Pentagon Row Ice Skating Rink at Westpost in 2021 (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
High temperatures in the 60s and 70s for much of the week will not stop a winter tradition in Pentagon City.
The outdoor ice skating rink at 1201 S. Joyce Street officially opened for the season on Wednesday, Nov. 1, a spokesperson for Westpost — the shopping center formerly known as Pentagon Row — confirmed to ARLnow. The opening has yet to be announced on social media.
The seasonal rink in Westpost’s central plaza is billed as one of the biggest in Virginia.
“The Plaza has an outdoor dual-sided stone fireplace and many shops, restaurants and a coffee shop,” says the rink’s website. “Pentagon Row’s 7,200 square foot ice rink is now the largest outdoor rink in Northern Virginia and the second-largest in the state.”
Discounted reservations for up to two hours of skating can be booked online. Admission costs range from $10 to $13 depending on the skater’s age and whether it’s booked online or on-site. Skate rentals are $6, up from $5 two years ago.
Standard rink hours are as follows.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Monday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Tuesday: Noon – 10 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon – 10 p.m.
Thursday: Noon – 10 p.m.
Friday: Noon – 11 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
The rink is scheduled to remain open on holidays and public school off-days, sometimes with expanded hours.
Westpost 2023 “Fall Movies on The Plaza” flier (via Wespost at National Landing)
Westpost 2023 fall outdoor movie list flier (via Westpost at National Landing)
Get your blankets and popcorn ready: Westpost in Pentagon City will be hosting free outdoor movie screenings this fall.
In less than two weeks, movie-goers can enjoy a range of films, from family-friendly flicks to action-adventures, each Wednesday from Sept. 20 through Oct. 11. Screenings will be held in the plaza at Westpost, formerly known as Pentagon Row.
Shows begin at 7:30 p.m., but attendees are advised to arrive early to secure a spot and allow time to order food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, from nearby restaurants.
Each screening will be hosted by a different restaurant, and most serve up cuisines that play off the movie, such as the sushi spot hosting the samurai action film “47 Ronin.”
Below is the scheduled movie lineup.
Sept. 20 — “Clueless,” hosted by Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza
Sept. 27 — “Encanto,” hosted by Banditos Tacos & Tequila
Oct. 4 — “47 Ronin,” hosted by Kusshi Sushi
Oct. 11 — “Luck of The Irish,” hosted by Mattie & Eddie’s Irish Pub
The offices at Westpost in Pentagon City (courtesy FRIT)
The clock tower and office buildings in Westpost, formerly Pentagon Row, in 2018 (via Google Maps)
The old Air & Space Forces Association office building at 1501 Langston Blvd (via Google Maps)
The Air & Space Forces Association will be moving out an office building north of Rosslyn to something closer to the Pentagon.
The association, which supports members the Air and Space Forces, was looking for a more modern space for its national headquarters after spending about 40 years in an office building from the 1980s. It sold its digs on Langston Blvd earlier this year before agreeing to move into the Westpost development, formerly Pentagon Row, in Pentagon City.
Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns Westpost, announced the deal yesterday (Tuesday). The association, also known as the AFA, will be taking over some 31,000 square feet of space previouslyoccupied by thermal imaging camera company FLIR Systems in 2024.
“The Air & Space Forces Association is excited to relocate our headquarters closer to our Pentagon customers and to continue our strong partnership with stakeholders in the Arlington County area,” said now-retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Wright, the association’s president and CEO. “We look forward to creating a more modern and flexible facility that will enhance AFA’s operational capability and open new doors to growth in the future.”
This summer, the Washington Business Journal reported that the AFA sold the building on June 1 for $16.25 million — after buying the land on which the office building stands in 1982 for just under $1 million.
It noted that Arlington County’s online property database said, and still says, the sale price was $19.1 million. At the time of the sale, the building was 79% leased and had 10 tenants outside the AFA.
The property was sold to an affiliate of Arlington-based Taicoon Property Partners, a recently-formed “privately owned investor and developer.”
