Shooshan Company
IN THE NEWS
Restaurants Around Ballston
We've talked before about the many restaurants across Ballston located in the properties we've developed such as Mike Isabella's Pepita Cantina, Kapnos Taverna and Yona, as well as Taylor Gourmet (all located in The View Luxury Apartments). There's also Sweetgreen and Rustico located at Two Liberty Center. Recently, Starbucks joined the new Marymount campus, adding yet another delicious location with more on the way - contact Kevin Shooshan HERE if you're interested in some retail space at the new Rixey apartments.
We would also like to list some other popular restaurants in the area:
- Uncle Julio's
- Bangkok Bistro at Ballston
- Earl's Sandwiches
- Rus Uz
- Big Buns Burgers
- Mussel Bar & Grille
- Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro
- Ballston Cafe
- Cheestique
- P.F. Chang's
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- SER Restaurant
- Zoe's Kitchen
- El Pollo Rico
- A-Town Bar & Grill
- Ballston Place Gourmet
- Pupatella
- Silver Leaf Restaurant and Bar
- Super Pollo
- Pinzimini
- Cafe Tirolo
- Sichuan Wok
- Dan and Brads
- Potbelly Sandwich Shop
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Front Page Arlington
- IHOP
- Rocklands Barbeque & Grilling Company
- El Ranchero Bar & Grill
- Thai Curry
- Fettoosh
- First Down Sports Bar & Grill
- Nando's Peri-Peri
- Buzz Bakeshop
- Bruegger's Bagels
Basically, whatever you're in the mood for, Ballston has it! With the development of Ballston Quarter and 4040 Wilson Blvd., we can only expect dining options to grow!
Claredon Day
Clarendon Day takes place this Saturday, September 23 from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm. The event's official website describes Clarendon Day as "one of Arlington’s best loved and most diverse street festival, with several music stages, a large Kid’s Area, Arts and Crafts vendors, Business and Nonprofit Exhibitors from Clarendon and the region, plenty of great food from local and regional restaurants, Craft beers and Virginia wines, and more. If the weather is nice, we’ll draw more than 20,000 people to this classic event, which is now well into its third decade."
For parking information, visit clarendon.org/clarendon-day/location/ or visit HERE for other transit information.
References:
Clarendon Day 2017. (2017). Clarendon Alliance. Source: https://clarendon.org/clarendon-day/
The Rixey (1008 N. Glebe Rd.) Website Is Live!
The new Shooshan Company-developed apartment building, The Rixey, located at 1008 N. Glebe Rd. in Ballston, recently launched their website with all new information on the property:
The website describes the neighborhood as "A vibrant community with historical roots, Ballston has become a thriving destination for culture, arts, dining, and enjoying nights out. Anchored by the Ballston-Marymount Metro Station, it’s a neighborhood that truly seems to have it all. Just steps away from your new home at The Rixey, you will enjoy a multitude of restaurants, bars, attractive natural spaces and options for entertainment!"
They aren't kidding! Ballston contains some of the best restaurants and entertainment in the area including SER, Buffalo Wild Wings, P.F. Chang's, Uncle Julio's, Nando's Peri-Peri and much, much more! In fact, we will need the space of another whole blog to list all of the available dining options in Ballston.
