7 perfect spots for outdoor drinking in Loudoun County

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest,” Ernest Hemingway wrote in “A Moveable Feast.”

Spring, indeed, is here. And as we all know, Papa fancied a drink now and again. To Hem, the outdoors paired majestically with a frosty Cuba Libre or a bottle of Champagne.

Us Loudouners, we enjoy a drink, too. And with the turn of the season, and our county’s nightlife steadily coming on line, we take a look at the best spots to savor a beverage in the fresh air.

(Note: This list excludes wineries and breweries. We don’t have all week.)

Bungalow Lakehouse

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A sprawling and casual American eatery off Route 7 in Sterling, Bungalow offers a spacious patio and open “cigar bar.” Snag a shandy and daydream as you gaze off into the lake. http://www.bungalow4u.com/

Salamander Resort

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Whether it’s on the back patio couches or by the circular firepits on the grand lawn, a glass of Virginia wine at Middleburg’s Salamander is where you go to escape the daily grind. http://www.salamanderresort.com/

Vino 9 Market

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Truly a western Loudoun gem, located on Route 9, just north of Route 7 in Paeonian Springs, Vino 9 Market offers impressive wines by the bottle, craft beers and delicious meats, cheese and sandwiches. The outdoor courtyard is the perfect touch of country living in Loudoun. http://www.vino9market.com/

Smokehouse Live

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Country music aside, some barbecue washed down with the scary-good Redneck Grape Juice (sangria) on Smokehouse’s patio or wide open bar is one of the best ways to happy hour in Leesburg. http://smokehouse-live.com/

MacDowell Brew Kitchen

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Macdowell’s is downtown Leesburg’s go-to spot for a cold beer on a sun-splashed spring day. “The beach” or “Beermuda,” as it’s often referenced, is the closest thing Loudoun has to the Florida Keys. Belly up to the outdoor bar and savor small-town living. http://www.http://macdowellbrewkitchen.com

Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar

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The opened-up half of the bar and cushioned seating at Travinia provides for a comfortable, lounge setting at the Village at Leesburg. Make it a one-two stop at the Village with drinks at both Travinia and Smokehouse. http://www.traviniaitaliankitchen.com/travinia-leesburg-va.php

Parallel Wine and Whiskey Bar

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With heaps of outdoor seating, the revamped Parallel Wine and Whiskey Bar in Ashburn offers a seemingly endless list of wine and whiskey to go along with frequent live music and special events. http://www.parallelwinebistro.com/

Article posted from Loudoun Times-Mirror >>

6 Businesses to Open at Village of Leesburg

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LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA: Are you wondering which new businesses will be opening this Spring 2016 at Village of Leesburg? Here are the 6 new businesses will be opening soon, according to a Village of Leesburg announcement:

Atomic Trampoline: a trampoline park and family entertainment center.
Ten Spot Kitchen and Tap: an American pub for food and sports enthusiasts.
Shanghai Station: a restaurant specializing in French-inspired Asian cuisine by a nationally acclaimed chef.
Luv2Play: a parent supervised interactive indoor playground and café.
BodyBrite: an aesthetic luxury services center for hair removal, facials and more.
Montessori Kids Universe: a daycare and preschool.
Check back on Patch.com for updates on the Grand Openings for these new Loudoun County businesses.

Article posted from Loudoun Now >>

Village at Leesburg announces inaugural beer festival

Leesburg is getting another beer festival this year.

The Village at Leesburg recently announced its inaugural Leesburg Beer Festival, set to take place April 30. Festival-goers will be able to enjoy more than 75 beers, food and live music. The event will start at noon and continue until 6 p.m.

While sipping favorite suds, guests can enjoy live music on the main stage, or participate in a workshop in the “Tasting Theatre.” There will be beer games for the adults and a kids activity area.

Beer lovers can indulge in tasty offerings from food booths, food trucks and the many dining options in the Village at Leesburg.

Guests are encouraged to bring along lawn chairs or picnic blankets to relax enjoy the music and activities.

Tickets including VIP beer tasting admission are $49 in advance. The VIP session offers exclusive tasting experience with two extra hours of tastes, a souvenir tasting glass, lanyard, unlimited beer sampling and live entertainment. The regular session tickets are $35 in advance and $45 on site 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

To purchase tickets and view schedule, visit http://www.greatbeerfest.com/.

Article posted from Loudoun Times-Mirror >>

Knoxville’s Phoenix theater firm also developing trampoline parks

Trampoline Park

^{By Ed Marcum of the Knoxville News Sentinel}
^{March 24, 2016}

Knoxville-based Phoenix Theatres Entertainment has been making its mark as a manager of movie theaters across the country, but a turn of events has prompted it to expand into the trampoline park market.

The company has formed the privately held Phoenix Trampoline Fun Centers LLC and announced it will build an indoor trampoline park in Leesburg, Va. The 16,000-square-foot Atomic Trampoline Fun Center is slated to open in June at the Village at Leesburg regional outdoor center.

