Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Celebrates 1 Year

Congratulations to Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Falls Church, Virginia, which celebrated a successful first year this holiday season! Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, a Logsdon Commercial Group client, is a California based health franchise which now boasts 3 locations in the Washington D.C. Metro area. The Falls Church store, located in the Willston Center at Seven Corners, represents the area's 3rd location.

While at first glance the name conjures up images of muscled bodybuilders and professional athletes, Max Muscle's goal is to serve a wide audience ranging from high school students to middle-aged moms to seniors -- and anyone else looking to maximize their health through better nutrition and fitness.

Falls Church owner Michele Cato is neither a bodybuilder nor a personal trainer, but rather a middle-aged mom with a background in public health administration and a graduate business degree. Before opening her business, she became a Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach. Her purpose is simple: to help people in all walks of life make better everyday choices about eating, getting the right nutrients, and managing weight. Her customers include local high school athletes and cheerleaders, firefighters and police, military personnel, and numerous members of the Washington D.C. community who try to balance work, health, and quality of life.

Max Muscle's products -- which include natural supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, safe performance aids, exercise snacks, weight management tools, and athletic clothing -- are derived from top natural sources and formulated in optimal blends to work more effectively. They don't just help build muscle, they help burn fat, maintain heart health, cleanse, protect bones, and even sleep better. The national magazine is also full of health advice, inspirational stories, and recipes.

Stop by Max Muscle Sports Nutrition at 6120 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA for a free test of your body composition, metabolic rate, and consultation to help you customize a nutritional program that's right for your size, age, gender, and goals.

Grand Opening: Mad Rose Tavern, Clarendon

20 Irish whiskeys and 40 Scotches. Did that your attention? How about 100 wines and 20 beers on tap to start? Run, don't walk, to Mad Rose Tavern, a new addition to Clarendon Blvd's busy 3100 block, which opened last month. In addition to an undeniably well-stocked beverage selection, diners are already raving about the satisfying menu options consisting of "modern American," Irish, Italian, French and Asian influences - for reasonable prices. Did I mention the patio seating?

"I want to give you the best freaking product out there, within reason,  for the same price everybody else is charging for crap," Mad Rose's dining  room manager Scott Arnold told ARL Now. Examples of the above include New Zealand lollipop lamb chops, crab balls, a mild Italian pork sausage served with peppers in a red marinara sauce, and rice 'n beans bedding a blackened redfish.

Monday through Friday, 4pm-7pm, enjoy happy hour specials of $2 off all draft beers, $4 rail drinks, $4 glass of red & white wine. And, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, enjoy $6 Corned Beef Sliders, $6 Irish Stew, $5 Jameson, and $5 Guinness. What else do you need?

Join their Facebook page to hear about new beer and menu additions and to find out about events. And be sure to visit Mad Rose Tavern at 3100 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA.

Now Open: Holistic Touch Center of Alexandria

The Logsdon Commercial Group is please to announce the opening of our client, Holistic Touch Center at 309 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA.

If you're like us, you work hard, you network frequently, and you spend a good deal of time out and about (someone's got to visit all these new places after all). Which means you find yourself a bit stressed and in need of some TLC. . . or a therapeutic massage, or a stress-relieving acupuncture session. Maybe even a dash of yoga or a quick facial. Luckily for us (and for you if you live in the area), the  newly opened Holistic Touch Center in Old Town hits the spot - or in our case, all of our sore ones.

Owner Linda Wentz, a Nationally Board Certified and Licensed Acupuncturist and Massage Therapist, has helped patients with pain, stress, and relaxation for over 9 years. Her mission: "incorporate mind,  body, and soul into a harmonious flow." In addition to welcoming busy Washingtonians into a zen-like retreat complete with a soothing wall fountain, Holistic Touch Center offers such unique treatments as Bach Flower Consultations, Tai Chi/Qi Gong Consultations, and Craniosacral Therapy, which, among other things, helps treat migraines and fibromyalgia.

Linda also provides customized services to help patients with fertility and pregnancy, her self-proclaimed passions. Looking to get pregnant or to alleviate the not-so-pleasant aspects of pregnancy? Acupuncture  has been shown to help with both by improving hormonal fluctuations, easing pain, reducing morning sickness, and increasing energy. Know someone who's expecting? How about a gift of massage, acupuncture, meditation, or stress-relieving yoga for the mom-to-be? Hint: also a perfect gift for busy moms as Mother's Day is May 8.

Join their Facebook page to read useful health tips and check out their website for monthly specials, a complete list of services, and a schedule of Yoga classes.

