Thanksgiving Eve at Clarendon Ballroom

Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest party nights of the year with many locals returning to town, and Clarendon Ballroom plans to have a huge crowd at their celebration with DJ Bobby Hash on stage. If you grew up in the area like I did you are sure to be able to meet up with friends from high school or college that moved away, and many local bars quickly become impromptu class reunions. The party at Ballroom starts at 8pm this Wednesday November 26 and Lindy Promotions is on hand to get you drink specials and possible discounted cover charges for early arrivals.

Goodbye Eventide

Sadly and suddenly, Eventide announced last Sunday November 16 closed its doors for the last time. The high end three story restaurant was one of my favorite places in Clarendon since it opened in 2008 with expensive but well worth it food, a more upscale and intimate rooftop, and first floor bar which tried to be a little more upscale compared to its rowdy neighbors of Spider Kelly's and Clarendon Ballroom. This "Odd Bar" was more of a classy spot where you could order and Old Fashioned, with bourbon, and the bartender would push it across the bar to you with a cane.

I loved the second floor beautiful dining hall with extra tall ceilings - built before air conditioning to provide better ventilation in the 1920s - and fun felt doors to the interior booths. Menus usually varied depending what floor you were dining on, but I never had a meal on their second story that wasn't blown over by.

We don't have long to wait to meet Eventide's replacement, as ArlNow is already reporting that Don Tito will open their in Spring 2015. One the owners of this new beer and tequila bar is the famous (or infamous if you have a noise complaint out against him) Scott Parker. Two years ago Parker led a redesign of Caribbean Breeze into the successful and controversial Ballston nightclub A-Town, which is best known for its rowdy and over-the-top Sunday Funday brunches.

Rock Out For Vets benefit at Jammin Java

Awesome music venue Jammin Java in Vienna is hosting a benefit concert for Arlington veterans on Saturday, November 15. Local government contractor RazorX2 is organizing the event to raise money for the Rock Out For Vets concert to repair the John Lyon VFW Post 3150 building in Courthouse, which is a century old structure in great need for repair.

Two bands will take the stage that Saturday: Fairfax based rock band Traitors N Thieves  and Amsterdam. Tickets are $25 and includes open bar and hor d'oeuvres.

Bracket Room Veterans Day benefit

In honor of  Veterans Day this Tuesday November 11, Bracket Room is hosting a fundraiser to help out veterans and military families. This entire week $1 of every Coors Light draft sold will be donated to the Fisher House, the charity that gives military families places to stay when family members are hospitalized, and the Green Beret Foundation which provides immediate financial assistance to Green Berets who are injured in the line of duty. Also, if you show your military ID CAC card at the bar you receive 50% your drink on Veterans Day.

Halloween in Clarendon - Nov 1 Bar Crawl

Halloween isn't over on Oct 31! Here in Clarendon the holiday must always span two weekends, so save your costumes for the 2nd annual Clarendon Halloween Crawl on Saturday, Nov 1. Organized by Project DC Events, last year's bar crawl was massive and super fun. Be prepared for hordes of costumed party goers between 2 and 9pm who are taking advantage of each participating venue's specials, raffles and costume contests.

Early bird tickets are $10 until this Tuesday Oct 7. Then prices rise to $15 and then to $20 at the door. That price gets you a plastic mug, access to cheaper beer with that mug, $2 Bronx pizz slices, and prize contest entries. Despite all the controversy surrounding Arlington bar crawls over the past year, I'm really looking forward to this one because the costumed crowd was so friendly at the last Halloween crawl.

Register at Mad Rose or Clarendon Ballroom to start the day drinking out and expect long lines at both venues. Then hop to any or all the other participating bars, including: Whitlow’s, Spider Kelly's, SoBe, Hunan Number One, Mister Days, Hard Times, IOTA, American Tap Room, and Bracket Room.