Posts Tagged ‘Vienna’
Hear, See and Taste Vienna This Weekend
Posted by Tim Regan / Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
Eat Vienna...figuratively. / Photo courtesy of Taste of Vienna
For the second year in a row, the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department will host the Taste of Vienna, a grand assemblage of 28 Vienna eateries. On Saturday, April 27, the parking lot behind the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department will transform into a tent city of sampling stations where guests can wolf down local cuisine and down frosty beers and glasses of wine. While guests nosh, nine bands will pick up their instruments and churn out a smorgasbord of ear food. The event ends with a raffle where one lucky guest could win $6,000, enough money to fill a small swimming pool with chocolate coins.
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Morrison expects a huge turnout. “We hope to have over 5000 people this year,” he says. With that many guests, parking would normally be a little sparse, which is why the event coordinators have reserved several lots for attendees. Check out parking availability and other frequently asked questions here.
Though samples and drinks cost small sums of money, admission is free.
Taste of Vienna Saturday, April 27 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 400 Center St. South, Vienna Free admission Facebook + TwitterPatrick Bazin & His Play Kitchen
The esteemed chef shows us where the culinary magic happens at home.
By Skylar Korby
Photo by Kyle Martell
Chef Patrick Bazin and his wife, Julie, strive to bring an inviting neighborhood dining experience to every customer that walks into their Vienna contemporary American restaurant, Bazin’s on Church. As one of Washington’s premier chefs for the last two decades, Patrick understands that a high-quality dining experience should be comprised of delicious food, a welcoming atmosphere and, for his fellow staff, just the right balance of work and play.
After opening their newest restaurant, Alegria (located next door to Bazin’s on Church), which offers traditional and modern Mexican dishes, in April of 2012, the Bazins’ busy lives became even more eventful. Running two successful restaurants seven days a week calls for a serious dose of relaxation on the homefront, and that work-to-unwinding transition starts with a home-cooked meal.
The Bazins’ home kitchen is much smaller than a commercial kitchen, but that allows them a refreshing separation from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant business in favor of some low-key family time.
“In the restaurant, everything is fast-paced. You prepare something, and 10 minutes later it has to be ready to go out. It’s just a lot more intense. Cooking for my family is very easy; I get to take my time and enjoy the entire experience,” Patrick says.
Photo by Kyle Martell (Click to enlarge)
Each month get behind the scenes and find out what everyday life is really like for local VIPs.
(April 2013)
Tlorna /shutterstock.com
April 17, 2013
Alexandria Council Votes To Rezone In West End, Displacing Thousands
Boston Marathon Bombing: Local D.C. Area Runners Return from Marathon Shaken
On Sixth Anniversary of the Virginia Tech Massacre, Families, Survivors Reflect on Bombings
In Vienna, Biking to School Gains Momentum
Outside Groups Pumping Cash into Virginia Governor’s Race
County Board Set to Vote on 3.5 Cent Tax Hike
(Complied by David Schuller)
Seven Scenic Spots to Take Easter Photos of the Kids
Posted by Tim Regan / Friday, March 29th, 2013
578foot / Shutterstock.com
Easter: a time for food, family and gratuitous pictures. If you’re still in need of a setting for this weekend’s photos, check out these seven scenic spots.
Meadlowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna
Deep inside Vienna lies Meadlowlark Botanical Gardens, a 95-acre park chock full of cherry trees, flowers, gazebos and several lakes. Check out the park map here.
Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria
Originally part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the grounds changed hands several times before landing in the hands of the National Trust. Today, the estate is a bastion composed of beautifully-kept foliage and two historic homes—one build by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Read the rest of this entry »
Justyna Kaminska / Shutterstock.com
Friday, March 29, 2013
Two Alarm Apartment Fire Closes Lanes on Columbia Pike
USS Arlington To Be Commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk
Clarendon-Courthouse-Rosslyn Patch
Driver Finds “Slug” Who Left Over $600 in Back Seat
Rock Thrown from Car at Jogger
Three Vienna Teens Charged in “Gallon Smashing” Incidents
If you are selling your home, it’s time to put on your buyer hat.
By Terry Belt
Goodluz /shutterstock.com
If you’re selling a home in Northern Virginia right now, things are looking good for you. Homes that are priced right and prepared properly are selling quickly and prices are starting to rise. So far this year, 898 homes in Fairfax County have gone under contract. The average days on market for those homes was under two months, but the range of days on market varied immensely. Some homes sold the same day they went on the market, others were on the market for five years. Here’s a sampling of statistics so far in 2013:
Falls Church: 95 sales, 42 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 417 days
Great Falls: 9 sales, 11 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 305 days
McLean: 52 sales, 44 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 657 days
Oakton: 18 sales, 17 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 147 days
Reston: 64 sales, 47 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 203 days
Vienna: 57 sales, 49 percent sold in 2 weeks or less, some took 394 days
No one wants to stay on the market that long. They certainly don’t want to keep their house in showing condition day after day, month after month. And, more importantly, statistics show that the longer you are on the market, the less your home will sell for. So why such a large variation? We think it’s because some sellers just can’t put on their “buyer hat.”
When we meet with our sellers, we recommend a focus on the way buyers think. It’s hard to do if you’re leaving a home you have enjoyed living in. But, if you want to maximize your return and sell quickly, it’s time to put on your “buyer hat”. See here for more specific tips on transforming your home into the house buyers are interested in.
Terry Belt is the CEO of The Belt Team, Keller Williams Realty, with over 20 years of real estate experience. 703-242-3975; Info@TheBeltTeam.com; thebeltteam.com.
