Author: Matt Blitz

Rasa to Finally Open in Crystal City Later This Week

By Matt Blitz
1/4

Rasa, a fast-casual Indian restaurant, is opening in Crystal City later this week.

The D.C.-based eatery will open its third location — its first in Virginia — at 2200 Crystal Drive on Friday, July 2. Rasa initially announced its expansion into Arlington nearly two years ago.

In April, the restaurant applied for a permit to sell beer, wine, and mixed drinks which dropped the hint that they were on the verge of opening.

“We’ve had our eyes on opening a RASA in Virginia for years, and National Landing feels like the perfect launching pad,” said Rasa co-founder Sahil Rahman. “It is one of the most exciting neighborhoods in the country, and we look forward to feeding the community soon.”

Rahman and co-founder Rahul Vinod opened the first Rasa in December 2017 in D.C.’s Navy Yard, near Nationals Park. The second location opened in August 2020 in the District’s Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood.

The new restaurant is 1,550 square feet with seating for up to 32 diners. The design and menu “mirrors” the other two locations, notes a press release.

The menu is bowl-based, Indian fare with eye-winking names like “Aloo Need Is Love” (vegan with sweet potatoes, eggplant, beets, lentils, and tamarind ginger chutney) and “Tikka Chance On Me” (chicken tikka with spinach, radishes, toasted cumin yogurt with mint cilantro chutney).

There will also be a rotation of vegan soft serve dessert, like at the Mount Vernon location, including mango lassi and masala chai flavors.

The restaurant is exploring collaborating with “notable local Virginia-based brands, vineyards, breweries, distilleries, farmers, and other celebrated artisans” for future menu items.

Local artist Nandita Madan, who is Rahman’s aunt, designed custom artwork for the new space, including a large canvas painting paying homage to the restaurant’s name.

Crystal City’s Rasa was initially set to open last year, but the pandemic influenced the timing.

“From safety concerns to supply chain, building out this restaurant during COVID was an absolute rollercoaster, filled with many ups and downs”, said Rasa co-founder Rahul Vinod. “We are incredibly grateful to our team at Rasa, the National Landing BID, JBG Smith, and the community for all of the support as we navigated the pandemic, and we can’t wait to finally welcome folks into our new home soon.”

Rasa’s opening comes as developer JBG Smith’s post-HQ2 vision for Crystal City and the rest of National Landing begins to take shape, charting a more modern, mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented course for what had been seen as an aging collection of concrete-constructed offices and parking garages.

JBG recently released a video detailing more of its plans. In May, plans for two mixed-use towers from JBG Smith were approved by the County Board. Earlier this month plans for a new park began to crystalize, Alamo Drafthouse announced its Crystal City opening date, and a popular New York bakery opened.

Community Saves Wounded Snapping Turtle From Penrose Window Well

By Matt Blitz
1/3

The Penrose community helped save a wounded snapping turtle from being stuck in a window well last week.

On Wednesday (June 23), The Animal Welfare League of Arlington received a call from a concerned citizen about a rather large turtle inside of a window well of a Penrose house on the 800 block of S. Wayne Street.

AWLA dispatched an officer, who removed the turtle and contacted the licensed Virginia rehabber Olivia Lobalbo of Animal Education and Rescue Organization. It was thought that the turtle was female and potentially a mother-to-be since they often only come on to land to lay eggs.

“The rehabber assessed the situation and stated that the turtle was likely laying eggs in the area and to place it nearby in a safe space,” Jen Toussaint, Chief of Animal Control for the AWLA, tells ARLnow.

They decided to allow the turtle to make its way back home. So, AWLA asked folks in the neighborhood to monitor the turtle and stay in touch with the organization.

Over the next few days, the likely mama turtle was seen (slowly) moving through multiple Penrose yards. Eventually, it made its way to the corner of 9th Street S. and S. Wayne Street, according to a post on Nextdoor. At that point, it became clear that action needed to be taken.

“She had gone through multiple yards but was heading in the direction of attempting to cross Columbia Pike and one person noted seeing some flies,” wrote Toussaint. “Flies can be a sign that something is wrong or there is an injury.”

