Washingtonian - DC by Design Blog

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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
A User’s Guide
Arlington
What to do, eat, and
see right now
What To Do
 Air Force Memorial
Most people have seen the Air Force Me­
morial from afar since it opened in 2006,
but the three spires (the highest rises 270
feet) are even more impressive up close.
The spot also boasts views of Arlington
National Cemetery, the Pentagon, and
the monuments across the Potomac—In­
stagram opportunities abound. 1 Air Force
Memorial Dr.; 703-979-0674.
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
While great for a movie and a meal, the draft­
house has become such a draw for its weekly
standup shows that it’s opening Drafthouse
Comedy Theater in DC to expand the focus.
In Arlington, the January lineup includes
Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson and
MTV alum Tom Green (yes, that Tom Green).
2903 Columbia Pike; 703-486-2345.
DEA Museum & Visitors Center
Inside
Armchair drug warriors, rejoice. This littleknown museum offers a prop-and-photofilled history of the trade, dating back to
19th-century opium dens. Items on exhibit
include a steel crack-house door and a mari­
juana vending machine. The cocaine-laced
toothache tablets have to stay behind the
glass, but for souvenirs you can take home
pamphlets and fact sheets about the harmful
effects of nearly every known drug. 700 Army
Navy Dr.; 202-307-3463.
More on page 133
Photograph by Thorney Lieberman/Getty Images
Q&A
→
Yelp’s CEO on
growing up in
North Arlington
p. 132
eat
The Big Punisher,
a.k.a. Arlington’s
sloppiest burger
p. 136
SHOP
A secondhand
store so good
you have to pass
a security check
to get in
p. 139
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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
Rave review:
Stoppelman was
a swim-team
champ at
Donaldson Run.
What neighborhood
did you grow up in?
Off Military Road in one
of those post–World
War II baby-boom
houses.
What are your
memories of Taylor
Elementary?
Most are from Donaldson Run. We spent
basically our whole
summers at the pool
doing swim-team stuff
and hanging out with
the kids there.
My Town
Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman on why his native
North Arlington deserves five stars (but don’t get
him started about Great Falls)
Interview by Jennifer Sergent
mom and check out his old turf. The
38-year-old attended Taylor Elemen­
tary and swam at the Donaldson Run
pool. His family moved to Great Falls
when he was a preteen and he gradu­
ated from Langley High in McLean,
but he credits his years in Arlington
with helping him build confidence
and an interest in technology. On his
Yelp profile, he lists the fajitas at Rio
Grande Café (4301 Fairfax Dr.; 703528-3131) as what he’d eat for his last
meal. For a guy who lives in California,
that’s serious hometown love. Here,
more thoughts from Stoppelman.
Freelance writer Jennifer Sergent (jennifers­ergent@verizon.net) has
lived in Arlington since 1997.
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You’ve said video
games sparked your
interest in technology.
Yes. That was our first
freedom as kids, being
able to bike to Ballston
Common mall and buy
video games. I think
the store was called
Babbage’s [now GameStop]. My favorite game
was Prince of Persia.
What do you think of
how Arlington has
changed?
The increased density
is exciting, and great
for the local business
ecosystem. Arlington
has always been, and
remains, a nice blend
of urban and suburban.
Everything is within
striking distance.
What are West Coast
misperceptions of
Washington?
If you were planning a
weekend in Arlington
based on Yelp reviews,
where would you go?
I’m a runner, so Potomac River Running
Store (4501 Fairfax
Dr.; 703-243-2332)
looks good—they have
great reviews. I would
probably want to get a
cruiser to ride around
on at the Old Bike Shop
(2647 N. Pershing Dr.;
571-312-1730). One
of my interests lately
is guitar, and there’s
a great shop, Metro
Guitar Service (775
23rd St. S.; 703-3717589), that will get you
tuned up.
If you were to do a Yelp
review of Arlington as
a place, what would
you write?
From a child’s perspective, I would give it five
stars at least. Living in
that little area of Arlington was cool because
you’d have all these other children around and
you could play backyard football and ride
your bike in the street. At
Donaldson Run, I was a
swim champ—that real­
ly built my confidence.
