Taco Bamba is celebrating National Taco Day by challenging patrons to a contest raising money for Hurricane Dorian survivors.
This Friday (Oct. 4), each Taco Bamba location will host its second annual “Bambathon” competition to see which of the five locations in the D.C. and Northern Virginia areas will be able to sell the most tacos.
Anyone interested in participating can visit the two nearby Taco Bamba locations at Falls Church (2190 Pimmit Drive) and Vienna (164 W. Maple Avenue). Both locations are open from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Each location that serves 1,500 or more tacos will donate $1,000 to World Central Kitchen’s mission in the Bahamas, according to a press release.
Wold Central Kitchen aims to ease the effect of poverty and hunger. They have served more than 250,000 meals to Hurricane Dorian survivers so far, according to the website. “Meals are being delivered to community centers, clinics, churches, and into local neighborhoods that have been isolated by the storm.”
Restaurant patrons can track the progress of each location on Taco Bamba’s Instagram.
Photo via Taco Bamba/Facebook
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!
Monday (Sept. 30)
- Mr. Brown’s Park Dedication — 6-7 p.m. at former Downtown Park (100 block of W. Broad Street) — This event celebrates the transition from Downtown Park to Mr. Brown’s Park, which will now be named after the oldest business in the City of Falls Church. Local officials will be on-site commemorating the renaming.
Thursday (Oct. 3)
- Tysons Reporter Happy Hour — 5-7 p.m. at the Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — Celebrate Tysons Reporter’s first anniversary. Community members will have the chance to grab a drink or a slice of cake with the journalists behind the site. The first 50 attendees will receive a free drink. Rumor has it that there will also be free swag.
Friday (Oct. 4)
- Vienna Oktoberfest — 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at Historic Church Street (131 Church Street NE) — This 12th annual event offers visitors a variety of vendors, live music acts, food, kids activities and alcoholic beverages. It is free.
- WellieWishers™ Friendship Tea Party — 2-4 p.m. at American Girl Store (8090 Tysons Corner) — Kids 5 and up are welcome to gather for an afternoon of dining, crafts and a cupcake-decorating. Tickets are $13.50 per person.
- Block Party — 3-7 p.m. at Capital One Center (1640 Capital One Drive) — Capital One is hosting a block party with City Works Eatery and Pour House to celebrate the new mixed-use development space. There will be live music, games, food and drinks available. Admission is free and includes a free drink. There will be over 90 beers on tap.
Saturday (Oct. 5)
- Ribbon Cutting for Synthetic Turf Field — 10 a.m. at Larry Graves Park (300 Hillwood Avenue) — This event celebrates the grand opening of a field in Larry Graves Park that includes striping for several different sports. All are welcome to attend this free event.
- Moon Festival – Tet Trung Thu — noon-5 p.m. at Eden Center (6761 Wilson Blvd) — This Vietnamese festival invites the community to gather for an afternoon of colorful lantern displays, music, cultural performances and food. It is free and all ages are welcome to attend.
Sunday (Oct. 6)
- MPAartfest –10 a.m.-5 p.m. at McLean Central Park (1468 Dolley Madison Blvd) — This free event invites community members to check out pop-up art galleries, hands-on exhibits, food vendors and live music.
- Tysons Singles Seated Speed Dating — 7-9 p.m. at Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — Singles in the area are invited for an evening of mingling at the Tysons Biergarten. Event organizers request that attendees arrive before 7 p.m. for check-in. Tickets start at $15.
Image via Facebook/Eden Center
Passers-by may notice some new street art around Vienna.
Four local teens from Madison High School teamed up to paint three storm drains around the town last weekend. The works feature nature scenes and can be found outside the Freeman Store (131 Church Street NE).
Midge Biles, the chair for the Vienna Public Art Commission, said that the group often tries to partner with schools to sponsor art installations. For this project, the commission asked their student representative from Madison High School to recruit volunteers.
“The drains turned out beautifully and are all very different,” Biles said. “We are hoping to bring the message of environment and how it is all connected — what goes in the drain ends up in our oceans and has far-reaching effects on our water quality, sea life and beyond.”
The art should last for about six months, according to a tweet from the town.
The project required 10 gallons of paint which were donated by Vienna Paint (123 Lawers Road), Biles said.
In the future, she said that the group hopes to commission more paintings around town.
The Vienna Police Department is investigating two recent reports of stolen bicycles.
The first incident occurred between Thursday night and Friday morning (Sep.t 19-20). A Park Street SE resident reported that someone stole his bicycle from his front porch, police said.
Then on Sunday (Sept. 22) shortly before 6:30 p.m., a man parked his bicycle outside of the Exxon as 395 E. Maple Avenue while he ran in to make a purchase, police said. His bicycle was gone when he returned.
