Around Town

Brass Rabbit Pub is looking to open next month, in the Clarendon space formerly occupied by the Bracket Room.

In July, ARLnow reported that a new bar planning to have “elevated pub fare with a healthy twist” is coming to 1210 N. Garfield Street. Now, owner Reese Gardner tells us that he’s looking at a mid-February opening for Brass Rabbit Public House, barring delays in securing county permits and passing inspections.


News

Arlington has set yet another record for the daily rate of Covid cases, while hospitalizations are rising in the county.

Nine people were hospitalized f0r Covid yesterday, Arlington’s largest single-day hospitalization total since January 2021, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data. The seven-day moving average of daily hospitalizations is now just above four, also the highest point since last January.


Sponsored

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Just in time to celebrate America’s founding in 1776, Arlington’s Dominion Stage will conclude its 76th Season with Dead Air by Greg Jones Ellis, May 29 through June 13, at Theater On the Run, 3700 S. Four Mile Run Dr., Arlington, Virginia.

The inaugural winner of Dominion Stage’s Playwriting Competition, Dead Air introduces us to “Reggie,” a popular TV host whose on-air trademark is “my son the genius.” However, the son is a recluse who resents his mother’s use of him as a “Unique Selling Point” in the increasingly competitive daytime talk show world. As Reggie’s career takes off, her on-air advice to a variety of guests ironically contrasts with her failing marriage and her troubled child.

As one of Arlington’s oldest cultural institutions, Dominion Stage has decidedly made a name for itself. During the pandemic, they expanded upon that reputation by initiating its Playwriting Competition, of which Dead Air was the inaugural winner.

“A play isn’t a play until it’s fully staged, but playwrights need encouragement along the way,” says playwright Greg Jones Ellis, who was the inaugural winner. “Winning the Dominion Stage Best Play award validated my effort and supplied that encouragement.”

As the Competition was initiated during the pandemic, the winning play was treated to a live-streamed staged reading. Over the next several years, the play was further refined and tweaked. The Competition itself evolved: post-pandemic, winning plays are now given full stagings as the final show of each Dominion Stage season.

“I’m so glad I reached out to Dominion Stage after the pandemic and inquired about a full production. I think the play is in very good hands at Dominion Stage; the director is sensitively guiding each actor, all of whom are giving their roles 100%,” said Ellis. (more…)


Around Town

(Updated, 1/27/22) Get a facial and your teeth cleaned all in one day at two new cosmetic-centered businesses opening in Ballston Exchange, the office complex on Wilson Blvd across from the mall.`

The wellness center NM Aesthetics opened in October on the second floor of 4201 Wilson Blvd. The business offers “non-surgical cosmetic work led by an all-female team,” including fillers, hydrafacials and microdermabrasion.


Events

(Updated on 1/13/22) A number of events around Arlington this weekend will honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

The county will hold its annual tribute virtually this year, and Volunteer Arlington organized a video challenge and volunteer opportunities on Monday, the federal holiday recognizing King’s birthday.


Event

Join us for a delightful Sunday afternoon at the BlackRock Center for the Arts as Cruise Planners Beth & Rod present a special travel-inspired matinee featuring the beloved film Under the Tuscan Sun.

Date & Time: Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


Opinion

Like it or not, another round of snow is looking increasingly likely this weekend.

Forecast models are putting the odds of at least an inch of snow at 50% or above, and some are even suggesting more than a foot is possible, according to the Capital Weather Gang. The storm would cross our area Sunday into Monday.


News

Athletics Ban Not Consistent with County — “Arlington’s newest School Board member opened her tenure by intimating that, if the county school system’s ban on athletics and extracurricular activities is extended past its current Jan. 14 deadline or resurrected later, the county government should follow suit and shut down park programs for adults.” [Sun Gazette]

Universal Basic Income in Arlington? — “Every Arlingtonian, rich and poor alike, could be given $550 a month, leaving few families below the poverty line, if the property tax rate were tripled. The net income of a family of four living in a house worth less than $1.36 million would be higher, as this UBI dividend would exceed the increase in tax.” [Greater Greater Washington]


News

Kids dance around tables full of books outside of Arlington Science Focus Elementary School on an overcast December afternoon. There are stories in Spanish, books about Black history, and novels about being the next president, all waiting to be picked up and read.

And parked a few feet away from the book fair is a bright blue “book bus” with a dragon painted on the side.


Around Town

A new wine shop and bar is opening on the ground floor of J Sol apartments in Ballston.

Not much is known about what is coming and when besides what’s noted in the permit application, which was just submitted last week.