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September 2009
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Ballston Biz
Membership
The Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership would like to welcome back The Ballston Common Mall as a member. Lots of exciting changes and additions are currently being made within the Mall's 578,000 square feet. Most recently, Ballston Market joined the Food Court and the CVS within the Mall, which is one of the most successful in the metropolitan area, announced plans to expand its current location by several thousand square feet.
Member Roundtable
Tuesday, September 15 @ 12 Noon
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The BVSP is hosting its first of its year-long series of quarterly roundtables.
These roundtable discussions are designed to foster exchanges and collaborations of ideas between area businesses, organizations, property owners and managers.
Attendees will be informed of the most up-to-date news and developments impacting the Ballston and Virginia Square areas while also given the opportunity to network with one another.
September's Member Roundtable will also include a short presentation from Structure Tone, Inc.'s Brett Ponchione and Rory Etherington.
Lunch sponsored by: Allied Telecom Group
Mix and Mingle
Wednesday, September 9 @ 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Grand Cru, 4401 Wilson Blvd (in the courtyard behind Vapianos)
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Willow Restaurant to Host Fifth Annual Metamorphosis Art Show
Artists Contributions Will Benefit Arlington ArtWorks
Sunday, September 13, 11AM - 5PM
Willow Restaurant will celebrate the Arlington art community at its Fifth Annual Metamorphosis Art Show on Sept. 13 by hosting a food and art extravaganza from 11 AM to 5 PM.
The event will feature art for sale by 25 local and regional artists of all mediums, a special film presentation by Arlington Independent Media and live music by local musicians. A portion of the artists' proceeds will benefit Arlington ArtWorks, a Community Residences program, which provides a structured setting where individuals living with a wide range of disabilities have the opportunity to learn and expand their creative talents through various art media.
The mission of Metamorphosis Art Show is to offer artists affordable opportunities to gain exposure in the Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. area. Each participating artist asked to contribute ten percent of their sales to a chosen non-profit charity.
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Virginia Hospital Center's Family Fun Day
Saturday, September 26, 12 - 4PM
Make "back to school" the time to develop and commit to good health habits. Virginia Hospital Center Foundation, as part of FitArlington, is hosting its first Family Fun Day on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 12 - 4 PM on 16th Street N. (between N. George Mason Drive & N. Edison Street).
This free, outdoor wellness and fitness festival will educate and entertain your entire family. There is something for everyone including health screenings for blood pressure, body fat, flexibility, and sun damage, nutrition information, entertainment, exercise classes, performances by local dance and martial arts students, seated massage, a moon bounce, ball pit, appearances by local team mascots, and much more.
Family Fun Day was developed by the Virginia Hospital Center Foundation's Young Leadership Council. The council develops creative programming that supports patient care at Virginia Hospital Center while engaging the community in educational and fun events.
For more information on booths and sponsorships, contact Michele Werner, the director of development, by calling 703.558.5476 or emailing mwerner@virginiahospitalcenter.com.
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Dress Down for Uplifting Athletes
Using school spirit to help raise awareness for rare diseases
Friday, September 4 |
 College Colors Day is a college football themed "dress down day" fundraiser for Uplifting Athletes. The idea is to help promote awareness for rare diseases and raise them as a national priority by wearing your favorite college team's apparel to work on Friday, Sept. 4. By encouraging your colleagues to make a small donation of $5 each to participate in College Colors Day, you can help support a great cause while building office morale and camaraderie.
The Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership invites you to register your
business, organization or community group through the Uplifting Athletes website HERE. When you complete the registration form, you'll gain access to online resources (downloadable flyers, email templates, etc.) to help promote the campaign within your workplace.
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Getting Fit in Arlington
Useful tip from a local health expert and entrepreneur |
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If you're not already living this reality, imagine -you've been wanting to get back into shape but have yet to find anything motivating that will get you out of the house. The pounds are adding up on your body, exacerbated by the stressful job and time-crunched personal life. Franchise-type gyms intimidate you and working out alone isn't going to cut it. What do you do?
For those of you who need structure and accountability to help you gain control over your body, the great thing about being in Arlington, VA is that you have access to many resources to get fit - close by! We'll give you a taste of less obvious ways you can get yourself motivated to get active right in good ol' Arlington. We'll weigh the pros and cons of these resources so you can choose quickly and get moving!
Personal Training Studios
Examples such as CocoFitness in Ballston and Verve Health & Fitness in Rosslyn.
