(Updated 1/29/2020) Brio is closed in Tysons Corner Center, but the restaurant chain has not officially announced why.

The location closed Friday, according to an employee from the Fair Oaks Location (11750 Fair Oaks Mall). The employee was not able to provide specifics on why the restaurant closed.

A sign on the restaurant’s door said that guests are welcome to dine at the Fair Oaks location, which will remain open.

People could previously enjoy an array of Italian fare and kinds of pasta at the Tysons location, according to the chain’s website.

A server at an adjacent restaurant in Tysons Corner Center told Tysons Reporter that Brio closed because the restaurant was unable to renew its lease at the location.

“The closings of Brio and American Tandoor are for different circumstances and has no correlation to the vitality of Tysons Corner Center,” a spokesperson for Tysons Corner Center told Tysons Reporter on Jan. 29.

Tysons Reporter reached out to Brio’s headquarters and is awaiting comment on why the location closed.

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Jan. 28)

• Happy Hour and Pre-Valentines Soiree — 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Greenhouse Bistro (2070 Chain Bridge Road) — People can gather and make connections over a cocktail or snack. This event is free and hosted by the Savvy Business Network.
• Mark’s Pub Open Mic Night — 8 to 10 p.m. at Mark’s Pub (2190 Pimmit Drive) — Settle in for a night of standup comedy. People can enjoy half-priced burgers and beer specials, according to the event site. People can email event organizers if they want to perform.

Wednesday (Jan. 29)

• Cooking with Chef: Sushi — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Tower Club (8000 Towers Crescent Drive) — For $30 people can learn how to make sushi rolls and enjoy an evening of culinary delights. RSVP is required.
• Startup Social: Funding Your Startup Panel & Pitch — 6 to 9 p.m. at Office Evolution (8609 Westwood Center Drive) — Entrepreneurs from around Tysons are invited to come network, hear from successful founders and meet people within their networks. Tickets are $10.

Thursday (Jan. 30)

• International Guitar Night — 8 to 11 p.m. at The Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Road) — Music lovers are invited for an evening of live music featuring several performers. Tickets are $32-$37 and all ages are welcome. Doors open at 6:30 so people can settle in.

Saturday (Feb. 1)

• Tea Party — 3 to 6 p.m. at VABCinfo (8000 Westpark Drive) — The Vietnamese-American Business Council invites community members to gather and celebrate connections with dinner and drinks. RSVP is required.
• The Great Zucchini Magic Show — 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ecofunplay (8387 Leesburg Pike) — This interactive show allows young kids to experience magic and wonder while spending some free time in the gym. Tickets are $20.

Photo via Wolf Trap/Facebook

A group headquartered in Falls Church aims to get women “from the classroom to the board room” by offering developmental resources and networking opportunities.

With more than 1,000 members, the Women in Technology group (200 Little Falls Street) operates around the D.C. area and works with a large variety of age groups — including young girls and women at the height of their careers, according to its website.

“Our scope is to really network and support the advancement of women and girls in this specific area to enter STEM fields,” recently elected Board Member Cristine Gollayan said. “It’s for girls and women at any stage of their life.”

Gollayan’s own story with the group began around 2013 when she said she attended an event and eventually worked her way up the group’s leadership ladder.

Since then, she also served on the job fair committee board and was eventually elected into the WIT’s Board of Directors in 2018.

Gollayan currently works in Herndon as a senior manager for Sony’s Global Information Security team and said events hosted by WIT take place throughout the area, including Tysons — a central location for many of the organization’s volunteers.

WIT has several representatives, who happen to be women of color, on both its board of directors and the executive committee. But, the group doesn’t offer specific programs targeting women of color or transgender women.

Gollayan also said anyone who identifies as a woman is more than welcome to join.

“Anything we promote, we try to ensure that diversity and inclusion is an important piece,” she said.

Two of Gollayan’s favorite events include the leadership awards ceremony and STEM for Her Gala, which Gollayan also said she helps to plan, because the women at both of the events are “so poised and ready to rock and rule the world,” she said.

