Good Monday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 18, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Route 29 survey highlights pedestrian and bicyclist safety concerns, traffic woes | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Great Falls man pleads guilty to $1.8M in tax fraud | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Vienna to celebrate new pedestrian bridge to historic Freeman Store | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: FCPD: Fairfax County is ‘safest’ jurisdiction of its size, but shoplifting, officer assaults on the rise in 2023 | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: Pimmit Hills man arrested after being found with missing teen, police say | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:15 pm: Driver of allegedly stolen vehicle charged with assaulting Virginia State Police during chase | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: Chase Bank hopes to add drive-thru lane for branch in Herndon | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Tuesday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
☀️ Tuesday’s forecast
The weather will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching around 55°F and west winds blowing at 11-14 mph, gusting up to 23 mph. During Tuesday night, expect partly cloudy skies and a low temperature of around 40°F, accompanied by a southwest wind at about 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Chase Bank is seeking Fairfax County’s permission to add a drive-through ATM to its Herndon location.
The company has submitted a special exception proposal requesting the ability to operate the ATM and a deposit box at Village Center Shopping Center (2401 Centreville Road).
The county’s land use database indicates that the application was submitted on March 14, but as of press time, staff were still awaiting the actual plans.
The location currently has two ATMs, and Chase Bank’s website indicates that it recently opened.
According to a Chase Bank spokesperson, the branch opened in October and was “built from the ground up.”
“All of our branches that have a drive-thru are locations where there is space and demand to give customers a variety of options for their deposit and withdrawal financing needs,” said Carolyn Evert, Chase Bank’s spokesperson for the D.C. region.
The shopping center, which is anchored by Giant, currently has three spaces available. The largest vacant space is a 44,460-square-foot location for a fitness tenant.
Image via Google Maps
Good Friday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 15, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Fairfax County board approves Top Golf redevelopment in Kingstowne | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Women’s fashion boutique makes move to Tysons after 36 years in Arlington | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Bounce house business expands to Reston | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Brunch-focused cafe First Watch opening in Franconia with free coffee | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Health and fitness expo warms up for return to Vienna this spring | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: Spring celebration to take over Frying Pan Farm Park next month | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:50 pm: Man sentenced to life in prison for Seven Corners murder, arson | 🗣️ Comments
Since it’s Friday, we’ve also compiled a list of the most-read articles of the week, below.
- Fairfax County police uncover drugs and guns at homes in Reston (5679 views)
- NEW: Fairfax County planning error puts Reston Deli Italiano’s future in question (4613 views)
- Three pedestrians killed in separate crashes in Fairfax County on Sunday (3719 views)
- Housing proposed to replace vacant office building in Westfields business park (2869 views)
- Solar eclipse viewing glasses now available at Fairfax County Public Library branches (2681 views)
- New federal budget funds Fairfax County homeless shelter, pedestrian projects (2281 views)
- Proposed Hilton hotel in Tysons encounters skepticism from county staff (1915 views)
- AT&T leases full office building in Chantilly (1851 views)
- New Chinese dumpling restaurant to open in Springfield this summer (1663 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Saturday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- 11:00 am: Diva Central Shopping Event
- 2:00 pm: Personal Preparedness Using the Community Emergency Response Guide (CERG)
- 5:00 pm: Opening Reception & Artist Talk: Pressing
- 6:00 pm: St. Patrick’s Day Roller Skating and Dance Night
- 7:30 pm: Virginia Opera: Madama Butterfly
Here are the events planned for Sunday:
- 2:00 pm: Virginia Opera: Madama Butterfly
- 4:00 pm: Orchestra Concert – Get London on the Horn
- 4:00 pm: Get London on the Horn
☀️ Saturday’s forecast
Expect sunny skies and a high temperature of around 65 degrees, with northwest winds of 7 to 9 mph shifting to the west during the afternoon. Saturday night will be partly cloudy, with lows near 49 degrees and south winds at 6 to 8 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
We hope you have a great weekend! Feel free to discuss the most-read stories of the week, the upcoming weekend events or anything else of local interest in the comments. 👋
Fairfax County residents don’t have to head to D.C. to experience the flair of cherry blossoms.
Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon will be the site of a spring celebration to celebrate the arrival of cherry blossoms on Saturday, April 6.
The event, “Into the Woods,” is a free, self-paced tour that will include interactive stations that include fairy-house building and other crafts.
“Discover the magic of Frying Pan Farm Park’s woods, where the combination of spring sunshine and rare soil creates a vibrant ecosystem,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said.
The event is free and open for all ages. Registration is open online to help the park authority manage park volume. Attendees can choose from different program start times at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and noon.
Frying Pan Farm Park is located 2709 West Ox Road in Herndon.
The Vienna Business Association is reviving its Get Healthy Vienna! Expo for 2024.
First introduced last May, the health and fitness showcase will return to the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) on April 6, from 10 am. to 2 p.m. The event is intended to highlight health-related businesses and resources available in the local community, VBA Health, Wellness & Fitness chair Karen Kerrigan says.
