The Mosaic District will celebrate an unusually long cherry blossom season this weekend with the return of its annual Art Blooms festival.
Organized in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the two-day event will bring artisan and farmers’ markets, live entertainment and family-friendly activities to the Merrifield neighborhood from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (April 6-7).
Typically open on Sundays, FreshFarm’s farmers market will also be present at the Mosaic District this Saturday for the Art Blooms festival. More than 50 local produce and food vendors are expected, along with a pumpkin painting area for kids.
An additional 90 vendors selling artwork, clothes and other handmade goods will be on site from URBN Market.
Festival emcee Tommy McFly will kick off the live entertainment around 10:45 a.m. on both days.
Saturday, April 6
- 11 a.m. — Vienna Singing Princesses
- Noon — The Cassaday Concoction
- 2 p.m. — A Mosaic Partners Fashion Show
- 4 p.m. — The Significant Others
Sunday, April 7
- 11 a.m. — Vienna Singing Princesses
- 11:15 a.m. — Tiny Dancers
- 12:30 p.m. — School of Rock
- 4 p.m. — So Fetch
Other attractions will include a games corner, spring-themed selfie stations created by the Merrifield Garden Center and the option to sip cocktails from participating restaurants in the Mosaic District while walking outside.
Complimentary shuttles will be provided from the Dunn Loring Metro station, according to the event page.
The famed Yoshino cherry trees at the Tidal Basin in D.C. reached peak bloom — when 70% of their flowers have opened — on March 17, the second-earliest date on record. But inconsistent weather this spring has kept trees around the D.C. area flowering for much longer than usual, according to the Washington Post.
In addition to attending Art Blooms at Mosaic, those looking to celebrate the extended bloom without leaving Fairfax County can still visit the Children’s Science Center lab in Fair Oaks Mall, where they can make a kite and origami and partake in an educational scavenger hunt. Timed tickets are available for $15.
Though it’s not part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival this time, the Tysons Community Alliance is bringing back its Pedal with Petals Family Bicycle Ride. This year’s event will take place on May 11 during National Bike Month at the Tysons Concourse business park (1593 Spring Hill Road).
Registration for family and advanced bicycle rides is now open. There will also be a food truck, free bike repairs, a DJ and other activities.
Inova Health Systems is working to boost the capacity of its emergency room in Merrifield with the help of a $10 million gift from the co-founder of an international IT consulting firm.
The nonprofit announced last Thursday (March 21) that it received the planned gift commitment from Apex Systems co-founder Win Sheridan. The money will go to Inova’s Greatest Needs fund, which is administered by its CEO to support “critical projects and initiatives.”
Right now, those critical projects include a $161 million expansion of Inova Fairfax Hospital’s emergency department, the Washington Business Journal reported.
“Every gift to our Greatest Needs fund is a vote of confidence in our team, our shared vision and our enduring ability to care for our community,” Inova CEO and President Dr. J. Stephen Jones said in a press release. “Win’s commitment takes this a step further, with the conviction that Inova is the right partner to entrust with this most important task — the health of our community, now and into the future.”
Inova Health Foundation President and Chief Philanthropy Officer Sage Bolte told the WBJ that the expansion will help ease “surges in patient volumes” at the 923-bed hospital (3300 Gallows Road), which currently has limited space for patients to get care in private bays.
According to the WBJ, the expansion will include renovations, and the first phase is expected to be completed this year.
A venture capitalist who currently works as a partner in Alexandria Restaurant Partners, Sheridan co-founded Apex Systems in 1995 and later started his own investment firm, BDW Investments LLC. Apex is headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, but it has an office in Fairview Park, just on the other side of I-495 from Inova’s Fairfax campus.
According to Inova, Sheridan also donated $1 million in 2021 to create the Sheridan Director, Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute. The board helps match people with rare or recurring advanced cancers with personalized treatment.
“When you’re battling a serious disease, having world-class care that you don’t have to travel for makes all the difference,” Sheridan, an Alexandria native, said. “At the end of the day, I want Inova to continue providing the best possible care, if and when it’s needed by me, by my family, my friends, my community.”
