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Fireworks options for the Fourth of July

July 1, 2014, 8:06 am
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For those of you staying in town for the July 4 weekend, here are some nearby places to enjoy fireworks and celebrate Independence Day.

City of Falls Church—Independence Day Celebration
Music and fireworks at George Mason High School, 7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church.
The Original Moonlighters Band performs at 7 p.m.; the fireworks start at 9:20 p.m.

Rules: No alcohol, personal fireworks, or smoking on school grounds. Only chairs with flat bases are permitted on the artificial turf field. Rain date: July 5, same time and location.

City of Fairfax—Evening Show and Fireworks
Fairfax High School, 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax, 7-10:30 p.m.
The City of Fairfax Band performs at 7 p.m.; musical performance by Leggz (Motown, classic rock, hits from the 70s and 80s) at 8:20 and again after the fireworks, the City of Fairfax Band plays the 1812 Overture at 9:20 p.m., and fireworks begin at 9:30.
Rules: No smoking, alcohol, tents, pets, or items that could puncture the synthetic turf; bags are subject to inspection. Rain date: July 5, fireworks only.

City of Fairfax—Independence Day Parade and more
Parade, downtown Fairfax Historic District, 10 a.m.-noon, rain or shine.
Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center Open House, 10209 Main St., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ratcliffe-Allison House tours, 10386 Main St., 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Old-Fashioned Fireman’s Day with firefighter competition, food, and games, 4081 University Drive,
12:30 p.m.

Town of Vienna—July 4 Festival and Fireworks Show
Festival: Vienna Community Center, noon-4 p.m., with arts and crafts, chili cook-off, antique and classic cars, inflatables, Jimmy Buffet tribute band, one-ring circus, and “pooches on parade” featuring dogs decked out in patriotic costumes.
Music by Fat Chance at Yeonas Park, 7 p.m.
Fireworks: Southside Park, 9:15 p.m.

National Mall, Washington, D.C.—Parade, Concert, and Fireworks
Parade on Constitution Ave., N.W., from Seventh St. to 17th St., 11:45 a.m.-2 p.m.
U.S. Navy Band on the Washington Monument grounds, 5-9:30 p.m.
A Capitol Fourth concert, U.S. Capitol, west lawn, 8-9:30 p.m., admittance begins at 3 p.m. Hosted by Tom Bergeron; performers include Frankie Valli, John Williams, Patti LaBelle, Phillip Phillips, Sara Evans, the Muppets, and more.
Fireworks, launched from the Reflecting Pool on the Mall at dark, around 9:10 p.m.
The fireworks can be viewed from various locations in Virginia, including the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Rosslyn and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Staying home and having your own fireworks? The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department offers these safety tips:
  • Follow the manufacturer’s directions.
  • Have water available for emergencies and extinguishing discarded fireworks.
  • Place fireworks on a flat surface clear of combustible materials.
  • Light only one firework at a time.
  • Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
  • Keep bystanders at least 25 feet away from fireworks.
  • Do not permit young children to handle or light fireworks.
  • Store fireworks in a cool, dry place.
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Annandale soccer player honored

July 2, 2014, 7:00 am
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Carlos Nima [Allstate photo]
The United States’ World Cup dreams are over, but the Annandale community does have some exciting soccer news to celebrate.

Annandale resident and former Atom Carlos Nima, 22, won the Allstate “Buenas Manos” Portero Award, recognizing the best goalkeeper, at the Washington, D.C.-area Copa Alianza tournament last weekend.

Copa Alianza tournaments, presented by Alianza de Fútbol, bring together and showcase the top soccer talent in the country across various age groups. During the tournament, Nima allowed only one goal, outperforming dozens of other goalkeepers.

Born in Lima, Peru, Nima has been playing futbol since he was 5 years old. He played on the varsity soccer team at Annandale High School for four years. He also participated in Virginia’s Olympic Development Program, a training ground for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Currently, Nima plays with the Oriente Petrolero Club in the Arlington Bolivian Soccer League. A former student at Northern Virginia Community College, he currently works for the Federal Credit Union.
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Fairfax County economy mostly stable

July 3, 2014, 5:57 am
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A new report on the economic health of Fairfax County by the county’s Department of Management and Budget shows slight improvements in some indicators, while others are down a bit or unchanged.

