Clarendon

New Belgium Draught Beer Launch Party at IOTA

By ARLnow.com

Beer lovers will gather at IOTA Club and Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon tonight for the official Arlington launch of draught beers from New Belgium Brewing of Fort Collins, Colo.

The launch party, which is being held from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., will feature brewery representatives and five New Belgium beer varieties on tap. Among the planned draught offerings: the brewery’s popular Fat Tire Amber Ale, the Hoptober Golden Ale, 1554 Enlightened Black Ale, Ranger Indian Pale Ale and Clutch Dark Sour Ale. Numerous New Belgium bottled varieties will also be offered.

Up until very recently, New Belgium beers were not available in the D.C. area. Tonight’s event will celebrate the arrival of New Belgium to D.C. and Arlington. Admission is free, but attendees must be 21 or over.

New Belgium fans will be able to buy beer for consumption on or off premises. Draught beer can be brought home in IOTA’s “Clarendon Growlers,” which are available for purchase.

In addition to the launch party, IOTA is hosting a number of musical performances tonight, including blues-rocker Jason Ager and the usual Wednesday open mic night.

Car Catches Fire in Clarendon Parking Lot

By ARLnow.com

A car caught fire in a Clarendon parking lot around 4:00 this afternoon.

The car was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, near the intersection of Fairfax Drive and 10th Street N. Thick black smoke could be seen rising into the sky around the Clarendon and Virginia Square area.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire. There were no reports of injuries. No word yet on a cause.

Photo courtesy Rebecca Cooper

Arlington Celebrates DADT Repeal

By ARLnow.com

As of midnight last night, the law known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was officially repealed.

Gay and lesbian service members may now publicly reveal their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out of the military. The repeal comes nine months after President Obama signed the initial DADT repeal law and two months after the president certified that conditions for the appeal — including extra training for military personnel — had been met.

To celebrate the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance will be holding two separate events. Tonight from 8:00 to 11:00 AGLA will host “Yes We Did DADT Karaoke” at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant (555 23rd Street S.) in Crystal City. The free event is also sponsored by the Arlington Democrats and the Arlington Greens.

Tomorrow AGLA will hold another DADT repeal celebration at Hard Times Cafe (3028 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon.

“Join AGLA for an evening of celebration, socializing, great food and drinks,” organizers said. The Wednesday event will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the restaurant’s second floor.

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Candlelight Vigil for Hit and Run Victim — Friends of Zorigoo Munkhbayar gathered on the Rhodes Street Bridge Sunday night to mourn the 23-year-old’s tragic death. Munkhbayar was hit by a car — which then fled the scene — as he was walking down Route 50 early Friday morning. [Ode Street Tribune]

Residents Still Waiting for Promised Traffic Lights — Some residents are asking: Why haven’t traffic lights been installed at the intersections of N. Qunicy Street and 9th Street and Wilson Blvd and N. Pollard Street? After all, Arlington County has already collected tens of thousands of dollars from developers with the express purpose of installing traffic lights at the intersections. [Sun Gazette]

Clarendon Urgent Care Center Opens — Mid Atlantic Urgent Care opens today at 3301 Wilson Boulevard in Clarendon. The seven-day-a-week medical office encourages walk-in visits from patients with non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries. [Mid Atlantic Urgent Care]

Disclosure: Mid Atlantic Urgent Care is an ARLnow.com advertiser.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Trader Joe’s Sets Opening Month

By ARLnow.com

The opening of the new Trader Joe’s in Clarendon is about two months away.

The company announced today that its grocery store at 1109 N. Highland Street will open at some point in November. The store is 12,300 square feet in size and will offer underground parking.

Interior construction started early last month. Freezer cases and other food-related accoutrements are now visible inside the under-construction store.

With the opening forthcoming, Clarendon residents will soon start receiving Trader Joe’s sales flyers.

“Many area residents after the store opens can expect to receive a copy of the Trader Joe’s ‘Fearless Flyer’ in their mailboxes,” the company said. “The Fearless Flyer is a somewhat irreverent description of a timely selection of Trader Joe’s products. It’s been called a cross between Consumer Reports and Mad Magazine.”

There are more than 350 Trader Joe’s stores in 30 states.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

BRAC Not Too Bad, After All — Today is the deadline for the transfer of military offices affected by the Base Realignment and Closure Act. By today, 17,000 jobs were supposed to have moved out of Arlington County (mostly Crystal City) and into secure military installations like Ft. Belvoir. But in the end, the feared deadline is coming and going “with little fanfare.” The Associated Press reports that 10,000 of the 17,000 BRACed jobs are still here and expected to remain through as late as 2014, thanks to extensions granted by the Department of Defense. [Washington Post]

Pumpkins Arrive in Clarendon — The first pumpkins of the season showed up yesterday at the Clarendon Farmers Market. [Clarendon Culture]

Artisphere Called ‘Sad,’ Lonely — The designated art critic for the Clarendon-Courthouse-Rosslyn Patch says he was disappointed by Artisphere on his first visit. “I noticed an immediate loneliness to the place, a sad emptiness,” he wrote. The critic went on to recommend “more traditional” art galleries, in addition to Artisphere’s more modern, avant-garde exhibits. [Patch]

Flickr pool photo by Runneralan2004

American Tap Room Prepares to Open in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

American Tap Room (3101 Wilson Blvd) is putting the finishing touches on its new Clarendon location in hopes of opening after the long holiday weekend. Today the restaurant is doing a trial run for friends and family, but ARLnow.com got a sneak peak.

