restaurant

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

List of County Gov’t Changes — “With cases in the region, including Arlington, we are taking critical steps to slow down the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), as the health and safety of our employees and our community is our top priority. While we will be making changes to some programs and services, we will continue to operate essential government services for our residents and businesses.” [Arlington County]

Visits Cancelled at County Jail — “All Professional Visits will be non-contact for a minimum of 30 days. All Personal Visits will be cancelled for a minimum of 30 days. All programs will be cancelled for a minimum of 30 days.” [Arlington County]

Jury Trials Postponed — “As of March 15, the Circuit Court has postponed all jury trials & released witnesses from subpoenas through March 31. Other hearings & sentencing dockets are also postponed. See attached. Arraignments & bond motions will still be heard.” [Twitter]

Metro Reduces Service — “As of 2 p.m., Friday, March 13, Metro has further escalated its response to Phase 3 of its Pandemic Flu Plan. Phase 3 is the highest level of response and will include all subsequent mitigation steps required during the public health emergency… Monday-Friday: Trains will operate every 12 minutes on each line throughout the day. The rail system will maintain normal hours, opening at 5 a.m.” [WMATA]

Visitor Restrictions at Va. Hospital Center — “Effective March 12, we have implemented new visitation restrictions to protect the health and safety of our patients and staff from the spread of COVID-19.” [Instagram]

Restaurant Delivering Free Meals — “Between the empty grocery store shelves, scary headlines, and mass closures, it’s hard not to feel like the world is ending. Which is why Medium Rare owner Mark Bucher wanted to do something to make people’s lives a little easier. So yesterday, he posted a message on Twitter: If anyone over the age of 70 needed a meal, his restaurant would make sure they got one.” [Washingtonian]

Few Crowds at Pentagon City Mall — The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall was “almost dead” at noon on Saturday as most shoppers sayed away. Meanwhile, a reader took a video of people in full body suits in the Victoria’s Secret store; it’s unclear whether they were cleaning the store or otherwise. [Twitter, Twitter]

Crash on N. Glebe Road Saturday — A crash at N. Glebe Road and Pershing Drive sent a car careening into a lamp post, over a sidewalk and smashing into the parking lot of the Buckingham Center strip mall on Saturday. [Twitter]

Ireland’s Four Courts Temporarily Closing Tonight, Just Before St. Patrick’s Day

By ARLnow.com

How seriously are people in Arlington taking the coronavirus outbreak?

Probably not seriously enough, in some cases, but at least enough so that Ireland’s Four Courts in Courthouse is cancelling St. Patrick’s Day.

The venerable local Irish pub announced tonight (Sunday) that it would be closing indefinitely after the close of business, just two days before St. Patrick’s Day.

Despite a presumably massive loss of business as a result, Four Courts said in a message to customers that it’s the right thing to do, given the need for social distancing to stop the spread of the disease, known as COVID-19.

“The safety and well-being of our customers and staff is our greatest concern,” the restaurant said. “We will reopen again when the time is right.”

Four Courts did, at least, hold a “St. Practice Day” event on Saturday. Amid the crowds at bars across the D.C. area this weekend, there were calls to put an end to such gatherings.

Several states — including California, Illinois, Ohio and Massachusetts — have ordered restaurants and bars closed, though with allowances for take-out and delivery. On Sunday night the Centers for Disease Control recommended that all gatherings of 50 or more people be cancelled for the next 8 weeks.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

AWLA Announces COVID-19 Policies — “Out of an abundance of caution, and in line with CDC recommendations, AWLA is cancelling all public events, classes, tours, and clinics for the rest of March. We feel that this in the best interest of our staff, volunteers, animals, and the public.” [Animal Welfare League of Arlington]

Rep. Beyer Couldn’t Get Coronavirus Test — “People ask ‘did @RepDonBeyer get tested for COVID-19?’ No he did not. We tried to get a test for him… But there aren’t enough tests, he didn’t meet the risk threshold.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Pentagon Makes Coronavirus Changes — Tours at the Pentagon have been cancelled, while a Pentagon clinic is offering coronavirus tests to employees who meet certain criteria. [Twitter, Twitter]

