Last Call for Lighting up News, Page 3 Online at Teaching That Giving Spirit News, Page 3 Real Estate Open Houses

ArlingtonArlinThe gton Connection Classified, page 13 Classified, ❖ Church members and local residents gather as they watch the “Miracle on 23rd Street” tree lighting celebration at 750 South 23rd St. on Dec. 4. Sports, page 12 ❖ ‘Miracle on Real Estate, page 11 Real Estate, ❖ 23rd Street’ News, Page 3 Calendar, page 9 Calendar, Last Call for Lighting Up News, page 3 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Teaching That Giving Spirit News, page 3 Real Estate Open Houses Real Estate, Page 11 Requested in home 12-10-09 home in Requested Time sensitive material. sensitive Time Attention Postmaster: Attention PERMIT #322 PERMIT Offense: A Work in Progress MD Easton, PAID Sports, Page 12 Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT Photo by Connection LaShawn Avery/The www.ConnectionNewspapers.comDecember 9-15, 2009 ❖ Volume XXIII, Number 49 Arlington Connection ❖ December 9-15, 2009 ❖ 1 News Photos by Photos LaShawn Avery /The Connection Rick Jones, Carriages of the Capital, with his horse Hawkeye during the 7th annual Light up the Village in Shirlington on Dec.1. Light up the Village Carol singers Celia Cantor, Gary Floyd and Janice Rivera entertain guests as they stand in line for a Marcia Brudy, Carriages of the Capital, provides carriage carriage ride. rides for guests. 2 ❖ Arlington Connection ❖ December 9-15, 2009 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Arlington Connection Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Last Call for Lighting Up in a few minutes, and cigars, which he said Local establishments involve a more languid, luxuriating experi- bid adieu to the ence that combining flavor and aroma of smoke with the tastes of a fine scotch slowly smoke-filled room. sipped, enjoyed in a comfortable public at- mosphere amid other people. Ira Weil, manager of Old Virginia Tobacco By Todd Georgelas Company in Kingstowne, later agreed. The Connection “Smoking cigars is a social event,” he said afterward. “It was really fun — eating, ichael Musella was a twice- drinking, and smoking. It was a really good a-week regular at Crystal night.” MCity’s Morton’s the Weil was one of the cigar pros asked to Steakhouse, for one reason: select cigars appropriate to the evening’s to smoke quality cigars with a glass of menu from among the 500 labels Old Vir- scotch, amid the old boy ambience of the ginia Tobacco carries. He compares himself wood-paneled bar. Last Monday, though, to a wine sommelier, saying that the Musella described the visit in different evening’s three featured cigars were paired terms. to complement the meal: the Special T was County board member Mary Hynes “Tonight it’s a funeral. No more of this a starter long enough to sustain through the rd ‘Miracle on 23 Street’ lights the Christmas tree as guests here,” he said, waving a thick Davidoff Spe- cocktail hour, and mild enough to pair well watch the tree lighting celebration. cial T Torpedo in the air. with the raspberry sorbet; the Davidoff The “Special T” was the first of three ci- Grand Cru was appropriate as an interme- gars included during the restaurant’s sold diate smoke that led up to the out Last Hurrah Davidoff Din- sirloin entrée. A stout Win- Santa Claus ner, which manager ston Churchill Blenheim was arrives during Stephen Conroy orga- included as a bold finishing the festivities nized to mark — and stroke, complementing a at the “Miracle most patrons in atten- rich port that capped off the on 23rd dance were there to $195 evening. Street” tree mourn — the institution of “If you have to end it, lighting cel- a further restriction on that’s the way you want to ebration. smoking, effective Dec. 1, go out,” he said. “I don’t in nearly all of Virginia’s know how it could have bars and restaurants. , been better.” Still life with beer Morton’s was one of sev- , and cigs ashtray Photos by eral area restaurants to host AT GALAXY HUT in LaShawn Avery/ smoking themed events dur- Clarendon, which informally advertised The Connection ing the last hours that it would be legally Nov. 30 as ‘Indoor Smoking Enjoyment permitted there. Night’ on its Facebook page, seven of eight “I was surprised that it went through,” stools at the bar were occupied by smok- said Conroy of the decision by Virginia, ers. The clock approached midnight, and where tobacco has been a staple crop and last drags were being pulled on final legal Teaching That Giving Spirit cultural touchstone for 400 years, to enact bar cigarettes. the ban. “What used to be the exception is “I like tobacco. I like the smell, the