Aside from the stolen bicycles, Vienna police also responded to a report of a suspicious package that employees at Navy Federal Credit Union (820 Follin Lane SE) received in the mail on Monday (Sept. 23).
“The package was placed in a safe area, and the Fairfax County Police Bomb Squad responded to examine the package,” police said.
The bomb squad determined the package, which contained bank statements, was not a threat.
Photo via Facebook
Tysons Reporter’s first birthday is next week.
To celebrate, editor Catherine Douglas Moran and reporter Ashley Hopko will be working at a different coffee shop each day next week, so come by and say hello. (There will be free swag!)
Here’s where to find the editorial team from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.:
- Monday (Sept. 30): Star Nut Gourmet (1445 Laughlin Avenue)
- Tuesday (Oct. 1): Caffe Amouri (107 Church Street NE)
- Wednesday (Oct. 2): Mom and Pop (2909 District Avenue)
- Thursday (Oct. 3): Republik Coffee Bar (7915 Jones Branch Drive)
- Friday (Oct. 4): Rare Bird Coffee Roasters (230 W. Broad Street)
In addition to the newsroom pop-ups at local coffee shops, Tysons Reporter’s editorial and business teams are hosting a happy hour party at Tysons Biergarten next Thursday evening.
Can’t make it but still want to chat with us?
Shoot an email to [email protected] or submit an anonymous tip.
The Town of Vienna has now received the funding it needs for a $2 million stream restoration project.
The Board of Supervisors approved giving a little more than $1 million for the project to the town at its meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
“The project will restore approximately 1,900 linear feet of [the] stream on Bear Branch Tributary, providing nutrient reduction and improved water quality in the Accotink Creek watershed,” according to county documents.
Earlier this year, the Town of Vienna received a grant from the Department of Environmental Quality that will cover roughly half of the design and construction costs.
About half of the Bear Branch Tributary, which is apart of the Accotink Creek watershed, is located in the Town of Vienna.
The Accotink Creek Watershed Management Plan rates the Bear Branch Tributary’s condition as “very poor” and calls for a series of restoration projects, starting with retrofitting the stream channel on the upstream side of I-66 at Southside Park.
“The channel is over-widened with moderate to severe erosion along the stream banks,” according to the plan. “Restoration would include reducing the channel dimensions, raising the bed elevation and installing grade controls.”
After work is done on that portion, the plan calls for work on the stream from Hunter Road to Route 50 to stabilize the stormwater outfall structures and regrading eroded stream banks.
“Partnering with the town on this project will save the county the time and administrative costs that would be incurred if the county were to implement the project under its stormwater program,” according to county documents.
Image via Google Maps
Comic fans rejoice — today is National Comic Book Day. Tysons Reporter has rounded up some places to check out to buy comic books.
The concept of comic books originated in the U.S. around 1933, according to the National Day calendar. “Famous Funnies” was a reprint of popular newspaper comics and sold as the first comic book. It embodied storytelling devices associated with comic books seen today.
Several local shops keep the comic book spirit alive in the Tysons area.
At the local chain’s Vienna location (426 E. Maple Avenue), the store offers visitors a large variety of comic book options including print editions, online comics and even a comic-book based podcast. Today, the store is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The shop also has locations in Mayland and D.C., though hours vary.
Though more of a bookshop, the store does offer customers a comic and graphic novel section. People can browse over 100 pages of options on the bookstore’s website. The store also offers a selection at their physical location (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) near the East Falls Church Metro station. Hours of operation today are 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Victory Comics claims to have one of the most comprehensive inventories in the D.C. area, according to its website. Located in Falls Church at 586 S. Washington Street, the store sells new comics, sports cards, paperbacks and a variety of other items. The store is also looking to buy comics. Hours of operation today are 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Hole in the Wall Books also used to sell comics in Falls Church until it closed in August.
Photo via Big Planet Comics/Facebook
Two Vienna residents looking to simplify the way people buy and sell event tickets decided to start their own company.
Newly created TicketFam is an online platform that controls ticket distribution for events. Though still in the early startup phase of the company, co-founders and friends Ashik Banjade and Arian Shahbazi said that their main goal is to disrupt how people buy and sell tickets now.
The James Madison University graduates met while in college a few years back and launched their company eight months ago. Though they both have full-time jobs as IT consultants, they said they work on their company during their spare time.
“We’ll work with anyone — vendors, artists or stadiums,” Banjade told Tysons Reporter, adding that users can register on the platform and create an event page.
The platform functions by working with event organizers to create a seating or ticketing arrangement, promote events and special offers, analyze the target audience for the event for marketing purposes and allow attendees to purchase tickets from sellers, according to the company’s website.
Currently, the co-founders work with a production company run by Shahbazi’s family called Arian Productions.
On TicketFam’s website, tickets are only available for the upcoming act 25Band, which the production company booked. But the founders said they will be adding more ticket opportunities this week, including an event on Halloween.