An AWLA officer again came back out on Saturday (June 26), as did Lobalbo from AERO, who took the turtle into their care.

Later, upon inspecting, Lobalbo found the turtle had a hole in its shell and an infected wound.

“I realized that there is a little bit of tissue that grew over the hole in the shell, but underneath was very much infected, and not healing well at all,” Lobaldo writes to ARLnow. “I have done my best to debride it… which seems to been a huge benefit as she is feeling better already. I’ve even gotten her to eat!”

Lobaldo confirms that she expects the turtle to recover and be released back into the wild soon.

Snapping turtles are not uncommon in the area, Toussaint notes. However, this was the first time she can remember finding one stuck in a window well.

“Window wells can be very dangerous for small wildlife this time of year,” writes Toussaint. “We strongly encourage residents to have window well covers that prevent debris and small animals like bunnies and chipmunks and now turtles from falling in and being trapped.”

It was due to the Penrose community’s diligent monitoring of the wounded mother turtle, says Toussaint, that AWLA was able to get her the help she needed.

“Extend my thank you to the Penrose community and AERO for looking out for this little girl and helping us ensure her safety,” Toussaint writes. “Arlington is such an amazingly animal friendly community and it’s a pleasure to work here in service to our community’s wild neighbors!”

In recent months, AWLA has been called on a number of times to help out Arlington’s animal neighbors including birds, a baby fox, and a really old cat.

EXCLUSIVE: Pike Businesses Leaving Due to Parking Challenges at County-Financed Garage

By Matt Blitz
1/6

(Updated at 11:10 a.m.) A pair of Columbia Pike businesses say they’re planning to leave when their leases are up due to parking challenges at a county-financed garage.

Lost Dog Cafe and Joule Wellness Pharmacy both tell ARLnow that relatively high and confusing parking fees in the garage are costing them thousands of dollars a year in customer business. The owners of both say they will not be renewing their leases when they expire come 2023 and 2024, respectively.

“This parking issue has made it so untenable,” says Lost Dog Cafe franchise owner Jim Barnes. “We link this to our sales and our sales are not good. There’s a correlation with this parking lot.”

The parking garage, located at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive, is owned by Ballston-based apartment developer AvalonBay. However, it was built based as part of an unusual 2006 agreement with Arlington County.

The county contributed $2.96 million to its construction with the promise of receiving 45% of parking revenue as a form of payback every month going forward, according to the “public parking development agreement” obtained by ARLnow.

It is one of only two parking garages in the county that has an agreement of this nature, county officials confirm, with the other also along Columbia Pike, at Penrose Square.

The agreement does not specify a duration for which the county will continue to receive the parking revenue and county officials declined to provide an “interpretation” of whether that could mean into perpetuity.

They also didn’t specify how much revenue the garage generated for the county in 2020.

The parking garage is owned by AvalonBay and was acquired by the company with its $102 million purchase of the since-renamed Avalon Columbia Pike apartment building — formerly the Halstead Arlington — in 2016.

While this agreement had been in place for a decade and a half, initially signed by a different developer, a majority of the issues for the businesses started in March 2020, just days before the pandemic began to hit Arlington.

That’s when, according to Lost Dog and Joule Wellness, the parking machines were turned on and enforced for the first time in years.

Lost Dog Cafe, a franchisee of the original in Westover, moved into 2920 Columbia Pike in May 2009. At the time, Barnes said that parking was free after 5 p.m. and on weekends, which he says was an adequate compromise. A large portion of their customer-base came when parking was free anyway, with the garage able to earn revenue at other times, he says.

When AvalonBay purchased the building, notes Barnes, those restrictions went away and the parking machines were turned off. Enforcement also stopped.

Then four years later, with little notice according to the businesses, the machines were turned back on, enforcement restarted, and parking fees were being charged 24/7. The machines require drivers to pay for parking in advance, and anyone who fails to do so — or who overstays the amount of time they paid for — gets ticketed or towed.

A sign outside the garage advertises a parking rate of $1.75 per hour, which can be paid via a cash-only machine inside the garage. Barnes claims the machine “has never worked” and “steals people’s money.”

