St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl Returns March 21

By Ethan Rothstein

shamrocklogo_newThe Shamrock Crawl, an annual bar crawl in Clarendon for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, is back again this year, on March 21.

The Saturday following the annual celebration of the Irish spirit, thousands of carousers will be wearing green and holding commemorative mugs for the event hosted by Arlington’s Project DC Events.

To take part in the festivities, drinkers can register online for $15. After 11:59 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday), the price goes up to $20.

The crawl will start at 2:00 p.m., with participants registering at either the Clarendon Grill (1101 N. Highland Street) or Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) before 5:30 p.m. Crawlers will get a shamrock mug to be refilled at participating restaurants, party favors, St. Patrick’s Day beads and $2 slices at Bronx Pizza (3100 Clarendon Blvd).

The participating businesses are:

  • Clarendon Grill
  • Clarendon Ballroom
  • Mad Rose Tavern
  • Whitlow’s on Wilson
  • American Tap Room
  • Hard Times Cafe
  • Spider Kelly’s
  • Hunan One Restaurant
  • Mister Days
  • SoBe
  • IOTA Club & Cafe
  • Don Tito

Last year, thousands of revelers packed the streets all day, including one woman who allegedly tried to visit her husband in the Arlington County jail sans clothing.

Top Irish Bars in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/6

With three weeks to go until St. Patrick’s Day, ARLnow.com has compiled a list of Irish bars in Arlington, Va. to help you decide where to celebrate the holiday.

We sent a questionnaire to each of the following bars, asking everything from the cost of a pint to the hours of operation.

The Celtic HouseThe Celtic House
2500 Columbia Pike

♣ Open: Daily from 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
♣ Happy hour: Weekdays from 3-7 p.m.
♣ Established: Dec. 2014
♣ Pour of Guinness: $7
♣ Shot of Jameson: $7

♣ Describe the establishment: “We are a cozy, Irish-owned-and-run pub with a gorgeous bar, a flair for true & traditional Irish food, and the perfect spot to slide into a booth with your kids, friends, or date for beer and bite — root beer for the kids, of course. We love soccer, so the games are always on. And if you ask nicely, we might just show March Madness as well.”

♣ St. Patrick’s Day plans: “Join us on Paddy’s day for an experience that could only compare to spending the day in Ireland itself. Hot pub food, cold beer — and none of that green, American beer! We’ve got the real stuff! Be on the lookout for guest appearances from local dance troupes, sounds of Ireland, and all for no cover charge!”

Ireland's Four CourtsIreland’s Four Courts
2051 Wilson Blvd (Courthouse)

♣ Open: Weekdays from 11 a.m.-2 a.m., weekends from 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
♣ Happy hour: Weekdays from 4-8 p.m., weekends from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
♣ Established: March 1996
♣ Pour of Guinness: $7.50
♣ Shot of Jameson: $7

♣ Describe the establishment: “We are a friendly Neighborhood Pub that serves Irish/American Traditional food and drinks. Our decor is authentic dark
wood, fireplaces and the memorabilia and decor all came from Ireland. Many of our regulars drink from our Pewter Mugs from also Ireland (we have sold almost 2500 since we opened). We have entertainment 7 nights a week, including open mic, Solo Musicians, Bands, karaoke and Pub Quiz. It can also be a very romantic place! We have had three engagements in since Thanksgiving! ”

♣ St. Patrick’s Day plans: “Not a day for the faint hearted. Doors open at 9 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day. We will be serving traditional Irish breakfast and lunch and the party will be in full swing with music starting at 10 a.m. Join in this all-day celebration with, satellite bars, a heated outdoor tent, Irish dancers performing, and six bands playing live music from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.”

(more…)

Clarendon Mardi Gras Parade Postponed Due to Snow

By ARLnow.com

2013 Clarendon Mardi Gras paradeAs it was last year, the annual Clarendon Mardi Gras parade is being postponed due to snow.

The Clarendon Alliance, which organizes the parade, announced this morning that it will not be held tomorrow night, on Fat Tuesday, as scheduled. Instead, the parade is being rescheduled for St. Patrick’s Day (March 17).

