WARWICK VILLAGE ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY

Plans are starting to get into high gear for our annual holiday party that is tentatively scheduled for Monday, December 13.  You will notice that day is not the normal third Monday of the month for our monthly association meeting.  The normal date would be December 20, but the majority of residents will be starting their holiday vacations.  So, in order for as many residents to be able to participate as possible, we have moved the annual holiday party and monthly meeting for December to the SECOND Monday of the month.  

This year we are also looking at accepting canned goods donations that can be given to the local food pantry.  This food will go a long way in helping others to have a great meal during the holidays.  So please bring any non-perishable items that you like and we will get them to the pantry.

Kathy Sugrue has been our annual holiday planner for several years now and she has always done a great job!  But, she cannot do it alone, she needs our help.  If you are interested in volunteering some time to help setup or decorate please contact Kathy at kgsugrue@comcast.net.

If you are interested in donating a pot-luck dish, something that is one of your favorites or something that is a family tradition, you can also sign-up for that.  You can contact Kathy or me (John Starcher) at WarwickVillage@hotmail.com.

LUMINARIA SATURDAY, DEC 4^th 2010

 Hello neighbors!

 The annual luminaria display will take place on Saturday, December 4th. Once again, I’m looking for volunteers to help with the following:

1)  Folding bags to prepare them for use

2)  Day-of participation at the pool house starting at 1:00pm (loading the bags with sand/candles, driving the neighborhood to place the bags, lighting the candles)

3)  Sunday clean-up

I strongly encourage you to rope in your neighbors this year! Especially the new ones– it’s a great way to get them involved and feel like they are a part of the Village. 

Please shoot me a note back to let me know if you’re able to help with this year. Also, forward this message to anyone you think would like to get involved so they can contact me. Bags are coming in soon, and I’d like to get them out to everybody so you have plenty of time to fold. (And remember, bag-folding is best accomplished with a glass or two of your favorite beverage. Tis the season!)

Thanks so much! –Mike Buenig

ANNUAL SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS WALK WEEKEND AND PARADE

Visit www.scottishchristmaswalk.com.

The fresh scent of heather and the festive melody of bagpipes are sure to get you into the holiday spirit at the 40th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Parade on Friday, December 3, and Saturday, December 4, in Alexandria. In celebration of this special anniversary, the Scottish Government is this year’s premier sponsor.

 The centerpiece of the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend is the parade on Saturday, December 4, beginning at 11 a.m. The parade will celebrate the City’s Scottish heritage, featuring Scottish pipe and drum bands, Scottish dancers, re-enactment groups, Scottie dog groups, dignitaries and, of course, Santa Claus! The parade will take place in Old Town, starting at the intersection of Wilkes and South Saint Asaph Streets, and concluding at the intersection of King and Pitt Streets.

In addition to the parade, the weekend will feature several events and activities, including a Christmas marketplace, Holiday Designer Tour of Homes, a children’s tea party, and a Scotch tasting. Some events require advance registration. All proceeds from the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend support the Campagna Center’s programs, which help children in Alexandria arrive at school ready to learn and ensuring they are academically successful at each grade level. For more information, or to register for specific events, visit www.scottishchristmaswalk.com.   

For more information, contact Jennifer Harris, Communications Officer, Office of Communications, at 703.746.3961 or Jennifer.harris@alexandriava.gov.

FRIENDS OF DUNCAN LIBRARY EVENT

The Friends of Duncan Library are hosting a talk by distinguished author and videographer and cinematographer Thomas Kaufman from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, to introduce his award-winning Washington-based detective novel, Drink the Tea.

Thomas Kaufman is an Emmy Award-winning motion picture cameraman/director. He is a two-time winner of the Gordon Parks Award for Cinematography, and has contributed his work to three Academy Award-nominated films. He also plays jazz bass. Drink the Tea is his first novel, and George Pelecanos has called him “a welcome new voice in Washington, D.C. crime fiction.”
 
The talk is free and open to the public. It is a featured attraction of that evening’s annual Duncan Library Holiday Open House, which will run from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM and feature refreshments, a performance by local jazz quartet Project Natale, and the talk by Thomas Kaufman. In the spirit of the season, please consider bringing new, unwrapped toys for Community Partners for Children. Thank you!

The Duncan Library, a branch of the Alexandria Library system, is located at 2501 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301. For more information or directions, please call 703-746-1705 or visit the library online at <www.alexandria.lib.va.us> or the Friends website at http://duncanlibraryfriends.intuitwebsites.com.