Crosshairs Garage Races Cancelled — “Hey everyone, we’ve made the decision to cancel the remaining weeks of the @crystalcityva Garage Races. I will be issuing refunds for everyone who pre-registered. We will let you know if any plans to reschedule in the coming months materialize.” [Twitter]

Restaurants and Bars Stay Open — Local restaurants like Bakeshop in Clarendon are staying open, and many have been posting about stepped-up sanitation measures. Among the local venues taking extra sanitation steps is Four Courts in Courthouse, which is still planning to host St. Patrick’s Day festivities. [Twitter, Twitter]

SAT Testing Cancelled — SAT tests that had been scheduled on March 14 at Wakefield and Yorktown high schools have been cancelled. [Twitter, Twitter]

Police St. Patrick’s Day Event Cancelled — “To ensure the health and safety of our community… the Don’t Press Your Luck Anti-Drunk Driving Event has been canceled.” [Arlington County]

UPDATE: 23rd Street Festival in Crystal City Cancelled

By Shreeya Aranake

Update at 10:05 a.m. — This event was cancelled Wednesday night. From the organizers:

Out of an abundance of caution to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 23rd Street Festival. We hope to reschedule the event and are considering Saturday, August 15th or Saturday, August 29th as potential dates… We hope you’re as inspired as we are to keep this momentum. Thank you for your support, and we look forward building with you to make the first-ever 23rd Street Festival a successful production and experience for all when it is rescheduled later this year! Thank you, Amanda + Monica Amanda Rodrigues Smith Monica Rodrigues Smith

Earlier: A new open-air community art and food festival will soon make its debut in Crystal City.

The 23rd Street Festival is set to take place on Saturday, March 21, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be performances from Synetic Theater and other artists and groups, according to the event’s website, plus food from Portofino, Top Thai, Fredrico, and other eateries along the 23rd Street S. restaurant row.

“The 23rd Street Festival invites the DMV’s unique creators and innovators across food, style, art, & music to come together in one interactive outdoor experience,” said an event description. “For one day, we will convert our store-lined Main Street into an open-air block party for you to experience some of Arlington’s oldest and most storied locally owned businesses. From fine cuisine to boutiques and curious shops around every corner, there’s a little something for everyone!”

Event co-producer Amanda Rodrigues Smith said the organizers were inspired by the “opportunity to bring people together.”

The festival will be take place on 23rd Street S. between Eads and Fern streets.

TTT in Clarendon Now Offering Bottomless Brunch, Unlimited ‘Taco Tuesday’

By ARLnow.com

If you like tacos — and lots of them — a Clarendon restaurant is rolling out a trio of new food promotions that may be of interest.

TTT Mexican Diner (2900 Wilson Blvd) is about to celebrate its first anniversary in Clarendon. It also just announced this week that it is now offering an unlimited lunch menu, unlimited weekend brunch, and an unlimited “Taco Tuesday.”

Unlimited Taco Tuesday will be available all day on Tuesdays. For $29, minus tax and tip, diners get two margaritas and as many tacos as they can fit in their stomachs.

Additionally, an unlimited lunch menu is now available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday, for $16.99 per person.

“Guests can look forward to Portabella Mushroom, Chicken Milanesa and Pulled Pork Tortas and a diverse selection of tacos made with pork, steak, fish, cheese and vegetable,” a press release notes. “To share with the table, a variety of nachos are on the menu including the Chicken Nachos, with grilled chicken, cream cheese and Chihuahua cheese.”

Unlimited brunch, available from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and also $16.99 per person, includes “salsas, guacamole, nachos, tacos, and a variety of burritos and quesadillas.”

If you’re dining with guests, everyone at the table also has to get in on the unlimited deal, however. And don’t expect bottomless drinks: that is verboten in Virginia.

“The new unlimited menu offerings feature authentic Mexican fare with a modern twist,” the press release touts, noting that “guests may order items a la carte as well.”