Other events run by the group include two seasonal job fairs a year, the Leadership Foundry and Girls in Technology. A full list of offerings can be found online.

For example, the Leadership Foundry is a nine-month-long program that teaches women to run board meetings and take on positions of power within their own companies. So far, 20 alumnae from the program have ended up on boards within a corporation, according to Gollayan.

Meanwhile, Girls in Technology is a subgroup within WIT that targets young girls considering careers in STEM.

The CyberPatriot Girls is a program through Girls in Technology that takes 6th-12th-grade girls and challenges them to participate in a “fast-paced and high-pressure” simulation that resembles a mock cyber-attack, according to Gollayan. It is hosted in partnership with the Air Force and the University of Maryland. In the activity, girls form teams and are expected to “protect national infrastructure” while learning technical skills, she said.

For people interested in the group, the next upcoming event, WIT.Connect, is coming up.

On Feb. 20 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., people will gather at Valo Park (7950 Jones Branch Drive) to network and learn about upcoming technological trends in healthcare. Attendees will have the chance to hear from speakers and WIT members.

Registration is $45 for WIT members or $55 for non-members.

Photo courtesy Cristine Gollayan

Two Orange Line Metro stations will be closed this weekend due to preparations for the upcoming summer shutdown, according to the WMATA website.

Both the Vienna and Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro stops will be closed on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 25-26) to let crews prepare for the Summer Platform Improvement Project, the website said.

The summer project will include the addition of slip-resistant tiles, updated LED lighting, charging ports and lit handrails.

This weekend, travelers can expect buses to replace trains between the Vienna and West Falls Church stops.

Besides those two stops, the Metro is scheduled to run trains every 12 to 15 minutes.

The Silver Line will not be affected by the work this weekend and will run on a normal schedule, according to WMATA.

Recently labeled by Forbes as a “hidden gem” getaway spot for travelers, Tysons has plenty of options for a vacation or staycation — especially for foodies.

Tysons is undergoing major rebranding by the Tysons Partnership and developers, who want to rethink the area as a major metropolitan destination. Along with new events hosted by Tysons Partnership also comes a push from Fairfax County itself to drive traffic to Tysons.

Visit Fairfax wants to increase tourism in Tysons by expanding conference centers around the area and educating people on the dining opportunities, according to the organization’s CEO Barry Biggar.

For people visiting Tysons — or who already live here and want to enjoy a staycation — the restaurant scene seems to be a big attractor.

Last week, Tysons Reporter asked readers what they’d prefer to spend extra money on in the area when it comes to leisurely activities. Of the responses, fine dining beat shopping for the most votes.

Biggar told Tysons Reporter in a recent interview that there are many upcoming restaurants that people might not know about in the area unless they work nearby.

If he took a vacation in the area, he said he would “sample at least two or three culinary opportunities” over the course of a weekend.

For example, Agora (7911 Westpark Drive) opened in July and serves up specialties from Turkey, Greece and Lebanon in a split-level eatery featuring Turkish decor. Entre prices range from roughly $10 to $15, according to the menu on the eatery’s website.

Agora is participating in the extended Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week, leeting foodies can take advantage of set lunch and dinner specials through Sunday (Jan. 26). For $35, guests can order a four-course dinner, which includes a sampler of htipiti, cacik, hummus, a choice of starter, a main meal and dessert.

Though not a new restaurant, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Steaks (7900 Tysons One Place) is participating in the restaurant week specials and offers fresh seafood with a high-class dining experience.

Diners can start with a caviar tasting for $169, which offers a trio of flavors. For the main course, people have the choice of various fishes, meats and a few vegetarian options. Salads, sides and drinks are also available.

For people on a budget who want to skip the $75+ seafood platters, there are other appetizers available, like the Hawaiian Yellowtail Sashimi for $19. The price of the main courses range from $36 to $90.