“The 2024 Expo will connect attendees to an array of services, solutions and opportunities that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles,” Kerrigan said. “The process of attaining optimal health and wellness is all about connections, education and taking positive action. I am excited about the wide-array of exhibitors at this year’s expo who are passionate about supporting the health and wellness of our special community.”
This year’s expo will feature up to 50 exhibitors and follow the theme of “Connections to Wellness,” reflecting an emphasis on the importance of social connections to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Outside of the vendors, highlights will include a Kids and Families Zone with children’s activities and demonstrations, such as face painting. The Vienna Singing Princesses will also make “a special appearance” involving superheroes.
For adults, there will be a variety of panels led by health and wellness professionals, who will discuss the root causes of chronic disease, the importance of movement and stretching, and other topics.
Several former James Madison High School student athletes have been enlisted for a panel called “The Importance of a Positive Youth Sports Experience: Lessons for Young Athletes and Their Parents.” Confirmed participants include:
- Football player Nick Dorka (College of William and Mary, Canadian Football League, International Football League)
- Lacrosse player Katie Kerrigan (James Madison University, including a Division I national championship in 2018, and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League)
- Baseball player Trey Ramsey (Princeton University)
- Soccer player Jack Traxler (Catholic University)
VBA Chairman Greg Kunstbeck said the business association’s board is “excited” to see the event grow in its second year.
“The event continues to grow, evolve and respond to the needs and presence of the many businesses and organizations that provide services in the wellness space, along with the people they serve,” Kunstbeck said. “VBA members are making a positive difference in the health of our community and positively transforming people’s lives.”
The expo will fall in the middle of the fourth annual Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, where Vienna will try to defend its title as the “most fit community” from the rival cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. The contest will kick off this Saturday (March 16) and continue through May 11.
A daytime-only cafe in Franconia will get next week off to an energetic start, offering free coffee to diners as part of its grand opening on Monday (March 18).
First Watch, a fast-casual restaurant chain based in Florida, will open its latest Fairfax County location in the Festival at Manchester Lakes shopping center (7027C Manchester Blvd) at 7 a.m. Free cups of coffee from Project Sunrise will come with every meal through Friday, March 22.
The 4,500-square-foot cafe will seat more than 170 people and features a covered outdoor dining patio, along with a bar that serves signature juices, cocktails and coffee.
“Our Franconia restaurant is the perfect location to kick off an exciting expansion that’s been years in the making, with a fresh take on brunch our customers know and love,” First Watch Vice President of Operations Rob Botelho said. “As First Watch approaches two decades in the area, we’re thrilled to share our aspirations to inspire even more good mornings with each of our new openings.”
Originally started in Pacific Grove, California, in 1983, First Watch now has more than 520 restaurants in 29 states, including locations at Fair City Mall in Fairfax, Crossroads Center shopping center in Bailey’s Crossroads and Greenbriar Town Center in Chantilly.
The Franconia restaurant is the company’s first expansion in Fairfax County since the Bailey’s Crossroads site opened in 2021, but two additional locations are already on their way.
The chain will replace a TGI Fridays in Fair Lakes that closed in late 2023, and it officially announced in January that it has leased a 4,000-square-foot space in Idylwood Plaza (7501 Leesburg Pike). Both cafes are expected to open by this fall.
Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., First Watch serves breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes. Fan favorites include avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes and million dollar bacon — hardwood-smoked bacon baked with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne and a maple syrup drizzle, per a press release.
The cafe also has a seasonal menu that changes five times a year based on “the position of the sun to source quality ingredients” for dishes like barbacoa quesadilla benedict and watermelon wake-up fresh juice. A seasonal menu will roll out in Franconia for the first time this summer.
Kids’ parties in Reston are about to get more buoyant, as Bruno’s Bounce House expands its services to the community.
The Gainesville-based company, which sells party and event entertainment gear, announced yesterday (Thursday) that it will offer its inflatable rental services to Reston.
Options for rentals include bounce houses, dry and water slides, obstacle courses and interactive games.
“We are thrilled to bring our exceptional inflatable rental services to the Reston community,” Bruno’s Bounce House owner Gary Kwitkin said in a press release. “Our mission is to provide safe, entertaining, and memorable experiences for children and adults alike. We believe that our wide selection of inflatables will be a hit at any event, adding excitement and joy to every occasion.”
The family-owned business also offers tables, chairs, tents, and concession machines for rent. Delivery, set-up and take-down services are provided by the company.
(Updated at 2 p.m.) A local wardrobe consultant who has helped dress celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Gloria Estefan is setting up shop in Tysons.
Nasrin Rashidi hopes to reopen Daniel’s Boutique, the women’s clothing store that she owns with her husband, Sasan, at 8150 Leesburg Pike in early April. Named after the couple’s son, the business had operated in Crystal City for 36 years until closing its location there on Dec. 17.
Located in Suite 120, Daniel’s Boutique will have slightly less space in Tysons than it did at its previous home in Arlington’s Crystal City Shops, but the storefront will be much more visible, according to Nasrin.
“We’re excited for something different, something still service-oriented and all of that, but a little different for the next phase of our business,” she told FFXnow in a recent interview. “We want to kind of elevate the whole thing [so] that we bring in clientele that are looking for a nice place to shop and get service.”
