BallstonConnect Podcast

In case you haven't noticed, Ballston is undergoing a type of renaissance and emerging as a new nightlife and dining destination in the region. With developments like Ballston Quarter and Ballston Exchange nearing completion, Ballston is set to have more than 80 restaurants fully operating by 2020. 

Tina Leone invited Jessica Sidman, Food Editor for Washingtonian, and Javier Candon. an owner of SER in Ballston, to discuss the trends and climate of the restaurant scene in Ballston and the DC area. 

After listening to this months' episode, don't forget to enter our trivia contest for a chance to win dinner at SER!

Enter Here

Whether you're getting ready to celebrate Valentine's, Galentine's or Singles Awareness Day, everyone has love on the brain in February. This month we're playing cupid for a couple singles in Arlington and discussing relationships: how to start one, how to keep it, and the dating mistakes and disasters that go with the process. 

Tina is joined by renowned dating and relationship coach, and owner of DC Matchmaking, Michelle Jacoby, as well as three Arlington singles, to discuss the do's and don't's of dating and love in a fast-paced and tech-driven world. 

We discuss the correct way to swipe left or right, the best types of first dates, breaking the ice, and more. Plus, we gathered some of your stories to share in this month's "Man on the Street!" 

Don't forget to enter the BCP Trivia Contest. Answer the question correctly and you'll be automatically entered to win a romantic date night in Ballston! 

Enter Trivia Contest

So you've survived 2018, but did you fulfill those resolutions or reach the goals you gave yourself on the first day of the new year? Welcome to 2019, and this is the year you finally make the changes you've been craving! 

Tina Leone, CEO of the Ballston BID, has enlisted the help of two fitness and wellness experts to help you on your path to a happier, healthier you. This month Tina is joined by Tucker Jones, trainer and owner of Ballston Crossfit, and Ingrid Vaicius, a wellness expert and health coach. They discuss small changes that can have a big impact, how finding a fitness community can make all the difference in reaching your wellness goals, plus realistic tips and tricks to get you started. 

Get started on your resolutions with the help of our health experts! 

Try a free Ballston Crossfit class for yourself. 

Sign up for Ingrid's 7-Day Healthy Habits Challenge

Don't forget to answer the BallstonConnect Trivia questions for a chance to win a gift card to the Ballston restaurant of your choice! Answer here! 

It's December, and the holiday season is in full swing! Though this is a jolly time for most in Arlington, there are many in the community who struggle during the holidays. This month Tina Leone sits down with Nina Janopaul of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, and Heather O'Malley with Doorways for Women and Families. They'll discuss the need in the community, the challenges their clients face during this season, and how we can help now and all year long*. 

We also learn the impact of Amazon coming to Arlington will have on these organizations; the good, the bad, and the in-between. 

*Some events mentioned in this episode are time-sensitive and may have already occurred after the time of this recording. Please visit the nonprofit websites to learn more about the events and programs mentioned. 

APAH

Doorways

You know them. You love them, and we're rocking the red in honor of the start of their new season. This month the BallstonConnect Podcast is #ALLCAPS. 

Tina Leone is joined in the studio by ABC 7's resident Caps expert, Scott Abraham for some hockey talk. Find out the history behind the long-simmering feud between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Cinderella story of last season's Stanley Cup win, and if they're ready to go all the way again. 

View a full transcript.

In the second part of Tina's interview with author and historian, Michael Pope, we learn the dark secrets of Arlington and Alexandria history. The cities we know and love today used to be a very violent place. Why was Rosslyn such a hotbed for gambling and prostitution? What was Dead Man's Hollow, and who was the hero with a sawed-off shotgun who brought order to the lawless Alexandria County? Michael Pope tells all this and more on the September edition of the BallstonConnect Podcast! 

Have you ever wondered how Ballston got its name? Who were the Ballston Skulls, and why would anyone go to the "The Bucket of Blood?"

In this special two-part episode of the BCP, local historian and journalist, Michael Pope, introduces us to the dark history of the neighborhood. Find out how Ballston was on the cutting-edge of military surveillance during the Civil War, the importance of the tavern to our neighborhood's evolution and more! 

Tina Leone is joined in the studio by Kelly Shooshan, CEO of the Shooshan Company.

Kelly discusses her role in some of Ballston's largest redevelopments including Marymount University Ballston Center, and what she envisions for Ballston's future. 

Kelly also explains how she maintains a balance and separation between work-life and personal-life while running the Shooshan Company with her family.