Elizabeth Bouchard| All Around Arlington
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October 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Last year I started a Facebook page with 365 Things To Do in Arlington where I put a new post each day of something to do in the area.  As an Arlington native I think this is a wonderful place to live and want to share some of the reasons why with my readers.  We are now at 365 + and counting.  The response has been wonderful but I realize not everyone is on Facebook, so I am began posting on this site as well.  Although some of the items on Facebook were date specific many of these events happen on an annual basis so I would expect the same type of event to occur again in the future.  I will try to make them more generic as I post them here but please check with the website to get the most accurate information.  Until I have caught up on both old and current posts, the numbers may be out of order but I will resort them once it is complete.

Please feel free to email me with  suggestions – you  can include local restaurants, night life, music venues, attractions, parks, hiking trails, shops, fairs and festivals, or any other ideas of what makes this area so special.

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Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, Sticky

#254 – Take a Class. Learn Something New!

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Photo Courtesy of Arlington County

Arlington County’s Parks and Recreations Department began taking online, fax and mail-in registration for Winter and Early Spring classes on December 14, 2010.  In Person and Phone-In Registration begins December 21st.  Check out the  listing of fitness, arts, dance, music, swimming and wellness options in their online catalog.

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Art in Arlington, Family Fun in Arlington, Recreation in Arlington, Sports and Fitness in Arlington

#253 – See Urban Artistry perform “Hip Hop for Kids”

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

On  Saturday, December 18th, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.  there will be a family performance of “Hip Hop for Kids” by Urban Artistry at the Artisphere in Rosslyn where kids can learn about urban dance.  Urban Artistry’s core group consists of an international collective of artists, dancers, orators, designers, vocalists, musicians, photographers and educators.

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Dance in Arlington, Family Fun in Arlington Tagged With: ,

#252 – Help Support Children’s National Medical Center

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s a Wonderful Night at the Drafthouse.  Arlington Cinema ‘N Drafthouse is holding a benefit on Friday, December 17th with gate proceeds going to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington. There will be a holiday wine tasting and music beginning at 6:15 followed by a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life, my favorite holiday movie. Donations and toys will be accepted at the door.

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Nightlife in Arlington Tagged With: ,

#251 – Help the Homeless

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A-SPAN’s  Annual Holiday Gala, Light Up Rosslyn, will be held from 6-9:30 on Thursday, December 16th, 2010 at the Artisphere. Food from Lebanese Taverna, Santa Fe Cafe, & SushiRock, will be provided along with live music from BMT and a special performance by BalletNova.

A-SPAN provides life-sustaining services for Arlington’s street homeless. Their mission is “to secure permanent housing for one of Arlington’s most vulnerable populations through outreach and relationships built on trust and respect.”

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Nightlife in Arlington, Special Events in Arlington

#250 – Get In The Swim

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The new Washington-Lee pool
Image by alykat via Flickr

Below freezing temperatures this time of year might keep you from exercising outdoors but you can still get a good workout by swimming at one of Arlington’s three indoor swimming pools, located at the three public high schools. Washington-Lee’s natatorium just opened in 2009 and features a 25 meter x 25 yard pool with a movable bulkhead, two 1m springboards, a separate instructional pool, a wet classroom and a spectator area.  The other two pools are six lane 25 yard pools with a separate instructional tank.   The pools open for community swim as early as 5:30 a.m. and stay open some days to 8:30 at Wakefield and Yorktown and 9:30 at Washington-Lee.   There are designated lap lanes, open swim areas, a tank pool for children and they offer swimming and aqua fitness classes.   Daily passes are available or you can purchase multi-use passes or memberships.  Free swim times for Arlington Seniors and Arlington Children and Youth are also available each week.  Check the Arlington Public Schools Aquatics Center website for more information and links to community swim schedules, lane and tank availability, class descriptions, and fees.

