Community Update (2/15/2023)
Special Event: Chinese New Year Celebration, February 28
Please join us to celebrate Chinese New Year. Based on popular demand, we will be returning to Mama Chang’s in Fairfax on Tuesday, February 28 from 5:00-7:30pm. While the cost has gone up (what hasn’t?), the menu has been specially curated for ANV. See details below on cost, location and RSVP instructions.
In-Person February 15 Coffee and Conversation at 10:00am today!
Remember that this is an in-person get-together at Lubber Run Community Center.
55+ Program Registration for Spring Begins February 15.
The Spring Guide is available and registration begins today, Wednesday, February 15 at 10 am. See details below.
Tax Aide
AARP Tax Aide for low and middle income taxpayers is available at the Arlington Library now through April 15. Appointments are available at the Central Library and Appointments and Walk-in help is available in Spanish and English at the Columbia Pike Branch. Please visit the AARP website to learn more about what you need to do.
Save the Date: Planetarium Tour, March 15
A special program for ANV members and volunteers will be held Wednesday, March 15 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the David M. Brown Planetarium, 1426 N. Quincy Street. See below for more details.
Lunch Dine Around Postponed
The lunch dine around at Yayla Bistro will be scheduled for a date later in the year.
Welcome
New Members
- Berta Belohlav
- Joan Blake
- Ava and John Colvin
- Desiree Girelle
- James Hartley
- Lidia and Archie Sabin
- Hao Tran
New Volunteers
- Paul Adamczak
- Ron Axelrod
- Tim Cleary
- Mylinh Dotruong
- Barbara Fillip
- Tracey Harp
- Elizabeth Miller
- Fekadeselassie Yoseph
Activities
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar at www.ANVarlington.org/events so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
Coffee and Conversations on Wednesdays at 10 am
- February 15: Special In-Person Valentine’s Event
- February 22: Tapping the Equity in Your Home
- March 1: Arlington Neighborhood Village Update
- March 8: What is ….?
Special Events
Weekly Groups
- Tai Chi
- Bocce
- Happy Hour
- Board Games
Monthly Groups
- Men’s Lunch Bunch
- Ladies Lunch
- Pop Up Picnic (on hiatus)
- Page Turners
Educational Activities
- Wellness
Also of Interest
ANV Activities
Coffee and Conversation: Wednesdays at 10 am
Coffee and Conversation occurs on Wednesdays, 10–11 am. Join our weekly conversations via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88948577106?pwd=eW0rN1RTTU5ITmJ5NnF2QXZINmdUQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 929-205-6099. The meeting ID is 889 4857 7106 and the passcode is 872327.
Wednesday, February 15: Special In-Person Valentine’s Event. ANV members, volunteers, and friends are invited to meet at Lubber Run Community Center, 300 North Park Drive, Senior Room. We will gather to share our favorite or meaningful stories about love: from books, movies, works of art –or even real life.
Wednesday, February 22: Tapping the equity in your home. Kimberly Petrey, loan manager from CU Mortgage, will explain how reverse mortgages work. These financial options may be appropriate for some homeowners. Kim will also talk about issues for seniors to consider and answer our questions.
Wednesday, March 1: Arlington Neighborhood Village Update Wendy Zenker, Executive Director, will provide an update on Arlington Neighborhood Village including updates on membership, volunteer opportunities, services, and programs.
Wednesday, March 8: What is….?. Your team always comes in first at trivia nights, and your friends constantly tell you you’re a walking encyclopedia of obscure facts. Think you have what it takes to be on Jeopardy!? Luigi de Guzman, the local Arlington attorney who won more than $140,000 over six days on the show, will share his experiences and tell us what it takes to be a winner.
ANV’s YouTube channel
If you miss a Coffee and Conversation speaker, be sure to check out ANV’s YouTube channel where we are posting some of our Coffee and Conversation speakers and other special events. Sit back and enjoy!
Special Events
Chinese New Year Celebration, Tuesday February 28 from 5:00 – 7:30 pm
Join us in celebrating the Year of the Rabbit as we dine at Mama Chang’s Restaurant at 3251 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax. There’s plenty of parking, is wheelchair/handicap friendly, and we will be in a private dining room with a fixed menu. Mama Chang’s Restaurant is from legendary Chinese chef and restaurateur Peter Chang and celebrates the extensive culinary contributions of the Chang women including Peter’s grandmother, mother, wife and celebrated chef Lisa Chang, and daughter Lydia Chang. The menu places a heavy emphasis on Hunan, Szechuan, Hubei, and home-style Chinese cooking and recipes, many of which have remained in the Chang family for generations.
