aspects of Old Town. It simply fixes a waterfront that doesn’t do our city justice. I hope city council does the right thing and supports a waterfront for all Alexandrians. - Nikki Enfield Alexandria City Hall needs to stay out of the kitchen To the editor: In complete candor, I don’t understand City Hall’s “thinking” that, because the food cart pilot failed, the program needs expanding rather than scrapping. A pilot under such parameters is not a fair experiment, but a rigged game: heads, food carts win; tails, doing away with food carts loses. When food trucks first became vogue in Washington, the At the time, Washington’s health department had the resources to retool its regulatory methodology to inspect and properly regulate this novel enterprise. Although I oppose food trucks, overseeing their health and sanitation will impose new burdens on Alexandria’s government, a body lacking the resources to expand its regulatory outreach. In an era of austerity, when A pilot under such parameters is not a fair experiment, but a rigged game: heads, food carts win; tails, doing away with food carts loses. city’s health department had to establish a regulatory framework to apply to this unforeseen trend. Despite the D.C. government’s poor reputation, it has a long history of good performance when it comes to restaurant sanitation and food safety inspection. resources required to correctly oversee food trucks are not readily available, it is foolish for City Hall to consider relaxing current regulations prohibiting food trucks. -Dino Drudi Alexandria Icing the kicker on the waterfront To the editor: At the end of football games, when a team is close to defeat from a last-second field goal, the losing team will often call a timeout. It’s called “icing the kicker.” It’s a stall tactic coaches use to get in the kicker’s head so that he’ll miss and keep the game alive. It doesn’t often work. The Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan seem to be playing by the same rules. Faced with certain defeat, CAAWP has sought to permanently delay a vote on the waterfront by the Alexan- dria City Council. Worse, it’s negotiated in bad faith, pocketing every compromise and then complaining it’s not be- have taken place to get input from Alexandrians on the waterfront plan. We’ve been heard in this process and what called plan is badly named — it’s not a plan, it’s a string of ideas, many without any economic or legal viability. ... [Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan] negotiated in bad faith, pocketing every compromise and then complaining it’s not being heard. ing heard. It’s been more than two years. Nearly 100 meetings Alexandria wants is an economically viable waterfront for all of us. CAAWP’s so- It’s past time that we have a waterfront for all that’s a good mix of retail, small ho- tels, parks, and other public access and flood mitigation. The city can’t afford to delay any more. CAAWP’s tactic of “icing the kicker” should be treated for what it is — a gambit to prevent any progress — and council should move forward with a vote to approve the compromise waterfront plan that has emerged from two years of research, planning and negotiations. - Sean Holihan Alexandria ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 23 OUT OF THE ATTIC The Hugo Black House Around 1800, Thomas Vowell Jr., a prominent Alexandria merchant, built a new home along what was then called Water Street. It later became South Lee Street. The brick house was on the west side of the street between Gibbon and Franklin streets and measured about 30 feet across and 40 feet deep. An 1817 advertisement described other buildings on the property, including a large kitchen and smoke house, and along Franklin, a brick stable and carriage house. The two-and-a-half story building had a gabled roof with paired dormers on the front and rear, Flemish bond brickwork and a front stoop of Aquia sandstone. Situated on a hill and facing east, it originally had a clear view of the Potomac River. In 1842, Edgar Snowden, a member of the Snowden family that ly 20th century. By the 1920s, there was a rear wing addition as well as a smaller one to the south. Photo/Library of Congress owned and published the Alexandria Gazette, purchased the property. It remained in the same family until