Garland Pollard 2019-12-06 13:03:51
Surrounded by hundreds (hundreds!) of big-name stores, unique boutiques and all manner of restaurants, cafés and bars, I start to wonder if I’ll ever leave this place. It’s early evening in Tysons Corner, one of the urban centers of Fairfax County, after a glorious afternoon shopping at the massive TYSONS CORNER CENTER and the upscale TYSONS GALLERIA. The locals often call this experience “going to Tysons” – an expression from the 1970s that referenced the first Tysons Corner mall. Today, a visit here can easily turn into an expedition of epic proportions in the largest concentration of shopping on the East Coast outside of Manhattan. As we walk around, we spy Tycon Center, the 1980s brick tower designed by famed architect Philip Johnson. Many Virginians affectionately say it resembles, ever so slightly, a shopping bag. Very appropriate, I’d say. Shopping at Tysons is the antidote to the Internet; it’s an experience, not a warehouse or a simple transaction. A trip through the Galleria is an encyclopedic walk through the fashion culture of today. Designers like Bally, Prada and Ferragamo are all at Tysons Galleria, and each store has well-trained clerks who really know the merchandise. The sales associate at Burberry, for instance, talks to me about the expert stitching and high quality of their jackets. Because of its proximity to the DC market, you’ll also find shops here that you can’t find most places – stores that are in it for the experience. One of the more fascinating at Tysons Corner Center is the Dyson Demo store; where else can you find some joy in a well-designed vacuum? Another surprise is a retailer like the Japanese fashion boutique Uniqlo. I did not think I needed Roger Federer gamewear, until I saw Uniqlo. Those of us who revere historic American department stores can find their fill in Tysons. Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Macy’s are at Tysons Corner Center; Neiman Marcus and Saks are at the Galleria. Well-stocked and eclectic, these stores give you that grand feeling that seems to be disappearing in some areas. We’ve worked up quite an appetite shopping, so we’re excited to arrive at FOUNDING FARMERS, a giant-scaled restaurant near the two large shopping centers. Owned by 47,000 farmers and started by the North Dakota Farmers Union, Founding Farmers is emblematic of today’s Fairfax County. Urbane, but with rural roots, it is situated near The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner and Neiman Marcus. It is, perhaps, the most interesting restaurant I have visited. At once slick and down-home, the tables are handmade. The back mural is of blooming dogwood trees and red cardinals, reminders of the old Virginia “fancy” restaurants that once were in every Virginia city. Ceiling lights are farm baskets filled with “egg” lights. The backlit wall of vintage spirits near the bar gives the restaurant a gorgeous brownish glow, like a cozy campfire. After our dinner of regional seafood and vintage-recipe breads, we pose for pictures at the front of the restaurant. In perfect Fairfax style, it’s a horse mural of the Blue Ridge Mountains by local Vienna artist Nate Loda. Just to the left, a sign at the entrance reads “Welcome to our Virginia Farmhouse.” I can’t help but think that this modern Tysons “farmhouse,” situated amid towers and department stores, evokes another gentler era of Fairfax County, where families and friends gathered together to share blessings and mark special occasions at their own handmade tables. HIDDEN GEMS Hundreds of local restaurants represent every world food tradition here, but a focus on regional food and sourcing are creating new ones. ☐ In Vienna, upscale casual restaurant Clarity has won all manner of local awards including a coveted RAMMY Award. Chef/Owner Jon Krinn changes the menu weekly. ☐ Take vendors offering Taiwanese-inspired ice cream, Hawaiian poke and authentic Thai street food, put them all in a food hall and you have The Block in Annandale. ☐ Kabul comes to Springfield with local Yelp! favorite Afghan Bistro. While it has the requisite kabobs and lamb, specialties include leek, pumpkin and vegetarian chalou. ☐ Herndon is now a thriving urban center, but it was once a small, Mayberry-like Virginia town. At the old town center is Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, a modern take on an Old World tavern harkening back to those days. HOT SPOTS Tysons is an easy choice for shopping, dining and hotels, but it’s not the only one. Reston is the bold vision of the late Robert E. Simon, a New Yorker who sold his family’s Carnegie Hall to buy a farm in Fairfax and turn it into a model town that mimicked European cities, where houses and shops surrounded a lake. The nearby RESTON TOWN CENTER was created as a “mall” that actually looked like an American downtown. FAIR OAKS MALL and FAIRFAX CORNER in Fairfax provide both traditional indoor mall and outdoor city-center-style shopping, just off I-66 with multiple retail, dining and entertainment options. SPRINGFIELD TOWN CENTER offers shopping and dining along the I-95 corridor of Fairfax County, made even more convenient by its location near the Franconia/Springfield Metro and Virginia Railway Express parking areas. The transformation of Fairfax into slick urbanism is expressed in THE MOSAIC DISTRICT, which sits near the intersections of I-66 and the Beltway. What was once a suburban shopping center is now a city, complete with a weekend farmer’s market and nearly three dozen regional eateries. Explore more dining and shopping at FXVA.com/things-to-do ASK A LOCAL VINCENT FERAUD Wine Director, The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner Feraud is a protégé of famed Watergate chef Jean-Louis Palladin, whose wine lists have won Wine Spectator’s Grand Award of Excellence for 10 consecutive years. When he’s not helping customers pick a memorable bottle for their meal, here’s how he likes to enjoy Fairfax County with his family. • I like taking my kids for bike rides at Burke Lake Park, climbing adventures at Go Ape! Treetop Adventure or sightseeing at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. • For date nights with my wife, I love reminiscing about my time in France by enjoying dinner at L'Auberge Chez Francois. • Fall is my favorite season, autumn being a time of mushrooms and white and black truffles. An out-of-town treat is to head west to Linden Winery. • For shopping and gifts for my wife, Tysons Galleria is my go-to, specifically Bottega Veneta and Cartier.
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