Drivers can also use the ParkMobile app, but poor cell phone reception in the garage makes that difficult, and the app charges $2.25 for the first hour.

“Customers cannot use their phones to access it infuriating them and they simply choose to no longer come to our business as a result,” Barnes said.

Paid street parking is available nearby, but is limited. Parking on surrounding neighborhood streets, meanwhile, often requires a residential decal, and nearby parking lots are restricted to other businesses and their customers.

AvalonBay, in an email to ARLnow, disputes Barnes’ version of events, writing that parking was being collected prior to March 2020.

“Equipment had been in place and parking revenue was collected prior to March 2020,” writes a company representative. “In March 2020, an updated parking system was installed with the County’s approval.”

Barnes, however, says that he received “no notice whatsoever” about the change or any updates.

The management of Joule Wellness Pharmacy, which opened its Pike location in early 2014, said they did receive notice, but it was only two to three weeks prior to the change. What’s more, they said there’s no mention of paid parking in their lease.

“There was not no mention of that in our lease,” says manager Alex Tekie. “And in fact, we’re told parking is free for us and our employees and for customers coming on the retail side.”

Tekie and pharmacy owner Winnie Tewelde tell ARLnow they now shell out nearly $800 a month in parking, mostly so employees can park in the lot.

They’ve talked a lawyer about the situation, but grew weary of paying even more money to fight the parking changes against a large, publicly-traded developer.

“We got exhausted. Drained,” says Tekie. “It’s David vs. Goliath.”

(more…)

Steadfast Supply in Ballston Closing This Week

By Matt Blitz
Steadfast Supply in Ballston (Staff Photo)

Steadfast Supply in Ballston will be closing this Saturday, June 27.

Last week, a handwritten sign was spotted on the glass doors noting the store’s last day and reduced, weekend-only hours. The store is located in an open-air section of Ballston Quarter mall.

Steadfast Supply’s founder and creative director Virginia Arrisueño confirmed the store’s closing in an email to ARLnow, noting that ownership made the decision to not to renew the lease.

“We have sincerely enjoyed our time at Ballston Quarter! We met so many new and wonderful customers. Sadly, we decided to not renew our lease and will be closing our doors on Sunday June 27,” Arrisueño wrote. “We are incredibly grateful for the warm welcome that we received in Arlington, and forever thankful for your support. ⁠Please feel free to visit our Washington, DC location at The Yards or online at www.steadfastsupplydc.com.”

The D.C.-based boutique shop opened in Ballston Quarter in July 2019, offering handmade goods from small vendors, including jewelry, home goods, clothes, and leather bags.

When Steadfast Supply opened two years ago, Arrisueño told ARLnow that she hoped the shop would be a supportive space for artisans to test out products and learn.

“My goal with Steadfast Supply was to create a cool retail setting where talented creatives can grow their brands,” she said. “As a designer myself, I know how tough and competitive the retail industry is, and I wanted to provide a supportive space where brands can ask us questions about line sheets, packaging, etc., receive direct feedback and suggestions on how to improve their products.”

The store started as a pop-up in Navy Yard in 2016 before expanding to a 3,000-square foot space in Southeast D.C. at The Yards shortly thereafter. That location remains open.

Ballston Quarter has had plenty of comings and goings just in the past month. Sloppy Mama’s BBQ closed earlier this month, while a 6,200-square-foot combination restaurant and art gallery opened just last week. A new dog daycare, grooming, and veterinarian business opened in late May.

Whitlow’s Is Closing Next Week and Throwing Itself a Going-Away Party

By Matt Blitz
People walk past Whitlow’s on Wilson in the afternoon light (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Whitlow’s, the long-time watering hole on Wilson Blvd, is closing its doors for good on Saturday, June 26.

But first come the parties.

Earlier this week, the well-known Clarendon bar and restaurant hosted an alumni staff reunion and had a send off show featuring local 90s cover band White Ford Bronco. Tickets to that show sold out.