Recently rebranded with a new logo, Inova is expanding its Franconia-Springfield HealthPlex campus with a planned hospital and developing a new campus in Alexandria, replacing the former Landmark Mall. The health care system has said it hopes to begin construction on both projects this year.
In addition to building up its campuses, Inova has been working to add services in the community, opening additional urgent care centers around Fairfax County and a pediatric sick clinic near Seven Corners earlier this year.
(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) A boy was taken to the hospital yesterday (Sunday) after a crash near Inova Fairfax Hospital.
The Fairfax County Police Department reported at 6:32 p.m. that officers were on scene of a crash involving a sedan and a bus on Gallows Road at Anderson Road in Merrifield.
A passenger in the sedan, the boy was hospitalized with injuries initially considered life-threatening. His condition is no longer believed to be critical.
“The juvenile remains hospitalized, and his condition has been upgraded to non-life-threatening injuries,” the FCPD said this morning (Monday).
According to police, the bus in the crash was a Metrobus.
“There were passengers on the bus but there were no reported injuries to passengers on the Metrobus,” an FCPD spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority suggested FFXnow reach out to the FCPD when contacted for comment, noting that the police department is the lead in traffic investigations.
One lane of Gallows Road was closed last night while Crash Reconstruction Unit detectives investigated, but it reopened around 9:18 p.m.
Officers are on scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a bus and a sedan at Gallows Rd & Anderson Dr in Merrifield. A juvenile occupant in the sedan was taken to hospital w/injuries considered life threatening. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/knTR2v1biO
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 3, 2024
Image via Google Maps
The University of Virginia is expanding its presence in Fairfax County.
The Charlottesville-based institution will add a new site for its Northern Virginia campus next year in Merrifield, where it has leased 55,000 square feet at the Inova Center for Personalized Health (8095 Innovation Park Drive), the Washington Business Journal reported last week.
According to the WBJ, UVA will move into the second and third floors of Building C on Inova’s campus, which opened in 2015 and features a conference center, a sports medicine hub, a fitness and rehab center, and cancer services in the Schar Cancer Institute. Designated for office and educational uses, Building C already hosts health care programs for Shenandoah University.
Intended to serve the university’s significant base of students from the D.C. area, UVA Northern Virginia’s Fairfax site will house a variety of degree programs as well as classes for high school students and workforce training, the WBJ says:
The university’s new space, slated to open in January, would serve as a D.C.-area base for programs across the university’s schools and departments, such as master’s degrees in health or engineering. It’s also designed to serve as a hub for education beyond its degree programs: classes for high schoolers in creative writing, forensic science and coding set for this summer; or, perhaps, trainings for companies, in which employers would cover the costs for their employees.
The site will also be used as a space for testing new programs that could later be expanded to other campuses.
“The populations are different,” UVA Northern Virginia Dean and CEO Gregory Fairchild told the WBJ. “Thinking and testing you’ll see us do will probably — potentially, over time — lead to something different here that we wouldn’t do in Charlottesville.”
UVA launched its Northern Virginia campus in Rosslyn on Sept. 22, 2021, offering courses for its schools of business, engineering, education, data science and continuing and professional studies. Officials said at the time that the Arlington site was “just the beginning” of their plans for the region.
The university previously shared space with Virginia Tech at the Northern Virginia Center (7054 Haycock Road) in Idylwood, but it left in 2020 after declining to support a redevelopment. The property was sold last fall to a development team that will transform it into a construction hub with housing, a Virginia Tech research lab and a headquarters building for HITT Contracting.
UVA’s new site at the Center for Personalized Health will build on its existing collaboration with Inova Fairfax Hospital, which serves as a teaching hospital for the university’s medical students.
Merrifield will welcome a new kids’ clothing store next month, just in time for parents to update their little ones’ wardrobes for the spring.
The Beaufort Bonnet Company will open its first retail store in the D.C. area on March 2 at 2920 District Avenue, Suite 143, in the Mosaic District.
Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, the business focuses on clothes and accessories for babies and young children, but it also stocks some shirts, swimwear and lounge wear for adults.
“The Beaufort Bonnet Company is a children’s lifestyle brand,” a company spokesperson said. “Our mission is to make babyhood and childhood special. We encourage parents to dress their little ones up and take lots of pictures. They are only little for a little while — we believe it’s important to embrace this sweet yet fleeting stage in life.”
Beaufort Bonnet originated as a small operation in Beaufort, South Carolina, that made baby bonnets. After getting a bonnet as a gift for her baby daughter, CEO Markey Hutchinson bought the business from the original owners in 2012 and renamed it in honor of its original product.
A stay-at-home mom in Lexington, Hutchinson initially worked out of her basement, but she soon struggled to keep up with demand, according to a profile by Smiley Pete Publishing. She found the support she needed in a partnership with Oxford Industries, a clothing company whose labels include Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer.
With the addition of the Mosaic District, Beaufort Bonnet will have just four corporate stores, including two in Florida and one in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. However, its products are sold by hundreds of boutiques nationwide, including Lemoncello in Arlington and The Purple Goose and Monday’s Child in Alexandria.
Designed with an Americana theme in a nod to its proximity to D.C., the 1,344-square-foot store at the Mosaic District will feature a miniature colonial house with a playhouse, kitchen and Lego wall.
“The beautiful seating area was designed in collaboration with Lauren Deloach, an Atlanta-based interior designer using a variety of patterns and textures that lend to the timeless but fresh style that is synonymous with T.B.B.C.,” the spokesperson said.
Other relatively recent openings at the Mosaic District include Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream, which had a soft opening last November. The Asian street food restaurant Hawkers is also expected to open in the former Four Sisters space later this year.
Luther Jackson Middle School students will have to wait for their first dance of the year.
The Valentine’s Day dance scheduled for this afternoon (Wednesday) has been postponed after threats of gun violence at the Merrifield school (3020 Gallows Road) were discovered earlier this week.
While Fairfax County police say there “does not appear to be any substantial threat at this time,” Luther Jackson officials announced the postponement yesterday (Tuesday) “out of an abundance of caution.”
“As soon as we have a new date selected, we will let everyone know,” the school said in a newsletter bulletin. “All tickets already purchased will be honored on the new event date once selected. Regular after-school activities will proceed as usual, and previously canceled activities have been added back on to the signup form.”
The first threat came in the form of graffiti found in a school restroom late Monday (Feb. 12) afternoon, Luther Jackson principal Raven Jones said in a message sent to parents at 8:14 p.m. that day. The graffiti made a “vague” threat that there would be a shooting at the school on “Thursday.”
“We notified the Office of Safety and Security and the Fairfax County Police who have responded, checked the school and begun an investigation,” Jones wrote. “Fairfax County Police continue to investigate but do not believe that there is a valid threat to the school based solely on this graffiti.”
As a precaution, additional security personnel were assigned to the school yesterday morning.
However, a second anonymous threat was found circulating on social media, claiming that there would be a shooting and possibly a bomb at Luther Jackson Middle School this Thursday, Feb. 15. The message appears to have first emerged on Instagram before getting shared on Twitter.
In an update sent to parents at 9:21 a.m. yesterday, Jones said school officials were “aware of the additional social media post also referencing a school shooting on Thursday.”
Fairfax County Police and our Office of Safety and Security are actively investigating. I do not have any further information to share at this time but will update you as soon as we are able. Additional safety and security staff will be monitoring our school.
The safety of our students is our primary concern, and we will always investigate these incidents as soon as we are made aware.
If you or your student has any information to share about this situation, please contact our Office of Safety at 571-423-2000 or through our anonymous safety tip line that you can access online, by text or by phone.
The Fairfax County Police Department says its investigation into the social media threat is ongoing, though there isn’t believed to be a “substantial” threat at this time.