Six to ten inches of snow are expected to fall overnight.

Last year 4-6 inches of snow on Fat Tuesday prompted the parade’s postponement. The 2014 parade was rescheduled for St. Patrick’s Day, but ultimately canceled due to another snow storm.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Snow in Lubber Run Park (Flickr pool photo by J. Sonder)

Multimeters Blamed for Parking Ticket Drop — The multimeters that allow drivers in Arlington to pay for parking by using a credit card and displaying a slip of paper on their dashboard are being partially blamed for a nearly 25 percent drop in parking ticket revenue. The meters make it easier for those without change to pay for parking and, thanks to having to search for the slips on dashboards, slow down parking enforcement aides. [InsideNoVa]

Hope Wins Arlington Straw Poll — Del. Patrick Hope, who’s hoping to replace Rep. Jim Moran in Congress, has won a straw poll held at Arlington Treasurer Frank O’Leary’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party. Hope captured 44 percent of the vote, followed by 24 percent for Don Beyer and 20 percent for state Sen. Adam Ebbin. A straw poll held at Rep. Gerry Connolly’s St. Patrick’s Day party, meanwhile, had Beyer placing first, Charniele Herring second and Lavern Chatman third.

New Candidate in 8th District Race — Nancy Najarian, a community activist and Arlington resident, has announced that she is joining the fray in the Democratic primary for Rep. Jim Moran’s 8th District congressional seat. There are now 11 candidates running in the race. [Armenian Mirror-Spectator, InsideNoVa]

Four Courts Sees Uptick in St. Paddy’s Business — Thanks to the snow keeping many residents at home, Four Courts in Courthouse saw an uptick in their already busy St. Patrick’s Day business. Last night manager Dave Cahill affirmed to ARLnow.com an earlier estimate that the bar would serve 50 kegs of Guinness and 20 kegs of other beer over the course of the day. [Washington Business Journal]

Old Carlin Springs Map — A map from 1890 shows the original plan for the Carlin Springs subdivision of Alexandria, now Arlington County. [Ghosts of DC]

Flickr pool photo by J. Sonder

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Courthouse snow (Photo courtesy @mindpivot)

Irish PM Visits Shirlington — Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny visited Samuel Beckett’s Irish Pub (2800 S. Randolph Street) in Shirlington over the weekend to watch an Irish rugby game. The Taoiseach, as the position of Irish prime minister is also called, is in the U.S. celebrating the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. [Facebook, The Independent]

County Board Approves Ashlawn Addition Revision — The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved a revised plan for an addition to Ashlawn Elementary School but not before making Arlington Public Schools officials explain how the project went wrong. Local residents have complained about several aspects of the plan, including tree removal the building of a parking lot. [InsideNoVa]

‘Intersection of Doom’ Left Out of Rosslyn Planning — A draft Rosslyn sector plan framework doesn’t include any solutions for the so-called “intersection of doom” — the intersection of N. Lynn Street and Lee Highway that has been the site of numerous pedestrian and bicyclist vs. vehicle accidents. Some believe a pedestrian tunnel or bridge may be the best solution for the busy intersection. [Greater Greater Washington]

County Board Approves New Synthetic Field Surface — The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved up to $701,000 to replace a 10-year-old synthetic turf field at Wakefield High School. [Sun Gazette]

Photo courtesy @mindpivot

Arlington Braces for Another Snow Storm

By ARLnow.com

Snow 3/3/14

Arlington and the rest of the D.C. region will be waking up to a white St. Patrick’s Day.

A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for the region. The National Weather Service says 4-8 inches of snow is possible, with most of the flakes falling overnight. The Capital Weather Gang, however, predicts that much of Arlington and the District will only see 1-3 inches.

From the NWS:

… WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 2 PM EDT MONDAY…

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW

* ACCUMULATIONS… 4 TO 8 INCHES.

* TIMING… A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW EARLY THIS EVENING WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY MID EVENING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON MONDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES… FALLING INTO THE LOWER 30S BY MID EVENING AND THEN DROPPING INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S LATE TONIGHT. HIGHS MONDAY IN THE LOWER 30S.