We moved to Great Falls
after sixth grade, and
while there was more
land, from a social perspective it was probably
more of a three-star
experience, because it
was so spread out—it
was a lot harder socially.
Now that I’m all grown
up, I’m more of an urban person. I like that
Arlington has the best
of both worlds—you
can get into DC nice
and easy.
Photograph by Peter Prato
Long before he moved to
Silicon Valley, asked his Pay­
Pal boss, Elon Musk, to help
him get into Harvard Business School,
dropped out, moved to San Francisco
to found Yelp in 2004, and started
showing up on various lists of tech
gods with a net worth most recently
estimated at $222 million, Jeremy
Stoppelman was just a kid in North
Arlington who liked video games.
He still comes to town a couple
times a year—for instance, to lobby for
legislation that affects his company—
but the trips are also a chance to see his
Do you still have
friends from then?
Most of my friends
are from Langley High
School. One of them,
Justin Stegall, runs
Bakeshop (1025 N.
Fillmore St.; 571-9706460). I’ve never had
anything at Bakeshop,
but I’ve been meaning
to drop in when I’m in
town. He’s gotten really
good reviews on Yelp.
Most people think of
DC as just a center of
government. They don’t
realize how varied and
vibrant the area is.
Iota Club & Café
Bigtime performers such as John Mayer
and Norah Jones came through Iota when
they were starting out. Sibling owners
Stephen Negrey and Jane Negrey Inge con­
tinue to host rising talents every weekend,
along with Wednesday-night open mikes
and other performances plus Sunday poetry
jams. New to the 21-year-old institution: a
no-cover-charge dining area in the back
alley. 2832 Wilson Blvd.; 703-522-8340.
Kettler Capitals Iceplex
The Capitals’ practices are free to watch
and open to the public most weekends
during hockey season. Rather get out on
the ice yourself? There are regular public
skate sessions and a full schedule of figureskating and hockey lessons. 627 N. Glebe Rd.;
571-224-0555.
Long Bridge Park
The soccer fields are so good here that DC
United uses them whenever the team’s own
fields aren’t available. Even nicer is the
raised esplanade, with views of the Wash­
ington Monument, the Potomac River,
and Reagan National. 475 Long Bridge Dr.;
parks.arlingtonva.us.
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Photograph by Jesse Snyder
Photographs can’t capture the contempla­
tive feeling of this tree-lined park of canti­
levered benches that appear to rise seam­
lessly from the gravel. Linger on one of
them and listen to the pools of water gurgle
underneath, or use your cell phone to take
a guided audio tour. pentagonmemorial.org.
Field of dreams: Don’t be surprised to see DC
United practicing at Long Bridge Park.
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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
Signature Theatre
Signature configures its black-box theaters
(one seats 300, the other 110) so the sets
extend into the audience for most produc­
tions. Having made its name more than
two decades ago with interpretations of
Sondheim, it has expanded its repertoire
far beyond that, with world premieres,
original renditions of Broadway hits in an
intimate setting—such as West Side Story,
currently onstage—and a Tony Award for
excellence in regional theater. 4200 Campbell Ave; 703-820-9771.
TechShop
Good morning: Green Pig Bistro draws brunch crowds with spicy Bloody Marys and fluffy biscuits.
—Jennifer Sergent
21 Arlingtons
Nearly half the states in the country have a town, village, city,
or Census-designated place called Arlington—ranked here by
population. How does ours stack up?
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Home of Chris Soules of
“The Bachelor,” dubbed “the
least geographically desirable bachelor ever” by Slate.
Birthplace of Nobel Prize–
winning economist Theodore
Schultz.
Called Haysville until 1883,
when it was renamed after
Arlington National Cemetery.
Paul Revere passed through
on his midnight ride to warn
that the British were coming.
The only one bigger than
Virginia’s, it's home to the
Texas Rangers.
