Around Town

Italian restaurant Carbonara is celebrating two years of business in Virginia Square, and its owner has some big plans for the next few months.

Chef Mike Cordero, the prolific restaurateur behind the acclaimed “old school” eatery at 3865 Wilson Blvd, told ARLnow he will soon roll out a new Italian cookbook, “Respect the Sauce,” while he prepares to expand with a second location in Prince William County this June.


News

County leaders are marking the 20th anniversary of an initiative they believe has made a significant difference in addressing intimate-partner and sexual violence.

Looking ahead, those behind Project PEACE say it is being updated to align with best national practices, with a focus on listening more intently to survivors of violence. A new blueprint provides “a refreshed, community-driven vision for the future,” said LaToya Young, coordinator of Project PEACE.


Around Town

A family-owned Vietnamese restaurant and the last remaining business from Clarendon’s Little Saigon community is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Tucked in a storefront near the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Hudson Street, Nam-Viet Restaurant — started in July 1986 by the late Nguyen Van Thoi and his widow, Ngoc Anh Tran — carries on the legacy of what was once a hub of Vietnamese immigrant-owned businesses that opened in the neighborhood following the fall of Saigon in 1975.


Around Town

Freddie’s Beach Bar, the long-running LGBTQ+ bar on Crystal City’s 23rd Street S. restaurant row, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a party this Sunday.

The March 1 celebration at 555 23rd Street S. is set for 7-9 p.m. and will include music, food, drinks and giveaways, according to a press release.


Around Town

A Courthouse bakery and cafe with New Orleans roots is celebrating 15 years of business this week with free treats and a lunchtime special.

Bayou Bakery is serving free orders of baby beignets to the first 100 guests after doors open at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning. The restaurant at 1515 N Courthouse Road will also offer a deal at lunchtime that day: a soup and sandwich combo for $15.


Around Town

Dogma Bakery & Boutique will celebrate its 25th anniversary next month, marking over two decades of charity and tail wags across Arlington. 

Since 2000, the business has offered signature store-baked dog treats and pet supplies while lending support to animal rescue organizations. Giving back to the community is owner Sheila Raebel’s proudest achievement and has been part of Dogma’s mission since its origins as a bakery-cafe at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center.


News

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.

Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed were joining dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.


Around Town

One of the oldest restaurants on Restaurant Row is celebrating its 55-year anniversary in Crystal City this summer.

The Portofino Restaurant will ring in its anniversary next month with a tomato-themed dinner on Sunday, Aug. 10. However, the restaurant has been celebrating 55 years in business since January, hosting monthly events like wine dinners, live music and raffles.


Around Town

Now celebrating a decade in Ballston, an award-winning Spanish restaurant is opening an outdoor patio as its owners consider plans for a new Arlington eatery.

SER co-owners Javier Candon and Christiana Campos commemorated 10 years at 1110 N. Glebe Road over the weekend alongside about 300 supporters. Expressing gratitude for community support and regional recognition, they teased expansion plans.


Around Town

A family-owned Arlington institution for pastries, cakes and other sweet treats turns 50 years old tomorrow (Tuesday).

In celebration of its anniversary, Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe will offer special miniature donuts tomorrow, blueberry muffins on Wednesday and free cupcakes from 9 a.m.-noon this Saturday, Feb. 15. There, Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantontis will present the owners with a key to the county.


Around Town

On this day 15 years ago, in 2010, ARLnow published its first post.

In an era of the internet where blogs were ascendant, Facebook was still a private company and, most people browsed the web on a desktop computer, it was relatively uncommon for a community to have an online-only news source of any kind.


Around Town

It’s been a busy year for Ocean Shack, the seafood restaurant and sports bar that opened in Waverly Hills last November.

With an emphasis on sports, seafood and social media, the restaurant — which celebrated its one-year anniversary a couple weeks ago — overcame some initial growing pains to regularly draw in weekend crowds.


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