Can you believe it’s halfway through the first month of 2020? Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

New Brews Taking Over Mad Fox Space — “The 5,000 square-foot restaurant space in the 400 block of West Broad in Falls Church that was vacated by the closing of the Mad Fox Brewing Company last July will soon be filled with a new brew operation known as Solace Outpost.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Projects Causing Lane Closures Along Route 123 — “One of the projects, scheduled to start Monday, Jan. 13, will cause disruptions on Route 123 around the McLean Metro station… About a mile west from that spot is where the other Route 123 project is located.” [WTOP]

What To Do About the Flu — The fire department has some resources for people who come down with the flu. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]

Spotlight on Mosaic District — The Washington Post highlighted the Merrifield development for its real estate section. [The Washington Post]

I didn’t realize how tall the new Mason High was going to be pic.twitter.com/fyFNWIRZhM

— Falls Church Views (@fallschurchview) January 7, 2020

Sneak Peek: Tysons Reporter has information on the tenant that will be filling a soon-to-be-vacant spot in Idylwood Plaza, so check back later today to find out what it is.

Have a great Tuesday and look out for Morning Notes again on Friday.

Vienna officials recently voted on new zoning changes in order to proceed with work on Vienna’s new police station.

The Vienna Planning Commission held a meeting on Jan. 8, where community members could give feedback about the classification changes to town-owned parcels of land at 440 Beulah Road NE and 114 Locust Street SW. 

The town bought the parcels in 2013 and 2018.

“The Town intends to demolish the existing vacant house [at Locust Street] and combine the lot with the 215 Center Street South parcel, which currently houses the Bowman House and the existing Police Department facility,” according to the staff report.

The property on Beulah Road is meant to serve as a temporary police station while the new one is built.

Commissioners said that the lots need to be rezoned for governmental use — in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan — before crews break ground on the project on police station project.

While commissioners talked about adjusting the language, ultimately Commissioners Mary McCullough and Sarah Couchman defended the way it was written. 

“This town has every intention of building a new police facility, and our Comprehensive Plan is supposed to lead the future direction of what we want to see done,” McCullough said. 

Couchman echoed her sentiment, adding that the town likely wouldn’t have purchased the land on Locust Street had they not intended to build a police station there.

The Planning Commission voted to recommend the zoning changes in the Comprehensive Plan for both lots to the Vienna Town Council.

The conversation will continue regarding the language in the plan, though. The commissioners asked town staff to look into how things like this have been addressed in the past, citing case studies around Tysons Corner.

Image via Town of Vienna

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!

Wednesday (Jan. 15)

• VSA Teas’n You Fundraiser — 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. at Teas’n You (8032 Leesburg Pike) — Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Vietnamese Student Association at Virginia Tech. Anyone who stops by for bubble tea or a snack can show the event page or mention the VSA to donate a section of their purchase to the group.
• Floral Arrangement Class — 7-9 p.m. at Northside Social (205 Park Avenue) — Galleria Florist will host a sip and design class taught by Alisa Rabinovich. People will learn to make a table arrangement. The class cost is $60 and includes a glass of wine.

Thursday (Jan. 16)

• Non-Obvious Book Launch — 7-9 p.m. at La Sandia (7852 Tysons Corner Center) — Rohit Bhargava will release the next book in his series at this event. People are encouraged to wear yellow in support of the author and to celebrate his birthday, which happens to be on the day of the event.  Tickets range in price from free to $79, which includes signed copies and other swag.
• Penny University: Preparing to Travel to Iceland — 7-8 p.m. at Caffe Amouri Coffee Roaster (107 Church Street NE) — People planning a trip to Iceland are welcome to join for a conversation that helps them prepare a packing list for their upcoming trip. Staff from REI will be at the event assisting anyone with questions. This event is free and people can RSVP for a spot.

Friday (Jan. 17)

• Bailen at Wolf Trap — 8 p.m. at The Barns (1635 Trap Road) —  The group blends together folk-rock with pop influences to earn a spot on Sofar Sounds’ 2018 artist watch list. Tickets start at $22.

Saturday (Jan. 18)

• Be Fit McLean –– 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Avenue) — This event brings together exhibitors from around the area and will teach community members how to lead a more healthy life and incorporate dance, fitness, mental health and better eating habits into their daily routine. This event is free.
• Free Kettle Bell Class — noon to 1 p.m. at Functional Fitness (350 S. Washington Street) —  Every Saturday in January, Functional Fitness is hosting a free class for community members in order to promote wellness and allow people to try out the multi-functional workout.

Image via Bailen/Facebook

Paris Baguette is now open for business in The Boro development in Tysons.

The bakery-cafe recently opened at 8344 Broad Street, an employee told Tysons Reporter.

Paris Baguette has more than 80 locations across the U.S.

The location is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

Photos via Paris Baguette/Facebook

Patrons have until the end of the month to go to the Massage Heights in Idylwood Plaza.

The location is closing Jan. 31 at 7505 Leesburg Pike, Suite M, an employee said.

