New Year

Four Arlington Metro Stations Now Have Free Wi-Fi

By Chris Teale

Anyone looking to get online at some of Arlington County’s Metro stations can now do so using free Wi-Fi provided by Metro.

As part of an expansion to 24 more stations, users at Rosslyn, Clarendon, Courthouse, Crystal City will now be able to access the free wireless internet. Free Wi-Fi is now offered at 30 underground Metro stations throughout the system.

Metro said it expects that all other underground Metro stations — which includes the likes of Ballston, Virginia Square and Pentagon City — to have free Wi-Fi by mid-2018.

And for those riding Metrorail on New Year’s Eve, special late-night service will run until 2 a.m. for those returning from festivities. And in addition, track work will be suspended from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve through closing New Year’s Day.

“We are pleased to offer extended hours on Metrorail during New Year’s Eve as a service to our customers who will be ringing in the New Year,” Metro general manager/CEO Paul Wiedefeld said in a statement. “I also want to thank our employees who will be working to provide the public with a safe and responsible option to get around.”

Kiss 2017 Goodbye at Arlington’s Top 5 Bars for New Years

1/5

By Brianna Hurwitz

Ring in the “new year new you” this New Year’s Eve at the top local bars and restaurants hosting events in Arlington listed below. Guarantee you and all your friends celebrate in style and watch the New Year’s Eve ball drop by purchasing your early bird ticket now before tickets sell out. Visit NewYearsEveDMV.com or Eventbrite.

Mister Days (3100 Clarendon Blvd) — Forget driving and get the party started with a few drinks at Mister Days because this sports rock cafe is located less than one block from the Clarendon Metro stop. Mister Days has been opened since 1977 and is ready to ring in 2018 with you.

Barley Mac (1600 Wilson Blvd) — Ditch the champagne bubbles and have a “Beautifully Bourbon New Year’s Eve” at Rosslyn’s own Barley Mac bourbon bar. The party kicks off in the bar area only at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $45 and include three premium drink passes and hors d’oeuvres with a champagne toast at midnight. Guests can use their premium drink passes for select premium bourbons and whiskeys. For more details about the event call (571)800-3070.

Don Tito (3165 Wilson Blvd) — Party at the hottest tequila bar with the DJ spinning top 40 music beginning at 9 p.m. For $35, guests receive VIP entry, three drink passes and party favors. Watch the live coverage of New York City’s Times Square countdown as the ball drops. Just make sure to get to Don Tito’s before 11 p.m.

A-Town Bar and Grill (4100 Fairfax Drive) — Starting at 9 a.m. (yes, you read that right, 9 in the morning) A-Town Bar and Grill is hosting a “Maskquerade Ball”. Just be there by 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and the party won’t stop until 1:30 a.m. New Year’s Day. Admission is $25 and includes three drink passes, party favors and VIP entry. Dress to impress. Buy early because tickets typically sell out by mid-December.

The G.O.A.T (3028 Wilson Blvd) — Arlington’s sports bar and gaming lounge, The G.O.A.T, is getting ready and set for you to go celebrate with them all night long for New Year’s Eve. Did we mention there’s no cover charge? Get there early to bypass the long lines anticipated.

ARLnow New Year’s Weekend Discussion

By ARLnow.com

Light post with a ribbon

Happy New Year (a day and some change early) from ARLnow.com!

Apparently, according to our recent poll, more than half of you will be just staying at home on New Year’s Eve. Sad!

But for the nearly 15 percent who will be going out to bars and events in Arlington and around the area, if you’ve procrastinated on picking your final destination be sure to check out our list of local NYE parties.

Also, if you haven’t been keeping up with our posts this week, here are some quick links to our countdown of the Top 20 Arlington Stories of 2016: #1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20.

With that, feel free to discuss the past year of Arlington-related news or any other topics of local interest in the comments. Here’s Mariah Carey to sing us home.

ACPD Preparing for NYE

By Katie Pyzyk

Chooser Cruiser unveilingEven though Arlington doesn’t have any large, centrally-located New Year’s Eve celebration — like New York City’s ball drop in Times Square — local police are getting ready for a busier than usual night on Saturday.

Scanner traffic indicates that today officers are stopping at businesses that are holding celebrations tomorrow night. Police are doing preemptive safety checks, asking management about things like how many people each business expects for its celebration and how many employees or additional security staff will be present.