In its announcement, Federal Realty Investment Trust said the AFA’s new offices are a “convenient” distance from the Pentagon and Reagan National Airport, as well as the Virginia Railway Express station and Metro. It noted, as many such press releases do, that Amazon’s second headquarters complex is nearby.
“We are delighted to welcome the Air & Space Forces Association to Westpost at National Landing,” FRIT Senior Vice President Deirdre Johnson said in a statement.
“Westpost continues to evolve alongside Amazon’s HQ2 as an exciting office destination for Arlington County, and the greater Washington, D.C.-metro region,” Johnson continued. “We are eager to see the Association thrive in its new location and utilize the highly amenitized environment of retail, restaurants and services that Westpost has to offer.”
Per a leasing map, Westpost now has just five ground-floor retail spaces available.
Hello Kitty merchandise for sale in 2023 (courtesy of Sanrio)
Hello Kitty merchandise for sale in 2023 (courtesy of Sanrio)
Hello Kitty merchandise for sale in 2023 (courtesy of Sanrio)
Hello Kitty merchandise for sale in 2023 (courtesy of Sanrio)
Calling all Arlington’s feline aficionados, kitty collectors, and sweet treat seekers.
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be making a special stop in Arlington this Saturday offering a bounty of limited edition goodies and “claw-some” merchandise.
From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the courtyard of Pentagon Row, located near DSW, will transform into a haven of “meow-gical” delights. Fans of the beloved Japanese character can anticipate a curated selection of baked goods and limited-edition collectibles, such as a brand new Hello Kitty Cafe hoodie, cafe cup plush, lunchbox, t-shirt and canvas tote.
Only credit and debit cards will be accepted.
The truck will only be in the area for one day. After the Arlington stop on the truck’s East Coast tour, it’s off to New Jersey
More from a press release, below.
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is continuing its 2023 tour across the U.S. with its all-pink cafe on wheels carrying exclusive treats and collectibles celebrating all things Hello Kitty.
Fans of Hello Kitty can look forward to edible goodies and limited-edition merch, including:
NEW Hello Kitty Cafe Hoodie
NEW Hello Kitty Cafe Cup Plush
NEW Hello Kitty Cafe T-Shirt
Hello Kitty Cafe Glass Mug with Sprinkle Handle
Hello Kitty Cafe Lunchbox
Hello Kitty Cafe Canvas Tote
Stainless Hello Kitty Cafe Rainbow Thermos (18oz and 32oz)
Hand-Decorated Cookie Sets
Hello Kitty Cafe Truck accepts only credit/debit card payments — no cash.
Following DC the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will continue its 2023 East Coast tour with a stop in Cherry Hill, NJ on 8/19.
Since the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck made its debut in October 2014 as part of Sanrio’s first food-related venture, the cafe on wheels has delighted thousands of fans from all over the U.S., drawing crowds of up to hundreds of Hello Kitty lovers at each stop. To date, two Hello Kitty Cafe trucks have traveled to more than 100 cities across both coasts — from Los Angeles, Seattle and Houston — to Chicago, New York and Miami.
For updates on Hello Kitty Cafe Truck’s upcoming appearances, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.
Ice skaters and sun bathers at Westpost in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The “Markers Market” is coming back to Pentagon City, planned for the first Sunday of every month starting this weekend.
The market featuring local artists, creators, food, and music is returning to Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) this coming Sunday, April 2. It begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.
Like last year’s edition, it is free to attend with on-site parking available. Organizers are asking attendees to reserve tickets.
“Explore trendy and unique creations, enjoy ambient music from the live DJ, and take in all the plaza has to offer from tasty dining options to retail shops and services,” reads the event listing.
The market is expanding its schedule in 2023 and is now planned for the first Sunday of every month through October. Dates include:
April 2
May 7
June 4
July 2
August 6
September 3
October 1
“Each market will feature some new vendors and some returning vendors,” notes the event listing.
