Williamsburg to Implement Block Scheduling — Williamsburg Middle School will, in fact, be implementing a block schedule for classes next year, an Arlington Public Schools spokeswoman tells ARLnow.com. While Kenmore has a modified block schedule for sixth grade, and Gunston is “exploring moving to a flexible schedule for next year,” Jefferson and Swanson are not considering moving to a block schedule, we’re told.
Home Prices Decline in Arlington in 2016 — Per WTOP’s Jeff Clabaugh and listing service MRIS: “The median price in Arlington County last year was down 1.8 percent from 2015. Arlington and Alexandria were the only local jurisdictions to see declines in 2016 prices versus 2015.” [WTOP]
Grand Opening for Pamplona — New Clarendon restaurant Pamplona is holding its grand opening celebration tonight. The Spanish tapas restaurant is set in a self-described “sultry and sophisticated space, featuring colorful Spanish tiled floors, unique murals… and of course, an arsenal of bullheads.” [Facebook]
H-B Photography in Richmond — Work by H-B Woodlawn photography students is on display in the Richmond offices of Del. Patrick Hope. Hope plans to highlight one piece a day during the legislative session. [Twitter]
Multi-Generational Housing Construction — A 1950s ranch home near Bishop O’Connell High School is being torn down to make way for a new multi-generation house for a couple, their daughter and husband, and their grandchildren. [Falls Church News-Press]
When You Don’t Want Someone to Take Your Parking Cone — South Arlington is “so rough you have to lock up your cones,” as a photo apparently taken yesterday demonstrates. [Twitter]
There’s a new spot for Irish and Belgian fare, along with beer and whiskey, in Rosslyn.
“Quinn’s on the Corner” opened on the ground floor of the 1776 Wilson Blvd (at the corner of Wilson and N. Quinn Street) office building earlier today, according to owner Reese Gardner, the restaurateur behind other local business like Copperwood Tavern, Dudley’s Sport and Ale and Irish Whiskey in the District.
The eatery, which Gardner describes as a “casual neighborhood pub with a food-first focus,” serves a menu of Belgian and Irish grub that includes mussel pots, fish and chips and several types of savory waffles topped with ingredients like fried lobster and creamed corned beef.
Behind a wraparound oak bar, staffers pour 27 kinds of Irish whiskeys, a selection that is one of the largest in the area, said Gardner.
“Our goal is to get up to where Irish Whiskey is,” Gardner added. “About 50 to 55 whiskeys.”
The bar also serves beer, wine and a small list of cocktails.
Though it originally was pitched as a hangout for Virginia Tech fans, Gardner said that idea was scrapped in favor of a more general sports theme. However, each weekend, the bar’s televisions will show Penn State and Virginia Tech games with sound.
“Rosslyn was a little underserved for a place to come watch the game,” Gardner said. “We’re excited about it.”
A new tapas restaurant hopes to attract a stampede of customers when it opens next week.
The new eatery, Pamplona, is slated to start slinging small bites and drinks at 3100 Clarendon Blvd on Tuesday, Jan. 10, according to co-owner Mike Bramson. Pamplona replaced SoBe Bar & Bistro, which closed about a year ago.
When it opens, the tapas joint will bring with it some of the food and fun you might find at the annual Running of the Bulls event in Pamplona, Spain.
“We went to Pamplona and fell in love with the city,” Bramson said. “Every bar was just so vibrant and exciting that we had to bring this back to Clarendon.”
The eatery’s menu includes black squid ink seafood paella, tapas dishes and bite-sized servings of food called pinxtos. Those tiny dishes — which Bramson described as “literally just one bite” — range from $1-5.
At the bar, patrons can order eight types of sangria alongside beer, wine and cocktails.
“We’re really excited to bring our cocktail program,” said Bramson, who co-founded Social Restaurant Group, the company behind Provision No. 14 and The Prospect in the District. “We’re known for our cocktails and our food. We want to bring that vibrant atmosphere to the neighborhood.”
The restaurant, designed by David Anthony Chenault, also features Spanish tiled floors, photo murals of Pamplona’s famous event and a plethora of wall-mounted bull head busts.
We now know a bit more about The G.O.A.T., the new sports bar and lounge that’s coming to the former Hard Times Cafe space in Clarendon.
The bar is expected to open in June. The 8,800 square foot space is being completely remodeled and will seat “350 guests between three full bars and full service tables.”
