Free Peeps at the Westover Farmers Market in Arlington

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Many of you know that I am one of the original sponsors for our local Westover Farmer Market in Arlington, Va., and this is my third year as a sponsor. The market is a great service to the community and I am proud to be associated with it. All of the vendors come from within a 125 mile radius so when they say the produce is fresh and local…they mean it. It’s located at the intersection of Mckinley and Washington Blvd.

It’s a slow day with the cold weather but stop by and see some of great vendors including bakeries, produce and Number One Son’s pickled products (you must try the Kim Chee…seriously, it’s my favorite…just don’t breathe on anyone afterwards. The garlic is intense, yum).

Please stop by the Sponsors booth where you can pick up a package of free Peeps courtesy of me!  The man in the photo is Robert Swenson who is the markets Marketing Manager and the two ladies are volunteers and from Yorktown High. Stop by and say hello and thank them for manning the booth on this cold spring morning. Happy Peep-ing.

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Tell the county (Arlington, Va) how you really feel

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Here is a press release from the county. If you sign up, you can provide your comments/input on both expenditures AND the proposed tax rate. For now, the county is advertising no increase in your property tax rate. It can’t go up….but it could go down. Do not expect your tax bill to decrease either way though. For most of us, our homes have increased in value (although no one loves paying taxes, in the big scheme of things…this is a good thing), so we’ll see some increase in our tax bill.

Here is the release:

It Just Got Easier for You to Tell the County Board How to Spend $1.54 Billion

Arlington’s County Board is looking for your thoughts on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2017 Budget. You can weigh in at two public hearings scheduled in March.

There’s a lot at stake. Arlington’s Proposed Budget is $1.19 million. About 40 percent of that goes to support public schools. About $727.5 million pays for County operations.

The Board has advertised the same tax rate for Calendar Year 2016 as it adopted for CY 2015.  Under law, it cannot adopt a tax rate higher than what it has advertised – but it could go lower.

Unlike past years, this year you can comment on both the proposed property tax rate, and the proposed expenditures at either of the two public hearings on the Budget. The Board used to hold one hearing on tax rates, and another on expenditures. If you wanted to speak on both, you had to show up for both meetings. Now you can tell the Board everything Budget-related on your mind at one hearing.

The first public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29 in the County Board Room. The second will be held on Thursday, March 31, also in the Board Room. Both will begin at 7 p.m. with testimony on tax rates and fees. After a break, they will take up expenditures

To speak, sign-up in advance beginning at 8 am 5 business days before the Tuesday hearing date. Advanced sign-up will close at 5 pm the day before each hearing date. To register, visit the County website, call 703-228-3130 or visit the County board Office at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

You can also sign-up to speak the evening of the hearings. And if you can’t make it to either public hearing, no worries. You can send us your comments through this easy-to-use online form.

To learn more about the new procedures for the Budget Public Hearings, visit the County website.Learn  more about the FY 2017 Proposed Budget.

 

Media Contact: Mary Curtius, 703-228-7943

What makes Arlington a world class community?

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This video about Arlington, Va. was created a few years ago but is still exceptionally relevant today. I’ve lived here for 25 years and the reasons people cite in this video for loving this community, are the reasons I stay.

Arlington is exceptionally welcoming, diverse and friendly. It’s committed to providing residents with a safe, comfortable environment. Some other things I’ve personally noted is the commitment to the environment, making Arlington, Va. walker and biker friendly, community space, education, art and culture.

As an Arlington, Va. realtor I’ve long noted the different flavors different neighborhoods within our small geography have. And..it’s been interesting to watch various neighborhoods change and evolve over the years. When I moved here the Shirlington neighborhood did not even exist as a town center and Clarendon was a few bars (Remember when Bardos had a car going through their front window?), a Sears and a bike store. Times have changed and almost without exception (I do miss Queen Bee…that fabulous Vietnamese Restaurant) the changes have been well managed and great for the community. I continue to love living here and you will too. What is it that you think makes Arlington great? I would love to hear your comments.

