Mason Boys Take 3rd in Holiday Basketball Tourney
December 30, 2011 by Stan Fendley, Falls Church City · Leave a Comment
By STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff
December 30, 2011
The George Mason boys varsity basketball team defeated Freedom-South Riding High School 50-37 Thursday night to take 3rd place in the Joe Cascio Tournament at Falls Church High.
The Mustangs played a strong defensive game, executing a man-to-man defense with efficiency, while riding the offensive performance of senior Co-Captains Nate Ogle and Phillippe Griffiths. Ogle, named to the All-Tournament Team at evening’s end, finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Griffiths had 16 points and nine rebounds.
The game remained tight until several minutes into the final quarter when Mason seniors Ogle, Griffiths, Noel Obusan, Eion Oosterbaan, and Jeremy Stewart worked together to control the tempo of the game and sink crunch time free-throws. Stewart, the Mustang’s third Co-Captain, played limited minutes earlier in the game due to a viral sore throat. Read more
Schedule for New Year’s Eve “Watch Night”
December 30, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
December 30, 2011
“Big Night in the Little City”
Falls Church City, Virginia
Watch Night, New Year’s Eve, 2011
MAIN STAGE (100 Block, W. Broad Street, in front of CVS Pharmacy)
7pm til Midnight
HELLO HEADLIGHTS – Pop Punk Rock
LU AND THE BLUES CREW – Jazz and Blues
THE SUPPLIERS – Rock
RITES OF ASH – Electronic Rock
SUDDEN M PAC – Motown
James Hickey, Master of Ceremonies
WATCH NIGHT FALLS CHURCH TENT (Corner of W. Broad and S. Washington Streets)
PROGRAMS, MAPS, BALLOONS, GENERAL INFORMATION
WEIGHT WATCHERS (West side of S. Washington Street)
PUPPETS AND MORE SHOWS BY SANDY FEULNER 7:30-9:15P
66’ DRAGON – obstacle course
Read more
SATURDAY 12/31: Traffic Advisory for Rt. 7
December 30, 2011 by Steven Valley · Leave a Comment
Date: Saturday, Dec. 31-Sunday, Jan. 1
Time: 5 p.m. (Sat., Dec. 31) through 1 a.m. (Sunday, Jan. 1)
Where: 100 block of W. Broad Street (Route 7), Falls Church, VA 22046
What: The block is cordoned off for the annual City of Falls Church Watch Night New Year’s Eve Celebration. For more information, go to www.fallschurchva.gov/watchnight
FOOD: A Different Kind of New Year!
December 30, 2011 by Special to the Falls Church Times · Leave a Comment
By RA CHAN
December 30, 2011
Special to Falls Church Times
When most people think of New Year, images of thousands of people in Times Square NYC, fireworks and grand parties fill their head. For me, food is a big part of New Year. Some of you may be aware of Lunar New Year which many Asians celebrate between January and February and food is a huge part of that celebration. Many families will gather together over a lavish meal with a variety of meats, poultry and rice and noodle dishes. Red envelopes filled with gifts and wishes for a grand new year are passed around and fun games are played to end a joyous night.
So I polled my family for some of their favorite places for food to ring in the New Year. For all of you, who may be looking for a different type of celebration, feel free to give one of these places a try on December 31st or January 1st.
Peking Gourmet Inn: This is a staple for the Falls Church area, and nothing says welcome to the New Year like a deliciously cooked Peking duck, jumbo shrimp, Chinese broccoli and noodles. Be forewarned though, reservations are a must if you are trying to come here on New Year’s Day.
Peking Gourmet Inn, 6029 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
XO Taste: If you’re in the mood for Hong Kong style roast duck, definitely give them place a try. The duck here is so succulent and the skin is so crispy. One of the best parts, the duck is chopped up for you. We love to order the duck as carry out and enjoy the meal at home.
XO Taste, 6124 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22044
Full Kee: They will undoubtedly have a special lobster and Dungeness crab dish available for New Year. I highly recommend getting both in their signature salt and pepper sauce. Nothing compliments the shellfish better than the garlicky, salty and slightly spicy coating.
Full Kee, 5830 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
Mark’s Duck House: Now it may seem strange to go to a duck house for pork, but they offer an amazing crispy pork dish. It’s very similar to roast pork, but the skin is prepared in such a way where the skin is superbly crisp and salty. I had ordered a 12lb crispy baby pig for my Christmas Eve dinner and it was a huge hit with the family!
Mark’s Duck House, 6184 Arlington Blvd # A, Falls Church, VA 22044-2902
Fortune: No celebration is complete without Dim Sum, and Fortune is one place that not only offers a great variety, but it’s extremely savory and fresh. Dim Sum normally is served starting at 11 a.m., so get there early and be prepared for a wait.
Fortune 6249 Sevens Corners Ctr, Falls Church, VA 22044
Honey Pig: For those who are going out on New Year’s Eve and want a good meal post party, Honey Pig is your go to spot. It’s open 24/7 and who doesn’t want to ring in another wonderful year with Korean BBQ?
Honey Pig, 7220 Columbia Pike, Ste C, Annandale, VA 22003
Eden Center: There are countless bakeries at Eden Center that offer an amazing array of sweets to satiate any sweet tooth. The most appropriate dessert for New Year is the moon cake, and you can order them with either custard filling or mung bean filling.
