The Chesapeake Dock Diving Dog Club makes a return appearance at Lake Anne Plaza this weekend.

The world champion dogs will be leaping and diving off the boat dock from 1 to 4 p.m.

The appearance is sponsored by PetMAC, a pet boutique and adoption center at 11412 Washington Plaza West.

PetMAC will also have adoptable dogs from New Love Rescue and Homeward Trails; “Ask the Trainer” with Kissable Canine; and representatives from a number of businesses, including The Hope Center and several natural pet food companies.

Lake Anne Plaza is about to have a remodeled coffee house and its first nanobrewery. What should go in this small Washington Plaza space?

Cindy Williams, owner of Lake Anne’s PetMAC, says she recently purchased the 700-square-foot space, formerly home to New Family Naturals.

She has been putting the word out the community to help find the right fit.

Says Williams:

The space is about 700 square feet and is located right next to the soon-to-open Lake Anne Brew House, a nano brewery. They are going to be brewing their beer on site and thus, will not have space to offer any food. I would love to find a tenant for my space who can provide “walkable” food that would go along with beer.

Lake Anne has three other restaurants and a coffee house, but no good take-out type food [such as] sausages/brats, panini, hand pies, etc. Something savory and heavy enough to be a dinner with beer. There is no hood or exhaust, so cooking is limited to methods that do not require that — panini press, convection oven, induction burners, etc.

Not only would this location have a built-in customer base from the Brew House, but there are 1,600 people living within a five-minute walk of the lake, and the Saturday Farmers Market is the largest in Fairfax County, bringing between 2,000-3,500 people each Sat. Delivery would also be a great option when the weather turns cold.

Williams also says “some sort of upscale, but locally owned retail shop would be a great asset to the merchant community at the Plaza.” Meanwhile, the space is hosting crafters in a pop-up market starting Saturday.

Check out the full listing and rental price on this Craigslist post.

Given the suggestions, what do you think should open here?

More than 500 Reston residents and former residents paid their respects to Reston founder Bob Simon at a candlelight vigil at Lake Anne Plaza on Friday night. Simon died last week at age 101.

The Reston Chorale sang, several community members spoke about Simon or reflected on growing up in his “new town, and a guitarist played Amazing Grace as people lined the lake with candles.

The lights stretched from Heron House, where Simon spent his final 23 years, all away around and through the main part of the plaza.

“In my mind I see Bob Simon over 50 years ago, who set out to be different type of civil rights leader, who when it wasn’t yet illegal to practice housing discrimination, stretched out his hands of opportunity, developed a planned community full of rich green trees, that was the first racially integrated community in Virginia, welcoming to all people of color and economic backgrounds,” said former Reston Association board member Amanda Andere.

Simon’s absence was also noted at Saturday’s Reston Multicultural Festival.

“I don’t think I have ever been to an event in Reston and Bob was not here,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va 11th). “We have built a special community here in Reston due to Bob’s prodding.”

Twenty-six  people from 17 countries were sworn in at a naturalization ceremony on the plaza, which was followed by an afternoon of storytelling, music, dance and other cultural performances (and food and crafts) from around the world.

Saturday also was the official unveiling of We Make Reston, a photo exhibition that is part of the international Inside Out Project. Out of 300 entries, 169 portraits — including one of Simon — were selected for the exhibition.

The photos will be on display for the next four weeks at the Lake Anne Sea Wall,
Jo Ann Rose Gallery at RCC Lake Anne (Indoor exhibit, on display through October 2),  Reston Station and South Lakes High School.

For additional pictures, visit Modern Reston.

One of the major gifts President Obama presented to Pope Francis during his visit to Washington this week was a stainless steel sculpture of a dove that incorporated an iron bar from the Statue of Liberty’s original structure.

The sculpture was created by Zachary Oxman, a Reston native who also created the “Bronze Bob” statue at Lake Anne Plaza.

Oxman, 47, told The Washington Post he received a call from the State Department’s office of protocol in August asking if he would be interested in creating a gift for the Pope when he made his first visit to the United States.

The State Department had the idea of using a three-foot long iron bar that was removed from the Statue of Liberty during its centennial restoration, Oxman told the Post. The bar was originally part of the statue’s supporting structure, which was designed by Gustav Eiffel, he of Parisian tower fame.

