Athletics Ban Not Consistent with County — “Arlington’s newest School Board member opened her tenure by intimating that, if the county school system’s ban on athletics and extracurricular activities is extended past its current Jan. 14 deadline or resurrected later, the county government should follow suit and shut down park programs for adults.” [Sun Gazette]
Universal Basic Income in Arlington? — “Every Arlingtonian, rich and poor alike, could be given $550 a month, leaving few families below the poverty line, if the property tax rate were tripled. The net income of a family of four living in a house worth less than $1.36 million would be higher, as this UBI dividend would exceed the increase in tax.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Yorktown Hockey is Undefeated — “In high-school club ice hockey action in recent days, the undefeated Yorktown Patriots (7-0) won two matches. Yorktown nipped Georgetown Prep, 2-1, then blanked the Langley Saxons, 5-0, in league play.” [Sun Gazette]
Local Dry January Deal — Ballston’s recently opened taqueria El Rey is offering up $1 zero-proof cocktails with meals, for those participating in Dry January. [Twitter]
Falls Church Jewelry Store Robbed — Falls Church Police are searching for two men who stole $200,000 to $300,000 worth of jewelry in an armed robbery of a jewelry store on W. Broad Street on Friday afternoon. [City of Falls Church]
Questionable Covid Testing Location in F.C. — “A COVID-19 testing company with a location in Falls Church is the subject of numerous complaints from across the U.S. about its practices.” [Tysons Reporter, USA Today]
Camera Discovered in Laundromat Restroom — A teen girl discovered a camera in the restroom of Surf ‘N’ Suds in Bailey’s Crossroads and Fairfax County Police need help identifying a man who was seen leaving an adjacent restroom at the time of the incident. [Fairfax County Police]
It’s Wednesday — Today will be sunny, with a high near 44. South wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Sunrise at 7:26 a.m. and sunset at 5:07 p.m. Tomorrow will be partly sunny, with a high near 46. [Weather.gov]
Maison Cheryl in Clarendon (photo courtesy of Maison Cheryl)
Interior of Maison Cheryl in Clarendon (photo courtesy of Maison Cheryl)
Seared duck breast entree at Maison Cheryl (photo courtesy of Maison Cheryl)
Interior of Maison Cheryl in Clarendon (photo courtesy of Maison Cheryl)
The past several months haven’t exactly gone as expected, but Maison Cheryl in Clarendon is very much looking forward to the future, chef and co-owner Robert Maher tells ARLnow.
The business has been growing and already has a number of regulars, Maher says, but a combination of continued COVID-19 concerns and not securing an outdoor seating permit has dampened expectations a bit.
“We’re still trying to get our outdoor seating, which is amazing how it’s been like five months and we still don’t have it,” he says. “But we should be getting that next week.”
Though, mid-January isn’t exactly the ideal time to eat outside.
Nonetheless, Maher is encouraged by the experiences he’s had so far in Arlington. He and his wife moved from New York City to Bethesda during the pandemic to be closer to family. He initially looked at opening a restaurant there and in D.C., but was attracted to Clarendon’s growing population.
“It looked like such a growing area. Not only with people that have been here for decades and live in the houses, but younger [people] who are working in D.C.,” he says. “I think it’s one of the best places to open a restaurant.”
Another thing that Maher is learning is the amount of work it takes to be both the head chef and co-owner of a restaurant.
“There’s a lot on the plate,” he says. “There’s so much that has to be done besides cooking, food ordering, costs…that’s been the most eye-opening experience. I take a lot of work home with me.”
Maher is a trained French cook and the menu is inspired by “French-New American” cuisine. Best sellers are the Maison Wagyu burger and seared duck breast, but his personal favorite is the bucatini and fried burrata in a zucchini sauce.
Maison Cheryl changes the menu seasonally and next week it will shift to winter. Most of the favorites will still be on it, but Maher is adding several new dishes including mussels mariniere, a honey lavender duck breast, and bouillabaisse with muscles, clams, shrimp and Chilean sea bass.
“Bouillabaisse is one of the first dishes I perfected so I love coming back to it especially during the cold winter months,” he says.
He’s enjoying his time growing Maison Cheryl and becoming part of the Clarendon community.
“I’m hoping to see the same faces over and over again,” Maher says. “One day, I might think of [opening] another one, but right now just trying to become a staple in the community. I’m having the time of my life doing that.”
Napoli Salumeria in Pentagon City appears to have closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Napoli Salumeria in Pentagon City appears to have closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Napoli Salumeria in Pentagon City appears to have closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
Napoli Salumeria in Pentagon City appears to have closed (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
It appears that the Italian market in Pentagon City has closed.
