New Place Sans Back Patio

Here are some pictures of the new place in Fairlington!  Aida is going to do a post featuring the patio soon, so I have left those pictures out.  The outside pictures are a good representation of the facade and structure of the buildings in Fairlington.  Built Pentagon tough in 1940.

Outside:

Summer Calendar!

My good friend Joe Lampert (seen here) compiled a non-exhaustive list of upcoming events in the D.C. area this summer.  Most are sporting events, but there are some really good festivals, etc. on the list as well.  

AND don't forget folks, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa starts on June 11.  The countdown clock is here: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html 

Thanks Joe for sending this out!

APRIL

• Fri, Apr 16 (7PM) - Nats vs Brewers
• Sat, Apr 17 (1PM) - Nats vs Brewers
• Sat, Apr 17 (7:30PM) - United vs Fire
• Sun, Apr 18 (1:35PM) - Nats vs Brewers
• April 19-22 - Nats vs Rockies
• Fri, Apr 23 (7PM) - Nats vs Dodgers
• Apr 23-25 - Nation's Gun Show - Chantilly
• Sat, Apr 24 (1PM) - Nats vs Dodgers
• Sun, Apr 25 (1:35PM) - Nats vs Dodgers
• Sun, Apr 25- Earth Day Festival w/ John Legend, Sting, The Roots, Passion Pit, Q-Tip, Mavis Staples, Patrick Stump and Bob Weir
• Wed, Apr 28 (7:30PM) - United vs FC Dallas

Keeping You Up to Date on the Events in Shirlington

We try to keep you up-to-date here at The Irlingtons (as often as we can...since we do have jobs other than this - but would rather be blogging), and we are going to try to update you as to what is going on in the area as daily as we can get!

If we happen to miss a day due to sickness, tiredness, plain doing-something-else-and-didn't-have-time-so-lay-off-me-ness, and want to know what is happening in Shirlington, check out this Shirlington page with a calendar of events: http://yourshirlingtonconnection.com/Events.aspx

In the meantime, make sure to get your umbrella ready - as Tuesday is supposed to be raintown USA.

Shredding...and Not on the Ski Slopes

In not so exciting news, Fairlington has announced that that there will be free paper shredding available on the first Saturday of every month. People are limited to 2 garbage bags (is this a lot or a little...either way seems kind of weird).

Acceptable: Paper (staples, paper clips are ok), checks/check books.
Unacceptable: Credit cards, 3-ring binders, phone book sized material, human hands.

You can take your shreddings to 4300 29th St. S.

...and no you cannot use the shredder to go all Fargo on Fairlington.

Gardening Tips

For all those who have a garden or wish to start one, Tom Corbin--"A Fairlington Gardener"--wrote a nice column to help you get a move on.


He suggests, "As temperatures rise, begin to remove any protective mulch applied last fall, and gently work the soil around emerging plants. Apply slow release fertilizer to shrubs and perennials." Of course, you will have needed to have "applied" mulch last fall - which of course we have not done...

What's New in the Irlingtons?

After a weekend hiatus in the midwest, the Irlingtons is back in action this week.

A new store has opened in Shirlington: Periwinkle.  It is next to Johnny Rockets and sells women's clothing.  This is the second location for Periwinkle (the first being in Alexandria).  Make sure to check it out ladies...and those men who like to dress pretty too.

The look ahead:

The weather should be great the next seven days except for Tuesday and Friday.  Lets hope if there is some rain, it shows up before the weekend.

Hope everyone has a great beginning of the week!

What a Beautiful Day!

Wow what a beautiful day out today right?  Decided this evening (around 5pm) to drive around the area and get a few pictures.  Also, saw a parking enforcement guy really confused as to what to do with a double parked mail van.  After about 3 min of pacing around the car and looking around, he finally gave the mailman a ticket.  I always thought mail carriers were basically immune to any parking laws.  Maybe the Irlingtons can teach me all sorts of new things about the law.

WaPo Article on Campbell Ave.

This March 18 Washington Post "Trend Report" about Shirlington left something be desired.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/03/18/GA2010031804897.html


I understand the point was to find boutiques that create "a destination for both the casual browser and the treasure hunter," but what about Mill End Shops, Periwinkle and Viera Italy? Further, how can you mention the stores in Shirlington without mentioning the movie theater (one of the few in the area to actually show independent films)?

Welcome!

As a new resident of the Fairlington/Shirlington area of Arlington, Virginia, I wanted to make sure to be as much a part of the community as possible. And what better way to do it than to blog about it?!

I have lived in the area all of my life and have gone to Shirlington to watch artsy movies and go out to dinner since high school. Since 2005, however, The Village at Shirlington has undergone an incredible expansion - with new restaurants, shops, and residences. The goal of the expansion was "to increase the number of people in Shirlington to create a round-the-clock environment there."

Round-the-clock indeed. Shirlington is no longer the place to go with your grandparents when you know you can be home by 9pm! It touts some of the better restaurants that the DC area has to offer and the new home of the Signature theater and Shirlington library creates a very different vibe from the Shirlington of the 1990's.

Right next door to this little piece of Arlington pie is a residential community that has been around, in its current non-Union occupied state, since the beginning of World War II: Fairlington.

Now I will admit from the outset, that I did not know much about Fairlington during my formative years. Even though I went to school only a mile or so away, a residential community is not usually on the top of your interests list when in the teen years.

But I have grown up, finished schooling, found a great girlfriend, and bought a condominium in Fairlington Meadows.

My goal for this blog is to inform whoever is interested in what is happening in Fairlington and Shirlington. I hope to cover the positives and the negatives. If you read "Prince of Petworth" or my former high school classmate's "And Now Anacostia," you will know the meat of what this blog is.

I keep saying "I," but in reality it is a multi-part effort. My girlfriend, Aida, will be joining me on the blogging adventure (as a writer and frequent subject of pictures, I am sure). In addition, our roommate, Kyle, will hopefully be featured in funny ways and, of course, our boxer, Hannah, will probably get some good pictures in. We hope to bring you stories about events in the area, crime beats, announcements, and pictures of people, places, puppies, parades, and...I ran out of "p" words.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the blog and please let us know how we can make the site better!