“It’s just the thought of the hands that created this bar,” Oxman told the Post. “Frédéric Auguste] Bartholdi did the Statue of Liberty and Gustav Eiffel [designed the armature]. They were involved with it personally. And here is a sculptor given the opportunity to, not change it or melt it down, but to add to it, to give it this other life.”

Oxman said he did not cut the bar or rework it in any way. He also said he did not want to change the patina the bar has acquired over 130 years.

He positioned the bar vertically, which reminded Oxman of the path a bird might take when taking flight. He told the Post he adorned the bar with a stylized dove, a motif that has figured in some of his works and represents peace.

This is not the first time Oxman, a graduate of South Lakes High School and Carnegie Mellon University, has called upon by Washington officials. In 2013, he created Sabbath wine goblets that Obama presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Before that, Oxman, who is Jewish, created menorahs that President Bill Clinton and his family gave as gifts.

He has also created sculptures given by the White House and State Department to leaders of Mexico, China, India and Germany.

Oxman’s mother, Laney, was also an accomplished artist who taught lessons in her home studio near Lake Anne for years. Zachary Oxman lives and works in Bethesda, Md., now. He is nationally recognized for his large-scale works, which have been been commissioned by synagogues and museums nationwide.

Bronze Bob, meanwhile, is the life-sized model of Reston’s founder, who died this week at age 101. A gift from the Reston Historic Trust, it was installed on 2004 to mark Simon’s 90th birthday.

Read more about Zachary Oxman on his website.

Photo of Zachary Oxman courtesy of Oxman Studios

The Reston community will be able to get a taste of the world with the return of the annual Reston Multicultural Festival on Saturday.

The free festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lake Anne Plaza, rain or shine, and features live music, food and arts from different countries, including India, Ghana, Mexico and Bolivia.

“The Reston Multicultural Festival is an annual event that brings together the people of Reston to celebrate our rich medley of cultures,” the Reston Community Center said on the event page.

The event kicks off with the annual naturalization ceremony, where new United States citizens will take an Oath of Allegiance.

“It’s inspiring, emotional, and affirming of our country’s greatness. When you start your festival experience on such a grace note, the day is set for you for discovery and fun,” said Leila Gordon, executive director of the Reston Community Center.

There will be live music, dance performances and demonstrations throughout the festival. Hungry attendees will be able to fill up on food from multiple cultures, including Thai, Mexican, Peruvian, Indian and Vietnamese.

“Each year, new entertainers, crafts people, organizations and food vendors participate,” Gordon said. “The inclusion of National Heritage Fellows means there are master artists new to the festival each year in addition to local favorites. The Multicultural Book Fair that was begun two years ago is a new crowd favorite and involves new titles for 2015.”

This year the Multicultural Festival will also look at diversity in the Reston community through the new “We Make Reston” photo wall. The Reston Community Center is holding a discussion on diversity at the Jo Anne Rose Gallery, where part of the exhibit is held, on Sunday from 2-4 p.m.

“This will give both participants and those interested in the exhibit an opportunity to talk about the public art project and our community’s diversity,” Gordon said.

The owners of the Lake Anne Brew House are calling on the community to get involved in the nanobrewery that will open this fall at Lake Anne Plaza.

Melissa and Jason Romano, who have been renovating space at 11424 Washington Plaza since last spring, expect to open Reston’s first nanobrewery in October.

They have started a Kickstarter campaign, offering would-be contributors perks from a special mug to a beer named after them.

“Our dream is to create a place for community, just like [Reston founder] Bob Simon did,” Melissa Romano says in a promotional video (see above).

As of Tuesday, the Romanos have 61 backers and have raised more than $11,000, well on the way to their goal of raising $15,000. While the Romanos have invested lots of money in the endeavor, Melissa Romano says an additional $15,000 will allow them to purchase more equipment and better serve customers.

Here’s what you get for various contribution levels:

$25 – Light Beer Contributor — Invitation to opening night and a Lake Anne Brew House car sticker.

$40 – Malt Liquor Contributor — Name on the Wall of Fame, sticker, opening night invitation, special Lake Anne Brew House Executive Founders Club signature pint glass for home use.

$75 – Pale Ale Contributor — Name on the Wall of Fame, sticker, opening night invitation and special Executive Founders Club T-shirt.

