New Face in the Neighborhood!

FW&D Remodeling is excited to welcome a new team member! Ron Bateman, longtime Virginian, is joining FW&D as a Project Manager. Ron has over 35 years of Construction Management experience and brings his wealth of knowledge to the FW&D remodeling experience. He is excited about the family-oriented aspects of FW&D Remodeling and looks forward to working with customers throughout the entire remodeling process, ensuring that high expectations are met and that our unique On-Time Guarantee is upheld. In his free time, Ron is an avid outdoor sportsman, and enjoys the beautiful wildlife of Virginia – he even has bears that come to his bird feeder! Welcome to the team, Ron!

Pizzaiolo Cafe on Fern

Looking for a place to relax on these gorgeous summer evenings while enjoying some absolutely delicious food? Looking for a laidback restaurant that you can bring your friends, your kids, or Fido? Craving some authentic Italian food in Alexandria?

Well, look no further – Café on Fern, a member of the Pizzaiolo family of restaurants, is serving up all of the above! While this place might not look like the most impressive Italian restaurant, it serves up big flavor while making you feel like a part of a big Italian family (let’s be honest – it’s a pretty appealing idea…)

Café on Fern is located precisely where the name implies, and is so easily accessible. There is plenty of sitting room inside, but the beautiful weather, finally starting to warm, prompted us to choose the outdoor seating area. There’s nothing better than a beautiful night, a gorgeous sunset, and a bottle of wine.

Pizzaiolo’s menu gives options for various moods – there’s classic pasta dishes, pizza, antipasto – even true Italian subs – warning – those subs may become your new favorite lunch. The wine list, rightly stocked with Italian wines, complemented the food impeccably. We decided to get some classic Italian appetizers – both were so perfect for our outdoor summer meal. First up was the Antipasto Platter:

This was exceptional. All three meats were so flavorful, and the smoked mozzarella and provolone were fresh and creamy. The greens and peppers were made spectacular with a light balsamic vinaigrette. This is a sizable appetizer, and could be split easily, although I wouldn’t count on wanting to share!

We also tried the Bruschetta Platter.

The plate came out with three different bruschettas, all very light and fresh. There was the classic Tomato Caprese, a Pesto version with incredibly fresh mozzarella pearls, and a third with roasted red and yellow peppers. As with the whole experience that night, everything was aesthetically pleasing, with nothing added that didn’t need to be there.

We were now ready for the main portion of our meal, the White Pizza, which our waitress had confided was not only her favorite, but what she was taking home for dinner herself that night!

We quickly understood why – this pizza was nothing short of perfect. The traditional mozzarella (again, so fresh) was given a rich depth with the addition of smoked mozzarella and parmesan, then immediately lightened with dollops of ricotta. Combined with garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil (all instant winners in my book) and topped off with spinach, this pizza had layers of flavor in every bite, down to the thin crust. There were the rich flavors without the heaviness that is too often present. It was truly an experience.

After we finished up, we decided to check out the inside of the establishment, having glimpsed through the window at what appeared to be an impressive espresso and wine bar.

Yes, you are seeing correctly. That is indeed a gelato counter as well. Truly, a good gelato is reason enough to go anywhere. The girls behind the counter were kind enough to let us try several flavors before we settled on our choices. I, of course, chose the Chocolate Hazelnut. I am a firm believer in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” (really, you can’t go wrong in choosing Nutella), but they gave theirs a surprising edge by having actual flecks of hazelnut, as opposed to just the flavor. Some of their other flavors were close runners-up. The Toasted Almond was an unexpected delight, and they had both more common flavors (chocolate, mint chocolate chip) and the more unexpected (pistachio, lemon). Who knows, maybe in a couple times, I might get something else. Miracles do happen.

Overall, this was a delightful establishment, perfect for a nice sit-down meal and equally as appealing for a quick sub at lunch. In addition, everything at Pizzaiolo’s Café on Fern is available for pickup or carryout – including their beer and wine selections. Whether you’re enjoying on the patio ,watching the sunset, inside at the cool bar, or in the comfort of your own home, this is a place that is sure to please.

Pizzaiolo Café on Fern

1623 Fern Street

Alexandria VA, 22302

703.717.9324

www.cafepizzaiolo.com

For A Beautiful Basement...

Is your basement just a place where you store boxes? Wouldn’t it be great if it could be part of your living space – an area you really want to hang out in with the family? See how you can turn your dark, damp, uninviting basement into a beautiful addition to your home.

Oftentimes, basements don’t have a separation between the usable space and the unsightly necessities, like this furnace and hot water heater. Also, the W/D and fridge, while a nice thing to have in the basement, aren’t exactly things you want to sit by and relax.

So the first thing we suggest is separating your usable space from that basement clutter! Here, we added framing around those areas. They do need to be accessible, obviously, but you’ll see more of that in later pictures.

Adding these walls not only separates these home appliances from the space, it also creates sections to a large area, allowing you to designate different corners to different uses. For example, this couple wanted to have all their exercise equipment in the basement, but didn’t want it to be a solely “workout zone.”

Once the walls were up, they were free to create a living area on one side of the basement:

And turn the opposite into a beautiful home gym!

The different flooring not only help separate the spaces, but are more conducive to a workout area.

Remember those unsightly home appliances? Now they are easily accessible, but hidden away, creating a fresh, inviting space.

Sometimes the pile of laundry gets a little high, we understand. How nice to be able to close the laundry room door and relax in your newest home space for a bit – the laundry can wait til tomorrow!