The group behind A-Town Bar and Grill, Don Tito and other popular Arlington hangouts has signed a 20-year lease for the space, at 3028 Wilson Blvd.
A new press release, below, says The G.O.A.T. will “transition from a traditional sports bar to a chic and relaxed evening lounge” and will feature “daily deals, late night menus and live entertainment” among its rotating specials.
Mike Cordero is bringing the “greatest of all time” in food and drinks to Clarendon this summer. Set to open in June 2017, The G.O.A.T. will take over 3028 Wilson Boulevard, which formerly housed the Hard Times Café, and transform the current floor and kitchen layout to maximize the seating in the 8,800-square-foot restaurant space. Cordero’s MacNac Hospitality signed a 20-year lease agreement with property owner VA Properties LLC. will work on the build out and remodeling of the kitchen, ground level and second floor, and Yvette Irene Design will develop the interior décor.
The G.O.A.T. will serve gourmet American comfort food and beverages. All the menu’s recipes will feature locally sourced ingredients and homemade marinades and sauces. There will be an emphasis on craft cocktails and beers supplied from area microbreweries.
“Our mission is to offer simple yet delicious food, a variety of drinks and a relaxing environment to lounge in,” said Mike Cordero, Executive Chef and President of MacNac Hospitality. “The G.O.A.T. will be an inviting sports bar that can be enjoyed beyond game day.”
Designed with extended hours for lounging in mind, The G.O.A.T. will transition from a traditional sports bar to a chic and relaxed evening lounge. Daily deals, late night menus and live entertainment will be a regular part of The G.O.A.T.’s rotating specials.
The redesigned restaurant will seat 350 guests between three full bars and full service tables. The 200-person dining room will have a mix of high tops and long banquette style tables. The bar stools and high top table chairs will feature plush cushions and foot rests to make seating for extended periods most comfortable. To ensure all seats are “the best seat in the house,” The G.O.A.T. will feature three large viewing walls. Each wall will be entirely comprised of individual TV monitors that together display one single televised event to maximize the overall viewing potential from each table. Separate from the main floor, The G.O.A.T. will house a private function room equipped with its own bar, several TV monitors, and seating for 25.
A Texas-style barbecue restaurant chain is considering opening an Arlington location next year.
A press release yesterday from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit included an Arlington dateline, but only said that the new restaurant would be opening in “the state of Virginia.”
Asked for clarification, a company spokeswoman told ARLnow.com that the restaurant may open in Arlington.
“The exact location has not been decided yet, but they are looking at locations in Arlington and Alexandria,” said the spokeswoman.
The press release is below.
Arlington, VA — Dickey’s Barbecue Pit will be opening its tenth new location in the state of Virginia with a new store slated to begin serving delicious, Texas-style barbecue in 2017. The new store’s owner, Mario Aguilar, is excited to embark on this new adventure by opening his very first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location in the community he grew up in.
“The Dickey family congratulates Mario Aguilar on opening his first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location in Virginia,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is growing rapidly across the nation, and we are always proud when we have the opportunity to add a new Owner/Operator to the Dickey’s family.”
Born and raised in Virginia, Aguilar has been part of this community his entire life and is excited to serve Dickey’s Barbecue to the people whom he considers his family. Aguilar has been a business owner for the past 12 years, owning multiple AT&T locations throughout Virginia. When he decided it was time to get into the restaurant industry he knew Dickey’s was the right place for him because he loves the food and the 75-year-old brand.
“Dickey’s is a great brand that is well-known throughout the nation and I am excited to be a part of it,” says Aguilar. “Dickey’s will do well in this community because there is a large need for slow-smoked barbecue, and I am proud to be the one to provide it.”
We reported earlier this month that Punch Bowl Social was coming to Arlington. Now we know where it’s coming to: the renovated Ballston Quarter mall.
Punch Bowl Social says it will be opening a 25,000 square foot space at the mall in June 2018.
“Already a hit in other cities and a proven millennial magnet, Punch Bowl Social Ballston will include eight bowling lanes, one bocce court, three private karaoke rooms, a custom built 360 degree bar and various lounging and gathering spots — for groups both large and small — housed in an eclectic space melding mountain lodge, Victorian and modern industrial design themes,” the company said in a press release.
The full press release is below.
