Arlington News You Care About

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

Eating Around: New Pizza Options in D.C., Va.

Washington Post’s Express hails the new pizza ovens at Roberto Donna’s Bebo Trattoria in Crystal City. The ovens took a week to heat up!



More Flights at National?

I think normally I wouldn't find this that interesting, but I just schlepped out to Dulles for my last flight - what a pain! Of course, I understand the reasons for not wanting more flights at National, I'll never call it Reagan, as well.

Great Dates/Great Art

This exhibit seems to be getting a lot of buzz, and I thing it sounds pretty cool as well.

Here's a video clip from WETA and a nice article in the Post



Environmental Cabs?

I've heard there was this movement for more hybrid cabs, but I don't realize there was this whole environmental cab company. Interesting.

All the Arlington News You Care About - 6/18

Best Cities for Young Singles

Kiplinger's cites Arlington as one of the best cities for young singles.



Cherrydale Fire Station Relocation Takes Yet Another Turn

Probably not originally an interesting story, but there's been a lot of drama behind this fire station.



Crispy Pork Belly With Chili-Basil

A good recommendation from the Post regarding one of my favorite restaurants in Arlington - Bangkok 54



UK gov't promotes dumb terminals to cut global warming

OK, this isn't about Arlington, but given Arlington's interest in being "green", I thought this was an interesting story.

D.C. Hears Our Cries, Plans for Bicycle Rental Program
Again, not technically about Arlington, but I've heard some buzz about something like this potentially in Arlington, so I found this interesting.

To Boldly Go Beyond Vanilla

An article about Arlington trying to get more interesting architecture. I'm particularly found of some of the quotes from the County's chief architect, including this one: "Look at this one. It looks like something out of the Soviet Union"

Fit: By Land and Sea

Did anybody check out the bike racing action at Crystal City this weekend?

All the Arlington News You Care About - June 1 - June 11

A Clarendon For Everybody

Washington City Paper

This is as much a beast on the Washington Post's obsessive coverage of Clarendon as anything else, but all the same the story's a decent snapshot of Clarendon.

2 Democrats Offer Plans for Change

Washington Post

I can't say an article about a local Treasurer's race would normally interest me, but this one just sounds like good old fashioned hard nosed local politics, and I found that interesting.

Red Top Turns to Hybrid Cabs

Sun Gazette

And the environmental movement marches on!

Got Plans?

Washington Post

The Post Going out Gurus (always a worthwhile read), recommend Eat Bar for a night out in Arlington.

A Little Rain Doesn't Stop Community Bike Ride

Sun Gazette

Quick review of the recent Community Bike Ride (as highlighted in the What's Up Arlington! e-newsletter)

Getting To Know... Michael Wardian

Article about an Arlingtonian who recently ran the Frederick marathon while pushing a stroller! I'm impressed. This guy has also qualified for the Olympic Trails - interesting article.

Sound of Success: WETA Thrives on Classical Music

What do you think? Do you like the classical format better than the all news one?

Classy -- and Classic -- Pizza in South Arlington

Good review of Cafe Pizzaiolo.

Sowing a Different Tomorrow
Washington Post
Article about Arlington's trees, including it's free tree give away.

Washingtonian's Annual 100 Best Bargain Restaurants

I can't find an online link for this (anyone out there, got one?), but someone sent this info along to me:

Arlington restaurants claimed 13 listings in Washingtonian’s annual 100 Best Bargain Restaurants.

A “cheap eat” is defined by the Washingtonian as a meal for two under $55, including tax and tip…and “at some places, staying within the Cheap Eats budget means abandoning the notation that three courses make a meal.” (Personally, I'm not sure I would claim under $55 as necessarily cheap!)

Arlington winners include: 1. Bangkok 54 – also winner of best tofu dish 2. Bebo Trattoria – also winner of best doughnuts for their bomboloni 3. Costa Verde 4. Delhi Club 5. EatBar 6. El Pike (Pike Pizza) 7. El Pollo Rico 8. Guajillo 9. Minh’s – also winner of best Vietnamese pork dish 10. Moby Dick House of Kabob 11. Pho 75 12. Ravi Kabob House 13. Thai Square

All the Arlington News You Care About - 5/25

Does the Post have a Clarendon bias?
Should I-66 be widened?
What do you think about the new pizza place Cafe Pizzaiolo?
What about the redevelopment plans for Crystal City?