Grand Opening: The Happy Woof

The Logsdon Commercial Group is thrilled to announce the grand opening of our client, The Happy Woof. Long revered for their top-quality pet foods and products, this Fairfax-based business just opened their first B & M store at Courthouse Plaza. With their spacious and convenient corner spot in the heart of Fairfax City, they are now the ultimate destination for you and your pooch.

In addition to carrying such highly regarded brands as The Honest Kitchen, Great Life, Nutri Source, Primal, Sojo's, Stella and Chewy's, and Natural Pet Organics, The Happy Woof also features full-service grooming plus 3 self-serve dog wash stations. They also carry samples of most brands of food, so come in and get some to try. They even offer free local dog food delivery!

Owner Hillary Hutcheon has 10 years of experience in the pet industry and has worked with top local vets. As a dog and cat owner herself, she is genuinely concerned about the health and welfare of your furry best friend. "The Happy Woof is dedicated to selling brands that are eco-friendly, made in the USA, and dedicated to the health and well being of pets," she says. "We specialize in raw food, in many aspects- dehydrated raw, frozen raw, and freeze dried raw. 0% of the food we carry is grain free. We also carry very high quality kibble and canned food."

Looking for some bonding opportunities with your pup, especially now  that the temperature is dropping? Visit the "Woof Lounge" which includes HDTV, WiFi, Xbox, free coffee, and a doggy treadmill. Or, take  home some unique toys to play with later.

Just in time for Halloween, come check out the many adorable costumes for your 4-legged kids. "Dress them up this year and see how many treats they get," she suggests. How about a a lobster, skunk, pig, prisoner, big spider, or dinosaur? Be sure to pick up a doggie goody bag, too.

And here’s a treat for you: sign up for their mailing list and look for specials, like 50% off half-off your first self-serve  dog wash. Don’t forget to visit their Facebook page and blog for more news and to view some adoptable cats that need a good home.

Visit The Happy Woof at 10396 Willard Way ( Courthouse Plaza), Fairfax, VA 22030.

Happy 10th Anniversary to Alexandria's Hollin Hall Pastry Shop!

The Logsdon Commercial Group is pleased to congratulate the Hollin Hall Pastry Shop on their 10th anniversary. This gem - tucked away on Fort Hunt Road off the scenic George Washington Parkway - has been serving up sweet delights since August 2000. But the story goes back long before then.

Self-taught pastry chef Mel Meadows, the brainchild behind this venture, actually began his career in 1981 at the prestigious Congressional Country Club. His talent in crafting European confections soon landed him at two of the region's top caterers, where he soon won over numerous dignitaries and heads of state with is innovative designs.

Feeling the pangs of entrepreneurship, Mel decided to open a pastry shop of his own in North Alexandria where he could showcase the range of his talents in such med  ums as cakes, cream pastries, tarts, truffles, and other desserts. Then, seeing an underserved market in Alexandria's expanding Fort Hunt Road corridor - halfway between Old Town and Mount Vernon - he moved south and opened what is now the Hollin Hall Pastry Shop.

The neighbors couldn't be happier. Soon, not just local residents but fans from Old Town and beyond were descending on  Hollin Hall Pastry Shop to sample the mousse pastries, Napoleons, tartlets, custom cakes, and hand-made chocolates. Using imported chocolate and organic fruit, Hollin Hall Pastry Shop also creates custom  cakes for weddings and and special occasions.

Among our favorites? The Triple Chocolate Mousse and Tiramisu Mousse pastries, Lemon and Mango Mouse cakes, and the Passionfruit and Apricot Tart.

Honored with two distinct "Business of the Year" awards in 2004, Chef Meadows was also asked to produce a giant cake to celebrate the opening of the new Washington D.C. Convention Center in 2003. An inspiration to local entrepreneurs, Chef Meadows believes in serving more than cake – he gives back to the community with his time and money, sponsoring such events as the Carpenter's Shelter Cook-Off.

Check out their website   for a list of desserts and be sure to stop by their elegant store at 7920 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, 22308.

Grand Opening: Pupatella Neapolitan Pizzeria and Friggitoria

West Ballston is sizzling with the opening of Pupatella Neapolitan Pizzeria and Friggitoria - literally. Italian for "fry shop", the Naples-born concept of a friggitoria serves up such bad-but-so-good artery cloggers as deep fried risotto balls, calzones, and mini-doughnuts.

But the real piece de resistance at Pupatella is the authentic wood-burning oven, specially built in Naples and shipped over. This baby, fed by oak logs, cooks your pizza at 800-1000 degrees in a mere 1 minute and fits   up to 5 pizzas at once. 