the ear- Weekly Poll In 1939 Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black and his wife moved from Seminary Hill to the home at 619 S. Lee St. Two years later, they opened their home for a historic house tour. The Blacks’ grounds included a landscaped terrace, rose garden, grape arbor and tennis courts, which were located on the far west side of the property. In 1969, Black and his second wife obtained a preservation easement for their home and land with the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission. Black died in 1971, a few years before this photograph was taken, and the property, often called the Hugo Black House, was sold but remains protected today. Out of the Attic is provided by the Office of Historic Alexandria. How often did you go to the Old Town Theater (see story, page 1)? Never. Once or Twice. Every once in a while. Frequently. How did your neighbors vote? Visit www.alextimes.com to vote and view the results. Last Week’s Poll: Which non-incumbent Alexandria City Council candidate has the best chance of winning a seat in 2012 thus far? 616 Votes Thumbs UP to Chef Cathal Armstrong for opening another restaurant in Alexandria. Society Fair brings a unique twist to a gourmet shop by making it “interactive.” Shoppers can bring home the chef’s favorite food items, get coached on how to prepare them and even reserve a seat at the demo kitchen as one of the chefs prepares and serves a meal. Best of luck, Cathal, on what is certainly a timely new venture. — Patrice Culligan Thumbs UP to VeloCity for staying in the City of Alexandria. There were rumors it would move across the river, but it has decided to move to Del Ray. The Del Ray Business Association and neighborhood will welcome VeloCity with open arms. — Patrice Culligan pculligan@alextimes.com David Sachs Editor-in-Chief dsachs@alextimes.com EDITORIAL Derrick Perkins Reporter & Photographer dperkins@alextimes.com Denise Dunbar Editorial Page Editor ddunbar@alextimes.com Steven G. Artley Editorial Cartoonist ADVERTISING Marty DeVine mmmdevine@aol.com Margaret Stevens mstevens@alextimes.com Karen Niedzielski kniedzielski@alextimes.com Quick Takes This Week’s Poll A. B. C. D. Patrice V. Culligan Publisher Thumbs Down to Alexandria City Public Schools for requiring students to attend classes Monday — a federal, state and city holiday. To add insult to injury, administrative personnel in Superintendent Morton Sherman’s office took the day off, meaning frustrated parents who tried calling in to complain had their calls unanswered. Reportedly, a large percentage of students were absent that day, so it’s questionable much real learning took place anyway. — Denise Dunbar Thumbs DOWN to the bank robber who ended 2011 on a down note by holding up the Commerce Bank at 5140 Duke St. on December 28. Here’s hoping 2012 sees far fewer bank robberies and home break-ins in Alexandria. — Denise Dunbar Alan Baldwin abaldwin@alextimes.com Pat Booth Office/Classified Manager pbooth@alextimes.com Graphic Design Cat VanVliet Art Director cvanvliet@alextimes.com ALEXTIMES LLC Denise Dunbar Managing Partner The Ariail family William Dunbar HOW TO REACH US 110 S. Pitt St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-739-0001 (main) 703-739-0120 (fax) www.alextimes.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your comments to: letters@alextimes.com Letters must be signed by the writer. Include address and phone for verification (not for publication). Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Personal attacks will not be published. 24 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES At Home Make a fashion statement at the office desk By Elaine Markoutsas They’re dashing, even daring, decorative, sometimes spare. They may double as dining tables, consoles or even vanities. Desks have become quite the fashion statement. You still may find them in the home-office category on retailers’ websites, but it’s clear there have been some big changes. “Work” isn’t part of their overall look, though they are up to task, and many take up a smaller footprint in keeping with today’s downsizing of homes and interiors. The most fetching designs are clean lined or simple in proportion, along with an eye to style, boasting architectural details, interesting finishes, textures, colors