There are no known, specific threats to public safety in Arlington, according to police spokesman Capt. Bruce Benson, but ACPD will have extra officers in the Clarendon area on Saturday evening. Extra officers will also be on duty throughout the county to patrol for drunk drivers.

“We really want everyone to enjoy the New Year celebration in Arlington,” says Benson. “We certainly have some great restaurants and bars and invite everyone to take advantage of them, but we also ask everyone to be responsible and get home safely. There is no excuse to drive drunk.”

Police encourage everyone to pay attention to the message of the half-police cruiser, half-taxi Chooser Cruiser, currently stationed in Clarendon: Take advantage of the many safe options available for post-party transportation or you might find yourself in the back of a police car. Some options include using a designated driver, a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft, the free SoberRide taxi program (1-800-200-TAXI), and the free Metrorail and Metrobus rides after midnight Saturday.

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Market Common Clarendon decorations

Teardown Business Booming — Arlington is one of the Northern Virginia areas that continue to see significant home teardown rates following the recession. The high land values make it more economical for many builders to tear down old homes and construct new ones rather than renovating existing structures. [Wall Street Journal]

Tech Company Moving to Arlington — Online stock video business VideoBlocks says it is moving from its long-time home in Reston to Arlington in 2017. The tech company’s growth is making the current 7,500-square-foot space too cramped, so the goal is to find an approximately 20,000-square-foot space in Arlington. [DC Inno]

Ninja Moves Prompt Police Call — Police responded to Paisano’s on N. Pershing Drive yesterday afternoon for a report of a man performing “ninja moves” outside the restaurant. There were no reports of anyone being harmed or of any arrests. [Twitter]

Free NYE Metro Rides — Metrorail and Metrobus rides will be free after midnight on New Year’s Eve (Saturday), courtesy of a sponsor: Miller Lite. Metro will stay open until 3:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day (Sunday). [WMATA]

Free Cab Rides Through Sunday — SoberRide will continue its seasonal free taxi service through Sunday. Users can call 1-800-200-TAXI for a free ride home, up to a $30 fare.

County Facilities Closed Monday — Like the federal the government, Arlington County will close its facilities on Monday in observance of Sunday’s holiday. Parking meters will not be enforced but trash and recycling collection will continue as usual.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Hanukkah celebration in Clarendon 12/28/16

Struggling Skyline Sold — Vornado has taken its properties in Skyline off of its balance sheet after the 2.6 million-square-foot, half-vacant complex sold at a foreclosure auction last week. The cancelled Columbia Pike streetcar project would have run to Skyline, with Fairfax County set to pay 20 percent of the project’s cost. [Washington Business Journal]

More on ‘Pop-Up’ Hotel — The inauguration will be the big test for WhyHotel, the “pop-up” hotel in the new Bartlett apartment building in Pentagon City. Developer Vornado sees this as an experiment that could yield temporary revenue while a building is leased up. Arlington County planning commissioner Erik Gutshall says the county could benefit from additional tax revenue and a more lively streetscape. [Washington Post]

Arlington = NYE Destination? — Travelers coming to the D.C. area for New Year’s Eve should consider staying in Arlington due to its proximity to the District and lower hotel rates, says an article on “last minute deals for New Year’s Eve hotels.” [Travel + Leisure]

Transracial Adoption in Arlington — Arlington is “a fantastic community in which to raise a transracially blended family,” says the father of (now grown) adopted children from Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India. [Arlington Magazine]

Clarendon Post Office Murals — A local man has written a 44-page book on the artist who painted seven New Deal-era murals in the Clarendon post office. [Washington Post]

Reporting Issues to the County — Arlington County is reminding residents that they can report out-of-sync traffic signals, crosswalks with broken buttons and other non-emergency service requests via an online form. [Twitter]

Morning Poll: How and Where Are You Celebrating New Year’s?

By ARLnow.com

Clarendon Grill New Year's 2017New Year’s Eve is only three days away.

While one might think of New Year’s as a time to get dressed up and head into the city — or, if you’re a parent, stay home and go to sleep at 12:05 a.m. — it seems that going out here in Arlington is also a popular choice.

Already, NYE parties at Don Tito and A-Town are completely sold out, according to their respective Eventbrite pages. Another big local NYE event at Sehkraft Brewing is nearly sold out, as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.