The cost of the meal reflects inflation and is $45.00 including tax and gratuity. Beer and wine by the glass may be purchased separately with dinner. To pay for meal, please bring cash in an envelope with your name on it. We ask that attendees be fully vaccinated and adhere to local requirements regarding masks in effect on February 28.
RSVP by Friday, February 24 by emailing Office@arlnvil.org or by calling the office at 703-509-8057. Be sure to include the name of the event and name of each attendee with their email and/or phone number and let us know if you need a ride. We have a 48 person limit.
We are responsible for the number of diners in our group, so you also have until Friday February 24 to cancel your reservation. Otherwise, we will plan on your joining us for dinner and you will be responsible for the cost of dinner. Members and volunteers are welcome. We hope to see you to celebrate the Chinese New Year as we return to a well-loved restaurant.
ANV’s Own Star Trek at the Arlington Planetarium, March 15
A special program for ANV members and volunteers will be held Wednesday, March 15 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the David M. Brown Planetarium, 1426 N. Quincy Street, Arlington VA 22207. We will meet Mary Clendenning, Planetarium Specialist for Arlington Public Schools, to learn about how our newly renovated planetarium continues to provide a special learning experience for students of all ages. Dr. Jennifer Bartlett, President, Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium, will take us on an armchair journey through “March Skies” using the new, state-of-the-art Digistar 7 projector. If you wish to attend, please RSVP by Monday, March 13 to the ANV office by calling 703-509-8057 or emailing Office@arlnvil.org and let the office know if you need transportation.
Weekly Events
Zoom Practice Session
If you need some extra help getting familiar with ZOOM, just call or email office@arlnvil.org and we will set you up with a volunteer who can help you.
Tai Chi: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
ANV Tai Chi practice meets outdoors every week, weather permitting. Meet the group in the parking lot at Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Arlington Arts Center) at 3550 Wilson Blvd. If the forecast is too cold or wet, we will meet indoors. If you are interested in joining this practice (not instruction), please contact Anita Wallgren at awallgren@gmail.com or (202) 674-5553 to get the weekly location email.
Bocce, Friday, February 17 and March 3
Bocce has moved indoors for the winter. And it is on a new winter schedule (every other Friday). Join the ANV Bocce team at Pinstripes in Georgetown at 1064 Wisconsin Avenue NW. Pinstripes is offering ANV bocce for free – a $7 per person value – provided the group stays for lunch. For most players, getting there is easiest when taking the 38B Metro Bus from Ballston, departing at 11:30. All levels of bocce skills and experience are welcome. Everyone gets to play. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net.
ANV Board Games Day, Thursday, February 16 and March 2 at 2pm
Do you like board games? Join ANV members and volunteers for Games Day at Ballston Quarter Food Hall (lower level). Look for players at the tables near the elevators. Play games like Scrabble, Mexican Train Dominoes, Cribbage, Ticket to Ride, Quiddler, and more. We play every other Thursday at 2pm. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter parking garage for $1. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net.
Happy Hour: Thursdays, 5–7 pm
Join the ANV Happy Hour Group. The Happy Hour Group will try locations in the Ballston area. For more information and to know the weekly plan, contact Mike Murtha, Happy Hour Coordinator at dmmurtha@verizon.net. Mike will add you to his email list and let you know the weekly location on Thursday morning.
Monthly Events
Men’s Lunch
The Men’s Lunch Bunch will get together on Friday, March 10 at noon at Mattie and Eddie’s Irish Bar located at 1301 S. Joyce Street. Parking is available in the lot behind the restaurant and metered parking on the street. Mattie and Eddie’s is a casual bar and grill with a complete menu of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and salads. Please RSVP to Tim Burns at tfxb23@yahoo.com or by calling him at 571-224-4546.
Ladies Lunch
Join us on Friday, March 10 at noon at the Celtic House located at 2500 Columbia Pike and South Barton Street in South Arlington. The cozy restaurant offers traditional Irish fare and drink. Parking is available in their front, side, and back lots and the adjacent gravel lot. Please rsvp to Roslyn at roslynva@gmail.com so she may have an accurate count. The Ladies Lunch will meet the second Friday of the month going forward.
Page Turners February 23 at 11am on Zoom
Page Turners is back! Share a book that you have read, and you think would be interesting for other people to read. It can be something you are reading now, or a book you enjoyed in the past. Meet up with your fellow bibliophiles, share opinions, and learn about new books to add to your reading list. The group is hosted by Donna Pastore and Beverly Cannizzaro.