Here are some key findings:
  • The unemployment rate in Fairfax County decreased from 4.1 percent in March 2014 to 3.6 percent in April 2014. That compares to a 3.9 percent unemployment rate in Fairfax County in April 2013. The county’s unemployment rate is lower than that of state of Virginia (4.9 percent) and the nation (6.3 percent) in April 2014.
  • Sales tax receipts distributed to Fairfax County in June for retail purchases made in April were $13.8 million, a decrease of 1.7 percent from June 2013. During the first 11 months of FY 2014, sales tax receipts were down 1.4 percent from the same period in FY 2013.
  • The number of home sales in Fairfax County during the first five months of 2014 is down 10.4 percent compared to the same period in 2013.
  • The average sales price of all homes sold in the county in May 2014 was $557,484, a 2.2 percent increase over May 2013. The inventory of homes for sale increased 50.3 percent in May 2014 compared to May 2013.
  •  The commercial office market remained sluggish in 2013. The direct office vacancy rate was 14.4 percent at the end of 2013, the same as at the end of 2012. The overall office vacancy rate, which includes sublet space, was 16.7 percent at the end of 2013, also unchanged from the previous year.
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Volunteers, sponsors needed for Annandale Pyramid Resource Fair

July 3, 2014, 8:00 am
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People started lining up for the 2013 Annandale Pyramid Resource Fair two hours early. By the time the doors opened at 2 p.m., more than 1,000 people were waiting to get in.

School just let out for the summer, but it’s not too early to start thinking about helping families get ready for the start of the 2014-15 school year.

Last year’s Annandale Pyramid Back-to-School Resource Fairwas so successful, it’s happening again—Aug.13, 2-7 p.m., at Annandale High School.

The Resource Fair provides free backpacks full of school supplies to ensure students arrive on the first day of school ready to learn. With more than half the students in the Annandale pyramid eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, many parents are struggling to make ends meet, so the free school supplies are critical to children’s academic success.

Also at the Resource Fair: free haircuts, medical screenings, and back-to-school clothes, plus lots of information about community agencies, schools, and nonprofits.

More than 10,000 people are invited, including students (and their parents) entering all of the schools in the Annandale pyramid: Annandale Terrace, Braddock, Bren Mar Park, Columbia, Mason Crest, North Springfield, and Weyanoke elementary schools; Holmes and Poe middle schools, and Annandale High School. Four thousand people attended last year.

Volunteers are needed to help with every aspect of this event. Sign up to volunteer online.

So far, 2014 sponsors include the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, Facets, B-Thrifty, Hair Cuttery, Kits for Kids, Let’s Help Kids, and St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Vienna,

There are lots of ways to help make the 2014 Annandale Pyramid Resource Fair a success. Individuals can donate funds online—just $10 will provide a school supply kit—or organize a clothing collection drive. Companies and organizations can sign on as sponsors or exhibitors.
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Happy Independence Day!

July 4, 2014, 5:00 am
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Park projects start this month in Annandale

July 5, 2014, 7:00 am
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The Fairfax County Park Authority announced plans to start construction on two projects in Annandale-area later this month.

A 1,200-foot asphalt trail will connect Chivalry Road in the Camelot neighborhood with the athletic fields in Pine Ridge Park. Construction should take about four months. Portions of the existing trail will be intermittently closed during that period.

The other project involves repairs to five tennis courts at Wakefield Park, including pressure washing, filling and patching cracks, resurfacing, color coating, and lining. Those courts are scheduled to re-open to the public in August. Four more tennis courts will be repaired next March.

The Wakefield tennis courts being repaired will be closed while the work is being done. Tennis players are advised to switch to other nearby courts, including Annandale Park (7701 Royce St.), Backlick Park (4615 Backlick Road), and Eakin Community Park (8515 Tobin Road).
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Mason park concerts in full swing

July 5, 2014, 10:03 am
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The free Spotlight by Startlight summer concert series at Mason District Park is in full swing. There are shows every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday evening through the end of August.





In the first video, by Annandale resident Bob Kovacs, Swing Shift, a big band orchestra, performs the Frank Sinatra classic, “Come Fly With Me,” on July 2. 

 

The second video highlights a performance by Solas, an Irish folk band, on June 29. The group plays the original song, “Michael Conway,” which tells the story of an Irish immigrant who travels to Montana to work in the copper mines and gets in trouble with the law. More concert videos by Kovacs can be found on the Annandale Arts You Tube channel.