Punch Bowl Social, the leader in the “eatertainment” movement, announced today that it will open a 25,000 square-foot restaurant, bar and entertainment concept in Arlington’s Ballston Quarter in June 2018. Punch Bowl Social pairs a Hugh Acheson designed, scratch-made menu and craft beverage program with “old-school” social activities like vintage video games, shuffleboard, private karaoke rooms, bowling, Ping-Pong, bocce and skee-ball.
Already a hit in other cities and a proven millennial magnet, Punch Bowl Social Ballston will include eight bowling lanes, one bocce court, three private karaoke rooms, a custom built 360 degree bar and various lounging and gathering spots – for groups both large and small – housed in an eclectic space melding mountain lodge, Victorian and modern industrial design themes.
Punch Bowl Social founder & CEO Robert Thompson noted that Ballston Quarter is exactly the type of development where Punch Bowl Social flourishes. “The Ballston Quarter is poised to become the urban village for Arlington and the surrounding metro area,” he said. “The team behind the project is curating a unique, elevated experience that emphasizes attention to detail and quality offerings. These are the same considerations that drive Punch Bowl Social.”
The elevated experiences that Thompson references are what have ensured Punch Bowl Social’s singular position atop the “eatertainment” industry’s leadership roster. As noted in a multi-page spread in Inc. Magazine’s December/January issue, Punch Bowl Social has “broken from the pack.” The article pays homage to the brand and to Thompson’s uncanny – one could argue unparalleled – ability to market to the often elusive millennial, now the country’s largest demographic and a group sure to descend upon Ballston Quarter.
Joe Boehm, Executive Vice President, Real Estate at Forest City Realty Trust, the development company behind the Ballson Quarter, notes that it was these very factors that drew Forest City to Punch Bowl Social. “The Ballston Quarter will offer an experience that is purposeful, thoughtful and uncommon,” Boehm said. “We support this goal by partnering with anchor tenants capable of delivering on this promise. Punch Bowl Social is an industry leader with a proven track record. But more importantly, it offers an authentic experience that resonates across demographic groupings, literally offering something for everyone.”
Punch Bowl Social has made a name for itself with its remarkably balanced execution of the eat, drink, play concept. The brand prides itself on its food-forward approach, with an inspired menu created by the company’s culinary partner, celebrity chef Hugh Acheson. Acheson, a restauranteur, cookbook author, Top Chef judge and James Beard award winner, leads the ongoing culinary direction of the growing restaurant concept while underscoring its commitment to a seasonally inspired, scratch kitchen.
Punch Bowl Social Ballston marks the company’s first east coast location. Other cities include, among others, Detroit; Cleveland; Portland, Ore; Austin; and Denver, Colorado, where Punch Bowl Social originated.
PUNCH BOWL SOCIAL
Punch Bowl Social brings classic entertainment and real culinary chops together under the same roof, in an environment that is playful and surprisingly intimate. Punch Bowl Social’s scratch kitchen serves weekend brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks while the in-house mixologists focus on serving up craft beverages. For more information, visit www.punchbowlsocial.com
An Ethiopian restaurant will be coming to the former Corner Tex-Mix space in Nauck.
The now-closed restaurant, near the corner of S. Glebe Road and S. Walter Reed Drive, was poorly reviewed and for much of 2016 the restaurant would only open periodically, keeping “odd hours” that were not immediately discernible to casual patrons.
Replacing The Corner Tex-Mix will be a second location for Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant, an eatery on 14th Street NW in D.C.’s Logan Circle neighborhood.
Reached by phone, Lalibela owner Taye Wogederes said he’s hoping to open the restaurant as early as January. It will serve traditional Ethiopian cuisine, along with beer and wine, and will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he said.
A new sports bar is coming to the former Hard Times Cafe space across from the Clarendon Metro station.
The G.O.A.T Sports Bar, at 3028 Wilson Blvd, is described as “Northern Virginia’s premier sports and game lounge.” It’s expected to open at some point in early summer 2017.
The bar comes from the prolific team behind A-Town Bar and Grill in Ballston, Don Tito in Clarendon and Barley Mac in Rosslyn. It will serve American comfort food, said Scott Parker, one of the partners, but few additional details were available beyond the sports focus.
“The G.O.A.T. is a popular sports acronym for ‘Greatest of All Time,'” Parker said. “Much of the concept is still being developed, but we’re going to be doing a complete redesign of the space.”
Parker added that a second new bar/restaurant from the team may be opening in Clarendon around the same time as The G.O.A.T. The details behind that new concept are also under wraps.