Replacing Rotten Wood

Frequently, during a window replacement presentation, I am asked the question "what happens if you find rotten wood?". The answer is whenever we find rotten wood we replace it and do not cover it up. I will add, that in the last 8 years of replacing windows in the Fairlington neighborhood, I have

only had 10 experiences of rotten wood replacement. Typically we will take pictures and send them to the homeowner to document the problem and the fix.

Review: May Island

Looking for a new place for dinner, or someplace a bit more interesting to take friends from out of town? Try out a local gem – May Island. Incredibly unpretentious, but heavy on the wow factor, this Quaker Lane hidden treasure is sure to impress. Located right next to a 7-11, one might feel a bit uncertain upon entering this small restaurant. The establishment has made the most of it’s small space, but it still only holds a handful of tables (have no fear – we had no trouble getting a seat, as their takeout option is more heavily visited – also a great option!)

The large menu might have been overwhelming, had I not been told that Sushi was the real reason to visit this establishment. Wanting a good variety, our table settled on ordering four Sushi rolls and one Sashimi Deluxe. While I would definitely recommend this approach of table sharing, just so more selections can be tasted, I will say that we had FAR too much food! Expect sizable portions here.

While we waited for our food, we munched on some salad and sipped our soup. The miso soup was fairly standard, while still very good. But the first taste of the wonton soup elicited a more enthusiastic response – this often unimpressive starter was delightful, with a good amount of hearty wontons. Several at the table also sipped green tea, which the pleasant waitress was quick to refill.

But the excitement really started when the first main dish arrived – we had told our waitress of our table-sharing plans, and she kindly brought the dishes out one by one. First things first – the presentation was incredible. Each dish was visually spectacular, enough where you hesitated to dig in. Of course, after the first bite, that inclination was squashed.

First out – The Royal Roll:

This dish was unanimously the favorite of the table. The flavors blended so perfectly, with a subtle sweetness, and the texture of the tempura added a bit more depth to the roll. This would even be a nice roll to introduce to those friends who are new to the sushi world, as the raw presence is less noticeable to the palate.

Next up was the Ocean Roll:

Again, I have to applaud the presentation of this dish, but it was also delicious! While the flavors weren’t quite as complex or exciting, this would definitely be a strong recommendation. The white tuna on top was so fresh, and complemented the flavors of the roll beautifully.

Next, we moved on to something a bit different – the Sashimi Deluxe:

This dish is for the slightly more adventurous, as there is no rice or other ingredients. Sashimi is truly about incredible, fresh fish, and May Island really delivered. The texture of the fish, and the delicate flavors, not only testified to the freshness, but to the quality as well.

On to dish number 4 – starting to get pretty full at this point, but definitely found space for the Rainbow Roll:

This delicious roll had four different topping options, lending to its “rainbow” appearance. All the options were fantastic, and it was nice to see how the flavor of each fish blended with the ingredients in the roll.

Last up was the Pink Lady:

This dish, while we were already on the verge of being stuffed, was also a favorite. The chef’s special sauce on top was exquisite, and the flavors phenomenal. Again, as we did throughout the entire meal, we marveled over the gorgeous (and adorable – check out those tomato rabbits!) presentation. What a beautiful way to spend a delicious meal. The sushi at May Island was truly spectacular – a must-try for Arlington residents.

May Island

1669 North Quaker Lane
Alexandria, VA 22302-2338

(703) 575-4455

www.mayisland1.com

Vote For Our Favorite Car Free Skeptic

Arlington County, Virginia is looking for its biggest Car-Free Diet Skeptics – people who drive their cars all the time now, but who are willing to give car-free living a shot.

FW&D has a favorite daughter in this competition and we would like for you to vote for Mary. Go to http://carfreedietskeptics.com/stage/vote/ and click on MARY to cast your vote. You can vote once each day, now through March 31.Your votes will be combined with the judges’ scores to decide which applicants become the Skeptics. The chosen Skeptics will chronicle their car-free experiences on this website, www.carfreedietskeptics.com, for 30 days – follow along starting April 22! Hopefully you’ll be following Mary and her commute to and from Fairlington.

Arlington Car Free Diet

The Car-Free Diet Skeptics Challenge is designed for Arlington County residents that currently drive their cars frequently, but are willing to attempt car-free living for 30 days. You do not have to go 100% car-free for the entire 30 days, but you do have to try. If you are chosen as one of the final Skeptics, you will communicate online about all of your transportation experiences during the 30-day challenge. You’ll be given several items to use during the challenge that will make going car free easier. And if you successfully complete the challenge, you’ll receive more car free related items. If you are already on the Car-Free Diet, but know a friend, neighbor, or family member who needs to go on the diet, be sure to tell them about this challenge.
How to apply
You’ll need to create a 30 second to 2 minute video that shows why you would make the perfect Car-Free Diet Skeptic and fill out an online application. Video applications are being accepted through February 28, 2010.

How are the Skeptics chosen?
From March 1 – 31, 2010, all eligible entries will appear on carfreediet.com. During this time you can vote online for your favorite Skeptic candidate. At the end of the voting period, two Skeptics will be chosen to go on the Car-Free Diet for 30 days beginning April 22.

Skeptics Challenge
The chosen Skeptics will document their challenge online via videos, blogs, Tweets, and Facebook entries. If the Skeptics successfully complete the challenge, they’ll get everything needed to travel car free around Arlington and the Washington, DC region for a whole year.