Interesting stuff this week, I'd love to hear your comments.


Mike DeBonis and Erik Wemple (City Paper) take issue today with the Washington Post’s fascination with all things Clarendon. The reporters, targeting the Post’s recent front-page feature on boomers flocking to Clarendon, complain that over the year’s, the Post has written stories about virtually every demographic loving Clarendon. The Post, the reporters say, seems to think that Clarendon is great for EVERYONE. Read more.

Scott McCaffrey (Sun-Gazette) writes that the upscale Indian cuisine of Sangam Restaurant took top honors at Taste of Arlington in Ballston this weekend for the second year in a row. Read more.

Hegstad also wrote that the first public forum on conceptual plans for the redevelopment of Crystal City got mixed reviews. Read more.

David Schultz (Arlington Connection) wrote about plans to widen I-66. He quoted County Board Member Chris Zimmerman. Read more.

Nancy Lewis (Washington Post) gives a glowing review today to a new pizza restaurant in South Arlington, Cafe Pizzaiolo. The restaurant boasts “clay- oven-baked pizza good enough to walk there for, even on the muggiest day,” Lewis wrote. Read more.

All the Arlington News You Care About - 4/20

Arlington has selected EarthLink to provide a county-wide Wi-Fi network. The network, once fully installed, would cover 26 square miles and provide wireless broadband, as well as connections for on-the-move county employees. Read more.

The “Earl” of Sandwich: David Schultz (Arlington Connection) interviewed entrepreneur Stephen Dugan, the owner/chef of Earl’s Sandwich Shop on Wilson Boulevard, a favorite of Chairman Paul Ferguson. (We’re fans as well.) Read Steve’s secrets for the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

CNN Travel featured Arlington resident Ravannah Schrack who likes cruises but doesn't want flashy shows, formal dinners and competition for deck chairs around a pool. So, instead of booking on a traditional cruise line, the self-described un-tourist booked a berth on a cargo ship, her fifth such vacation. Read more.

Arlington native Nathan Lyon is featured on Discovery Health’s cooking show, "A Lyon in the Kitchen." Lyon’s approach is focused on fresh-from-the-market foods. Read more.

AVN is now showing a new special feature on the Shirlington Library. For your own sneak peek, click here.

Sandra Boodman (Washington Post) writes about “Bodies: the Exhibition,” which is opening this Saturday in Rosslyn’s former Newseum space. More than 3 million people have visited the exhibit, including 200,000 schoolchildren. Read more.

The Washington Post’s Express newspaper (delivered free at Metro stations) wrote about the Arlington’s plans to “un-wire” the county. Read more.

WasabiSito opens in Arlington, the newest offshoot of the popular DC eatery. Read more.

U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf on April 11 continued to press for widening Interstate 66 westbound from the Potomac River to the Capital Beltway, saying he has the best interests of the residents of Arlington, and the region, at heart. Read more.


A number of R2D2 mailboxes have turned up in the area – part of the USPS promotion of its new Star Wars stamp series – including 3 in Arlington. Have you spotted them? Read more.

A story in the Baltimore Sun describes “Bodies: The Exhibition” and explains the fascination, and the controversy. Read more.

All the Arlington News You Care About - Week of 3/16

Kristen Armstrong (Sun Gazette) featured Arlington women who are avid participants in a new roller derby league. “My favorite part of the sport is hitting people,” acknowledged Arlingtonian Melissa Cannarozzi. Read more.

The Sun-Gazette granted a rare thumbs-up to a County program – this time, to FitArlington. Read more.

Blogging It – Read about Paul Ferguson’s experience signing up for green power. Plus, can an alarm clock really run just on water? And what’s a “Juice Bag?” Visit the AIRE Blog to find answers!

Michael J. Toscano (Washington Post) praised “37 Stones” as a “skillfully acted production from Charter Theatre” in a review today in the Alexandria-Arlington Extra. Read more.

David Schultz (Arlington Connection) reported that The Curious Grape, a Shirlington wine shop, is teaming up with Arlington’s Department of Cultural Affairs to host a champagne-tasting event next week. The featured champagnes will be from Reims, Arlington’s "sister city" in France. The event is a Planet Arlington offering. Read more.

