Arlington newcomer hits the road to "exercise and socialize"
Two years ago, Adrienne Celone was living across the Potomac River from Arlington in the Palisades neighborhood of northwest Washington, her home for nearly two decades. Then on June 25, 2005, Adrienne married Stephen Cleary, a longtime Arlington resident, and moved to the County's Virginia Square neighborhood.
Ever since then, Adrienne has been getting to know the many streetscapes, running paths, and nature trails of Arlington County. But the avid walker hasn't gotten to know as many fellow walkers as she'd hoped. That's why she's interested in forming a walking group in the Ballston/Virginia Square area. Read on for more about Adrienne.
If you, like Adrienne, are interested in helping to form a Ballston/Virginia Square walking group, send an e-mail with the subject line Walking Group to lhassel@arlingtonva.us. Include your name, e-mail address, and preferred walking schedule (weekday, weekend, time of day, etc.), and WALKArlington will be in touch.
Summer School for Arlington's Gatekeepers
If you were in Clarendon on the afternoons of June 27-28, you may have noticed a large group of adults with nametags (pictured here outside IOTA) being led by several microphone-wielding representatives of Arlington County. This wasn't a private Clarendon walkabout or lost tour group but the second session of the Concierge College, a unique program of Arlington Economic Development (AED)/Arlington Convention and Visitors Services (ACVS) designed to familiarize Arlington's hotel concierges and front desk staff with the County's many attractions.
Recognizing that these hotel professionals are the gatekeepers of information for hotel guests, ACVS created this program to help direct visitors to desinations right here in Arlington, for everything from shopping to dining to nightlife. ACVS then went straight to the source, inviting front-line staff from Arlington hotels to enroll in Concierge College and experience these destinations firsthand. In March 2007, the first Concierge College session took participants on a bus tour through Arlington, from Pentagon City to Ballston. When it came time to plan the second session, ACVS selected Clarendon as the destination and asked WALKArlington to lead a walking tour of the many attractions in this bustling area.
More than 45 staff from properties including the Westin Arlington Gateway, Days Inn, the Ritz Carlton, DoubleTree, Hyatt Crystal City, Sheraton National, Crystal City Marriott, Arlington Residence Court, and Holiday Inn signed up for one of the two Clarendon Concierge College sessions held in late June. Each session started with a 45-minute customized WALKArlington walkabout, highlighting Clarendon's many shops, restaurants, and clubs. Following the walking tour, "students" heard presentations from WALKArlington, the Clarendon Alliance, Arlington County Visitors Center, and the Map Network. Each four-hour session ended with a reception at a Clarendon restaurant. The first two Concierge College sessions were so well-received that ACVS is now planning the "curriculum" for the fall semester!
Feel the Burn
Runners, walkers, and fitness buffs alike will be pleased to know that, while running burns more calories in less time, slow jogging and brisk walking also deliver results. According to The MisFits' July 24th Post Express column, "fast or slow, you're benefiting by improving your bone density, heart health, endurance, and strength."
The MisFits note, however, that running increases one's risk for the kinds of injuries that come with repetitive pounding. They quote Mark Fenton, author of "The Complete Guide to Walking," who says that "if your running pace is under 5 mph, you might be better off switching from a slow jog to a quick walk because the calorie burn is the same but the impact on the body is less."
Recently spotted doing research at the June 23rd FitArlington Expo in Ballston, the MisFits, also known as Vicky Hallett and Howard Schneider, answer reader questions about fitness and personal training each week in the Health section of The Post and Post Express. If you have health-related questions about walking, running, training, and overall fitness, let your fingers do the walking and contact the MisFits at fitness@washpost.com.
Mid-Summer Days and Nights
We all know that as the world turns, summer is three months long, lasting from June 21-September 21. Why then, do we lose that easy-living, lazy/hazy-day feeling as soon as September arrives, three full weeks before summer truly ends? Why not rage against the dying of the light by working these uniquely Arlington summertime destinations into your August walks -- before Labor Day get-aways and back-to-school preparations turn attentions elsewhere? You've got 30 days. Now go!
Wednesday, August 1 at 9:32 a.m.: Pictured here, Dark Star Park, site of Nancy Holt's sculpture of spheres and poles commemorating the August 1, 1869 date when William Henry Ross became owner of the land that is now Rosslyn. Every year on August 1 at 9:32 a.m., the shadows of the poles align to match the patterns that decorate the grounds of the public art installation at 1655 Fort Myer Drive.
Wednesday, August 15 through Sunday, August 19: Arlington County Fair, where Arlington pays tribute to its agricultural past and urban village present. Each year, the Fair comes to the Thomas Jefferson Community Center at 3501 2nd Street South, but this year, the midway is opening on Wednesday night, with exhibits opening Thursday and the entire Fair running through Sunday evening. Don't miss the midway rides, exhibits, awards, music, food, 200+ vendors, petting zoo, and even pig races! Did we mention funnel cakes?
Saturday, September 1: Planet Arlington World Music Festival from 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Netherlands Carillon and Iwo Jima Memorial. This second annual free music festival celebrates Arlington's cultural diversity with globe-trotting music from world-class artists like Hugh Masekela, Lila Downs, the Skatalites, Cyro Baptista, and Benny Jones, Sr. and the Treme Brass Band.
CLOSING Saturday, September 1: CO2LED temporary environmental public art installation. This dazzling artwork was created by Thoughtbarn artists Jack Sanders, Robert Gay, and Butch Anthony and installed in June at the traffic island at Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street, and North Fairfax Drive, just north of the Meade Street Bridge over Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) at the southern entrance to Rosslyn. The solar-powered art is presented in conjunction with the Planet Arlington World Music Festival (see above) and promotes the use of alternative energy sources and recycling in conjunction with the Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE). Click here for photos of the installation and background on the artists.
