For the first time, City Works will soon host “Brew U Beer School,” a free four-week event teaching guests about different types of beer.

The “school” will have four sessions, each from 6-7 p.m. on Mondays, from Feb. 10 until March 2 at the restaurant (1640 Capital One Drive North), according to a press release.

Each session will be led by beer industry experts and breweries. The event is for “anybody and everybody who wants to learn about beer,” according to spokesperson Colleen Rooney.

“We really want to engage the local community and get them more interested in beer,” Rooney said.

While people can choose whether or not to attend all of the sessions, the more workshops attended will increase people’s chances of winning a raffle for either a $100 City Works gift card or tickets to the Washington Nationals Home Opener and World Series Ring Ceremony.

Here are the topics attendees can expect to learn about at each of the sessions:

• Feb. 10 with Allagash Brewery: the history of beer and how to pour and serve beer correctly
• Feb. 17 with Vasen Brewing: different styles of beer, how to pair beer with food and how to cook with beer
• Feb. 24 with DC Brau: how beer is made with different brewing processes and ingredients
• March 2 with Old Ox and Premium Distributing: beer distribution and draft systems

The sessions are free “to make it accessible to the wider community,” Rooney said. People interested in “Brew U Beer School” can register online.

Omina Technologies, a company focused on artificial intelligence, has opened its first U.S. headquarters in Tysons.

The company recently announced the new location at 1750 Tysons Blvd, Suite 1500, saying that the local area’s diverse high-technology companies will help Omina grow quickly.

Based in Belgium, Omina Technologies also has an office in Miami, according to a statement. Omina Technologies offers AI training for business people, consulting and an AI platform.

“The decision to expand our presence into Washington’s high-tech corridor was a logical step in our business growth strategy,” Brian Alexander, Omina Technologies’ CEO North America, said in a statement.

Photo via Omina/LinkedIn

Tysons’ 1st Stage Theatre has nabbed 18 Helen Hayes Awards nominations — making it the second most nominated theater this year in the D.C. area.

The awards, which were announced last night, recognize excellence in professional theatre in the D.C. area.

The awards are split into two main categories: the “Hayes” for productions featuring a majority of theater union members and the “Helen” for productions with fewer union members.

The Tysons theater trailed Olney Theatre Center’s 27 nominations for the most for any theater.

Here is the full list of nominations:

• “Airness” with Keegan Theatre — Outstanding Choreography in a Play, Outstanding Sound Design, James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play, Outstanding Choreography in a Play
• “columbinus” — Outstanding Lighting Design, Outstanding Sound Design, Outstanding Direction in a Play, Outstanding Ensemble in a Play, James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play, Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
• “The Brothers Size” — Outstanding Production in a Play, Outstanding Set Design, Outstanding Sound Design, Outstanding Direction in a Play, Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play, Outstanding Production in a Play
• “The Royale” with Olney Theatre Center — Outstanding Choreography in a Play, Outstanding Sound Design

Last year, 1st Stage won five of its 22 nominations.

The winners will be announced on Monday, May, 18, at the Anthem in D.C.

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

My kids spent most of the weekend outside enjoying our early spring — thanks Punxsutawney Phil!

I grew up in Upstate New York, so I’m no stranger to cold winter weather, but I will admit I don’t mind these mild January/February days! We live in an area that’s covered in secret wonders to explore, whether by yourself, with your dogs, or with you family.

There are some great options to get outside, walk off that Superbowl Hangover, keep up with your New Years resolutions and keep everyone sane from feeling cooped up inside.

Here are some of my favorite walking trails near Tysons:

