JANUARY MONTHLY MEETING

Please remember that this month’s January monthly meeting will be held on the FOURTH Monday this month, January 24, 2011.  Meet and greet begins at 7:15 and the meeting will start at 7:30.  There will be a brief update from Parks and Recreation from Roger Blakeley with an update on Hillside Park.  Afterwards the meeting turns to you, the residents and a schedule of upcoming events will be discussed.  This is your chance to let the Executive Board know what you want them to do for you this coming year.

FRIENDS OF DUNCAN LIBRARY – AUTHOR TALK WITH DR. KURT JOHNSON

On Wednesday evening, January 12, 2011 from 7:30 to 8:30 PM, the Friends of Duncan Library will host a talk by Dr. Kurt Johnson, a professor of anatomy at George Washington University, on his new book In My Back Yard: Natural History in the Suburbs. When not peering through a microscope or gazing out at a roomful of med students, Dr. Johnson spends much of his time throughout the seasons observing and carefully photographing the plant and animal life to be found in his own Alexandria back yard (and ours too, if we look closely enough). His talk and slide show will reveal to us the fascinating diversity of life
in nature that can be found literally under our noses.

The talk is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

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://friendsofduncanlibrary.org/.

LIFE DRAWING WORKSHOP:  GESTURE DRAWING

When: Wednesday, February 16^th, 6:30-9:30 pm

Where: Del Ray Artisans gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22310

Still looking for ways to get the most out of those short poses?  During this workshop instructor Robin Croft will offer exercises and commentary intended to encourage a loose gestural approach to drawing the figure.

Bring a LARGE paper or newsprint pad and one or more of the following: red or black Conte; stick charcoal; woodless pencils; chalk pastel; brush and India ink.

Robin Croft was recently featured in the Richmond Times Dispatch article “Turning Nature’s Debris Into Works of Art” by Andy Thompson for his and a collaborator’s 30 ft. long “Shipwreck, APR,” an interpretation of Albert Pinkham Ryder’s paintings of storm tossed ships at sea.  Visit his website (www.rlcroft.com) to view photographs of this moody drawing made of sticks, limbs and logs resting in Pony Pasture Park on the banks of the James River.

Fees are $15 for DRA members, $18 for non-members.  Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Register by Sunday, February 13th either at the gallery or online at http://www.thedelrayartisans.org/WebCalendar/view_entry.php?id=766&date=20110216.  For more information contact Katherine Rand at 703-836-1468 or DRA.LifeDrawing@gmail.com.

Not sure if this workshop is for you?  Come to our free session on Sunday, January 9th from 9:30-12:00 where Robin Croft will be leading some gesture drawing exercises.  Please RSVP for this free event to DRA.LifeDrawing@gmail.com.

CITY OF ALEXANDRIA OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

Saturday, January 8 & 15 – Christmas/Holiday Tree Recycling Collections
Residents who receive City trash service have two Saturdays to set-out trees for recycling pick-up, on Saturday, January 8 and Saturday, January 15.  Residents must:

• Remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and stands
• Not place trees in plastic bags
• Place the tree at the curb (no alleys) by 7 a.m.

Trees collected after January 16, will be collected as regular refuse. The trees are recycled into mulch by chipping in the spring. The mulch will be available at the City’s site (4215 Eisenhower Ave.) at no charge to residents in the spring, on a first come, first serve basis. Mulch is also available for delivery for a small fee. For more information, call 703.746.4410.

Monday, January 11 – Tavern Toddlers
Join us for a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime in Gadsby’s historic ballroom Mondays, excluding Federal holidays, through April 25 any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. Cost is $7 for a group of three, which must include one adult, or $30 for purchase of a five-week pass. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.746.4242.

Monday, January 11 – “Marketing Matters Most” SBDC Workshop
The Small Business Development Center is hosting a seminar entitled “Marketing Matters Most. What’s Your Plan for 2011?” as part of their Start, Manage, Grow workshop series. The seminar is scheduled from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Admission is free, but you must register to participate. For more information, call 703.778.1292 or visit www.alexandriasbdc.org.

Tuesday, January 12 – Local Author Lecture Featuring Dr. Kurt Johnson
Come and hear local author Dr. Kurt Johnson talk about his book In My Back Yard: Natural History in the Suburbs at 7:30 p.m. at Alexandria’s James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Avenue. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 703.746.1705.

Thursday, January 13 – Civil War Dance Class
In preparation for the Civil War Ball on Saturday, January 29, learn the waltz, polka, Virginia reel and more from an expert dance master at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. The class is 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and costs $12. Reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.746.4242.

Saturday, January 15 – Citywide Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 38th Annual Citywide Tribute beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, 1401 Duke Street. Join Mayor William D. Euille; guest speaker Rev. Donald R. Kelly, Olive Branch Community Church of the Sandy Spring, MD; and the Restoration Choir of Metropolitan AME Church, Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.shiloh-bc.org.

Saturday, January 15 – Alexandria Library’s Talking Book Service Friends Meeting
Alexandria Library’s Talking Book Service will have its Friends meeting from 10 a.m. to noon, featuring special guest American Council of the Blind (NOVA Chapter). The meeting will take place in the Talking Books Office, on the second floor of Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke Street.  The guest speaker will be Vicki Ratcliffe, who will discuss aids for the blind and vision impaired on display. For more information, call Loni McCaffrey at 703.746.1760 or e-mail lmccaffrey@alexandria.lib.va.us. Talking Book Service (TBS) is a free service for the blind, physically and/or visually impaired or learning disabled.  This service is free and open to the public.