Pros: Lots of attention, customized workouts, and plenty of privacy with a professional exercise specialist. There tends to be significantly less turnover here with staff than in franchise gyms, so you are more likely to stick with the same trainer as you go through your body makeover.
Cons: Typically space and equipment are more limited than in large gyms.
To Keep Reading, Scroll to Bottom |
I Like My Italian Fresh, Fast and Easy
A review by Karen Stiegler
Dining at Vapiano is a unique experience from the moment you step in the door. Housemade fresh pasta? Made to order thin crust pizza? Hand tossed salads? Vapiano is the place in Ballston to enjoy food made with fresh ingredients, a casual atmosphere and European flair.
Your meal is made to order and served in a very unique way. As you enter you will be handed a "chip card", which looks like a credit card, and then you go into the restaurant itself. Next you can grab a menu and read through the offerings, or go from station to station deciding what looks good to you. Cooks in chef whites await your order which will be prepared to your exact specifications.
Next, decide where you'd like to sit, and relax for a moment. The restaurant is fitted out in a modern design with marble topped oak tables featuring fresh herbs. Or step into the bar and lounge area, which overlooks Fairfax Drive, and enjoy a drink in an easy chair before dinner. This is also a nice place to pop into for a glass of wine or cold beer and some antipasti in the lounge. There are tables outdoors for al fresco dining in good weather, either on the Fairfax side drive, or near the courtyard entrance.
After making your decision on what to order, step up to the pizza, pasta or salad station and tell the cook exactly what you would like and how you would like it prepared. He electronically records your selection on your card and that is it! You are given a vibrating remote and the cook begins to prepare, from scratch, your meal to your order.
To Keep Reading, Scroll To Bottom
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| Skate Stars Flock to Kettler to Aid Future Olympians
Saturday, September 26 @ 5PM |
A baker's dozen of the world's top skating competitors, including world, U.S. and Olympic champions, will flock to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex Sept. 26, 5 PM, to help the Michael Weiss Foundation raise money to aid future Olympic skaters.
The skating program will be preceded by a silent auction of sporting memorabilia, vacations and restaurant vouchers and a plethora of donated items, providing attendees with an early opportunity to snap up some unique holiday gifts.
Proceeds will benefit youths with promising skating talent by providing coaching, choreography, home schooling and other training assistance through the non-profit Michael Weiss foundation, which has to date provided $215,000 in assistance to these young competitors.
Tickets are available through Ticketweb or by visiting the Michael Weiss Foundation website (www.michaelweiss.org) and clicking on "Get Tickets Now."
For More Information, please contact Margie Weiss at 703.675.1553. |
Arlington Arts Center Summer Art Classes |
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In the classrooms, The Arlington Arts Center's summer art classes were a great success. In celebration of the creative energy put forth by the students, and the hard work of teachers and staff, the AAC's annual Young Artists Summer Salon will feature works made by students during our summer 2009 session, and will be exhibited in our Jenkins Community Gallery on the lower level.
The exhibit opens on Sept. 11 (free reception from 4 - 5:30 PM) and runs through Oct. 17. A catalogue of past student exhibits, designed by Arlington resident and Yorktown High School Alumnus Mattson Fields, will be available at the Opening.
Interested in taking art classes at the AAC this fall? Classes for children and adults will run from Oct. 6 - Dec. 5, 2009. Online course descriptions are available online as of Sept. 8, under the Education tab. In the Galleries Fall Solos 2009 opens Sept. 11 and runs through Nov. 7.
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| ShopArlington Cards Available Now |
 Now its even easier to shop local. Shop Arlington with the new ShopArlington Savings Card.
The card is free to all participants and it offers exclusive savings from select Arlington merchants. Simply present the ShopArlington savings card at any participating merchant (just look for the ShopArlington logo in their window) to start saving.
Participation is open to all Arlington merchants and those are members of one of the Partnerships (Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership, Clarendon Alliance, CPRO or Rosslyn Renaissance) will have their logo featured on the ShopArlington specials page.
You can see all the ShopArlington Savings Card specials by clicking on "Save Big Bucks" for a list of all the great specials or sign up as a participating merchant at www.shoparlington.org. |
| Fitness Article (continued) |
Arlington County Recreation
Facilities and programs offered by Arlington County's Department of Parks and Recreation. Choose from six fitness centers, many sports leagues, dance classes, yoga, Pilates, aquatics, and martial arts.