The staff at the location will transfer to the Alexandria location (3642 King Street) in the Bradlee Shopping Center, the employee said.

Started in 2004 in Texas, Massage Heights is a family-owned business with more than 140 locations in the U.S. and Canada, according to the company’s website.

Image via Google Maps 

Hat tip to Gary H.

“Super Tuesday” is in March — but Fairfax County is reminding voters about absentee voting and seeking election officers now.

Absentee voting for the 2020 presidential primary starts later this week on Friday, Jan. 17.

The deadline to register to vote in the March 3 primary is Feb. 10. People can check their voter eligibility on the Virginia State Board of Elections website.

Last week, the county announced that it needs 2,100 election officers for the primary.

The Office of Elections especially is looking for bilingual officers who speak Korean or Vietnamese for the Falls Church area, along with Annadel and Centreville, according to the county.

Election officers help set up voting equipment, check photo IDs and tabulate poll results. Compensation starts at $175 or people can choose to volunteer their time.

Vienna police say residents in the Town of Vienna have had their packages stolen recently by a masked person.

The package thefts occurred last Tuesday (Jan. 7) shortly before 1 p.m.

Vienna police say a package containing underwear was taken from a front porch in the 500 block of Plum Street SW.

A few minutes later, a package with jewelry was taken from a front porch in the 600 block of Birch Street SW, police said.

Security cameras caught the incidents on tape and showed “a masked individual,” police said. Vienna police believe the two incidents are related.

“The man fled the area in a vehicle that was driven by another unknown person,” police said about the second incident.

Photo via Facebook

A kids’ clothing store in D.C. is expanding to Tysons.

Signs say that Little Birdies Boutique is coming to a spot next to Saks Fifth Avenue on the third floor of Tysons Galleria.

The store first opened in Georgetown in 2014, according to the store’s website. Little Birdies Boutique announced the expansion to Tysons on Instagram last week.

The store “takes a southern approach to childrenswear offering nostalgic traditional clothing mixed in with fun playful styles,” the website says.

Shoppers can expect the new Tysons location to open sometime in March, according to the store’s Instagram.

Want to shop sustainably this year? The Tysons area has several consignment stores to check out.

Near Mosaic District, shoppers can find a wide selection of second-hand clothing for men, women and kids, household items, books and more at Unique.

The thrift store is located at a warehouse at 2956 Gallows Road. The store is open from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. every day except on Sundays, when it is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to Google.

Tysons Reporter spotted several skirts and books for under $5 during a recent visit.

Here’s where to find other thrift stores in the Tysons area:

Vienna:

• Oxanna Boutique (448 Maple Avenue E.): open until 6 p.m. on weekdays and closed on weekends
• Pennywise Thrift Store (214 Dominion Road NE): open until 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 5 p.m. on Saturdays
• Just Like New (145 Church Street NW, Suite 200): open until 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and closed on Sundays.
• Consignment Boutique (141 Church Street NW): contact about appointments
• Wardrobe Rescue (134 Church Street NW): open until 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sundays.
• Tuesday Morning (136 Maple Avenue W.): open until 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 6 p.m. on Sundays
• Vienna Jewelry (131 Maple Avenue W.): open until 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays

Merrifield and Falls Church area:

• The Back Dorr (2711 Dorr Avenue): closed Monday-Tuesday, open until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays
• Clock Tower Thrift Shop (2860 Annandale Road): open until 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sundays
• New To You, Inc. (108 W. Broad Street): open until 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and closed Sunday-Tuesday

McLean:

• Treasure Shop (6246 Old Dominion Drive): open until 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and closed on Sundays
• St. John The Beloved Thrift Shop (6420 Linway Terrace): contact for hours
• Fashion Exchange Consignment (6663 Old Dominion Drive): open until 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 5 p.m. on Saturdays
• Real Treasurez Consignment Shop (1355 Chain Bridge Road): open until 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sundays
• McLean Treasure Trove (1317-B Chain Bridge Road): contact about appointment

People will have to wait a few more weeks before they can enjoy a beer at The Casual Pint in the Falls Church area.

Owner Darren McClure previously told Tysons Reporter that The Casual Pint (6410 Arlington Blvd) was going to open yesterday with a grand opening party on Jan. 17, but said today (Jan. 10) that the opening has been delayed until later in January.

McClure said the spot is still awaiting inspections before it can open.

Inside The Casual Pint, employees were working on setting up the draft board, which offers guests more than two dozen drafts, which will occasionally rotate. Many of the options that will be available are locally sourced from breweries around Virginia.

McClure decided to open The Casual Pint on Arlington Blvd three years ago and has been working up to the location’s opening since.

People have already been knocking on the door, hoping the bar would be open, an employee told Tysons Reporter.

Once more people move into the Loren apartment complex next door, McClure said he expects the location to become a popular spot.

Just next door, BurgerIM, Jon Smith Subs and Orangetheory Fitness announced upcoming openings with window covers.

Construction crews were busy working outside, but it was unclear when any of the locations will open.