The pools are located at:

  • Wakefield High School 4901 S Chesterfield Rd, Arlington, VA 22206, 703-578-3063
  • Washington-Lee High School  1300 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22201, 703-228-6262
  • Yorktown High School  5201 N. 28th Street, Arlington, VA 22207, 703-536-9739

They are currently offering gift cards for memberships so if there is an avid swimmer on your gift list you might want to check it out.

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Family Fun in Arlington, Rainy Day Activities in Arlington, Recreation in Arlington, Sports and Fitness in Arlington Tagged With: , , , ,

#249 – Go See a Holiday Light Display

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

My mother-in-law's light display

My mother-in-law used to put up thousands of lights at Christmas time and had figures on display including Santa on the roof, a nativity scene, carolers, and reindeer.   She even made the news one year for one of the best light displays.  Despite it being just a little bit tacky, it always brought big smiles as we turned the corner to her house and saw the lights and heard the music.  We miss that now that she is gone.

The Light Display at Capital Hospice in Arlington

In Arlington, we have lit up Rosslyn, lit up the Village in Shirlington and many residents are putting up their holiday displays.  In my neighborhood, I always enjoy driving by the Capital Hospice on 16th Street to see the white lights on the trees, shrubs and gazebo.  Around the corner on Abingdon Street (1610) is a private home with elaborate decorations.

An Arlington Homeowner's Light Display

Outside of Arlington but within a short drive, there are light displays at the National Zoo, the Mormon Temple, Bull Run and Watkins Park among others.  For a list of other area holiday light displays, visit this website.

And Holly’s Tacky Christmas Lights website has a photographic tour of individual homes in Northern Virginia with light displays.

Where are your favorite light displays?

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Family Fun in Arlington

#248 – Enjoy Listening to Holiday Music

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

My dad would have listened to Christmas carols all year long (and sung along) if we let him, but always  made him wait till after Thanksgiving.  If you can’t get enough of holiday music, here are a plenty of opportunities to get your fill this holiday season:

The Arlington Children’s Chorus is presenting a Festival of Song on Sunday, December 12th, 2010 at 4PM at Clarendon United Methodist Church.

Home for the Holidays -Music at the Spectrum Theatre at Artisphere on Sunday December 12th at 4 PM– National Chamber Ensemble

Holiday Mayhem – Signature Theatre’s annual holiday cabaret runs from December 20th-23rd.

Prelude, the Arlington Youth Orchestral Program, will be presenting a Holiday Chamber Music Concert at Lyon Park Community Center on December 19th at 4 pm (free)

The Potomac Harmony Chorus, Arlington’s women’s barbershop chorus will be holding a holiday concert at Thomas Jefferson Community Center December 19th at 3 pm.

The Columbia Pike Community Chorus will be performing at Trinity Episcopal Church on December 19th at 4 PM.

Music To Cheer the Soul with Chorus, Brass and Bells will be presented by the Metropolitan Chorus on December 18th at 8PM at the Thomas Jefferson Theatre.

 

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Concerts in Arlington, Family Fun in Arlington, Music in Arlington, Special Events in Arlington

#247 – Go See The Nutcracker

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Synetic Family Theatre in Crystal City will be showing their version of this holiday classic using grand costume masks and puppetry from 12/11 to January 16th.

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Family Fun in Arlington, Theatre in Arlington Tagged With:

#246 – Shop For Toys

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Looking for holiday gifts for the kids?  Forget the big box stores and national chains.  Arlington has some great old-fashioned toy stores with great service and selection.  They include One Two Kangaroo, located in Shirlingotn at 4022 S. 28th street, Kinder Haus Toys which recently moved from Lee Heights to Clarendon (1220 N. Fillmore Street), and Child’s Play which took over the old Kinder Haus spot at Lee Heights (4510 Lee Highway).

Filed Under: 365 Things to Do in Arlington, 365 things to do new, Shopping in Arlington Tagged With: ,