Napoli Salumeria on S. Joyce Street at Westport (formerly Pentagon Row) opened just over a year ago, but now it has seemingly served its last focaccia.
The windows are covered with brown paper, most signage is gone, and the storefront has seemingly been cleared out.
ARLnow has reached out to ownership for confirmation and to get a reason for the apparent quick departure, but has yet to hear back as of publication.
A spokesperson for Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns Westpost, noted the market was always intended to be a pop-up and not permanent. It’s not known yet what might replace it.
Napoli Salumeria was owned by Antonio Ferraro and served Neapolitan street food — like focaccia and fried mozzarella — as well as sandwiches, homemade sauces, pasta, Italian meats, and cheese.
Ferraro also owned Napoli Pasta Bar in D.C., which was named a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2018. That eatery closed its doors in early 2021.
While a number of businesses in Westpost have closed in recent months, including Thaiphoon, the development is preparing for a big year of openings, including Nighthawk Pizza, Banditos Bar & Kitchen, and Target.
La Tingeria in Falls Church (courtesy of David Peña)
La Tingeria in Falls Church in September, prior to its opening (Photo via Google Maps)
La Tingeria taco shop in Falls Church (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
La Tingeria taco shop in Falls Church (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
The City of Falls Church is no longer forcing La Tingeria to shut down its new restaurant by January, a city spokesperson tells ARLnow.
Last month, the popular Arlington food truck La Tingeria set up shop at 626 S. Washington Street in Falls Church. But only a few weeks later, the city sent a notice to owner David Peña saying it was pulling the restaurant’s certificate of occupancy due to neighbor complaints about customers parking on neighborhood streets.
The shop was going to have to close by Jan. 2, 2022, barring an appeal.
But now, it appears the city is backtracking and will not be revoking La Tingeria’s certificate of occupancy, at least not yet.
“The City of Falls Church and the business owner are working together to create solutions to the parking issue. The owner has already made improvements by marking the onsite parking,” Falls Church Director of Communications Susan Finarelli says. “The City is working with the neighbors and looking at the right-of-way to help with traffic and parking on the dead-end residential street. As this positive momentum continues, we anticipate not revoking the Certificate of Occupancy in January.”
This comes after ARLnow reported on the story and customers reached out to the city to express their support for the restaurant.
By revoking La Tingera’s certificate of occupancy, the City of Falls Church may have been in violation of the restaurant’s constitutional rights, according to the Ballston-based Institute of Justice, a national nonprofit that helps businesses fight against what it views as government overreach.
“Under the state and federal constitution, people have a right to run their businesses without being subject to unreasonable and arbitrary laws,” senior attorney Erica Smith Ewing told ARLnow. “I think there’s a very strong argument that forcing restaurant owners to be responsible for enforcing the city’s parking laws is completely unreasonable.”
This could have been handled by the city issuing parking tickets, notes Ewing, not the disproportionate response of threatening to shut down a business.
“Especially with the economy as it is, it’s shocking that the city is punishing a restaurant for being too successful,” said Ewing. Locally, the Institute for Justice previously took up legal cases in Arlington after county crackdowns on food trucks and a mural next to a dog park.
In the notice sent to Peña, the city cited that the restaurant’s violation of Sections 48-58 and 48-1004 of the City Code.
When ARLnow reached out to Falls Church about La Tingeria’s violations earlier this week, a city spokesperson was only able to provide one line from section 48-939 that reads “No portion of any required off-street parking or loading space shall occupy or use any public street, right-of-way, alley or property, except by expressed permission of the city council.”
Ewing wasn’t surprised by this lack of clarity.
“This isn’t the first time city officials have said that someone is violating a law and haven’t been able to show them how they’re violating it or why,” she said. “[Peña] shouldn’t have to dig through outdated codes to figure out what he did wrong. The city should be helping him understand and fix the problem.”
It appears that the city is now doing just that with La Tingeria.
Peña tells ARLnow that he’s very happy with this development, but remains fearful there could be more issues going forward.
Despite a challenging first few weeks, he still believes that the Falls Church will be a great home for La Tingeria’s popular queso birria tacos and chicken tinga.
“I absolutely [want] to stay here and see how much we can grow,” Peña says. “This is just the beginning.”
Fire on 23rd Street restaurant row in Crystal City
Andalusia Hookah Bar and Top Thai restaurant (via Google Maps)
Smoke from fire on 23rd Street restaurant row in Crystal City (photo courtesy Luke Anderson)
Fire on 23rd Street restaurant row in Crystal City
(Updated on 12/5/21) Firefighters battled a significant fire Saturday night on the 23rd Street S. restaurant row in Crystal City.
