REGAL WHITE HORSES dance before your eyes, as desert oases become emerald forests, which morph into exquisite white winters. An epic story is told, but who is front and center? The four-legged stars.
"Cavalia" is the latest imaginative triumph of Normand Latourelle, one of the powers behind Cirque du Soleil, and other innovative visual events, such as the sound and light show in Ottawa on Parliament Hill.
"'Cavalia' is a total invention; it simply didn't exist anywhere in the world before we started it," says Latourelle. He notes that, although the production — billed as an "equestrian odyssey" — has some aspects that are the same as Cirque du Soleil, "it's not a circus, because it has elements of real theater and dance; it has special effects and new media elements as well."
Continue Reading "Creature Feature: Horses Are the Real Stars of 'Cavalia'" »
WHAT WE WANT to know is, how did the witch in "Hansel and Gretel" not manage to eat her own house by the time those two greedy brats showed up? Just imagine an 8-foot-tall structure made entirely of gingerbread, glued all over with candy, even a fireplace — OMG THERE IT IS!!
If you're knocking around the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City beginning on Friday, Nov. 28, you will be treated with the sight of this dream come true — a life-size gingerbread house baked and built by the good witches of the Ritz' kitchen. The tasty home is occupied by three stuffed bears, but they won't mind if the tinies walk through with an adult to take in all the details. On Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, pastry chef Noree Hathaway leads kids in two gingerbread house-making workshops each day.
» The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 S. Hayes St., Arlington; life-size house, free, on display through Jan. 2; workshops are at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., $54 for children, including lunch; $45 for adults; 703-415-5000, www.ritzcarlton.com/pentagoncity. (Pentagon City)
Photo by Julia Ewan for The Washington Post
THE NEW WAY TO SUPPORT OUR troops? Play against them in a real-time video match-up.
On the eve of Tuesday's Veterans Day holiday, GameStop is hosting a tournament at its Fashion Centre at Pentagon City location (1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington; 703-415-3535) in which D.C.-area Average Joes can square off against G.I. Joes stationed in Fort Drum, N.Y.
The battleground of choice? Xbox Live's "Call of Duty: World at War," a day prior to its official release. Gameplay lasts from 9-11 p.m., with by a developer meet-and-greet at 10 p.m. and prizes awarded at 11:30 p.m.
» Game Stop, 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington; 703-415-3535. (Pentagon City)
Photo courtesy of GameStop
THE FEEL OF FYVE, a recently opened restaurant and lounge in the dining space of the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton, seems both highfalutin and low-key.
Truth is, both assessments would be right.
Located minutes from that paragon of pent-up peacekeeping, this eatery is less homage than retreat. You can envision weary state officials tucking into one of the lounge settees and fraternizing with bejeweled patrons and happy-hour honchos. Credit much of the balance to chef de cuisine Amy Brandwein's thorough yet whimsical menu.
Brandwein cut her teeth working in the kitchen with Roberto Donna, most recently at the innovative Bebo Trattoria. Her attention to detail — especially when seeking out local farms for ingredients — lent a hometown pride to the food. She has devised a large number of dishes that cater to the myriad cultures and tastes of Washington (and the Ritz's) patrons. Flavors of Morocco, Rome and Madrid pervade the menu.
DURING THE EARLY PLANNING STAGES for Metrorail, a branch was considered that would run from the Pentagon station through the Columbia Pike corridor to the Lincolnia area of Fairfax County. That rail line didn't make the final cut. 
But initial funding for a proposed streetcar line that would follow a similar route was approved last week in a unanimous vote by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, which OK'd a number of other transit projects as well.
As The Post's Michael Laris reports:
The $392 million spending plan approved by the authority last week covers 2 1/2 years and includes more than $150 million for Metro, as well as a list of projects small and large, from bike trails and a municipal garage in Falls Church to an interchange at routes 7 and 659 in Loudoun County and the widening of Route 1 in Prince William County, among other projects.But the spending plan depends on the transportation authority winning a lawsuit in the Virginia Supreme Court over its ability to raise taxes.
Continue Reading "Columbia Pike Streetcar One Step Closer to Reality" »
METRORAIL WILL open two hours early on Sunday to accommodate those looking to watch or participate in the Marine Corps Marathon. Stations will open at 5 a.m., a little more than three hours before the race's scheduled 8:15 a.m. start time.
The transit agency notes that services normally run out of the Pentagon station will be relocated to Pentagon City because of the marathon.
Also, anyone planning to travel between Virginia and the District on Sunday morning might want to consider Metro as an option. Travel by car will be difficult at best.