TTT, part of a three-level Mexican food complex called La Esquina de Clarendon, is owned by the same company as Ambar across the street.

Photo courtesy Street Guys Hospitality

Sugar Shack Donuts on Columbia Pike to Rebrand as Plant-Based Cafe

By Vernon Miles
1/3

Like its sister location in Alexandria, the Arlington branch of Sugar Shack Donuts is leaving the chain, rebranding and adding an expanded menu.

In a sign posted in the window of the donut shop at 1014 S. Glebe Road, the shop’s owners said the new restaurant will be a bakery, cafe and coffee shop called Elizabeth’s Counter. It will specialize in “delicious, sustainable and plant-based foods.”

Elizabeth’s Counter will continue to serve donuts but will add more to the menu, like plant-based burgers and bowls.

The new cafe is named after Elizabeth Gregory, reputed to be the first person to make a donut. Gregory made the donut for her son Captain Hanson Gregory, for whom the Captain Gregory’s speakeasy at the Old Town Alexandria Elizabeth’s Table (formerly Sugar Shack) is named.

“To honor that culinary event and the other food she packed for her son’s sea voyages, we have chosen her as the namesake for our new venture,” the sign said.

The Alexandria location is already in transition, and staff at the Columbia Pike location said they expect to start seeing changes gradually over the next couple weeks, with new items and updated decor. The sign said the first items will likely be the new bakery offerings, moving up to things like roasted brussels sprouts later.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Big Costco Crowds Over the Weekend — The Pentagon City Costco drew big crowds and long queues of cars over the weekend, as people stocked up on supplies amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. There were some reports of the store running low on items like toilet paper. [Twitter, Twitter]

Vets Visit Iwo Jima Memorial — “This February marks 75 years since the American flag was raised atop Mt. Suribachi, depicted in the famous photograph by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal. That photo became the model for the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. This milestone is the reason a group of more than 50 Battle of Iwo Jima veterans descended on the memorial this week.” [WJLA]

Strong Finishes for W-L Teams — Among other action this weekend, the Washington-Liberty boys placed second in the 6D North Region boys basketball tournament — and will now advance to states — while the W-L girls track team placed third at the state track tournament. [InsideNova, Twitter]

Arlington Deploys Mobile Library Truck — “Arlington Public Library announces the arrival of The Truck, a traveling library designed to hold hundreds of books, games, crafts and DVDs for all ages and interests. The Truck’s first outing will be to Plaza Library on Wednesday, March 4 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.” [Arlington Public Library]

Voice of America Profiles Local Cornhole League — “A number of bars in Arlington, Virginia, offer their customers more than a selection of craft beers and cocktails, they offer them a chance to try their hand at cornhole, a game in which players take turns throwing small bags of corn kernels at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. It’s a unique bit of Americana that’s bringing people together.” [VOA News]

Owners of Bar Bao and The Lot Squabble — “The owners of Social Restaurant Group are accusing one another of fraud, financial mismanagement, and breach of contract in half a dozen lawsuits spanning the past year. The litigation involves at least five restaurants.” [Washingtonian]

The Salsa Room is Moving from Columbia Pike to Tysons

By ARLnow.com

Long-time Columbia Pike dance venue The Salsa Room is moving.

The Latin nightclub and bar at 2619 Columbia Pike will host its last party in Arlington on Saturday, March 7. It is moving to the current Palladium space at 1524 Spring Hill Road in Tysons.

The grand opening in Tysons is set for March 25, according to a social media post.

The loss of The Salsa Room will mean less nighttime activity along the Pike’s main business district. It is also the second major dancing and nightlife venue to close in Arlington following the recent closure of the Clarendon Ballroom.

“After 20+ years in Arlington, and countless, amazing memories, TSR would like to thank all of the artist, dancers, instructors, DJs and you for supporting us,” The Salsa Room said.