Upcoming shows at Mason District Park include the NOVA Annandale Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, July 6; Trio Caliente on Wednesday, July 9; Wayne Henderson with Jeff Little and Helen White on Friday, July 11; and the National Concert Band of America on Sunday, July 13. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. Bring the kids to the park next Saturday for the Great Zucchini, 10:30 a.m.

The Spotlight by Starlight series also includes cultural heritage shows every Saturday, 7:30 p.m., all summer long at Ossian Hall Park in Annandale. The next show, July 14, features music and dance from West Africa.

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Help Our Daily Bread provide school supplies to needy students at Stuart HS

July 6, 2014, 9:11 am
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Volunteers pack school supplies for Our Daily Bread's Collect for Kids program.
Our Daily Bread (ODB) a nonprofit organization based in Fairfax is seeking volunteers from the community to donate funds, backpacks, and calculators to assist needy children who attend the JEB Stuart and Fairfax high school pyramids.

This is the fourth year that ODB is collaborating with Kids R First, Fairfax County Public Schools, the Fairfax County Office of Public-Private Partnerships, and a variety of local non-profit organizations to purchase high-quality school supplies at a deeply discounted rate through a partnership with the county’s Collect for Kids program.

Through this program, ODB will be able to provide all the supplies a student needs for approximately $15 per student (and often $10 or less for elementary students). Those same supplies would cost at least $40 if purchased in a stores.

Last year’s ODB’s Collect for Kids Back to School Program helped 1,500 needy children in the Stuart and Fairfax pyramids. ODB upped its goal to 2,000 children this year due to overwhelming demand.

Overall, 47,000 FCPS students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. “Their parents are struggling to put food on the table, and the prospect of finding funds for school supplies is stressful for them,” says ODB Executive Director Lisa Whetzel. “We hope the community will respond generously to ensure that children whose families are in crisis are able to return to school this fall with all the tools they need to succeed in the new school year.”

For the third year in a row, the Rotary Club of Bailey’s Crossroads is partnering with ODB to help fund and deliver supplies to Bailey’s Elementary School, Glasgow Middle School, and Stuart High School.

Other sponsors for the 2014 Collect for Kids Back to School program include the International Monetary Fund Civic Program, the Rotary Club of Annandale, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, and Fairfax County History Commission.

Community members interested in helping can make a donation on ODB’s website or mail a check to 4080 Chain Bridge Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfax, VA 22030.

New backpacks and new or gently used scientific calculators can be donated, too. They can be brought to ODB’s offices through Aug. 12, Mondays through Fridays, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., or dropped off at participating Sweet Frog stores during the month of July.

Backpacks and calculators can also be ordered and shipped directly to ODB through “wish lists” on Amazon and Dollar Days. For more information on donating or sponsoring the program, contact Dawn Sykes at 703-273-8829 or holiday@ODBFairfax.org.

The public may also support the Collect for Kids Back to School Program by placing a catering order with Zoë’s Kitchen Fairfax to be delivered July 20 through 26 or by mentioning Our Daily Bread when purchasing frozen yogurt at participating Sweet Frog stores from July 7-10, 3 p.m. to closing. Our Daily Bread will receive a percentage of sales from both offers.
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Annandale Blog readers select Beanetics as best local coffee shop

July 7, 2014, 6:30 am
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The 2014 Annie Awards, for  the “best of Annandale/Mason,” were presented at Blogapalooza, the Annandale Blog’s fifth-anniversary celebration June 28. The award winners were selected by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended survey. We’ll be profiling the winners over the next few weeks.


Beanetics Coffee Roasters, the winner of the Annandale Blog’s 2014 Annie Award for best coffee shop, sells freshly roasted single-bean and blended coffees, along with various kinds of baked goods and smoothies. The small shop offers a pleasant place to relax with an excellent cup of coffee in full sight of the huge coffee bean roasting machine known as “the beast.”

David and Amy Starr opened the shop in February 2007 at 7028 Columbia Pike in the Annandale Shopping Center in a space that was formerly occupied by a cell phone store.

By then David Starr’s coffee-roasting adventures in the garage of their Lake Barcroft home had become “a hobby that ran amok,” he says. So they decided to put together a business plan and opened their own coffee shop. It’s still a sideline, though, as they both continue to work at regular jobs. They are both lawyers—David is in private practice and Amy works for the federal government.