» "Metrorail to Open Early for Sunday's Marine Corps Marathon" [WMATA]
WITH FUNDING for public infrastructure improvements tight, is a plan to build a $120-million Columbia Pike light-rail line between Pentagon City and the Skyline shopping center a wise move? Some candidates for Arlington County Board say no, citing the high costs and questioning the benefits South Arlington neighborhoods would get from the rail link. The Sun-Gazette reported Wednesday that "five candidates for County Board split decisively on the proposal" during a Arlington County Civic Federation forum. One Republican candidate, Joseph Warren, said the proposed streetcar a waste, along with public art installations.
In 2006, the Arlington County and Fairfax County boards approved a streetcar concept for the busy corridor, but funding has not been secured.
For more background on the Pike Transit Initiative, click here.
» "Trolley System Splits County Board Candidates" [Sun-Gazette]
AFTER ANOTHER SERIES of smoky eruptions shut down another batch of Metrorail stations during Monday's evening rush, Metro officials are considering the possibility that the incidents could have been caused intentionally.
"This is not normal," Metro General Manager John Catoe said, according to The Post's Lena H. Sun and Martin Weil. "This is highly, highly irregular."
Report Sun and Weil:
Asked whether he thought the incidents might be intentional, [Catoe] said: "Could it be something else [other than an accident]? Everything now is suspicious."Monday's delays began at around 7 p.m. after several trains lost power between the Pentagon City and Braddock Road stations on the Blue and Yellow lines, according to a Metro press statement. A track fire was reported at the Pentagon City station. A fire was also reported at the U Street-Cardozo station, which shut down both that station and the stop at Columbia Heights from 7:20 p.m. to 8:40 p.m., the statement said.A spokesman for the D.C. fire department said that the department was "very concerned" about the large number of incidents in a brief period and that the department would try to assist Metro in determining whether they were more than accidental.
Shuttle buses ferried passengers between L'Enfant Plaza and Huntington and also between the Georgia Avenue-Petworth and Shaw-Howard University stations.
Continue Reading "Smoke, Fire Cause Another Messy Metro Commute" »
UNLESS THERE ARE DELAYS or track work on the Blue and Yellow lines, travel between the Braddock Road station in Alexandria and the Pentagon City or Crystal City areas of Arlington County is usually pretty speedy. But if you're relying on public transit to get to points in between, like the Potomac Yard shopping center off Route 1, it's not so easy.
Although there had once been plans to construct a new Metrorail station at the big-box shopping complex, the idea hasn't been revisited in years. But one effort to create better transit access along the Route 1 corridor between Alexandria and Arlington is on a short list for government attention.
On Monday, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority released a list of transit projects that would be funded through a set of proposed taxes and fees that would raise about $300 million for projects that otherwise wouldn't be funded by the state Department of Transportation, The Post's Eric M. Weiss reports. The NVTA is scheduled to meet July 12 to vote on whether to implement the proposal.
Like other projects on the list, a bus rapid transit link through Crystal City and Potomac Yard has been on the drawing board for quite some time and is essentially ready to go — except for the funding. But that is likely to change in the near future.
Continue Reading "Alexandria-Arlington Link Poised to Get Funding" »
TRAVELING ON the Red, Blue, Yellow or Green lines this weekend? Be prepared for delays due to scheduled track maintenance and rail car testing.
Riders traveling on the Blue and Yellow lines to and from Reagan National Airport and Alexandria will experience major delays of up to 30 minutes between the Pentagon City and Braddock Road stations because of track maintenance. Trains between those stations will share a track from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Alternating Blue Line trains traveling to Franconia-Springfield station will terminate at Pentagon City and return to Largo Town Center, and alternating Yellow Line trains traveling to Huntington will terminate at Pentagon City and return to Fort Totten. Those traveling south of Pentagon City should plan accordingly, and build extra time into their schedules.
Those heading through Bethesda on the Red Line can expect 15 minute delays between the Friendship Heights and Medical Center stations due to track maintenance. Trains between those stations will share a track starting around 10 p.m. today through 10 a.m. Saturday, and again from 10 p.m. Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday.
Riders on the Blue Line between the District and Prince George's County may face 15 minute delays between the Stadium Armory and Addison Road-Seat Pleasant stations for track maintenance. Trains between those stations will share the same track starting today at 10 p.m. until 10 a.m. Saturday, and from 10 p.m. Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday.
Those traveling on the Green Line in Southeast D.C. between Navy Yard and Southern Avenue stations should add 20 minutes to trips for scheduled track maintenance. Trains between those stations will share one track from 7 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.
Also on the Green Line in Prince George's County, riders should expect 10-15 minute delays between the Greenbelt and College Park stations for regular rail car testing. Trains will share a track during testing, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Addison Road