—Jackson Knapp
WHERE TO eat
Copperwood Tavern
If you’re looking for a place to graze on
drinks and snacks with friends, or to
grab a quick bite before a show at Sig­
nature Theatre, this warm Shirlington
gastropub is your spot. Dishes such as
cornmeal-dusted fried green tomatoes
and mushroom/goat-cheese bruschetta
make easy shares, and Monday through
Friday between 4 and 7, Rappahannock
oysters go for $1 at the bar. 4021 Campbell
Ave.; 703-552-8010.
Green Pig Bistro
Spicy Bloody Marys, creamy grits topped
with fat shrimp, and fluffy buttermilk
biscuits regularly draw us to Scot Harlan’s
mod-folksy Clarendon dining room on
weekend mornings. At night, don’t miss
the hulking Buffalo-style pork ribs, dressed
with loads of hot sauce and blue cheese, or
the bacon cheeseburger. 1025 N. Fillmore
St.; 703-888-1920.
The Italian Store
The often chaotic Lyon Village market/
deli—on weekends, call in your sandwich
Photograph by Scott Suchman
Arlington, Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Arlington, Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Arlington, Arizona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Arlington, Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Arlington, Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
Arlington, Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Arlington, Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Arlington, Oregon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
Arlington, Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 819
Arlington, South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 915
Arlington, Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,243
Arlington, Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,455
Arlington, Georgia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,479
Arlington, Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,233
Arlington, Vermont. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,317
Arlington, New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,061
Arlington, Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,517
Arlington, Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . 17,926
Arlington, Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . 42,844
Arlington, Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207,627
Arlington, Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365,438
With more than $1 million worth of com­
puters and machines that enable you to
woodwork, weld, laser-cut, powder-coat,
and sew your vision into reality, this
place is like your mom’s craft room on
performance-enhancing drugs—it’s open
24 hours. You can pay for daily or monthly
access, hire a consultant to help with your
project, or take classes. 2110-B Crystal Dr.;
703-302-8780.
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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
order if you don’t want to wait 45 minutes
—now has a bigger, more civilized sibling
in Westover. At both places, we love the fat
subs stuffed with capicola and mortadella
(the greasy pizza slices, not so much),
and there’s a nice selection of Italian
cheeses, pastas, and pantry staples. Plus,
it’s worth cramming your freezer with the
red-sauced manicotti for easy weeknight
dinners. 3123 Lee Hwy. (Lyon Village),
703-528-6266; 5837 Washington Blvd.
(Westover), 571-341-1080.
Mexican food menu. The shortlist includes
hard-to-quit nachos, coconut-braised
chicken enchiladas, and “crazy” corn, in
which a grilled cob is rolled in zesty crema,
cotija cheese, and corn nuts. 4000 Wilson
Blvd.; 703-312-0200.
Ray’s Hell Burger
Mussel Bar & Grille
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Heaven in hell: Ray’s Hell Burger dishes
up the area’s juiciest patties.
Pepita
More than 50 cocktails are on the list at
Mike Isabella’s snug Ballston cocktail
lounge. And while we could happily sip
pumpkin coladas and pomegranate/mezcal
margs all night, we also head here for the
Tazza Kitchen
Most restaurants that try to be all things
to all people—picky eaters, trend-seeking
foodies, squeamish kids—can’t pull it
off. This Arlington Ridge branch of a
Richmond mini-chain succeeds thanks
Photograph by Scott Suchman
Take a cue from this sleek Ballston hang­
out’s name and home in on the moules
frites section of the menu. Skillets of
mussels come blanketed in sauces such
as nutty green curry or truffle cream
and bacon, and both the regular and
sweet-potato fries—each served with a
trio of aïolis—are terrific. They’re ample
meals in themselves, but it’d be a shame
to miss chef/owner Robert Wiedmaier’s
standard-setting French onion soup. 800
N. Glebe Rd.; 703-841-2337.
You don’t go to one of Michael Landrum’s
burger joints for the atmosphere—this
beige-walled space is about as plain as
they come. What you do go for is one of
the area’s finest, juiciest patties served
with any number of perfectly sloppy
toppings. Our picks: the Big Punisher,
with zesty diablo sauce, pepperjack, and
charred jalapeños, or the B.I.G. Poppa,
with mushrooms and blue cheese. 1650
Wilson Blvd.; 703-841-0001.
to smart sourcing (sustainable seafood,
humanely raised meats, local cheeses),
excellent cocktails, and a kitchen that
values flavor over showiness. It does as
well with a simple wood-fired pizza as
it does with a flatiron steak sauced with
salsa verde and a runny egg. 2931 S. Glebe
Rd.; 703-549-8299.
