bars

The Greene Turtle Opens in Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

The Greene Turtle (900 N. Glebe Rd) in Ballston has officially opened for business.

More than 50 televisions hang on the walls and certain booths have individual TVs that patrons can control. TVs along the windows allow fans to keep one eye on game action while keeping the other on action outside.

General Manager Scott Smith says patrons can expect the same service and sports environment people enjoy at The Greene Turtle’s other locations. He wants people in the area to stop by and give the newest one a try.

“There are a lot of sports bars, a lot of sports bars have a lot of TVs, but there’s nothing like this,” Smith said.

The Greene Turtle touts fare above and beyond typical bar food. New York strip steaks and crab cakes are a couple of the less traditional sports bar offerings.

“We pride ourselves on the execution of our food,” Smith said. “We want to bring a different level of service to the area.”

Another aspect that sets this place apart is the customer loyalty program. Customers can purchase one of the famous Greene Turtle mugs and bring it back for future fill-ups.

The Greene Turtle has more than two dozen locations around the D.C./Baltimore region, including two locations along the Delaware shore. The new Ballston location will eventually have outdoor seating when the weather improves.

Although the Greene Turtle will technically be a Redskins and Virginia Tech bar, they guarantee that not just local games will be shown. Every game will be on at least one of the TVs. Smith does point out, however, that Virginia Tech is the building’s landlord so that team will be particularly celebrated.

Besides the new Virginia Tech development, more improvement projects are slated for Ballston. The hope is that the Greene Turtle will gather a solid following, and be considered one of the forefront examples of positive expansion.

“It is an awesome area,” Smith said. “It’s good to get in early.”

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New Year’s Eve Ideas in Arlington

By Katie Pyzyk

It’s getting to be that time when some people look past Christmas and start firming up plans for New Year’s Eve. A number of venues will be raising ticket prices after this week, so it’s a good time to take action.

Here are some of the larger or unique New Year’s Eve events happening around Arlington. This list is by no means exhaustive, but provides some interesting options from places that have already announced their celebrations.

1. Hyatt Regency Crystal City — Professionals in the City is hosting its annual “Passport to the World Gala” at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City (2799 Jefferson Davis Hwy). In addition to food, drinks and a DJ, the event has entertainment featuring various cultures around the world. Some highlights include the Japanese karaoke room, Red Light District adult-content comedians, Caribbean steel drums and Bollywood Hills Underground Club.

The $99 ticket option allows entry at 10:30 p.m. and includes six drink tickets. The $139 ticket option allows entry at 9:00 p.m. and includes eight drink tickets. Prices will increase after Friday, December 9.

2. Signature Theatre — Guests can take in the 8:00 p.m. performance of “Hairspray” at the Signature Theater (4200 Campbell Ave) and then stay for a countdown to the new year with the cast of the musical.

Tickets are $100 ($75 for Signature Theatre members) and include two drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast and dancing to music from a DJ.

3. Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse — Ring in the new year at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) with a 1980s themed bash. Watch New York City’s Times Square celebration live on the big screen while dancing to ’80s tunes from a DJ.

Tickets are $15 and include admission and party favors.

4. Northside Social — The folks at Northside Social (3211 Wilson Blvd) are doing things a little differently for New Year’s Eve. According to their Facebook page, they’re auctioning off the use of the facilities to the highest bidder. The winner gets to throw their own party, fully customized by Northside Social.

Contact Sean Lowder at 804-305-0402 or email [email protected] for more information or to place a bid.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Washingtonian’s Best Arlington Bars — Washingtonian magazine is out with its list of the best bars and nightlife in Arlington. The list includes old favorites like Whitlow’s on Wilson (2854 Wilson Blvd) and CarPool (4000 Fairfax Drive) and newcomers like Mad Rose Tavern (3100 Clarendon Blvd) and Rustico (4075 Wilson Blvd). [Washingtonian]

Bill to Consider Life at Conception — The first bill pre-filed for the 2012 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly would establish that, under Virginia law, human life begins at conception. The bill will be considered by what is now an all-Republican legislature. [Virginia LIS]

Turkey Trot Race Sold Out — The 6th annual Arlington Turkey Trot 5K race is sold out, but organizers are still seeking volunteers. The race, meanwhile, kicks off at 8:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning (Nov. 24), and a number of road closures are planned in the Lyon Park and Ashton Heights neighborhoods.