On Wednesday, June 23, there’s a “jam session” featuring members of the Grammy-nominated reggae band SOJA. The group hails from Arlington, with several members graduating from Yorktown High School. More live music is scheduled throughout this week and next, according to Whitlow’s website.

Then on its final day next weekend the local mainstay is hosting what it is calling the “Last Waltz,” featuring music from The Poprocks and KleptoRadio.

“One final blowout… Get here early,” says the website. “No one cuts the line unless you are Dave Grohl.”

An employee confirmed to ARLnow on the phone that Whitlow’s last day at 2854 Wilson Blvd is set to be June 26. They also noted that management was looking for a new location but haven’t found anything yet.

ARLnow has reached out to management about any further updates on the future of Whitlow’s, but has yet to hear back.

In late March, the restaurant announced it was closing after efforts to renew its lease were unsuccessful.

Whitlow’s had attempted to negotiate an extension on a lease expiring at the end of June, a social media post said, but talks proved fruitless. So, instead, it is set to close its longtime Clarendon space while “actively looking for a future home.”

Whitlow’s opened in 1946 as a greasy spoon eatery and bar in D.C. before closing in 1989 and relocating to Clarendon six years later. Opening in 1995, it has remained a neighborhood mainstay for more than two and a half decades. That is, until now.

ARLnow first reported in August 2019 that the space would be available for lease starting July 1, 2021 but management seemed confident that a deal would be brokered.

“We plan on being here for years to come,” manager Jon Williams told ARLnow at the time.

Currently, 2854 Wilson Blvd still appears to be available for lease at an undisclosed price.

“We don’t necessarily see this as a goodbye, but more of a see you later,” the March social media post read. “In the meantime, there are three months left and we are going to make the best of it!”

With now less than two weeks left, Whitlow’s does seem to be partying hard before the music stops.

Authorities Advise Removing Bird Feeders, Still Stumped By Reports of Sick and Dead Birds

By Matt Blitz
1/3

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is advising residents to remove their bird feeders while officials still try to figure out why birds across the region are getting sick and dying.

“We are asking Arlington Co (and DMV) residents to bring their bird feeders inside for the time being. Due to the unknown illness in local birds, we are looking to take as many precautions as possible to keep illnesses from spreading (and bird feeders can be a common source of illness),” reads the social media post from late last week.

Local authorities in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and West Virginia remains stumped as to why so many birds have turned up dead in recent weeks. Reports from across the region cropped up in late May about birds littering local roads and sidewalks.

Additionally, these reports do not seem to be decreasing and are remaining steady, writes Megan Kirchgessner, State Wildlife Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, in an email to ARLnow.

Symptoms usually include the swelling of eyes, a crusty discharge, and neurological signs, according to a Virginia DWR statement from Friday (June 11).

One theory is that it’s related to the emergence of the cicadas and the use of insecticide. Another is that it’s a bacterial disease. But, as of now, there’s nothing conclusive.

“We have continued to send out specimens for further testing but have not received any conclusive test results,” writes AWLA Animal Control Chief Jennifer Toussaint in an email to ARLnow. “We will immediately alert the public once we know what is going on and are making these additional suggestions just to lessen the possibility of this illness spreading from bird to bird at this time.”

Kirchgessner is also asking residents to remove their bird feeders and baths.

“Although we are not able to confirm at this time that an infectious disease is the cause of this mortality event, we have recommended removal of bird feeders and baths to be on the safe side,” Kirchgessner writes to ARLnow. “Feeders congregate birds and will facilitate transmission of disease from sick to healthy birds.”

DWR’s statement additionally advises residents, if removing a feeder or bath is not possible, to clean it with a 10% bleach solution.

There are still no definitive lab results as to the cause, but “at least three wildlife health labs are involved so hopefully we will have results soon,” Kirchgessner notes.

The labs that are investigating include the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, the University of Georgia Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, and the University of Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program.

Both AWLA and DWR are reminding residents to avoid handling the dead birds without gloves, to keep pets away from them, and to report incidents to either DWR or AWLA.

“We are very saddened by this ongoing issue and are hopeful for more finding soon,” said Toussaint. “These birds are federally protected for a reason, they are a national treasure and vital to our ecosystem.”