Event attendees will be given a QR code upon checkout, the co-founders said.
“All of our payment processes are managed via Payment Card Industry-certified third parties, ensuring the checkout process is secure and regulated,” Banjade said. In the future, the co-founders also want to accept cryptocurrency, PayPal and other forms of payment for tickets.
Soon, TicketFam will unveil a new user interface and features, including a rewards system and game, which Banjade and Shahbazi declined to provide more details on.
Within the next five years, the young entrepreneurs said they hope to catch the attention of competitors and maneuver into a position of power to challenge the status quo and become a main player in the ticket sales industry.
When it comes to costs for artists and event organizers, they do not have a set cost, Banjade said. Instead, they are competitive and will match the price of any competitor until they establish themselves in the ticket sales industry.
“As young entrepreneurs, you’ve just gotta keep trying,” Banjade said.
Photo courtesy TicketFam
Wawa hosted a celebration in Vienna this morning (Sept. 24) to mark the company’s new location opening in April.
Dozens of people showed up to the event, which featured a virtual reality tour of the upcoming location, food and drink samples and speeches from and other local politicians.
At the event, a company spokesperson said that the company is planning a grand opening party on April 10 at 465 W. Maple Avenue. The 6,200-square-foot convenience store plans to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This will be the first location that features a partnership with Tesla, John Poplawski, Wawa’s director of site acquisition and development, said. Instead of a traditional gas station, the Vienna location will feature eight charging stations for electric cars.
“The Vienna store will be Wawa’s first retrofit store, and the first non-fuel store in Virginia in 20 years,” a press release said, “Wawa hopes to have 40 new stores in the Northern Virginia market over the next 15 years.”
The expansion plans will bring more than 2,000 new jobs to the Northern Virginia area, according to a company spokesperson at the event.
Del. Mark Keam (D-35th District) spoke at the Wawa event this morning and said that these new jobs will help draw young people to the city and boost economic development in the area.
“We are very excited to have you coming into town,” Mayor Laurie DiRocco addressed the crowd before the “coming soon” sign reveal. “We hope you’ll be a good neighbor.”
Within the last few months, Wawa instituted a catering option, spokesperson Alyson Mucha said, adding that many locations also offer freshly baked goods and customers can expect the same thing at the new locations in northern Virginia.
To continue Wawa’s philanthropic work across the country, the company pledged at the event $30,000 to support the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Northern Virginia, which raises funds and awareness for the Special Olympics.
Wawa executives at the event said they hope the new location in Vienna becomes a gathering space for the community.
“This is a space that was looking to be revitalized,” Poplawski said. “This is an opportunity to bring everything Wawa offers to the 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!
Tuesday (Sept. 24)
- Ribbon Cutting: Zenola — 6-7 p.m. at Zenola (132 Branch Road SE) — Newly opened Zenola is hosting their grand opening in partnership with the Vienna Business Associaton and the Town of Vienna.
- Laughs In The Lobby Bar — 8 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 E. Maple Avenue) — This free event lets people gather for an evening of comedy featuring a variety of experience levels. All ages are welcome. Those wishing to get on stage should show up at 7 p.m.
- Happy Hour Mixer in Falls Church — 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn (706 W. Broad Street) — The Greater Merrifield Business Association and the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce are hosting a joint event with food, drinks and networking.
Wednesday (Sept. 25)
- Community Conversation: Shaping the Future of Fairfax County Together — 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marshall High School (7731 Leesburg Pike) — Fairfax County wants feedback from citizens about what they want their community to look like in 10-20 years. This is an opportunity for people to gather and give input at an open forum.
Thursday (Sept. 26)
- Alya Salon Grand Opening Party — 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Ayla Salon (139 Park Street SE) — This new hair salon will celebrate its grand opening with food, drinks, music, various product samples and a mini-fashion show.
Friday (Sept. 27)
- Friday Night Live — 8-11 p.m. at Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street) — Each week, this free event invites community members to gather for live music.
Saturday (Sept. 28)
- Merrifield Fall Festival — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Mosaic District (2910 District Avenue) — This festival gives attendees the opportunity to enjoy some fall weather while listening to live music, enjoying brews from Caboose Brewing in Strawberry Park and shop at the local farmers market and on-site craft fair. This event is free to attend.
Sunday (Sept. 29)
- Plant Swap — 11 a.m.-noon at Botanologica (817 W. Broad Street) –– This free event gives community members the chance to trade plants or clippings. Organizers ask that participants bring only healthy plants, label the species and provide written care instructions for the next owner.
- Pimmit Hills Day — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Olney Park (1840 Olney Road) — This festival invites community members to check out live music and various vendors offering live music, food and drinks. All ages are welcome to this free event. There will also be activities for kids.
Photo via Facebook
