Around Town

Arlington-connected restaurant owners capture RAMMY Awards

By ARLnow.com
1/5

No Arlington-specific restaurant walked away from Sunday’s RAMMY Awards with new hardware for the display case, but it was not a total shutout for the county’s food scene.

As in years past, the big winners were mostly D.C. restaurants. But unlike last year, when Ruthie’s All-Day was honored as Casual Restaurant of the Year, no Arlington-only eatery was singled out.

This was the 41st annual edition of the regional awards program, organized by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and held at the Washington Convention Center.

There were three winners with Arlington connections.

RASA — a growing, local fast casual Indian restaurant chain with a location in Crystal City — won for Favorite Fast Bites. Co-founders Sahil Rahman and Rahul Vinod took the stage before a large crowd of local restaurant industry figures to accept the award, thanking their team and their fathers, who are also restaurant owners.

Kevin Tien, who won for Chef of the Year for his now-closed D.C. restaurant Moon Rabbit, operates hot chicken eatery Hot Lola’s, with locations in Ballston and Rosslyn.

Rose Previte, who won for Restaurateur of the Year, will soon have an Arlington restaurant. Best known for Compass Rose and Maydan in D.C., Previte’s company No White Plates is building out Kirby Club, which has an existing location in the Mosaic District, in the former Iota Club space in Clarendon. The Middle Eastern concept, which in Clarendon was formerly to be called Tawle, is expected to open in the coming months.

Among those receiving RAMMY nominations this year but not making it to the podium were Snjezana Jaksic of Ambar Clarendon (Manager of the Year); Bridie McCulla of Liberty Restaurant Group (Pastry Chef of the Year); Bar Ivy in Clarendon (New Restaurant of the Year); and Ruthie’s All Day (Favorite Gathering Place).

Favorite Gathering Place and Favorite Fast Bites, which RASA won, were among the five categories for which members of the dining public — rather than a select panel — voted both the nominees and the winners this year, for the first time.

One notable backdrop for this year’s award ceremony is the July 1 implementation of D.C.’s new tipped-minimum wage law, which will raise the base pay of tipped restaurant staff significantly over the next few years. That has prompted some District restaurants to impose surcharges on customers and has also led to some speculation that Arlington could see an influx of new restaurants that would have otherwise opened across the river.

This Amazon Prime Day, save on merch that shows your Arlington pride

By Hallie LeTendre
1/7

(Updated at 9:45 a.m.) Amazon’s Prime Day begins today (Tuesday), meaning once-a-year deals on thousands of products for Prime members.

It can also be an excuse to throw in some merch that signals your Arlington pride, too.

With the debut of the first phase of the tech company’s HQ2 in Pentagon City, residents can rely on their new neighbor to deliver ARLnow apparel and Arlington-themed books, posters and more directly to their doors.

ARLnow sells t-shirts, tank tops, long-sleeve shirts, tote bags and other apparel we designed for you to wear your gondola fandom on your sleeves. (The best seller, of course, is the iconic Gondola Now shirt.)

Customers can go back to Amazon’s roots and buy books highlighting the history of Arlington and notable landmarks in the county are available.

There are also a number of books written by Arlington-based authors on the platform: an award-winning novel, a children’s book that explains the significance behind renaming Langston Blvd, mysteries based on county locations and one local man’s memoir waiting tables in D.C.

Those in need of décor for their home, or a housewarming gift for a friend, can buy everything from pillows to mugs, pictures and posters can be found by searching “Arlington VA.”

Deals on items for Prime Day will be offered next week, however, many of the major deals are already available.

Amazon is also offering a Try Before You Buy program where Prime members can try as many as six clothing items for seven days before officially purchasing them. UGG, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Levi’s are just some of the brands available through the program. Any items not wanted during the seven day trial period can be returned for free.

Beyond Prime Day, county residents can visit Amazon’s recently-opened HQ2, which offers shops, restaurants, other businesses and a nearby park with free events for the public to enjoy. Phase two of Amazon’s HQ2 was approved by the Arlington County Board in 2022 and is set to feature the distinctive helix tower — but it has since been delayed. There is some indication, however, that work on it could start next year.

Prime Day continues tomorrow, as well.

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 10, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

🕗 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 10, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on Tuesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

☀️ Tuesday’s forecast

Sunny, with a high near 90. Northwest wind around 6 mph. At night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. South wind 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”
– William Butler Yeats

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

A local American Legion post is getting a new mural

By Hallie LeTendre
1/3

An American Legion post in Virginia Square has a new mural prominently displaying three young Legion representatives and encouraging more to join.

The 22-by-15-foot mural can be found at the American Legion Post 139 at 3445 Washington Blvd, which will soon re-open to members within a new affordable apartment building, Terwilliger Place, which replaced the former post building. It is also less than a mile from another muraled building, American Legion Post 85.