(March 2013)
An Irish Alternative to Guinness for St. Patrick’s Day
Posted by Zachary Westlake / Thursday, March 14th, 2013
shutterstock.com/Olga Lis
While St. Patrick’s Day and Guinness are a pairing that is not going anywhere, the Dublin-based brew is not your only option on March 17. Many of the beers coming from Ireland are similar to the popular Guinness in style, but each brew offers something different. With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, we’ve taken the time to highlight a few brews that are a little more off the beaten path.
Matt Zepp, manager and beer-buyer at Norm’s Beer and Wine in Vienna, recommends some stouts and Irish red ales that make his list of worthy Guinness-alternatives.
“Murphy’s stout is similar to Guinness, with a more chocolatey, smooth texture and silky,” he says. “It’s on a nitrogen system so you still get the cascading effect when poured.”
Although owned and distributed by Heineken, Murphy’s is still brewed in Cork, Ireland. Like Guinness Draught, Murphy’s has an alcohol content of around 4 percent and is available at Norm’s in Vienna, as well as Total Wine stores in the area.
“Something a little more crafty, you’ve got O’Hara’s,” says Zepp. “They do an Irish red ale. It’s got a little bit of hop bitterness, but nothing that is offending.”
Brewed in Carlow, Ireland, O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale is a nice alternative to the popular Irish stouts. Available at Norm’s In Vienna, O’Hara’s has an alcohol content of 4.3 percent.
O’Hara’s also does an Irish stout that is not on a nitrogen system. “That one has a more dark chocolate taste and is a little bitter,” Zepp says.
Zepp recommends Wexford’s Irish Creme Ale as another alternative to Irish stouts. “Wexford’s does a nice Irish creme ale,” he says, labeling the creme ale as “kind of an outlier,” in regard to Irish beers.
Zepp also recommends some Irish ciders for those who are not able to drink beer. Hard ciders are a staple in many pubs, both in Ireland and in the U.S.
“Magner’s and Kelly’s Irish cider are a little substitute for those who can’t have gluten,” says Zepp. “You can still celebrate, just in a different fashion.”
Whether looking for a thick stout to fulfill your inner Irish, craving a classic red ale, or intrigued by a Wexford’s Irish creme ale, there are plenty of options this St. Paddy’s Day. With all of these beers and ciders available at Norm’s, don’t be afraid to step out of the comfort zone of Guinness to try something new.
Helga Esteb /shutterstock.com
March 11, 2013
Will Springfield’s Dave Grohl Join Northern Virginia’s List of Academy Award Winners?
Manassas Neighborhood Alarmed by Threatening Notes
Proposed Vienna FY14 Budget Calls for Lower Tax Rate, Employee Raises
Behind the Scenes at Quantico’s Bombing Ranges
Police Chase, Catch Suspect in Herndon
(Compiled by David Schuller)
Posted by Stefanie Gans, Dining Editor / Friday, March 8th, 2013
Curry Mantra, the original / Jonathan Timmes
Asad Sheikh is on the prowl. He only opened Fairfax’s Curry Mantra two years ago and already opened another—Curry Mantra 2 in Falls Church—but plans to create up to eight Curry Mantra concepts by the end of next year.
Now, if you’re a Top Chef or have otherwise gained fame through television, it’s not uncommon to open multiple restaurants in as many years. But for Sheikh, a Falls Church-based father of two young children, the story unfolds in real life. Although, as a former franchisee of a number of Dunkin’ Donuts and Quiznos, he understands the complexities of owning multiple spaces.
“Once you deliver the product, they stick with you,” says Sheikh, 41. He still believes there’s plenty of Northern Virginians who aren’t familiar with Indian food and is determined to bring more, and varied, restaurants to the area. “I just want to be the number one in Northern Virginia,” Sheikh says, starting to laugh. “I’m trying to dominate the market.”
Read the rest of this entry »
An Evening with PigPen Theatre Co.
Posted by Yuhan Xu / Wednesday, February 27th, 2013
Photo Courtesy of Jammin' Java
They’re singers, designers, composers, actors…. it’s hard to put a single label on this band formed by a group of young, talented and creative people. When American Songwriter asks the seven-piece group how they define themselves, they say they’re storytellers who “write original folk tales and folk music.”
Formed at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2008, PigPen Theatre Co. includes Alex Falberg, Ben Ferguson, Curtis Gillen, Ryan Melia, Matt Nuernberger, Arya Shahi and Dan Weschler, who create theatrical fables with a unique blend of shadow puppetry, group movement and live music. They have toured nationally and became the first company in history to win the top honor for a play at the New York City International Fringe Festival two years in a row. They produced several original plays off-Broadway, earning them critic’s accolades from the New York Times, New York Magazine and Huffington Post. “The Old Man and The Old Moon” is their first fantasy play that tells the tale of a moon’s caretaker on his voyage to the ends of the earth in search of his lost love. The show was a huge hit when it opened in Manhattan last year.
Their debut album “Bremen,” which was born out of the story written for the stage, features hauntingly beautiful lyrics and melodies. Their versions of “When I’m Sixty-Four” and “Someone Like You” are fresh and playful.
I’ll say no more. Here’s PigPen’s “Bremen,” an introduction to the fable “The Old Man and The Old Moon.” Let this fascinating animated short film do the talking.
Friday, Mar. 1, 7 p.m.
PigPen Theatre Co.
Jammin’ Java
227 Maple Ave. E, Vienna
$10