The Boston Market in McLean is closed for good, according to the property’s realtor.
Though it is unclear when or why the company decided to shutter the location (1408 Chain Bridge Road), another Boston Market shuttered recently in Arlington.
Tysons Reporter reached out to Boston Market’s corporate office for comment and has not received a reply.
The chain served home-style food like chicken, meatloaf and a variety of sides, according to the website, which no longer lists the Arlington and McLean locations. The closest one now is in Fairfax, according to the website.
Image via Google Maps
A nation-wide shortage of hand sanitizer due to COVID-19 prompted Falls Church Distillers to change their alcohol production practices to meet local demand.
Now months later, the distillery not only managed to boost production of its Aim High Sanitizer by expanding its facility and workforce but also developed a health guide to help community businesses implement new “best practices” issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The distillery can produce roughly 2,000 gallons of hand sanitizer on a weekly basis, but the distillery’s owner Michael Paluzzi said that a shortage of containers — not ingredients and the production facility — limit their operations, especially for smaller 6 and 8 oz. bottles.
Staff use “whatever we can get our hands on,” Paluzzi said, adding that they usually order from various wholesalers each day because of purchase caps imposed by the high demand.
For front line workers, homeless shelters, various charities and restaurants, the distillery sells larger quantities, like 5-gallon buckets, of the sanitizer, spokesperson Meghan Morgan said.
For people with specific requests, Morgan said that the distillery can slightly alter the sanitizer for people who want various scents like lavender or eucalyptus, which cut the plain “vodka-like scent.”
Right now, Paluzzi said that their priority is helping to supply businesses and restaurants with hand sanitizer so they’re able to reopen safely.
“We have a lot of retail that are reaching out to us now — a lot of recreation centers, gyms, dental offices and all kinds of surgical centers,” Morgan said, adding that the distillery has also been in touch with the U.S. Postal Service.
For individuals interested in picking up hand sanitizer, to-go food and drink or bottles of liquor, they can visit Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street) Thursday-Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
Regarding the community health guide, Paluzzi said that it is an evolving document that takes into consideration best practices and new information from the CDC to keep both workers and guests safe.
Throughout the four weeks it took to compile the document, Morgan said that they consulted the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce and the Fairfax County Health Department.
“We’ve gone out of our way with qualified individuals, including Dr. Kallie Stavros on our staff, to take the CDC guidance and Fairfax County guidance to create a living document of sorts that we will continue to mature over time,” Paluzzi said, adding that is is available for free to any retailer who asks.
Photo courtesy Falls Church Distillers
Later today (Thursday), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider allowing easier expansion of outdoor dining and exercise activity.
Fairfax County announced the meeting yesterday following news that the county will start easing COVID-19 restrictions on businesses on Friday (May 29).
The meeting’s only agenda item is the emergency ordinance, which would temporarily allow “the expanded use of outdoor space for outdoor dining and for outdoor fitness and exercise activities, all under specified conditions and without the need for individualized determinations.”
The ordinance would kick in when the county starts the first phase on Friday of the governor’s reopening plan.
The meeting is set to start at 3 p.m.
Fire at Falls Church Home — Fairfax County firefighters responded to a house fire in the 7100 block of Shreve Road yesterday and got the fire under control. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue/Twitter]
Greasy Problem at Silver Diner — “Silver Diner filed the lawsuit against Tech 24, a Greenville, South Carolina-based restaurant equipment and services firm, after Silver Diner claims the vendor intentionally flooded several of the restaurants’ grease traps in what it called a ‘retaliatory’ move.” [Washington Business Journal]
More Liquor To-Go — “The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) is now offering curbside pickup for online orders at 370 stores across the commonwealth.” [Inside NoVa]
Fairfax Connector can help folks get around the Cedar Lane Bridge reconstruction project – and to destinations nearby in Tysons & Mosaic on routes 462 & 467. And -bonus! – service is expanded and free for duration of the six-month project. https://t.co/WGkiqOrkbU pic.twitter.com/JZCPXUqD53
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) May 27, 2020
The MacMillan Whisky Room is trying to fill a void in the local dining scene: late-night food and drinks.
The Mosaic District restaurant and bar has always focused on offering options for diners hungry past 10 p.m., but staying open late now as the coronavirus pandemic continues gives the MacMillan Whisky Room an extra advantage.
“We’re open at least one to two hours later than everyone else [in the area],” Derek Anderson, who co-owns the bar along with his wife Emma Hand, told Tysons Reporter.