and hardware. These decidedly less bulky desks are designed to work anywhere in the house to complement existing furnishings. “When we design desks,” says designer Erin Davis, of the Dallas-based manufacturer Global Views, “we make them look like nice pieces of furniture, not something obviously utilitarian, so they fit seamlessly into (a range of) decor. “You might look at our zebrawood desk, and think it’s a side table,” says Davis. “It’s streamlined and the beveled drawers are kind of hidden.” Those kinds of features are appreciated when the desk meets a well-decorated interior. Working from home or bringing work home has made some sort of office space a necessity in recent years. Between 2011 and 2015, there will be nearly 2 million homebased businesses and more than 3 million corporate home office households, according to the International Data Corp. Converting a spare room into a dedicated home office inspired a new genre of furnishings as manufacturers considered features such as pullout trays or shelves for keyboards, space for printers and computer towers, cord management and charging stations. Office-style chairs on casters have been widely availSEE Desk | 25 Photo/Crate And Barrel At 6 feet long, this work table also can do double duty by dining for four. The top is crafted from reclaimed telephone poles and finished in a clear sealer with lacquer. HOME OF THE WEEK One-of-a-kind townhome in Potomac Yard This executive, full-brick townhome stands out in the highly sought-after community known as Potomac Yard by Pulte Homes. Thoughtfully designed, it reflects modern living. The residence features hardwood floors that extend through the open layout on the second floor. The gourmet kitchen offers stainless steel appliances, sleek upgraded cabinets and rich granite countertops. It’s great for impromptu or elaborate dinners. Other highlights include a fourth bedroom on the first floor with a full bath and a deck off the kitchen. In addition, the home contains a fourth-level bonus room with wet bar and a rooftop terrace — with a fireplace — with a view through to the bonus room. The combination is great for large get-togethers or an intimate retreat. Outdoors, Potomac Yard will boast gardens, jogging paths, tennis courts and a playground, among other amenities. Not only are the commodities great, but the house’s location is terrific. Enjoy an easy walk from the home to Potomac Yard Shopping Center and the Braddock Road Metro Station. Visit pulte. com/potomacyard for more details. courtesy photo courtesy photo Potomac Yard is conveniently located near shops and the Metro. Enjoy jogging paths, a garden and a playground onsite. Stainless steel appliances, upgraded cabinets and granite countertops make this gourmet kitchen a culinary dream. At a Glance: Location: 2313 Main Line Blvd., Price: $796,065 Style: 4-Level Townhome Contact: Pulte Homes, Year Built: Brand new Square Footage: 2,181 sq. ft. Alexandria, VA 22301 571-970-4043 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3.5 Parking: 2-Car Garage ADVERTORIAL ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 25 Desk FROM | 24 able, even for kids and teens at PB Teen. There even is a selection of handsome Herman Miller chairs (a company known for its high-end commercial office furniture) at Pottery Barn. But an escalating shift from PCs to laptops, notebooks, iPads and smartphones equipped with Wi-Fi has altered the paradigm to an amazing portability that allows working remotely — even poolside. According to a recent study by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, nearly 73 percent of Americans report that they consider their office “at home” to be wherever they can use a computer. “Today’s home-office category can be defined in one word: mobile,” says Jackie Hirschhaut, AHFA vice president of public relations. So desks that better integrate into our living spaces are becoming more of a standard. And with that comes an upgrade in desktop accessories — everything from elegant crocodile embossed leather blotters at Ralph Lauren Home for about $600 to chic decoupage trays from John Derian to a bit of bling in Swarovski-studded tape dispensers, staplers and wireless mice, all shown off in an extensive category of desks and travel at Neiman Marcus. There’s always been a market