Photo (1) courtesy of Erinn Shirley/Flickr

The 9-11 Memorial 5K Will Be In-Person Again After Going Virtual Last Year

By Matt Blitz
2019 9-11 Memorial 5K Run (Courtesy of Jose Quiroz)

The Arlington 9-11 Memorial 5K will once again be in-person after going virtual last year.

This will be the 20th anniversary of the race, which is run in honor of the Arlington first responders who helped at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and in support of 9/11-related charities.

The race is organized by members of Arlington’s public safety agencies, including the police department and sheriff’s office.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 11 and around 3,000 people are expected to participate this year, Race Director and Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Jose Quiroz tells ARLnow. That’s in line with previous years.

Over the last two decades, the event has raised about $800,000 for charity. This includes HEROS, which helps local families whose loved ones have died in the line of duty, as well as the Pentagon Memorial Fund, which is still looking to build a new visitor center for the memorial.

The website doesn’t specifically exactly where the funds will be going this year but does note that “all proceeds will be donated to official charities that focus on the healing of military personnel and civilians directly affected by the war on terrorism and the attacks against America on September 11, 2001.”

The race will start at the Doubletree Hotel in Pentagon City, follow Army Navy Drive, passing the Pentagon Memorial, making its way along Washington Blvd, before hitting Route 110, and circling back to the hotel.

ACPD Officer Harley Guenther, who is is on the 9/11 Memorial Race Board and part of the outreach team, says the event has deep meaning to her. When the airplane hit the Pentagon two decades ago, both her mother and father worked for ACPD and were among the first on scene.

At the time, she was only six years old and was sent to live with relatives for several weeks while her parents aided in rescue efforts and evidence recovery at the Pentagon.

For her, this race is about them.

“Mom and dad were my heroes growing up. When disaster struck, they went to help,” says Guenther.

She isn’t much of a runner, she says, but she makes it a point to jog past the Pentagon Memorial.

“You can’t help but be affected. It’s an introspective time. You just run with your thoughts.” says Guenther.

Certain protocols could still be in place come September, the website notes, including capacity restrictions, social distancing, and masks. This could mean staggered start times and impact the post-race festival. All of this is currently being evaluated, Quiroz says.

There’s a virtual option for those not yet feeling comfortable with running in the race in person.

Every person who registers will receive a long sleeve commemorative t-shirt.

It’s important to hold the race in-person this year, Quiroz says, because there are still so many in the community who were significantly impacted on that day. For Quiroz, 9/11 was actually his second day on the job with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office.

“We need to always honor those that responded that day,” he said. “It’s sacred and this event helps to remind the new generation.”

Tend, a Luxury Dentistry Practice, is Coming to Ballston Later This Year

By Matt Blitz
1/4

(Updated 4:30 p.m.) Tend, a company that says it treats going to the dentist as a spa-like experience, will be opening in Ballston later this year.

Located at 4201 Wilson Blvd, in the Ballston Exchange complex across the street from Ballston Quarter mall, the new location is targeting a fall 2021 opening, a company representative tells ARLnow.

Tend is a New York-based luxury dentistry practice start-up that’s quickly expanding. It claims to be the first dentist that people actually look forward to. Appointments are booked through an app, offices are Instagramable, and patients can watch Netflix with noise-canceling headphones while getting their teeth cleaned.

The company recently raised $125 million for their further expansion in New York as well as the opening of several locations in Boston and the D.C. area.

Four D.C. locations are listed on Tend’s website as coming soon, but the Ballston office is not listed as of yet, nor is any other location in Virginia.

“We’re excited to kick off our ARL expansion in Ballston and are in active negotiation for additional locations throughout NoVA,” writes co-founder Andy Grover in an email to ARLnow.

Grover says that the reason Tend is expanding to the D.C. area is because there are similarities to the New York market, where the company already has found success.