The coffee-roasting room.
“It’s been a lot of fun starting a business and trying to keep growing it,” he says. Beanetics makes about 4,000 pounds of coffee a month, much of it sold wholesale to institutions, other coffee shops, and restaurants, including Perfect Pita and the Cure Bar & Bistro in D.C.

Beanetics gets coffee beans from Jamaica, Brazil, Costa Rica, Yemen, and other coffee-growing areas worldwide, mostly from importers, and the Starrs also buy beans directly from farmers in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

The Starrs wanted to give local artists an opportunity to display and sell their work, so every month, there’s a new exhibit of paintings, drawings, or photographs. The public is invited to monthly meet-the-artist receptions at the shop. The Starrs also believe it’s important to be involved in the community, so they donate coffee to lots of local events, like teacher appreciation luncheons.

Bags of coffee beans ready for roasting.

As part of a partnership with Falls Church High School, students in the culinary program created their own coffee blend for Beanetics, and students taking a marketing course designed the logo and label. Students sell the coffee at community events. Some of the students in the program are from countries where coffee is grown, so this gives them an opportunity to see the entire process, David Starr says.

People always ask him to consider opening other Beanetics shops, but he’s not interested in expanding. “There’s only so much time in the year to devote to this. We still have our day jobs,” he says. “We’re happy with the Annandale location. We love the community.”
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Robbery at Lincolnia gas station

July 7, 2014, 11:23 am
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Discount Zone [Photo from Google Maps]

Several readers have reported lots of police activity, including helicopters and an ambulance, at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Lincolnia Road at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday.

There had been a robbery at the Discount Zone gas station at 6401 Columbia Pike, and police were looking for a suspect. A man had displayed a knife to an employee and demanded money, reports Fairfax County Police spokesperson Bud Walker. There was a scuffle, and the suspect took cash and fled. The victim was treated on the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the owner of Discount Zone, the suspect arrived on foot and told the cashier,“give me all your cash,” and got away with at least $1,000. It’s the first time the business has been robbed since he purchased it seven years ago.

The suspect is described as a black male, age 35-40, about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and weighing about 190 pounds. If you information about the suspect contact the police, 703-691-2131, or Crime Solvers,
 866-411-8477.
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Shopping center under construction on Annandale Road

July 7, 2014, 1:54 pm
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An illustration of the new shopping center. The store names are just examples of what might go there.

Remember the old Black Tie Cleaners at 3037 Annandale Road? It’s coming back in the new shopping center under construction on that property.

Black Tie, which had been there for some 20 years, closed last October. The distinctive barn-shaped building (a former Red Barn restaurant) was torn down several months ago.

The owner, Ray Park, is building a 16,000-square foot shopping center with space for Black Tie Cleaners along with three or four other tenants.

No one has officially signed on yet, says Jeff Lawson, a representative of Park Real Estate Group, but a dentist, high-end take-out place, and real estate broker have expressed interest in leasing space. There won’t be a sit-down restaurant, as there aren’t enough parking spaces. “The right mix of tenants will depend on what creates the best atmosphere for the neighborhood,” Lawson says. He says the project should be completed in October.
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BoS approves motion to expedite Columbia Pike redevelopment project

July 8, 2014, 6:30 am
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This stretch of Columbia Pike is slated for redevelopment.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross last week to “authorize the initiation of the appropriate steps for a plan amendment and rezoning” involving a proposal to redevelop a 7.4-acre property in Bailey’s Crossroads.

AvalonBay Communities has assembled the rights to 10 parcels owned by three separate entities along Columbia Pike between Moncure Avenue and Radley Acura. It is proposing to build a five-story, 251-unit apartment building facing Columbia Pike plus five townhouses on Moncure.

A key part of the project is the provision of land for the “future development of a new elementary school” at the northeast corner of Columbia Pike and Moncure, Gross said. That portion of the property could accommodate a 125,000-square foot school building, as well as structured parking and athletic facilities.

“This elementary school will further ease the significant overcrowding of Bailey’s Elementary School and provide additional capacity for the future residential growth envisioned for Bailey’s Crossroads in the Comprehensive Plan,” Gross told the BoS. “The applicant is proposing to provide an interim park facility until such time as the school is built.”