Saturday, February 5 – Green Building Workshop Series
Attend the first Eco-City Alexandria Green Building Workshop to learn do-it-yourself improvements that save energy and increase comfort for your home, apartment or small business. The workshop is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Sister Cities Conference Room 1101 at City Hall, 301 King Street. A raffle for an energy efficient door prize will occur at the end of the workshop. For more information, call the Office of Environmental Quality at 703.746.4065 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/Eco-City. RSVP to erica.bannerman@alexandriava.gov to reserve your space at the workshop. To learn more about the City’s green building initiatives, visit www.alexandriava.gov/GreenBuilding.

City of Alexandria Farmers’ Markets
The City of Alexandria is host to the Old Town Farmers’ Market and Del Ray Farmers’ Market every Saturday. The markets feature colorful displays of fresh, locally grown, in-season vegetables and fruit, gourmet coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, meat, bakery items and artisans. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/farmersmarket.

Open through May 1, 2011 – “Patriotic and Public Spirited” Commemorative Wares in George Washington’s Hometown
Alexandria prides itself on being the hometown of George Washington and Robert E. Lee, and historic events such as George Washington’s Birthnight Ball and Lafayette’s 1824 visit to Alexandria were cause for great celebration. This exhibition of commemorative ceramic wares, recovered from archaeological excavations or preserved in collections, shows the community’s interest in events and historic places of local and national significance. The Lyceum, Alexandria’s History Museum (201 South Washington Street) is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.746.4994.

Open through May 7, 2011 – Style and Identity: Black Alexandria in the 1970s, Portraits by Horace Day
At the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 S. Wythe St., view this new exhibition of 32 paintings by Horace Day featuring Alexandria street scenes and portraits of African American Alexandrians. Described as an American scene or regional painter, Day created this body of work at a time when “Black” was becoming “Beautiful,” but when media still promoted stereotypical, demeaning images of African Americans. Day’s portraits reflect the dignity and beauty he saw in his subjects. Museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Suggested admission is $2. For more information, visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.746.4356.

Thursday, January 13 – Priority Transportation Projects Funding Proposal Meeting
A proposal to fund Alexandria’s Priority Transportation Projects is being reviewed as part of the FY 2012 budget process. The proposal includes a list of short and long term projects that address Alexandria’s transportation needs throughout the City. Residents are encouraged to attend an upcoming public meeting to learn more about priority transportation projects and funding options from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Community Room at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue. For more information, call 703.746.4025 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/TransportationAddonTax.

Thursday, January 13 – Housing Master Plan Advisory Group Meeting
The Housing Master Plan Advisory Group will meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Jefferson Houston Elementary School, 1501 Cameron Street.  The topic for discussion is Housing Alexandria’s Lowest Income Households.  This session will explore public housing and other options for housing the City’s lowest income households, to include discussion of Resolution 830 and AHIWG’s Priority Housing Unit Policy (proposed in Chapter II of the 2008 AHIWG report), as well as an update on ARHA’s Strategic Plan.  All are welcome to attend and participate. For more information, visit
www.alexandriava.gov/housingplan or call 703.746.4990.

Thursday, January 13 – Ad Hoc Fort Ward Park and Museum Area Stakeholder Advisory Group Meeting
The City of Alexandria’s Ad Hoc Fort Ward Park and Museum Area Stakeholder Advisory Group will hold its final regularly scheduled meeting at the Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W. Braddock Rd. at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation, call Laura Durham at 703.746.5493 or e-mail  laura.durham@alexandriava.gov.

Tuesday, January 18 – Alexandria Marketing Fund Application Deadline
Applications are now being accepted through Tuesday, January 18, for the next funding cycle of the Alexandria Marketing Fund, a program administered by the Alexandria Marketing Committee. The Marketing Fund is designed to foster public-private partnerships that develop projects to enhance the long-term marketing priorities of the City; increase awareness and improve the quality of Alexandria’s diverse businesses, promote Alexandria to specific target audiences, and generate additional business sales and tax revenues in Alexandria. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/marketingfund or contact Andrea Blackford at 703.746.3959 or andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov.

Thursday, January 20 – High Capacity Transit Corridor Work Group Meeting
Residents are invited to the High Capacity Transit Corridor Work Group meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Magnolia Ballroom at the Mark Center Hilton Hotel, 5000 Seminary Road. The meeting will focus on the selection of alignment alternatives for the Beauregard /Van Dorn corridor. Use the hotel parking garage and no fee will be charged as long as residents indicate they are going to a City of Alexandria meeting. For more information, call Steve Sindiong at 703.746.4047 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/HighCapacityTransit.

Commission for the Arts Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Resource Panels
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts is seeking volunteers with experience and interest in dance, literature, music, theatre and visual arts to serve on Resource Panels. Responsibilities include reviewing and evaluating Fiscal Year 2012 grant applications for grantees seeking funding for various arts programs. For more information, visit www.alexandriacommissionforthearts.org, www.alexandriava.gov/arts, or call the Office of the Arts at 703.746.5588.