for writing desks, which traditionally have covered styles including English Chippendale, French Provincial, Biedermeier, chinoiserie and Art Deco. But the trend to personal computers in the home necessitated larger surfaces and more storage — desks with matching credenzas, bookcases and file drawers. Now you can even find such groupings in Belgian Modern at Restoration Hardware. Some who didn’t have a spare room chose the camouflage tactic: Hide the home office in a closet, armoire or cabinet. But, of course, as TVs morphed into sexier, ultrathin flat screens, there was no longer a desire to hide them. Showing off thin, compact laptops or iPads is analogous. Perhaps not coincidentally, there has been a proliferation of smaller-scale and leaner writing desks, which may also be tapped for household paperwork, financial management and homework. From just under 4 feet long up to 6 feet, they can range in price from a couple hundred dollars to nearly $10,000. Most of the attention-grabbing designs appeal for their simplicity and their spins on tradition and materials. Several styles appear to lead the pack. The classic Parsons style, which never really was out of vogue, has shown up in a range of materials. Often attributed to French designer Jean Michel Frank out of a course he taught at the Paris Atelier in the 1930s, he earlier used it in his interiors and it even popped up in Bauhausian homes in the 1920s. Frank often played against the ultra-simple form, whose legs and top have equal value, by cladding it in luxe materials such as parchment, leather, gold leaf and shagreen (sharkskin). At West Elm, there are two Parsons options, one with a hint of Hollywood glamor in mirror cladding, and the other in an antiqued silver metal, both on engineered wood. Lending a modern sensibility, either desk would add sparkle, especially to a traditional room. Mirrored, all metal, glass (including a dramatic black) and Lucite are perhaps surprising models. Architecturally inspired designs also are quite popular, especially those with the X-factor, which feature X’s at the sides — either as supports or as part of the framework. Variation includes Z’s and V’s. And trestle tables show centuries-old European influence. Then there are the desks with sawhorse construction, similar to a slab-style surface often seen spanning a pair of file cabinets. Here, the open legs are a lighter alternative to more monolithic piers. Some of these look especially dashing in rustic woods. Wood choices are expansive, with a good representation of the familiar oak and cherry, plus figured exotics and painted pieces. Sligh Furniture Co. launched a color options program in 2010 to break out of the brown furniture shell with lively hues such as fresh olive, sassy green, morning yellow, blue bliss and vintage ivory with silver leaf edging. Then there’s bolder color for those who crave it. Home Decorators sells a wood desk that’s finished in high-gloss lacquer in orange, soft blue and pale green. At CB2, there’s a powder-coated steel desk in chartreuse. Mixed media also offer striking design mashups. Rustic black wrought iron bases rock reclaimed wood tops. Others sport ultra polish and sophistication, with gleaming stainless steel or polished nickel frames paired with more refined woods. Then, too, riffs on more traditional forms have got legs, such as exaggerated or angular cabriole shapes. Stylish desks are being shown with comfy wing chairs Solar Energy Installations and other Energy Efficient Products. Invest now in solar panels to reduce your energy costs for a lifetime of savings. For a no cost site evaluation & professional cost proposal, contact Russ Seward at 703.378.2471 or 703.927.7338 (cell) www.aecsolar.net • russ@aecsolar.net or upholstered chairs, some slipcovered, which make them more compatible with living room furnishings. Lily Pulitzer Home even shows a sassy hot pink chair in a delightful Chippendale style (available at Neiman Marcus), smashing with a white desk. And there is no shortage of stylish file cabinets, some of which sit smartly on casters, so you can roll them around where you need them. As technology continues to propel, today’s modern consumer wants to soften his surroundings, according to Judy George, CEO of Judy George International (www. j u d y g e o rg e