Named after the owner and complete with an adorable pizza box that features the couple's son, this legendary pizza cart-turned-restaurant is an overnight sensation in their new permanent space, and for good reason. They use beautiful fresh ingredients such as buffalo mozzarella (also imported from Naples), basil, smoked salmon, goat cheese, prosciutto (hormone-free and grass-fed), roasted red peppers and arugula. They even grill their own sausage. You can also get spicy Spanish chorizo or Mortadella with pistachios, a surprisingly good pizza topping.

Choose one of their intriguing combos like the Spicy Salami, Kalamata Olives, and Goat Cheese; the Grilled Eggplant, Fresh Tomatoes, and Gouda Cheese; or live luxe with the White Pizza with Roasted Porcini, Portobello, and Button Mushrooms, Garlic, Brie Cheese, and Truffle Oil. The secret to their sauce? San-Marzano tomatoes, an heirloom variety grown in the San-Marzano region near Mount Vesuvius. Considered the best for pizza sauce due to their intense sweetness and concentrated flavor, they are the only tomato allowed in Vera Pizza Napoletana (true Neapolitan pizza).

A dream for me and for others who like their crust thin and perfectly baked and their mozzarella fresh, this is an Arlington don't-miss. Dine in or call ahead for pick-up.

See more of their mouthwatering menu at www.pupatella.com and follow them on Twitter for each week's special.

Grand Opening: P. Brennan's Irish Pub & Restaurant

The humble Columbia Pike corridor has scored another win against Goliaths Clarendon and Ballston, so let's celebrate with a frosty draft beer. Or how about 18 of them? That's how many beers are on tap at the recently opened P. Brennan's Irish Pub & Restaurant, South Arlington's newest hit. Good thing, because this long-awaited pub is already satisfying a thirsty crowd that lives near Arlington's exploding Columbia Pike corridor (as well as those who dread hunting for parking on Wilson/Clarendon Blvd… guilty!). 

Strategically located across from the Cinema Drafthouse at 2910 Columbia Pike, P. Brennan's joins blockmates Lost Dog Cafe, Bangkok 54, and old-timer Matuba Japanese Restaurant.

Named after a close friend who passed away in August 2008, P. Brennan's "aims to instill some of his professionalism and fun loving personality into its atmosphere and philosophy," reflect Irish owners, Brian Dolphin and Greg Whelan, who also own Crystal City's McGinty’s Public House. They go on, "P. Brennan (Little Pat) was a big character and fun-loving bartender who was passionate about his trade. P. Brennan's is a fitting tribute to 'Little Pat'." Don't miss his portrait just inside the entrance.

The handsomely designed interior -- which features an "exhibition" of local artists on the first floor -- consists of 2 levels and is noticeably airy. Many of the striking wood finishes, including the 47-ft bar and stairs, were handcrafted by an Irish carpenter. Be a trend-setter and host your next event in the spacious upstairs room, which seats 80 of your closest friends. I'm already visualizing my birthday bash (which isn't for another 6 months, mind you, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead!).

Among its non-celebrity beers on tap -- with no disrespect to Guinness and Harp -- are a famous microbrew from NY called McSorley's Black Beer, Smithwick's Ale (okay, maybe it was just unknown to me), and Oregon's Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale.

A well-stocked beer selection not enough to whet your appetite? How about an innovative menu from Executive Chef J. Trent Conry who hails  from such crowd pleasers as Rustico and 701 Restaurant? The intriguing Charred Tomato and Guinness Stout Soup with parmesan croutons, followed by the Dr Pepper Braised Short Ribs on boniato purée & glazed root vegetable or the Herb Scented Organic Salmon with curried green apples, spiced chickpea purée & pea shoot salad should dispel your notions of Corned Beef & Cabbage representing the entirety of Irish Food. Not that they don't make a marvelous rendition of the latter, along with such pub faves as Shepherd's Pie, Sausage & Mash, and Wexford Lamb Stew.

Need more inducement? How about 5 dishes for 5 bucks 5 days a week between 4 and 7 PM? Now that's a happy hour made for small business budgets! Night owls too have a new neighborhood hangout with a late-nite menu served from 10:30-12:30. Or, come for a hearty Sunday Brunch. In fact, you can enjoy the Irish Breakfast with eggs, rasher, sausage, black & white pudding, beans, grilled tomato, potato cake almost anytime. Which I definitely recommend, because a breakfast like this may not leave you much room for any other meals!

See more of their lip-smacking menu at http://www.pbrennans.com/ and be sure to join their Facebook page to for Irish Trivia, news, and upcoming musical performances!