Immigrants from Iran, the Rashidis established their first business, L.A. Moves and Furs, at Beacon Center in Groveton in 1984 before moving to Crystal City and opening Daniel’s Boutique a few years later.
At one point, they ran three stores in Crystal City and a fourth at the former Skyline Mall in Bailey’s Crossroads. The business eventually consolidated into a single location at 2142 Crystal Drive in 2018.
Specializing in women’s designer fashion, including gowns, suits and furs, Daniel’s Boutique offers tailoring, wardrobe consulting, and fur storage and restyling services to all genders in addition to selling clothes as a retailer.
Though the shop accepts walk-in customers, Nasrin says most clients make appointments, which gives her time to assemble a wardrobe appropriate for their needs, whether they’re preparing for a job interview or a wedding.
“I don’t just bring out clothes to sell it,” Nasrin said. “I want to make sure this clothes would be the right item for the right person, and being honest about what I’m selling to them brings them back… Sometimes, I go out of my way to re-style the dress for them. They know I can do that. I add a sleeve to the dress or whatever to accommodate their needs for the events. So, that is a need that is not provided everywhere.”
Some of those clients have been bold-faced names, such as the aforementioned Kardashian and her then-husband Kanye West, Gloria Estefan and actor Andy Garcia. Nasrin has also worked events like the National Christmas Tree Lighting in D.C., the Gershwin Prize ceremony at the Library of Congress and the annual Mark Twain Prize celebration at the Kennedy Center.
Even with its sometimes high-profile clientele, Daniel’s Boutique remains a decidedly family-oriented affair. Sasan’s parents sometimes helped at the stores before they passed away, and the owners’ children, Daniel and Mona Rashidi, are both involved in the business.
Mona, who’s part of the marketing team, says she’s inspired by her parents’ journey. Nasrin’s first job after she left Iran at 17 was at a dry cleaner, where she pressed clothes and made alterations, among other duties.
“I know how hard my parents have worked for all these years. They’re the reason I was able to eat and have a home,” Mona said. “…Coming from another country and starting their business and being so successful, I’m very proud to be part of this and help them as much as I can.”
Daniel’s Boutique’s 36-year stay in Crystal City ended more abruptly than expected after the landlord rejected the owners’ request that they be allowed to stay through the end of the year, including the busy winter holiday season.
Fortunately, Atlantic Realty Company, the owner of 8150 Leesburg Pike, offered a temporary office space where the business could store its goods until construction on the new shop finishes.
“We are hoping for that,” Mona said of the potential early April grand opening. “There will be a big announcement, because all our clients are also waiting. They’re asking all the time.”
Good Thursday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 14, 2024.
- 8:15 am: Morning Notes | 🗣️ Comments
- 9:30 am: Taste of NoVA food festival coming to Army Museum in Fort Belvoir | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:15 am: Flat real estate tax rate, new paid family leave policy proposed in Vienna budget | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:00 am: Reston Association referendum to repeal central cooling system requirement fails | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:45 am: Driver charged with DUI, manslaughter after fatal pedestrian crash on Beltway | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:30 pm: Proposed Hilton hotel in Tysons encounters skepticism from county staff | 🗣️ Comments
- 2:30 pm: German military office in Reston donates funds to feed teens facing food insecurity | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:45 pm: FCPD: Driver dies after head-on collision with Tesla in Fairfax Station | 🗣️ Comments
- 4:45 pm: Most and least expensive condos sold in Fairfax County (February 2024) | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Friday throughout the county, from our event calendar.
- No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.
🌧️ Friday’s forecast
Expect showers after 2pm with a high near 73 and southwest winds at 9 mph, accompanied by an 80% chance of precipitation and possible new amounts ranging from a tenth to a quarter of an inch. For Friday night, showers mainly before 8pm, low around 47, north wind 8-11 mph, with an 80% chance of precipitation and new amounts less than a tenth of an inch. See more from Weather.gov.
🌅 Tonight’s sunset
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
Here in Fairfax County, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold last month (February 2024).
Most expensive condos sold
- 6900 Fleetwood Rd Unit 412 — McLean — $2,050,000 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,426 sq. ft.)
- 7887 Jones Branch Dr Unit 1401 — Tysons Corner — $1,499,000 (2 beds | 2 baths | 1,600 sq. ft.)
- 8220 Crestwood Heights Dr Unit 1818 — Tysons Corner — $1,300,000 (3 beds | 3.5 baths | 2,079 sq. ft.)
- 4490 Market Commons Dr Unit 709 — Fair Lakes — $700,000 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,556 sq. ft.)
- 11500 Fairway Dr Unit 205 — Lake Anne — $640,300 (2 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,058 sq. ft.)
Least expensive condos sold*
- 3100 S Manchester St Unit 419 — Glencarlyn — $206,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 785 sq. ft.)
- 5758 Village Green Dr Unit 5758A — Woodlawn — $206,000 (1 beds | 1 baths | 829 sq. ft.)
- 3970 Woodhue Place Unit 6 — Woodlawn — $207,000 (1 beds | 1.5 baths | 870 sq. ft.)
*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.