Dozens of taps line the wall of the bar, which opens up into a large dining room. Beyond the dining area is a glass-enclosed martini bar. During warm seasons, patrons can head outside to the sizable patio and get toasty next to the three fire pits.

“We’re excited to be a part of the Clarendon community,” said Vice President of Marketing Wade Breaux. “We can’t wait to see everyone in a few days.”

Breaux says there’s not any one thing that will set apart American Tap Room from the many other restaurants in the area. Instead, he said, it’s more about the overall experience. He notes the welcoming atmosphere, more than 60 beers on tap, martini room, patio and moderate prices as some of the special features.

“We’re not trying to be the cheapest and we’re not trying to be the most expensive,” Beaux said. “We want to have broad appeal.”

There are still some tweaks necessary before the expected opening on Tuesday, such as getting phone lines up and working. American Tap Room plans to hold a formal grand opening sometime in the next few weeks, when everything is running smoothly.

This is the company’s third American Tap Room location, in addition to locations in Reston and Bethesda.

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Morning Poll: Post-Labor Day Events

By ARLnow.com

Now that the first day of September has arrived, it’s time to start looking forward to some of the later summer and fall events that Arlington has to offer.

The first major event after Labor Day is the Rosslyn Jazz Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10. Jazz luminaries Dee Dee Bridgewater, Henry Butler and Grace Kelly will perform at the annual event, which is held in Rossslyn’s Gateway Park.

The annual Vintage Crystal wine and jazz festival is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18. The event, held in a Crystal City parking lot, features wine tastings and food samples, as well as jazz and dance performances, all with a “Latin twist.”

Clarendon Day, another local favorite, will happen on Saturday, Sept. 24 this year. Food vendors, live music, a 10K/5K race and family activities round out the day’s excitement.

The Capital City Brewing Shirlington Oktoberfest is back this year for more Teutonic debauchery in Shirlington Village. Sample enough Märzen-style beers and you’ll forget all about the boisterous crowds and long lines. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8.

Finally, for the political wonks, Election Day will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8 this year. Will Barbara Favola successfully fend off a challenge from Republican Caren Merrick? Will Democrats hang on to the Virginia state Senate? Local political types will be watching closely.

Which event are you most looking forward to?


 

Daily Deal: 50% Off at Mexicali Blues

By ARLnow.com

With Labor Day around the corner, the days of shorts, flip flops and outdoor dining are numbered.

Sure, those things are still possible when the weather gets colder, but sitting outside and drinking a Corona while wearing a sweater is just not quite the same as the summertime experience.

Luckily, you can get your outdoor beer sipping and tortilla chip dipping in before it’s too late thanks to our partners at WTD, who are offering 50 percent off at Clarendon’s Mexicali Blues restaurant (2933 Wilson Blvd).

For the next two weeks, you can get $20 worth of food and non-alcoholic drink at the sidewalk cafe-equipped restaurant for $10.

Traffic Lights Coming to Clarendon Intersection

By ARLnow.com

Traffic lights are coming to the intersection of Washington Boulevard and N. Garfield Street in Clarendon.

The lights and illuminated crosswalk signs have been installed at the intersection, but have black plastic covering them as the county prepares to turn the signals on. Several pedestrian safety improvements were recently made at the intersection, but it’s still difficult for drivers on Garfield Street to see oncoming traffic on Washington Boulevard.

Clearest Photos Yet of Serial Bank Robbery Suspect

By ARLnow.com

The guy suspected of six separate bank robberies in Arlington this summer might be getting a bit sloppy.

Arlington Police have released new surveillance images of the man, whose face can — for the first time — clearly be seen despite a low-slung cap and a pair of stylish sunglasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

The images were taken during a robbery yesterday afternoon at the BB&T Bank at 3001 N. Washington Boulevard in Clarendon. It’s the second time the man is suspected of robbing that particular branch, and the fourth time he’s suspected of robbing a BB&T location.

Here’s what police had to say about the crime, in a press release.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s help to identify a man who robbed an Arlington bank yesterday afternoon. This suspect related to five other bank robberies that have occurred in the past three months in Arlington County.

The suspect entered the BB&T Bank in the 3000 block of Washington Blvd at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, August 17, 2011. He announced a bank robbery and demanded money. After receiving cash, the suspect fled on foot.

The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair, approximately 50 years old and 5’9” with a thin build. At the time of the robbery he wore a gray t-shirt, khaki pants, brown belt, a light colored hat and sunglasses.

Anyone who has information about this robbery or the identity of the suspect is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703 228-4242, or Detective Donald Fortunato at (703) 228-4197. Det. Fortunato can also be reached by email at [email protected].

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