Gary Block, the chief investment officer of The Meridian Group, said at a Bisnow event in Tysons last week that Eddie V’s “is packed” on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Anyone craving breakfast can check out Founding Farmers (1800 Tysons Blvd), which has multiple locations around the D.C. area — each offering various deals and specials, according to the website.

The $33 breakfast buffet cost includes unlimited fried shrimp and green tomatoes, brisket, bacon, eggs in every style, pancakes, breakfast breads, fried chicken, grits, gravy, potatoes, salads and desserts. If the unlimited buffet isn’t ideal, the restaurant also offers single plates, sides and à la carte options.

The eatery also serves up mimosas, bloody mary drinks and other cocktails for $10.

The food options continue to diversify in Tysons — both in price ranges and cuisine.

From the upcoming openings of a new concept from the owners of the now-closed Tysons Biergarten and restaurants like North Italia in The Boro to the arrival of City Works, three spots from Great American Restaurants and more in 2019, diners have a variety of choices.

Let us know in the comments below where you like to dine around Tysons.

Photo via Founding Farmers Tysons/Facebook

Editor’s Note: Tysons Reporter does not endorse any specific candidate for the upcoming 2020 election. 

With the upcoming November presidential elections, several candidates have campaign offices and events in Tysons’ backyard.

Tysons Reporter found local groups, campaign offices and activities supporting three Democratic presidential candidates.

Elizabeth Warren

The headquarters for Elizabeth Warren’s Virginia campaign located in the heart of  Falls Church at 450 W. Broad Street.

The campaign is looking for volunteers to canvas later this week on Saturday (Jan. 25) and Sunday (Jan. 26), as well as on Feb. 1 and 2. Each day there will be two timeslots from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 12 until 3 p.m. Sign-up is available online.

Also this Saturday and Sunday, there will be a phone bank at a Starbucks in Vienna (362 E. Maple Ave) from 1 to 3 p.m.

For those wanting to canvas for Warren in Vienna, there will be a group meeting at Starbucks (362 E Maple Ave) this Saturday from 10 to 1 p.m. and 12 to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m.

Andrew Yang

Every Monday, the MATH Mondays Organizing Night brings people together in support of Andrew Yang’s campaign.  The event begins at 6 p.m. at Urbanspace (2001 International Drive) and lasts until 9 p.m.

Attendees can get involved with the campaign at various levels, depending on interest.

“This includes texting, making calls and writing letters to Iowa voters as well as orientations on how you can recruit your friends and help the NoVA Leadership Team with local events and activities,” according to the event page.

Anyone considering volunteering is advised by the event page to bring their phone and laptop.

Bernie Sanders

Although there isn’t a central office in the area, staffers and supporters of Bernie Sanders are hosting events in the area.

On Sunday (Jan. 26), the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Bernie group will be canvasing at the Lunar New Year Celebration in Tysons Corner Center from 11:50 a.m. until 4 p.m., according to Bernie Sanders’ campaign website.

The Bernie Sanders campaign is also hosting an event around 7 p.m. in Pimmit Hills (2021 Griffith Road) to organize individuals who want to spread knowledge of the campaign to friends and family.

Attendees will walk away with the skills to rally others, according to the event listing.

Nearby, President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg have campaign offices in Arlington.

Photo via  Element5 Digital on Unsplash

(Updated 1/27/20) The Traveling Players Ensemble now has its first permanent indoor facility since the organization’s founding 18 years ago. And it’s in Tysons.

Located in Tysons Corner Center, adjacent to the former Lord and Taylor spot on level one, the 42,000-square-foot studio serves as a practice spot for kids involved in the theater group, according to Jeanne Harrison, the founder and artistic program director of Traveling Players.

The studio opened on Jan. 11 and Harrison said it hosted 10 events within the first three days.

The studio’s current location in the mall previously held a restaurant called the Magic Pan in the 80s’ where Harrison said she was both a waitress and hostess in 1987 and 1988.

On weekends, roughly 30 kids participating in the program will gather and practice for upcoming performances, according to Harrison.