Among the vendors are small producers like Herndon Woodshed, Clay Creations by Liz, Smell of Love candles, Billy’s Hobby Shop, Fire in Hand Jewelry, A Hot Sauce Co, and Jarhead Leather.
The shopping center that was once called Pentagon Row just closed its popular skating rink for the season last week and is now getting set up for the spring and summer.
Several new restaurants are preparing to open in the coming weeks. Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken plans to open early next month while Chase the Submarine remains docked at the former Bread and Water “cube.”
The sandwich shop’s revival from local chef Tim Ma was supposed to start serving earlier this year, but it has yet to open its doors.
Hangry Joe’s chicken sandwich (image via Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken/Instagram)
Provided things go according to eggspectations, Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken’s new Pentagon City location could hatch early next month.
The eatery is opening at 1301 S. Joyce Street in the Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) shopping center.
Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken is a restaurant chain specializing in — no points awarded for guessing — Nashville-style hot chicken. The menu also includes standard sides like coleslaw and loaded fries, but the stars of the show are the spiced-up chicken sandwich, chicken fingers and chicken waffles.
The new location will be the growing chain’s second in Arlington, after opening in the former Laura Cooks spot in Ballston earlier this year. The Pentagon City restaurant is just a couple of weeks away, its owner says.
“My target date of grand opening will be April 8,” Jim Hong, owner of Hangry Joe’s Pentagon Row said in an email. “It may be delayed due to the health inspection, ordering merchandise, or something popped up that I wouldn’t be aware. But I will try my best to open on that day.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, at Mattie & Eddie’s in Pentagon City with owner Cathal Armstrong (via @mattie_and_eddies/Instagram)
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, the prime minister of Ireland, took in a history-making rugby match at a bar in Pentagon City over the weekend.
Varadkar watched the Ireland claim the Guinness Six Nations crown on home soil for the first time in 75 years at Maddie and Eddie’s, the Irish bar at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) owned by notable local chef — and Dublin native — Cathal Armstrong.
Media outlets from Ireland and the UK wrote about and carried photos from Varadkar’s visit Saturday afternoon.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has congratulated the Irish rugby team on winning the Grand Slam.
Ireland made history in Dublin as they completed just the fourth Grand Slam in their history as they were crowned Guinness Six Nations champions on home soil for the first time in 75 years.
Speaking in Washington, Mr Varadkar said: “Congratulations to the Grand Slam winning Irish team and staff.
“A fantastic achievement. Wishing them all the very best for their World Cup preparations.”
Varadkar posted a video showing him in the midst of a packed crowd cheering on Ireland.
What a way to round off an incredible week to be Irish, @IrishRugby winning the Grand Slam at home.
New urgent care clinic coming to Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
New urgent care clinic coming to Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A new urgent care clinic is opening in Pentagon City, filling a space that once served Italian sandwiches.
Another location of NOVA Patient Care is coming to 1301 S. Joyce Street at Westpost, the shopping center in Pentagon City formerly known at Pentagon Row. The urgent and primary care clinic provides immediate daytime care, with hours currently planned to be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This will be the second Arlington location of the urgent care clinic, with the other just two miles away on S. Bell Street in Crystal City. It will be the company’s eighth clinic overall in Northern Virginia.
No word yet on when it might open, in the storefront next to Walgreens. ARLnow has reached out to both the clinic and Westpost for a timeline but has yet to hear back as of publication.
NOVA Patient Care is opening in the former location of Napoli Salumeria, an Italian market that closed about a year ago and was only open for just over a year. The urgent care appears to be retaining the distinctive bright blue doors and awning that marked the entrance of a spot that formerly served up focaccias and sandwiches.
Elsewhere at Westpost, a once-buzzy sandwich spot is opening inside of the “cube.” Local chef Tim Ma is reviving his “Chase the Submarine” concept inside the stand-alone space that housed Bread & Water until this past fall. It’s expected to open in the next few weeks.
Pentagon Row ice skating rink under construction earlier this week (staff photo)
Pentagon Row ice skating rink under construction earlier this week (staff photo)
Pentagon Row ice skating rink under construction earlier this week (staff photo)
Pentagon Row ice skating rink in a prior year (courtesy photo)
It’s that time of year again.