* WINDS… NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY. TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS… ESPECIALLY TONIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH ON MONDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL… KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT… FOOD… AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

The Virginia Department of Transportation, meanwhile, is planning to deploy more than 2,000 snow removal trucks in Northern Virginia. From VDOT:

The Virginia Department of Transportation is preparing for another potential winter storm tonight, and advises drivers to stay off roads during freezing rain and snow expected through tomorrow morning.

Crews will mobilize by 6 p.m. today, and by midnight more than 2,000 trucks will be staged along interstates, major roads and neighborhood streets in Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties.

Info for northern Virginia drivers and residents:

  • Drivers are strongly advised to stay home during the storm, overnight tonight and into Monday morning.
  • Crews will plow and treat interstates, major roads and neighborhoods concurrently.
  • Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William residents can enter their address at www.vdotplows.org to see the status of plowing in their neighborhood.
  • Park in your driveway or on the odd-numbered side of the street to allow plows room to pass.
  • When shoveling, leave the last few feet at the curb until the street is plowed, as the truck will push some snow back. Shovel to the right facing the road.
  • Chemicals are not used in subdivisions, but crews sand hills, curves and intersections to provide traction. For most storms, one snowplow pass, about eight to ten feet wide, is made.

‘Arlington’s Biggest Bar Crawl’ This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

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The Shamrock Crawl, a St. Patrick’s Day-themed event that bills itself as “Arlington’s biggest bar crawl,” will take place on Saturday.

At least 15 Courthouse and Clarendon-area bars and restaurants are participating in the crawl, which is scheduled from 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door, and include a “signature shamrock mug,” party favors, green beads, food and drink specials and a $2 pizza slice deal at Bronx Pizza (3100 Clarendon Blvd).

“Join thousands of fellow Irish loving and beer drinkers as they flood Arlington and turn it green!” says the event’s website. Promoter Project D.C. Events also produced a video highlighting last year’s Shamrock Crawl (above, possibly NSFW due to song lyrics).

Clarendon Mardi Gras Parade Rescheduled for St. Patrick’s Day

By ARLnow.com

Mardi Gras parade poster(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) The annual Clarendon Mardi Gras parade, which was postponed this past Tuesday due to snow, will now be held on St. Patrick’s Day.

The parade has been rescheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 17. It will still run along Wilson Blvd from N. Barton Street to N. Irving Street in Clarendon.

“Approximately 90% of the original Mardi Gras entries are able to participate on the rescheduled date,” according to the Clarendon Alliance, the parade’s organizer. “The Mardi Gras Parade registration period is being extended, to allow additional entrants to participate in the parade. New registrations will be accepted by the CA through 5pm on Wednesday March 12.”

In 2010, when snow forced the cancellation of the Mardi Gras parade, it was transformed into a St. Patrick’s Day parade, complete with Irish dancers, a leprechaun and green beads. For now, the 2014 version is still being called a “Mardi Gras parade.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cherry blossoms on 15th Street S. in Pentagon City on 3/14/13

Free Taxi Rides on St. Paddy’s Day — As part of the SoberRide program, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program will be offering free taxi rides home on Sunday (St. Patrick’s Day) from 4:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. In order to get your fare (up to $30) comped, you must call 1-800-200-TAXI to book the cab. [Washington Regional Alcohol Program]

St. Patrick’s Day in Shirlington — Restaurants and stores in Shirlington are offering a number of specials food, drink and product this weekend in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]

Arlington Touts Traffic Management — Despite a surge in population and employment in Arlington County since the 1970s, there has not been a corresponding significant increase in traffic levels on major county streets. According to a new blog post from the county’s Mobility Lab, Arlington County Commuter Services deserves some of the credit for that. The bureau — which operates Walk Arlington, Bike Arlington, and the Car Free Diet marketing campaign, among other “Transportation Demand Management” functions — says it kept 45,000 cars off county streets every work day in 2012. [Mobility Lab]

ACPD Officers to Participate in Bike Trek — Three Arlington County police officers will participate in the annual “Road to Hope” Law Enforcement United bicycle trek from Chesapeake, Virginia to Washington, D.C. The three day, 250-mile ride is organized “to honor the service and sacrifice of their law enforcement colleagues who have died in the line of duty” and to provide support for two law enforcement charities. [Arlington County Police Department]

Numerous Alcohol-Related Arrests on Saturday

By ARLnow.com

Police car (file photo)Thanks in part to pre-St. Patrick’s Day revelry, Arlington County Police had their hands full with alcohol-related offenses on Saturday.