For The Rixey's amenities, the website lists:
- 15th floor rooftop featuring a clubroom with views of the DC skyline
- Roof top lounge with event kitchenette, grilling stations, and private cabanas with TV's
- Roof top plunge spa and sun deck with views of the Washington Monument
- Expansive fitness center with Peloton bikes, yoga room, and cardiomachines
- Ground floor lounge
- Coffee bar
- Outdoor courtyard
- Bike repair station
- Fire pit to enjoy with friends
- WiFi throughout amenities
- On-site retail with outdoor seating
- LEED Gold Certified
- Short walk to the Ballston-MU Metro Station
How Sweetgreen Came To Be
Sweetgreen occupies one of the retail spaces of Two Liberty Center at 4075 Wilson Blvd. The restaurant focuses on healthy food and unique salads. According to their website: "Founded in 2007, sweetgreen is a destination for simple, seasonal, healthy food. We believe the choices we make about what we eat, where it comes from and how it’s prepared have a direct and powerful impact on the health of individuals, communities and the environment. That’s why we’re building a transparent supply network, why we cook from scratch, and why we’re building a community of people who support real food. We’re in the business of feeding people, and we’re out to change what that means." Perhaps Fast Company, a popular monthly American business magazine published in print and online, stated best what Sweetgreen is about in their November 2016 article: The Founders Of Sweetgreen Are Building A Farm-To-Counter Empire, One Bowl At A Time. The author, Mickey Rapkin, writes "If you’ve never visited a Sweetgreen, picture a farm stand designed by Steve Jobs—with white walls and colorful, fresh vegetables waiting to be chopped. The stores’ open kitchens (a design trope shared by Chipotle, another fast-casual pioneer) showcase how much scratch cooking happens onsite. Salad dressings are made in-house daily. So is the falafel, which is prepared from dry chickpeas soaked overnight on the premises. (This is basically unheard of in this category; even some high-end restaurants use canned chickpeas.)" Sweetgreen is indeed a popular lunch and dinner destination here in the Washington D.C. metro area, and The Shooshan Company is happy to have brought the first Sweetgreen location to Arlington at Two Liberty Center. On your next lunch break here in Arlington, we encourage you to stop by one of their locations in Ballston, Clarendon or Rosslyn! Their menu can be seen online at www.sweetgreen.com/menu. References: Our Story. (2017). Sweetgreen. Source: http://www.sweetgreen.com/our-story/ The Founders Of Sweetgreen Are Building A Farm-To-Counter Empire, One Bowl At A Time. (2016). Fast Company. Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/3065372/the-founders-of-sweetgreen-are-building-a-farm-to-counter-empire-o
How Trolleys Helped Ballston’s Development
In following our other blog posts on how salvaged pieces from The Blue Goose were used to create markers placed along the side of the Marymount's new building, we are again covering some interesting history of Ballston. Did you know that the competition from trolleys helped further develop Ballston? Another sign posted along the path beside Marymount University is one titled "Trolleys Come to Ballston."
This sign reads:
“Trolleys Come to Ballston
The Washington, Arlington & Falls Church Railway (WA&FC) established an interurban electric trolley along the present route of Fairfax Drive in 1896. The WA&FC’s Fairfax trolley line ran through this site to Clarendon (about one mile to the east), where it branched to serve both Rosslyn and downtown Washington, D.C. This site gained prominence in 1911, when the WA&FC built a compound here containing the Lacey rail yard, an electrical substation and a building that housed a car barn, the company’s general offices, and a repair shop.
In 1912, the Washington and Old Dominion Railway, a competing interurban electric trolley company, constructed a branch that connected Georgetown, Rosslyn, Ballston, Falls Church, Vienna, Leesburg and Loudoun County. This line crossed the west end of Ballston near this site and further encouraged Ballston’s development and other communities along its route. Despite early success, the trolleys in Northern Virginia were unable to survive competition with each other and the automobile, and ceased operations in the 1930s and 1940s.”
We encourage you to stop by Marymount's new campus at 1000 Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia to see the new signs as well as Ballston's most recent additions. -The Shooshan Company
&Pizza Comes to the Ballston Neighborhood
Ballston is getting a new restaurant: & Pizza, the popular build-your-own-pizza restaurant, will be moving into 3924 Wilson Blvd located across from Gold's Gym right next to The View Luxury Apartments and Two Liberty Center. In a statement to ARLnow, Michael Lastoria, co-founder and CEO of &pizza, said “We pride ourselves in creating neighborhood shops built for the neighborhood and supporting local, like-minded brands doing big things – whether that’s in downtown D.C. or Arlington. We are so grateful to have grown this quickly, and directly attribute our growth to the DMV community’s support over the last five years.” &Pizza's "Brand Ethos" states: "&pizza is an anti-establishment establishment built on the renown of its creative pies and craft beverages, localized shop design, and the strength, unity and vibe of its living-wage-paid, ampersand-tattooed Tribe. WORK HARD, LIVE FAST, ORDER QUICK. TAKE THE CULTURE — &PIZZA — TO GO." &pizza joins an already impressive lineup of dining options in Ballston including Kapnos Taverna, Yona, Pepita Cantina, Taylor Gourmet, Sweetgreen, Rustico and more. Be sure to get a look at their menu beforehand on their website, andpizza.com. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"]
Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/LikeAndPizza[/caption]
References:
More Details About New &pizza in Ballston. (2017). ARLnow. Source: https://www.arlnow.com/2017/07/25/more-details-about-new-pizza-in-ballston/
Brand Ethos. (2017). &pizza. Source: https://andpizza.com/#about
Starbucks Setting Up At Marymount University’s Newside
As reported by ARLnow, the new Marymount campus, Newside, recently put up signs for Starbucks which will open soon. Marymount University’s Ballston campus, formerly known as “The Blue Goose,” is set to officially open this month. The new buildings have much to offer and add to Ballston's already impressive skyline. As ARLnow notes, "Marymount is using six floors of the nine-story office building on the site, with the other three floors available for other companies. Next door is a 12-story, 267-apartment residential building." You may find other information about Newside on our previous blog (here) or on our website here.References:
Signs Up For New Starbucks at Marymount's 'Newside' Building. (2017). Local News Now LLC: ARLnow. Source:
Kapnos Taverna Bootcamp and Bottomless Brunch Event
Mike Isabella's Kapnos Taverna, located at The View Luxury Apartments across from The Shooshan Company's offices at Two Liberty Center in Ballston, is partnering with Gold's Gym Ballston to offer "Bootcamp and Bottomless Brunch!"