High-End Cocktails Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

The Washington Post’s Going Out Guide has today’s scoop that mixologist Todd Thrasher, Northern Virginia’s king of cocktails, will be opening a new bar within the already-announced Eamonn’s: A Dublin Chipper restaurant on Columbia Pike.

According to the Post, the 30-seat bar — named ‘TNT’ — will feature original cocktail creations and a sort of global cocktail “greatest hits” menu. TNT and Eamonn’s is expected to open around the beginning of spring.

Interior construction on Eamonn’s is currently underway. The restaurant and bar will be located at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Barton Street, on the ground floor of the new Penrose Square apartment building.

Police Respond to Dispute at Kitty O’Shea’s

By ARLnow.com

There was more bad blood over the shuttering of Courthouse-area Irish pub Kitty O’Shea’s (2403 Wilson Blvd) this afternoon.

The pub closed over the weekend, the culmination of a long legal battle between owner Danny McFadden and landlord Ray Schupp over McFadden’s lease. Today, just after 3:00 p.m., police were called to Kitty O’Shea’s for a dispute.

McFadden told ARLnow.com that he was moving items out of the building and got into a disagreement with the landlord over what belonged to whom. Police told the two parties to resolve the issue amongst themselves, McFadden said.

Within the past five minutes, police were called to the pub again after McFadden said the landlord had changed the locks.

Kitty O’Shea’s Closing Following Legal Battle

By ARLnow.com

Kitty O’Shea’s, the unpretentious Irish pub at 2403 Wilson Boulevard in Courthouse, will be closing this weekend, according to a note on the pub’s web site.

“Saturday, August 27, is our last day of operation,” the note says. “Feel free to express your displeasure with Schupp Companies – Park Street Development.”

Kitty O’Shea’s owner Danny McFadden has been engaged in a costly legal battle with his landlord, the Schupp Companies, over what McFadden says is an attempt to evict him so the property can be redeveloped. McFadden claims that he still has four more years on his lease, while landlord Ray Schupp says the lease ended in 2010.

“He’s been trying to force me out,” McFadden said in an interview last week. “I’ve spent hundreds of thousands fighting this case… I guess they think that I’m going to go away, that when my money runs out I’m going to close shop. As far as I’m concerned, my lease runs to 2015.”

When we talked last week, McFadden said he was appealing a court decision against him to the Virginia Supreme Court, with the hope that it would give him some additional time to look for a new space to lease in Arlington. Now, he says he’s being forced to move out despite the appeal. McFadden is considering transferring his employees to Murphy’s Law, a pub he owns in the Tenleytown neighborhood of D.C., while the appeal goes through the court system over the next 4-5 months.

Last year the state Supreme Court ruled against McFadden in his effort to appeal his eviction. McFadden said he was seeking a trial by a jury, but instead has been subject to early rulings by judges.

“I’ve asked for jury trials, I haven’t had a day in court,” he said. “Every case is a summary judgment for the landlord.”

It’s not clear what will replace Kitty O’Shea’s at this point. The entire block is currently subject to a rezoning request, which would convert it from a low-rise commercial zone to a higher density mixed-use residential zone. An earlier attempt by Schupp to rezone the block for use as a hotel was shot down in 2009.