Arlington resident, Navy reservist and Legion member Richard Rodriguez Jr. is displayed on the far left side of the mural. He told ARLnow the piece is intended to grab the attention of younger community members and encourage those who are currently enlisted or recent veterans to join the American Legion.

“Legions are looked at as a resource for older people, so the purpose behind this mural was to target younger people and pay tribute to the sacrifices that they have also made,” he said. “Younger members are always welcomed and encouraged to be in this organization.”

The idea for the mural came about because his father, Richard Rodriguez Sr., also an Arlington resident, took an art class.

Patrick Sargent, who owns the art business Sargent-Thamm Printmakers and shares a studio at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, told ARLnow that he met Rodriguez Sr. while teaching an art class at George Mason University. A veteran himself, Sargent used the GI Bill to get art degrees needed to teach.

“Richard took a couple of classes of mine, including an advanced printmaking class, which is where the mural idea came from,” Sargent said. “That was about a year and a half ago. We came up with designs, we had a meeting with the [county], who approved our initial designs and then after some minor changes we began painting what ended up on the wall.”

Sargent told ARLnow that after a few finishing touches, the mural in acrylic paint should be done in about a week.

The mural also pays tribute to the military monuments in Arlington, the county’s proximity to D.C., and the influence that proximity has had on the Legion.

“Behind the three main subjects are different memorials in the area in black. The D.C. skyline is also included, as Arlington and the Legion act as a gateway to the nation’s capital,” Sargent said.

Sargent and Rodriguez began painting the mural with the help of their children and neighbors at first, but as the piece began to expand Sargent told ARLnow that community volunteers and residents of the building helped with the painting of the mural.

“It went from this blank wall to this thing the community gathered around,” Sargent said.

It’s finally tee time for Columbia Pike’s Par Citi

By Matt Blitz
1/5

Today is finally tee time at Par Citi Golf on Columbia Pike.

The virtual indoor golf facility at 3102 Columbia Pike is opening today, per a press release. It’s located inside of the old LoanMax building and next to the combination Baskin Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts.

As a spokesperson told ARLnow back in May, the independently-owned Par Citi is set to be similar to Five Iron Golf in D.C.

“Our state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technology, allowing you to simulate a round of golf on some of the world’s most renowned courses,” a press release reads. “Our simulators provide an immersive and realistic experience, allowing you to practice, compete and improve your game all in a climate-controlled environment.”

The complex will also feature a cafe and bar, though it’s unclear if the bar will be opening immediately with the Virginia ABC license still pending.

It was back in September when ARLnow first reported that Par Citi was set to take its swings on Columbia Pike. Initially, the plan was to open that fall and then in May, but it appears permitting delays pushed it back a few months.

On first look, Par Citi’s location may seem like a bit off the green. It’s occupying a building that once housed a car title lending company and is next to a Shell gas station-slash-donut shop.

But a spokesperson said that Columbia Pike’s eventual redevelopment with new condos, apartments, and mixed-use buildings provides lots of “potential” and a future source of golf-loving customers for the indoor virtual simulator complex.

“This is a golfers paradise built by avid golfers,” a press release notes. “We have thought a lot about the details we would want to find in a place where we will spend a lot of time playing and practicing.”

Expansion plans are already in the works for Par Citi with another facility planned for D.C. “in [the] coming months.”

A lounging Lady Liberty to lie down in Arlington for the next year

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

A 25-foot-long lounging Lady Liberty is emigrating from the New York area and taking up residence in Arlington, among its bronze Marines and steel spires.

During the first week of August, “Reclining Liberty” — inspired by traditional Asian art depicting the reclining Buddha on the path to enlightenment — will move to the front lawn of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington. She will be transported by truck and a crane will position her.

“Reclining Liberty” hoisted by a crane (via Zaq Landsberg/Instagram)

After year-long stints in Harlem and Liberty State Park in New Jersey, she will lie in repose in front of the recently rebranded art museum in Arlington (3550 Wilson Blvd) until July 28 of next year, per a press release from MoCA Arlington.

MoCA Arlington Curator of Exhibitions Blair Murphy tells ARLnow she reached out to artist Zaq Landsberg and sold him on bringing Lady Liberty to Arlington. They agreed it would be fitting to juxtapose her and Arlington’s war memorials and defense infrastructure and D.C.’s monuments.

“Recontextualizing ‘Reclining Liberty’ in Arlington makes sense for our current moment. Placing it within a few miles of Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, the National Mall, etc, adds a new layer onto the work,” Landsberg said in a statement.

“[It] allows for a new set of meaningful interactions with different communities, and adds to the local and national reevaluation of monuments — their history, how they function in public space, how they’ve changed from their inception, and their impact on society,” he continued.

Against this backdrop, MoCA curators say they hope “Reclining Liberty” encourages viewers to contemplate the ideals of the Statue of Liberty.