The event takes place Sunday, August 27 from 10am - 2pm. The Facebook event page reads "Bootcamp will be on Kapnos Taverna's patio and brunch will be provided by Kapnos Taverna."
"Mike Isabella’s Kapnos Taverna [1 of 3 Mike Isabella concepts at The View] serves classic and coastal-inspired Greek dishes, including favorites from the Greek Islands along with tastes from other regions known for their fine local products." - Kapnos Tavera website.
"Check out Gold’s local gym in Ballston, Virginia for exciting ways to work out and have fun while getting in shape. With a gym membership to the Wilson Boulevard Gold’s Gym location, enjoy a variety of cardio and resistance machines, as well as an extensive free weights area. Sign up for exercise classes led by professional fitness coaches who are dedicated to helping you see results and can offer modified techniques so even beginners can join in right away. Find the fitness programs you’re most interested in during extensive Gold’s Gym hours, ranging from early morning to evening so early birds and night owls can fit in an effective workout." - Gold's Gym Ballston website.
The event is sure to be a great time and tickets are available here.
References:
Kapnos Taverna Event Page. (2017). Facebook. Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/137085810221922/
About Kapnos Taverna. (2017). Kapnos Taverna. Source: http://kapnostaverna.com/
About Gold's Gym. (2017). Gold's Gym. Source: http://www.goldsgym.com/ballstonva/about/
References:
Kapnos Taverna Event Page. (2017). Facebook. Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/137085810221922/
About Kapnos Taverna. (2017). Kapnos Taverna. Source: http://kapnostaverna.com/
About Gold's Gym. (2017). Gold's Gym. Source: http://www.goldsgym.com/ballstonva/about/
Best of Arlington 2018
It's that time again! Arlington Magazine is currently accepting votes for "Best of Arlington 2018," a survey that offers readers the opportunity to "vote for the best that Arlington, McLean and Falls Church have to offer." Arlington Magazine's website states: "Take the Best of Arlington readers’ survey and make your vote count. Pick your favorites in dozens of categories—from Best Restaurant in Arlington and Best Pizza to Best Real Estate Agent and Best Remodeler. The results will be published in the January/February 2018 Best of Arlington issue." The website also states the survey rules as:- You must provide responses in at least 5 categories
- You must provide your name, address and email address
- Only one ballot per person
Taylor Gourmet Introduces Burger for One Week Only
Taylor Gourmet, located across from Two Liberty Center at The View Luxury Apartments, has released their first burger as part of their "Summer Menu" for one week only. The SP Double Stack, as it's called, combines two beef patties, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce and "special sauce" in a sesame seed bun. Reviews on the burger have been great and with only a spot on the menu for one week, people have been clamoring to try it throughout the many Taylor Gourmet locations in Washington, D.C., Arlington and Maryland. Perhaps the Hungry Lobbyist best described the new edition: "If you took a Shackburger and mated it with Salt Line‘s Smash Burger, you would have Taylor’s SP Double Stack." The SP Double Stack is only available through this Sunday, July 30, so be sure to stop by and try it out! You'll also receive a limited edition sticker:
References: Taylor Gourmet’s SP Double Stack is Burger Poetry. (2017). Hungry Lobbyist. Source: http://hungrylobbyist.com/taylor-gourmets-sp-double-stack-is-burger-poetry/Go time.
SP Double Stack rolls TODAY! Get in early | This week only. ALL LOCATIONS 📸 @dcfoodporn | 🍔#TaylorGourmet pic.twitter.com/wGI96MYJ5g — H O A G I E S (@TaylorGourmet) July 24, 2017