“We know how successful our offering has been in NYC and we see a lot of parallels to D.C. — an urban, educated and sophisticated population that isn’t being served by an ecosystem of patient-centered dental care,” writes Grover. “Because of the commuting patterns of D.C. residents and the way the D.C. population has grown, we knew the [Rosslyn-Ballston] Corridor was a natural fit. Ballston Exchange has attracted top-tier restaurants and services to serve nearby residents and workers and we’re proud to be a part of it!”

The company is currently hiring for on-site jobs at the Ballston location, including dental care staff (dentists, hygienists, and assistants), studio managers, and associates for the “Welcome Bar.”

Ballston has seen a plethora of buzzy business announcements and openings in recent weeks. WHINO, an “experiential” restaurant and art gallery combination, is opening on Friday, June 18. Grilled chicken restaurant Farmbird starting serving customers this week, Salt Line is aiming a summer opening, and plant shop REWILD is looking at a July opening, among others.

Still No Set Date for Full Reopening of Arlington Libraries

By Matt Blitz

While more Arlington County libraries are re-opening for express service next month, there’s still no set date for a full reopening.

This is due to staff shortages and the lingering effects of the hiring freeze enacted last March, library spokesperson Henrik Sundqvist tells ARLnow. The library system is having trouble hiring amid a “very competitive job market,” which just today set a new record for job openings in the U.S.

“About 20 percent of permanent public service jobs are vacant and in the process of being filled,” Sundqvist said this morning. “The recruiting, hiring and training process takes time.”

“Only 38 percent of temporary employees employed by the library last year have returned or plan to return for the [re-opening],” he added.

The Aurora Hills branch and the newly-renovated Columbia Pike library branch are both re-opening for the first time since March 2020, offering express service starting on Tuesday, July 6. Central Library will expand from holds pick-up only to express as well. The Shirlington and Westover branches reopened for express service back in March.

While express service allows browsing of up to 30 minutes, meeting rooms, seating, and public PCs will remain off-limits. Operating hours, which have yet to be announced, will also continue to be limited.

The Cherrydale and Glencarlyn library branches are currently expected to reopen for express service in the fall.

By contrast, neighboring jurisdictions like Fairfax County and Alexandria recently announced a resumption of most pre-pandemic services and operations.

Arlington’s more gradual reopening, officials insist, is related to “an unprecedented staff shortage” rather than COVID-related restrictions.

The lack of available labor is affecting other aspects of library operations, according to a press release.

“The Library is no longer quarantining returned items. However, due to staffing shortage, items may not get checked in for several days after they have been returned in a book drop,” the press release says. “If over 7 days have passed since you returned your library items and they remain on your account, please contact the Library to update your account.”

All branches will stick with express library service until the system “is closer to normal staffing levels,” notes the release.

There’s also no set date yet for the resumption of indoor storytime, though there’s a new outdoor storytime series at Central Library. Additionally, the Center for Local History at Central Library will be by appointment-only starting later this summer.

A number of services and resources that the library normally provides will remain closed.

This includes the Shed — the library’s seasonal garden-tool lending service — which will remain so for the entirety of the 2021 season, but plans to reopen in 2022. Arlington Public Library’s “makerspace” will also remain unavailable until staffing increases.

The Plaza branch remains shuttered due to ongoing renovations and its expansion, making it the only library location out of eight that will not offer express service by this fall.

Large Restaurant and Art Gallery Space Opening Soon in Ballston

By Matt Blitz
1/9

WHINO, a 6,200-square-foot combination restaurant and art gallery, is set to open its doors at Ballston Quarter next week.

First announced in August 2018, the venue will combine a 150-seat restaurant and craft cocktail bar serving dishes that “meld American and international flavors” with a pop-art gallery that invites patrons to “inhabit large-scale mural installations.”

WHINO is located on the second floor of the shopping center, at 4238 Wilson Boulevard. It is set to open on Friday, June 18.

It comes from Shane Pomajambo, the D.C.-based art curator who ran Blind Whino and other prominent galleries in the region. Arlingtonians may know him as the person behind the massive street art show in Crystal City a decade ago.

Pomajambo tells ARLnow he picked Ballston as the location for his next venture because of the “great foot traffic” and the neighborhood’s residents are its “core demographic.”