Join the conversation via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89666785566?pwd=WFFpTlY2SkJMQlJjN0NWNEUraFhEQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 301-715-8592. The meeting ID is 896 6678 5566 and the passcode is 007241.
Pop Up Picnics
Pop Up Picnics are on hiatus until the Spring.
Educational Activities
Arlington Public Library Programs
The Library has several events planned for February; please visit their website to see the calendar of events. The Library staff have curated events from the 55+ Program, Encore Learning and elsewhere to make it easy to find something that will pique your interest.
Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South at the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art, East Building, through March 26. Many Black artists in the South drew upon recycled materials as their art supplies and used yards, porches, or boarded-up storefronts as their galleries. The women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, made dazzling quilts from well-worn clothing or leftover scraps of fabric. Despite racism and other forms of discrimination, all of these artists drew on deep cultural and spiritual traditions to create some of the finest art of our time. In the East Building, Upper Level, West Bridge.
Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcasts
Available every Saturday on our local radio station WETA, broadcast channel 90.9 FM at 1 PM. For more information on broadcasts, go here.
February 18: Verdi’s Don Carlo
February 28: Shostakovich’s Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk
March 4: Listeners’ Choice: Great Met Broadcasts
March 11: Verdi’s La Traviata
Do You Want to Learn More About the Irish in America?
Offered by 55+ on March 16 at Lubber Run Community Center from 11:30 am-12:45 pm, in person and virtual, a presentation, Irish in America, featuring a speaker from the Irish Cultural Society of Virginia. For registration go to the Spring 55+ guide Social Fun Page 4.
Wellness
COVID Booster shots and Flu Vaccine for Adults
Now is the time to get your COVID booster shot and flu vaccine. Opportunities to get COVID-19 vaccines and boosters and your flu shot are available in and around Arlington through pharmacies and other medical providers—visit vaccines.gov to find a location near you.
Virginia Hospital Center Senior Associates Program
If you plan to be a “Frequent flier” at Virginia Hospital, you should be aware of the Senior Associates Program for those 60 and older. For $65 a year ($90 for a couple), the benefits are well worth it: 50 free parking passes, 10% off pharmacy Over the Counter items, 20% off at the food court, 15% off hospital exercises classes and fitness programs, and discounted monthly fee for Lifeline medical alert system. For more information call 703-558-6970.
A Doctor’s Guide to a Good Appointment
You will find a useful article on the ANV website on how to prepare for a Doctor visit. Information includes worksheets to help you with this conversation, questions to ask when choosing a new doctor, preparing for a doctor’s visit, specific questions to ask a doctor, and how to discuss sensitive issues such as memory loss and incontinence.
Doctor’s visits seem short, so being prepared with questions, medication lists, and other material can make the visit more productive.
Virtual Matter of Balance Class
Learn more about falls. The virtual Matter of Balance Class is an evidence-based cognitive restructuring program that meets for 2 hours a week for 9 weeks, starting February 20. The class focuses on how we view falling, strategies for preventing a fall and invites participation in gentile exercises. The class will meet February 20 to April 24 from 3-5 pm on Zoom. Registration required.
Also of Interest
Real Estate Tax Relief
Arlington homeowners age 65 and older, and/or totally and permanently disabled homeowners, may qualify for Real Estate Tax Relief. There are additional eligibility requirements. The Department of Human Services, which manages the eligibility process, recommends that you submit your application as early as possible (applications for 2023 taxes are available now), so that your application status can be reflected on the first installment (June 15) Real Estate tax bill. Applications are still accepted, however, until the final deadline of November 15, 2023. You can call 703-228-1350 or visit the web page for more information.
Aging Matters Radio and TV
Aging Matters radio is a weekly program on Arlington’s community radio station WERA Arlington 96.7 FM. Every Tuesday at 2 pm and Friday at 2 pm, host Cheryl Beversdorf interviews experts on topics impacting the lives of older adults and their families. All Aging Matters broadcasts can be found on Apple and Spotify. Aging Matters TV Show offers interviews with aging experts, including demonstrations of aging related subjects. Stories of Life programs feature interviews with older adults who have made a difference in their communities.
Shared Area Village Events Calendar
The Washington Area Villages are sharing their speaker series for all of us to enjoy. Please visit their calendar to see what’s available.
Remember as an ANV member, you also receive membership in Arlington’s 55+ Program. During COVID, many programs are on-line, and the Guide is now published quarterly. The Spring Guide is available online.
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.