“We urge the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity promptly,” the FCPD said. “Additionally, we encourage individuals to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media platforms to prevent unnecessary panic. The Fairfax County Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals, and we will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter.”
A new Korean barbecue eatery is now cooking at Halstead Square near the Dunn Loring Metro station.
Meat Project opened the doors to its new location on the ground floor of The Lofts apartment building at 2727-G Merrilee Drive in mid-January, marking its first expansion beyond its original site in Centreville.
For the soft opening, which was announced on Instagram on Jan. 12, the restaurant is operating from 5-11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and from 5 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Its website suggests the start time will eventually move up to 2:30 p.m.
Meat Project was started at 5825 Trinity Parkway in July 2020 by owner Sam Kim and his mother, Grace, who also own Rainbow Food Catering and Manoa Bakery Cafe in Annandale.
Both locations offer all-you-can-eat meats and seafood for $30 per person, or $20 for kids who are under 4 feet tall. Kids under 3 feet tall can eat for free, per Meat Project’s website. There is also a bar that serves beer, wine, sake and soju.
Kim previously told FFXnow that the Merrifield restaurant would have some additional menu and bar items, including cocktails.
Meat Project joins a rush of recent restaurant openings around the Dunn Loring Metro station. In the past few months, nearby Avenir Place has added The Casual Pint, the taiyaki shop Rice Culture and the American-style barbecue joint Myron Mixon Pitmaster BBQ.
(Updated at 5 p.m.) A few new tenants are making their way to Merrifield Plaza, the H Mart and Lidl-anchored shopping center at Route 29 and Gallows Road.
The newcomers will include a franchise of Shi Miao Dao, a Chinese noodle shop that can also be found in Rockville, Maryland, among other locations. The Merrifield restaurant is part of the same brand, but the operator isn’t affiliated with the one in Rockville, says a broker for TSCG, which manages and leases Merrifield Plaza.
Specializing in cuisine from the southwestern province of Yunnan, Shi Miao Dao originated in China, where it has more than 750 restaurants, before expanding in recent years to North America, according to Eater San Diego, where a franchise opened last year.
Translating roughly to “ready in 10 seconds,” the name refers to the time it takes to dump the ingredients of the restaurant’s signature, DIY noodle soup into the accompanying pork broth, the Washington Post said in a review of the Rockville location that calls the dish “exquisite.”
Shi Miao Dao will occupy 1,200 square feet at 2833 Gallows Road, per TSCG.
Also coming to Merrifield Plaza is La Mexicana, an expansion of the bakery and taqueria that has operated at 2907 Arlington Drive in Hybla Valley since 2002.
According to its website, the eatery was started by a couple who wanted to “share our Mexican heritage and love for baking” and specializes in traditional Mexican dishes, like tacos and tamales. Washingtonian designated it as one of the D.C. area’s best cheap eats in 2017 and 2018.
“From mouthwatering tacos to traditional enchiladas, La Mexicana promises to be a haven for lovers of Mexican cuisine,” TSCG said.
La Mexicana’s second location will be at a 2,000-square-foot space at 2855 Gallows Road next to Lidl. Owner Carlos Benitez estimates that it’ll be four to five months before the restaurant opens, since they’re waiting for Fairfax County to approve the necessary permits to start construction.
Finally, Merrifield Plaza will add Sou the Spa, a South Korean beauty and skin care clinic that can currently be found in Annandale. The spa has leased 1,200 square feet at 2851 Gallows Road.
TSCG says Shi Miao Dao is expected to open sometime in March, but there’s no estimated opening date for Sou the Spa yet.
“We are thrilled to welcome La Mexicana, Sou the Spa, and Shi Mao Noodles to Merrifield Plaza Shopping Center,” TSCG Executive Vice President Billy Orlove said. “These establishments add a unique and diverse dimension to our current offerings, providing something for everyone in the community. We know that Merrifield Shopping Center will continue to be a great source of retail stores.”
A Merrifield bakery that specializes in poffertjes — a traditional Dutch snack that resembles puffed-up pancakes — has closed up shop.
