Feature

Neighborhood Spotlight: Get a Double Dose of Hooch and History at Spirits of ‘76

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

As NoVA enters the next phases of re-opening, residents are getting excited about returning to the best restaurants, bars and entertainment options in the area. That means that now is the perfect time to discover a new favorite spot or return to an old haunt — and we want to share one of our top choices with you!

So, with that in mind, join Caitlyn Kammerman as she gives you the low-down on The Spirits of ’76, one of the best places to get food and drinks in Arlington!

A Revolutionary New Experience

Walking through the doors of The Spirit of ’76 is like stepping through a particularly patriotic time machine. This locally owned eatery, sitting in the heart of the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, is decorated with all sorts of Americana and references to the colonial and revolutionary periods of the country’s history.

One of the most striking artistic features is the large Bennington Flag that adorns the wall. This variant of the American stars and stripes, which bears the number ’76’ on its canton, is a popular collector’s item with the history buffs who are interested in the early days of the republic. In the cozy atmosphere of The Spirits of ’76, it makes for a fine centerpiece.

John Rodas, one of the founding fathers of the eatery, tells us that not all of the decorations were brought in by the restaurant’s owners. “With the name Spirits of ’76,” he recounts, “we obviously wanted to give it a twist of some Americana — and some of our customers have actually donated some of the items.”

The name isn’t simply a reference to the American-themed decorations, however. In addition to an incredible ambience and great food, this beacon of independent restaurant culture carries 76 different varieties of bourbon.

Keeping the Spirits Alive

As you can probably tell from the name, libations are a staple of The Spirit of ’76. Patrons can choose from nearly 80 different types of bourbon for smooth sipping — in addition to a vast menu of unique mixed drinks!

In addition to classic favorites like a smooth Old Fashioned or refreshing Texas Mule, you’re sure to enjoy sipping on one of the house creations at The Spirit of ’76. Put a twist on a gin-based favorite with their ’76 Fizz — or pay homage to the ‘freedom fries’ movement with the cheekily named American ’76, a play on the popular French 75 drink.

And if you’re looking to beat the hot Arlington summer, then you’re in luck! The Spirits of ’76 offers pitchers of frozen cocktails, so you can get a cool treat with friends and family.

Liberate Your Appetite

Not all of the delicacies at The Spirit of ’76 are liquid, of course. There is also a robust menu of classic American fare and a variety of dishes to sate your appetite!

Start off with a plate of their signature wings, tossed in your choice of sauce, then move on to a scrumptious sandwich or set of tacos — everything on the menu is a savory treat. Personally, we recommend the fish tacos or one of the many options for burgers.

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Your Beermonger: It’s a Dark Beer — Yea Yeah!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is written by Steve Quartell, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway). Sign up for the email newsletter and receive exclusive discounts and offers. Order from Arrowine’s expanding online store for curbside pickup.

Surprise.

If there is one element of beer culture that keeps me engaged, it’s surprise. That moment when I am seized with delight by what I encounter from a new beer, a new brewery or by someone new to beer (or perhaps new to me as a beer drinker).

If my preconceptions about something or someone aren’t being rattled, I start to worry — so that surprise is nearly always welcome.

My late mother-in-law, Kathie, surprised me with her love for dark beers, once exclaiming about my home brewed porter “OOH — and It’s a Dark Beer — Yea! Yea!” You of course can’t hear it, but that “yea, yea” came out of her petite frame with an uncharacteristically deep mezzo that had us calling her Raekwon for the rest of the weekend.

She, perhaps surprising my wife and I both when she suggested we “Meet up in Asheville, cause I wanna try some good beers.” This was the summer of 2014 mind you, when Burial had ping pong tables and Igloo cooler mashtuns sitting where their gorgeous foeders now rest, so Kathie was ahead of the game on a lot of y’all.

We made stops at Burial, Wicked Weed and Green Man, amongst others, and I was floored seeing a side of my mother-in-law I’d never gotten to know. While we were getting to know each other better in the hills of the Blue Ridge mountains, Kathie became acquainted with dark beers during that quintessential German beer drinking event — chaperoning her daughter’s high school bus trip through Europe. One of the many dark beers she discovered on that trip, Ayinger’s Celebrator Doppelbock — was the last beer we shared together.