Currently, the restaurant is open 5-11 p.m. on Sundays and Thursdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, but Anderson said those hours might get extended once the patio seating opens this Friday (May 29).
The MacMillan Whisky Room reopened on Saturday for its one-year anniversary and to attract Memorial Day diners after being closed since March, Anderson said.
“It was kind of important to us for our one year anniversary,” Anderson said. “It was a symbolic way to come back.”
Currently, carry-out and a limited delivery service are available. The menu features small plates like tater tots and beef sliders, cocktails including gimlets and margaritas, wine, beer and “hearty fare,” which consists of steak and Guinness pie for $14.
People who order drinks will get their cocktails already mixed in 6 oz. custom bottles, which may come with garnishes on the side. “People seem to like that more than the red solo cup,” Anderson said. “We’re trying to keep it classy.”
The owners decided to not use third-party delivery services due to increased liability with alcohol deliveries, the percentages they take, along with “other issues.” Instead, they are opting to deliver to people living in the Merrifield area. “It’s going to be where we can walk,” he said.
The reopening is helping them prepare for when Northern Virginia starts to ease business restrictions.
“We’ve already set up our outdoor seating area,” he said, noting that the tables are spaced 6 feet apart.
Anderson is hoping that diners “don’t want to storm the patio.”
“If they come back too quickly, it will come back to an increase in cases,” he said, adding that he wants customers to know that restaurant staff — at his place and others — “are facing health threats from these big crowds.”
Now that he’s received a Paycheck Protection Program loan during the second round in early May, he expects that they will slowly rehire more staff. So far, they have brought back six of the 25 people who worked there in pre-COVID times.
“That was the hardest part of all of this,” he said about letting all of the employees go when the restaurant closed. Currently, they are prioritizing rehiring people who haven’t found new jobs, left the area or aren’t receiving unemployment benefits.
“With the nature of our carry-out business now, we’re not having as many bartenders,” he said.
Since the PPP loan is primarily meant to pay employees, Anderson said that the Small Business Administration loan they got “is what is really allowing us to ride out the delays.”
They’re also eyeing Fairfax County’s new loan programs to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
As long as everyone stays safe, Anderson is hopeful that the business will bounce back.
“We think we’re going to ride this out pretty well,” he said.
Photo via MacMillan Whisky Room/Facebook
Nightlife is zilch in Tysons at the moment due to the pandemic. After a brief hiatus, the “Tysons After Dark” series is back to highlight different online activities from local organizations and offerings from eateries that keep people busy once the sun goes down.
People living in the Tysons area can find local restaurants serving up large meals that they can eat at home over Memorial Day weekend.
Founding Farmers Tysons announced it is hosting an all-day brunch for each day of Memorial Day Weekend. The menu provides enough food to feed 4-6 people and costs $100.
People get to choose their bread, house made pasta, fruit and salad, meat, bread pudding French toast, chips and dips, eggs and desserts. Additions, including alcohol and sides, may be included for an extra cost.
The Vienna Inn is offering a to-go shrimp platter for Memorial Day, according to its website. People can choose from two different flavors: easy-peel spiced shrimp or a lightly seasoned shrimp cocktail. People can order by calling 703-938-9548.
Coastal Flats in Tysons is offering curbside take-out and a delivery menu of steaks, ribs, burgers, sandwiches, sides, to-go cocktails and beer, according to its website.
Ted’s Bulletin in Merrifield offers all-day breakfast, which is available for delivery or pick-up. The restaurant has savory items such as eggs and biscuits and sweeter things like pancakes and French toast, according to the website.
Northside Social in Falls Church has a variety of brunch-like toasts, salads, bowls, pastries and soups, according to its website.
Patsy’s American in Tysons is open for take-out and delivery, according to the website, adding that the restaurant has options of fish, steak, sandwiches and sides to eat at home.
The McLean Family Restaurant is still open during the pandemic for takeout, according to its website. The location offers comfort food like burgers, sandwiches and fish. People can call (703) 356-9883 to place an order.
Anyone who is interested in ordering from their favorite restaurant this holiday weekend can also inquire directly with the restaurant to see if they have any special deals available.
Photo via Vienna Inn/Facebook
A list started by a woman to “help local businesses in McLean get the word out” quickly became a resource naming roughly 300 businesses and charities in the D.C. area.
The project, created by Lori Boerner, consists of a Google Doc and map, so people either seeking assistance or wanting to help during the pandemic can efficiently find an organization that suits their needs.