Poffy ceased operations during the weekend after Thanksgiving, opening its doors in the Mosaic District (2985 District Avenue, Suite 170) for the last time on Nov. 25, the business announced on Instagram.
“We have enjoyed meeting and getting to know each one of you,” Poffy said. “THANK YOU for getting to know us…for cheering us on and supporting us…for your friendship.”
Opened in May 2021, Poffy was started by owners Lilian Wanandy-Perez and Kevin Perez, who adapted a poffertje recipe from Wanandy-Perez’s grandmother to avoid dairy, eggs and other allergens, according to a profile by Northern Virginia Magazine.
Here’s more from Poffy’s farewell message:
Our journey started as a scribble of ideas in our notebook.
✨ An idea to create food & space that are safe for those diagnosed with food allergies just like our kids so that they can have fun and eat without worry (even just for a bit)
✨An idea to create ‘not your everyday’ culinary experience that is simple, delicious and fun for everyone
✨An idea to create a space to connect with one another and form human connection in this instant, fast paced environment
✨An idea to be able to make a positive impact even in the smallest way for anyone we serve each dayTHANK YOU for being part of our journey … .our journey in an effort to make an impact in one’s life… our journey in an effort to bring joy to your day!
Unfortunately the twists & turns, ups & downs have brought us to the end of this journey.
Come & visit us this week as we would like to meet you all and thank you in person!
For our allergy community and beyond, please head to #linkinbio or DM us as we would love to continue connecting with you as we craft our new journey… to receive updates on our upcoming projects.
Last but not least, a special THANK YOU to all Poffy crew members that have become an integral part of our journey. Thank you for being YOU…for your heart…your grit…your hardwork….your creativity..your passion. We’re forever grateful!
Thank you Mosaic!
There’s no indication yet of what will replace Poffy, but the ice cream shop Mimi’s Handmade opened next door around the same time that its neighbor closed. The Mosaic District is also slated to add Beaufort Bonnet Company, a children’s clothing store, and the Asian street food chain Hawkers in the coming months.
Hat tip to Adam Rubinstein
Mimi’s Handmade is now chilling at the Mosaic District in Merrifield.
The ice cream maker quietly opened its newest shop at 2985 District Avenue, Suite 160, about a month ago, owner Rollin Amore told FFXnow yesterday (Wednesday).
“So far, we’ve been very well received, and I’m pretty pleased about that,” Amore said, noting that the business also recently expanded to Rockville, Maryland.
Started in Pentagon City in December 2021, Mimi’s is named after Amore’s youngest daughter and builds on gelato and sweets recipes passed down by his grandmothers. All of the ice cream is made in-house, and there are 32 flavors available at a time, many of them unusual.
While most flavors are the same at each location, there’s some variation between neighborhoods. For example, wasabi peas didn’t gain much traction in Arlington, but it has emerged as a favorite at the Merrifield store, whose customers tend to be “very discerning on quality,” Amore says.
“If you have a lot of children, the flavor selection will be a lot different than if you have Gen Xers or you have an older crowd, so it’ll vary depending on the demographics,” he said. “…Chocolate, butterscotch, Oreo sell great in every community, but some of the more unique flavors, each community has its own characteristics.”
In addition to ice cream scoops, the menu offers sundaes, milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches and hot drinks.
With foot traffic coming at a slower pace for the winter, Amore anticipates waiting for spring to schedule a grand opening event, which would be similar timing to the original Arlington store’s launch. The shop in Merrifield is open from noon to 9 p.m. on Mon through Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Also found in Chevy Chase’s The Heights food hall, Mimi’s has a fifth location in the works at Pinecrest Plaza in Lincolnia. Amore says the team hopes to open that shop in the summer.
Coming in the new year to the Mosaic District will be the Beaufort Bonnet Company, a children’s clothing store that says it expects to open in late February or early March. In addition, the Asian street food chain Hawkers will take over the former Four Sisters restaurant, but an opening time frame hasn’t been confirmed.