If the project goes forward, several existing buildings would be torn down. They include a five-story office building (Bailey’s International Center) next to Radley Acura, the Safari Restaurant, Falls Church Automotive Center, a trucking company, and the Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter. “We’re working with the county to find another location for the homeless shelter,” said Aaron Frank, Gross’s aide.

The temporary Bailey’s Crossroads Fire Station, on the corner of Columbia Pike and Moncure, won’t be needed much longer, as the new fire station, a few blocks further south on the pike, is expected to be completed in August.

The Avalon Bay project is being expedited because it’s located in the Bailey’s Crossroads Revitalization Area, Frank said. The BoS agreed to have the requests for amending the Bailey’s Crossroads section of the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan and to rezone the property be considered concurrently. The board also agreed to waive  the rezoning fees associated with the development of the new school.

The proposed project also calls for a new grid of streets, including possible links to Williams Lane or Seminary Road. It also would be within walking distance of the proposed Columbia Pike streetcar line.
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Repairs under way to address sewage spills, Lake Barcroft residents assured

July 9, 2014, 6:29 am
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Work underway at the pumping station on July 8.
The repair work to address the recent sewage spills in Lake Barcroft is proceeding despite the apparent lack of activity at the work site in recent days, and residents’ concerns about the possibility of additional sewage spills are unfounded, says Charles W. de Seve, chairman of the board of trustees for the Lake Barcroft Watershed Improvement District (WID). There had been four separate spills since April 29, dumping a total of 413,000 gallons of sewer water into the lake.

Testing has shown “normal levels of bacteria well below the commonwealth’s threshold for lake activity,” reports de Seve in an email sent to Lake Barcroft residents July 8.

One resident had earlier reported seeing from her boat “a plume of something nasty-looking” flowing from the pumping station on Sleepy Hollow Road into the lake near the women’s garden.

“There is no evidence a small ‘plume’ of darker water spotted by kayakers near Holmes Run has anything to do with a sewer discharge and was not visible to WID staff who investigated,” de Seve states.

During a June 26 meeting, hosted by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, many Lake Barcroft residents expressed frustration with the way Fairfax County officials were handling the sewage spills, which happened during an ongoing project to re-line a sewer force main under Sleepy Hollow Road, resulting in stormwater overwhelming a pumping station on Holmes Run.

County officials assured residents at the meeting that work on fixing the pumping station would be done 24/7 and the project would be finished by July 7. “Not only have workers not been there 24/7, the job is nowhere close to being finished,” the resident says. “It looks to me like nothing much is happening.”

“Actually, the scope of the work has expanded, adding more stability to sewer line joints and giving the lake an extra measure of protection.” De Seve responded in the July 8 email. At the request of county engineers, he said, “a second engineering firm, CH2M Hill, reviewed the re-engineering of the failed pipe joint after the final spill (as suggested in the community meeting). Thus, the delay adds safety and does not signal a new problem nor any failure on the part of Dewberry, the firm that did the re-engineering.”

A tentative schedule now calls for the work on the pumping station to be completed and the pit to be filled in by July 17. The temporary sewer line should be removed and the site cleaned up on July 21.

“While any sewer spill is serious and may temporarily curtail use of the lake, please keep in mind that the recent spills, though carrying bacteria, were almost entirely water—the  largest contained over 85 percent stormwater,” de Seve states. “In the weeks since the spills, the flow of new water has diluted and removed whatever sewer bacteria remained.”
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Seven Corners Task Force favors lower density project on Sears site

July 9, 2014, 12:07 pm
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The Sears site on Leesburg Pike.

Members of the Seven Corners Land Use and Transportation Task Force seem to agree with local residents’ concerns that a proposed apartment complex on the Sears site would be too big.

The group’s July 8 meeting focused on revisions suggested by task force members to the language for the Seven Corners amendment to the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan drafted by county staff. Most of the discussion, however, was about Land Unit C, also referred to as Leesburg Pike Village, located along the southwestern edge of Leesburg Pike.

The Foulger-Pratt development company wants to build three apartment buildings with nearly 800 units plus 52 townhouses and a small amount of convenience retail on that site, which is currently occupied by the Sears department store and two office buildings. It would be the first project in the Seven Corners redevelopment area since the task force was formed two years ago.

During a June 23 task force meeting open to public comment, many residents of Ravenwood Park, Buffalo Hills, Sleepy Hollow, and other neighborhoods close to Sears argued that the high-density Foulger-Pratt proposal would overwhelm the community and would lead to more traffic on already-congested roads.