(There are more Arlington options, as detailed in our previous NYE article and on our event calendar.)

So do more Arlingtonians stay home, go out in Arlington or go out elsewhere in D.C.? Or are most people heading out of town? Let’s find out.

New Year’s Eve Parties In and Around Arlington

By Samantha Moore

Want to stay in Arlington (or, at least, within a stone’s throw of Arlington) but still go out for New Year’s Eve?

Good news: With just over a week and a half until New Year’s Eve, there are plenty of local options still available for New Year’s procrastinators. A list of NYE parties that you can walk back from, if necessary, is below.

2017 NYE Decades Sehkraft Brewing2017 NYE Decades Sehkraft Brewing
Sehkraft Brewing (925 N. Garfield St.)
Time: 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Ring in the New Year in Clarendon with the cover band “Girls Night Out” and DJ Fusion as they play hit songs from the 80s, 90s and 2000s. Tickets start at $30 and include drink tickets, a VIP entrance and party favors.

"Don Tito" logo and partnersNew Years Eve at Don Tito!
Don Tito (3165 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Clarendon’s “hottest tequila bar” will be hosting a New Year’s Eve bash. General Admission starts at $40 and includes three drink tickets, party favors and a VIP entry. Tables start at $350 with a bottle of champagne and 15 drink tickets.

Highline New Years EveHighline New Year’s Eve
Highline RxR (2010 Crystal Drive)
Time: 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Celebrate the New Year in Crystal City at one of the D.C. area’s newest bars. There will be a huge dance floor, a photo-booth, selfie station, buffet, open bar, a “killer” DJ and more. Tickets start at $109.

Copperwood Tavern logoCopperwood Tavern New Year’s Eve Celebration
Copperwood Tavern (4021 Campbell Ave.)
Time: 4 p.m.-2 a.m.

Reserve a table at Copperwood Tavern in Shirlington for a prix fixe three course dinner, a champagne toast at midnight and other party favors to ring in the New Year. Tickets start at $55 and the doors open at 4 p.m.

New Year's Eve 2017 Maskquerade at A-TownNew Year’s Eve 2017 Maskquerade at A-Town
A-Town Bar & Grill (4100 Fairfax Dr.)
Time: 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Join A-Town at their 5th-annual New Year’s bash. General admission starts at $35 with three drink tickets and VIP tables start at $300 with a bottle of champagne, 15 drink tickets and two appetizer samples. Ticket prices increase closer to the event.

Barley MacA Beautiful Bourbon NYE 2017
Barley Mac (1600 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Rosslyn’s bourbon bar will be ringing in the New Year in style. Pricing starts at $45 includes three drink tickets for premium beverages, hors d’oeuvres, and a champagne toast at midnight. Drink tickets may be used for bourbons and whiskeys.

A Gatsby New Year's Eve at SequoiaA Gatsby New Year’s Eve at Sequoia (Georgetown Waterfront)
Sequoia Georgetown Waterfront (3000 K St. NW)
Time: 9 p.m.-12 a.m

Join Local Social and Project DC for a Great Gatsby New Year’s event at the Georgetown waterfront, overlooking beautiful Rosslyn. Tickets start at $155 and includes several open bars, a dinner buffet, a champagne toast and a heated outdoor patio.

Clarendon Ballroom 17th Annual New Years Eve GalaClarendon Ballroom 17th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala
Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd)
Time: 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Liquid A, DJ Lil Fos and Hurley will be performing at Clarendon Ballroom’s 17th Annual New Year’s Gala. There will be two levels of entertainment, dinner buffet, champagne, midnight balloon drop and four drink tickets will be included in your purchase.

6th Annual New Years Eve Casino Night6th Annual NYE Prohibition Casino Night
Hyatt Regency at Crystal City (2799 Jefferson Davis Hwy.)
Time: 8 p.m.-3 a.m.

Gold Boot Entertainment will be hosting their 6th annual New Year’s event at the Hyatt in Crystal City. There will be a surprise guest DJ, five levels of entertainment, various games & shows, 20 cash bars and much more. Semi-formal attire is required.

Cinema & Drafthouse New Years 2017New Year’s Eve at the Drafthouse with DJ G-Mills
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
Time: 7:30 p.m.-12:15 a.m.