taste, family that moved six or seven now the norm. You can scream all you want, I like the way it makes me feel,” said Joe Guiding children into times while she was growing but it won’t do any good.” Barbee as he smoked a Native American up. She believes the closeness Health advocates and popular sentiment Spirit. “I have an issue with the government sharing during the holidays. she experienced was due in part had long favored the restriction, and simi- barring smoking. But an establishment ban- to quality time as a family. “We lar bans in Maryland and D.C. helped pre- ning smoking — fine, there’s always a cute By Delia Sava spent all our time together be- cipitate Virginia’s decision. For a while, The Connection cause we were in the military, our main Conroy said, it also drew the cigar-and-steak See Last Call, Page 5 source was each other, always.” She at- crowd across the Potomac to Virginia res- his holiday season Amy Miller has tended George Mason University where she taurants like Morton’s, a chain begun three Ta number of suggestions for parents received a degree in social work and she decades ago in Chicago specifically as an to involve their children in commu- has lived in Arlington for 12 years. old style cigar-oriented saloon. nity service. The married mother of 9-year- Membership to Our-Kids is $26 annually. “This is not an environment where you’re old Madeline and 7-year-old Emma says it’s Members receive a weekly newsletter with terribly bothered by cigar smoke,” Musella important to instill these values in children a list of things to do that week, access to said. at an early age. “Parents ask me, ‘how can I search the data base to meet specific inter- “No drinking, no dancing, stop laughing,” bring my child to volunteer?’ ests and needs and lots of pro- a waiter chimed in sardonically. and I tell them that it’s doable,” motions. “If you take advantage said Miller. To Help of all the offers, you get your UNDER THE LAW, Morton’s will have the The Arlington mom owns and For the volunteer list, money back,” said Miller. The option of maintaining a smoking area of the operates a Web site, www.our- visit www.our-kids.com public version, which anyone restaurant, provided it is “separately kids.com, which provides infor- can get to, just has the basic in- vented” and “structurally separated” from ‘Striking 12’ mation and resources to area parents look- formation. “The whole purpose of Our- Kids the non-smoking section. Conroy says the Valerie Vigoda performs a ing for family activities. “The biggest thing is to make it your one-stop place so you current bar area, walled off and visible to sound check before the 3 p.m. is hearing from someone that I’ve helped don’t have to go to 5 or 6 different sources, the main dining room via only a single thick performance of “Striking 12” them find something new for their family it’s all right there.” window, might be capable of serving as a at the Arena Stage in Crystal to do, finding a new event or a nature cen- As a busy mom herself, Miller stresses the future smoking zone. City on Dec. 5. ter or a library.” Musella raised a distinction between ciga- See review, Page 8 Miller was born in Hawaii into a military See Teaching, Page 5 rettes, which he said can be puffed outside www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Arlington Connection ❖ December 9-15, 2009 ❖ 3 News News Briefs Stay Away Guide for Green Gift-Giving From Stream by Photo County officials warned An assortment of Arlington artist Paula Bryan residents to avoid contact Louise Krafft eco-friendly gifts. says that almost everything with water in Four Mile Run she makes is inspired by some- following a fire at an automo- thing in nature. Her one-of-a bile parts facility on South By Delia Sava kind scarves, jackets and coats Four Mile Run Drive that sent The Connection can be viewed at her studio at auto fluids and firefighting /Connection the Arlington Arts Center, materials draining into Four t’s that time of year for that mad scramble to priced $60 to $1,800. Mile Run. find the perfect gift. This year more than ever, www.arlingtonartscenter.org The county has posted fly- people are encouraged to embrace the concept 703-400- 2070. Paula Bryan ers along the affected areas I of less being more: to be less wasteful and more How about a new bike to coat and of Four Mile Run: thoughtful about what they buy, having less stress commute to work? Dennis scarf ❖ Stay away from the af- Posted signs within the and more time to truly enjoy time with the people Dever, store manager at fected waters, dog park on Four Mile Run. they care about.

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