‘CupcakeCampDC’ Coming to Rosslyn
Are you a cupcake fanatic? When you go to sleep at night, do you count cupcakes instead of sheep? Do you watch television shows about cupcakes? To you, is a cupcake and coffee a perfectly acceptable breakfast?
If you said yes to any of those questions, you’re probably going to like an event that’s coming to Rosslyn next month.
The third annual “CupcakeCampDC” will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Continental Pool Lounge (1911 N. Fort Myer Drive). The event is described as “an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and eat cupcakes in an open environment.” Bringing your own fresh-baked cupcakes to the event is optional but encouraged; eating a bunch of cupcakes is expected.
The event will benefit the DC Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation. Tickets are available for a suggested donation of either $5 or $10, depending on whether you want “VIP” access. Organizers say last year’s event, held at Local 16 in D.C., sold out.
In addition to the consumption of cupcakes and networking with fellow cupcake fans, CupcakeCampDC will feature free gaming at the Continental’s skeeball, shuffleboard, darts, basketball, pool, Wii, and board game stations. There will also be a cupcake competition.
“Bakers will be split between professionals and amateurs giving everyone a chance with fair play,” organizers said. “Local judges include foodies we love — Nikki Rappaport of Cupcakes for Breakfast, The Cupcake Crusaders, and many more”
Tickets for CupcakeCampDC are available online.
Flickr photo by YidaL
Bakeshop Featured on Cooking Channel
(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) Bakeshop (1025 N. Fillmore Street) was featured on the Cooking Channel “Unique Sweets” this past Sunday.
The Clarendon confection store’s owner, Justin Stegall, and his mother Linda were both featured on the program, as well as Bakeshop’s oatmeal creme pie, 7-Up cupcakes, and red velvet cake. The episode was focused on nostalgic “childhood treats.”
Unique Sweets bills itself as “an insider’s peek into innovative eateries across America that are creating the most unique and exciting desserts today.” The show airs on the Cooking Channel at 10:30 p.m. on Sundays, though repeats are aired multiples times during the week.
Stegall says he got a call from the producers of the show out of the blue, asking if he wanted to be featured. A camera crew spent seven hours in the store a couple of months ago, Stegall said, and the finished, edited segment was about seven minutes.
Stegall says he was surprised by how many people have told him that they saw him on television.
“It’s kind of funny, I didn’t know cooking TV was as big as it was,” he said. “The craziest thing is that my friends… are calling up and telling me they saw me on TV, and I didn’t tell them it was going to be on.”
Screen capture collage courtesy of Lu
Rabbit Salad and Grill Plans Tuesday Opening
With the crucial Certificate of Occupancy finally in hand, Rabbit Salad and Grill (3035 Clarendon Blvd) is preparing to open to the public on Tuesday.
The eatery, one block from the Clarendon Metro station, will feature chef-crafted salads, sandwiches, hot plates and Red Velvet cupcakes. When its liquor license goes through, Rabbit will also serve wine by the glass and $4.50 draft beers.
Owner Aaron Gordon says he’s planning a soft opening on Tuesday, preceded by a Bisnow-sponsored event on Monday. The restaurant’s normal hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Coming Soon to Clarendon: Rabbit Salad and Grill
Clarendon’s new salad-sandwich-and-cupcake concept, Rabbit Salad and Grill, now has a name and an opening date.
A web site for the new restaurant, located at 3035 Clarendon Boulevard, appeared online yesterday. A representative tells us that they’re hoping to hold a grand opening on July 28.
Rabbit will offer “quality salads, sandwiches and meals in a comfortable dining room,” along with a selection of beer and wine.” In addition, sweets will be offered thanks to an in-store Red Velvet Cupcakery counter (Rabbit and Red Velvet share the same owners).
The restaurant is now hiring cooks, dishwashers and servers.
New Cupcake Truck Launches Today
Arlington has a new mobile baked goods vendor.
The “Sweet Fleet” truck is making its public debut today in Ballston, Rosslyn, Courthouse and Shirlington. The truck features cupcakes, cookies and other treats baked by Jason Reaves, a pastry chef and an upcoming competitor on TV’s Food Network Challenge.
Prices range from $3.00 to $3.50 for individual cupcakes and $2.00 for cookies. The truck will serve “all of Arlington,” managers say. You can follow its location on Facebook and Twitter.
Photo via Facebook
Buzz Bakery in Ballston Opening Next Month
There’s finally an opening date in sight for Buzz Bakery in Ballston.
“Coming soon” signs have been up at the storefront on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard for almost a year now. Next-door sister eatery Rustico opened in October while Buzz remained closed. Now, at long last, comes word that Buzz will start serving cupcakes and cappuccinos early next month.
Neighborhood Restaurant Group spokeswoman Jennifer Eberline says the company expects to announce an official May opening date “very, very soon.”
The will be NRG’s second Buzz Bakery. The first, on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, serves breakfast, baked goods, paninis, coffee, tea, wine and beer.
Bozzelli’s Now Serving Pizza in Crystal City
The selection is a bit limited at the moment, but Bozzelli’s Italian Deli in Crystal City (2600 Crystal Drive) is now serving pizza.
The addition will bring Bozzelli’s, which opened in November, into direct competition with one of the few other street-facing quick-serve options on the southern end of Crystal Drive, Pizza Autentica (2450 Crystal Drive).