$100 — Imperial Stout Contributor — Name on the Wall of Fame, sticker, opening night invitation, special Lake Anne Brew House Executive Founders Club signature pint glass for home use and special Executive Founders Club T-shirt.

$125+ – Two For the Road — Two signature logo pint glasses and a Founder Club stainless steel 32-oz. growler (with initial fill up at pick up).

$150+ – Beer Appreciation Event — Entry to a special tour and into to brewing event.

Click through to the Kickstarter page to see high-level perks, such as sponsoring a tap or what you have to contribute to get a brew designed just for you.

The dock diving dogs are returning to Lake Anne Plaza this weekend.

The Chesapeake Dock Diving Dog Club will hold a demonstration Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. (and will return again on Oct. 17).

The dogs, who perform extreme leaps and jumps into the lake, were last at Lake Anne in May.

That exhibition, as well as the upcoming ones, are part of a partnership with Lake Anne Plaza’s PetMAC Marketplace and Pet Adoption Center.

PetMAC will also have adoptable dogs from New Love Rescue and Homeward Trails available on Saturday, as well as “Ask the Trainer” with Kissable Canine.

There will also be representatives from various pet product businesses such as The Hope Center Advanced Veterinary Care Center and locally-made Golden Nugget Dog Treats; as well as samples of Fromm, Weruva, Answers, Stella & Chewy’s, K9Naturals, Zignature, Wild Calling and The Bear and The Rat probiotic frozen yogurt for dogs.

Chesapeake Dock Dogs/Chesapeake Dock Dogs via Facebook

There are two locally owned food businesses coming to Lake Anne Plaza this fall. The Reston Historic Trust is holding a discussion on Thursday, Sept. 17 for residents to come meet the owners, find out what’s in store and why they feel strongly about investing in Reston’s original village center.

The “Locally Owned and Operated” program is at 7 p.m. at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center Lake Anne.

Speakers include Melissa and Jason Romano, who will open the Lake Anne Brew House this fall, and Eve and Rick Thompson, who recently purchased the Lake Anne Coffee House.

Earlier this year, the Romanos, who live near Lake Anne, purchased space at 11424 Washington Plaza, which formerly housed Singh Thai restaurant. The Romanos are turning a homebrewing passion into a nanobrewery business. They will sell beer made on the premises, as well as simple snacks.

The Lake Anne Brew House space is nearing the end of renovations and installation of brewing tanks and mid-century modern furniture. Expected opening is early October.

Lake Anne Coffee House, meanwhile, will officially change hands next week. It will close for major remodeling until November, said co-owner Eve Thompson, who lives at Lake Anne Plaza.

The patio will be open on Saturday mornings beginning Sept. 12. Patrons can sample blends from Monument Roasters and pastries from Baguette Republic, both of which will be featured when the coffee house is fully open.

Both business owners say owning a small business on the plaza shows they are committed to the “Live-Work-Play” motto of Reston.

The Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival is this weekend, but activities celebrating all things musical will happen all week as Lake Anne Plaza moves to an entire Jazz Week this year.

Lake Anne Jazz Week will feature a variety of jazz-themed events, including  live music, merchant activities, of course, the Jazz & Blues Festival.

The Jazz & Blues Festival is a free, family friendly, all-day event Saturday, Sept. 5 from 1 to 8 p.m. It will showcase a variety of talented regional and national jazz & blues artists.

But first, here is what is happening as part of Lake Anne Jazz Week:

Restaurant Activities and Performances

• Sept. 1 (7-10 p.m.) – The Red Tree Solo (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 1 (8 p.m.) – Jazz Trivia Night (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)
• Sept. 1 (6-9 p.m.) – Mykle Lyons Trio (Plaza)
• Sept. 2 (8-10 p.m.) – The Caterpillars Duet (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 2 (9:30 p.m.) – Jazz Karaoke Night (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)
• Sept. 3 (7-9 p.m.) – Take A Break Concert Series featuring the Chris Vadala Quartet (Plaza)
• Sept. 4 (7:30-10:30 p.m.) – Cabernet (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 4 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) – The Jason Kearse Trio (Plaza)
• Sept. 5 (9:30 p.m.) – Post-Festival Late Night with Sam Gunderson (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)