At the July 8 meeting, task force member Dick Knapp, a senior vice president at Foulger-Pratt, indicated reducing the number of units would make the project economically unfeasible. He said, “720,000 square feet is break even for us.” Requiring a lower density would be “gutting a central component of Seven Corners revitalization” and would be an “arbitrary, draconian approach.”

In a July 8 email to task force members, Knapp noted that the current real estate tax assessment for the 12-acre site, including the existing buildings, is $24 million. “It was our initial hope to obtain density that would create a value in excess of this $24 million and thus provide us with an incentive to undertake the development risk to create Leesburg Pike Village, fund proffers, off-site costs, lease buy-outs, and demolition.”

When task force co-chair chairman John Thillman asked the members to give their views on the Sears proposal, several people cited residents’ concerns and said they favored reducing the size of the project.

Mark Silverwood, whose company owns a couple of apartment complexes in Seven Corners, said the Sears project would work with fewer apartments, and Blake Smith, a resident of Juniper Lane who works for the National Association of Homebuilders, said, “The community is more comfortable with the numbers in the charrette.” 

The charrette was a land-use planning exercise undertaken by the task force last summer that resulted in a recommendation for 385,000 square feet of residential development (which could accommodate about 385  apartments), 134,000 square feet of retail, and 200,000 square feet of office space for Land Unit C. Combining the retail and office space would equal about 150 townhouses. There would also be space for about 30,000 square feet of local-serving retail, such as coffee shop and restaurant, on the ground floor of one or multifamily buildings.

Thillman said he supported the idea of revising the language in the staff-written draft amendment, which recommends 720,000 square feet of residential uses on the Sears site, and returning to the density levels that came out of the charrette. He asked Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization staff to develop a couple of scenarios for redevelopment of Land Unit C with lesser amounts of residential density than proposed by Foulger-Pratt.

The task force never officially considered the Foulger-Pratt proposal, Thillman said. It was just “one person's idea that never made it to the TF for any level of formal consideration or for any level of staff review.” The action taken by the task force July 8 was not a change. “It was a reaffirmation to stay with the charrette numbers that we had already decided to adopt because it seemed that a reaffirmation was necessary for the community.“
In response to residents’ suggestions to build more office or retail on the site and less housing, Knapp said he didn’t want to compete with other retail in Seven Corners, and offices are “totally unbuildable.” Thillman noted the county has 19 million square feet of vacant office space.

Thillman also announced additional task force meetings to ensure the group can meet its goal of submitting a Comprehensive Plan amendment to the Fairfax County Planning Commission in October. The task force’s next meeting, Aug. 12, will be open for public comments. The group will also meet Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23. The task force is not expected to vote on a plan amendment until the Sept. 23 meeting.
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Readers select AnnSandra as one of Annandale's best gift shops

July 10, 2014, 7:12 am
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The 2014 Annie Awards, for the “best of Annandale/Mason,” were presented at Blogapalooza, the Annandale Blog’s fifth-anniversary celebration June 28. The award winners were selected by Annandale Blog readers in an open-ended survey. We’ll be profiling the winners over the next few weeks.

AnnSandra, the winner of a 2014 Annie Award for best gift shop, is the top place in Annandale to find the perfect gift for a wedding, shower, anniversary, birthday, or any other special occasion. [Actually, there was a tie in this category; the other winner, Collector’s World, will be profiled in the near future.]

Sandi Davis adjusts a display at AnnSandra.
“We have every major brand in the industry,” says AnnSandra owner Sandra (Sandi) Anne Davidson, “And if someone wants something we don’t have, we can get it.” The shop, at 4417 John Marr Drive, Annandale, has been able to stock many more gift items since it was expanded this spring.

In August 2013, Party Co, AnnSandra’s next-door neighbor, moved into a larger space in that shopping center that became available when Super Petz moved out. That allowed AnnSandra to spread into Party Co’s old space. Since the renovations were completed in April, both shops are now more than double their  previous size. That arrangement was eased by the fact that Party Co owner Richard Raport is Davidson’s brother.


The expansion allowed AnnSandra to order more items from the brands it had previously carried, put more items on display, and add new lines, such as Chilewish placemats and small rugs and Kate Spade giftware.

Here’s a sample of the items you’ll find at AnnSandra: fine china (Flora Danica, Waterford) casual dinnerware (Portmeirion, Rosenthal, Villeroy & Boch), serving pieces (Annieglass, Christofle, Mariposa, Calaisio),crystal (Waterford, WilliamYeoward), flatware (Vietri, Couzon), kitchen accessories (All-Clad, Calphalon), gourmet food (Stonewall Kitchen), luggage (Tumi), baby gifts (Swankie Blankie), and bath items (Thymes, Michel Design Works).

The trend in giftware leans toward a more casual lifestyle and more artistic designs, says Davidson, who notes that serving pieces by Michael Aram are popular wedding gifts. A lot of brides still want fine china, however, she adds.

The store hosts special events every so often featuring a representative of one its brands and some items marked down or a gift with purchase. This fall, customers will have a chance to meet Michael Wainwright, a designer from the Herend dinnerware company. At other events, engravers and calligraphers will be on hand to personalize customer’s  purchases.


The store’s foyer is always stocked with items on sale, usually marked down 50 percent. Current deals include a dip dish sets from Juliska and Julia Knight picture frames at 50 percent off.

Davidson opened AnnSandra in 1980 after having worked for years as a associate buyer for the flagship Garfinckel’s department store in downtown Washington, D.C., and as a manager at a Garfinckel’s in Maryland.

When she started the focus was on designer handbags and leather goods, she says, but “were were running out of space, so we switched to having more dinnerware.”
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Annandale's challenge: Renovate a building vs. large-scale redevelopment

July 10, 2014, 2:17 pm
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An illustration of Hanna Plaza after the building is renovated.
Jeffrey Levine, of Levine Design Studio, gave a presentation on plans for renovating the building at 7409 Little River Turnpike at a meeting of the Annandale Central Business Development Planning Committee (ACBDPC) July 8.

What started out as simple update on a by-right project, however, turned into a lengthy discussion on the future of Annandale.


7409 Little River Turnpike in May 2014.
The plans for what will be known as Hanna Plaza include a new façade, two-story foyer, a small water feature on the second-story open courtyard, a new rear entrance, and various other improvements. Levine says the design will fit in with the character of the new buildings on Little River, such as TD Bank.

The 25,500 square foot building is virtually empty. Its main tenants had been Title Max, which moved into the building vacated by Jerry’s Subs and Pizza, and a laundry.

Several members of the ACBDPC called the proposed renovation shortsighted and said this project could be a good opportunity for consolidating land to develop a larger, mixed-use project.

ACBCPC Chair Greg McGillicuddy suggested the property owner try to work with other landowners nearby to assemble properties occupied by the VCA Animal Hospital and Shell station on either side of the building and a Chinese restaurant and grocery store behind it. The Annandale section of the Comprehensive Plan would permit a building as tall as eight stories in that spot, he said.



The proposed design for the second-story courtyard.
The challenge of consolidating small parcels of land has been the biggest obstacle to redevelopment in Annandale. The ACBCPC has been promoting the idea of land consolidation but hasn’t been making much headway among property owners. Meanwhile, new construction and renovation projects that have occurred have been limited and have served as further impediments to consolidation. 

“This isn’t improving Annandale,” ACBCPC member Vicki Burnam, executive director of the Annandale Chamber of Commerce, said of the Hanna Plaza project. “It’s not the best use of the property.”

HyoJung Garland of the Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization said the county wants to see bigger projects rather than patchwork improvements. McGillicuddy agreed to work with the county to reach out to the other property owners and urge them to consider consolidation.

Levine said the building’s owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, might be willing to consider consolidation if there’s a reasonable chance that it could happen, but will start renovations as soon as possible. The lack of the required number of parking spaces at Hanna Plaza could lead to delays, he acknowledged. The owner is exploring various options for sharing parking with other nearby businesses.

Even if the project proceeds as planned, Levine said, it would improve the Little River Turnpike streetscape and could spur other redevelopment projects.

The courtyard as it appears now.

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Fire at TJ High School

July 11, 2014, 8:52 am
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Planning Commission defers action on Glen Carlyn childcare center

July 11, 2014, 9:22 am
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The Fairfax County Planning Commission on July 10 deferred until July 24 a vote on proposal for a childcare center on Glen Carlyn Road in Bailey’s Crossroads.

That action was taken because the applicant, Deyi Awadallah, submitted a revised application for a zoning special exception that includes several major changes.