“That deal is very close to being done and we are pretty confident both concepts will be open in that time frame,” he said.
Fmr. Arlington Resident John Glenn Dies — John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth, has died at the age of 95. In an article first published in 2012, the Arlington Public Library blog recounted the five years that Glenn and his family lived on N. Harrison Street in Arlington. [Arlington Public Library]
Soon: Central Place Apartments, Restaurants — Residents are expected to start moving into the new Central Place apartment tower in Rosslyn at some point during the first three months of 2017. Restaurants coming to the ground floor of the building include Sweetgreen, Little Beet, Nando’s Peri-peri and McDonald’s, while Cava Grill and Compass Coffee has signed leases for the Central Place office tower. [Washington Business Journal]
Fort Myer Getting Drone Detector — Officials from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall said at a recent Arlington civic association meeting that the base is working to procure a drone detection system. The base commander said he’s worried about “miniaturized tools of terror, specifically drones carrying home-made bombs.” [Pentagram]
Video: Ovi Delivering Pizzas in Arlington — Okay, it’s just a commercial and didn’t really happen. But a new 30-second TV spot from Papa John’s imagines Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin delivering pizzas in Arlington in 2001 as he pursues a childhood dream to become “the best pizza delivery boy in the world.” [Russian Machine Never Breaks]
Local Startup Scores Big Military Contract — Clarendon-based cybersecurity firm Endgame has won a $18.8 million contract from the U.S. Air Force. It’s believed to be “one of the largest endpoint protection software purchases in the Air Force’s history.” [Fedscoop]
Startups Recognized By County — Arlington County recognized four of the county’s fastest-growing companies this week as part of its second-annual “Fast Four” competition. The honorees were the Nicecream Factory ice cream shop in Arlington, Ballston-based Deep Learning Analytics, Clarendon consulting firm Enterprise Knowledge and Ballston-based software company Convoke. [Arlington County]
(Updated on 12/6/16)Punch Bowl Social, a combination bar, restaurant, bowling alley and arcade targeted at the young professional set, is coming to Arlington.
The expanding chain, which has existing locations in Denver, Austin, Detroit, Portland, Cleveland and elsewhere, says on its website that it’s planning to open in Arlington in 2018. A D.C. location is also planned.
“Punch Bowl Social has eliminated having to choose between respectable food and beverage, and a great social experience,” says the Facebook page of one of the existing locations. “PBS brings ‘old school’ entertainment, culinary refinement and a modern beverage program under one roof.”
Founded by Robert Thompson, who previously operated Buffalo Billiards locations in Austin and Nashville, Punch Bowl Social offers a range of beers and cocktails — including, yes, cocktails served in communal punch bowls. PBS describes its dining and beverage offerings as “food for foodies, PBR tallboys, and craft beverages.”
Entertainment options include bowling, karaoke, shuffleboard, billiards, ping pong, fussball, billiards and vintage arcade games.
There’s no word yet as to where in Arlington Punch Bowl Social will be opening. “We don’t have any specific details to share,” a publicist told ARLnow.com.
Based on size, opportunity, timing and Metro accessibility, possible locations include the renovated Ballston Quarter mall, which will be reopening in 2018; a number of new and existing buildings in Rosslyn; and the still-developing and increasingly Millennial-oriented Crystal City and Pentagon City area.
A new fast casual Korean barbecue restaurant has opened in Crystal City.
KBQ Korean BBQ & Bar is located at 2450 Crystal Drive, next to Buffalo Wild Wings. It opened earlier today, offering a Chipotle-style experience, allowing customers to build their own rice and lettuce bowls, lettuce wraps, tofu dogs and rice burgers.
KBQ offers six proteins — from steak to pork belly to tofu — and nearly a dozen “banchans,” or sides. That’s topped off by a selection of sauces and garnishes.
In addition, there’s a separate “bubble tea shop” offering a selection of bubble teas, including taro, chai and mango, for $5 apiece. As of earlier today, the boba for the teas was not yet ready, so customers had to make do with bubble tea sans bubbles.
Though KBQ seems likely to capture a primarily lunchtime dining crowd in Crystal City, it also has a bar serving cocktails, beer, wine and “bombs” — as in soju, Jager, car and cherry bombs. The restaurant will be open nightly until 1 a.m.
Korean barbecue “is the hottest trend in the culinary world,” according to a press release announcing the restaurant’s opening today. The full release, after the jump.
