September 13, 2022

Contact:

Ryanna Quazi – (972) 251-9820, kahinibook94@gmail.com

New Pop-Up South Asian Bookstore Debuts

Washington, D.C. — Ryanna Quazi is starting her next chapter of entrepreneurship with Kahini Books, a new popup bookstore in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

The 27-year-old Texas native and current D.C. resident launched Kahini Books in May 2022 and debuted in person on May 15, 2022, with her first pop-up at Asian Festival on Main, a one-day outdoor family event on Main Street in Historic Old Town Fairfax City.

Quazi said her passion for books spans a lifetime. “I’ve loved reading since I was a child growing up in Texas. Books have been my savior in some of the worst times of my life, said Ryanna. “I had dreamed of owning a bookstore since my college years, but the idea of a South Asian and lesser-known book-focused store came to me later on. I was reading a lot of books by both South Asian and non-South Asian authors that were not getting the recognition they deserve.”

Kahini Books will feature an ever-rotating selection of titles including adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s books, memoirs, biographies, and nonfiction books. At Kahini, while she will stock brand new books, most of Kahini’s selection is gently used or used and costs 15 dollars or under.

The mission of Kahini is to offer new and used titles from South Asian writers, as well as other lesser-known fiction by authors from other communities.

Selection, Quazi said, will include a mix of her own curated titles and community-sourced suggestions.
“I try to source South Asian books across all genres, regardless of whether it has been on the top ten of NY Times or US Today Bestseller list. If it’s a non-South Asian book, I really try to source books that have not been in the top ten of the NY Times or USA Today Bestseller list,” she said. “I’ve also had the pleasure of being able to work with some up-and-coming local South Asian authors by purchasing books from them directly to sell in my store. I absolutely love being able to directly support and champion the work of local authors, especially those of South Asian descent.”
The response to Kahini Books has already been unprecedented, having held additional successful pop-ups at Neighbors DC market in Georgetown and Around the World Cultural Festival in Alexandria.
“It is amazing to see that Kahini has already grown since I first started. I’ve gotten to the point where I have returning customers from my previous pop-ups, which is such an amazing feeling as a new small business. I feel like the bar is set higher and higher for each pop-up that we have,” she said.
Kahini Books plans to grow even further soon by adding more book-related merchandise like handcrafted bookmarks, customized water bottles, customized t-shirts, and more. Long term, Kahini Books would love to become a brick and mortar store where people can come together every day to celebrate books, representation, and underrated stories.
To learn more about Kahini Books, including their upcoming pop-ups in our area, visit their website at kahinibooks.online or follow them on and Instagram.

About Kahini Books

Kahini Books is an online/pop-up bookstore that highlights South Asian fiction & other lesser-known fiction by authors from other communities. Books are mainly used, but some are new. Most books are priced at $15 or less, with some being higher. Kahini Books also has a Personalized Recommendation Survey that you can take to find the perfect book for you. The company ships to the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. Pick-up is available in the Washington, D.C. area.

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(FAIRFAX, VA) Girls on the Run® of NOVA (GOTR NOVA) announced that it has appointed Kristen Cheman to its board of directors, effective immediately.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kristen as the newest member of our Board. We are especially excited for her enthusiasm to create opportunities for elementary and middle school girls to practice healthy habits that will help them become strong, confident leaders,” said Rob Hargreaves, GOTR NOVA’s Board President.

Kristen Cheman is Senior Vice President of LMI’s digital and analytic solutions. She leads an organization of more than 550 data scientists, software developers, and engineers who are focused on digital transformation, innovation, and rapid technology development. Kristen holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Allegheny College, a master’s in applied mathematics from North Carolina State University, and a master’s in systems engineering from the University of Virginia. She also holds a certificate in leadership coaching.

“Running builds confidence, camaraderie, and other foundational skills that will impact young girls for their lifetime. I am thrilled to serve on GOTR NOVA’s Board and be part of a mission that I have been passionate about since I started running at age 5,” said Kristen Cheman. “I look forward to working with the rest of the Board to continue to grow the organization and empower more participants across Northern Virginia.”

Kristen is joining GOTR NOVA’s Board of Directors at the start of their Fall 2022 Season, which is set to begin on September 12th and wrap up with two celebratory 5K events in November on Saturday, November 19, at Dulles Town Center and Sunday, November 20, at Ballston. Learn more about GOTR NOVA’s transformational program at www.gotrnova.org.