Bozzelli’s is serving plain cheese, pepperoni and veggie pizzas for now. Fancier options like the white pizza are still a few days away, an employee said. In addition to the pizza, Bozzelli’s is also now offering mini cupcakes and other sweets in Crystal City.
One repeat customer who may be sampling the new menu items is Crystal City resident and former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain. We’re told McCain has been known to swing by the restaurant on occasion.
Photo via Facebook
Brgr:Shack Opens in Ballston
Arlington’s latest burger joint has opened for business.
Brgr:Shack serves 100% natural grass fed beef burgers in a light-filled, modernist setting across from the Ballston Metro at 4215 Fairfax Drive.
In addition to nine types of burgers, the restaurant serves fresh cut french fries, sweet potato fries, two types of salads, seven types of beer, shakes, ice cream and — coming soon — cupcakes.
(For those keeping score, burgers, salads, beer and cupcakes make up four of the six Arlington food groups. Only froyo and pizza are missing.)
Come spring, the restaurant is expected to start opening the garage door shown in the photos.
Morning Notes
Bill Would Increase Handicap Parking Fine — Del. David Englin (D) — a prolific proposer of legislation — has introduced a bill that would increase the maximum fine for illegally parking in a handicapped parking space from $500 to $750. The minimum fine would remain $100. [Sun Gazette]
Blog Conducts Cupcake Taste Test — Which has the better cupcake, the new Crumbs Bake Shop (2839 Clarendon Blvd) or Bakeshop (1025 N Fillmore St)? A local blog conducted a taste test and produced an exhaustive a 1,100+ word comparison. [Clarendon Culture]
Public Library to Hold “Cello-bration” — Cellist David Rabin will perform at the Columbia Pike Branch Library (816 S Walter Reed Drive) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The event, which is billed as fun for all ages, will feature the music of January birthday boys Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27) and Franz Schubert (Jan. 31). [Arlington Public Library Blog]
Flickr pool photo by Jason OX4
Reminder: Crumbs Giving Away Free Cupcakes Saturday
The new Crumbs Bake Shop in Clarendon (2839 Clarendon Boulevard) will be giving away free cupcakes tomorrow to celebrate its grand opening.
The store, which opened on Dec. 30, will give away 1,000 of its signature size (read: large) cupcakes to its first 1,000 customers. Also, the store is giving away free cups of coffee with any cupcake purchase.
Crumbs is open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Crumbs Bakeshop to Open on Thursday
Crumbs Bakeshop, the New York City-based cupcake chain, will open its new Clarendon store on Thursday, the company Tweeted this morning.
The Clarendon Crumbs is located at 2839 Clarendon Boulevard. It is the chain’s first Arlington location, and second D.C. area location.
The company’s store openings are often accompanied by big product giveaways.
The photos above were taken in November.
Update at 2:35 p.m. — A 1,000 cupcake giveaway will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8.
Crumbs Bakeshop in Clarendon Closer to Opening
The paper has come down from the windows of the new Crumbs Bakeshop in Clarendon, but the NYC-based cupcake chain still has not set a definitive opening date.
A peek inside the store reveals that there’s still interior work to be done. There is, however, a surprisingly comprehensive coffee and beverage menu posted.
A Crumbs rep tells us they’re ”working hard” to open by Christmas.
When we reported on Crumb’s impending arrival in February, the company was projecting a May opening.
H/T @CommonCenser
Bakeshop Does Breakfast
Clarendon’s cupcake-and-coffee store Bakeshop is now serving breakfast.
At the bright and early hour of 8:00 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, Bakeshop (1025 North Fillmore Street) will unlock the doors and start selling bagels, croissants, coffeecake and Wrecking Ball coffee. The new opening hours took effect yesterday, and we hear it was surprisingly busy for the first day.
Crumbs Is Coming Soon
Signs for the new Crumbs Bake Shop are up next to Lululemon and Red Mango on Clarendon Boulevard. Clarendon Culture reports the store is expected to open in December.
The storefront has nearly 900 square feet of space for the popular New York-based cupcakery. According to county records, the store’s initial floorplan calls for 10 indoor seats and no sidewalk cafe.
The new location still hasn’t been listed on the Crumbs web site.
Update at 10:00 a.m. — A Crumbs rep confirms: Opening “by the end of the year.” It seems plausible that the store could open sooner — the company started applying for permits in July.
Update at 2:30 p.m. — Added photos of the exterior and interior. I’m becoming more and more convinced that we’ll see a pre-Thanksgiving opening date.
Update at 2:50 p.m. — Contrary to what Clarendon Culture and ARLnow.com is being told by the company, a Crumbs spokesperson is telling TBD that the Clarendon Crumbs is hoping for a late September or early October opening. This morning, a rep at Crumbs HQ told us it “definitely” would not be open within a month. Sigh.
Update on 9/22 — Crumbs just emailed ARLnow.com to let us know that they’re planning on a mid-November opening.
Another Cupcake Bakery Coming to Clarendon
Watch out, Bakeshop. Another cupcake shop is coming to Clarendon, and they’re bringing along a loyal following.
Manhattan-based Crumbs Bakery is opening seven stores in the Washington area. As first reported by Washingtonian, one of the stores will be in Clarendon.
A Crumbs representative told arlnow.com that the Clarendon location is scheduled to open in May. She said she was unsure of the future store’s exact location.