In March, Traveling Players Ensemble will debut two performances at Tysons Corner Center, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Students put in anywhere from three to upwards of six hours of work per week at the facility, depending on age, Harrison said.

With a 70% retention rate between age groups, Harrison said Traveling Players Ensemble’s retention rate is high because the group focuses on the students’ development.

“They get what I like to call ‘experiential learning,'” she said. 

Going forward, the center will host a spring break camp as well as summer camps.

“We are baby-stepping our way through this,” Harrison said, adding that they are still figuring out requirements for indoor practice — which is a shift from the group’s typical outdoor programming.

Parents who register their kids before Feb. 11 will receive a competitive discount, according to Harrison.

Photo courtesy Jeanne Harrison

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Jan. 21)

• W&M Tysons Corner Book Club — 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) — The William and Mary Book Club invites alumni and friends to read “The Martian” by Andy Weir. People are encouraged to come early and grab food for the meeting.
• Disruption & Innovation Club Happy Hour — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Tower Club (8000 Towers Crescent Drive) — This event invites people from around the community to network and meet new people. Tickets are $15 for members and $35 for non-members. RSVP is required.

Friday (Jan. 24)

• Casual Pint Grand Opening — 4 to 11 p.m. at the Casual Pint (6410 Arlington Blvd) –– Throughout the evening of the grand opening, The Casual Pint will be giving prizes away along with free growlers to the first 50 customers.

Saturday (Jan. 25)

• Vienna Theatre Company: “Cinderella”— 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Vienna Community Center (120 SE Cherry Street) — This production is about an adaption of the Grimm Brothers’ classic fairy tale “Cinderella.” All ages are welcome to these matinee performances and tickets are $15 at the door.
• Junior Girl Scout Workshop: Coding for Good –– 3 to 6 p.m. at Code Ninjas (510 S. Washington Street) — This event invites local troops to learn about STEM and computer science while learning badges. Sign-up online is required.

Sunday (Jan. 26)

• Lunar New Year  — noon to 4 p.m. at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — From Visit Fairfax, this event will feature the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe and the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. This event is free and open to the public.
• Tysons Corner Comic Book Show 2020 — 10 a.m. at DoubleTree Hotel (1960 Chain Bridge Road) — This event will feature comic books, pokemon and magic cards, toys, original art, vintage and present-day sports cards and sports memorabilia. Admission is $3 for adults and free for kids under 12.
• McLean Chocolate Festival — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — Attendees can expect a children’s game room and live entertainment while enjoying sweets from local chocolatiers. Admission is $2, but kids ages 3 and under can attend for free.

Photo via Unsplash 

Shoppers have until the end of the week to check out the latest fashion pop-up at Tysons Corner Center before it closes.

Until Sunday (Jan. 26), people can stop at Rent the Runway on level two of the mall and browse the selection of women’s fashion or try on clothes from a variety of designers.

Rent the Runway is known for its clothing rental subscription service but a store spokesperson said that the company set up this pop-up so people can become familiar with the quality of high-end brands that are offered and purchase pieces.

The store offers women’s clothing and apparel including gowns, jackets, shirts, pants, skirts, jewelry and handbags. Rent the Runway is offering steep discounts for shoppers on every item in the store.

“A lot of the gowns usually retail for over $1,000,” Remi Perryman, a store associate said. 

Tysons Reporter found a Badgley Mischka golden sequined floor-length ballgown for $111 with an original retail price of $650 as well as a brightly colored pink and maroon Atlein mini-dress for $224 that originally sold for $1,610.

When setting up the pop-up, Perryman told Tysons Reporter that associates unpacked about 300 boxes worth of items.

Around 700 people RSVP’d for the opening event, according to Perryman, who added that the store sees a large age range of customers from people in their 20s all the way into their 60s.

“We cater to a lot of people,” she said. 

The store carries sizes from XS (or zero) to XL (12-14).

Rent the Runway has a permanent store in Georgetown (3336 M Street NW), and a few associates who work at that store said they’ve seen a lot of familiar faces visit the Tysons Corner Center location.