i n t e r n a t i o n a l . com). The High Tech/High Tough concept actually was espoused by John Naisbitt in his mega-selling “Megatrends” in 1982; he since devoted a book to the subject. With one of the JGI brands of furnishings, Hotel Maison, George adds to that formula a bit of luxury and a marriage of tradition with an edge. “An adaptive mix of styles is arcing a luxury theme, coordinating elements of classic furniture with a modern twist that never goes out of style,” says George. “Designers are fearlessly grouping unique, even eccentric elements. And consumers like the eclectic mix. With furniture — like a wonderful desk — personality is key.” 26 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES Classifieds ATTN: What are YOU Going To Do About YOUR Future? Check This Out!! www.PlaceOfFreedom.com Carlos F. Painting, Inc. • Interior/Exterior Painting • All Carpentry Work • Water Damage SpeCial priCeS for Empty Houses Carlos Fuentes References & Guaranteed 571.233.7667 • www.carlosfpainting.com A Unique House Antique Mall ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES Scavenger Hunt January 21st at Noon First Prize - $100 Second Prize - $50 25,000 square feet, over 140 vendors 9600 James Madison Parkway (Rt. 301) King George, VA 22485 540.625.2006 MON-SAT 10-6 • SUN 10-5 www.auniquehouse.com Weekly Words 78 First, second or third, on a diamond 79 Unruly prison outbreak 80Endure 83 Blue-blanket baby 84 Pricey Chinese vases 85Frazzled 87 Fox chaser 90 “Hit the brakes!” 92 Blood system letters 93 Prom locale, often 94 Deserve to receive 95 Dernier ___ (latest fashion) 96Freeloader 99 Language in Mumbai 101 Render dysfunctional 104 “For ___ a jolly good “ 105 It’s stranded in your body 106 Bubble-blower’s mouthful 107 What a high-rolling meat-cutter does? 111 Diamond or sapphire 113 No more than a smidgen 114 The only ones they have to blame? 115 Address a crowd 116 Wintertime afflictions 117 Shipping container’s weight 118 Skier’s incline 119 Romantic rendezvous 120 Runs off at the mouth 121 Ram’s mates 122Succulent DOWN across 1 Desert plants 6 Av follower on the Hebrew calendar 10 Cleansing bar 14Assailed 19 Stay clear of 20 Trunk of a tree 21 Golden Fleece carrier 22 Muscat resident 23 St. Paul resident 25 High-five sound 26 Stepford victims 27 Meat-cutter’s tools for negotiations? 29 Whitney who invented the cotton gin 30 31 32 33 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 46 47 50 51 53 Airplane announcement, for short Deplaning gift in Maui Taiwan city Rips to shreds Cincinnati player “Now ___ seen everything!” Fish bait Turn on the waterworks Icky, sticky stuff Descriptions on product boxes Tried and true Subdued attention-getter Definitely overcooked Bronzed by the sun Brit’s broth “National Velvet” author Bagnold 54 Vigorous spirit 56 Kind of ring or swing 58 Female lobsters 60 Pulpit of yore 61 ___ de mer (seasickness) 62 Bollywood dress 63 In pieces 66 Singer ___ “King” Cole 67 Some kitchen slabs and this puzzle’s theme? 70 “7 Faces of Dr. ___” (Tony Randall pic) 71 City on Lake Winnebago 73 Prominent features for Spock 74 Door unlocker 75 Winged one in Wonderland 76 Hull attachment 77Lots 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Arch slightly Control a 747 “Cannon” star William Light, metallic sound Often-impractical one Trees used for making sharps and flats on a piano “An Iceland Fisherman” author Pierre Mongolia’s ___ Bator Take out, as pants Japanese fish dish Lowest deck on a ship Visibly astonished Cool treat on a stick Big Apple area “J’Accuse” author Zola Where the meat-cutter’s money is kept? 180 degrees from WSW “My country, ___ of thee ...” 24 28 34 35 38 40 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 52 54 55 56 57 59 62 63 64 65 67 68 Colander kin Net lining of a hat Uno, ___ tres Constantly stewed dude Prefix in many Ocean Spray drinks Ump’s relative Word processor command Bubbling on the stove Place to retire for the night Ball-___ hammer Bingo relative Turn Batman into Bruce Wayne, e.g. Tease the meat-cutter? Baby-powder ingredient As a result Flightless Australians Latticework strip Get a wife or husband Round figures Old salt Guy Roseanne hides? Pitching staff leaders Inner Hebrides island Digs like pigs Cattle-catching weapon on the pampas Tin Woodman’s desire 69 Thumb-and-forefinger sign 72 Having a sharp edge 75 Annoyance from a faucet 77 Tub trio of rhyme 78 German city of Beethoven’s birth 81 “___ will be done ...” 