The fire was reportedly in the building that houses Andalusia Hookah Bar and Top Thai restaurant on the 500 block of 23rd Street. Those businesses are immediately adjacent to Crystal City Sports Pub and Federico Ristorante Italiano.
Firefighters from several local jurisdictions helped to finally extinguish the smoky, two-alarm blaze. The fire has caused unsafe conditions for firefighters inside the building and flames can now be seen coming from the roof, according to scanner traffic.
Smoke from the fire could be seen rising into the air throughout the Crystal City area.
The Crystal City Sports Pub was evacuated during the fire as smoke started to fill the building. But co-owner Billy Bayne said the fire department’s quick work and coordination saved his business and others on the row.
“To our knowledge there’s no major damage to the Sports Pub,” Bayne said, while noting that there may be smoke and other damage that needs to be repaired. “Thank God for the fire department and police department… they all are heroes, they did a great job.”
Shortly before midnight the Arlington County Fire Department reported that all fire had been extinguished. So far there have been no reports of significant injuries.
On Sunday afternoon, the fire department returned to the scene after a small fire flared back up.
At approx. 4:25pm units responded for a report of a fire in the 500 BLK of 23rd St S. Units arrived and found a small fire that was quickly extinguished. Majority of the units are in the process of clearing the scene, however expect continued delays. pic.twitter.com/FGHICuH8fk
On Sunday night, the fire department said in a press release that the fire caused nearly $1.8 million in damages. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Shortly after 10pm on Saturday December 4th, units were dispatched for a reported fire in a commercial building in the 500 block of 23rd St S. Units quickly arrived on scene and began working to extinguish the fire. Crews began operating in extremely challenging conditions with thick smoke causing zero visibility inside the structure, as well as obscuring views for crews operating on the exterior. A second alarm was requested to bringing nearly 30 fire apparatus and 100 firefighters to the scene.
As interior conditions deteriorated rapidly, crews were forced to evacuate the building and begin using ladder trucks to flow large volumes of water from an elevated position on the exterior. With the bulk of the fire extinguished crews were able to re-enter the structure to knock down any remaining fire. Just before midnight the fire was deemed extinguished, and crews began the long process of checking for fire extension and overhaul operations.
Fire Marshals remained on scene to conduct a cause and origin investigation. The preliminary findings from their investigation list the fire cause as undetermined, and cite damages as being nearly $1.8 million dollars.
#Final – Command reporting the incident is stable and fire has been extinguished. Units are in the process of clearing the scene. Fire investigators will remain on scene to determine cause and origin.
I-CE-NY closed in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
I-CE-NY in Shirlington appears to have closed.
The windows of the Thai rolled ice cream shop are blacked out, the awning has come down, no equipment appears to be inside, and all signage is gone.
ARLnow reached out to the business for confirmation, but has yet to hear back as of publication. Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), which owns the Village of Shirlington (as well as Pentagon City’s Westpost), also was not able to confirm the closure.
Earlier this week, a tipster sent ARLnow a photo that showed on a sign on the door that read “Store Closed,” before the windows were blacked out.
I-CE-NY opened in Shirlington at 4150 Campbell Avenue just over three years ago. Originally from Thailand, the company specializes in rolled ice cream with mix-ins. In the United States, it first opened in New York before expanding to more than a dozen shops across eight states.
Prior to I-CE-NY, Knits Etc. was in that location in Shirlington.
Restaurants on the 1800 block of N. Moore Street (via Google Maps)
An opportunistic thief stole a car that was left parked and unlocked, with the key in the ignition, near the Rosslyn Metro station last night, police say.
It happened around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, on the 1800 block of N. Moore Street. The crime was initially reported as a carjacking, and a description of the vehicle was broadcast to other local police departments, but officers later determined that the car was simply driven off and not taken forcibly.
The driver of the car was reportedly inside a restaurant — the block includes a McDonald’s, Bethesda Bagels, Nando’s Peri-Peri, and Happy Eatery (recently renamed after formerly being called Happy Endings Eatery) — when the theft occurred.
More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:
GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2021-12010223, 1800 block of N. Moore Street. At approximately 9:43 p.m. on December 1, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. The investigation determined that at approximately 9:40 p.m., the victim parked his vehicle and left it unlocked with the key in the ignition and entered a restaurant. While inside, a witness observed the suspect enter the vehicle and drive away. The vehicle is described as a 2003 Silver Toyota Matrix XR with Maryland license plate 1DB6405. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.