 

My Car as an igloo. Snowzilla 2016..the dig out begins

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Snow Priority List for Arlington, Va or Snowzilla…the Aftermath

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If you would like to know if your street will be plowed anytime soon, follow this link….but only if you can deal with the reality. Otherwise, just make yourself another cup of tea (feel free to substitute any of the following: coffee/hot buttered rum/hot or cold wine/hot chocolate…with or without some added fortification…and no I didn’t mean marshmallows but feel free to improvise) and snuggle in for the duration.

http://gis.arlingtonva.us/gallery/map.html?webmap=292bfb65622f4431b4103b50bf574af1#.VqTIY8gqu00.facebook

 

Put in your street address and it will tell you if your street is VDOT maintained, is a primary route, secondary route or no route for the county. It’s gonna be awhile for me.

My cul-de-sac is not even on the list. 😦  But it’s a beautiful day for a little shoveling and no, if you were wondering, that big lump is not a snow drift…..it’s my car. Sigh. IMG_6076

How to shovel snow…and not hurt yourself

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Ok, we’re just not that young anymore. Ok, even if you are, you haven’t seen a snow like this here…ever. A couple of feet and still snowing.

Here is a very timely video from my good friend and physical therapist Gabrielle Czaja. Watch this video and maybe you can avoid spending some quality time with her later on. The video was taken in front of my house and I’ve added a photo so you can see what it looked like 24 hours later.

 

 

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Just a few hours later…my front walk

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And I flexed to scoop. Still snowing though.

Arlington, Va October 17 Board Meeting Agenda

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October 2015 County Board Meeting Agenda Highlights

Items of interest that the Arlington County Board will consider at its October Board Meeting, on Sat., Oct. 17 and Tues., Oct. 20.  View the Agenda and staff reports for the Sat., Oct. 17 Regular Meeting.
Saturday, Oct. 17 Regular Meeting
(Note: this meeting starts at 8:30 am with public comment.)
670 N. Glebe Rd. – The Acting County Manager is recommending that the Board approve a proposed rezoning and site plan for 670 N. Glebe Road, in Ballston, a 43,936 sq. ft. site where an Exxon gas station now stands. The Penrose Group wants to demolish the gas station and build a six-story residential building, with 173 units, ground floor retail and 177 below-grade parking spaces. The site is on the west side of North Glebe Road between North Carlin Springs Road on the south and Seventh Street on the north. The Penrose Group proposes rezoning the site from “C-2” Service Commercial-Community Business District, to “R-C” —  Apartment Dwelling and Commercial Districts. To read the Staff Report for this item, visit the County website. Scroll down to Item #36 on the Agenda for the Oct. 17 Regular County Board Meeting.
Contract to build streetlights along Lee Highway between North Fort Myer Drive and North Veitch Street – The Acting County Manager is recommending that the Board approve a $2.2 million contract to remove 70 obsolete streetlights and install 270 LED streetlights along Lee Highway to enhance safety. The project is part of the County’s approved Fiscal Year 2015-2024 Capital Improvement Program. The plan is to overhaul the lighting system installed decades ago by the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project will be funded by Transportation Pay-As-You-Go funds and approved CIP transportation funding. To read the Staff Report for this item, visit the County website. Scroll down to Item #22 on the Agenda for the Oct. 17 Regular County Board Meeting.
Additional childcare spaces – The Acting County Manager is recommending that the Board approve several Use Permits that, if all are approved, will provide more than 150 additional child care spaces in new or growing childcare centers. To read the Staff Reports for these items, visit the County website. Scroll down to Items #8, #11, #12, and #13 on the Agenda for the Oct. 17 Regular County Board Meeting.
Ongoing cooperation with the City of Falls Church to provide judicial, jail and public safety services – The Acting County Manager is recommending that the Board approve extending an agreement that has existed between Arlington and the City of Falls Church since June, 2012, for the County to provide judicial and public safety services. The Acting County manager is also recommending that the Board approved an agreement between the County and the City of Falls Church for Arlington to continue providing jail services for City of Falls Church Offenders. (The County and the City have had an agreement for Arlington to provide these services since 1993). To read the Staff Reports on these items, visit the County website. Scroll down to Items #24 A and B on the Agenda for the Oct. 17 Regular County Board Meeting.