County staff have voiced support for the current rezoning proposal, which would likely result in a new apartment complex being built on the site. But Schupp says that it could be 2-5 years before the necessary rezoning, financing and permitting process go through. In the meantime, he’s looking for a new business to lease the space on a short-term basis.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Restaurant Coming to Penrose Square — Restauranteur Cathal Armstrong is reportedly planning to open a new fish-and-chips restaurant on Columbia Pike, in the new Penrose Square development. The restaurant will be the second location for Old Town Alexandria staple Eamonn’s: A Dublin Chipper. In addition to Eamonn’s, Armstrong owns Alexandria eateries The Majestic, Restaurant Eve and Virtue Feed and Grain. [Eater, Pike Wire]

Galaxy Hut Expanding to Falls Church — The owner of Clarendon’s Galaxy Hut is planning on opening a new location on W. Broad Street in Falls Church. Much like the Clarendon location, the new Galaxy Hut will be a music and entertainment venue, in addition to a bar. [Washington Post]

Moran Holds Deficit Reduction Exercise — Nearly 300 people participated in Rep. Jim Moran’s “Principles and Priorities” national debt reduction workshop on Monday. Moran said he was “shocked” by two conclusions — the group’s near-unanimous desire to freeze defense spending and to gradually eliminate the home mortgage interest deduction. [Patch]

New Signs on Meade Street — There’s a new wayfaring sign for tourists on Meade Street, near the Iwo Jima memorial. The sign lists dozens of attractions in the Rosslyn area. [Ode Street Tribune]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Chamber Launches New Web Site — The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has revamped its web site with a new look and improved navigation. [Arlington Chamber]

Samuel Beckett’s Offers Outdoor Seating — The sidewalk cafe in front of Samuel Beckett’s is open for anyone who wants to take advantage of the warm weather. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Treasurer’s Office Wins Tech Award — The Arlington County Treasurer’s Office won a Technology Solutions Award from the Public Technology Institute for its implementation of a “single, integrated system to collect all County taxes and dozens of County fees.” [Arlington County]

Blog Chronicles Local Brunch Spots — Need help deciding where to go for brunch? Join the Arlington Brunch Club. The “club” is actually a relatively new blog that has, so far, featured reviews for five local brunch spots. [Arlington Brunch Club]

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

The Last Days of Jay’s?

By ARLnow.com

Jay’s Saloon and Grille, at 3114 N. 10th St. in Clarendon, opened in 1993 and bills itself as “one of the last true ‘Dive Bars’ in Arlington.” Unfortunately, like many Arlington dive bars before it, Jay’s will eventually become another victim of redevelopment.

Kathi Moore, who co-owns the bar with her ex-husband, Jay Moore, says their lease is up at then end of the year and she does not expect the landlord to renew it. The landlord, an ownership group led by Clarendon-based Buck and Associates, is under contract with a developer that plans to redevelop the land occupied by Jay’s and two small, adjacent commercial buildings.

That is not to say that Jay’s will close at the end of the year — they may be kept on a month-to-month lease until the developer is ready to proceed with its project. But one thing is for sure: Jay’s days are numbered.

Buck and Associates owner William Buck says he’s not sure of the developer’s exact plans, but offered that it’s a “safe bet” that the redevelopment would start “within five years.” He declined to discuss lease agreements.

The prospect of Jay’s closing, Moore lamented, is like losing a family.

“It’s a neighborhood bar,” she said last night, perched at a bar stool with a newspaper in front of her. “We’ve had weddings and funerals in here… I literally know everybody’s name.”

Moore, who worked for the government before devoting herself to Jay’s, says she works at the bar seven days a week and can’t remember the last time she took a vacation. Her work ethic is old-school, just like the bar itself. Jay’s sells $8 pitchers of beer during happy hour, lets dogs hang out with their owners on the patio, and has a senior citizen who DJs on Friday nights using only cassette tapes.

Moore compared the bar to “Cheers,” adding that customers who moved to the area from other parts of the country often tell her that Jay’s reminds them of bars from home. She says Jay’s caters to a mature, 35-to-65 year old clientele not well-served by other Clarendon bars, which tend to attract a preponderance of 20-somethings.

Asked about her plans should Jay’s be forced to close, Moore said she’s not sure what she would do, but admitted that she isn’t actively looking for a place to relocate the bar, at least at this point. Pressed on what the future holds for Jay’s, she was reluctant to elaborate.