It will serve a late night crowd, at least during the latter half of the week. Thursday through Saturday, WHINO will stay open until 2 a.m.

The venue’s murals encompass a dozen different genres and focus on a new art movement known as “lowbrow/pop surrealist,” according to a press release.

A number of the murals will be rotated out regularly with new art coming in every month creating a “living art gallery,” as Washingtonian reports. The current roster of muralists includes an artist, Dragon76, who just finished a massive mural in Houston in conjunction with a United Nations project.

There will also be a retail component to the venue, with a number of limited-edition sculptures from artists across the world on sale, with prices ranging from $50 to $300.

The restaurant is set to hold 152 diners in an open floor plan that will have six different areas, including a 25-seat kitchen bar, a 51-foot craft cocktail bar, and a 11-seat beverage tasting bar.

The small plate menu comes from executive chef Eleftherios (Terry) Natas, a New Jersey-born Greek American who previously worked for El Centro in D.C. and Mike Isabella’s Graffino. A number of items are influenced by Natas’s Greek background, including smoked octopus and gyro meat wrapped in phyllo dough. There will also be handmade ricotta gnocchi, porchetta sliders and scallop aguachile.

“The menu is designed to encourage exploration as small plates afford guests the opportunity to experience more flavor profiles,” Pomajambo says.

A number of other much-anticipated businesses are planning to open in Ballston in the coming months, including The Salt Line, looking at a summer debut. The popular plant shop REWILD is planning a July opening while chicken restaurant Farmbird is starting to serve this week.

Other recent restaurant openings and anticipated openings in Ballston include Ballston Local, El Rey, Hawkers Asian Street Fare, and Quincy Hall.

Heart + Paw, a combination veterinarian, pet groomer and dog daycare, just opened last month as well.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Hopes to Open in Crystal City Next Spring

By Matt Blitz
1/1

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is planning to open its Crystal City location about a year from now.

Set to be located at 1660 Crystal Drive, the nine-screen, 50,000-square-foot Alamo Drafthouse National Landing will be near a new CVS, Solidcore, and likely linked to a specialty grocery store (perhaps Amazon Fresh).

Just last week, the Texas-based movie theater chain announced it was emerging from bankruptcy and poised to open a number of new theaters, including two in the D.C-area. The Crystal City location is currently expected to open in May or June 2022, theater representatives confirm to ARLnow.

The other new theater will be in Northeast D.C.’s Edgewood neighborhood. That one is planning a November 2021 opening.

Founded in 1997, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has nearly 40 locations while marketing itself as a movie-lover’s oasis, complete with craft beers and locally-sourced snacks.

The theater in Crystal City will be operated by a franchisee, Cojeaux Cinemas. The company operates three other Alamo Drafthouse franchises in Virginia as well as the new D.C. location.

Cojeaux Cinemas has had an eye on the Arlington market for the better part of a decade, but jumped at a deal a few years ago amid an opportunity presented itself.

“We signed this deal in 2017 when JBG Smith gained control of Crystal City,” Joseph Edwards, co-owner Cojeaux Cinemas, tells ARLnow. “We had confidence in their vision and their people to transition the market by bringing tenants like us in to rebalance the overall mix of office, residential, retail and entertainment, creating a more modernized urban area that will draw from all the surrounding areas.”

Just last week, JBG Smith released an investor relations video detailing its ambitious plans for National Landing.

JBG Smith has nearly finished its portion of the work on the building that will house the movie theater, and Cojeaux Cinemas will start the interior build-out within the next couple of months, Edwards said. The theaters will all have laser projectors, large recliners with individual tables, and call buttons to request service (“quietly and seamlessly during the show”).

There will also be a themed bar with the exact concept still in development.

As the operator of other Virginia theaters, the last year has been an immense challenge, Cojeaux co-owner Anthony Coco concedes. But they are confident that folks are ready to go back to the movies.

“Having seen some fantastic box office numbers, like we saw last weekend, it is clear that movie goers are ready to get back in cinemas,” writes Coco. “And enjoy the craveable, one of a kind experience that Alamo Drafthouse provides its guests.”

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