Merchant Activities

• Chesapeake Chocolates – Special Edition chocolate musical notes and instruments. Wine Tasting, Sept. 3,  5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• Reston’s Used Book Shop – 50 percent off all books about music
• Small Change Kids Consignment Shop – Melissa & Doug musical toys 50 percent off
• The Reston Museum – Music sale on local jazz performers Beverly Cosham, Menda Ahart and Felicia Crowley

Ninth Annual Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival, Sept. 5

Adrian Duke is this year’s headliner. Duke leads the New Orleans sounds of the Adrian Duke Project. Although he has found a home as a Blues artist, by blurring the lines between Blues, Funk, R&B, and Jazz, he has found critical acclaim, audience acceptance, and artistic peer recognition.

Lineup

• 1:00 p.m. – Ted Garber
• 2:00 p.m. – Cissa Paz
• 3:00 p.m. –  Integriti Reeves
• 4:00 p.m. –  Nia Olabesi
• 5:00 p.m. –  Mykle Lyons
• 6:00 p.m. – Texas Chainsaw
• 7:00 p.m. – Adrian Duke

The festival is sponsored by Lane Anne Merchants, Friends of Lake Anne, the Reston Community Center, and Reston Association.

Lake Anne Coffee House will change ownership next week and will be mostly closed for renovations into November, new co-owner Eve Thompson said.

Thompson and her husband, Rick, purchased the coffee house in July. The Thompsons are longtime Lake Anne residents.

The coffee house had been on the market for more than a year as the former owners looked toward retirement.

Thompson says that beginning Sept. 12, the coffee house patio will be open on Saturday mornings during the Reston Farmers Market and Craft Market. Residents can try new coffee blends from Manassas-based Monument Coffee Roasters and pastries from Sterling’s Baguette Republic. On Sept. 12, the shop will be giving away free samples.

The Thompsons are working with a Reston-based architect and interior designer to remodel the shop from top to bottom — and also support local businesses. (Editor’s note: Eve Thompson’s other business, Reston Real Estate, is a Reston Now sponsor)

“It is our goal to goal to use as much locally sourced products as possible,” said Eve Thompson. She also hopes to use many organic products.

Follow the new shop’s progress by liking the Lake Anne Coffee House Facebook page.

It has been nearly a year since Lakeside Pharmacy at Lake Anne Plaza shut its doors after more than four decades in business.

Former owner Larry Cohn, who was also the pharmacist, retired last year when the building was sold to investors. There have been several prospective tenants, but so far no one has signed to take over the space.

Lakeside Pharmacy — with its campy drugstore art on the outside of the building — was the last original store at Lake Anne Village Center (now Lake Anne Plaza). For generations of Restonians it was the place to go for everything from filling a prescription to mailing a package (it had a U.S. Post Office outlet inside) to enjoying a hamburger and fries at the old-school lunch counter.

The site can be rented all as one unit, or as two separate ones if a tenant wanted to just operate the former lunch counter space. The space overlooks both the plaza and the lake.

The pharmacy space, along with the rest of the businesses on the plaza, have historical designation — as well as residences above them — and cannot be drastically altered. The plans for Lake Anne Revitalization will also not be changing that area of the plaza.

Other changes happening soon at Lake Anne Plaza: New ownership for the Lake Anne Coffee House, which will undergo a major menu and interior upgrade, and Reston’s first microbrewery, which plans to open next month.

What do you think would do well in the space? Tell us in the comments.

Lake Anne Plaza, the site of a Jazz & Blues Festival for the last nine years, will now have an entire week devoted to the genre.

Lake Anne Jazz Week (Aug. 30 to Sept. 5) will feature a variety of jazz-themed events, including  live music, merchant activities, an outdoor movie and, of course, the Jazz & Blues Festival.

The Jazz & Blues Festival is a free, family friendly, all-day event on Sept. 5 from 1 to 8 p.m. It will showcase a variety of talented regional and national jazz & blues artists.