“It’s personal,” she said.

2011 St. Patrick’s Day & NCAA Tournament Guide

By ARLnow.com

If there was ever a day to skip out of work after lunch, this is it. Between the nice weather, the start of the NCAA basketball tournament and — of course — the fact that it’s St. Patrick’s Day, this is not a day that should be spent cooped up in an office filing TPS reports.

Here are a few places you can go to wear the green, watch the game or otherwise have a good time.

  • Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) — Tonight at 7:15 p.m. everybody’s favorite gun-wielding, God-fearing Irish brothers will kick some Mafia butt as the Drafthouse holds a special screening of the movie Boondock Saints.
  • Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland St.) — The Grill opened its doors at 11:00 a.m. for its St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Drink specials at the bar and March Madness on the TV. Energetic local band The Fuzz takes the stage at 9:00 p.m.
  • Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 Wilson Blvd) — Doors opened at 10:00 this morning. The always-packed St. Paddy’s extravaganza at Four Courts includes Irish food specials, cash-only satellite bars, music on the main stage all day, and a heated tent behind the restaurant.
  • Iota Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd) — Raucous Irish band O’Tasty performs, with warm-up act Hellfire and the Brimtones taking the stage at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $12.
  • Kitty O’Shea’s (2403 Wilson Blvd) — No cover and March Madness on the TV. Open all day with an all-Irish food menu.
  • O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd) — Irish bands all day starting at noon. The Michael Patrick Band perfomrs from 4:45 to 8:45 p.m. and Willem Dickie performs from 9:30 p.m. to closing time.
  • P. Brennan’s Irish Pub (2910 Columbia Pike) — This is the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration for the cavernous, 11-month-old Irish pub. P. Brennan’s opened at 11:00 a.m. for an all-day and all-night event featuring Irish music, Irish dancing, Irish food and anything else Irish-related. $5 cover after 6:00 p.m.
  • Ragtime (1345 N. Courthouse Road) — Happy hour specials from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., green beer starting at 4:00 p.m., a traditional Irish menu and NCAA games on the TVs. Local funk/jam/rock band Aquatica becomes O’quatica for a performance from 9:00 p.m. to close.
  • Rhodeside Grill (1836 Wilson Blvd) — Irish specials and NCAA basketball all day. Plus: green beer.
  • RiRa Irish Pub (2915 Wilson Blvd) — Starting at noon, RiRa is holding a charity basketball shoot-out on the back patio. The hoops will benefit the charity PeacePlayers International, which helps to unite young people in divided areas of the world like Northern Ireland. Live music includes Kilmaine Saints starting at 3:00 p.m. and Dr. Fu at 9:00 p.m. Naturally, there will be a traditional Irish menu and NCAA games on the big screens.
  • Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub (2800 S. Randolph St.) — The newest Irish pub in town will host acoustic folk/pop/rock artist Taylor Carson at 7:00 p.m. There will also be authentic Irish food, plenty of Irish beer and whiskey and a special menu, all served by a straight-off-the-boat Irish staff.
  • Sine Irish Pub (1301 S. Joyce St.) — Green beer, no cover and an Irish buffet starting at 3:00 p.m.
  • Spider Kelly’s (3181 Wilson Blvd) — SK opened at 11:00 a.m. for St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness specials all day long. The popular nightspot also added Guinness to its taps for the occasion.
  • Tortoise and Hare (567 S. 23rd St.) — Tortoise and Hare is offering “plenty” of food and drink specials. The all-day celebration features a full Irish menu, green beer, car bombs, Guinness and Smithwick’s, etc. etc. etc. Plus March Madness on TV and hip hop cover band Flow in the Dark taking the stage around 9:30 p.m.
  • Whitlow’s on Wilson (2854 Wilson Blvd) — Irish menu until 11:00 p.m. Bagpipers providing music plus Celtic band Shannon Tide at 6:00 p.m. March Madness games and drink specials.
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