HAPPENINGS IN DEL RAY

THE CLAY QUEEN Pottery Holiday Show & Sale – Saturday,  December 4 (10am – 6pm) and Sunday, December 5 (11am – 5pm).  2303 Mt. Vernon Avenue, 703-549-7775.  Handmade pottery by Renee Altman – bowls, pitchers, mugs, casseroles, pie plates, planters, butter dishes and many more.  Also, jewelry made of handmade semiprecious stone beads such as lapis, agate, and turquoise.  Join us for refreshments

ST. STEPHEN’S & ST. AGNES SCHOOL - The Upper School Admission Visiting Day will take place on December 6 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. This is an opportunity for prospective students to shadow current Upper School students for a day of classes. On December 8, the JK/K tours take place from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. on our Lower School campus. This allows you to meet administrators and see our outstanding faculty in action. Please visit www.sssas.org/admission for more information.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN SCHOOL, Alexandria’s Jr. K-8 Classical Academy – Come check out Alexandria’s best kept secret!  Immanuel features small class sizes, an accelerated classical curriculum and a surprisingly affordable tuition. Open House 9:00 am – 12:00 noon, Sat. Dec. 4^th; Location: 1801 Russell Rd, Alex., VA. 22301. www.immanuelalexandria.org  703/549-7323

BUNGALOW HOMEWARES GALLERY – “Wonder” small works on paper by Margaret Appleby, December 1 – 31; opening reception Friday, December 3, 6 – 8p.m. Stop by the store this Friday evening to meet the artist, and to enjoy the artwork and refreshments. Location: 1901A Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 223011; www.bungalowhomewares.com.

eye2eye OPTOMETRY CORNER – Get ready for the holidays and have a chance to use your flex spending all in one! We are pleased to offer a fashion TRUNK SHOW on Thursday, Dec. 9th 2-6pm featuring a Danish eye wear line called Pro Design and Lauri Ploch from an L.A. clothing fashion line. Stop on in to see all the great items.  Pro Design eye wear will be 40% off.  1502 Mt. Vernon Ave (703) 548-0122, www.myeye2eye.com

BELLIES & BABIES CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE – Free Cloth Diapering Class, Thursday December 2 at 7:00 p.m. 1913 Mt. Vernon Avenue. Del Ray, Alexandria. www.Belliesbabies.com

ST. ELMO’S COFFEE PUB – Holiday Gift Sale. Saturday, December 4^th, 10am-2pm; Handmade Jewelry, scarves. 2300 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alex. Va. 22301 703-739-9268

LOCAL MOTION

Transportation Alternatives is Now Local Motion

The City of Alexandria’s eNews service that you signed up for to receive information on local transportation events, alerts, and initiatives is changing its name from Transportation Alternatives to the Local Motion eNews.

Local Motion is the City of Alexandria’s program for promoting and encouraging alternatives to travel by car, in order to reduce traffic congestion, facilitating mobility, and improve air quality.  Visit us at www.alexandriava.gov/localmotion

Commuter Bulletin Board

Need to find a carpool? Want to find riders for your Vanpool?  Well Commuter Connections has an online tool to help you hook up with other area commuters that are trying to do the same thing.  Just visit their online Commuter Bulletin Board, post your ridesharing request in the appropriate City/County, and start connecting with other commuters today!  For more information please click HERE

Pool Rewards Commuters Earn Cash for Carpooling

Drive-Alone Commuters Sought for Enrollment

Commuter Connections is launching Pool Rewards, a program first introduced in 2009 as a demonstration project to encourage drive alone commuters in the Washington, DC region to try carpooling.  Participants can earn $2 ($1 each way) for each day they carpool to work over a consecutive 90-day period, up to a maximum of $130.  To learn more and to sign up click HERE

Teleworkers Have Higher Rate of Job Satisfaction

According to a study conducted by a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, employees who telework experience higher job satisfaction than their peers who work in the office. This study reveals that working from home alleviates the stresses of the workplace. In addition, it finds that productivity at home is on par with productivity in the office environment.  To read more click HERE

Metro Jurisdictions to get Enhanced Metrobus Service

Routes in Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia targeted for faster, more reliable service in December

Metro will adjust some bus services starting on Dec. 19, bringing two new, direct bus routes from Virginia into the District of Columbia, limited-stop service between Capitol Heights and downtown Washington, and more frequent service between Silver Spring and Bethesda, Md. These service initiatives, which were approved by the Metro Board of Directors in late September, support Metro’s on-going efforts to enhance reliability and increase ridership by maximizing available resources.  To read more click HERE

VRE Update

The VRE Update is a monthly newsletter designed to inform riders of VRE service information as well as other transportation matters. For the latest issue and archives please click HERE

DASH Christmas Schedule

There will be no service on Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25th.

Changes to SmartBenefits® Begin Jan. 1

SmartBenefits® commuters could lose more than $1,300 in transit benefits

SmartBenefits® commuters could lose more than $1,300 a year in transit benefits, beginning Jan. 1, 2011, when two federally required changes become effective …  To read more click HERE

Transportation Commission

The next Transportation Commission meeting is planned for Wednesday, December 1st at 7:30 pm.

The meeting will take place at Alexandria City Hall (301 King Street) on the first floor in the Sister Cities Conference Room 1101. All meetings are open to the public.  A draft agenda is posted HERE  Please email any questions to TransportationCommission@alexandriava.gov