The number of children to be served would be reduced from 99 to 50, the size of the building would be reduced from 11,500 to 10,500 square feet, and the buffer zone between the building and properties on Lebanon Drive would be expanded by 15 feet. The revised application would not change access to the property or the number of parking spaces.

The childcare center has been bitterly opposed by local residents, dozens of whom spoke at a Planning Commission hearing April 24. Their main complaints are about traffic congestion and safety.

This is the third time a scheduled vote on the childcare facility application has been postponed by the Planning Commission. The Mason District Land Use Committee voted in April to recommend that the Planning Commission reject the application.
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VDOT outlines drainage plan for Annandale Acres

July 12, 2014, 7:00 am
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A burlap-lined ditch on Auburn Street recently put in by VDOT.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has come up with a preliminary plan for a permanent solution to the drainage problem in Annandale Acres. The estimated cost is $5.6 million and Fairfax County’s share of the cost is expected to be an equal amount.

It’s not clear where the money will come from or how the responsibilities for implementing the plan would be divided between VDOT and the county. And at this point, it’s far from certain whether it would ever be implemented.

A ditch along Auburn Street comes to a dead end at a driveway.
The Annandale Acres community doesn’t have storm drains, sidewalks, or curbs, and the streets and yards often flood when there is heavy rain. Many residents have had to carry out costly repairs to their homes’ foundations. Recent infill development in the area has made the problem worse.

In May, Amy Whetzel, a resident of Auburn Street, persuaded her representative in the Virginia Senate, Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, to convene a meeting in the neighborhood to discuss the need for a long-term solution to the flooding problem. Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, aides from Del. Kaye Kory’s office, and several Fairfax County and VDOT officials attended.

VDOT promised to come up with a comprehensive plan to improve drainage within a month. As an interim measure, VDOT has dug a few foot-deep ditches along Auburn Street.

Some of the ditches are lined with burlap and others are just dirt. There are no pipes underneath driveways, however, and there aren’t any pipes directing water anywhere. If there is heavy rain, the ditches will simply overflow, so “it’s not a holistic solution,” Whetzel says.

VDOT’s long-term plan, outlined in a letter to Saslaw from Lauren Mollerup, VDOT’s transportation and land use director for Arlington and Fairfax counties, calls for a system of driveway culverts about 30 feet long and 18 inches in diameter, roadway ditches about 18 inches deep on both sides of roads, and one or more water-quality swales.

The costs would cover hydraulic and hydrologic analysis, engineering, construction, stormwater management requirements, low-impact development swales, roadside ditches, utility relocation, and right-of-way estimates. Paving of the roadway would not be included in the cost estimate.

All Annandale Acres residents would have to be on board if the project is to proceed. And that means people are going to have to give up some right-of-way on their property, as VDOT isn’t expected to pay condemnation costs. It would only take one person who opposes it for the whole project to be killed.
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You're never too old to be an Olympian

July 13, 2014, 7:00 am
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A competitor in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. [NVSO photo]

Registration is under way for the 2014 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. Competitions for people age 50 and over take place Sept. 13-24 in venues throughout the region. Events include track and field, tennis, swimming, cycling, horseshoes, and much more. There are plenty of less-strenuous events, too, like cribbage and bunco.

Two new events have been added for 2014: a 5K road race and American-style Mah Jongg.

Participants must be 50 years of age by Dec. 31, 2014, and live in one of the jurisdictions sponsoring the competition: Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, or Prince William Counties or the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, or Falls Church. Medals will be awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners.

Several events will take place in the Annandale/Mason District area: team line dancing at the James Lee Community Center; racquetball, handball, Wii bowling, and other sports at the Audrey Moore RECenter; eight-ball pool, duplicate bridge, and scrabble at the Lincolnia Senior Center; and dominoes at the Goodwin House in Bailey’s Crossroads.

The registration fee is $12, which covers multiple events. There are additional fees for bowling and golf. Competitors can register online. Contact the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics at 703-228-4721 or nvso1982@gmail.com for more information.

Additional sponsors include Jim Koons Automotive Cos., Leisure World of Virginia, Ryan Homes of Northern Virginia, Ashby Ponds, Greenspring Retirement Community, Safeway, Humana, Goodwin House Inc., the Virginian, Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Virginia, Westminster at Lake Ridge, Falcons Landing, and Walgreens.
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