Kathie’s discoveries in the late 80s mirror my experience in the early 10’s on a trip to central Europe that was a real landmark in my beer education. One of my first delightful surprises in beer was in the first polotmavý and tmavý beers I tried on the Prague/Bratislava leg of that trip.

Even on the hottest day in central Europe that year — every dark lager (tmavý ležák) or “half-dark” lager (polotmavý ležák) I tried was satisfyingly rich while still being completely refreshing. Had I known enough back then I’d have visited the longstanding and much lauded U Fleků — a pivovar in the Tmavy brewing (and only Tmavy) business for the last 500 years — but U Medvídků and U Tri Ruzi especially had pretty darn stand up offerings as well.

Kathie left us too soon. She still surprises me in that I miss her more than I ever imagined, and I savor dark beers just a little more now. It was never big huge dark beers for her either. While she was no stranger to Chimay Blue or Allagash Curieux — bocks, porters and dark lagers were much more her style. Thankfully for all of us this is a style seeing a growing surge in popularity nationally making more and more American interpretations available to try seemingly every week.

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Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

209 N. Fillmore Street
6 BD/5 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $1,499,000
Open: Virtual Tour/Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

1607 11th Street S.
4 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Rlah Real Estate
Listed: $1,100,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4838 1st Street S.
4 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: Keller Williams Realty Falls Church
Listed: $860,000
Open: Virtual Tour/Sunday 12-2 p.m.

 

1021 N. Garfield Street #1030
1 BD/1 BA condo
Agent: Keller Williams Realty
Listed: $750,000
Open: Virtual Tour

 

1111 19th Street N. #1805
1 BD/1 BA condo
Agent: Re/Max Realty Services
Listed: $535,000
Open: Virtual Tour

 

900 N. Stafford Street #1406
1 BD/1 BA condo
Agent: National Realty, Llc
Listed: $425,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Boring Title: Everything You Need to Know About Wholesaling

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

For this week’s edition of Boring Title, we have three great pieces of information for you:

  • An interview with one of the largest wholesalers in the area
  • June market update (from what we’ve seen).
  • D.C. specific market update

We interviewed the CEO of 4 Brothers Buy Houses, Jon Carcone. 4 Brothers Buy Houses is one of the largest wholesalers in the DMV, and they do things very differently from other wholesalers. If you have a property that you are interested in selling a property, or want to partner with 4 Brothers Buy Houses, check them out at www.4BrothersBuyHouses.com.

June 2020 Market Statistics (From what we’ve seen)

  • June Refinances Closed were 831% higher YoY
  • Q2 Refinances Closed are up 141% from Q1
  • June Purchases Closed were our most ever in a month, up 64% from May
  • June Deals Closed were 186% higher YoY
  • June Deals Opened were our most ever in a month, up 174% YoY

The D.C. area housing market has observed one of the quickest rebounds in the U.S.

The D.C. market is comprised of high-earning, younger individuals. The stable employment industries of D.C. provide job safety for residents during COVID-19. As these people can accumulate savings amid the pandemic, combined with low mortgage rates, it poses great opportunities for home buyers. Moreover, underwriting is tight, so more people are buying houses without risk of overwhelming mortgage payments.

The massive growth in refinancing volume stems from dropping mortgage rates resulting from the fed cutting rates to near zero in March. As the market regains efficiency and participation, we expect to become more purchase dominant.

The recent increase in listings whilst demand remains high allows for an efficient, thriving housing market. With an increase in seller sentiment, do not expect this growth to slow down any time soon. The success of the housing market appears to be propelling economic recovery in the area.

Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [email protected]. Want to use Allied Title & Escrow when you buy a home? Tell your agent when you buy a house to write in Allied Title & Escrow as your settlement company!

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Andors Real Estate Group.

Happy Fourth of July to all you Arlingtonians!