Kirstin Downey (Washington Post) reported that the County Board’s approved a plan to save 300 units of affordable housing in Buckingham Villages during Tuesday night’s meeting. The $32 million the board is prepared to spend “is thought to be one of the largest such expenditures to protect moderate-income housing in the region,” Downey wrote. Read more.

Scott McCaffrey (Sun Gazette) posted a web story on the options laid out by County Manager Ron Carlee for parks and recreation facilities fee increases in his proposed budget. Read more.

All the Arlington News You Care About - 3/16

Marvelous news: Marvelous Market is expanding via franchising in Arlington, VA. Alex and Traci Topchy, a husband-wife duo who are 10-year residents of Ballston, will develop three stores in the Clarendon, Ballston and Virginia Square. The couple expects to open their first Marvelous Market store by the fall. Read more.

Scott McCaffrey (Sun Gazette) reported on the County’s kick-off of FitArlington. He quoted Board Vice Chairman Walter Tejada. Read more.

March 18 is the scheduled grand opening of Shirlington Library. Read more.

Matthew Barakat (Associated Press) reported on Crystal City getting a facelift. The area, Barakat wrote, is “defying expectations with an aggressive plan for redevelopment that is already drawing new employers and includes renovations to its streetscape.”
The Washington Times, DC Examiner, and WJLA picked up the story.

Karen Vasquez’s (AED) letter-to-the-editor, setting the record straight on the Kettler Capitals Iceplex and steps Arlington is taking to make it ADA-compliant, ran in the DC Examiner. Read more.

Scott McCabe (DC Examiner) picked up a press release on the opening of trout fishing season in Arlington. Read more.

If you were on Crystal Drive today, you’ll likely see a RV parked out in front of Caribou Coffee. It’s from the PBS program Road Trip Nation. If you haven’t seen the program, visit the website.

Kelly DiNardo (Washington Post) wrote a front-page Food section story today on a taste-test she sponsored of on-line vs. storefront cupcakes. One of the featured chefs was Krishna Brown, owner of ShoeBoxOven.com, a Silver Spring-based online bakery. Brown got her start selling her baked goods at the Arlington Farmers Market last May. She was so successful that she quit her full-time to open ShoeBox Oven in November. Read more.

Matthew Barakat’s (AP) feature on Crystal City and the people who love it as it is was picked up by the Washington Post. It ran today in the Alexandria-Arlington section. Read more.

All the Arlington News You Care About 3/9

We're going to try a new feature here in the What's Up blog - a weekly roundup of Arlington news you care about. Let us know what you think. The following is in no particular order.

DCist wrote a piece on the ongoing possibility of the demise of Dr. Dremos. Read it here.

The City Paper reported on the upcoming Art-O-Matic in Crystal City.

Peter Marks (Washington Post) wrote a front-page Style Section piece today on Signature Theatre and the Shakespeare Theatre Company, both of whom are “substantially increasing the number of productions they offer next season -- at a time when theater attendance in the region is dropping off.” Read more

DCist reviewed the recent Planet Arlington production of Kaidan Suite.

David Francis (DC Examiner) reported that Metro will be Metro will begin running longer trains when the transit agency adds 24 new railcars to its fleet in the next few weeks. . Read more.

Kristen Armstrong (Sun Gazette) reported that Arlington libraries are bracing for the July release of the latest in the Harry Potter series. Read more.

Ted Merwin (Washington Post) reported that Signature Theatre will be staging an Israeli version – in Hebrew – of Hamlet this month. Read more.

In Monday’s Washington Post (front page Metro), David Fahrenthold focused on individual homeowners who are “living lightly on the grid” – saving electricity and sometimes even selling it back to the power companies. The story focuses on a Tacoma Park resident, and Arlington’s Scott Sklar’s home efforts are described. Read it online.

Tara Bahrampour (Washington Post) wrote a moving Extra cover story today on Arlington’s screening of the documentary "Intipucá: 40 Años de Emigration," at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre, as part of the ongoing events of Planet Arlington. The film is about the strong connections that Arlington immigrants have maintained with the Pacific Coast town. ed. Read it online.

DCMetblogs doesn't sound too excited about the upcoming Fit Arlington kick-off.

Michael J. Toscano, (Washington Post) reported on the Washington Area Community Theatre Honors. He noted that the Arlington Players “walked away with five awards for three shows.” Read more.