About Girls on the Run of NOVA
Girls on the Run of NOVA is a 501c3 nonprofit and one of the largest independent affiliates of Girls on the Run International. Offering the Girls on the Run program for students in elementary school starting in 3rd grade and Heart & Sole for students in middle school. GOTR NOVA programming is delivered over a 10-week season by trained volunteer coaches who guide and mentor girls through a rich curriculum that blends physical activity with life skill development to enable girls to adapt to whatever comes their way.At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.

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FAIRFAX, Va. –Erickson Senior Living, a national leader in developing and managing continuing care retirement communities, has opened its 5,000-square-foot Sales Center at Woodleigh Chase, a new distinctive senior living community currently scheduled to open in late 2023 in Fairfax, Virginia. Woodleigh Chase adds to Erickson Senior Living’s national network of managed communities and is the third in northern Virginia — others include Greenspring and Ashby Ponds.

“Opening the sales center is the beginning of a very exciting chapter for Erickson Senior Living’s newest community, Woodleigh Chase,” says David Taylor, director of sales. “Visitors will have an opportunity to meet our exceptional team and explore all that Woodleigh Chase has to offer through full-color renderings, videos, interactive displays, and much more.”

The project’s first phase of development will include a total of 262 independent living apartment homes and a 43,000-square-foot amenity space. Independent living apartments will range from 812 square feet to over 1,800 square feet.

Residents at Woodleigh Chase will enjoy a tranquil, green setting just minutes from the attractions of bustling Northern Virginia, including world-class shopping, dining, and universities.

“We can’t wait to share details about Woodleigh Chase’s development plans and vibrant lifestyle where our residents will discover senior living the way it should be…inspiring, carefree, and filled with possibility,” says Taylor.

The Sales Center at Woodleigh Chase is located off of Braddock Road at 4595 Burke Station Road and, Fairfax, Va. 22032. For more information about Woodleigh Chase, please call 703-259-5300 to request a brochure or visit us at https://www.ericksonseniorliving.com/woodleigh-chase or on Facebook.

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Come meet famous pop artist Charles Fazzino at this exclusive gallery event for the unveiling of his official commemorative artwork for the 75th Anniversary of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Charles Fazzino is the official artist for the 75th Anniversary of Marine Toys for Tots and one of the most popular and highly-collected pop artists of all time. During his more-than-30 years as a pop artist, he has inserted his unique, detailed, vibrant, and three-dimensional style of artwork into the very fabric of popular culture.
The exhibition will also feature his most recent works including his New One World…Circle of Life, We Found Love on Broadway, and his commissioned tribute for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Photo ops will be available.
The two-day exhibition (Sept. 10 & 11) will be held at the following: Wentworth Gallery on Sat. Sept 10, 3-6pm at Tysons Galleria, 1807 U. International Dr. McLean, VA, and on Sun. Sept. 11, 1-3pm, at Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd. Bethesda, MD.
The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Walt Disney Created the first iconic Toys For Tots poster 75 years ago, now
Charles Fazzino continues to capture the Marines Toys For Tots Foundation mission which is to assist The U. S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children At Christmas. Charles Fazzino’s Official Artwork Will Be Donated To Marines Toys For Tots.

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Thirty-one artists will be featured in an all-media exhibit inspired by the word “Wild” at the Falls Church Arts gallery from August 20 to October 2.

The theme for this exhibit was selected in collaboration with Falls Church Arts Instagram followers who narrowed down a list of words that represented possible show themes. The Falls Church Arts Instagram used a bracket system for this process and the final word, “wild,” was selected. Juror Tara Barr commented that the 45 artworks selected for the show typified “wild locations, wild plants and animals, wild characters, wild stories, and lots and lots of frenzied, untamed energy.”

Media used in the exhibit include oil on canvas, silkscreen, mixed media, photography, marker, acrylic, porcelain, watercolor, ink block printing, ink and inktense pencil, reduction linocut, and ceramic.

The Falls Church Arts gallery is at 700-B West Broad St. (Route 7), Falls Church. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Artworks can also be viewed online at www.fallschurcharts.org. All pieces can be purchased at the gallery or on the website.