Thank you for being regular readers of my Just Listed column, and I hope you have a fantastic long weekend — you all deserve it! We know it will be a weekend filled with fun and hope everyone will do their part to follow appropriate precautions and keep Virginia out of the news for increasing COVID-19 cases.

ARLnow is moving up Friday’s column’s to Thursday for this week only, so the data is from a slightly shorter week.

This coming week is likely to follow historic trends in terms of housing and be a slower one — possibly a blessing in disguise for buyers who are trying unsuccessfully to buy a piece of Arlington real estate. Buyers — if you’re struggling and attempting to go at this on your own, please give us a call at (703) 203-1117 and let our team get to work for you. We’ve got a proven, winning track record in Arlington and are glad to share our success with you.

Sellers listed some 67 properties for sale this week while buyers ratified 61 contracts, 31 of which were on properties listed since just last week.

There are currently 279 homes for sale in Arlington; 15 less than last week, the first drop we’ve had in months. 123 are detached homes, 22 are townhouses/semi-detached, and 134 are condos. Average days on market (DOM) is 44 and median DOM is 30.

The median list price of currently available properties is $949,999, while the average is $1,115,105. Two weeks in a row now that median price has stayed below $1M, and the week before that it was just barely above at $1,005,000.

Last year for the same week, sellers listed 77 homes and buyers ratified 65 contracts. At this pace, inventory will continue to drop modestly as it did this week — further stressing our approximately one month of inventory, near a record low.

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight homes that are new this week that I think you might like to check out.

Arts Focus: Lubber Run LIVE on WERA 96.7 FM Turns Your Living Room Into An Amphitheater

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
1/4

This column is written and sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced a return to ‘The Basics’ and the simple pleasures of some ‘retro’ technologies.

Thanks to the old-school medium of radio, Arlington Arts is able to forge ahead with Lubber Run Live on WERA 96.7 FM –LIVE performances and discussions broadcast weekly with host Ken Avis (The Antidote), Saturdays at 5 p.m., July 11 through August 8 (live streaming on wera.fm ).

Lubber Run Amphitheater is a summertime tradition for Arlington residents. But during the pandemic, the shoulder-to-shoulder audiences that we’re accustomed to at this sylvan venue located just off of Route 50 in the Arlington Forrest neighborhood, just aren’t possible. Through the magic of radio, audiences can still enjoy a range of music, with no threat of ‘rain-outs’: Jazz and Go Go, Roots Rock, Soul and Blues are all part of the mix.

This partnership between Arlington Arts and WERA was a natural. Arlington’s only radio station, WERA’s mission is to enlighten, enrich and entertain Arlington’s diverse community by promoting and facilitating independent radio. A project of Arlington Independent Media, WERA’s programming is produced by and for the community.

The lineup for Lubber Run LIVE is brimming with a mixture of toe-tapping Amphitheater favorites, and a splash of new talent, including:

July 11: The Jogo Project

The JoGo Project is a fusion ensemble with Jazz and Go-Go at the core. Founded in 2014 by D.C. native Elijah Jamal Balbed, the band is dedicated to keeping Go-Go music alive while also exploring new sounds.

July 18: Nkula

Ethiopian-born “Ras Abel” Mekonnen’s band Nkula features a unique blend of foundational reggae with infusions of African influence (e.g. zouk and soukous riddims). Their high-energy groove exposes audiences to musical styles that broaden horizons.

July 25: Caz Gardiner

A 2019 Wammie (Washington DC Area Music Association) nominee for best Soul Artist/Group, Caz Gardiner is a high energy performer who writes songs of overcoming struggles and celebrating life with a Soul Rock and Reggae sound that is as diverse and driving as she is.

August 1: Justin Jones

A native Virginian, Jones started playing open mic nights in Charlottesville in his early teens, and has appeared at the Virgin Mobile Festival and the Floyd Festival. At the 2012 Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL), Speakers in Code named his one of the Event’s top-ten performances, and Bob Boilen of NPR’s All Songs Considered lists Justin Jones “as one of the top performances of the year.”

August 8: Lauren Calve

Washington, D.C. area singer-songwriter, guitar and lap steel player Lauren Calve has brought a vital new energy to the Americana scene. On her latest EP, Wildfire, Calve delves into complex issues ranging from the increased polarization and divisiveness prevalent in the U.S. and around the world, corporate greed and their role in both the climate crisis and gun violence, women’s’ stories that are dominating public consciousness, and even the precarity of online dating.

So tune-in for Lubber Run LIVE on WERA 96.7. Bookmark their website to listen to the live-stream. Create your own Live Listening Experience when you fire up the car radio or pull the speakers onto the porch! Listeners are encouraged to recreate their own Lubber Run picnic experience and order take-out and beverages from local restaurants.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Kimber

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Meet Kimber, a 6 year old Husky who loves long hikes.

Here is what Kimber’s owner had to say on her behalf:

Kimber – who also goes by Kimmy, Kim, and Kimbo – is a 6 year old husky who currently lives with her adopted sister (8 year old husky, Nikita) in Arlington. True to her breed, Kimber is rambunctious, energetic, wily, and a total sweetheart. Kimber used to be an escape artist – dashing out the front door any chance she got. However, with some serious training she has curbed that impulse and now gets her exercise walking around Arlington, hiking on the weekends, and getting chased by other dogs.

Kimber’s ideal day involves waking up at 6am, chasing squirrels, eating a large bowl of kibbles, going on an 8 mile hike, sleeping in the human bed, eating another bowl of kibbles, and chasing more squirrels. Kimber’s endless energy level keeps her parents active and constantly exploring new hiking/walking spots around northern Virginia. Lucky for them, Kimber also enjoys hitting up a local brewery after a long hike and chilling out with a well deserved bowl of ice water.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

A happy b-day to America.

On Saturday, July 4, the good ole USA celebrates Independence Day.

Things will certainly feel a bit differently here in 2020. Sure, you won’t be flocking to a massive BBQ or hopping aboard a crowded Metro train to your go-to fireworks viewing point. But the party is still going on in some ways.

Among your options this year, the fireworks show at the National Mall is still a go (folks are encouraged to watch from home, if possible), the iconic ‘A Capitol Fourth” will be prerecorded for your viewing pleasure and there are a number of virtual experiences for folks to enjoy.

For the latest updates on Fourth of July happenings — whether in-person or virtual — the Destination DC website has a solid list going.

Here’s to a very happy and safe Fourth of July, friends! And now on to this week’s Just Reduced figures.

As of June 29, there are 156 detached homes, 27 townhouses and 151 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 18 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

Ask Eli: Awesome Heatmap of Neighborhood Turnover

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: Which Arlington neighborhoods have the highest number of homes listed for sale?

Answer: I’m excited to show-off the first project to come out of a new data-visualization partnership so that I can make the data analysis I do a bit easier to digest (and prettier).

The chart below shows the Arlington neighborhoods with the most and least turnover of single-family detached homes, using the last 20 years of home sales.

Top Five Neighborhoods

The neighborhoods with the most turnover over the last 20 years are:

  1. Bluemont (1,406)
  2. East Falls Church (1,157)
  3. Yorktown (863)
  4. Donaldson Run (853)
  5. Rock Spring (848)

The nice thing about great data visualization is that it does most of the talking, so there aren’t nearly as many words for you to read as my usual column. Cheers to great data visualization and fewer words!

Have a great July 4th everybody!

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to set-up an in-person meeting to discuss local real estate, please send an email to [email protected]. To read any of my older posts, visit the blog section of my website at www.EliResidential.com. Call me directly at (703) 539-2529.

Eli Tucker is a licensed Realtor in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland with RLAH Real Estate, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. #10C Arlington, VA 22203, (703) 390-9460.

Legal Insider: Fairfax Students with Learning Disabilities File Complaint Against FCPS

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

The pending decisions by the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and Arlington County Public Schools (APS) about in-person instruction in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been an important issue for many individuals in Northern Virginia.

