Posts Tagged ‘Northern Virginia’
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
Go for a dip. / Photo credit: Shutterstock/ Stacie Stauff Smith Photography
For a former Floridian who moved up to the great state of Virginia and read a sign in her apartment that says, “Pools close: Labor Day,” let’s talk about how confusing that was. And still is. No water in The Sunshine State ever shuts down or is covered. Ever. (Proof: I went to/hosted several pool birthday parties in December throughout my childhood. True story.)
But finally! The day we’ve been waiting for all spring is right around the corner: Pool Opening Day.
If this is your first time (like me!) navigating through the maze of community waters, here are a few good tips I’ve picked up along the way:
Posted by Lindsey Leake / Monday, May 21st, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Area high schools among nation’s best
Virginia Railway Express considering wifi service on trains
Dulles Rail board spends nearly $1 million studying itself
FCPS educators call for 4 percent salary boost
Arlington OKs $1.5 million dog park improvements
Fairfax County social services agency facing cuts
Wolftrap Elementary alum donates $800,000 in honor of beloved teacher
(Compiled by Lindsey Leake; photo courtesy of Shutterstock/Neil Shapiro)
Our Vintage Film Comes to Jammin Java
Posted by Hunter Woodall / Monday, May 21st, 2012
Indie pop rock group Our Vintage Film will take the stage at Jammin Java this Tuesday, May 22. The band released The Midnight Sun EP in July of 2011.
According to their website, the EP represents the journey the band members faced during their college years. The band’s goal is to release music with themes that tie into “meaningful everyday concepts.”
The group originally started out as an acoustic band, but over time has grown to become a seven piece band. The current lineup features a cello, violin and piano. On the bands website, the group refers to their sound as both “power pop” and “indie-pop progression.”
The band is working to increase fans exposure to their msuic through online marketing, as well as a kickstarter campaign to help fund their 2012 Summer tour.
Our Vintage Film will take the Jammin Java stage Tuesday along with openers Bonaventure, The Offset and Money Can’t Be Eaten. Tickets are $10 prior to the show and $13 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Posted by Sally Traynham / Monday, May 21st, 2012
IriskinoFoto/Shutterstock
Hot weather and picnics are on this weekend’s hit list. Round up the family, pack some grub and enjoy the summer weather at one of these perfect picnic spots:
Bluemont Park, Arlington
Nestled in Arlington, this beautiful 70-acre park offers everything from frisbee golf to paved trails and natural streams. A picnic shelter is available for rent and picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Entrance fee: n/a
Great Falls Park, McLean
A pet-friendly national park with staggering views of the Potomac River with falls and nature at its best. Picnic tables and grills are available on a first-come, first serve basis (no reservations accepted). Entrance fee: $5 pp
Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville Read the rest of this entry »
Spacious fields with scenic woodland trails a picturesque stream are hard to beat. The large outdoor pool will open Memorial Day weekend. Picnic shelters available for reservations. Entrance fee: $7 per vehicle
Posted by Lindsey Leake / Friday, May 18th, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Virginia takes a swing at school bullies
Silver Line testing will cause Orange Line delays
Woman arrested at GMU graduation
Historic Culpeper house gets funds for quake repairs
Virginia hosts National Kids to Parks Day
(Compiled by Lindsey Leake; photo courtesy of Shutterstock/Gary Paul Lewis)
From the Green Room with William Beckett
Posted by Hunter Woodall / Friday, May 18th, 2012
Beckett released his first solo effort, Walk the Talk, in April. (Photo Courstey of William Beckett and Fresh Clean Media)
In the span of a year, William Beckett, 27, lost his band and his record contract. The changes allowed him to seek a new start as a solo artist, with a new sound and label.
Beckett spent the first eight years of his musical career as the lead singer of “The Academy Is…“ the band he helped form while still attending high school. The band broke up in October, leaving Beckett at a crossroads in his musical career.
Roughly six months after the breakup of the band he led for almost a decade, Beckett released his first solo EP Walk the Talk. The EP, and the corresponding tour, shows Beckett moving in a new direction musically with material that he says is the best he’s ever written.
In support of his EP, Beckett is touring the U.S. and will stop in Virginia to play Jammin Java this Sunday.
How would you describe fans response to your latest release?
“It was great. I didn’t really know what to expect. A part of you always expects the worst and hopes for the best (to) prepare yourself mentally. But it was awesome, It was a really good response and people are still checking it, listening to it for the first time. It’s a growing process and I’m happy that my instincts aren’t completely off. It’s good to know that my taste is comparable to what people like as well.”
What changes did you make to your writing process as you transitioned into being a solo artist?
“A lot of it has to do with the kind of environment that I’m writing in. For a while towards the end of the band, the writing environment was really hostile and that just wasn’t fun. When you think about it, it wasn’t an ideal creating environment. Since then, I’ve collaborated with really great producers and it really sparked something new in me, or something old that I hadn’t felt in a while. It was like wow, this is what writing is supposed to be like. This is what the creation process is supposed to be.”
Why did “The Academy Is…” decide to break up?
“It was kind of a long time coming. A lot of the reason why is because of it not being a positive environment. The last thing that we wanted to do was to forfeit and pretend that everything was all right within the band and then make another record and hate it and then hate each other even more. I felt like it was the right move as far as taking responsibility for ourselves and also (to) our fans as well to put out the best music possible. I felt like the only way that I could do that most efficiently was on my own.”
After releasing the EP are you planning to release a solo album any point soon?
“I’ve got a full plan. Now that Walk the Talk is out, every three months I’m going to release an EP throughout the year, so at the end of the year you’ll have twelve songs, if you collect all the EP’s, to be enjoyed as one piece.”