Lebanese Taverna is launching new memberships for both food and wine (photo courtesy of Lebanese Taverna)
Lebanese Taverna is launching new memberships for both food and wine (photo courtesy of Lebanese Taverna)
Lebanese Taverna’s early years (Photo courtesy of Grace Shea)
Lebanese Taverna’s Westover location in 2014
The four-decade-old, Arlington-born Lebanese Taverna is launching a new membership service, providing customers with a “Chef’s Tasting” menu or a curated selection of Lebanese wines at home every month.
“This is a way to share our culture, like the things we do at home, the snacks that we eat, and the things that my parents used to make,” co-owner Grace Abi-Najm Shea tells ARLnow. “This is kind of deconstructing the food and the culture from the restaurant and bringing it to your home.”
The rotating offerings will highlight “some of the more authentic and under-explored parts of our menu,” the website notes. This could include stuffed rolled cabbage, shanklesh (Lebanese cheese balls), or okra and lamb stew.
“This is for the person who’s willing to be adventurous,” Shea says.
The wine membership (called “A Lebanese Wine Tour”) includes options for two, four, or six bottles a month and will have wines from “old, historic vineyards to new up-and-coming wineries.”
The first food and wine membership boxes will be available for pick-up or delivery starting later this month, Dec. 16.
Lebanese Taverna’s first location opened in 1979 in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood and remains a staple of the community’s commercial strip. The restaurant was founded by immigrants Tanios and Marie Abi-Najm, who had come to the U.S. to flee the civil war in their home country of Lebanon.
Since then the restaurant has expanded to more than a dozen locations in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C., including different concepts like the fast-casual Lebtav, which has a location in Ballston. The original Westover restaurant at 5900 Washington Blvd remains at the heart of the company, which is now run by the five Abi-Najm siblings, including Grace.
She says the last 20 months, which saw dining rooms shuttered and a rise in takeout and delivery, have been a “roller coaster” and have made it clear that the family needs to adapt to a new reality for restaurants, Shea said.
“I’m sure you’ve heard the word pivot a thousand times, but restaurants have to find different ways to get their products to their customers and find new customers,” Shea says.
The membership idea was born out of the success the family has seen with the Lebanese Taverna Market at 4400 Old Dominion Road near Waverly Hills, where customers are able to take home dishes, snacks, and wines.
Throughout the pandemic Arlington has remained a stronghold for Lebanese Taverna, Shea said, noting that quick service and takeout business have remained particularly strong here. Locations outside of the county saw bigger drops in business.
“In Arlington, they have watched us grow up. They have a special place in our heart and I think we have a special place in their heart,” said Shea. While talking, she got a little choked up.
“Arlington has been our biggest cheerleader since day one,” Shea said.
Overall, Lebanese Taverna is at about 80% to 90% of pre-pandemic sales, she notes.
Despite tough times, the restaurant and the family has continued to help charitable causes they believe in. Last summer, Lebanese Taverna spearheaded a fundraising drive to support relief efforts in Lebanon after an explosion in Beirut killed hundreds and injured thousands. Over $150,000 was raised through those efforts, Shea says.
This past August, the family also helped raise money for Lebanese citizens to assist with their fuel and electricity needs. Around the same time, the restaurant worked with the World Central Kitchen to provide meals for Afghan refugees.
Shea is encouraged by the continued return to normalcy with sales returning closer to pre-pandemic levels and cooking classes at the Lebanese Taverna Market coming back in January. But she remains concerned about the future due to the newly-announced variant and the already-here cold weather limiting outdoor dining.
“As good as I feel about where we are today is as scared as I am about tomorrow,” she says.
Meanwhile, Shea and her family will keep serving Arlingtonians flavors of their home country, whether it’s inside a restaurant or at home, as they have been for more than 40 years.
“My whole family is so passionate about our culture, our food, our cuisine,” she says. “We are looking forward to giving customers something a bit different than the restaurant experience.”
Restaurants in Crystal City (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated on 12/7/21 at 2:30 p.m.) With a bevy of development looming, a band of residents, restaurateurs, landowners and business leaders are trying to preserve the “soul” of Crystal City: “Restaurant Row.”
For many years, a collection of small, independently owned restaurants have operated along 23rd Street S., between S. Eads and S. Fern streets, including the locally famous LGBT nightlife spot Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant.
But the people who frequent and run these business wonder where the long-term viability of this corridor fits into the flurry of development nearby: Amazon’s HQ2 in Pentagon City, JBG Smith’s extensive development pipeline in Crystal City, and Arlington County’s Crystal House Apartments affordable housing project, among others.
As all these projects take shape, the group has reprised a rallying cry from two years ago, reiterating that Restaurant Row needs some attention — but not the kind that stamps out its unique character.