Bella Loose is a long-time Rent the Runway customer who said she visits the Georgetown location frequently and decided to make her way to the pop-up on Friday afternoon. 

“I heard about it and wanted to come to see if I could get some deals,” Loose said, holding multiple dresses as she wandered around the store.  

Though she said she wasn’t seeking anything specific at the time, she found some unique items that she hadn’t seen from Rent the Runway before.

 Anyone hoping to visit the location for the final week can go from 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. today-Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Updated 1/20 — Corrects the hours for Caboose Brewing’s locations in Vienna and Merrifield.

With the shake-up of breweries and nightlife in Tysons, people are seeking new places to go for a beer with friends or colleagues.

Though Tysons Biergarten closed in November, there are several upcoming spots that opened in the last few weeks or are preparing to open. Tysons Reporter compiled a list of local breweries and bars around the area that people can check out if they want to grab some beer.

Tysons

Whole Foods recently became the epicenter of The Boro with its High Point pub. Open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., seven days a week, the location caters to lunchtime and happy hour crowds.

The pub offers a full range of drinks, including cocktails, wines and also more than 16 local brews from around Virginia.

Located in Tysons Corner Center, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant (7861 Tysons Corner Center) brews its beers on-site and even offers a view of its brewing facilities and brewery tours. It is open daily from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Watering hole Tysons Social in the DoubleTree Tysons (1960 Chain Bridge Road) offers local craft brews. The tavern is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Xtreme Wings and Bar (8119 Watson Street) has specials and events for people looking for something to do while they enjoy a beer. It offers karaoke on Tuesday and Saturday nights, according to the website, which added the location is open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. seven days a week.

A self-proclaimed pour house, City Works (1640 N. Capital One Drive) has around 90 locally crafted beers on tap. A full list can be found on the bar’s website but there are brews likely to appease even the pickiest beer snob. City Works is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Falls Church

The Casual Pint in Falls Church (6410 Arlington Blvd) opened earlier this week and offers dozens of various Virginia based brews. Locally owned and operated by Darren McClure, guests can enjoy the low-key atmosphere, which includes wooden tables and a colorful draft list. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday and from 11 a.m. until 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. (2822 Fallfax Drive) is a Nano brewery, which brews beers from IPAs to kolschs. People can find a taco stand inside along with indoor and outdoor seating. Hours vary each day of the week but can be found on the location’s website.

Audacious Aleworks Brewery and Taproom (110 E. Fairfax Street) specializes in small-batch ales. The taproom in downtown Falls Church has up to 20 beers on tap at any given time along with free popcorn and board games.

Dominion Wine and Beer (107 Rowell Court) has a well-regarded bar above the store, serving wine, beer and food, while offering growler fills to go.

It is open Monday through Thursday 4 until 9 p.m., Fridays from 4 p.m. until 12 a.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. until 12 a.m. and Sunday from 12 to 8 p.m.

Merrifield and Vienna

Sweetwater Tavern (3066 Gate House Plaza) has a microbrewery is located in Merrifield where visitors can find hand-crafted brews and lunch and dinner menus. Hours of operation are different each day of the week and can be found online.

Caboose Common (520 NE Mill Street) in Merrifield has tons of open seating for people to enjoy drafts brewed on-site. The industrial-style setting is multi-functional and allows people to use the location as a co-working space during the day and as an after-work hangout spot.

The location is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 9:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.

Caboose also has a brewpub called Caboose Tavern in Vienna (520 Mill Street NE) off of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Caboose Tavern is open from 4-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, from noon to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Coming Soon

The owners of Tysons Biergarten closed the previous location in anticipation of The Shipgarten at Scotts Run, which will include a beer hall. It will likely open in the spring.

Solace Outpost is looking to start brewing its own beer in the former space of Mad Fox in Falls Church in May.

Photo via Giovanna Gomes on Unsplash

Catherine Douglas Moran contributed reporting