Eden Center, 6763 Wilson Boulevard Falls Church, VA 22044
We love to give thanks for all the blessings of the previous year and always look forward to a prosperous and healthy New Year. I hope that the list above gives you some different suggestions for how to ring in the New Year this year. According to the Lunar Calendar, next year is the year of the Dragon which is supposed to be a lucky year for a lot of people. And what an awesome way start off a lucky year than with food. As my cousin Rick Holzheimer reminded me, rice and noodles are very important to Asians and are a sign of good luck of fortune. So feel free try out some new places and Happy New Year to all.
If you would like to know more about Ra Chan and her food travels, you can follow her blog The Eating Chronicles.
New Year’s Eve Party with “Jack Wagon” Band
December 29, 2011 by Special to the Falls Church Times · 2 Comments
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
December 29, 2011
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace with local band favorite, Jack Wagon! The seven-piece Classic Rock and Soul band has performed throughout the Washington DC area and is sure to ring in the New Year with a night full of great music, dancing and fun. Led by Bruce Turner, Jack Wagon’s music repertoire consists of covers from popular Rock, Soul, Motown, Blues, and R&B bands and artists from the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. The night begins at 8 pm on Saturday, December 31st and the party goes until 1 am. Tickets are $20 and includes light hors d’oeuvres and a champagne toast at midnight for those 21 and older. Cash bar. Sponsored by Louise Molton with Weichert Realtors, the NYE Party is a benefit for Creative Cauldron.
Creative Cauldron is located at 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building. FREE parking is available in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue. Go to www.creativecauldron.org for more information.
Falls Church Boy Scout Troop 349 Deliver Food to City’s Homeless Shelter
December 28, 2011 by Steven Valley · Leave a Comment
17 Scouts from Troop 349 delivered some much needed holiday cheer to the cities homeless. Members of the troop planned, cooked, and delivered a holiday meal to the shelter on Gordon’s Road by the property yard. Food and dessert was made for all of the shelters occupants as well as the staff. Troop 349 is chartered by the American Legion Post 130 on Oak St in Falls Church.
Scouts from Falls Church Troop 895 bring some holiday cheer to Sunrise residents
December 28, 2011 by Steven Valley · Leave a Comment
This past week, members of Falls Church Boy Scout Troop 895 visited the Sunrise Senior Living Center in Falls Church. Over 40 boys walked to the center from their meeting at the Falls Church Presbyterian Church to sing and play holiday songs and Christmas carols for the Residents.
Spectacular Poplar Tree May Be Saved After All
December 23, 2011 by Stephen Siegel · 18 Comments
By STEPHEN SIEGEL
Falls Church Times Staff
December 23, 2011
The much-loved tulip poplar tree on the Woodland House lot at Fulton and Lee streets might survive after all.
The 70-inch diameter tree seemed likely to meet the chain saw last spring, when city officials told the Times that a developer who bought the property had the legal right to cut down the tree and subdivide the lot.
But that wasn’t quite right.
City officials are empowered under a little-known ordinance to withhold a building permit on properties deemed historically significant until a board known as the HARB — short for Historic Architecture Review Board — signs off on a developer’s proposal.
They have not done so in this case.
Instead, they asked that the owner, ASR Designer Homes, LLC, market the home for a year, at a price determined by an independent appraisal, to see if a buyer who will save the house and tree will emerge. That requirement wasn’t just created out of whole cloth; it is part of the historic preservation statute.
As a result, the 4,400 square foot home at 610 Fulton was listed for sale on Wednesday at a price of $1,120,000. That’s about the going rate for an updated house of that size in Falls Church City, but this house needs extensive repair.
City Planning Director Jim Snyder said all the house’s systems need to be rebuilt, and it also needs exterior fixes, which in turn will have to comply with the requirements of the historic building code. Mr. Snyder added that any buyers who are interested will probably need to spend up to another $1 million, on top of the purchase price for the house.
The reason it appraised so high, despite its condition, are its historic status and because it sits on a very large lot, now .56 acres. That’s smaller than it was; the developer already has subdivided some of the lot, which had been more than an acre, in order to build two other homes.
Under the rules of the historic statute, the owner must market the home for a year at the approved price, and ensure buyers are aware they cannot tear the house or tree down. Indeed, the listing on local real estate sites says just that, and also says the developer has begun work on the two houses whose lots were subdivided from the original lot.
Should a well-heeled buyer decide to jump in, he or she will be acquiring a unique property, and one that would wind up being more expensive, with a higher assessment, than virtually any other home in the City. What the likelihood is of such an eventuality occurring is hard to say, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Then again, with many homes in Arlington selling in the $1.5 million to $2 million range, it’s certainly not impossible to imagine. There’s plenty of money in prosperous Northern Virginia — but does anyone want to part with it for this particular home?
The tulip poplar tree, located on the southwest corner of the lot, is estimated to be 150 years old, and its canopy covers nearly half of the new lot.
More than 70 City residents signed a petition in 2010 asking that the tree be saved, and the Falls Church Tree Commission passed a motion late last year urging the City Council “to investigate all options” to protect it.
Emotions have run high on both sides in this long-running battle; the Shefer family, which previously owned the house, had fought the City over the proper zoning for the property, and the new owner has reported harassment of his workers who were doing cleanup and site preparation on the lot.