Arlington, Va Street Sweeping schedule

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Things you need to know:

Arlington County Street Sweeping

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Department of Environmental Services, Solid Waste Bureau

October 9, 2015

Arlington’s expanded street sweeping service will continue through October.

This service will:

  • Help reduce runoff into the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Increase efficiency in cleanup efforts.
  • Provide you with a better understanding of when street sweeping will occur in your neighborhood.
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Street Sweeping Schedule for October 12 – 16

Street sweeping will occur in the following neighborhoods next week from approximately 7:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. Be sure to move your car to a driveway, garage, or non-sweeping street on your civic association’s scheduled street sweeping day.*  This will help us provide more effective sweeping.

Monday – October 12

Arlington Ridge/Forest Hills
Aurora Highlands
Columbia Heights
Long Branch Creek

Tuesday – October 13

Clarendon-Courthouse
Colonial Village
Lyon Park
Lyon Village
North Rosslyn
Radnor/Fort Myer Heights

Wednesday – October 14

Arlington Forest
Barcroft
Buckingham
Columbia Heights West
Forest Glen
Glencarlyn

Thursday – October 15

Ballston-Virginia Square
Cherrydale
Cherry Valley Nature Area
Glebewood
Old Dominion
Waycroft-Woodlawn
Waverly Hills

Friday – October 16

Highland Park-Overlee Knolls
John M. Langston
Leeway Overlee
Madison Manor
Tara-Leeway Heights
Westover Village

If you don’t see your civic association listed, street sweeping crews will be in your neighborhood in the following weeks. We’ll send out weekly schedules for each upcoming round of street sweeping.

Westover Farmer’s Market…..shop local in Arlington, Va

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One of the great things about living in Arlington, Va is the opportunity to buy produce, grass fed free range meats, cheeses and other delectable items at a wide variety of Farmer’s markets.
You can find a farmers market somewhere in Arlington every day.
I live in the Overlee Knolls neighborhood (near the East Falls church Metro) which is walking distance to the Westover shopping area and I have chosen to help support this market through an annual sponsorship. It makes me happy to be bringing fresh from the farm veggies. We have some great vendors and I will posting some videos and introducing them to you. Please stop by every Sunday morning and support local farmers, bakers, cheese makers and others. There are also soap makers, an awesome Kim Chee (that garlic is good for you….but no hot dates after eating that) vendor and much much more.

Today’s video is from one of my personal favorite vendors. Spring Gap Mountain Creamery. I am a long time customer and can personally vouch for the awesome yumminess of all of their cheeses. Go check them out next Sunday and tell them you saw this video.

Arlington, Va cited as one of the most livable cities in the US

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A article in the May issue of AARP named the most livable places at 50+. The catagories for determing the most livable places included housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement and opportunity. They ranked the top 10 in Large (500,000+), Medium (100,000-50,000) and Small (25,000-100,000) cities. Arlington ranks in the medium category and came in at #6. The comment for Arlington was that the Bikeometer in Rosslyn averages almost 4500 clicks a day. I know I’ve contributed to that. I guess that falls under almost all the categories except maybe housing…unless you live near the bike path (which I do), so I guess it can include housing too. As of yesterday 101,632 bike passes were logged for this year.

The Arlington Bikometer, located in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington

The Arlington Bikometer, located in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington

Location of the Arlington, Va Bikometer

Location of the Arlington, Va Bikometer

Click the link for a copy of the AARP article:

Most Livable Cities