‘Little Beast’ Pizza Finally Opens Adjacent Cauldron
Finally, the ‘Little Beast’ pizzeria was slated to open yesterday, adjacent the new Creative Cauldron theater digs in the first block of E. Broad St.
Known for its Detroit-style slices and playfully monstrous decor, the new restaurant’s owner Aaron Gordon says he plans to offer Detroit and deck oven-style pies, pastas, salads, sandwiches, and desserts in a casual, kid-friendly atmosphere.
“There’s so many wonderful restaurants in Falls Church, especially in the last four or five years — but oftentimes, they have a very sophisticated menu, and they’re very elegant,” Gordon told local media this week. “We’re elegant as well, but I think we’re just a lot more family-friendly than most other restaurants in the area, so we’re really proud of that.”
In Falls Church, in addition to pizza offerings, other highlights include a watermelon salad with fresh corn, avocado, tomato, cotija cheese, cilantro and a roasted jalapeño ranch. The bistro will initially only offer dinner service, before extending hours for lunch and brunch later this year.
The new eatery is also planning a daily happy hour with $9 martinis available in several variations, plus other cocktails with homemade syrups and juices, available alongside local beers and wines.
This is Little Beast’s third location, joining outposts in Chevy Chase, Md., and D.C.’s Palisades neighborhood (not including a Reston location that closed in 2023).
Favola Hails Veto-Proof Pro-Environmental Bill
Arlington State Sen. Barbara Favola commented on the one-day Richmond legislative session addressing Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s vetoes and alterations to bills passed in the recent session. “The only veto-proof bill returned to the governor,” she noted, was Sen. Russet Perry’s SB342, which requires developers to pay the state and localities when purchasing protected land on conservation easements.
The governor amended this bill by placing a re-enactment clause on the proposal. This meant that the bill would have to be passed by the General Assembly again in 2027 before it could become law. The General Assembly rejected the governor’s amendment. But a surprise second motion was offered to pass the bill in its enrolled form, notwithstanding the governor’s amendment, and it achieved two-thirds vote in each chamber. This means the bill is veto-proof and the governor must sign the bill into law, Favola noted.
She added, “I have received lots of positive feedback on closing the sales tax exemption on the computers and equipment used by data centers. This feedback is since electricity rates are rising for everyday Virginians with the emergence of data centers. Rest assured, I am committed to ensuring that data centers pay their ‘fair share’ when it comes to the consumption of valuable public goods such as energy and water. When data centers were given a sweetheart sales tax exemption deal in 2008 (to expire in 2035) as an incentive to locate in the Commonwealth, the full impact of their operations could not be foreseen.
“The Senate revenue target for closure of the tax exemption is $1.6 billion. The House of Delegates and the data centers did not initially embrace the idea of closing the tax exemption benefit, but it is possible that lawmakers may secure a compromise over the next few weeks that brings in some revenue but is not a complete erosion of the tax exemption benefit.”
She added, “One possibility that the data center industry is warming up to is the application of a usage fee. Adding new revenue streams to our proposed budget is imperative given the federal cuts to safety-net programs contained in the HR 1 Budget Reconciliation Act, crafted by President Trump and passed by the congressional Republicans.
Rt. 7 Widening in Tysons 1st Public Vetting This Week
Design work has been underway for about a year now on plans to widen the portion of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) that runs through central Tysons.
The Virginia Department of Transportation was slated to present its initial concept for widening the road between Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) and the Capital Beltway (I-495) to the community for the first time at a virtual public information meeting last night.
As amended by the Board of Supervisors in July 2023, Fairfax County’s comprehensive plan for Tysons envisions that segment of Leesburg Pike as a boulevard with six travel lanes and a guideway in the median reserved for bus rapid transit (BRT) service, Fairfax Board chair Jeff McKay has reported.
To accommodate the future bus service while preserving three travel lanes in each direction, the road would need to be widened by the equivalent of two lanes. The county’s guidelines also call for wider streetscapes that can comfortably fit both landscaping, including street trees, and sidewalks and other pedestrian amenities.
According to VDOT’s project page, improvements planned as part of the Route 7 widening include: Replacing the service roads in select locations with shared-use paths, adding turn lanes on Route 7 from Route 123 to International Drive/Gallows Road, replacing/upgrading traffic signals along the corridor as needed, improving vehicle safety and reducing congestion with access management, and installing high-visibility crosswalks, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps, and Accessible Pedestrian Signals at numerous intersections and ramps throughout the corridor.
One More Page Books Hails Indy Bookstore Day
In a statement on its website this week, proprietors of the N. Arlington One More Page Books said, “We’re still catching up from our amazing Indie Bookstore Day! There was a long line outside waiting for us to open and it was busy all day. We gave out over 200 NOVA+ Bookstore Crawl passports, raffled off prizes, and had winners for our silver tickets and Libro.fm Golden Ticket. What a day!”
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