Around Town

The Mosaic District’s food scene is getting a shake-up.

First, Kreole Seafood and Cocktails permanently closed after July 14, less than a year after introducing its Creole-meets-Asian concept. Then, the Florida donut bakery, The Salty Donut, announced yesterday (Monday) that it will open its first Virginia location in the Merrifield neighborhood.


Around Town

When the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) handed out its annual awards celebrating the D.C. region’s food industry last night (Sunday), the winners included two restaurants that can be found in Fairfax County.

Fava Pot, an Egyptian restaurant in West Falls Church, won an award for Favorite Fast Bites, while Colada Shop, a Caribbean spot with a location in Merrifield’s Mosaic District, was named the area’s Hottest Sandwich Shop at the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala, which was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.


News

One of the best brews in the country can be found right in Fairfax County at Caboose Brewing Company, according to the judges of the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

The brewery, which owns and operates Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street) in Vienna and Caboose Commons (2918 Eskridge Road) near the Mosaic District in Merrifield, won a gold medal at the national competition, which announced winners in dozens of categories on July 9.


News

Two teens were arrested in Albemarle County last week in connection to an armed carjacking reported near the Silver Diner in Merrifield.

Officers were dispatched to the 8100 block of Porter Road around 6 a.m. for a robbery after a man called 911, stating that his black Toyota Camry had been stolen, according to the police scanner on Open MHz.


Fairfax County police logo (file photo)

Fairfax County police arrested a man yesterday (Thursday) for allegedly touching a 6-year-old child inappropriately at a playground in West Falls Church.

Officers were called to the Kingsley Commons Townhouses in the 7300 block of Arlington Blvd shortly after 7 p.m. in response to a report that a man “unlawfully touched” a child.

“Patrol officers were able to quickly locate the man and take him into custody,” the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Friday) in a press release.

Police say Victor Villalobos, a 47-year-old man from Merrifield, has been charged with aggravated sexual battery of a juvenile under the age of 13. He was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he’s being held without bond.

“Detectives are urging anyone who may have had unlawful contact with Villalobos or has information about this case to contact our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 4, and share any information they may have,” the FCPD said.


News

The owner and founder of The Fermented Pig, a beloved mainstay at local farmers’ markets, has died.

Josh Plante died unexpectedly on Wednesday, June 12, the artisanal meat supplier announced a day later on social media. Most of The Fermented Pig’s operations, including the recently opened Merrifield retail store, have closed “until further notice.”


News

Construction will begin this month on a facelift and amenity upgrades at the Pan Am Shopping Center in Merrifield, property owner and developer Federal Realty announced today (Thursday).

Scheduled to start in late June and finish by the end of this year, the renovation will “refresh and modernize” the 228,000-square-foot shopping center at 3089 Nutley Street SW, according to a press release.


News

Men arrested last fall in connection to two separate killings were both indicted on murder charges by grand juries today (Monday), the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney has announced.

Rami El-Sayed, a 34-year-old Vienna resident, per court records, faces a second-degree murder charge for allegedly killing Cara Abbruscato, a 40-year-old Fairfax resident who was found dead in Burke Lake Park’s campgrounds on Sept. 30, 2023.


News

Inova Health System appears to be narrowing its vision for the former ExxonMobil headquarters site in Merrifield to health care.

The nonprofit has “no immediate intention” of pursuing previously approved plans to turn the 117-acre campus at 8095 Innovation Park Drive into a mixed-use development, Inova President and CEO Dr. Stephen Jones recently told the Washington Business Journal.


Around Town

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).


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