Two awards, a $150 Juror’s Choice and a $50 People’s Choice, were made possible by a donation from Cuates Grill, 502 W. Broad St., #5, Falls Church, VA 20046. The People’s Choice Award will be announced on Saturday, September 24, based on votes from visitors to the gallery.

Tara Barr selected “Off Grid,” a mixed media collage on canvas board by Molly McCracken, for the Juror’s Choice Award. The piece “speaks to the bit of wildness in all of us. You can feel the energy of her creative process in the layering and mixing of media. In the end result you can sense the tension of loosely contained chaos and the total wildness that might be just around the corner.”

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Encore Creativity for Older Adults, America’s largest choral organization for adults over 55, welcomes new and returning singers in the Fairfax County area to the fall season of its popular Encore Chorales, local groups that sing a fun and eclectic mix of music in many styles and from many different eras; Encore ROCKS, rock & roll choruses that take singers back to their favorite hits from the 50s through the 80s, and Sentimental Journey Singers, a choir for those with early Alzheimer’s and memory impairments and their care partners.

Registration is open now for the 15-week fall season which begins in September 2022 and culminates in holiday concerts that are free and open to the public. All programs consist of 90-minute sessions held conveniently during the day each week and led by well-known professional conductors from the area. No auditions are necessary. Encore’s mission is to provide an accessible arts education and performance opportunities for older adults regardless of ability or experience.

Betsy Kutscher, who serves as the Chorale Master of the Encore Chorale of Fairfax, was seeking something different in her newly retired life when she discovered Encore. “Exercise and singing – sounded good to me,” said Kutscher, who also found Encore helpful during some difficult times. “Once I went to sing, I totally escaped from the stress in my life.”

Programs include the Encore Chorale of Fairfax at St George’s United Methodist Church in Fairfax, Encore Chorale of Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads in Falls Church, Encore Chorale of Reston and Fairfax ROCKS at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Vienna and Sentimental Journey Singers at the award-winning Insight Memory Care Center in Fairfax.

With the exception of Sentimental Journey Singers, which is a free program, tuition is $190.00 per person for each 15-week program. Encore will follow all City, State and Federal Covid-19 guidelines. For more information and registration, visit www.encorecreativity.org or call 301-261-5747.

For those who prefer to sing virtually, Encore is also offering its popular Encore University, a comprehensive online program of singing plus enrichment courses in music history, music theory, dance, art, movement classes and more. Tuition for the fall semester of Encore University is $185.00 per person. Registration starts August 10th. Singers can combine both the in-person program with online classes for a full musical experience.

Founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly during an NIH-funded study to address the mental and physical health benefits of singing for older adults, Encore Creativity for Older Adults, an Annapolis-based nonprofit, now has more than 1,000 singers in 30 programs across the nation, including Chorales and ROCKS and Sentimental Journey Singers, plus a vibrant online university, summer camp, winter retreat and travel abroad programs.

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A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prevented an Alexandria, Va., resident from bringing his loaded handgun onto his flight this morning, July 25. It was the 16th gun detected by TSA officers at the airport so far this year.

The 9mm gun was loaded with nine bullets plus one in the chamber and was detected via the X-ray machine as the man was entering the security checkpoint with his carry-on items. A TSA officer spotted the gun in the man’s laptop bag. TSA officials notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police who confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge.

The man told officials that he had gone to a firing range with his gun a few days prior to his scheduled flight and then placed the loaded gun into his laptop bag. He said that he forgot it was packed with his laptop on the day he was ticketed to fly.

“All passengers are responsible for all items in their carry-on bags and their checked baggage,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Every time we fly we must inspect these bags thoroughly to ensure we are not bringing any prohibited items to the airport. And every time we fly we receive multiple reminders to leave firearms at home. Each time responsible gun owners see this reminder they must confirm that they positively know where that firearm actually is – safely locked and secured.

“If you own a firearm, it is your responsibility to know the laws, rules and regulations when it comes time to traveling with your gun, and you must know where the firearm is at all times,” Busch said. “Bringing a firearm with you to the airport security checkpoint is a violation of Virginia law. You will be referred to local law enforcement for potential charges and you will also face a financial civil penalty.”

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual may lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. Of the guns caught by TSA in 2022, about 86 percent were loaded.

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