Re: O'toole's Sold/Centreville Bar Scene
Posted by:
Mr. Mojo Risin
()
Date: January 14, 2008 04:34AM
An interesting discussion or blog focusing on Shad(y) Tree and O'Toole's with I believe one recent post making reference to the new "Alto Plaza" across from IHOP, and another mentioning Sweetwater, Red Rock Canyon, Red Rocks, Border Cafe, Ned Devine's etc.
Given the close proximity to Fairfax Corner (Coastal Flats, PF Chiangs, Rio Grande) and perhaps Blue Water Grille off of Rt. 28 (Sully Rd) and maybe Blue Iguana in Fair Lakes; the Centreville bar scene is not all that bad (with the exception of course of the "Section 8" Shade Tree dive bar) when taken in relative comparison to the choices or availability of bars in let's say Annandale, Springfield, Burke, Fairfax City, Herndon, Reston, Sterling or some other areas of Northern Virginia.
Actually because of some of the relatively newer places; Martini's, Ned Devines, Sweetwater, Red Rock Canyon, and the new Alto Plaza (plus close proximity to Fairfax Corner), the Centreville area bar scene is not all that bad. Also, O'Toole's has been remodeled into a more contemporary joint from the roadhouse style place it used to be; although I don't particularly care for the new look and feel of O'Toole's personally - but at least it now distinguishes itself from the "Section 8" bar, Shade Tree, or the other trailer trash joint, Sully's, out in nearby Chantilly.
What Northern Virginia really needs and sorely lacks (particularly in the western part of Fairfax County near the Centreville, Fair Lakes, Fairfax Corner areas) is a mature, modern, upscale or contemporary night club (with a dress code) where couples or singles can dance and have a nice night out without being in a place or environment which lends itself to fights or brawls erupting or which attracts "bangers" or "hoods."
With the exception of "e-Citi" bar in Tysons/McLean, there really is no place in NoVA to dance. Also, it seems that any place that does have a dance floor brings in DJ's that play a lot of "regeaton", latin, hip-hop, rap or other styles of music .... which, you guessed it, attract the less sophisticated or maturer crowd of folks. Whatever happened to places like Studebakers or Boomerangs which played music more on the rock-n-roll, pop, retro or "disco" side of things ?! I guess the only closest thing now is Polly Esther's in DC or Rockville...
Also, the Northern Virginia localities should adopt by ordinance non-smoking regs, such as have been implemented in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District. Enough of the "Virginia is a tobacco state" platitudes. As Senator J. Brandon Bell II said recently, "The bottom line is that we're not talking about a smoker's right to smoke indoors. We're talking about my right not to breath in 4,000 chemicals and 60 known carcinogens that are associated with secondhand smoke."