An opening date has been set for the Pentagon Row ice skating rink in Pentagon City, and it’s less than two weeks away. The seasonal rink, currently under construction, will open on Tuesday, Nov. 1, a spokesperson for the Westpost shopping center tells ARLnow.
The nearly-7,000 square foot rink located in the plaza at 1201 S. Joyce Street is said to be the “largest outdoor ice skating rink in Northern Virginia” and the second-largest in the state.
It also opened around the beginning of November last year, which was a week earlier than the prior year. It remained open until March. The rink maintains special hours on holidays and other public school off-days.
Reservation are required to skate but the online reservation system did not appear to be working this morning. Last year admission was $10-11 and skate rentals were $5.
(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) A Filipino food festival is coming to Pentagon City this weekend.
“Filipino Chef’s Night Out” is set to take place this Friday, Oct. 21 from 6-10 p.m. inside Sparrow Room. That’s the cocktail bar and dim sum restaurant located behind Bun’d Up at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) on S. Joyce Street.
The festival is a collaboration between local restaurateur Scott Chung and six Filipino chefs in honor of Filipino American History Month. It will feature the six chefs serving a “specially curating tasting box” to each attendee to go along with a night of karaoke and mahjong.
The line-up of local chefs includes James Beard nominees, the executive chef from one of America’s best restaurants, and RAMMY award winners. They’ll be cooking up traditional Filipino dishes with a modern flair like pork belly kare kare, beef tapa, and biko.
Filipino Chef’s Night Out (image via Scott Chung)
The evening event costs $75 per person. Both Sparrow Room and Bun’d Up will be closed to the public starting at 6 p.m for the duration of the night.
Chung, who co-owns Sparrow Room and Bun’d Up, told ARLnow that this is the first time he’s doing something like this, though he was inspired and encouraged by last weekend’s night market at Westpost.
“[Our festival] is the same idea, giving chefs a platform outside of the restaurant to celebrate their culture,” Chung said.
The chefs will be putting together about 150 boxes and Chung expects them to sell out.
Bun’d Up first opened in late 2019 and, about a year later, added Sparrow Room to the back. It’s styled as a “speakeasy” cocktail bar with a focus on the resurgent 19th-century Chinese game of Mahjong. The bar also offers classes to teach the game.
Between the night market and “Filipino Chef’s Night Out,” Chung says the popularity of these events makes it clear there’s an appetite for these types of festivals in Pentagon City.
“It really gives me ideas for what can be done with the space,” he said. “We can have a lot of success here. “
Bread & Water now closed in Pentagon City (staff photo)
Bread & Water now closed in Pentagon City (staff photo)
Bread & Water has closed its standalone “cube” location in Pentagon City after four-and-a-half years in business.
The outpost of the Fairfax County-founded artisan bakery — which in addition to baked goods also offered coffee, tea, sandwiches, salads — first opened in February 2018 at what was then Pentagon Row (now Westpost). It was generally well reviewed online.
The business told customers in an email this morning, below, that it was closing in Pentagon City “effective immediately.”
Hey Bread and Water friends…we just wanted to let you know that effective immediately our CUBE – Pentagon City location will be closed.
We’re so grateful for all the support from our amazing customers here. We have loved our time at the Row, but we’ve got big things planned for our Alexandria location and sister restaurants (shout out to Bun Papa & BeeLiner Diner). We look forward to serving you at our other locations.
See you soon.
Reached by ARLnow, the business said it simply declined to renew its lease.
“Lease was just up,” said company founder Markos Panas. “Bread & Water and the team are doing better than ever and we’re focusing on bigger things… We are moving full speed ahead!”
It’s unclear what, if anything, is planned to replace Bread & Water in the small, standalone space at 1201 S. Joyce Street, near the shopping center’s plaza that hosts the ice rink during colder weather months.
Hat tip to Paul W. Matt Blitz contributed to this report.