82 Make muggy 83 Girl’s hair ornament 84 Least arid 85 Half a trumpet’s sound 86Sash 88 “Chilean” fish 89 It often contains lots of letters 90 Elaborate plans 91 Lock of hair 93 Cocktail made with lime juice and vodka 96 Shouts for the tenor 97 Broken, as promises 98 Famed portrayer of Lincoln 100Twosomes 102 Bread, clams or cabbage 103 ___ with (tolerate) 108Melt 109“Present” 110 A famous Fitzgerald 111 Make a note of (with “down”) 112 “To ___ is human ...” Last Week’s Solution: ALEXANDRIA TIMES January 5, 2012 | 27 Missing Cat Washington Street Streetscape Improvements City of Alexandria’s Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) Design Public Hearing Wednesday, January 25, 2011, 6-8 p.m. City Hall, Sister Cities Rm. 1101 301 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 Find out about the proposed streetscape design improvements to the Washington Street corridor, between Church Street and Gibbon Street. The proposed project will add enhancements to the lighting, sidewalk and streetscape improvements, traffic safety improvements, and drainage improvements. Review the proposed project plans and the National Environmental Policy Act documentation at the public hearing or at City of Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 3200. You can also review the project on the City of Alexandria web site atPublic Hearing Ad12-16-11-WashingtonStreet.doc http://alexandriava.gov/tes/info/ default.aspx?id=2876. Please call ahead to ensure the availability of personnel to answer your questions. Streetscape and landscape impact information and tentative construction schedules are available for your review at the above address and will be available at the public hearing. Give your written or oral comments at the hearing or submit them by February 8, 2011, to Mr. Rashad K Friday, MS, MBA, Project Manager, City of Alexandria, City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 3200, Alexandria, VA 22314. You may also e-mail your comments to rashad.friday@alexandriava.gov. Please reference “Washington Street Streetscape Comments” in the subject line. The City of Alexandria ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact T&ES at 703.746.4025. TTY/TDD 703.838.5056 State Project: U000-100-616 UPC: 64662 Alexandria Board of Architectural Review Old & Historic Alexandria District LEGAL NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing will be held by the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012 beginning at 7:30 PM in Council Chambers, second floor of City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia on the following applications: CASE BAR2011-0360 Request for window replacement at 316 N Pitt St, zoned RM Residential APPLICANT: Robert J. Almassy by Chris Sullivan Lost gray tabby with white markings in Old Town around Fayette & Prince on December 22. If you have or have seen Scooter please contact us at 703-549-9273 or King St. Cats at 703-231-7199. ADOPTABLE PET OF THE WEEK CASE BAR2011-0361 Request for alterations at 732 S Royal St, zoned RM Residential APPLICANT: Stanely & Sandra Bysshe CASE BAR2011-0362 Request for alterations at 400 N Union St, zoned RM Residential APPLICANT: Allen & Rebecca Weh by Christine Kelly CASE BAR2011-0363 Request for alterations at 326 King St, zoned KR King Street Retail APPLICANT: East Banc, Inc. by Robert M. Gurney CASE BAR2011-0364 Request for partial demolition at 815 ½ King St, zoned KR King Street Retail APPLICANT: 815 ½ King St, LLC CASE BAR2011-0365 Request for alterations at 815 ½ King St, zoned KR King Street Retail APPLICANT: 815 ½ King St, LLC CASE BAR2011-0367 Request for partial demolition/ encapsulation at 204 & 206 S Union St, zoned W-1 Waterfront Mixed Use APPLICANT: Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc. by Robert Brandt CASE BAR2011-0368 Request for alterations at 204 & 206 S Union St, zoned W-1 Waterfront Mixed Use APPLICANT: Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc. by Robert Brandt Information about the above item(s) may be obtained from the Department of Planning and Zoning, City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 2100, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, telephone: (703) 746-4666 OF THE THE WEEK WEEK ADOPTABLE PET OF ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL - JANUARY - 2012 The item described below will be considered by City Council on the following date. The City Council reserves the right to recess and continue the public hearing to a future date. For further information call the Office of the City Clerk at 703-746-4550. ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012 9:30 AM, CITY HALL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 301 KING STREET ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22314 MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT #2011-0001 TEXT AMENDMENT #2011-0005 WATERFRONT SMALL AREA PLAN Public hearing and consideration of a request for A) an amendment to the City’s Master Plan to include the Waterfront Small Area Plan chapter; and B) a text amendment to Section 5-500 of the Zoning Ordinance for the W-1/Waterfront mixed use zone. Staff: Department of Planning and Zoning The Waterfront Small Area Plan boundary includes Daingerfield Island at its north end and Jones Point Park at its southern end (both national parks). In between, the plan is bounded to the east by the Potomac River and to the west by (from north to south) East Abingdon Drive beginning just north of Marina Drive to the railroad tracks,Continuing southeast along the railroad tracks to a point just west of Pitt Street, Continuing east along Bashford Lane to North Royal Street, Continuing south along North Royal Street to Third Street, Continuing east along Third Street to North Fairfax Street, Continuing south along North Fairfax Street to Queen Street, Continuing east along Queen Street to a point approximately 100 feet west of North Union Street, Continuing south about 100 feet west of Union Street to Wolfe Street, Following along the northern, western, and southern boundary of Windmill Hill Park until it meets South Union Street, Continuing south on South Union Street to Jones Point Park. Love is in the air and these two lovely Orange Tabbies are ~ Buffyto~share it with! looking for someone Atis4in years old, Buffy sweet, smart and loving.are Love the air andRabbit, theseistwo lovely Orange Tabbies Meet Roger and these extremely handsome She is crazy aboutfor humans; bonds wellit and looking someone to share with!is very loyal. gentlemen are 2 year old neutered males who are very Perhaps overfed in her prior home, Buffyhandsome has plans to MeettoRoger and Rabbit, these extremely bonded eachget other. They are fun loving, life loving cats back in shape in 2012. gentlemen are 2 year old neutered males who are very and have quickly become staff favorites! They are super laid bonded to each other. They are fun loving, lifeher. loving cats Buffy hopes for an Adopter to exercise with Although back and have been great with kids, dogs and other cats! andrides have are quickly favorites! super laid car her become favorite staff activities, it’s They time are to branch out. back and have been great with kids, dogs and other cats! For the Month of February we want to spread the The Shelter is now offering a “New Year-New Friend” love around and are waiving our adoption fees promotion to help Buffy and buddies intothe their For the Month of February weher want to spread on bonded pairs of cats! new homes pronto. love around and are waiving our adoption fees bonded8,pairs of cats! From today toon January 2012, our adoption fee is For$20.12 more with information about Roger andinRabbit all standard adoption policies place. or For more information about Roger and Rabbit or any of our winter adoption promotions please any ofthe ourAnimal winter adoption please PLEASE VISITpromotions US AT of Alexandria contact Welfare League contact the Animal Welfare League of To www.ALExAndrIAAnImALS.org LEArn at 703-746-4774 or visit us on theAlexandria web at: 703-746-4774 orAnd visitHEr us on the web at: morE at ABoUT BUFFY wAITIng www.alexandriaanimals.org FrIEndS, or CALLwww.alexandriaanimals.org US AT 703-746-4774, THAnK YoU. Thankyou. you. Thank Alexandria’s Pet of ofthe theweek week Alexandria’s Pet sponsored by Diann isissponsored DiannHicks. Hicks. Diann DiannHicks Hicks 703-628-2440 703-628-2440 www.diannhicks.com www.diannhicks.com 28 | January 5, 2012ALEXANDRIA TIMES