Perusing the information provided, people will see a places collecting donations, restaurants offering takeout and delivery, fitness centers offing online classes, retail stores with curbside drop off and even corporate companies that are offering free services.
Part of Boerner’s inspiration for the project came from chatter from local forums and social media. She noticed that people wanted to help those in need but lacked a direct, coordinated list of resources.
“It was initially time-consuming,” she said, adding formatting the information and researching places took a substantial amount of time.
Now that the list is somewhat complete, she told Tysons Reporter that she still spends a few early mornings a week before work to update it with tips sent to her.
For example, the mother of a McLean teenager that works at Sweet Bites Café & Bakery told Boerner to help get the word out that the bakery is still open since its business has slowed substantially.
“A lot of it feeds upon itself — once people see it, they send things in,” Boerner said, especially since the list’s popularity continues to grow.
Since its creation, the list has been promoted by regional organizations such as the McLean Citizens Association, which Boerner is a member of.
Boerner had practice coordinating a similar list after she made one to assist people during the government shutdown in 2019.
“Things are different now and people are helping in any way they can,” Boerner said, adding that not everyone may be able to donate financially, but they can promote resources through social media channels and networks.
Image via Google Maps
Northern Virginia still has a few weeks to go before Fairfax County and neighboring localities might be able to start easing COVID-19 restrictions on businesses.
The rest of Virginia started the first phase of Gov. Ralph Northam’s reopening plan on Friday. When Northern Virginia hits the targetted COVID-19 measures, restaurants will be able to offer outdoor seating at 50% capacity.
As temperatures rise, outdoor dining — whether at home or at a local eatery — will allow people to soak up the sun and stay out of stuffy or air-conditioned rooms.
While the date for the first reopening phase in N. Va. is still uncertain, we want to know if you will feel comfortable dining outside at a restaurant. Let us know in the poll below and discuss it further in the comments section.
Grab the shakers, mixers and some ice because today (May 13) is World Cocktail Day.
The holiday was popularized by Drinkaware, a United Kingdom-based charity that raises awareness of alcohol abuse and encourages responsible drinking practices.
Though there is no “official” way to celebrate the holiday, people around Tysons can get creative in a variety of ways. Options include picking up a to-go cocktail from dozens of different eateries and bars, supporting Virginia distilleries or even crafting their own cocktails from ingredients at home.
The term “cocktail” originated in the early 1800s and was defined as “stimulating liquor with a wide variety of sweets, waters, and bitters,” according to The Balance, and Columbian Repository. The drink type only reached peak popularity after prohibition when people didn’t have easy access to high-quality alcohol and wanted to make drinks more palatable, the Days of the Year website said.
“The ‘Bee’s Knees’ cocktail was actually created to mask and sweeten the taste of illegally brewed bathtub gin,” Days of the Year said. “The roaring twenties took the cocktail and shook it up into some of our most popular modern-day cocktails.”
Tysons Reporter previously did a roundup of local places offering to-go cocktails.
Falls Church Distillers sells bottles of whiskey, rum, vodka and brandy.
Peruvian restaurant Inca Social regularly posts bartending and cooking classes on Facebook. In past weeks, the staff taught viewers how to make things like “Passion Chilcano,” which contains pisco Peruvian liquor, limes, passionfruit syrup and ginger ale.
For anyone who doesn’t drink or is underage, there are also a myriad of mocktail options online too.
Happy #WorldCocktailDay https://t.co/I4qNr2Prpg
— Condé Nast Traveller (@cntraveller) May 13, 2020
Photo via Kobby Mendez on Unsplash
Pike 7 Plaza in Tysons and Idylwood Plaza and Tysons Station in the Falls Church area will soon have a contact-less pick-up program for their restaurants.
Federal Realty’s Pick-Up program launches next Friday, May 15 in the D.C. area, to allow curbside pick-up for eateries at its properties, according to a press release from Mittie Rooney at the Axiom Communications Group.
“The program is made available to all tenants and customers looking for comfortable ways to return to shopping at their favorite stores,” the press release said. “Customers will be able to place orders directly with stores by phone or on-line, and arrange for same day pick-up, or a time most convenient to them.”
Federal Realty’s three shopping centers in the Tysons area will have the program by the end of the month, Rooney said.
“We see this as a long-term solution to finding even more convenient ways for customers to shop,” Stuart Biel, the senior vice president of regional leasing for Federal Realty, said in the press release.