Thai Square
This spare dining room has been one
of the stars of the cheap-eats scene for
nearly two decades. There’s no timidity
to the cooking—dishes pack plenty of
pungency and spice—and are made with
higher-quality ingredients than at your
typical bargain Thai spot. We like to start
with one of the brightly flavored salads,
whether ground-pork-and-pig-skin or
grilled flank steak, served with plenty of
fresh mint and cilantro. 3217 Columbia
Pike; 703-685-7040.
—Ann Limpert
WHERE TO shop
Ah Love Oil & Vinegar
The shop started with artisanal oils, vin­
egars, and other pantry items, but owner
Cary Kelly has expanded to offer handmade
goods for anywhere in the kitchen. Our fave
recent finds: hand-painted Turkish bowls
and food-related watercolor prints by DC
artist Marcella Kriebel. 4017-B Campbell
Ave.; 703-820-2210.
Ayers Variety & Hardware
Those mourning the closing of Bethesda’s
Bruce Variety need only cross the river
to find its longstanding cousin. The “va­
riety” part isn’t just meant to lend oldtimey charm. It’s literal: You can stock
up on party supplies, garden gnomes,
reading glasses, knitting needles, and
pressure cookers in one stop. Oh, there’s
hardware, too. 5853 Washington Blvd.;
703-538-5678.
Finders Keepers/It’s All Good
These two neighboring consignment
shops will soothe those afflicted with
expensive taste but on a limited budget.
Finders Keepers is your destination for
classic designer goods (Gucci sunglasses,
Prada bags), while It’s All Good has a bo­
hemian vibe, with plenty of maxi-dresses
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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
Did You Know . . .
Al Pacino once ate a burrito at the Iwo Jima Memorial?
(And other essential Arlington facts and stats.)
 High School
to the Stars
Washington-Lee
● Shirley MacLaine, class of 1952
● Warren Beatty, class of 1955
● Sandra Bullock, class of 1982
 Resident
Chattering Class
Peter Alexander, NBC News
Eugene Robinson,
Washington Post
● Chuck Todd, Meet the Press
●
●
 Urban Legend
Pets around Four Mile
Run began disappearing
in 1974, giving rise to the
tale of the so-called Beast
of Barcroft (the inspiration
for a 2015 e-book of the
same name by Arlingtonian
Bill Schweigart). The National
Zoo eventually captured
the culprit, a cat-like carnivore called a civet . . . or
did it?
●
 By the numbers
 Historical Notes
In 1791, the land that includes
Arlington was part of DC—at the
time a diamond shape. Congress
gave that land back to Virginia in
1846 so the state could pay for a
canal project along the Potomac.
●
● During Watergate, the source
known as Deep Throat met with
Bob Woodward in a parking
garage on Wilson Boulevard in
Rosslyn. The county board voted
to tear the garage down in 2014.
 Screen Time
● In 2003’s The Recruit, Al Pacino
eats a burrito at the Marine Corps
War Memorial (a.k.a. the Iwo Jima
Memorial) in Arlington Ridge Park.
● In the season-one finale of
The West Wing, President Jed
Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen,
gets shot in a scene filmed at the
former Newseum site in Rosslyn.
At 25.8 square miles,
Arlington County is the
nation’s smallest.
81 languages are spoken by
public-school students, who
come from 96 countries.
Arlington has 86 miles of biking
and jogging trails, 8 libraries,
and 652 restaurants.
At 2.8 percent, Arlington County
has the Washington area’s
lowest unemployment rate.
207,627 people live in the county.
22207 (North Arlington) is the
county’s most expensive Zip
code, with a median home price
of $890,000.