View this post on Instagram

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.• WE’RE MOVING After 20+ years in Arlington, and countless, amazing memories, TSR would like to thank all of the artist, dancers, instructors, Djs and you for supporting us. We invite you to join us March 4-7 for the closing parties. Our new home will be in Tysons Corner. (1524 Spring Hill Rd McLean ,VA) Grand Opening Weekend & Get Your 2020 VIP Card Night March 25 -29. Tickets will go on sale Friday Feb. 21 www.tsrtickets.com Visit our social media for more details. @salsaroom 2619 Columbia Pike Arlington, VA #thesalsaroom #salsaroom #salsa #bachata#salsadancing #sensualbachata #zouk #bachatadancing#tsr #salsaclasses #bachataclass #bachatasensual #tsr #bachatademo #bachatadance #tsrinterviews #tsrangels @salsaroom

A post shared by The-Salsa Room (@salsaroom) on

Image via Google Maps

Stageplate Bistro Temporarily Closed But Plans to Reopen Next Month

By Vernon Miles
1/2

The lights are off at Stageplate Bistro (900 N. Glebe Road), but the tables are already set for the Ballston restaurant to reopen in March.

“We had to close to regroup to come back better than ever,” said general manager Mary Marchetti.

Marchetti said the restaurant had to close for hiring and staff training, as well as some internal reorganizing. It took a little longer than expected, she admitted, but they are planning for the reopening to coincide with the first day of spring on March 21.

Springing off that, Marchetti says there will be a new seasonal menu and she’s excited to open the patio back up for the warmer weather.

This isn’t the first time Stageplate Bistro, which opened in 2017, has had a brief hiatus. The restaurant was closed over the summer in 2018. Restaurants west of Glebe Road have lamented not getting the same attention as their eastern cousins, but Marchetti said she remains optimistic and is looking forward to reopening.

Redevelopment Plan for Courthouse ‘Landmark Block’ Appears Ready to Move Forward

By ARLnow.com
1/8

A long-awaited redevelopment in Courthouse appears poised to take the next step forward this year.

The “Landmark Block” is a full block of low-slung commercial buildings across from the Courthouse Metro station, which include the former Cosi, Boston Market and Jerry’s Subs restaurants, and the current Summers Restaurant and Mattress Warehouse. According to a presentation by Arlington’s planning division to the County Board yesterday, county planners expect developer Greystar to file redevelopment plans this year.

Planners anticipate the site plan filing being considered by the County Board by the end of the year, according to the presentation.

It’s unclear what will be built on the block, but there are some clues.

Greystar bills itself as the “global leader in rental housing,” suggesting an apartment building may be in the works. A planning process five years ago suggested that at least some of the building facades on the block would be preserved. And that same planning process — dubbed Envision Courthouse Square — resulted in renderings that depicted a tall tower on the current Landmark Block.

(The tower is just north of what is currently a large county-owned surface parking lot but envisioned as “Courthouse Square,” a large green park with underground parking below and subterranean connections to the Landmark Block and other nearby buildings.)

It’s anticipated to be a busy year for Arlington’s planning division, with some 15 major site plans expected to be considered in 2020. The post-HQ2 workload is also set to include land use studies for Clarendon, Shirlington and Lee Highway.

Neighborhood Spotlight: Our Favorite Ballston Restaurants

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

Join the members of The Keri Shull Team as we take you on a tour of our 3 favorite restaurants in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington.

This area has a ton of different options for delicious food, and we want to show you some of the best dishes you can eat when you’re visiting or living in Arlington.

Are you already familiar with the food in Ballston? Did we miss your favorite spot? Let us know where you like to eat in the comments below — we’d love to check it out!

Make sure to check out the rest of our Neighborhood Spotlights to find out some of our favorite places to eat, drink and have fun in the DMV. Leave a comment to let us know if you have any suggestions for where we should spotlight next!

Are you interested in moving to Ballston, one of the other Arlington neighborhoods, or anywhere else in the D.C. area? Well, The Keri Shull Team can help — we are the top-producing team in Northern Virginia and the DMV!

If you want to learn about how we can help you find your dream home and win it for a price that you’ll love, contact The Keri Shull Team today!

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