Will each of the EP’s have a different theme?
“It’s sort of an evolution of the same story for each of them. The first is to introduce you to where I’m at now and what I’ve been going through and that (will) evolve with each of the EP’s and by the end you’ll have the full story up to now.”
How will the solo tour be different from touring with your former band?
“Well for me, I can really focus on exactly what my vision is for each tour, for each song written for each decision made before it was kind of a trial by committee, it was kind of a communal decision system that in my opinion… that kind of team decision making doesn’t work when it comes to art. Once you start compromising, there’s no end to where you’ll end up. At that point your vision is so clouded and deluded that it’s nothing like you intended. So for me… it’s purely my vision which is very gratifying and I feel like in the end it will make more sense than having a bunch of cooks in the kitchen.”
Palates Behind the Plate: Nicolas Flores of Hank’s Oyster Bar
Posted by Joey Hernandez / Friday, May 18th, 2012
Photo courtesy of Patrick McMahon
A series dedicated to the palates behind NVM’s 2011 Fifty Best Restaurants. We know what they serve, but what do they eat?
Restaurant: Hank’s Oyster Bar
2011 Rank: #36
Executive Chef: Nicolas Flores
NoVA’s best dish:
The atomica pizza from Pizza Paradiso in Old Town…simply the best!
Never would I ever eat:
All clams.
After work grub:
Buffalo wings and Stella beer.
At home cooking:
Grilled lamb chops with grilled vegetables including romaine lettuce, asparagus, and spring onions, Egyptian rice and cucumber yogurt salad. For dessert….fruit.
Burger, burrito or bahn mì:
Bahn mi.
[tips for the food desk / follow @JoeyHndz]
From the Green Room with Alleghany St.
Posted by Matt Basheda / Friday, May 18th, 2012
More musical ammo for NoVA’s ever-expanding scene: Alleghany St., a powerful country-rock duo.
Alleghany St. Photo: Maddy Turley.
I was fortunate enough to catch them downtown at SOVA on May 11, and they blew the roof off. This brother-sister pair–Joshua and Stefanie–seals airtight harmonies with friendly, but raucous energy.
They know how to party and aren’t afraid to show it. Joshua strums acoustic guitar, while Stefanie pounds handheld drums with reckless abandon. But their back-and-forth vocals make the group. They’ll switch in and out of harmony and melody on a moment’s notice; there is no lead singer.
A lifetime spent together has helped their seamless sound. Even the group’s name is a direct reference to their childhood–Alleghany St. is the street on which they grew up in Warrenton.
They just released their debut album, Young Heart, and celebrated with a Jammin Java release party on May 13.
I interviewed them via email about their lively, fun-loving sound, and where they’ll take it next.
First, here’s an example of their music:
Who and what inspires you?
“Our close family bond of music. We grew up listening to our mom and dad jamming with their friends every weekend with full volume on the speakers. So it was a gleam in our eyes at a very young age to do the exact same thing. … We’re also really fascinated by the inspiration you get from REAL life specific situations and how they make you feel certain emotions that make you bond with people on this very down to earth level.”
How did your particular style develop? Where does your sound come from?
“Well when we came together as this singer/songwriter duo, a lot of people were classifying us as country or folky country even though there is no real presence of “twang” or accent. … We credit our unique sound to what it was like to grow up [in Warrenton]. It’s not exactly country, but not suburban or rural either–it’s kind of a blend and we think it shows in our music because we take a lot of what music we were exposed to around the area as inspiration.”
Your live shows are really tight. How did you perfect that?
“Thank you! We really think it’s because of the sibling thing – nothing more! … But really, we also understand each others [sic] musical sense because were [sic] on a very similar page so we have common ideas. With a little bit of eye contact on stage we are able to tell where each other are planning to go or if we need to change something up a bit, it’s really helpful.”
What’s coming up for you?
“We have shows, shows, and shows! We’re working hard to book the summer up with some fun outside events, festivals, intimate settings, and soon some collaboration work with artists from completely different genres to keep things interesting, so it’s definitely something to look out for!”
Where can people buy your music?
“Our official website has links to all our social media, including our bandcamp page where you can purchase the full album online!”
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, May 17th, 2012
LianeM/Shutterstock
Saying goodbye is never easy. This time of year is infamous for transitions, from getting hitched and buying a new house to college graduations and switching jobs. For me, this is my farewell to the magazine after an amazing, food-filled five-month journey.
Notorious for stress-baking back in college and an advocate for the school of thought that food will solve (almost) everything, it’s no surprise that food is my “go-to” when in need of easing transitions and saying goodbye. Homemade, personalized and edible gifts can be very simple and elegant with a low price point. And no, they don’t always have to involve cooking or laborious hours in the kitchen for those limited on time.
Here are some DIY edible farewell gifts, that will send anyone on a grand departure with lots of love.
Homemade BBQ Dry Rub [foodnetwork]
With summer right around the corner, this crafted BBQ dry spice rub is a perfect gift for the adventurous cook.
Flavored Olive Oils [theKitchn] Read the rest of this entry »
Infusing olive oil with favorite, personal flavors—such as meyer lemon, basil, chili or garlic—creates simple, elegant and unique giveaway.
Posted by Lindsey Leake / Thursday, May 17th, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Serious crimes up in Fairfax City in 2011
Crime down in Loudoun in 2011
Dulles Greenway tolls go to charity today
Two shot in Dumfries area
Man fatally shot, body found in car in Mt. Vernon
100-year-old forgotten time capsule found at Virginia Historical Society
Virginia ABC cracks down on retailers for selling alcohol, tobacco to minors
(Compiled by Lindsey Leake; photo courtesy of Shutterstock/carl ballou)