Phil Zacheretti, Phoenix president and CEO, said this enterprise evolved from the company’s experiences managing movie theaters. Phoenix manages 97 screens at 10 locations in eight states.

“In the past, we have managed theaters with arcades, and that just goes along with the family related experience of a movie theater,” he said.

In 2015, Phoenix Theatres was managing a 22-screen theater in North Versailles, Pa.,near Pittsburgh, when the owners decided to reduce the venue to 18 screens.

“They had four empty screens and didn’t know what to do with them, so the owner decided to clear them out and build a trampoline park,” Zacheretti said. “We convinced them that we were the ones to manage it.”

However, Phoenix had never managed a trampoline park.
“We convinced them that we could learn,” Zacheretti said.

The empty space was developed into the Altimate Air Trampoline Center, which opened in June.

“As we saw how we were capable of managing it and saw the revenues coming in, we started looking for other opportunities,” Zacheretti said.

Trampoline parks are one of the hottest trends across the country, he said. In February, Franchise Update Media, which analyzes the franchise industry, identified trampoline parks as a booming opportunity, with around 300 parks now, compared with about 40 just three years ago. The appeal ranges from 2-year-olds just having fun jumping to 60-year-olds taking trampoline aerobics classes.

Phoenix is developing its own freestanding trampoline facility at the Village at Leesburg. Zacheretti described the locale as similar to Knoxville’s Turkey Creek development.

“We didn’t seek out involvement in trampoline parks, but when you manage an entertainment business, it can be all sorts of entertainment,” he said.

Phoenix does not have any trampoline park prospects in the Knoxville area, but Zacheretti said it is always looking for opportunities.

Article posted from KnoxNews.com >>

More Life Coming to Village at Leesburg

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Leesburg’s historic district is not the only part of town bubbling with new business activity.

The Village at Leesburg will celebrating several new openings in the coming months.

Banfield Animal Hospital celebrated its grand opening March 5. The animal hospital provides preventative pet health care and has nationwide locations. It joins six other shops and restaurants expected to open by this summer.

On the culinary side, Shanghai Station and Ten Spot Kitchen & Tap will complement existing food and dining offerings, both expecting to open this spring. Shanghai Station debuts its concept of French-inspired Asian cuisine, developed by a nationally acclaimed chef. Ten Spot Kitchen & Tap expects to be a draw for foodies and sports enthusiasts and will feature a large, outdoor, full-service patio. The eatery hopes to provide a showcase for viewing Big Ten college games and will source some of its food from Big Ten regions.

On the entertainment side, there is something brewing for fun lovers of all shapes and sizes. Atomic Trampoline Fun Center brings its indoor trampoline park to the Village this summer. Atomic Trampoline Fun Center features more than 16,000 square feet of indoor family entertainment including more than 40 interconnecting trampolines, a dodge ball court, foam pits and “Slam Ball” courts. It will also host birthday parties for all ages, aerobic classes, team building outings and field trips.

For the littler ones, indoor playground and café Luv2Play is a new and exciting, parent supervised, interactive playground powered by creativity and imagination. They offer a safe, clean and educational play space for children, from newborns to age 12, while also providing a relaxing environment for parents, drop- and-shops and date nights. It is an indoor entertainment and recreation family center, with specially designed, custom-made baby area, toddler area, build area with an indoor jungle gym, motion magic and ball blaster zone. They will also host birthday parties for all ages.

Also for the young ones, child care center Montessori Kids Universe will begin accepting applications this spring. Through its year-round program and Montessori curriculum that is integrated with a Reggio-inspired art and science enrichment program, Montessori Kids Universe’s goal is to develop engaged and independent thinkers who embrace community, responsibility, and leadership.

Village at LeesburgThe Village will also be the first Northern Virginia location for beauty center BodyBrite. The shop offers a full range of services including IPL hair removal, skin rejuvenation, microdermabrasion, oxygen facials, chemical peel treatments, face, neck and body contouring as well as teeth whitening for affordable and competitive prices.

All these openings add to the substantial growth the Village has seen over the last two years, a press release notes. In the last 24 months, the Village has leased more than 100,000 square feet of space across all categories including entertainment, dining, apparel, and services. The new shopping and dining options are in addition to the multi-million-dollar ‘place-making’ renovations completed in 2015, which added a new pop-up fountain, dual fire-and-water fountain feature, plaza expansion, large-scale kinetic wind sculptures, ambient tree lighting, enhanced seating options, and free WiFi and music throughout. Additionally, the extension of Russell Branch Parkway, along the project’s southern border, to Battlefield Parkway will coincide with the opening of the adjacent new Lowes Home Improvement.

UNITED STATES - March 21, 2016: The Village at Leesburg shopping center offers a variety of shops restaurants, markets and movie theaters. (Photo by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now) — UNITED STATES – March 21, 2016: The Village at Leesburg shopping center offers a variety of shops restaurants, markets and movie theaters. (Photo by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now)

Article posted from Loudoun Now >>

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Month: March 2016