The day’s festivities included the Four Courts Four Miler race in Courthouse Saturday morning and the Shamrock Crawl bar crawl in Clarendon that afternoon and evening.

There were a total of 6 arrests for Drunk in Public on Saturday, including 5 incidents in the Clarendon area, according to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. There were also 7 arrests for Driving Under the Influence on Saturday, he said. By contrast, a planned DUI checkpoint on Friday yielded no DUI arrests, according to Sternbeck.

There were also two significant fights reported on Saturday.

One incident happened just past 9:00 p.m., near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Garfield Street in Clarendon. The incident started, police say, when the victim accidentally spilled a beer on a woman in a restaurant. An altercation ensued and staff at the restaurant had to separate the parties. At that point, altercation spilled outside the restaurant.

During the fight, police say, the victim’s head struck either a low wall or a curb, producing a significant head wound. The victim was found conscious but bleeding heavily, and was transported to George Washington University Hospital. Two Alexandria men were subsequently arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding by Mob.

From the ACPD daily crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING BY MOB, 03/09/13, 1400 block of N. Garfield Street. At 9:05 pm on March 9, an altercation inside a restaurant bar, continued into the street. A victim sustained a significant laceration to his forehead and was transported to GW hospital. DC Danh, 28, of Alexandria, VA and Donny Danh, 27, of Alexandria, VA, were arrested and charged with malicious wounding by mob. They were held without bond.

Early Saturday morning, in another alcohol-related incident, two people were arrested for assaulting a cab driver and an apartment concierge.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 03/09/13, 900 block of N. Randolph Street. At 4:13 am on March 9, two subjects exited a cab without paying and once confronted by the driver, physically assaulted him by punching and kicking him repeatedly. A residence concierge witnessed the attack and attempted to aid the victim, but was punched as well. Ramnik Aulakh, 30, of Arlington, VA, and Elizabeth Arias, 29, of Bowie, MD, were arrested and charged with malicious wounding, defrauding a taxi and drunk in public. They were held without bond.

‘Huge’ St. Paddy’s Bar Crawl in Clarendon This Weekend

By ARLnow.com

The Shamrock Crawl logoGet ready for a flood of green-wearing, beer-drinking revelers in the Clarendon and Courthouse area this weekend.

As many as 3,000 people are expected for the Shamrock Bar Crawl, billed as “Arlington’s biggest bar crawl.” The St. Patrick’s Day-themed event is taking place from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday (March 9th).

About 2,500 tickets were sold for the bar crawl as of Tuesday, according to organizer Project DC Events. That apparently includes more than 1,250 tickets sold via Groupon and Living Social.

As of this afternoon, organizers said the bar crawl was sold out due to “high demand.” Some tickets will be available for $20 cash on the day of the event, they via social media, with registration taking place at Mad Rose Tavern and Velocity 5. Other bars participating in the event include Whitlow’s, SoBe, Hunan One, Wilson Tavern, Arlington Rooftop and Mister Days.

Drink specials include $2 Yuenglings, $3 rail drinks, $4 “shamrock shots,” and $5 Irish car bomb shots. Participants — who should be easy to spot thanks to free green beads and “Signature Shamrock mugs” — will also be able to nab $2 cheese pizza slices at Bronx Pizza.

A separate St. Paddy’s Day-themed event, the Four Courts Four Miler race, is taking place at 9:00 a.m. in the Courthouse area. The race is sold out and expected to bring thousands of runners and spectators to Courthouse. A number of road closures are planned for the race.

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