22206 (Shirlington) is the least
expensive, with a median home
price of $399,000.
—Jackson knapp
Sources: Arlington County government; US Bureau of Labor Statistics;
RealEstate Business Intelligence; US Census Bureau
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Local talent: Members of the Arlington Artists
Alliance show work at Gallery Underground.
and platform heels. Finders Keepers also
sells vintage furniture, some of it painted
and repurposed in-house. 5906 and 5912
Washington Blvd.; 703-241-9227 (Finders
Keepers); 571-335-4744 (It’s All Good).
Fort Myer Thrift Shop
This secondhand store on a military base is
for serious bargain hunters only—to get here,
you have to go through a security checkpoint
and have your car searched. But the chance
to sort through a seemingly endless supply
of unusual goods consigned and donated by
world-traveling military families is worth
the hassle. During a recent visit, one shopper
had just consigned a handmade rug from the
Middle East. Non-military should call ahead
for hours. Main gate on Washington Blvd. at
S. Second St.; store at Forrest Cir., Building
224-225; 703-527-0664.
Gallery Underground
Photograph by Elvert Barnes
This Crystal City art gallery celebrates local
talent, hosting rotating exhibits of juried
work in all media by members of the Ar­
lington Artists Alliance. Highlights from a
recent visit included gilded iconography by
Laura Clerici, glazed animal sculptures by
Trinka Roeckelein, and playful realist still
lifes by Dennis Crayon. 2100 Crystal Dr.;
571-483-0652.
Kinder Haus Toys
Kinder Haus is known for classic toys
—including wooden play sets by Melissa
& Doug, Madame Alexander dolls, and
Folkmanis puppets—but owner Sue Pyatt
isn’t above capitalizing on a trend. With
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Neighbor hood Guide: A r lington
Euro-treasure: Paris-inspired home goods and gifts line the shelves at Le Village Marché.
the new Star Wars movie on the way, she’s
got a hefty stock of figurines at the ready.
1220 N. Fillmore St.; 703-527-5929.
Le Village Marché
Owner Angela Phelps’s love of Paris is
apparent upon entering her Frenchinflected boutique in Shirlington. Cafe
music plays softly. Provençal tea towels,
Laguiole knives and soaps from Mar­
seille, and glassware with fleurs-de-lis
line the shelves. You’ll find decor and
gifts from $20 to $150—something for
any budget. 2800 S. Randolph St., Suite
110-A (entrance on Campbell Ave.); 703379-4444.
Revolution Cycles
Trade Roots Gift Store & Coffee Shop
Owner Lisa Ostroff majored in international
relations and considered joining the Peace
Corps. Instead, she decided she could do
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Waste Knot Needlepoint
All of those things that were just lying
around your grandmother’s house—type­
writers, Mason jars, record players—are
cool again, and needlepoint is no excep­
tion. (Taylor Swift is reportedly a devotee
of the hobby.) There’s no better spot to
stock up on supplies than Waste Knot,
which carries hand-painted canvases
for all occasions and dozens of types of
thread. 4502 Lee Hwy.; 703-807-1828.
Wylie Wagg
The staff at the Clarendon outpost of this
local chain know the neighborhood pets
by name. The shop prides itself on stock­
ing eco-friendly, locally produced goods
and sells food, both raw and dry, that a
third party has certified as 100 percent
humanely produced. 2509 N. Franklin
—J.S.
Rd.; 703-875-2007. Photograph by Daniel Swartz
The local chain’s Clarendon shop is most
popular with commuting cyclists, who
can find a huge selection of clothing, tools,
and gear from Bontrager and other top
labels on the main level. Go upstairs to
find Dahon folding bicycles, Felt electric
bikes, and classic styles from Raleigh. 2731
Wilson Blvd.; 703-312-0007.
good by selling beautiful gifts and house­
wares (straw giraffes from Madagascar,
jewelry from Thailand)—in the process
creating economic opportunities for people
in less developed parts of the world. She’s
recently expanded her offerings to include
tableware and a fair-trade coffee shop
strewn with batik pillows. 5852 Washington
Blvd.; 571-335-4274.