1. The obvious, The W&OD Trail — You can jump on at so many junction points around town and make a day of it. Walk, run, bike etc to a nearby restaurant (like Caboose or Church Street Pizza), or head to the Community Center in Vienna, Spacebar in Falls Church or take it to Arlington and go explore the new Ballston Quarter.
2. Roosevelt Island — Located just off the GW Parkway in Arlington, we did this walk on New Years Day with my kids. It’s quiet, an easy walk, and a dose of some history to remember. If you like to skip rocks, the trail is surrounded by the Potomac River, so easy ways to walk down to the water and throw rocks, enjoy a beautiful view of Georgetown, and let the kids or dogs run.
3. Meadowlark Connector Trail — A small portion that diverges from the W&OD and leads you directly to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
4. Great Falls — Either the Virginia or Maryland side will offer a wonderful walk/hike and beautiful views. We love to pack some sandwiches and walk from one end to the other and find a big rock to sit on in the sun and enjoy the sounds of the falls. It’s really a beautiful thing to see and such an escape from our daily D.C. life, commute and chaos!
5. Scott’s Run Nature Preserve — Located in McLean just off Georgetown Pike, it also has some beautiful water views and cliff views of the Potomac River. We did this hike on New Years Day 2019 and I think we saw a total of 1 other person in 2 hours. It was such a nice quiet way to spend a few hours. Parking can be tricky if you don’t know where you’re going, so plan ahead.

Did I miss your favorite hidden spot? Share it with me below!

Tysons may not have the liveliest nightlife at the moment, but that could soon change as more late-night restaurants and places to hang out open. “Tysons After Dark” will highlight a different spot every week.

Rango’s Tex-Mex and Grill has party plans this weekend with its first anniversary on Saturday, followed by happy hour specials on Super Bowl Sunday.

The father and son-operated restaurant opened last year at 1934 Old Gallows Road to fill a taco and margarita void in Tysons, the owner told Tysons Reporter.

The restaurant serves up a variety of quesadillas, enchiladas, chimichangas and fajitas, along with margaritas, wine and daiquiris.

For Rango’s birthday celebration on Saturday (Feb. 1), diners can order 27 oz. margaritas for $12 and Mexican bottle beers — Corona, Negra Modelo, Modelo Especial and Pacifico — for $3. The restaurant will also have its regular happy hour specials from 3-7 p.m. at the bar.

For the Super Bowl on Sunday, the restaurant plans to offer several discounts during the game. For food, diners can get discounted chicken wings, BBQ ribs and carnitas. For drinks, the restaurant will have specials on its margaritas, sangria, mojitos, beers, wine and mixed drinks.

The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 10 p.m. on Sundays, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. Happy hour is from 3-7 p.m. at the bar every day.

Photo via Rango’s Tex-Mex and Grill/Facebook

Here are the latest stories about the Tysons area that the Tysons Reporter team has been reading:

McLean Estate Breaks Real Estate Records — “The 3.2-acre McLean estate that belonged to Jim Kimsey, the late co-founder of AOL, sold for $45 million on Friday… The sale price is significantly less than the $62.95 million the Chain Bridge Road home initially listed for in 2018, but it still marks the most expensive home sale ever for the region.” [Washington Business Journal]

Vision for Tysons — “Fairfax County is 10 years into transforming the Tysons area from a suburban office park to a multi-use area with park space. The county’s vision was to coincide with the Tysons Metro station, which opened in 2014.” [Local DMV]

Fitness Franchise Fundraises For Fires — “F45 Training Tysons, which opened at The Boro mixed-use development, is part of a fitness franchise based in Australia. Hillcrest Health, LLC, which operated the Tysons location along with the F45 Training Ashburn location, matched donations to raise a total of $1,810 for the franchise’s massive GoFundMe campaign.” [Patch]

Kids’ Entertainer Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges — “Steven Rossi, who used the stage name Mr. Knick Knack, was arrested last spring after officials found he had illegal images of children… For more than a decade, Rossi played songs for children at birthday parties and at Reston Town Center, Tysons Corner and Market Common in Clarendon. [NBC4]

The Mysterious Case of the Dying Oaks — “With native oak trees appearing unseasonably ill and eventually dying off, speculation that a disease spreading throughout the region could be infiltrating Falls Church abounded. But despite a troubling eye test from residents, local experts have yet to reach the same conclusion.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Sneak Peek: New year and new stores for Tysons Corner Center — the mall has had some recent closures, but it’s filling up vacant spaces with newcomers. Later this morning, we’ll have more details for you.

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

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

The Tysons area is projected to have more than 50,000 new residents in 25 years.

Released in December, Fairfax County’s demographics report highlights current and past estimates, along with projections for future population growth.