Looking for a more low-key experience this year? For $15, the Drafthouse is hosting an ’80s-themed New Year’s party where you can enjoy the ball drop table-side on the huge screen, music by DJ Mills, and various party favors.

Northside Social New YearsNew Year’s Eve in The Wine Bar
Northside Social (3211 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

Northside Social is ringing in the New Year with a wine and dinner celebration, featuring a sparkling wine line-up and Chef Matt Hill’s five course menu for a pairing. Dinner starts at 8:30 p.m. with a sparkling toast at midnight.

Clarendon Grill New Years Clarendon Grill New Year’s Eve Party
Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland St.)
Time: doors open at 8 p.m.

Celebrate the new year with My Hero Zero at Clarendon Grill. Tickets start at $45 and include the live performance, three drink tickets, a large food buffet, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

IOTA Open Mic night7th Annual New Year’s Eve Throw Down
IOTA Club & Cafe (2832 Wilson Blvd.)
Time: doors open all day

The IOTA Club will have a live show featuring The Beanstalk Library, Bobby Thompson and Revelator Hill to celebrate this New Years Eve. Doors will be open all day, the show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $20. Party favors are included.

The Legwarmers New Years EveThe Legwarmers New Year’s Eve Party
The State Theatre (222 N. Washington St.)
Time: doors open at 7 p.m.

The “ultimate 80s cover band” will be ringing in the New Year in Falls Church with some throwback jams, so don’t forget your 80s garb and get ready to dance. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and tickets start at $50.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Graves and a holiday wreath at Arlington National Cemetery (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Free Late Night Metro Rides Tonight — Metrorail will run through 3 a.m. tonight, to accommodate New Year’s Eve revelers. Rides from midnight to 3 a.m. will be free, courtesy of Miller Lite. Tomorrow, on New Year’s Day, Metro will operate on a Sunday schedule, with service starting at 7 a.m. [Twitter, Twitter]

Last Minute NYE Options — Procrastinated on your New Year’s Eve plans? Our event calendar has some good suggestions, with events along the Orange Line and Columbia Pike. Some NYE events at popular Orange Line bars have already sold out of advance tickets. [ARLnow]

New Year’s Closures in Arlington — All Arlington County offices will be closed tomorrow (Friday) in observance of New Year’s Day, with the exception of the County Board offices, where the Board will hold its annual organizational meeting (see below.) Parking meters and zones will not be enforced Friday. Public libraries will close at 5 p.m. today and will reopen Jan. 2. [ARLnow, Arlington County]

Board to Hold New Year’s Day Meeting — The County Board will hold its annual Jan. 1 organization meeting tomorrow. It will be the first day of work for new Board members Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey. A new County Board Chair and Vice-Chair will be chosen, but it’s unclear at this point who will be selected. [Arlington County]

Violand-Sanchez Won’t Seek Third Term — Arlington School Board Chair Emma Violand-Sanchez says she will not seek a third term on the School Board in 2016. Previously a school administrator, Sanchez has had a 40-year career with Arlington Public Schools. [InsideNova]

Median Home Sales Price Rises — The median sales price for a home in Arlington rose 5.75 percent to $560,000 in 2015, faster than the rate of increase in Fairfax, Loudoun or Alexandria. [Washington Post]

Arlingtonian Surprised to Be Named 50 Millionth Passenger at SFO — Arlington resident Katheryn Castagna was getting ready to fly from San Francisco back to Reagan National Airport when she was surprised by airport officials and news crews, who told her she was the airport’s 50,000,000th passenger of 2015. Castagna, who works at CEB in Rosslyn, received two round trip tickets to Hawaii. [SFGate, CBS San Francisco]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Morning Poll: Where Will You Be Ringing in the New Year?

By ARLnow.com

New Year's Eve in Times Square (photo by Dave Hunt)New Year’s Eve is only two days away, so presumably you’ve already made plans.

Where are those plans taking you? Many, no doubt, will stay in Arlington — either at home or at a bar, although Virginia ABC laws preventing establishments from offering an open bar puts a damper on the kind of parties one can attend at bars and clubs.

Many will also likely head into the District to take advantage of the myriad NYE parties, although transportation back is always a challenge. Wait for Metro, try to get one of the few available cabs, pay Uber’s top surge price, or designate a driver and try to find parking — the decision isn’t always ideal.

Others may be headed out of town, or headed to other suburban D.C. locales. Which one describes your plans?

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