“I love that the work brings the Statue down to the eye level and reach of the public. Its playfulness and accessibility suggest that the ideals of liberty and freedom represented by the Statue of Liberty are active, tangible, and evolving and need to be directly engaged with, debated, and defended,” Murphy said in a statement.

“Reclining Liberty” was originally installed in Morningside Park in Manhattan in April of 2021. Last May, she moved to New Jersey to greet those taking ferries to Liberty Island, per the press release.

Her arrival will be marked with an opening celebration with an artist talk, food, art and other family friendly activities on Aug. 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The museum also has a series of accompanying talks and conversations, in partnership with Arlington Public Art, which will address issues related to the work: the role of monuments and memorials in public life, immigration and democracy, Murphy said. A schedule is forthcoming.

The budget for the project is $45,000, which includes the costs for the programs. Funding from Arlington Public Art is covering half and MoCA Arlington is covering the other half, Murphy said.

“Arlington Public Art is delighted to co-sponsor this ‘enlightened’ temporary public art project in the County’s Maury Park,” Director of Arlington Public Art Angela Anderson Adams said in a statement. “We look forward to the community conversations that this sculpture will inspire including those related to monuments and memorials, immigration, and our democratic ideals.”

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 7, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Friday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

 News recap

The following articles were published earlier today — Jul 7, 2023.

Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Saturday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    Here are the events planned for Sunday:

    ⛅️ Saturday’s forecast

    A slight chance of showers between 9am and noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”
    – Bo Bennett

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋

    ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 6, 2023

    By ARLnow.com

    Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

    📈 Top stories

    The following are articles published earlier today — Jul 6, 2023.

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    ⛈️ Friday’s forecast

    A slight chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. At night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
    – Booker T. Washington

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

    At Sloppy Mama’s, a commitment to traditional barbecue — and the community

    By Nick Barahona
    1/10

    “The only 100 percent wood-fired BBQ restaurant in Arlington.”

    What started out simply as a husband and wife catering their own wedding escalated to buying a food truck in 2014, and eventually turned into Joe and Mandy Neuman’s first restaurant opening in 2019.

    Joe Neuman, owner of Sloppy Mama’s BBQ, can rattle off the trials and tribulations of what the years have brought them this far.

    “Mandy and I catered our wedding, and had a pig roast,” said Joe. From there, family and friends asked the couple to cater for them and eventually they were doing 3-4 pig roasts a summer.

    Fast forward to 2014, the Mandy and Joe found themselves inside of their own Sloppy Mama’s BBQ food truck.

    “Food trucks became a thing and we bought one… as it was the most economical entrance to food industry,” chuckled Joe.

    They went on to hustle and live the food truck life before getting their first kitchen in Sterling, Virginia for a couple months. From here they moved to Chantilly and then D.C. in 2015.

    During that time they moved to a home in Arlington, to be closer to their business.

    The business was operating in D.C., they had the food truck, a dive bar and were inside Union Market.

    “Since we do real BBQ, we couldn’t find many places that would allow outdoor smoker,” recounted Joe. He takes pride in sticking with his traditional, wood-fired BBQ method, despite the challenges.

    “We cook with nothing but wood,” says Joe.

    They have two 1,000 gallon offset smokers right outside the restaurant, where they cook the meats every morning they’re open.

    “We fire them up in the wee hours of the morning, we get started very early,” said Joe. “We time our meats to come off right before lunch and dinner.”

    While Joe was on the hunt for available brick-and-mortar locations that would suit his needs, he came across an article about a restaurant closing on ARLnow.

    Not before long after they signed a lease for their current space at 5731 Langston Blvd — formerly a ramen restaurant called Misomen — in December of 2018 and officially opened in July of 2019.

    (more…)

    ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 5, 2023

    By ARLnow.com

    Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.

    📈 Top stories

    The following are the most-read articles for today — Jul 5, 2023.

    1. Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Arlington, D.C. area
    2. ACFD investigating ‘suspicious’ vehicle fire near Shirlington

    📅 Upcoming events

    Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.

    • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

    ⛈️ Thursday’s forecast

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. At night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. See more from Weather.gov.

    💡 Quote of the Day

    “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
    – Vince Lombardi

    🌅 Tonight’s sunset

    Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.

    Photos: Fourth of July 2023 fireworks and fun

    By ARLnow.com
    1/30

    Missed the fireworks on the National Mall last night? Or just want to relive the Fourth of July grandeur?

    ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott brought his cameras to the Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn to capture the show and some of those watching the show.

    Unlike past years when weather resulted in extra haze that obscured the fireworks, the 2023 edition benefited from clear skies and relatively pleasant temperatures.

    The fireworks viewing was not the only Independence Day celebration of note in Arlington. Neighborhood events were held throughout the county, including the annual parades and block parties in places like Barcroft and Douglas Park.

    Have your own photos to share? Show them off in the comments.

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