Here’s what the rest of Jazz Week will include:

Restaurant Activities 

• Aug. 30 (sundown) – Summer Film Festival Series Movie “Jazz on a Summer’s Day” (1959 Classic)
• Sept. 1 (7-10 p.m.) – The Red Tree Solo (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 1 (8 p.m.) – Jazz Trivia Night (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)
• Sept. 1 (6-9 p.m.) – Mykle Lyons Trio (Plaza)
• Sept. 2 (8-10 p.m.) – The Caterpillars Duet (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 2 (9:30 p.m.) – Jazz Karaoke Night (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)
• Sept. 3 (7-9 p.m.) – Take A Break Concert Series featuring the Chris Vadala Quartet (Plaza)
• Sept. 4 (7:30-10:30 p.m.) – Cabernet (Café Montmartre)
• Sept. 4 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) – The Jason Kearse Trio (Plaza)
• Sept. 5 (9:30 p.m.) – Post Festival Late Night with Sam Gunderson (Kalypso’s Sports Tavern)

Merchant Activities

• Chesapeake Chocolates – Special Edition chocolate musical notes and instruments. Wine Tasting, Sept. 3,  5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• Reston’s Used Book Shop – 50 percent off all books about music
• Small Change Kids Consignment Shop – Melissa & Doug musical toys 50 percent off
• The Reston Museum – Music sale on local jazz performers Beverly Cosham, Menda Ahart and Felicia Crowley

Jazz & Blues Festival, Sept. 5

Adrian Duke is this year’s headliner. Duke leads the New Orleans sounds of the Adrian Duke Project. Although he has found a home as a Blues artist, by blurring the lines between Blues, Funk, R&B, and Jazz, he has found critical acclaim, audience acceptance, and artistic peer recognition.

Lineup:

• 1:00 p.m. – Ted Garber
• 2:00 p.m. – Cissa Paz
• 3:00 p.m. –  Integriti Reeves
• 4:00 p.m. –  Nia Olabesi
• 5:00 p.m. –  Mykle Lyons
• 6:00 p.m. – Texas Chainsaw
• 7:00 p.m. – Adrian Duke

The festival is sponsored by Lane Anne Merchants, Friends of Lake Anne, the Reston Community Center, and Reston Association. For the full schedule of events/times, visit www.lakeanneplaza.com.

Lake Anne Coffee House has new ownership.

The coffee house on the plaza, which has been for sale for more than a year, has been purchased by Realtor Eve Thompson and her husband Rick. (Note: Eve Thompson’s Reston Real Estate is also a Reston Now sponsor)

Current owners Susan and Jimmy Sohn have operated the coffee shop for nearly nine years. They told Reston Now in 2014 that they want to sell and retire.

Eve Thompson said she wants to create a gathering space in the lakeside location.

“We’re going to focus on creating a great community space,” she said. “Our home is at Lake Anne, my office is at Lake Anne and now we will have a coffee shop at Lake Anne. That is proof we really believe in Lake Anne.”

The Thompsons said they expect to close on the deal later this month. They will do a top-to-bottom renovation of the space, Eve Thompson said.

The name of the establishment will remain Lake Anne Coffee House. The couple plans to overhaul the existing menu with locally roasted coffee and high quality baked goods, Eve Thompson said.

The Lake Anne Plaza area is about to undergo a multiyear revitalization project. The area containing the coffee house is not planned for renovation, but will eventually be part of a wider boulevard leading to the historic inner plaza.

Ukuleles on the plaza. Ukuleles for sale. Ukuleles sounds in the air.

There is only one ukulele festival in Northern Virginia and it is at Lake Anne this Saturday.

The sixth annual Ukulele Festival at Lake Anne Plaza will feature performances by acclaimed ukulele musicians, music demonstrations, a morning public jam session, and other family friendly activities.

Admission is free. The festival will take place rain or shine. There will be tacos, craft beer and Popsicles for sale. The Saturday morning farmers market and craft market will take place as usual, and most crafters will stay through the festival.

Here is the 2015 music lineup:

9 a.m. to 11 a.m. — Community Stage Morning Jam Session at Café Montmartre.

Main Stage

• 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Aloha Boys (Hawaiian)
• 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Ukeabilly Mama (Donna Frost) (Blues/Folk)
• 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Hula Monsters (Swing)
• 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Gina De Simone & the Moaners (Blues & Swing)
• 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Isa Pacifika Dancers (Traditional Hawaiian Dance Performance)
• 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Stuart Fuchs (Folk, Classical, Jazz, Rock)
• 4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Afternoon Jam Session lead by Gina DeSimone

The festival is hosted by the Lake Anne Merchants with support from the Reston Community Center, Friends of Lake Anne (FOLA), and the Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble.