Around Town

Clarendon’s B Live is becoming “Beach Bar Live,” at least temporarily

By Matt Blitz
B Live sign in Clarendon (staff photo)

Clarendon’s B Live is set to become a beach bar beginning early next month, while Coco B’s is set to finally open on the rooftop.

The live music venue and watering hole on Wilson Blvd is changing concepts, at least temporarily, and becoming a “divey beach bar popup,” co-owner Christal Bramson tells ARLnow. The shifting sands reflect what’s working at the former Whitlow’s space, Bramson says.

“Due to the popularity of the Jingle Bell Rock popup theme during the holidays, we temporarily closed to convert the space to a summer fling theme with an inland divey beach bar popup: Beach Bar Live,” she wrote in an email.

The outdoor patio will also change, becoming a tiki bar with an “aggressive happy hour.”

“Think Coyote Ugly on the beach,” Bramson writes.

A tipster had reached out, thinking that the business had shuttered permanently. B Live — er, Beach Bar Live — is currently closed for the makeover, but Bramson said the hope is to reopen by August 4 with updated decor, menu, drink specials, and vibes. The opening weekend of the new concept will feature complimentary food, drink specials, and a battle of the bands, she said.

Beach Bar Live on Wilson Blvd (image courtesy of Christal Bramson)

This is the second time in less than two months that the venue has made significant changes. In June, ownership decided to “pivot” towards having more live band karaoke while decreasing the number of live original acts it hosted.

Live karaoke as well as a limited number of original acts will continue at Beach Bar Live, Bramson said.

“Tropical glam bar” Coco B’s is also hoping for an opening in early next month on the rooftop. The long-planned rooftop compliment to B Live has been delayed for months, but it’s looking to finally open within the next two weeks “pending permits.”

“If you think of B Live as the male version of the two of us, then Coco B’s is the female version… the his and hers,” Christal Bramson told ARLnow in June 2022. “It’s definitely going to be more female-focused. There’s going to be a lot of pinks, velvets, feathers, and it’s going to attract the softer side of Arlington.”

For the moment, Beach Bar Live is being considered a pop-up but Bramson said that if the concept ends up being popular, it could stick — somewhat like wet sand at the beach.

“If the popup grows in popularity, there is a possibility of combining both spaces into one massive (inland) beach destination,” she said.

Weather

UPDATE: Heat Advisory issued for Thursday, Excessive Heat Watch for Friday

By ARLnow.com
The sun during a heat advisory (file photo)

(Updated at 2:10 p.m.) Get ready for three days of sweltering weather.

Ahead of high temperatures in the upper 90s — perhaps rising into the triple digits — paired with high humidity, the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Thursday and a watch for Friday.

From NWS:

…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY…

* WHAT…Heat index values around 105 degrees expected.

* WHERE…The Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas, central and northeast Maryland, southern Maryland, and portions of northern Virginia into the Virginia Piedmont.

* WHEN…From 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS…Heat and humidity will increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.

This afternoon, meanwhile, NWS issued an Excessive Heat Watch for Friday.

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING…

* WHAT…For the Heat Advisory, heat index values around 105 expected. For the Excessive Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 110 possible.

* WHERE…Portions of central, north central, northeast, northern and southern Maryland, The District of Columbia and central and northern Virginia.

* WHEN…For the Heat Advisory, from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Thursday. For the Excessive Heat Watch, from Friday morning through Friday evening.

* IMPACTS…Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities.

The weather service issued the following general advice for beating the heat.

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

On top of the hot and sticky conditions, scattered storms are possible through the end of the week.

Sponsored

Listing of the Day: 6223 Langston Blvd

By ARLnow.com

Address: 6223 Langston Blvd
Neighborhood: Lee Ridge
Type: 3 BR, 2 BA single-family detached – 3300 sq. ft.
Listed: $1,299,000

Noteworthy: City living with tailored country surroundings/two-car garage

A timeless North Arlington Cape Cod, lovingly maintained and thoughtfully upgraded by the same owners since 1995.

This home features three upstairs bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Set behind a handsome stone retaining wall, the home enjoys wonderful privacy and quiet, thanks to its solid one-foot-thick stone construction. Large windows on every side invite natural light to spill across the high ceilings, solid wood floors, and custom built-ins found throughout both levels.

The kitchen is a chef’s delight, complete with a gas cooktop, granite countertops, and a suite of thoughtful additions including a microwave with convection capabilities. Surround sound enhances the first floor, ceiling and wall speakers in the sunroom, dining room, and living room, and SpeakerCraft ceiling speakers in the kitchen. Bright recessed lighting runs throughout the home, while the basement shines with upgraded fixtures that bring exceptional brightness to the space.

Outdoor living is equally as inviting with a rear stone patio and exterior lighting with carriage lamps and multiple spotlights that showcase the grounds beautifully. The primary suite is a true retreat with custom built-in cabinetry featuring granite countertops that flow seamlessly into the walk-in closet and bathroom.

Recent updates include exterior and interior painting (2024), a fully renovated lower-level bath (2024), and roof replacements over both the house and garage (2017). An oversized detached two-car garage with storage plus a driveway accommodating four or more cars provides exceptional convenience. This residence offers easy access to Georgetown, downtown DC, Airports, and Metro.

Listed by:
James Corry – James Corry Real Estate Services
[email protected]
(561) 389-3111

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Carting a K-50 in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

WaPo Investigates Police Tackle — “Three policing experts who reviewed the dashboard-camera video and documents in the case told The Post the encounter was an example of how not to respond to a mental health crisis. Although all five officers who tackled Franklin had crisis intervention training that called for them to de-escalate the situation, they decided within minutes to forcibly take him into custody, the experts noted.” [Washington Post]

WSJ Weighs in on RCV — “Poor results aren’t always enough to halt a bad political experiment, so credit a Virginia county board for heeding the evidence on ranked-choice voting. This newfangled electoral system is all the rage among progressive reformers, but less beloved by voters. After trying it once, Arlington County did a fast reversal. The county board this month decided to return to ordinary, plurality voting for its November general election.” [Wall Street Journal]

APS Bucking Va. Transgender Policies — “The superintendent of Arlington Public Schools in Northern Virginia is refusing to follow updated model policies from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Education Department on how to treat transgender students. LGBTQ+ activists and parents across the state criticized the governor’s updated policies last week.” [The Advocate]

Mag Honors ‘Extraordinary Teens’ — “Extraordinary Teen Awards 2023 Greatness comes in many forms, whether it’s pioneering research, soul-bearing works of art or the simple gift of making people laugh. Meet this year’s exemplary students.” [Arlington Magazine]

Funnel Cloud Seen From Arlington — “As storms began to erupt along the Interstate 95 corridor Tuesday afternoon, eyewitnesses spotted a funnel cloud looming ominously over the U.S. Capitol building in D.C. A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air that extends from the base of a cloud and contains condensed water. Unlike a tornado, funnel clouds are not in touch with the ground and are, thus, harmless at ground level.” [Washington Post, Twitter, Twitter]

It’s Wednesday — Sunny and warm, with a high near 90 degrees and a calm wind that will pick up to 5-7 mph from the south in the afternoon. The night will be mostly clear, with a low around 75 degrees and a south wind at 6-9 mph. [Weather.gov]

Around Town

ARLnow Daily Debrief for Jul 25, 2023

By ARLnow.com

Good Tuesday 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 25, 2023.

📅 Upcoming events

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

☀️ Wednesday’s forecast

The weather forecast predicts a mostly sunny day with a high temperature of around 90 degrees. A calm wind is expected to turn southward at 5 to 7 mph during the afternoon. Wednesday night will be mostly clear with a low of around 75 degrees, accompanied by a south wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. See more from Weather.gov.

💡 Quote of the Day

“God helps those who help themselves.”
– Benjamin Franklin

🌅 Tonight’s sunset

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

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