Fairfax County is projected to have roughly 1.4 million residents by 2045 — about 240,000 more residents than in 2019.

Broken down by district, the data in the report that is mentioned below came from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Fairfax County Department of Management and Budget, according to the report.

The Providence District encompasses Tysons, Merrifield, Oakton and the area between the eastern border of the Town of Vienna and the western border of the City of Falls Church.

Providence District’s population is expected to spike the most of the county’s nine districts in 25 years, with roughly 57,000 more residents expected in 2045 than in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Hunter Mill District, which includes the Town of Vienna and Reston, is projected to welcome 56,000 new residents. (Stats for the Town of Vienna expect the population to increase by 191 residents.)

Other districts, like Sully, Mount Vernon and Mason, are projected to have an increase of roughly 20,000 residents, while the Braddock and Springfield districts are expected to see less than 10,000 new residents.

While the Tysons area is expected to have the biggest population increase, a Fairfax County press release noted that the data in the report shows that population growth overall is slowing down.

“While our population continues to increase, it’s at a slower rate than before, mirroring national trends as there are fewer births and more deaths nationwide,” the press release said. “Since the 2010 Census, Fairfax County’s population grew at 6.4% compared to Virginia’s 8% growth rate.”

Image (1) via Fairfax County, chart data via Fairfax County

Tysons may not have the liveliest nightlife at the moment, but that could soon change as more late-night restaurants and places to hang out open. “Tysons After Dark” will highlight a different spot every week.

Tysons has several gyms and fitness studios are people looking for places to exercise indoors.

Tysons Reporter did some research on gyms and fitness studios in the area and separated them into Tysons’ eight neighborhoods.

A few weeks ago, we looked at fitness options in Tysons West. This week, we’re profiling the ones in Tysons Central 7.

The newly opened F45 in The Boro offers a variety of classes: cardio every Monday, Wednesday and Friday; strength and resistance training on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and mixed-exercise classes on Saturdays. While most of the classes appear to be in the morning, people can take some at 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. on certain weekdays.

For late-night gym-goers, Crunch Fitness is open until 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. on Fridays and until 8 p.m. on the weekends. In addition to traditional gym offerings, Crunch Fitness has ballet barre and cycling classes.

Tysons Sport and Health (8250 Greensboro Drive) offers group fitness classes like cycling and yoga, along with racquetball, a kids’ club and indoor and outdoor pools. The gym is open from 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 a.m.-10 p.m. on Fridays, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturdays and from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays.

The Bar Method Tysons Corner (2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 185) is a boutique fitness studio that has two workout stations for barre and core exercise classes. People can choose between the Bar Method, Bar Advanced and Our Bar Move classes, which are 60 minutes, and the Bar Express class, which is 45 minutes. Classes are usually offered between 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays, between 8-11 a.m. on Saturdays and between 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays.

While not a gym, EMP 180 Weight Loss (8397 Leesburg Pike) has one-on-one coaching to help people with nutrition and weight loss.

Photo via F45/Facebook

DynCorp International, LLC has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle civil fraud allegations, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Located near the McLean Metro station, DynCorp is a global government services provider.

The allegations involve “two former DynCorp officials, Wesley Aaron Struble and Jose Rivera, who solicited and accepted kickbacks from an Iraqi subcontractor in connection with DynCorp’s lease of property for its operations in Baghdad, Iraq on behalf of the U.S. Department of State,” the press release says.

More from the press release:

Struble and Rivera previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to violating the Anti-Kickback Act for their role in soliciting and accepting at least $390,000 in cash kickbacks from the Al-Qarat Company in exchange for influencing DynCorp’s lease of property in Baghdad at a lease amount higher than the previous lease. The lease costs were included with services for international civilian policing that DynCorp billed under a U.S. Department of State contract in 2011 and 2012.

The settlement resolves the alleged liability of DynCorp for violation of civil penalties under the Anti-Kickback Act and the civil False Claims Act arising out of Struble’s and Rivera’s fraudulent conduct while employed by DynCorp.

The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of State Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Roushdy. The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

The company celebrated its new headquarters at 1700 Old Meadow Road in 2014.

Image via Google Maps