Pros: A wide variety of options to keep you active, and a low yearly membership fee to access the fitness centers.
Cons: Many classes are offered by the semester, so you'll need to commit for a group of sessions at a time (i.e. 10 weeks in a row at the same day and time). Actually, that could be a good thing for you!
Dance Studios
Examples such as Saffron Belly Dance Studio, Dance Factory, and Perfect Pointe Studio.
Pros: Learn from professionals how to dance many different styles, be it jazz, modern, belly dance, ballroom dance, and other styles from around the world. Some classes are structured to be cardio-based dance classes and less reliant on technique.
Cons: Most studios require you to sign up for a group of classes that run as a series. Many dance instructors are not trained fitness professionals, so they do not hold CPR certifications and are not certified to teach group exercise classes safely.
Meetup.com
A social networking site that allows you to look for groups of people with similar interests/backgrounds in your area so you can "meet up" and get fit together. For example, you can find a group of moms who want to exercise and lose weight together, or a group of people who want to go social dancing.
Pros: Very easy to find an interesting group to join since the site's search capabilities are strong. Each group has its own set of reviews so you can determine if they're worth joining. Everyone tends to be open towards meeting each other. You can start your own group too!
Cons: There is little ability to preview the quality of people who are in the groups. You may have to try many groups before you find the right one for you. Some groups may not be as well organized as others.
Good luck exercising your options and let me know how it goes for you!
-- Coco |
| Vapianos Review (continued) |
Facilities The open kitchen plan of the restaurant means that the glass countered cooking stations are visible from the dining area, so sit back and enjoy the show a bit and observe how your dish is being prepared. You can continue to order drinks and food, and put desserts or any coffee (they serve Illy Italian coffee) or extras right on your card throughout your visit. At the end of your meal you use your card to pay once at the door just before leaving.
So what to order? The menu is divide into Antipasti, Pasta, Insalate, and Pizza. I've enjoyed the Bruschetta (two large slices) with fresh tomatoes and toppings, which would go perfect with a glass of Pinot Grigio in the lounge. The pasta menu is divided into traditional, classic and premium, as is the pizza menu. Pastas are rich and flavorful, just make sure you are ready to go once your order is cooked so you can enjoy your dish piping hot the way they serve it. The pasta and pizza dough are all made totally from scratch, in advance, to have them ready to go.
The thin crust European style pizzas are large and give you eight slices each, a lot for one person, so you might want to share and try several different kinds. My favorite is the Pizza Rucola which is topped with freshly dressed arugula and real Parmesan slices, so its sort of like a main course and salad in one. Tomato sauce is used lightly in these thin crust European style pizzas. The Pizza Cipolle is something different topped with fresh grilled cherry tomatoes, and other high quality pizza toppings include Prosciutto, roasted vegetables, pesto, artichokes, and fresh basil on the Pizza Caprese.
The salads are large (good for sharing too!) and they serve a new Caesar Salad with lots of shaved Parmesan. The housemade dressing is very fresh and authentic tasting and does not taste like it came out of a bottle, as it does at most restaurants that are not fine dining.
The vegetarian options are excellent, and in general portions are generous. And whatever you order, you do not have to wait long. Vapiano says its average check for lunch is $10 for lunch and $13.50 for dinner.
A separate menu includes the drinks, coffees and desserts. The two beers on tap include Pilsner Urquell and Peroni, an Italian beer. There is also a selection of special martinis, liqueurs, juices, Italian waters, and larger selection of wines. I've been told that happy hour is held from 5 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and all day on Sundays, but call ahead to make sure. They serve the excellent Italian Illy coffee, but the espressos I enjoyed along with my fellow diner were not nearly hot enough, so they need to do a better job on that.
This is also a great place to go with a group of friends or coworkers. There is no need to split the bill when it arrives at the table like most restaurants, because each person can have his own card and pay for his selections at the end. The cards can also be shared by a couple or family if preferred, you suit yourself.
Vapiano has been here in Ballston, its first location in the U.S., for just over two years. Besides several other Washington area locations, they have restaurants in Florida, Dallas, throughout Eastern and Western Europe, in the Middle East, and more scheduled to open around the U.S.
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The Ballston - Virginia Square Partnership, founded in 1985, is a public-private organization of property owners, developers, businesses, educational institutions, non-profits, residents, condominium and civic associations. Our mission is to promote economic development and enhance Ballston-VA Square as desirable places to work, learn, dine, shop and play.
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