“With all this stuff happening, what about 23rd Street, the sole soul for Crystal City for decades?” said Rob Mandle, the National Landing Business Improvement District Deputy Executive Director, in a recent Crystal City Citizen Review Council meeting. “What are we going to do over the course of the next five years while the rest of National Landing transforms?”
Those are still open questions for members of the CCCRC, who earlier this month met with restaurant owners and landowners to discuss ideas for investing in Restaurant Row, which was identified in the Crystal City Sector Plan as a “major community asset with local businesses that should be preserved or protected.”
This line has puzzled county planner Matt Mattauszek for two years.
“What does that mean, ‘preserve and protect?’ What are the exact mechanics of that?” Mattauszek said. “I don’t think anyone on our side wants to lose any opportunities in terms of that protection element while maintaining it as a destination.”
Ultimately, he said the community needs to develop a clear set of priorities before the county can help.
Members of the CCCRC and local landowners have long- and short-term ideas for preserving and updating Restaurant Row.
Aurora Highlands resident Michael Dowell says he wants conditions that facilitate updates to the aging buildings that preserve their feel. Otherwise, worsening infrastructure will force out tenants and make the buildings ripe for redevelopment.
“The thing we want to preserve is that community feel of 23rd Street restaurants,” he said. “They’re human scale, they have a lot of local ownership, and there is a huge variety there.”
Some said the area needs more street parking, a long-time concern for residents that has resurfaced as the county embarks on its Crystal House development project. As part of the project, a parking lot between 22nd and 23rd Street S. will be turned into townhomes known as “Crystal House 5.”
An aerial view of existing Crystal House Apartments and renderings (via Arlington County)
Speeding is also a problem, said Darren Buck, an Aurora Highlands resident and Transportation Commission member. He suggested a comprehensive rezoning effort from S. Ives Street to Route 1 that would bring in a traffic signal and better lighting and create a streetscape that establishes Restaurant Row as a destination.
Thaiphoon at Westpost in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Thaiphoon in Pentagon City is closing for good this weekend, we’re told, set to be replaced by a “taco temple” in spring 2022.
The Thai restaurant located in Westpost — formerly Pentagon Row — is closing on Sunday, Nov. 21, an employee confirmed to ARLnow. The owners made the decision to not renew their lease at the shopping plaza on S. Joyce Street, we’re told, and there are currently no plans to open another location at this time.
Thaiphoon has been serving customers for more than a decade at Pentagon Row.
This is the first Virginia location of the self-described “taco temple.” The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will serve classic fare like tacos, quesadillas, and margaritas, and is planning to have outdoor seating.
Thaiphoon’s D.C. location is still open, though it’s run by separate ownership than the Arlington location, the employee noted.
A slew of new restaurants and businesses are opening in Westpost over the next year, but that also has come with a number of closings.
The U.S. Air Force Memorial (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
YHS Wins State Field Hockey Championship — “Yorktown field hockey sticks to its routine to accomplish something it never has before… Patriots beat Western Branch, 1-0, for their first state championship.” [Washington Post]
ACPD Ramping Up Seat Belt Enforcement — “The Arlington County Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the national Click It or Ticket campaign. Law enforcement agencies across the country will increase enforcement efforts from November 16 – 28, 2021, to work towards reducing the number of fatalities that occur when motorists fail to buckle up.” [ACPD]
County Has Available Kid Vax Appointments — “Arlington County Public Health is continuing vaccinations for 5-11-year-olds this week, Monday-Friday from 2-7 p.m. Over 6,000 kids ages 5-11 have already received their first dose. Schedule your appointment today.” [Twitter]
Arlington Man Charged in Fatal Crash — “A tip led to the arrest Monday of a 54-year-old Arlington man wanted on charges of DUI-related involuntary manslaughter and operating without a driver’s license in connection with a Nov. 6 crash in Montclair that killed a Dumfries man. Investigators obtained warrants Thursday for John William Harris… but attempts to locate him had been unsuccessful, police said.” [InsideNova]
Free Coffee at Taco Bamba — “To promote the breakfast menu and the free coffee program, Taco Bamba is giving away branded coffee tumblers to the first 50 guests at each store who purchase a breakfast item.” [Press Release]
Secret Santas Wanted — From Arlington County: “You can make the holiday season a little happier for some of Arlington’s most vulnerable residents by taking part in the @ArlingtonDHS’ Secret Santa/Holiday Giving Program. This program benefits Arlington’s at-risk residents.” [Twitter]
It’s Tuesday — Today will feature mostly cloudy skies through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 53. Sunrise at 6:52 a.m. and sunset at 4:53 p.m. Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high near 65. [Weather.gov]