A number of families recently filed a complaint against FCPS on May 8, 2020, alleging a systemic lack of instruction given to Fairfax students with disabilities or special education needs. The complaint appears to be one of the first complaints on behalf of special needs students affected by online instruction and the pandemic. A federal class action was recently filed in court alleging similar issues against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in a recent lawsuit.

The Recent FCPS Issues and Complaint

Given recent news, Governor Ralph Northam is re-opening public schools in the fall, leaving significant discretion to counties. Individual counties will have significant flexibility in re-opening their schools.

Those families with special education needs and Individual Education Plans (commonly known as IEPs) are especially concerned. These students are substantially more affected than other students due to the lack of in-person instruction in schools. As a result, Fairfax County families filed a complaint against FCPS with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), alleging a failure to provide equal learning opportunities to students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the examples cited in the May 8, 2020 complaint included requiring special education students to follow online classes for only portions of the day. Many students, given their disabilities, were unable to do so. Other students with disabilities were allegedly told that their specialized instruction would only begin when in-person school re-opens.

Federal Law Requires Protection of Those with Disabilities

There are several laws that protect students with disabilities. Principal among these is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C.§ 1400. Pursuant to federal law, children with learning disabilities must receive specialized instruction in order to provide them with a level playing field with those that do not suffer from such disabilities.

IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. IDEA governs how states and public government agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to the almost seven million eligible children with disabilities.

However, according to the complaint the problem has been that FCPS was allegedly “pausing” such education until schools physically re-opened. As of this writing, there were at least three federal court cases filed in different jurisdictions nationally against other school systems regarding the lack of specialized instruction for special education students under IDEA. Further delays or curtailing of in-person special education may lead to additional lawsuits.

Difficulties Faced by Those with Learning Disabilities and Online Education

Families in the complaint have alleged that FCPS left children behind that need special education instruction behind due to the lack of in-person education. Many of the students involved in the complaint against FCPS have autism and dyslexia. While it is undoubtedly difficult for FCPS to have maneuvered these issues in March or April, there is hope that FCPS will strive to provide in-person education for healthy students, with proper protections, for those with special educational needs.

According to one of the parents of a child in the complaint, FCPS requested a delay in responding to parents’ complaint until June 11, 2020, which was granted. However, FCPS may have submitted their response past the business hours deadline on June 11, 2020. It is unknown whether VDOE will accept an after-hours response as of this writing.

Conclusion

Findings in the complaint by VDOE are due on July 7, 2020, unless further delays occur. Hopefully, FCPS, APS and other school systems will address the needs of affected special needs students. If interested in the complaint process or for more information, parents can contact VDOE here.

Local Startup Storyblocks Acquired by Boston Firm, But Will Remain in Courthouse

By Vernon Miles

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. Monday Properties remains firmly committed to the health, safety and well-being of its employees, tenants and community. This week, Monday Properties is proudly featuring 1000 and 1100 Wilson (The Rosslyn Towers).

Arlington stock footage startup Storyblocks, which saw continued success during the pandemic, has been acquired by Boston-based private equity firm Great Hill Partners.

The price was not publicly disclosed, but a representative said business will continue as usual in Arlington. A press release said the partnership will allow Storyblocks to “accelerate its mission of modernizing the creative process to better support affordable, efficient video creation and to extend its current capabilities and product offerings.”

Great Hills Partners is known for its investments in Gizmodo and, locally, Fairfax County-based Custom Ink.

“We have seen dramatic changes to workflows for customers ranging from freelancers to small businesses to major production studios in recent years as they adapt to an ever-increasing demand for high-quality video content,” said TJ Leonard, CEO of Storyblocks, in the press release. “We are excited to partner with the Great Hill team because we share the belief that creatives are hungry for a new model to meet these new needs.”

Storyblocks started in 2009 as Footage Firm, shipping stock footage via DVDs, and the company has changed locations and brand over several years.

The company will retain its existing staff of 115 people, the Washington Business Journal reported, but will expand its product, engineering, marketing and sales staff.

Photos courtesy Storyblocks

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